 |
|||
|
|
The Outer Rims consist of 13
planets between the Terran Empire and the Walien Theocracy. These planets
declared independence and are widely considered a buffer zone between the
Empire and the Theocracy.
The
Outer Planets, the Lost Terran Empire
Published
in Year 8024
PAIN. That’s the first thing
the boy felt when he opened his eyes. The first thing that entered his mind was
how blue everything was. A medical pod! He was in a medical pod! Relief flooded
over him. They were rescued by someone. They were…then he saw the creature. The
darkness took him again.
The second time he opened his
eyes, he saw finally saw a similar sight. His sister. “Maya, he’s awake.” Maya?
Who’s Maya? The boy looked at the person his sister was speaking to. It was his
eldest sister, but her name was…
“You okay Jules? Gave Jeanne and me a hell of a scare
there?” His eldest sister looked at him intently as she spoke. The boy wasn’t
stupid and played along.
“I feel like shit. Where are we?” ‘Jules’ sat up and
looked around. It’s clearly some sort of medical room, a very small one. He was
sitting on a bed opposite the medical pod he was in. There’s a table near the
door and he saw the old man. A short man with short grey hair, he has the look
of a man who has seem it all.
“This is the cargo ship Savior. I am the captain. My
name is Soshi Chang. You’re Jules?”
“Yes, thanks for helping us Captain.”
“Heard your SOS, can’t call myself a captain if I
didn’t stop. What are you doing there anyway?” The captain was talking to him,
but ‘Maya’ butted in.
“We were passengers visiting some relatives in Endar.
Our transport’s engines ran into some trouble and we had to come out of wrap…in
the middle of nowhere.”
“I see…” the captain replied. “We’re going to Planet
Kadir, reach it in a week. We’ll message ahead and drop you off there.”
“No need.” Jules heard his sister quick reply and
immediately knew that it was a mistake. Maya didn’t think so because she
continued. “We will like to charter your vassal to bring the three of us to
Endar. The fee is not a problem.”
Now that ‘doesn’t’ sound
suspicious. So Jules wasn’t that surprise when the captain refused.
“No thanks. I did my duty as a spaceman to save you,
but I don’t want to get involved in your problems.”
“There’s no problem, we just need transport to Endar.”
Maya’s quickly replied.
“Who’s the pilot of your transport then?”
“I am the pilot.” Maya hotly replied.
The captain’s eyebrows were raised at that but he
asked without hesitation, “Why did you come out of wrap without cooling down?”
“What?” Maya asked.
“Everyone knows that to come out of wrap, you need to first
cool down the solar-magnetic engines. You guys didn’t! You came out of wrap in
a hurry without cooling down. That’s why your engines were damaged. Why?”
“Not your concern. Just bring us to Endar and we’ll
make worth your while. Like I said, money is not a problem.” Maya is nothing if
not persistent.
“Then the answer is no.”
“We’re talking a lot of credits here.”
“Money is no use to dead people. I don’t even know
your real names”
Silence greeted the captain’s
statement. Jules knew they were in trouble. The captain knew they weren’t just
tourist and they needed the captain a lot more than the captain needed them.
Nothing they can do but tell the truth and hope for the best.
“What do you want to know?” Both his sister’s looked
at Jules as he spoke, but both kept quiet.
The captain looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Why
did you drop out of wrap so quickly?”
“We were begin chased.”
“By who?”
That was too much for Maya. “Like I said, it’s none of
your…”
“You heard of the Hawthorne Space Corporation?” Both
his sisters looked at Jules in shock. Maya was the first to recover.
“Remus, don’t say anything to…”
“We need him, and he’s not going to do anything
without information.”
“I’ve heard of
“Captain, you are looking at the 3 heirs of the
Hawthorne Space Corporation.”
The captain’s eyes widen as
Remus, now Jules, explained everything. The Hawthorne Space Corporation was a
space building company, mainly for transport vassals. It started 6 years ago,
when their mother got an offer of a large contract to build battleships for the
Empire. Their mother quickly agreed and put the whole corporation into the
contract. 4 years in, their mother tried to break the contract. Seems that the
Terran Empire was building the battleships not for defensive purposes as they
were first told, but for an attack on the independent planets in the Outer
Rims. The empire did not take kindly to that and 6 months ago, their mother met
with an ‘accident’. And the 3 of them were on the run ever since.
Soshi listened to the whole
story in silence. It’s an incredible story, but there’s some truth in it. For
over a year now, rumors have been flying about an attack by the Empire. In a
way, that was understandable.
When the Waliens withdrew in
7950, they gave the planets they had conquered a choice. They could join the Walien
Theocracy or return to the Terrans Empire. The planets made their choice almost
based on geography. The planets nearest to Walien territory, who were the first
to be conquered, decided to join the Theocracy; while the planets nearest to
Earth, who were the last to be conquered, decided to return to the Empire. The
planets in the middle however decided to declared independence and make their
own way from there on in. Since then, over a hundred years ago, humans have
called the planets between the Waliens and the Empire the Outer Rims.
