Merry Christmas!
From us here at JenEric Designs to every one of our friends both real and Imaginary:
Thank you for a wonderful year!
I have a story for you as a present:
The Assassin Part 1
Helena had just finished a double shift as a waitress on the Adonis, the largest pleasure liner in the galaxy. The ship was as large as a small moon and did little but float around the galaxy. The ads said it was humanities most advanced ship. It could, if needed, traverse the solar systems in less than a day. In the five years that she’d worked there, it hadn’t.
The ship was so large it governed itself, and since it didn’t have any extradition treaties it was a favorite spot of people on the run.
Taking off her shoes was one of the most intense pleasures she could remember. The split second of utter relief before the soreness flooded into her abused limbs. She felt a similar if less intense relief when she removed her corset. She managed to take off what passed for a skirt. Her uniform was one step above a stripper’s but it did guarantee tips.
Unclothed and unwilling to put on any other clothing she lay in bed made a huffing noise and rolled into the covers. She fell asleep almost instantly, but it didn’t last long. According to the clock on her com unit, it had been less than five minutes since she’d fallen into bed.
“This had better be good,” she growled into the com.
“This is a secure line. We have a job for you. Priority Alpha,” The husky voice on the other end of the com was Samantha, her real boss.
“Yes ma’am,” She replied automatically.
Her fatigue dissipated with the excitement brought on by a real job. Waitressing was her cover, even if sometimes it didn’t feel like it. Assassination was her real job. There were bad people in the galaxy and that’s where her organisation, the Maidens of the Antichthon, came in. They cleaned off the scum of the Galaxy.
“Docking Bay D128.” Samantha hung up. There were no pleasantries when a job was involved.
It had been a while since she’d had a job and even longer since she’d had a challenge. She hoped this target would give her one.
Behind a hidden panel in her quarters, Helena found her equipment for these missions. She had a simple one piece synth suit that could disguise itself as anything, a blaster, and the Maidens’ ceremonial weapon; an ancient style longsword. It wasn’t an energy sword, or a vibrating blade, just pure Antichthon Metal.
As she walked to the Docking Bays, she called her boss at The Drink. “Al, I have to go out for a few days. Family matters.” Anyone passing her would see that she was wearing a comfortable summer dress with a floral print. Not a woman in light body armour with two weapons. The suit was as good with illusions as it was with stealth.
“God-Damn-it Helena! You’re a great waitress but if you keep having these family emergencies I’ll have to fire you.”
“Right. Thanks Al. My love to the kids,” Helena chuckled as she hung up. Al liked to yell and scream but he’d never fire her. They had an agreement he keeps her employed, and she doesn’t let the Plutonian royal family find out what happened to their crown jewels.
The touchpad outside docking bay D128 recognized her DNA and let her into the small bay, barely big enough for a one person pleasure craft. The ship waiting for her was top of the line. All black curves and odd angles, built for speed and stealth, no weapons. It was a one seater, with no bed, which meant a short mission.
“A ship after my own heart,” Helena said out loud. The side hull opened to let her in. It had needed a voice command but that didn’t change that Helena felt a kinship for the vessel. It had taken her a long time to come to admit that she liked how she looked. She was shorter than average with strong muscular definition in her arms and legs. The rest of her was built along the same line, muscular but curvy. It wasn’t just the uniform that kept her well paid in tips.
Once inside the ship, she stowed her weapons, closed the small hatch and did everything she was supposed to leave the ship. Once she’d gotten clearance and was far enough away the ship relayed her mission.
Awesome start to the story. I am hooked.