by Jessie Wolf
“Umm… no.” she had the good sense to keep her eyes down in shame.
“Sorry, little sister, part of your punishment is to explain to Bethany and her three friends why you left them to be found in such an embarrassing situation. Now, start talking or I can guarantee your punishment will be a whole lot worse.” The look on my face and tone of voice left no doubt about my threat.
Bethany and the other three were looking at her with fear in their eyes. I must have scared them as much as I did my little sister. But Fuyuko knew she had to answer my question or face the consequences because she took a deep breath and looked up at Bethany and her friends. “We felt that you should have to face some of the same embarrassment that some of your victims had to face. Yes, what the other ‘Heathers’ did to you was wrong, but you are just as guilty of doing the same things to other students yourselves. We figured that it was only right for you to feel what they had felt.”
What happened next surprised me to no end. All four of them bowed to Fuyuko and the twins. “We thank you for showing us the errors of our ways in the past. We did not realize just how degrading our actions were to those we felt should not be here at this school.” When the four of them straightened back up I saw real shame in their eyes. “We shall try to be better people in the future.”
“May I ask you four a question?” I really wanted know what they were up to, I still didn’t trust them. Bethany nodded her head yes after a few seconds “Were you only embarrassed because you were found naked or was it the fact that the security officers saw your new body art? I suggest that you answer truthfully, ladies, I’ll know if you lie.”
“Please, Lady Maiha, do not bring up that painful fact. None of us are proud of the tattoos that cover our bodies.” It was Lisa Campbell who supplied that little bit of information, plus a little more. “We didn’t want to get them; they hurt and cover all of our torsos, down to our elbows and knees. Only our necks, forearms and lower legs are uncovered, they even took our pinkies on our left hands. We were told that we had to pay the price for getting Peter Longfellow to attack you and your wife.”
When I hear this I realize that my suspicions about the four of them were confirmed. Old man Longfellow had made these girls pay for his son’s stupidity. Now while I have used violence to solve a few problems I have always taken out my displeasure with the ones responsible, not innocent bystanders or someone who was ignorant of the consequences. I have gone out of my way to make the punishment fit the crime, and show compassion to those placed in positions not of their own making where they were forced to break the law. What was done to these girls was neither justice nor honorable. Time for me to step in and correct the matter.
“Bethany is what Lisa just said the truth? Are the four of you now members of the Longfellow boryokudan? Please I need to know if I’m going to help you.” They just nodded their heads yes. “Ok, next question, do you want to be?” they all looked at each other, then at me. Looks I got said it all. “Ok, I’ll take that as a no. do you want to get out of the mess you’re in?” The four of them mug-hugged me as if I was the coming of the Redeemer or something. “Ok, already I get it. You all want your lives back, but I need to know a few things first, and I still have to meet with the Headmaster about what happened last night.”
“Oh, Lady Maiha if you can get us out of the Yakuza I’ll do whatever you want.” Bethany was almost crying at the thought of being free of the Longfellow’s. I have a feeling that of the four girls she was the one getting the worst treatment.
“I’ll do my best that is all I can promise. Now please tell me why exactly you four were made to join the Longfellow boryokudan?” I really needed to know the whole story as to why they were made apart of the local Yakuza. They normally only accepted people who were either born into the clan or wished to join them. They almost never forced someone to join, like they had the girls.
“It was Peter who blamed us for his defeat at your hands.” Stacy White put in. up until now she had not said a word preferring to let Bethany or one of the others to answer my questions. “When he told his father that he and his friends had been defeated by a pair of High Family bodyguards he wanted to know who had set him up. He also wanted to know the name of which High Family he had been so stupid to attack. When Peter said he didn’t know that all he had been told was that these bodyguards were giving us a hard time he and his friends decided to teach the bodyguards a lesson. When we tried to explain to Mr. Longfellow the truth Peter accused us of lying, that they had set him and his friends up as some kind of prank. He accused us of having no honor that we were just typical High Families brats that should be ‘made to learn our places’ as he put it, especially Bethany.”
When I heard the unsaid meaning of those words I know what had happened to these girls. The haunted looks in their eyes, the defensive postures, and the down case eyes, said more than words. These girls had been forced to become the sexual play things of Peter Longfellow and his friends with Bethany being the one to face the worst of it, as she was the one to talk Peter into attacking Alice and I. this was not something that I had foreseen when Alice and me beat the shit out of peter and his friends, well to be more precise, when I beat the shit out of them. Alice had gone after Bethany and her friends treating them to a very humiliating beat down.
To say that my anger was starting to rise at Peter’s twisting of the truth and downright lying to save his own ass is an understatement. I was royally pissed off and my next words showed it. “Alice take everyone into the dining hall, now!” the fact that I just ordered my wife to do something caused everyone to look at me as if I had grown a second head, tail, and horns. I could feel my armor starting to raise to the surface. I needed to get control of my emotions before I did something stupid. “I need to return to our room and make a call to the house. I’ll be there once I have calmed down and set up a meeting with David Longfellow to discuss his son.”
