The mingled sounds and smells of the arena's concourse brought a frown to Pious Newelle's face as he moved through the crowd. Seldom did he go planet side of Karan III, and even less so for personal affairs.
“This is the last time I will ever have to set foot here,” he reminded himself, the thought making his surroundings less repulsive.
As he moved, the mix of the cluster's lessor races and lessor station parted to give him, and his Imperial Navy uniform, a clear path. Turning a corner and descending the stairs into the arena proper, he looked out over the gathering audience. All of them, except for he, eager to witness the spectacle of female combatants engaged in hand to hand combat. Pious walked along side the large mat which a preliminary bout was about to begin on. He took little notice of the Khanid and Jin-Mei at his sides as he sunk into one of the surprisingly comfortable V.I.P. Seats. Though his eyes were on the two women pummeling each other with martial grace, his thoughts were on the future, of what he must do, of what would be.
Soon a well built Ni-Kunni woman would take her place in the center of the arena, and he would be nothing but proud. He would make her dreams come true, this unlikely daughter of his, and in doing so would strip her of her victory she so wished for this night.
“She must leave this behind with no thoughts of returning,” he assured himself.
Yet he was troubled. He swallowed hard at the pang of selfish guilt he felt, remembering the happenings of years past that had paved this way.
* * *
“Go in there, child!” Pious commanded. The girl looked terrified, her younger sibling having come out of the room moments before, wailing as if someone had severed a limb. But Pious had no sympathy for this dirt covered, near starved, Ni-Kunni girl of about nine years. He looked down at her and with authority pointed into the med lab where a technician stood waiting. She looked back at him with wide eyes for but a moment before she obeyed.
“Standard slave screening for this one too, sir?” asked the technician.
Pious responded with a curt nod, turned away, and strode away looking over the papers that were thrust upon him earlier in the day.
“What am I going to do with two young slaves? Slaves cost money...” he muttered as he flipped through the pages, trying to come to terms with his new responsibilities. He waited for the technician to finish with the girl. The boy had been shuffled away to another room to contain his crying, though his muffled sounds still could be heard.
“I hear that you have returned with more in your troop than when you left this morning, Major Newelle.”
Pious stood quickly to attention, “Yes, sir.” He handed the papers to his superior. “I have been given two Ni-Kunni children by a desperate mother, sir. She must have been unable to care for them, I had seen them begging by one of the mines, sir. Days ago the girl had been beaten in an alley, luckily we happened upon her and scared off her attacker.”
“Hmpf. Have you any slaves back home, Major?”
“No, sir. Frankly, I'm uncertain what to do with these two. My family has but modest means. The costs to care for, train, and educate...”
“Sell one, or both if you feel the drain would still be too much. Either here or on the home-worlds, it would be a nice bonus for a man with a young family.”
“I will consider that, sir, thank you.”
Both men turned to look at the approaching technician.
“I will let you sort this out, Major.”
Pious accepted the papers back from his superior. He and the technician gave the man proper respects as he sauntered off then faced each other.
“Major Newelle, both the boy and girl check out. They are malnourished, of course, and have some parasites we will remove momentarily. Other than that, they are healthy enough. The girl had a few abnormal readings, but nothing to be concerned with.”
Pious nodded as he accepted the technician's data chip report and sat back down as the technician went off to complete his work on the two children. He plugged the data chip into his pad and began reviewing the results with a critical eye.
“If this girl is of flawed stock, I will rid myself of her here... The boy I can fetch a better price for in Amarr...” he muttered as he got to the girl's report.
A few abnormal readings, nothing to be concerned with. Pious felt a bit better having seen it himself, but something... there was something about these particular tests... what was it?
“Damn... Better to be sure she isn't going to die in transit or some such...”
He rose to his feet and found where the technician was tending to the girl.
“I want a full military diagnosis on the girl.”
* * *
The cheers of the crowd and a familiar name awoke Pious from his daydreaming.
“... and the challenger: Mitaraaaaaa Newellllllllle!!”
He looked upon the face of his daughter. The hulking Ni-Kunni stepped onto the mat and turned to each corner of the arena, giving a customary bow.
“She could win.” Pious thought to himself.
“How does she look, Father?” one of his sons, Psidias, Mitara's closest companion and training partner for the last several years called out as he arrived at the mats edge.
“I think you've both done well," Pious responded with a practiced, uncaring tone.
Psidias smiled a bit and bowed to his father.
As the announcer started the introduction of his daughters opponent, Mitara stepped off the mat as courtesy demanded.
Pious stood and met his daughter.
“Father,” she bowed with deepest respect.
“Mitara. I come with news. You will be in the Academy's next rotation.”
Mitara's face lit up and she turned to her brother with joy, he had a mixed look of sharing her happiness and confusion.
“Thank you, Father! Thank you!” She again bowed deep and smiled. Turning away from the True Amarrians she again stepped upon the mat.
Psidias looked at his father for several moments before asking quietly, “Could this have not waited until after the match?”
Pious gave his son a look, demanding to know why he was being questioned.
Psidias shifted a bit, “I know how badly she wanted to go... But we... she worked too hard for this, she needs to be here right now, not thinking about serving aboard some cruiser over Hophib!”
Pious snorted and turned his attention towards the mat, “You must learn to trust my judgment, Psidias.”
* * *
As Pious waited he rolled the possibilities over in his mind. A latent genetic defect? Bias towards anti-authority? What was it? He knew there was something, but God help him, he could not recall. As he heard the technician's footsteps he would no longer have to wait. Good.
He was handed a secured datapad and the technician went back to his duties. Only Pious' equals or superiors would be able to unlock the report. The tickle in his head that something was amiss demanded to be scratched and he wasted no time pouring over the report.
As he paged through, a chuckle escaped him upon reading a section of the report. “Hmpf, not entirely pure blooded. Not what I was worried about, and not surprising among the lowest of station here at the fringes of civilization.” He continued to page, yet he found nothing to justify his reservations.
Then he looked upon two words: Capsuleer Compatible.
“What great gift has God given unto me?” Pious sputtered out in shock and sat back, staring at the wall across from his seat.
“She is worth more than I can imagine. God.... What would someone pay?”
His mind raced pondering what this Ni-Kunni girl could bring at the slave auction.
Then revelation struck.
“A capsuleer slave will bring immediate income..... A capsuleer Newelle will elevate my House for all eternity.”
* * *
Pious closed his eyes and sighed deeply as the quick, but bruised, Khanid woman avoided a crushing front kick and swung up behind Mitara with blinding speed and wrapped her arm around his daughters neck. It was only a matter of moments before Mitara was tapping out on the mat. A victory she had worked years to attain denied her. Pious loved his daughter, and seeing her fail, even if it was the desired outcome, was difficult.
Psidias watched the scene shaking his head, finding it difficult to contain his anger, “She was not herself... distracted...”
Pious removed the regret from his voice, “She must rise above this now, Psidias. Her future lies with the Navy, with the Empire.”
“Just like you, eh, Father?” Psidias made no effort to hide his feelings about how his father had sabotaged his beloved sisters bout.
Pious looked at his son, and truth resounded in his words, “No... not like me.”
END
Showing posts with label Story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Story. Show all posts
2011-02-20
2010-04-28
Ascension of the Amazon - Chapter 2
“C'mon, you're pushing like some kind of frumpy Caldari CEO!” Psidias snickered as he stood over his youngest sister, spotting her.
“Careful, Brother, or I may end up wrapping this barbell around your scrawny little neck,” Mitara grunted as she pressed the weighted bar over her chest. Her drenched sweat suit hid a mass of muscle, something her unusually thick frame carried with ease compared to most other teen females. It had been six years since she had come to be a Newelle, and Psidias and herself had religiously kept up their workout regiment over that time.
“Excellent!” Psidias called out with encouragement as he helped her place the bar back on it's perch above her head. He was three years her senior, but they had developed a bond early on. He would tease her ruthlessly as they would compare musculature, commenting on how all the guys wish they were built as nicely as she. It was something he could do to make light of his own body, forever riddled with sickness, he had still managed to maintain some amount of tone, though it paled compared to hers.
