“I will inform my daughters when I get up to the bridge.”
As they continue down the corridor and walk into the bridge, she sees the five prisoners bound up and sitting on the floor.
“Take the prisoners down to the cargo bay, Gartooth.”
“You mean down where the….?”
“There is more space,” Eve interrupts, “One at a time.”
“Yes, Boss.” He does not like this assignment.
Eve says telepathically to Gothica, “Gartooth is bringing some food for you. They are some of the people who captured you.”
When Gartooth brings the first one down into the cargo room, the prisoner begins to scream when she sees the arachnid. Gartooth tosses the human female into the webs and exits the room to get the next one.
Gothica sees the prisoner and scurries over to the struggling prey. She wants to feed but hesitates and turns around to Pura.
“Whatcha waiting for? I don’t mind. Eat and remember I am a cat and we cats eat the same way. There is nothing to be ashamed of” Pura reassures her.
“I am not used to eating in front of people,” Gothica says. The human is screaming in terror by this time.
“Go ahead.”
After hoisting the body up with her four arms, the arachnid plunges her fangs into the human. The body goes limp after a few minutes, and Gothica feels much better as her wounds heal.
“I feel much better now. I guess I will wrap the others up in a cocoon and eat them later.”
“Yeah, after I eat, I just feel sleepy. Come back over here and let us finish painting your nails. They will look so cool, and they going to match your hair.” They both giggle.
Back on the bridge, everyone is feeling more at ease now that they are on the way home. Everyone is eating food from the galley.
“We have plenty of food for us, but I am not sure were going to have enough food for all those prisoners,” Doc says, trying to calculate food consumption.
“Let us get rid of some of the prisoners then. Pull up the prisoner roster and see what we got,” Eve says unconcerned.
42 pulls up the list on the main vid screen.
“Looks like we have 16 prisoners. Eight are telepaths on charges of being a telepath. Four are captured telepaths or collaborators. One is a political prisoner. Three are just psycho serial killers who need to be killed.”
“Keep the telepaths and the collaborators alive. That has to be the most stupid law I ever heard of: Being a criminal just because you are a telepath. I mean, seriously, that is retarded. We will let the telepaths and the collaborators off at home world. Do you have enough food to include the political prisoner?”
“Should be able to manage.”
“Okay then. The serial killers will be fed to Gothica.”
“The political prisoner is also a sorcerer.”
“Really? That is interesting,” Eve says with intrigue. “I am gonna go down and talk to our political prisoner. You know what they say, ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend.’” She disappears down the corridor. A few minutes later, she walks by the force field doors of the cells on level 3. She comes to the appropriate cell according to the prisoner manifests.
“So, Archibald, it says here you’re a political prisoner, which is odd for a sorcerer to be a political prisoner in the Elemental Empire.”
The male human replies, “I don’t know who you are and what you are doing on the ship, half-breed…whatever. None of your business why I am here.”
“My, such an attitude, and here I was thinking about releasing you—guess not.”
“Are you pirates looking for a ransom? Unfortunately, my brother will not pay anything for my release because it was I who tried to overthrow him and assume my rightful place.”
“So you are a failure. A failed sorcerer. You look lonely. I can arrange for some company for you. I will send two of my girlfriends down here to keep you company.”
“I don’t need any slutty girlfriends to come down here.”
“They will be here in a few minutes.”
Eve sends a telepathic message to her daughters to come to cell 18. After a few minutes, her starving girls come around the corner.
“Enjoy, my sweeties,” as Eve drops the force field. The girls pounce on the arrogant sorcerer and began draining all of the life force out of him. They rip him to shreds as his screams echo down the hallway.
“Nothing like fresh sorcerer on the table, or I should say arrogant bastard?”
All three of them head back up to the bridge.
“I think I will name you, Xaqu and Chaca Noctu, my daughters. Remember you cannot eat Gothica because she is poisonous to you. She has my blood running through her just as you do. In fact, I think I will adopt her and she will be your step-sister. So you will need to get along with each other,” Eve says telepathically. “I need to get some education for all three of you and learn some languages.”
After a few days passed, they enter Reptilian space. Eve activates the main vid screen.
“Contact Fartan Balltail.”
A male snake man appears on the screen.
“Well, how’s my favorite client? Have not heard from you in a while,” Fartan says snidely.
“Don’t you mean ‘money pit’ that you suck funds from?” Eve says with no sarcasm in mind. I am gonna need a bunch of documents drawn up. Going to need birth certificates for two, which are for my daughters 17 and 18, and citizenship papers as well. Will also need some adoption papers for an arachnid female, age 17, that I found with the citizenship papers. Also, need some papers made up for a salvaged ship with the following serial numbers; it is an elemental transport ship. I am sending over the details now.”
“Looks like you have been busy. I can make all the documents for my usual fee, but the arachnid is gonna cost you four times as much and lot more bribing.”
“Do not give me that crap! I will give you double for the arachnid and not a platinum bar more or your wife finds out about your mistress.”
“Okay, calm down. I accept your terms.”
