Skylar had followed Atalaya to the room of the one she was supposed to call Master. It was located in a separate wing of the mansion, which was much easier to navigate than the Krœnos, to say the least. She didn't like being locked up, or forced to follow orders. How long had they been doing this? how many others had been betrayed by their crew? just thinking about these questions made her feel nauseous...
"And above all, don't forget," Atalaya reminded her before she knocked on the Master's door, "if you do as you're told, everything will be fine."
She nodded. Kayla... Mistress Kayla had told Master Acef that she might appeal to him. It never sounded good coming from a slaver's mouth.
Atalaya knocked. After what seemed like an eternity, Acef permitted them to enter. He enjoyed making his slaves wait.
'Master Acef.' Skylar would describe him as rather tall, at least taller than a normal human, humanoid, as muscular as Sarek, but with tanned skin. She had seen many different species between the Ship and the Market, but Master Acef was probably one of the most handsome.
"Well, here you are at last, I almost had to wait for you," he said with a stern expression.
"I apologize, Master," Atalaya apologized, bowing her head, "but your new arrival had trouble recovering from her journey."
Skylar hadn't dared to look him in the eyes, she had noticed that Atalaya didn't do it either. Acef didn't respond and approached her.
"Very well, leave us," he ordered Atalaya.
She obeyed and closed the door to the room behind them with one last look at Skylar.
Acef circled her, scrutinizing every visible part of his new slave. Kayla had joked that she would like her, but now that she was on her feet and well-groomed, it was true that she had charm.
As for Skylar, she liked this less and less, being stared at like that disgusted her. She was not his object. Annoyed, she finally looked up at him.
He saw her gaze and didn't like it, too much defiance in her, too much arrogance, but she would be conditioned like the others.
"Do you know where you are?" he asked her, stepping away.
"No," she replied.
"No, who?"
"Master..."
"You are on the planet Emere, the very first one my family collected. We have built this mansion..."
"You?"
A silence. And to top it off, she liked sarcasm? he liked her.
"We built it," he continued, "and made it our main residence."
Upon hearing these words, Skylar looked up at him. Main residence? that could be useful information.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because this is where you will stay until you die," Acef laughed. "Go back to Atalaya, she will explain everything to you."
The human gave him a dark look before leaving the room herself. That wouldn't be her life for long, she promised herself.
In the evening, once Master Acef was asleep, Skylar and Atalaya were able to join the three other slaves that were in the house. It was the only time of the day when they could breathe, until the next day. They usually gathered in the music room, one of the few rooms where the Masters never went. There was electricity, but they preferred to light candles and sit next to an instrument that Skylar would compare to a kind of piano.
When they entered the room, the three others stood up and came towards them.
"If I'm not mistaken, you've already met Neptune and Joert," Atalaya asked.
"That's right."
"Well, let me introduce you to Citsa, he mostly takes care of the outside of the property.
"The good life!" Neptune laughed.
"Welcome aboard," Citsa said, making a strange hand gesture.
Citsa was part humanoid, part insectoid, it seemed. What kind of insect, she couldn't say, but one thing was for sure, she was just as beautiful as the others.
They sat back in a circle around the candles and talked. Joert, who often worked in the kitchens, brought food in the evening that he hid from the Masters. They told him that sometimes they enjoyed choosing a planet to go to in case they ever managed to escape. They talked about the planet Poppie, but Skylar knew nothing about it.
"How long have you been here?" Skylar asked in the course of the conversation.
"Oh, I think we have all stopped counting the days," Joert replied.
"Atalaya was the first among us..." Neptune informed.
"It was a long time ago now," Atalaya continued with a look that Skylar interpreted as sadness. "But I wasn't alone."
"What happened to the other person?"
"What happens when you don't obey the Masters," Citsa intervened.
Skylar looked at Neptune without fully understanding, he mimicked a gun against his temple.
"You die."
A silence.