Mitara wiped her brow with a towel, “I'm looking forward to this weekends tourney. I think we have a very good chance of defeating the Okuden Dojo.”
“This is the last year Sensei says you can participate in mixed classes, Mitara. The other dojos don't think it is proper for you to be competing against boys still, no matter how well you carry yourself. We'll have to look a lot harder for competitions on this station. What will Mother think?” he joked as he put on the kicking and hand practice pads.
“Planet-side is where the action is at, besides, Mother is busy grooming Anna,” her smirk hiding some of the hurt she felt that her mother did not think of her as worthwhile for all the normal lessons of grace and etiquette normally required of young ladies. “It is not Mitara's lot to be a proper lady, Pious, let us concentrate our efforts on the one that actually looks and acts like a woman,” she had heard these words on more than one occasion when Pious would try and challenge his wife to no avail. She frowned and looked down for a moment at her chest that had just barely begun to bloom.
Psidias, obviously wanting his partner to attack with zeal commented, “You'll have larger bumps than those this weekend if you keep sitting on your rump, let's get to it!” Mitara flew off the bench launching a flurry of strikes trying to get inside the guard of her brother, by God's Grace his longer reach kept her at bay.
Five late teen Amarrian girls started towards the lift, one of them addressing the lady of the house.
”We are off to the atrium now, Mother, I'll be back before dinner.” Anna bowed the perfect amount in response to her Mother's nod of approval. She, along with her friends, looked as examples of all that is proper, and aesthetically pleasing in Amarrian women. Their hair done articulately, clothes and makeup modest, yet flattering enough to catch the eye. Mitara watched their slender forms flow gracefully towards the lift with a hint of envy. Anna stopped short of the lift and turned back to face her sister, an uncommon occurrence to say the least.
“Why don't you come with us for a change, Mitara?” Anna said with convincing honesty. A couple of hushed snickers from her friends were silenced by a friendly wave of her hand.
Mitara nearly dropped the Naval Operations and Procedures book that belonged to her father. Her weight shifted suddenly, unbalancing the tome on her lap at her sister's address. “Umm. I don't know, Anna, I mean...”
“Nonsense, change into something...” Anna looked at her sister up and down, not entirely confident, “...something suitable, and join us.”
Mitara feeling the pressured gazes of the elder teens upon her nodded and disappeared into her room and donned one of her best church 'suits'. It was the closest thing she had to what could be considered casual dress ware, with the added illusion of making her seem less bulky. She quickly joined the crew of girls, who all gave relatively genuine nods of approval at her selection, and they all headed out.
The atrium was an expansive green space, the only one on the station orbiting Karan VIII. It was the social hub for all residents, young and old alike. The many tree arrangements, hedge mazes, and smattering of small ponds broke the area up nicely to give privacy to those who desired it enough. The gathering of teens centered around one of the hedge mazes could have been mistaken for Court. All the subtleties and intrigue of the Holder's Court, practiced here, by the youth of Amarr.
Mitara followed a step or two behind the older girls as they wove their way through the crowd, stopping to mingle here and there. She said nothing, but listened intently to all the conversations she could hear, filing away bits of information that could someday prove useful, such is the Amarrian way. After some time, Anna and her group began to disperse, each further engaging on some rather important topic of the day, seen through a teenager's eyes anyway. Mitara began to wander through the hedge maze, enjoying the quiet of it, having concentrated so to the voices just moments before. It wasn't long before she came upon another group of wandering teens, three Amarr boys, about the same age as she.
The boy at the head of their formation smiled brightly at Mitara, “Salve, lovely and serene isn't it?”
Mitara smiled awkwardly back, “Indeed it is.”
The lead boy motioned to his friends who both bowed slightly to her, “May my friends and I accompany you, miss?” He chuckled a bit, “I tire of their same boring conversation.” The other two laughed at their friends jab.
She laughed as well, trying to cover her nervousness, “How very gentlemanly of you, I'd be honored.”
Mitara joined the boys as they meandered without a care through the maze. The boys seemed quite pleased that she seemed willing to join in their talk of sports, politics, the history of some local heredity, and the less civilized races of the cluster. She actually found herself enjoying their company, something she hadn't expected.
“I still find it fascinating that to this day there are still some Ni-Kunni enslaved”, commented Hami, the first boy that spoke to her, after some time speaking of the Minmatar.
She shrugged, “I think that is due more to low station than devotion to our Lord.”
All three boys laughed, one of the others quipped, “What lowly foul station would warrant that?”
“Some kind of gutter rat I suppose!” chuckled another.
“Yes, something that crawls out of a sewer I'd imagine,” something in Hami's tone didn't sound quite right to Mitara, but she dismissed it as nothing, until he spoke again. Now his voice was full of malice and loathing, “Something that would crawl out of a sewer and try to pretend it could be Amarr! Something like you, hmm, Mitara?” Hami stepped in front of her, his bright smile now showing underlying dark intent.
“You will not speak to me in such a manner,” she growled back.
“I will speak to you however I wish, you Ni-Kunni trash!” Hami drew his hand back, readying to backhand her across the face. Her two palm thrusts, one to his lip, bloodying it, and the other to his chest sent him reeling back instead. Mitara didn't register the roaring laughter coming from behind, her total focus now on Hami.
Hami cursed as he spit onto the path, his saliva mingled with blood. “You damned slave line bitch! You want to play with the boys do you? I'll wipe that damned smirk off you face, oh yes!”
Mitara said nothing, but smoothly fell into a 'Jigotai', a defensive stance, her eyes never leaving her opponent.
Hami chuckled to his friends who were still enjoying his misfortune, “She thinks she knows a thing or two!”, his gaze set upon her, “Let's see what you really know!” He fell into a simple forward offensive stance, or 'Mae', and did so sloppily and without discipline Mitara thought to herself.
His crude strike met with a precision hip toss, landing him on his back, with a kick to the gut for good measure. The other two Amarrian boys doubled over in laughter, slapping their knees.
Hami sprang to his feet with a new found vigor, and glared at Mitara with hate. He was so easily goaded by a simple raised eyebrow that spoke clearly, “Have you started yet?”
The one sided melee continued while the two onlookers realized their man was starting to get really hurt, at which point their laughter stopped.
Mitara had just deflected another poorly executed blow by Hami when both of her arms were caught. Not a second later did a furiously thrown right hook meet with her temple, sending her dizzily towards blackness. As the two that restrained her let her fall to the ground, she felt a splatter of spit hit her cheek and heard the laughter of all three as they walked off. “Neanderthal Ni-Kunni,” one of them said as all went silent.
She cracked her neck, letting the mouth guard settle into place. Psidias was adjusting her uniform, and shook his head at her slightly swollen left cheek.
“Are you sure you are alright to do this? I mean, it's only been a couple days.”
“I'm fine,” she nodded, slamming her gloves together. She looked past Psidias to her brothers Habib and Kaleb, then to her father Pious, who looked at her sternly and nodded his best wishes.
“Show them all that you mean business, 'Tara!” Psidias shouted as she stepped up and onto the mat.
She walked with her head down, jiggling her arms to loosen them. When she arrived at her ready position, she exhaled and assumed her preferred Jigotai. When she raised her eyes and met her opponent's, she smirked with glee.
Standing across from her was an Amarrian boy, about her age, with a recently cut lip, and sudden doubt in his eyes.
“God favors the righteous,” she thought to herself smugly.
“Careful, Brother, or I may end up wrapping this barbell around your scrawny little neck,” Mitara grunted as she pressed the weighted bar over her chest. Her drenched sweat suit hid a mass of muscle, something her unusually thick frame carried with ease compared to most other teen females. It had been six years since she had come to be a Newelle, and Psidias and herself had religiously kept up their workout regiment over that time.
“Excellent!” Psidias called out with encouragement as he helped her place the bar back on it's perch above her head. He was three years her senior, but they had developed a bond early on. He would tease her ruthlessly as they would compare musculature, commenting on how all the guys wish they were built as nicely as she. It was something he could do to make light of his own body, forever riddled with sickness, he had still managed to maintain some amount of tone, though it paled compared to hers.