“Kitten, I don’t think you should make that call right now. You’re far too upset. Let Bethany and her friends handle setting up the meeting.” Alice was justifiably worried over my emotional state.
“Don’t worry, love. I won’t be the one he deals with. Nia has been itching to talk to the Longfellow’s ever since they told her she was unworthy to speak to the ‘old man’. I believe she will do a far better job of showing my displeasure with David Longfellow, right now.” The smile that crossed my face showed just how much she was going to enjoy that. Even Alice had heard of the meeting between Nia and the Longfellow’s’. Of all the meeting with the Yakuza families that one was the most humiliating for Nia. If I had not been so busy with fighting a war at the time I would have dropped a full company of Jump Infantry or Death Dealers on their asses. I had never heard of such a disrespectful reception of an envoy of business as the one she had received. This family needed to be taught some manners. I have a feeling about the way Bethany and the others, and the way they had requested I meet with David Longfellow. “Bethany, did Mr. Longfellow order you to tell that I was to meet with him or face the consequences?”
When all their faces turned white with fright I had my answer. The arrogant son-of-a-night porter thought he could order me around like some street urchin. Now, normally I would just let something like that go, but he was using his position as the head of the local Yakuza to terrorize the girls of this school to get what he wants. Even the security for the school was afraid of the man. It was time for me to step in and correct the situation. Not as the Planetary Governor, not as the First High Lady of the Death Dealers, or even as the Head of House Nakatoma. I had told these men and women that I would leave them alone so long as they acted in an honorable manner and left the civilian population alone. It seems that the Longfellow clan needs to be introduced to the Daughter of Death and the power she wields. I turned around and started to head back to my room. I heard Alice yell out to me as I was walking away. “Don’t go starting a war with them, love. Let Nia do the talking, please?”
“Don’t worry
, I’m only going to have her set up a meeting between Death’s Own Daughter and David Longfellow.” I called back to her and the others. The fact that my family turned white at hearing this was not lost on Bethany and the others.
It only took me a few minutes to get back to my room I was not walking in the manner befitting a Lady of House Nakatoma. My anger would not let me use that graceful movement no matter how hard I tried. David Longfellow had broken the neutrality of this school by forcing Bethany, Lisa, Stacy, and Kimberly to join the Yakuza against their will. By making them yakuza it threatened to upset the balance of power within the school and High Family involvement here, this was something I could not let happen. If one or more of these young ladies could be used to coerce the others then I’ll have more trouble on my hands than I need right now. Not with the Emperor just now gaining control in the House of Commons and the Hall of Lords, after the arrest of those High Families that was responsible for the rebellion of this year. I had to try and keep this system as peaceful as possible until He had full control over those two powerful bodies. Any threat to the safety of this school, or for that matter any of the schools, on this planet was not to be taken lightly. Longfellow’s play at turning those young girls into members of his clan was a boldfaced attack at the security of the school.
I can see everything as clear as day. First, he would abuse them; break them down so they would believe they had no other choice than to do as they were told. Bethany’s behavior had shown me that she was the one used to show the others what would happen if they didn’t follow orders. Second, he would have them either bring in others willing or blackmail them into joining his clan, most would not join willing but they would. Lastly, once he had the majority of the students here in his possession he would use them to influence their parents into doing what he want them to or need to do, to increase his power out in the Empire. It was so simple that if I had not come across it would have succeeded. Once I was in my room I went straight to our com center and brought up a connection to the Estate. I only had to wait a few seconds before I was answered by the on duty coms officer.
“House Nakatoma, Lieutenant Price speaking. How may I direct your call?” I smiled at hearing one of my House Troop officers working as a network operator. To me it showed me that even though they may be in charge of a group of soldiers, they were not above them.
“Good morning Lieutenant Price. I need to talk to Nia over in my private quarters please.” The young man’s face lit up at seeing me on the other end of the video connection.
“If you’ll just give me a moment, Lady Maiha. I need to connect you with the APS hangar if you want to talk to Miss Nia.” He was busy typing in the commands to transfer the call. The fact he was transferring me to the APS hangar caught my attention.
“Excuse me, lieutenant but why are you transferring me to the APS hanger? Nia should be over at the main house.”
The young man looked at me for a moment then chuckled a little before answering me. “Please forgive me, Lady Maiha, I had not realized that you would not know of Miss. Nia’s and Chief Donnelly’s romantic involvement. Ever since you, Lady Allison and your sisters went off to school she can be found in the Family APS hangar working alongside the Chief.” When he realized what he had said and the fact it was too late to take it back was apparent on his face.
Smiling to let him know that I was not upset. “If he makes her happy I don’t care. I just hope I don’t have to go looking for someone to replace her too soon. That woman is far too valuable to just walk away. Speaking of which I really need to speak with her.” He got the hint and patched me through to the hanger office.
It was Chief Donnelly who answered the connection this time. He wasn’t even looking at the monitor when he answered. “Chief Donnelly here.”
“Good morning, Chief, is Nia there?” I was smiling at the big man who took care of my families Armored Power Suits like they were his children. Some even said he would read them stories at night like they were small children. Then again when you realize that each and every one of our APS had an AI that was almost as powerful as the ones in our heads they might as will be children seen as they were as close to being alive as a machine can be.