“I will contact my office on home world and have it transfer the money to you. Make sure you have all those ship documents filed at the port by the time I arrive at the landing pad. The ship still has elemental identifying markers painted on it. I will change the transponder now to the new salvage title identification number. Just tell the port officers that I will be painting the correct numbers after I land. Make sure you do it quickly. I do not need the ship to be confiscated due to improper paperwork. I have already lost an expensive ship this week not to mention couple of hundred good workers.”
“Also, contact the Consortium consulate and tell them I need papers for 12 telepathic refugees and get reptilian work visas for them as they will be working for me. I will transfer the information on them to you shortly.”
“I also need you to make up a couple of shell corporations and make them complex enough so it will be difficult for anyone doing research to find out who owns the companies. I am planning on some hostile takeovers and company purchases and I do not want anyone to figure out exactly what I am doing until it is too late. Also, I know that in your profession you run across a lot of seedy characters. I need one of your contacts from the black market, if you can arrange that. I’ll give you a hundred platinum bars, 50 for you and 50 for the contact just for setting up the meeting.”
“Sounds like you’ve got big plans, and I can smell the money now,” Fartan says, already spending the money in his head before anything has even happened.
“I think when they created the saying ‘Lawyers are a bunch of slimy snakes’ they were thinking about you, Fartan,” Eve remarks.
The snake man responds,” Why, thank you, My Lady,” trying to figure out if that was a compliment or an insult.
After a few days, they enter the port at Hoshan and touch down.
“Yes, I see your lawyer filed all the papers on this ship, but he didn’t pay the docking fee or the penalty fee for not have the
correct ship identification number painted on the vessel,” the port supervisor insists.
“That is a bureaucracy for you,” Gartooth says.
“Okay.” Eve gets out the currency transfer pad from her vest and pushes some buttons. “There, that should do it,” she sighs.
“Okay, and here is a package your lawyer left,” the supervisor says as he hands her a box. She opens up the box full of passports and other documents. There is also a note in there from Fartan.
“The Consortium consulate will have the rest of your documents.”
“Okay, guys, take a month-long vacation. I have some things to attend to, and I added bonuses for everyone for this hardship we have been through. I am going to be working on getting us a new ship. 42, I need you to check on the status of our other ships and the funds we have available to buy a new ship before you take off on vacation,” Eve says to the crew.
“Thanks, Boss” they say as they depart on their separate ways.
Doc says, “Don’t think it is a wise idea to allow Gothica to walk around in the city, as she is undead.”
“We do business with arachnid merchants here in the home world. They even have a consulate here. Granted there are not very many of them here and they are a rare sight, but they are hardly a disruption. As far as being undead, the only reason you think that is because you know she is undead. But look at her: she looks like any other arachnid as her coloring has not changed or anything. You said yourself she is a mutant undead. I mean they eat the same things and the same way whether they are alive or undead. The sun has no effect on her and trust me no one will know. Besides, she will probably walk around invisible most of the time because she shy.”
“Hmm….That is true. You know me, I am just a worry wart.”
Eve chuckles,” That is the truth.”
“I will do more research on arachnids while I am on vacation. I will read a lot of books and stuff, as I am a curious person.”
“That is fine, Doc. I will call you and we’ll do lunch sometime next week.”
“Sure.” The Wolfkin waves goodbye as a taxi hovercraft appears and scoops her up. About that time, a rather large hovercraft appears in front of Eve. It is a luxury model with all the bells and whistles. A human chauffeur gets out and goes to the other side to open the door.
“Hi, Henry, I see you been keeping my prized limousine in good condition while I have been gone. I do not have any baggage this time around as I lost my ship, but I’m going to go shopping with my daughters. Say hello to Xaqu and Chacu and my adopt daughter, Gothica,” Eve announces.
Henry is alarmed by the sight of Gothica who has changed her legs into two humanoid legs while still having four arms.
They all got in the eight-seater hovercraft that had vid screens and other cool gadgets.
“Take us down to the market center. Stop at the Giuliana’s store first, Henry.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Okay, girls, stay close to me and do not wander and no eating people, okay?” Eve felt that was odd thing to have to say, but chuckled inside nevertheless.
“Gothica, people are not use to seeing arachnids on this planet, so they might stare at you, but do not be alarmed. If you just want to walk around with us, being invisible is fine.”
“Okay. I am nervous anyway.”
“We are nervous, too,” the sisters say telepathically to Gothica and Eve.
“Well, if anyone messes with us, we will just eat them,” Gothica says with sarcasm and winks at the two sisters. All three of them laugh. Eve frowns at them, but then laughs.
“No eating people…young ladies,” Eve says with a smirk. Gothica, being a warrior arachnid, has the ability to enchant magic weapons, so she can enchant some items and let her step-sisters drain the magic for food.
The first stop they make is at a clothes shop. They enter the rather large boutique and start trying on clothes. Gothica stays invisible and follows them. Eve still sees Gothica even when she is invisible. The doctor said that the more contact she has with the three girls, the more she will pick up their traits or another phenomenon because they are mutant versions of her DNA. The girls might also pick up some of their mother’s traits.