Mitara wiped her brow with a towel, “I'm looking forward to this weekends tourney. I think we have a very good chance of defeating the Okuden Dojo.”
“This is the last year Sensei says you can participate in mixed classes, Mitara. The other dojos don't think it is proper for you to be competing against boys still, no matter how well you carry yourself. We'll have to look a lot harder for competitions on this station. What will Mother think?” he joked as he put on the kicking and hand practice pads.
“Planet-side is where the action is at, besides, Mother is busy grooming Anna,” her smirk hiding some of the hurt she felt that her mother did not think of her as worthwhile for all the normal lessons of grace and etiquette normally required of young ladies. “It is not Mitara's lot to be a proper lady, Pious, let us concentrate our efforts on the one that actually looks and acts like a woman,” she had heard these words on more than one occasion when Pious would try and challenge his wife to no avail. She frowned and looked down for a moment at her chest that had just barely begun to bloom.
Psidias, obviously wanting his partner to attack with zeal commented, “You'll have larger bumps than those this weekend if you keep sitting on your rump, let's get to it!” Mitara flew off the bench launching a flurry of strikes trying to get inside the guard of her brother, by God's Grace his longer reach kept her at bay.
* * *
Five late teen Amarrian girls started towards the lift, one of them addressing the lady of the house.
”We are off to the atrium now, Mother, I'll be back before dinner.” Anna bowed the perfect amount in response to her Mother's nod of approval. She, along with her friends, looked as examples of all that is proper, and aesthetically pleasing in Amarrian women. Their hair done articulately, clothes and makeup modest, yet flattering enough to catch the eye. Mitara watched their slender forms flow gracefully towards the lift with a hint of envy. Anna stopped short of the lift and turned back to face her sister, an uncommon occurrence to say the least.
“Why don't you come with us for a change, Mitara?” Anna said with convincing honesty. A couple of hushed snickers from her friends were silenced by a friendly wave of her hand.
Mitara nearly dropped the Naval Operations and Procedures book that belonged to her father. Her weight shifted suddenly, unbalancing the tome on her lap at her sister's address. “Umm. I don't know, Anna, I mean...”
“Nonsense, change into something...” Anna looked at her sister up and down, not entirely confident, “...something suitable, and join us.”
Mitara feeling the pressured gazes of the elder teens upon her nodded and disappeared into her room and donned one of her best church 'suits'. It was the closest thing she had to what could be considered casual dress ware, with the added illusion of making her seem less bulky. She quickly joined the crew of girls, who all gave relatively genuine nods of approval at her selection, and they all headed out.
The atrium was an expansive green space, the only one on the station orbiting Karan VIII. It was the social hub for all residents, young and old alike. The many tree arrangements, hedge mazes, and smattering of small ponds broke the area up nicely to give privacy to those who desired it enough. The gathering of teens centered around one of the hedge mazes could have been mistaken for Court. All the subtleties and intrigue of the Holder's Court, practiced here, by the youth of Amarr.
Mitara followed a step or two behind the older girls as they wove their way through the crowd, stopping to mingle here and there. She said nothing, but listened intently to all the conversations she could hear, filing away bits of information that could someday prove useful, such is the Amarrian way. After some time, Anna and her group began to disperse, each further engaging on some rather important topic of the day, seen through a teenager's eyes anyway. Mitara began to wander through the hedge maze, enjoying the quiet of it, having concentrated so to the voices just moments before. It wasn't long before she came upon another group of wandering teens, three Amarr boys, about the same age as she.
The boy at the head of their formation smiled brightly at Mitara, “Salve, lovely and serene isn't it?”
Mitara smiled awkwardly back, “Indeed it is.”
The lead boy motioned to his friends who both bowed slightly to her, “May my friends and I accompany you, miss?” He chuckled a bit, “I tire of their same boring conversation.” The other two laughed at their friends jab.
She laughed as well, trying to cover her nervousness, “How very gentlemanly of you, I'd be honored.”
Mitara joined the boys as they meandered without a care through the maze. The boys seemed quite pleased that she seemed willing to join in their talk of sports, politics, the history of some local heredity, and the less civilized races of the cluster. She actually found herself enjoying their company, something she hadn't expected.
“I still find it fascinating that to this day there are still some Ni-Kunni enslaved”, commented Hami, the first boy that spoke to her, after some time speaking of the Minmatar.
She shrugged, “I think that is due more to low station than devotion to our Lord.”
All three boys laughed, one of the others quipped, “What lowly foul station would warrant that?”
“Some kind of gutter rat I suppose!” chuckled another.
“Yes, something that crawls out of a sewer I'd imagine,” something in Hami's tone didn't sound quite right to Mitara, but she dismissed it as nothing, until he spoke again. Now his voice was full of malice and loathing, “Something that would crawl out of a sewer and try to pretend it could be Amarr! Something like you, hmm, Mitara?” Hami stepped in front of her, his bright smile now showing underlying dark intent.
“You will not speak to me in such a manner,” she growled back.
“I will speak to you however I wish, you Ni-Kunni trash!” Hami drew his hand back, readying to backhand her across the face. Her two palm thrusts, one to his lip, bloodying it, and the other to his chest sent him reeling back instead. Mitara didn't register the roaring laughter coming from behind, her total focus now on Hami.
Hami cursed as he spit onto the path, his saliva mingled with blood. “You damned slave line bitch! You want to play with the boys do you? I'll wipe that damned smirk off you face, oh yes!”
Mitara said nothing, but smoothly fell into a 'Jigotai', a defensive stance, her eyes never leaving her opponent.
Hami chuckled to his friends who were still enjoying his misfortune, “She thinks she knows a thing or two!”, his gaze set upon her, “Let's see what you really know!” He fell into a simple forward offensive stance, or 'Mae', and did so sloppily and without discipline Mitara thought to herself.
His crude strike met with a precision hip toss, landing him on his back, with a kick to the gut for good measure. The other two Amarrian boys doubled over in laughter, slapping their knees.
Hami sprang to his feet with a new found vigor, and glared at Mitara with hate. He was so easily goaded by a simple raised eyebrow that spoke clearly, “Have you started yet?”
The one sided melee continued while the two onlookers realized their man was starting to get really hurt, at which point their laughter stopped.
Mitara had just deflected another poorly executed blow by Hami when both of her arms were caught. Not a second later did a furiously thrown right hook meet with her temple, sending her dizzily towards blackness. As the two that restrained her let her fall to the ground, she felt a splatter of spit hit her cheek and heard the laughter of all three as they walked off. “Neanderthal Ni-Kunni,” one of them said as all went silent.
* * *
She cracked her neck, letting the mouth guard settle into place. Psidias was adjusting her uniform, and shook his head at her slightly swollen left cheek.
“Are you sure you are alright to do this? I mean, it's only been a couple days.”
“I'm fine,” she nodded, slamming her gloves together. She looked past Psidias to her brothers Habib and Kaleb, then to her father Pious, who looked at her sternly and nodded his best wishes.
“Show them all that you mean business, 'Tara!” Psidias shouted as she stepped up and onto the mat.
She walked with her head down, jiggling her arms to loosen them. When she arrived at her ready position, she exhaled and assumed her preferred Jigotai. When she raised her eyes and met her opponent's, she smirked with glee.
Standing across from her was an Amarrian boy, about her age, with a recently cut lip, and sudden doubt in his eyes.
“God favors the righteous,” she thought to herself smugly.
2010-04-20
Ascension of the Amazon - Chapter 1
"...and may our Holy Father bless this meal and all the Faithful assembled here."
Pious Newelle looks up after his prayer, a smile creeping onto his face at the sight of his assembled family, their heads bowed, each one holding the hands of two others. He takes a moment to be thankful for each one in turn as eyes move across the table.