“Oh, Lady Maiha, please excuse me, I didn’t know you were calling.” The man was very embarrassed by his gruff manner in answering his coms center. Then again it’s not often he gets a direct call from his Head of House. “Um… yes Nia is here, somewhere. Can I get her for you?”
“Yes please, and no you’re not in trouble, Chief. In fact I’m happy for the both of you. But I really need to speak with Nia, it’s extremely important.” I was smiling the entire time I talked to the man.
“One moment, Lady Maiha.” I watched as he reached over and hit the intercom bottom. “Nia, can you come to the office please, your mistress needs a word with you.” He released the button and turned back to me. “Lady Maiha, before she gets here I would like to ask you for your permission to marry her. You’re the only family she has, well you and your family.” I could tell he truly loved her and wanted to marry my Lady’s Maid. She was one of three, but she was also my ambassador to the Yakuza families.
“Only on one condition, that you let her to continue to work for me as my ambassador to the Yakuza and you go as her protector.” I knew that he had most likely been doing this anyway but I might as well make it official.
“I would never stand in her way of doing her duty, my Lady. As for making sure she stays safe when she has her little meet and greats with the families, I’ll be more than happy to fulfil that position, not that she needs it. The men that go with her have all made the Yakuza families understand that if anything happens to her, then they will bring down the wrath of God on them.”
“Not all the families, Chief. As a matter of fact the reason I’m calling is because of one of those families.”
“Let me guess, the Longfellow’s’, my Lady?” I could see by the heat in his eyes he wanted to take one of his precious APS’ out and stomp all over the Longfellow’s to remove the humiliation they had caused Nia. I was half temped to let him. “We should have just wiped them out during the war, my Lady. That family has ambitions far beyond just being the top family on Hades.”
“Trust me, Chief. I know exactly what you mean, that is why I need to speak with Nia right now.” I heard the door to his office open then close rather quickly. Then I watched as one of my most trusted confidents leans over and gave the burly old veteran a kiss that would curls your toes. I had to giggle as I watched one of the most reserved people I know, not to mention one of the biggest on ladylike behavior, behaving like a schoolgirl with her boyfriend sneaking a kiss without anyone seeing. So you can imagine her embarrassment at hearing me giggle, then realizing she was being watched.
“Oh…um… Please, forgive me, Lady Maiha. I didn’t not realize you were having a discussion with, Chief Donnelly. I’ll… um… I’ll just go take care of… um…” she was almost fire engine red from embarrassment. The poor woman was visibly upset with being seen in such an unladylike position. I needed to calm her down and reassure her I was not upset.
“It’s quite alright Nia. I know what it is like to be in love with someone. You and the Chief have my full blessing to court and get married. As a matter of fact I do have a question though, why are you wearing coveralls?” the fact that she was in a set of coveralls and not a kimono was very interesting.
I watched as she stood up straight then smiled back at me. “If you think I’m going to let these men just do whatever they want to yours and Lady Allison’s APS without proper supervision, Lady Maiha, then I don’t deserve to be your lady maid. Besides if we let them do whatever they wanted then Vicky, not to mention Puss-in-boots, won’t let me get any sleep until it’s the way it should be. No offence, my Lady but those two are worse than you or your lovely wife, when it comes to things being just so. I spend more time out here keeping those two calmed down than I do taking care of what you assigned me to.”
&nb
sp; “Speaking of which, Nia.” I know she dislikes being interrupted, but I needed to get this taken care of and over to the dining hall for breakfast. “I need you to have a long talk with the Longfellow’s. Those fools are trying to subvert the girls of this school. I will not have them in control or influencing the families of these children by exploiting those same children. Do I make myself clear on this matter? Also you are to make sure that every last boryokudan on this planet understands that the schools are off limits, and if they can’t keep from trying to control them then I’ll personally send every last Death Dealer for the next ten systems down on them with orders to leave nothing behind, but ash and dust.”
The look that crossed my maid’s face let me know that she was ready to kill David Longfellow right now and not give him a chance to explain himself,. Her next words confirmed this. “That ignorant ass! I don’t believe he is actually following through with that dammed plan of his. I told him to stay away from those girls, and let you handle it. But no! He just had to go and try to regain his son’s lost honor. The fool! I’ll kill him myself!” I had never heard Nia so angered before it was as if she had been personally insulted by what David and Peter Longfellow had done to Bethany and her friends. “I’m so sorry for this, my Lady. I’ll make sure that Longfellow and his son know of your displeasure in forcing those girls to join their clan.”
“Wait!” at my braking command Nia fell silent. “Did you say that you know he was trying something like this?”
Nia gave me a strange look before continuing. “Um… Lady Maiha, I gave you a full report on the Longfellow’s plans to gain control of certain House and families by corrupting the daughters of those Houses and families. He has been slowly bringing the girls of that school and others into his clan over the past five years.”
“How has he been going about it Nia?” I really needed this information and I needed it now. If my suspicions were correct, then I had a real problem on my hands. Not only was the campus compromised, but the student body as well.