"You're a rebel, Skylar," Atalaya resumed. "That's what the Intermediaries said when the Masters came to retrieve you. Citsa was there. But it's evident in your gaze."
"My gaze?"
"There's this gleam in your eyes," Joert continued, "we've all had it at some point."
"I don't understand."
"A glimmer of defiance, of arrogance. You don't want to obey, but if you don't obey, you'll end up killed like Atalaya's companion."
No sound could be heard in the room anymore. Skylar knew perfectly well that they were right, but she had promised herself that she would leave here, that she would set them all free. They continued to discuss for a few more minutes before going to sleep. They were only allowed a short amount of rest.
When the next day arrived, Skylar was woken up by Atalaya even before the sun rose. She had to quickly rinse off and get dressed, just like the day before. She had slept very little. In fact, she had spent the rest of the night devising different plans to escape from here. In the end, she was counting on improvisation.
Mistress Kayla was still not there, which seemed to reassure the others. She would be out for a few more days. The entire morning was filled with various tasks. Skylar also realized that there were only two guards at the entrance, watching over the house. Atalaya had told her that the Finas had nothing to fear on their own planet and that all the other guards and employees were scattered across the other 9 collected planets.
Just like the day before, Atalaya came to wake her up. She was still in training, but her job mainly consisted of fulfilling the Master's desires. If he wanted to eat, she had to serve him quickly. If he wanted his bed made for the third time that day, his orders had to be executed. Throughout the day, Skylar, like the others, was forced to do hard labor. They had little time to rest and eat. She quickly realized that the Master was assessing her and devouring her with his eyes every chance he got. Her anxiety grew every time he called her. Yet, evening finally arrived and the Master had still not made any advances.
It was the next day that things started to accelerate. His escape plan had been made possible "thanks" to Master Acef, without him even knowing it. He had ordered to see Skylar alone. She knew what it meant. He had only observed her yesterday. When she knocked on the door, he didn't even make her wait.
"Close the door," he ordered her.
She obeyed. Master Acef was shirtless, wearing only black pants and boots of the same color. And a gun in a holster on his thigh. Within reach. Acef hadn't noticed that she was more interested in the gun on his thigh than in his torso. Skylar tried to look him in the eyes with as little arrogance and defiance as possible. A plan had just formed in her mind. He ordered her to approach, which she did. He sat on the bed and repeated his order. Skylar wasn't stupid, she knew where he was going with this.
"Tell me, Master," she said to him as she was now at his height. "How do things work in your species?"
"Pretty much the same as in yours."
He took her by the hips and pulled her towards him. It was time for Skylar to put her plan into action. She pushed him a little further onto the bed and straddled him. Master Acef untied Skylar's hair and ran his hands through it. He kissed her on the neck, moved his hands down, and took her by the hips. She kissed him to divert his attention. It was now or never. She slid one hand over his chest while with the other she grabbed the gun in the holster. Once she had firmly grasped it, she stopped kissing him and looked into his eyes, once again with a defiant gaze, and then smiled at him.
"If you scream, you'll die," Skylar said, quickly rising and brandishing her Master's weapon. "Am I clear?"
"Yes...," the Master replied, taken aback by the turn of events. "What does this mean? what do you want?
"What can you give me? can you give me back my freedom?" Skylar asked, pressing the gun's barrel against her temple.
"If that's what you want..."
"I want my freedom. But I want more."
"More than your freedom?" he repeated, not understanding.
"Yeah..."
Skylar glanced around the room and spotted a huge screen not far from the bed. Probably a computer. She needed more than just her freedom, she needed evidence of this trafficking. She wasn't the only one betrayed by an Academy Captain after all.
She had to contact them, she had to have the evidence, and she had to help others who were in the same situation as her. She had promised. She was right in the heart of the Fina de Gla's main residence, she would get what she wanted.
"Come on, get up," she ordered, still pointing the gun at her Master.
He had no choice but to obey. She led him directly to the computer.