Pious did not acknowledge the look he recieved from his wife as she once again had to remind Kaleb of proper table manners, instead he watched the young Ni-Kunni girl who had barely said a word since she arrived into his custody. As it had been since she arrived, she had all but finished before most of the family had barely started. Jessica had resisted his request to continue increasing her portions until a time was reached that she would be unable to finish her meal. Ultimately, as master over the household, his desire was obeyed. She had steadily grown healthier looking, her complexion becoming less sickly, and good dose of meat forming on the childs naturally thick frame.
"You know... no one is going to take it from you, don't you?" He asked of the young girl.
She did not raise her eyes to meet his, but nodded an unconvincing nod.
"Mmmhmm" was his equally unconvinced reply.
Anna began shaking her head towards Mitara, but she quickly morphed her head shake into a scan of the room, looking for some unknown object as he shot her a scolding glance. For each of Kaleb's transgressions, lapses in manners, or other slights to the Order of Things, hers was an exact opposite. It was as if she was born Amarrian, even moreso than his birth children. All it took was one instruction on behavior, or beliefs, and it became as natural to her as breathing. This was not some mimicry either, of someone simply trying to appease, it was if all these things were already part of her, but just needed to be pointed out to be flipped on. He let the thoughts out of his mind as the dinner continued on.
"I am going to take Habib with me tonight, Father" Psidias spoke, sounding more like a question than a statement at the meals end.
"Mmmmh... You have spoken with the Sensei about bringing your brother to the dojo?"
"Yes, Father. He said he would try to arrange for an appropriate Kyu to pair Habib with." replied Psidias before covering his mouth as he coughed.
Pious felt a pang of guilt as he looked upon his middle son. He was a lean young man, but what strength he did have was etched into his body for all to see. Years of combating multitudes of sicknesses had taken its toll, but his spirit was as bright as a sun, and Psidias would not let himself be withheld from whatever athletics he set his mind to.
"What sin did I commit to force such trials on this lovely child?" Pious silently asked.
He was about to comment to Psidias about Habib's partner when something caught his eye at the end of the table. Mitara had actually looked at her new brothers with something that resembled interest.
Pious stood as he pushed his chair away from the table and started walking towards his study.
"Take Mitara with you."
He smiled to himself at the sudden silence behind him while he walked.
Pious Newelle looks up after his prayer, a smile creeping onto his face at the sight of his assembled family, their heads bowed, each one holding the hands of two others. He takes a moment to be thankful for each one in turn as eyes move across the table.
- Jessica, his wife of 17 years, mother to four of his six children
- Daniel, his eldest son, and heir to the Newelle family name.
- Psidias, the middle son
- Habib, his youngest boy.
- and Anna, his only daughter, until three months ago anyways, born between Psidias and Habib.
Pious did not acknowledge the look he recieved from his wife as she once again had to remind Kaleb of proper table manners, instead he watched the young Ni-Kunni girl who had barely said a word since she arrived into his custody. As it had been since she arrived, she had all but finished before most of the family had barely started. Jessica had resisted his request to continue increasing her portions until a time was reached that she would be unable to finish her meal. Ultimately, as master over the household, his desire was obeyed. She had steadily grown healthier looking, her complexion becoming less sickly, and good dose of meat forming on the childs naturally thick frame.
"You know... no one is going to take it from you, don't you?" He asked of the young girl.
She did not raise her eyes to meet his, but nodded an unconvincing nod.
"Mmmhmm" was his equally unconvinced reply.
Anna began shaking her head towards Mitara, but she quickly morphed her head shake into a scan of the room, looking for some unknown object as he shot her a scolding glance. For each of Kaleb's transgressions, lapses in manners, or other slights to the Order of Things, hers was an exact opposite. It was as if she was born Amarrian, even moreso than his birth children. All it took was one instruction on behavior, or beliefs, and it became as natural to her as breathing. This was not some mimicry either, of someone simply trying to appease, it was if all these things were already part of her, but just needed to be pointed out to be flipped on. He let the thoughts out of his mind as the dinner continued on.
"I am going to take Habib with me tonight, Father" Psidias spoke, sounding more like a question than a statement at the meals end.
"Mmmmh... You have spoken with the Sensei about bringing your brother to the dojo?"
"Yes, Father. He said he would try to arrange for an appropriate Kyu to pair Habib with." replied Psidias before covering his mouth as he coughed.
Pious felt a pang of guilt as he looked upon his middle son. He was a lean young man, but what strength he did have was etched into his body for all to see. Years of combating multitudes of sicknesses had taken its toll, but his spirit was as bright as a sun, and Psidias would not let himself be withheld from whatever athletics he set his mind to.
"What sin did I commit to force such trials on this lovely child?" Pious silently asked.
He was about to comment to Psidias about Habib's partner when something caught his eye at the end of the table. Mitara had actually looked at her new brothers with something that resembled interest.
Pious stood as he pushed his chair away from the table and started walking towards his study.
"Take Mitara with you."
He smiled to himself at the sudden silence behind him while he walked.
* * * * *
"Be quiet!" yelled Habib at the chuckling Psidias, covering his left eye.
"Now tell me what happened again?" a confused Pious Newelle asked of the same laughing boy.
"Well, Sensei thought since they are both the same age and neither have had any training, that they would be a good match, Father." Psidias was now fending off his younger brothers flailing fists with ease. "He was more worried about Mitara really..." Psidias's laughter stopped adruptly as he missed deflecting one of Habibs now increased flurry of blows.
"Enough."
The two boys stopped dead at the hint of command in their father's voice that was usually reserved for his Navy subordinates.
"Go."
Psidias and Habib quickly dissappeared from the study, leaving a frightened young Ni-Kunni girl trembling in the corner alone with their unhappy father.
"Come here."
Mitara obeyed immediately, but did not take her eyes off the floor.
Pious held up an open palm to the girl, "Punch me."
Her body began to shake even more, and her voice came out meek and broken, "I cannot, Sir."
"Do as I say."
She flinched at the increased command in his voice. Willing herself to obey, she took the stance the Sensei had shown her, spotted her target from the corner of her eye as she looked away, and slammed her fist at it as hard as she could. Mitara closed her stance, placed her hands before her, and planted her eyes at her feet.
The seconds passed as hours as she stood there awaiting her fate.
"Good girl."
His voice was no longer commanding, but soothing, warm.
Pious reached out, gently raising the childs chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. He held her gaze for a moment before drawing her into a fatherly embrace. She stiffened in his arms, but did not resist. "Progress," he thought, before releasing her. This time she held his gaze afterwards, "More progress."
"My subordinates call me Sir, Mitara. You are my daughter, and I am your Father." He nodded at her, willing her to comprehend. His only response from her was her level gaze. Sighing, he added, "You will go with Psidias again tomorrow."
The girl's lip quivered a moment, then one corner curled up ever so slightly. She looked back at the man with a thin lipped, smug half-smile, "Yes, Father."
2009-09-13
Resurrection - Chapter 3
NOTE: This story needs to be slightly retconned to take into consideration the events of YC121.03.18 that established that Ca'lik'bar is a subsurface mining colony and not an open air mining colony.
* * *
The last few days saw more food than before. One less mouth to feed helped, even though the worry of their missing mother kept her from sleeping. Her bruised cheek, and the cut across her lip probably helped with the miners sympathy too. With the sound of the shift change siren, she takes up her old violin, her muscles still sore from the encounter days before. A piece of bread crust, and a mostly eaten peach are the things she notes getting tossed into her brothers violin case, and she manages to smile a little.
"How are you feeling?" the vaguely familiar Amarr voice asks.
Startled, she looks up and over seeing the Navy officer at the front of a detachment of Imperial Marines. Looking away in embarrassment for not thanking him, she responds, "Ok, sir. Thank you... you know? The other day...?"
He smiles softly at her and then her brother, "And who is this?"
"I'm Kaleb!" her younger brother chimes in before she has a chance to respond. The young boy looks wide eyed at the Amarr officer, "Do you fly a spaceship!?" he asks excitedly.
The officer chuckles back at the inquisitive child, "I serve aboard one, yes."
"Wow!" The boy smiles broadly, enamored.