“So put the ones you like into that basket and I will pay for them. Those outfits you are trying on now are cute, so just keep those on, and I will buy them, too.”
They picked up their packages and got back in the large limousine. They headed down the street to an arachnid vendor Eve remembered seeing before. They pulled up in front of a small shop and went inside. Gothica decided not go invisible this time. Upon entering the store, they saw two arachnid shopkeepers wearing beautiful silk clothes. There were arachnid clothes of all types and sizes hanging from the walls and turnstiles. The beautiful coloring of the clothes was one of the fascinating things about this little store. Exotic jewelry and metal weapons, daggers, throwing items, and bows were also hanging in a different parts of the shop.
“Greetings. I am Vosha and this is my assistant Higja,” Vosha said, speaking for both female arachnids.
Eve says, “Hello. Nice shop you have here. These are my daughters, Xaqu and Chaca, and step-daughter, Gothica.”
“Don’t get many arachnid customers in these parts, unfortunately. Most of my sales are jewelry and weapons. You have beautiful daughters. I think we can accommodate Gothica very well here.”
“Good because she needs some clothes and other stuff.”
Vosha looks Gothica over.
“She is pretty big, even for an arachnid. Must be warrior class with those muscles. I have some fashionable arachnid clothes and some warrior armor in her size.” She signals to her assistant to fetch the merchandise. The assistant comes back with some boxes, and all of ladies, including the sisters, start putting clothes on Gothica. She picks about nine outfits and three sets of arachnid warrior armor that fit her. She also gets some shoes and combat boots especially designed for arachnids as well.
“Every good warrior needs some weapons. Let us go and look at these weapons over here and see what you like,” the shopkeeper suggested.
Gothica examines some of the weapons and swings a few.
“I like the swords, but I need four of them.”
“All of our weapons are made in fours for obvious reasons. Here are the other two. These are made out of Osmiridium metal, which is harder than diamonds and is extremely hard to break and very easy for a warrior to enchant. Very expensive at 100 platinum bars each. They come with matching sheaths that snap onto your armor.”
“We will take them,” Eve says.
Gothica takes the swords and holds all four in the air and starts to mumble. “Ney cha fer do asa metu” and the swords light up with magical flames. The feat was surprisingly impressive to all the ladies there—not something many get to witness. They clap in excitement. She enchants her armor, too.
“Now I know you ladies would want some jewelry to go with all your new clothes.” Walk over to the jewelry section. Xaqu spots a snake staff that she likes and asks her mother if she can have it.
“Yes, dear, you can get it. I think it will look great with your outfits.”
“I can enchant it for you, too, Xaqu,” Gothica says. Xaqu’s face is filled with happiness. They continue to try on jewelry for a couple of hours before they leave.
“Take us home, Henry.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
They arrive home, and Eve shows them around and assigns each of them their rooms. Then they stay up talking, playing games and, of course, laughing a lot. The girls have never had this much fun in all of their lives.
Chapter Six
After spending a couple of days at Eve’s home, the door chimes. Henry, who is the butler as well as the driver, walks down the hall and answers the door. There is a tall skinny Android in yellow and chrome metal with triangle eyes standing there.
“Greetings, I am assistant 123, I work with the consulate for the Consortium. I have been instructed by my government to invit
e Evella Noctu to the consulate for a meeting with our administration.”
“I will inform the Madame promptly, wait here.” Henry walks down the hall and knocks on the door.
“Ma’am, someone is here from the Consortium consulate and has requested your presence at the consulate to have a meeting with their administration.”
“Okay, Henry, tell them we will be there within 30 minutes.”
“Excellent, ma’am.” Henry walks down the hall back to the front door and tells the representative the lady will be there within 30 minutes. The Android leaves. Just as Henry begins to walk down the hall again, he sees Eve emerge from her room.
She says, “Bring the hovercraft around the front. I need to get the girls up and dressed.”
“Excellent, ma’am.” Henry disappears outside and goes to the garage. Eve goes to the back part of the house and wakes up the girls and tells them to get dressed as they are leaving in 10 minutes. After a few minutes, the group of four women emerges out of the front door and climbs into the hovercraft waiting for them. After a quick 10-minute flight downtown, they come up to the Consortium consulate and land at the drop-off point at the front gate. Henry pulls the hovercraft around to where the other limousine drivers are waiting at the consulate. The four women go through the main entrance after being scanned for weapons. They continue through the courtyard into the main building. They see androids all over the place, some of them working as employees and some trying to get different types of documents from the government.
“That is a whole lot of Androids, but the Consortium has about 20 billion citizens, I’d guess,” Eve remarks to her daughters. They take a number and sit down among the hundreds of androids and other people trying to get service. A few minutes later, an Android comes up to Eve.
“Lady Noctu, you do not have to wait here. Please come with me. The Creator is expecting you. Follow me.”
Galaxy of Empires- Merchant Wars Episode #1 Page 6