"Sit down. Sit! I want all the evidence, I want all the information, I want to know all the names of the Academy Captains and Intermediaries involved in your affairs. I want that. And you will give it to me.
"You were supposed to be conditioned, to obey us...," the Master attempted.
"Obey us? oh, I don't think you really know my species, do you?" Skylar sneered.
"I know everything about you! absolutely everything!"
"Everything? thanks to whom? the Academy? but even the Academy doesn't know everything about my species!"
"Liar."
"What? what did they tell you? did they tell you that we love war? that we love killing and killing each other? that we are good at obeying? HA! well, it's true... Okay, you got me on that one. We love war, we love killing, but most importantly, we obey... only those whom we believe in. And I don't believe in you."
"So what does that mean?"
"It means that this time, it's you who will obey me and give me those damn proofs! she exclaimed impatiently, once again pointing the gun at her Master's temple.
He looked at her with a hateful gaze. The Intermediaries had warned him that she would be uncontrollable. Despite that, he obeyed, not wanting to succumb to the blows of a slave. He sat down at the computer and gathered all the evidence of human trafficking from the past ten years. The human wanted the names of all those involved, and he was ready to provide them.
It only took a few minutes to gather all the evidence. Finally, he turned to her.
"It's done."
"Good. Step aside."
The Master stood up and moved away from the computer.
"Hey, hey! you stay there, seated!" she ordered.
He grabbed a chair and sat down. The human still aimed her gun at him, ready to kill him at the slightest movement.
"Computer," she said, standing in front of him.
"How can I assist you?" responded the robotic voice of the AI.
"Can you contact the Academy from here?
"Every computer is capable of contacting the Academy."
"Okay, but a high-ranking officer?"
"Yes, but it won't be a direct communication."
"Then how?"
"A message."
Skylar briefly thought.
"Can we attach documents and coordinates to it?"
"Yes."
"What are you planning to do?!" exclaimed the Master, agitated.
"Send the evidence of your trafficking to the Academy," Skylar replied without flinching.
"What?! but..."
"Did you think I wanted all this for myself? oh, you're even funnier than I thought. Now be quiet."
Skylar turned back to the Computer while keeping her gun aimed at the Master.
"Alright, Computer, begin recording, please."
"Recording started," confirmed the Computer.
"Hello," began Skylar in an anxious voice. "My name is Skylar Hogan, I am a human. I was recruited by Captain Sarek of the Krœnos Ship, days ago... maybe weeks? I'm not sure. But what I am sure of is that I have been betrayed. We went to the Market, I believe that's its name, and... the Captain and his crew sold me to the Gla Finas. I am their slave now. I am attaching my coordinates and all the evidence you need to put an end to this trafficking, as well as all the names of the Captains and Intermediaries involved. This is a distress call, please, I... I just want to go back home. It would be really great if you could come and help me. Skylar Hogan, over," she finished by pressing "send".
"Your message, as well as the attached documents and coordinates, have been successfully sent," confirmed the Computer.
But Skylar could only respond when the Master lunged at her. In less than two minutes, she had destroyed the Empire that her family had spent years building, it was inconceivable! he tried to snatch the weapon from her hands, but Skylar was not ready to let go. Letting go meant her imminent death.
The human let out a scream when Master Acef rushed at her, and Atalaya, not far from the Master's chamber, started running towards her. She had promised to watch over her. The high-pitched sound of a gunshot made her stop in her tracks for a long second, then she accelerated. Now she too had been killed, she had failed... She pushed open the door, expecting to see Skylar's lifeless body.
She was on the ground, blood almost as red as hers all around her and on her once pristine white dress and hands. Master Acef lay on top of her, eyes wide open, with a gaping hole from his chest to his back.
"Skylar!" Atalaya exclaimed, pushing Master Acef's lifeless body.
"The shot... it just went off... I..." she replied, shocked, still holding the weapon.
She sat down and looked at Atalaya and Master Acef in turn. The slave began to smile when she realized what this murder meant.