"I'd like to hear you play, " says the officer turning his gaze back to her.
She nods, trying to avoid his eyes. She brings her carefully chosen stick up to the rusted strings and does her best to not offend her audiences ears.
The officer puts on a forced expression of approval, trying to hide his amusement behind his smile. She plays a bit more before her brother breaks her concentration.
"Mommy!" he shouts and drops the violin case, spilling it's little contents onto the ground. He runs up to her hugging at her leg. She barely notices and approaches the officer.
The mother thrusts some papers at the man, shaking them, "Take them! For God, take them!" Out of reflex the officer responds, accepting the papers. She drops to the ground in front of him, grasping at his boot, kissing the toe of it, "Thank you, m'Lord!. By all that is Holy, thank you! They will serve you well."
The lump in the daughters throat prevents her from speaking, her body paralyzed at the implication.
The mother stands, pushing down the young boy who is still chanting, "Mommy! Mommy!" She turns away without looking at either of the children, running off into the cross traffic of arriving and leaving workers. Her wild, unwashed hair is the last they will ever see of her.
"Umm..." The Naval officer is the first to be able to respond, and he quickly glances over the papers he realizes he now holds. "Sergeant, take them" he calls out flatly.
The marines move swiftly, one grabbing the now crying boy off the ground, another scooping up the girl. She blinks in a daze and loses grip of the violin which falls to the ground, the aged cheap wood shattering into pieces. The troop quickly moves out towards the center of the city.
*
She stands with her younger brother at her side, the Naval officer behind them. She looks at the Amarr behind the counter as he finishes reading the papers their mother had thrust upon the officer.
"Yes, this is all in order. She has relinquished any claim to them. Do you have the registration forms for your new slaves?"
The officer hands him a data tablet. The clerk begins reading it, and almost immediately looks back up at the Navy man. "Sir, but this is..."
"I know." assures the officer in a commanding voice.
The clerk looks at the two children in front of him. He shrugs and continues reading partially out loud, "... Ni-Kunni female... age nine ... height, weight appear accurate..." He looks at the officer, "Name?"
The officer looks down at the girl, smiling, "Go ahead, tell him your name."
The girl looks up at the officer a moment then at the clerk. She says softly, "Mitara Cobestes"
"Mitara..." the clerk repeats back as he keys the datapad. He scrolls and reads more, ".. Ni-Kunni male... age 5... ok.." Knowing now what the response from the officer will be, this time he looks at the boy for the response, "Name?"
"Kaleb, sir"
"Kaleb..." more keying into the datapad followed by a press of a thumb. The clerk hands the datapad back to the Navy officer, "There you are sir, all set."
The Navy man places a hand on either of the siblings shoulders and turns them to walk. As they walk he looks down at the girl, she looks back up at him. "Mitara Newelle. You are Mitara Newelle now. Understand?"
She nods to him, even though she doesn't.
* * *
Mitara leans her back against the outer wall of the mineshaft and slowly slides down until she is sitting. She pulls her knees up against her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. Her eyes close and her head lowers to rest against the top of her knees.
Emotion crashes down on her.
She sobs.
* * *
Kaleb lays curled on the bench of the transport, asleep. The young Ni-Kunni girl sits next to the Naval officer, unable to comprehend the happenings of the last several hours. The silence weighs down on her, and the fear of this unknown future scares her to her core. She tries not make any sounds as she can't help but cry. The Navy officer notices anyway.
Mitara sits straight up, sucking in a breath. Her heart races and her body trembles. She looks all around her. She is alone. What was once day has become night. There is a soft glow provided by the starlight.
A fresh stream of tears begin to fall, now tears of joy. She lifts her head to the stars, a smile slowly forms.
"Thank you."
END
* * *
The last few days saw more food than before. One less mouth to feed helped, even though the worry of their missing mother kept her from sleeping. Her bruised cheek, and the cut across her lip probably helped with the miners sympathy too. With the sound of the shift change siren, she takes up her old violin, her muscles still sore from the encounter days before. A piece of bread crust, and a mostly eaten peach are the things she notes getting tossed into her brothers violin case, and she manages to smile a little.
"How are you feeling?" the vaguely familiar Amarr voice asks.
Startled, she looks up and over seeing the Navy officer at the front of a detachment of Imperial Marines. Looking away in embarrassment for not thanking him, she responds, "Ok, sir. Thank you... you know? The other day...?"
He smiles softly at her and then her brother, "And who is this?"
"I'm Kaleb!" her younger brother chimes in before she has a chance to respond. The young boy looks wide eyed at the Amarr officer, "Do you fly a spaceship!?" he asks excitedly.
The officer chuckles back at the inquisitive child, "I serve aboard one, yes."
"Wow!" The boy smiles broadly, enamored.
"I'd like to hear you play, " says the officer turning his gaze back to her.
She nods, trying to avoid his eyes. She brings her carefully chosen stick up to the rusted strings and does her best to not offend her audiences ears.
The officer puts on a forced expression of approval, trying to hide his amusement behind his smile. She plays a bit more before her brother breaks her concentration.
"Mommy!" he shouts and drops the violin case, spilling it's little contents onto the ground. He runs up to her hugging at her leg. She barely notices and approaches the officer.
The mother thrusts some papers at the man, shaking them, "Take them! For God, take them!" Out of reflex the officer responds, accepting the papers. She drops to the ground in front of him, grasping at his boot, kissing the toe of it, "Thank you, m'Lord!. By all that is Holy, thank you! They will serve you well."
The lump in the daughters throat prevents her from speaking, her body paralyzed at the implication.
The mother stands, pushing down the young boy who is still chanting, "Mommy! Mommy!" She turns away without looking at either of the children, running off into the cross traffic of arriving and leaving workers. Her wild, unwashed hair is the last they will ever see of her.
"Umm..." The Naval officer is the first to be able to respond, and he quickly glances over the papers he realizes he now holds. "Sergeant, take them" he calls out flatly.
The marines move swiftly, one grabbing the now crying boy off the ground, another scooping up the girl. She blinks in a daze and loses grip of the violin which falls to the ground, the aged cheap wood shattering into pieces. The troop quickly moves out towards the center of the city.
*
She stands with her younger brother at her side, the Naval officer behind them. She looks at the Amarr behind the counter as he finishes reading the papers their mother had thrust upon the officer.
"Yes, this is all in order. She has relinquished any claim to them. Do you have the registration forms for your new slaves?"
The officer hands him a data tablet. The clerk begins reading it, and almost immediately looks back up at the Navy man. "Sir, but this is..."
"I know." assures the officer in a commanding voice.
The clerk looks at the two children in front of him. He shrugs and continues reading partially out loud, "... Ni-Kunni female... age nine ... height, weight appear accurate..." He looks at the officer, "Name?"
The officer looks down at the girl, smiling, "Go ahead, tell him your name."
The girl looks up at the officer a moment then at the clerk. She says softly, "Mitara Cobestes"
"Mitara..." the clerk repeats back as he keys the datapad. He scrolls and reads more, ".. Ni-Kunni male... age 5... ok.." Knowing now what the response from the officer will be, this time he looks at the boy for the response, "Name?"
"Kaleb, sir"
"Kaleb..." more keying into the datapad followed by a press of a thumb. The clerk hands the datapad back to the Navy officer, "There you are sir, all set."
The Navy man places a hand on either of the siblings shoulders and turns them to walk. As they walk he looks down at the girl, she looks back up at him. "Mitara Newelle. You are Mitara Newelle now. Understand?"
She nods to him, even though she doesn't.
* * *
Mitara leans her back against the outer wall of the mineshaft and slowly slides down until she is sitting. She pulls her knees up against her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. Her eyes close and her head lowers to rest against the top of her knees.
Emotion crashes down on her.
She sobs.
* * *
Kaleb lays curled on the bench of the transport, asleep. The young Ni-Kunni girl sits next to the Naval officer, unable to comprehend the happenings of the last several hours. The silence weighs down on her, and the fear of this unknown future scares her to her core. She tries not make any sounds as she can't help but cry. The Navy officer notices anyway.
| "Why do you cry?" asks the officer in a kind voice. | "Why do you cry?" asks a voice. | |
| "It has been so hard. I have done some bad things." the short life of the young girl plays itself back in her mind. All the worry and anguish of simply trying to survive. Visions of the places and the people from which she stole roll through her thoughts. | "It has been so hard. I have done some horrid things." the Captain thinks of the constant patrols and battles, all her duties to PIE and to the Empire. She sees the faces of her fellow pilots prominently: Shalee, Raphael, Zenton, Laerise, Aldrith; others fade quickly. Deep within her she knows she has wronged them all. | |
| "Are you not also blessed?" the Amarr next to her says, gently placing his hand atop her head. | "Are you not also blessed?" the voice asks, the hair on her neck stands on end. | |
| She had been bathed, fed, and given new cloths. Her wounds had been attended to by a physician. She was not separated from her brother. "Yes, I am blessed." | She was nearly immortal. She was Captain in the venerated Praetoria Imperialis Excubitoris. Rich beyond most commoners dreams. She had a family that cared for her. She had felt the elation of giving her heart away to another. "Yes, I am blessed." | |
| The young girl looks up at the Amarr officer, "Who are you?" | The woman begins to look up, "Who are you?" | |
| "I am your father, now." replies the man next to her. | "I am your Father, always." the voice fills her head. |
Mitara sits straight up, sucking in a breath. Her heart races and her body trembles. She looks all around her. She is alone. What was once day has become night. There is a soft glow provided by the starlight.
A fresh stream of tears begin to fall, now tears of joy. She lifts her head to the stars, a smile slowly forms.
"Thank you."
END
Resurrection - Chapter 2
NOTE: This story needs to be slightly retconned to take into consideration the events of YC121.03.18 that established that Ca'lik'bar is a subsurface mining colony and not an open air mining colony.
The broken plastic lid skids to a stop, bumping into a pile of broken glass in the dimly lit alley.
“I win!” cheers the excited Ni-Kunni boy.
“Yes, you win. Now go back home and I'll be there in a while,” replies his thin... too thin, sister.
He scuttles off whence they came, giving his makeshift ball an occasional kick as he weaves between the junk and other debris littering the alley. She watches him as long as she can. Normally she would let him win, just to see his excitement. But not today. Her body ached so bad, her joints grinding like broken gears. She was certain the pain in her stomach meant that her body had begun to feed upon itself. It had been days since she allowed herself even the smallest bit of food. She made sure Kaleb got as much as she could, rationing only a tiny bit for what had once been their mother. “You git on home now before it gets too dark!” Her shout is weak and hoarse. She's not sure if her blurred vision is the reason she finally loses sight of him, or that he has rounded some corner, either way she must now focus on her task.
It had only been two weeks since they had cut back shaft R-37 to two shifts, and already there had been a few near riots that had quickly been dispersed by ever increasing Imperial patrols. They had suffered worse than she thought they might. There were more people vying for the attention of the remaining workers for starters, and what she was able to get from them was less and less as the miners started to horde what they could in anticipation of the shaft being shut down entirely. She was so tired. All she wanted was to sleep, yet she plodded on. The occasional functioning alley light helped guide her towards the center of the city. Usually a better chance to find something she could use would be had there.
“I could give you something. That is, if you have something to give me?” The Khanid accent was thick. The twenty-something man stepped down off what must have been some kind of loading dock. His dirty white shirt was not worn, or ripped at all. “I've seen you come by this way before. You need something to eat?”
She nods back to him, “I would make music for you, but...” she lifts her heavy arm, pointing far down the alley.
“S'ok, we can figure something else out.” he says as he pulls a low crate aside and sits on it. He reaches into one of the over sized leg pockets that adorn his pants and pulls out a packet of dried rations, something the miners are given when they go very deep below the surface. “I've got this for you.”
“But I don't have nothing to... “ she finds the words so hard to say, knowing the weeks worth of meals is beyond her. Her head droops and her lips involuntarily pout.
“You can dance, right?” the Khanid leans forward resting his elbows on his knees, “Let me see you dance, pretty thing.”
She bobs her head in agreement and begins swaying from side to side, trying with all her might to move her arms in a graceful motion. Tears begin to well up as she hears the sounds of his laughter.
“Ha ha! No, you silly girl, not like that!” He jumps up from his seat and moves behind her, half leaning over her, his sweaty face above her head. “I want you to do it like this.” Her puppeteer begins moving his hips against her back and she sways with him in return. She closes her eyes, focusing on the pain in her belly.. “Yeah like that, now you're getting it.” He reaches over the top of her, taking hold of her wrists. She lays her head to the side praying for sleep to take her. He guides her hands up and down her preteen body, “That's good, very good.” Tears roll down the side of her face.
“Mother and Kaleb need you” she tells herself.
* * *
“You don't like my song!” cries the young girl standing in front of her.
Mitara feels her wet cheeks and shakes her head at the distraught child. “No, no, you did fine.” She kneels down, “You did wonderfully” displaying the coin in her hand, she holds it out. Both Ni-Kunni, adult and child, smile at each other with water streaked faces.
The young child snatches the coin and runs down the street, “Thank you, thank you!”
Mitara remains kneeling a moment, watching the girl down the street turn up a flight of stairs into what passes as an apartment building. She then looks down at the rough sidewalk where a couple of tears have dropped from her face and splattered.
* * *
She falls forward, limp, as he tries to work his hand under her tattered dress.
“Don't you know anything!?” the Khanid yells at her.
Her face scrapes against the dirty concrete of the alleyway and she rolls to her side as the force of his kick connects to her lower back. Her body responds with a yelp and begins heaving with sobs. She blinks a couple times looking at the few drops of blood smeared on the pavement inches away from her mouth. A couple of his footsteps are heard before the flash of white and the sharp sting on the side of her face that immediately begins to throb.
“Now we have to start over!” He grabs her by the armpit and attempts to hoist her up, her body refuses to help and he loses his grip, “Damnit, get up!” The soft thud of his fist hitting the backside of her shoulder is easily drowned out by the cry she emits.
“Please please please” She sputters between gasping sobs.
He hovers over her and spits to the side, “You want what I got, I know you do! Now get up!” His body freezes has he begins to bend down.
“Stop!”
The voice is confident and authoritative. The sounds of many men running grow louder as the sound of his retreat grows softer. She closes her eyes and begins to tremble as the sounds become a roar closing in on her. Even as they pass, she is too terrified to move.
“Come now, it's ok, it's ok.” It's the same voice as before, now soft, gentle.
She recoils, balling up in a fetal position at the light touch.
“It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you. Come on now.”
His hands and arms are strong. They pick her up and carry her to the nearby dock, gently he sets her at it's edge, sitting her up. She opens her eyes and sees a look of concern on the Amarrians face.
“We'll have to have that tended to. Can you tell me your name?”
She stares blankly at the Imperial Navy insignia on his uniform.
“I know you are scared, but I can help you. If...”
His head quirks away listening to something only he can hear, then back in a commanding voice says to nobody she can see, “Yes, thank you, Marine.”
His voice softens, “You're ok now. I'm going to help you. I'll be right back.”
She doesn't turn her head to watch him follow the way the rest went, she just sits looking forward.
“Mother and Kaleb” she says out loud.
She slides off the dock and her body wracks with pain as she lands. She whimpers as she tries to move with haste, grabbing the ration packet and starting towards home.
Her lungs are on fire and her muscles scream at her to stop as she nears the back of the apartment building. The sounds of Kaleb crying drives her to get there faster still even as her body rebels again her.
“Where is Mother?” she pants out.
“I don't know” wails her brother.
The broken plastic lid skids to a stop, bumping into a pile of broken glass in the dimly lit alley.
“I win!” cheers the excited Ni-Kunni boy.
“Yes, you win. Now go back home and I'll be there in a while,” replies his thin... too thin, sister.