"Skylar," she said, taking her face in her hands and resting her forehead against hers, "we're free. The Master is dead, Mistress Kayla isn't here, we can leave!"
"The Guards..."
"You have the weapon!" Atalaya said, grabbing her wrist.
"What...?"
But before she could react, Atalaya was already helping her up. She had promised to help them escape, but she had to finish the job. The house was big enough for the guards not to hear the gunshot and the screams.
"You stay here! I'll go get the others!"
"Atalaya!"
However, she didn't respond and quickly ran towards the kitchen, where Joert and, unusually, Citsa were. Atalaya had left her alone in the middle of a corridor. With a weapon in hand, disheveled hair, and blood everywhere, she felt like she was in a horror movie, but this time she was playing the role of the villain.
In her mind, the images flashed by, scene by scene, from their kiss to the accidental shot. She hadn't planned for this, but now she couldn't turn back. She tried to reassure herself by thinking that he was a slave owner... But none of it made her feel any better. She had never imagined that her journey in space would turn out like this. She was just a little Earthling in search of adventure.
"Gosha!" Neptune exclaimed as he arrived. "What happened?!"
Skylar hadn't seen him coming.
"I..."
"There you are!" Atalaya interrupted, arriving behind him.
She had found Joert and Citsa but hadn't told them anything yet. They were just as shocked as Neptune when they saw the state the human was in.
"What happened to you?!"
"She killed Master Acef!"
"What?!" they exclaimed in unison.
"It was an accident..."
"It doesn't matter! don't you understand? we're free! no more Masters!"
Silence fell. It took them a few seconds to realize what it meant. Free. They were free thanks to Skylar. They exclaimed with joy, a joy that had been buried for too long.
"What do we do now?" Joert asked.
"We leave!" Neptune replied, happier than he had ever been.
Without waiting any longer, Atalaya took Skylar's hand, and all five of them started running towards the main entrance. When they arrived, the other four looked at the human. Finish the job, free them. Free. She knew what she had to do, but killing in cold blood was not in her CV. It didn't matter now.
She swung the door open wide. In front of her were two guards, probably of the same species as the Master, weapons in hand. And a hundred meters behind them, the Master's ship. They turned around, but before they could speak, Skylar had already aimed her gun at them.
"I'm sorry," she said before shooting them both in the head.
They fell backward like rag dolls. Atalaya, Joert, Neptune, and Citsa had already rushed down the few steps of the entrance when they realized that Skylar hadn't moved.
"What are you doing? We're free! Come on!" Atalaya exclaimed, returning to her.
"I... I called the Academy, they will come."
"No one is coming, not for us!"
"But they will come, the Finas, they are important to them..."
"Skylar! Come on!" Neptune intervened, joining them.
The four of them were once again in front of the entrance, with her.
"We can take you back home, back to your planet!" Citsa said in turn.
"I don't know... They will come..."
"Skylar..." Joert murmured.
"Okay," Atalaya interrupted with a sad smile, taking her hand. "You are free now, you make your own decisions."
"Atalaya..."
"It's okay," she reassured her as they were once again face to face, "it's all okay... Your freedom, your decisions. And who knows, maybe we will meet again? The galaxy is vast, but not infinite."
They separated from each other.
"We owe you one, Skylar," Neptune said.
"You know where to find us," Citsa replied.
"Poppie..." the human whispered.
"Thank you," Citsa continued, hugging her tightly, "thank you for what you've done."
Citsa let go and headed towards the Ship, then it was Joert's turn, followed by Neptune, and finally Atalaya.
"I hope you find what you're looking for," she whispered in her ear, "and if you don't, come find us, we'll always be there for you."
Atalaya kissed her on the cheek and ran off to join the others before giving her one last look. Skylar sat on the cold steps, still holding the gun, surrounded by the guards' corpses.
She knew the Academy would come. She was patient, she would wait.
Comments