He scuttles off whence they came, giving his makeshift ball an occasional kick as he weaves between the junk and other debris littering the alley. She watches him as long as she can. Normally she would let him win, just to see his excitement. But not today. Her body ached so bad, her joints grinding like broken gears. She was certain the pain in her stomach meant that her body had begun to feed upon itself. It had been days since she allowed herself even the smallest bit of food. She made sure Kaleb got as much as she could, rationing only a tiny bit for what had once been their mother. “You git on home now before it gets too dark!” Her shout is weak and hoarse. She's not sure if her blurred vision is the reason she finally loses sight of him, or that he has rounded some corner, either way she must now focus on her task.
It had only been two weeks since they had cut back shaft R-37 to two shifts, and already there had been a few near riots that had quickly been dispersed by ever increasing Imperial patrols. They had suffered worse than she thought they might. There were more people vying for the attention of the remaining workers for starters, and what she was able to get from them was less and less as the miners started to horde what they could in anticipation of the shaft being shut down entirely. She was so tired. All she wanted was to sleep, yet she plodded on. The occasional functioning alley light helped guide her towards the center of the city. Usually a better chance to find something she could use would be had there.
“I could give you something. That is, if you have something to give me?” The Khanid accent was thick. The twenty-something man stepped down off what must have been some kind of loading dock. His dirty white shirt was not worn, or ripped at all. “I've seen you come by this way before. You need something to eat?”
She nods back to him, “I would make music for you, but...” she lifts her heavy arm, pointing far down the alley.
“S'ok, we can figure something else out.” he says as he pulls a low crate aside and sits on it. He reaches into one of the over sized leg pockets that adorn his pants and pulls out a packet of dried rations, something the miners are given when they go very deep below the surface. “I've got this for you.”
“But I don't have nothing to... “ she finds the words so hard to say, knowing the weeks worth of meals is beyond her. Her head droops and her lips involuntarily pout.
“You can dance, right?” the Khanid leans forward resting his elbows on his knees, “Let me see you dance, pretty thing.”
She bobs her head in agreement and begins swaying from side to side, trying with all her might to move her arms in a graceful motion. Tears begin to well up as she hears the sounds of his laughter.
“Ha ha! No, you silly girl, not like that!” He jumps up from his seat and moves behind her, half leaning over her, his sweaty face above her head. “I want you to do it like this.” Her puppeteer begins moving his hips against her back and she sways with him in return. She closes her eyes, focusing on the pain in her belly.. “Yeah like that, now you're getting it.” He reaches over the top of her, taking hold of her wrists. She lays her head to the side praying for sleep to take her. He guides her hands up and down her preteen body, “That's good, very good.” Tears roll down the side of her face.
“Mother and Kaleb need you” she tells herself.
* * *
“You don't like my song!” cries the young girl standing in front of her.
Mitara feels her wet cheeks and shakes her head at the distraught child. “No, no, you did fine.” She kneels down, “You did wonderfully” displaying the coin in her hand, she holds it out. Both Ni-Kunni, adult and child, smile at each other with water streaked faces.
The young child snatches the coin and runs down the street, “Thank you, thank you!”
Mitara remains kneeling a moment, watching the girl down the street turn up a flight of stairs into what passes as an apartment building. She then looks down at the rough sidewalk where a couple of tears have dropped from her face and splattered.
* * *
She falls forward, limp, as he tries to work his hand under her tattered dress.
“Don't you know anything!?” the Khanid yells at her.
Her face scrapes against the dirty concrete of the alleyway and she rolls to her side as the force of his kick connects to her lower back. Her body responds with a yelp and begins heaving with sobs. She blinks a couple times looking at the few drops of blood smeared on the pavement inches away from her mouth. A couple of his footsteps are heard before the flash of white and the sharp sting on the side of her face that immediately begins to throb.
“Now we have to start over!” He grabs her by the armpit and attempts to hoist her up, her body refuses to help and he loses his grip, “Damnit, get up!” The soft thud of his fist hitting the backside of her shoulder is easily drowned out by the cry she emits.
“Please please please” She sputters between gasping sobs.
He hovers over her and spits to the side, “You want what I got, I know you do! Now get up!” His body freezes has he begins to bend down.
“Stop!”
The voice is confident and authoritative. The sounds of many men running grow louder as the sound of his retreat grows softer. She closes her eyes and begins to tremble as the sounds become a roar closing in on her. Even as they pass, she is too terrified to move.
“Come now, it's ok, it's ok.” It's the same voice as before, now soft, gentle.
She recoils, balling up in a fetal position at the light touch.
“It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you. Come on now.”
His hands and arms are strong. They pick her up and carry her to the nearby dock, gently he sets her at it's edge, sitting her up. She opens her eyes and sees a look of concern on the Amarrians face.
“We'll have to have that tended to. Can you tell me your name?”
She stares blankly at the Imperial Navy insignia on his uniform.
“I know you are scared, but I can help you. If...”
His head quirks away listening to something only he can hear, then back in a commanding voice says to nobody she can see, “Yes, thank you, Marine.”
His voice softens, “You're ok now. I'm going to help you. I'll be right back.”
She doesn't turn her head to watch him follow the way the rest went, she just sits looking forward.
“Mother and Kaleb” she says out loud.
She slides off the dock and her body wracks with pain as she lands. She whimpers as she tries to move with haste, grabbing the ration packet and starting towards home.
Her lungs are on fire and her muscles scream at her to stop as she nears the back of the apartment building. The sounds of Kaleb crying drives her to get there faster still even as her body rebels again her.
“Where is Mother?” she pants out.
“I don't know” wails her brother.
2009-09-11
Resurrection - Chapter 1
NOTE: This story needs to be slightly retconned to take into consideration the events of YC121.03.18 that established that Ca'lik'bar is a subsurface mining colony and not an open air mining colony.
The Imperial Spaceport is an immaculate, gold and white structure, dwarfing all other buildings in the city of Ca'lik'bar on Anath II, Aridia. It is a conduit for ores and minerals extracted from below the surface of this nondescript planet to reach the greater Empire of which it belongs. The businessmen, Imperial Regulators, and Imperial Navy personnel that keep it all running also travel it's corridors. It is a shining beacon surrounded by the squalor that is the city.
Ca'lik'bar is home to mostly Ni-Kunni and Khanid miner families and to those that offer their services to them. There is little happiness there. Those families that are lucky enough to work the mines worry when their employment will be terminated, as the cheaper to operate and more efficient asteroid mining ships continue to increase in numbers. Those without, do what they can to survive. Cooking, cleaning, entertaining, begging, and even less dignified activities all are offered to the Elite of Ca'lik'bar, and to even the lowest mine worker.
Mitara Newelle, capsuleer, Captain of Preatoria Imperialis Excubitoris, waits in line to exit the Imperial Spaceport and enter the place of her birth, which she has not set foot in for over 20 years. Those next to her regard her with disdain at her less than tailored cloths, and disheveled look. She plays the part, keeping her head down, not looking any of them in the eye. Finally the guard scans her id badge. He gives her a puzzled look and opens his mouth to ask something. The glare that she gives him steals his voice, and he simply waves her though.
The assault on her senses as she steps out of the spaceport and into the huge expanse of the cities' market plaza is overbearing. The aroma of hundreds of types food, animals, and the sweat of the thousands of vendors and their patrons make her gag. She tries to block out the droning buzz of activity all around her as she moves her way through the plaza to one of the main artery streets that eventually lead to mineshaft R-37. Along the way a Khanid boy leaps in front of her offering some type soup. She smells it, fights back the urge to vomit, and pushes past the boy. As she starts down one of the many wide streetways, she stops to watch a troop of teenage Ni-Kunni perform a synchronized dance. The few people assembled watch with subtle amusement, cheering once in a while at some feat of acrobatics. After a few moments she continues on down the street.
It is less crowded now, and the smell isn't as horrible, but there are still the occasional civilians looking to earn their next meal. She walks for some time and the bustle of business gives way to the calmer and quieter atmosphere of the residential districts. She muses at the size and condition of the apartments. The amount she spends in broker fees in a month on the interstellar market could refurbish the buildings 10 times over. It isn't until she feels something tugging at her sleeve does she realize how far she has gone, and into the slums at the outskirts of the city. The sight of her childhood neighborhood stops her cold.
“Lady, some change for a song?”
Even with Mitara's low class disguise, the young Ni-Kunni girl sees someone of greater wealth than she.
Mitara looks at the child - dirty, malnourished, uneducated. “What song will you sing for me, young one?”
“I don't know the name. My mommy taught it to me. It's really old so I don't know what the words mean, but Mommy says it is about how God will provide to the faithful.”
“Very well.” Mitara produces a coin from her worn overcoat and shows it to the child, then crosses her arms expecting that services be rendered first. The girl smiles awkwardly and begins singing in undecipherable words, that may at one time have been of the oldest of language in the Scriptures, but after generations of being passed down have become nothing but nonsense. Mitara listens for a time before her mind starts to wander ever back, back to her life before being a Newelle.
***
The two siblings stood at the entrance of mine shaft R-37. The boy several years younger than the girl, barely able to hold the worn and beaten violin case. The girl held the instrument like she had seen in a picture, running a stick across the dirty and rusted strings. It had been about a year since the two discovered the treasure while scavenging through the dumpsters of an apartment building on the other side of the city. In that time she had learned a few ways to coax the thing into producing some tones that did not make ones teeth hurt. Every day, at every shift change, they would come in hopes one of the miners would toss something, anything – a coin, a piece of bread, something; into their case. If they were lucky enough, they would bring the booty to their mother, who would wait emotionless under the back alley rear stairs of a run down apartment building. Her heart and ability to provide for her children were broken several years prior, when her mate left off world as a slave. While his needs would be met, even if it was in a life time of service to another, they would have to fend for themselves. The betrayal, hurt, and fear were too much, and her mind left her.
“Look mother! Cheese! And a candy!” The young girl exclaimed as she and her brother ran to what they called home. Their mother greeted them with a blank stare. “Kaleb, divide this while I get us some water.” She takes a couple old metal cups and goes to the rail well at the corner of the building, dunking them into the barrel. Upon returning her younger brother has torn the cheese into four parts. “You take two, mother and I will have one, you need it to grow.” The daughter puts a single bit of the meal to her mothers lips, which instinctively take it. The bit of cheese is followed by a drink of water from the misshapen cup, again the mouth muscles react on their own. The two children quickly devour their scraps in silence.
“Can I go first?” Kaleb asks, as he smiles an unusually perfect smile for one of his class. His sister responds with a smile of her own, “Yes, but don't take too long.” The boy quickly picks up the piece of candy and plunks in his mouth, careful not to bite down on it. “Now me!” she says to him after a several seconds. Her brother takes the candy out of his mouth and hands it to his sister. She raises it to her full Ni-Kunni lips, eager to taste it's sweetness. They both start to giggle with glee as they take turns sucking on their deserved pay.
The Imperial Spaceport is an immaculate, gold and white structure, dwarfing all other buildings in the city of Ca'lik'bar on Anath II, Aridia. It is a conduit for ores and minerals extracted from below the surface of this nondescript planet to reach the greater Empire of which it belongs. The businessmen, Imperial Regulators, and Imperial Navy personnel that keep it all running also travel it's corridors. It is a shining beacon surrounded by the squalor that is the city.
Ca'lik'bar is home to mostly Ni-Kunni and Khanid miner families and to those that offer their services to them. There is little happiness there. Those families that are lucky enough to work the mines worry when their employment will be terminated, as the cheaper to operate and more efficient asteroid mining ships continue to increase in numbers. Those without, do what they can to survive. Cooking, cleaning, entertaining, begging, and even less dignified activities all are offered to the Elite of Ca'lik'bar, and to even the lowest mine worker.
Mitara Newelle, capsuleer, Captain of Preatoria Imperialis Excubitoris, waits in line to exit the Imperial Spaceport and enter the place of her birth, which she has not set foot in for over 20 years. Those next to her regard her with disdain at her less than tailored cloths, and disheveled look. She plays the part, keeping her head down, not looking any of them in the eye. Finally the guard scans her id badge. He gives her a puzzled look and opens his mouth to ask something. The glare that she gives him steals his voice, and he simply waves her though.
The assault on her senses as she steps out of the spaceport and into the huge expanse of the cities' market plaza is overbearing. The aroma of hundreds of types food, animals, and the sweat of the thousands of vendors and their patrons make her gag. She tries to block out the droning buzz of activity all around her as she moves her way through the plaza to one of the main artery streets that eventually lead to mineshaft R-37. Along the way a Khanid boy leaps in front of her offering some type soup. She smells it, fights back the urge to vomit, and pushes past the boy. As she starts down one of the many wide streetways, she stops to watch a troop of teenage Ni-Kunni perform a synchronized dance. The few people assembled watch with subtle amusement, cheering once in a while at some feat of acrobatics. After a few moments she continues on down the street.
It is less crowded now, and the smell isn't as horrible, but there are still the occasional civilians looking to earn their next meal. She walks for some time and the bustle of business gives way to the calmer and quieter atmosphere of the residential districts. She muses at the size and condition of the apartments. The amount she spends in broker fees in a month on the interstellar market could refurbish the buildings 10 times over. It isn't until she feels something tugging at her sleeve does she realize how far she has gone, and into the slums at the outskirts of the city. The sight of her childhood neighborhood stops her cold.
“Lady, some change for a song?”
Even with Mitara's low class disguise, the young Ni-Kunni girl sees someone of greater wealth than she.
Mitara looks at the child - dirty, malnourished, uneducated. “What song will you sing for me, young one?”
“I don't know the name. My mommy taught it to me. It's really old so I don't know what the words mean, but Mommy says it is about how God will provide to the faithful.”
“Very well.” Mitara produces a coin from her worn overcoat and shows it to the child, then crosses her arms expecting that services be rendered first. The girl smiles awkwardly and begins singing in undecipherable words, that may at one time have been of the oldest of language in the Scriptures, but after generations of being passed down have become nothing but nonsense. Mitara listens for a time before her mind starts to wander ever back, back to her life before being a Newelle.
***
The two siblings stood at the entrance of mine shaft R-37. The boy several years younger than the girl, barely able to hold the worn and beaten violin case. The girl held the instrument like she had seen in a picture, running a stick across the dirty and rusted strings. It had been about a year since the two discovered the treasure while scavenging through the dumpsters of an apartment building on the other side of the city. In that time she had learned a few ways to coax the thing into producing some tones that did not make ones teeth hurt. Every day, at every shift change, they would come in hopes one of the miners would toss something, anything – a coin, a piece of bread, something; into their case. If they were lucky enough, they would bring the booty to their mother, who would wait emotionless under the back alley rear stairs of a run down apartment building. Her heart and ability to provide for her children were broken several years prior, when her mate left off world as a slave. While his needs would be met, even if it was in a life time of service to another, they would have to fend for themselves. The betrayal, hurt, and fear were too much, and her mind left her.
“Look mother! Cheese! And a candy!” The young girl exclaimed as she and her brother ran to what they called home. Their mother greeted them with a blank stare. “Kaleb, divide this while I get us some water.” She takes a couple old metal cups and goes to the rail well at the corner of the building, dunking them into the barrel. Upon returning her younger brother has torn the cheese into four parts. “You take two, mother and I will have one, you need it to grow.” The daughter puts a single bit of the meal to her mothers lips, which instinctively take it. The bit of cheese is followed by a drink of water from the misshapen cup, again the mouth muscles react on their own. The two children quickly devour their scraps in silence.
“Can I go first?” Kaleb asks, as he smiles an unusually perfect smile for one of his class. His sister responds with a smile of her own, “Yes, but don't take too long.” The boy quickly picks up the piece of candy and plunks in his mouth, careful not to bite down on it. “Now me!” she says to him after a several seconds. Her brother takes the candy out of his mouth and hands it to his sister. She raises it to her full Ni-Kunni lips, eager to taste it's sweetness. They both start to giggle with glee as they take turns sucking on their deserved pay.
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