The Empire now wanted them
back. Soshi looked at the 3 young adults. Both females had long blond hair, but
the boy’s hair has some blackish roots. The two females however were very
beautiful. Maya was the oldest but Soshi did not believe that she was a day
above 23. The boy however barely looked out of his teens. Trying to run against
the Empire when you are so young, they must have been truly desperate.
The story they told was wrong
too. If their mother didn’t want to build battleships…so what? The Empire must
have several companies building their weapons, what’s one less. Soshi
remembered where they were going, and then it made sense.
“Your mother was selling secrets to the Endarians,
wasn’t she?”
The silence that followed gave him his answer. Soshi
continued, “That’s why you 3 tried to run across
More silence.
“You’re right.” The 3 looked Soshi in surprise as the
captain said it. Soshi continued, “They should have stopped the chase the
moment you entered
The silence that followed was deafening. Soshi wet for
the kill. “You better tell me because the path to Endar is gone.”
“What?” Maya shouted. Jeanne looked scared but the boy
merely looked resigned. Soshi decided that maybe Jules was the smart one of the
bunch.
“If your mother has something that the Empire would
risk war to get back, chances are they would have spotters all over the Endar
border. You guys will never get though.”
Their faces paled, even the boy’s. “So your suggestion
is…?” Jules asked.
“Come to Kadir and speak to the
The 3 of them looked at one another. Finally, Maya
asked, “May we be alone for awhile Captain?”
Soshi left the medical room but waited outside. He
knew he didn’t have to wait long.
In the
end, there wasn’t much of a choice. They had to throw in with the
In the
5 days, Jules (they decided to keep their fake names) had free reign of the
ship. The only area he does not have access to was the cargo bay. But he wasn’t
going to complain. The girls have it much worse. The only are they have access
to is the ‘entertainment room’. It was there that Jules saw the creature again.
Naked and hairless, it seems that the creature was called Kristina of Chang.
She was the wife of the captain and the medical officer on board. She was also
the entertainment. According to the second officer, Jaya Chang, she stays in
the room unless there is a medical emergency. Her job is basically to entertain
any crew member that enters the room. And by crew member, Jaya means male crew
member. Females don’t count as crew, but as cargo. The first time Jules entered
the entertainment room, Kristina was already on her knees. She bows her head
when she saw him and then just stayed in that position. Only later, did Jules
find out from Jaya that she will stay in that position till she is told to do
something or till the male leaves. The captain was kind enough to clear a room
for him and his sisters. Needless to say, both his sisters stayed in the room a
lot.
Jules however found that he
was enjoying himself on board. He was shocked when Jaya said that Kristina was
his mother and that he has a sister. The sister is called Tomi. She was the one
that cleared the room for them and her basic job on board is cleaning. Tomi was
someone Jules had never made before. She was about his age but didn’t act it.
Every girl he knew around his age was basically a princess, spoilt or otherwise.
Tomi was different. She didn’t say much but Jules always felt her attention.
She would jump the moment he ordered something and every time he enter the
entertainment room, she was right there waiting for orders. Jules found that he
enjoyed the power he has over her.
Then one day, as he entered
the entertainment room, he saw something very different. Kristina was in her
normal position on her knees, everything looked normal but then Jules heard the
sound of the whip. In a corner of the room, Tomi had her face pinned against
the wall. Her legs were wide apart and her arms above her head, just like
a criminal.
Behind her, Jaya was carrying
a laser whip. He swung the whip back and slashed it across the back of Tomi.
Tomi screamed as pain streaked across her body.
Jules shouted, “What are you doing?”
Jaya turned around with a puzzled look. “Punishing
her, what do you think?”
“What did she do?”
“She dropped the beer.” Jaya pointed to the floor.
Only then did Jules saw the can of beer near the door.
“So? It’s still unopened, it not spill or anything.”
“Doesn’t matter. She made a mistake, so she must be
punished.”
“You’re whipping her for dropping a can of unopened
beer?” Jaya nodded. Jules just couldn’t help himself, “That’s just plain
stupid!”
Jaya’s puzzled look deepens. He pointed at his sister
and asked, “Tomi, am I wrong to punish you for your mistake?”
Tomi answered immediately, “No Sir. Any mistake a
female makes deserve punishment. Please Sir, whip this worthless creature. Make
this creature regret her mistake.”
“See,” Jaya told Jules.
Jules shook his head.
Unbelievable! Jaya is whipping his sister and Tomi seems to be encouraging him.
Jules couldn’t believe it and if Jaya’s face is any indication, Jaya couldn’t
understand what the problem is.
“You whip her for dropping something?” Jaya nodded
again. “How often does this happen?”
“Not often, she usually doesn’t drop…”
“No, not that. How often do you whip her? Your own
sister!”
“I don’t understand. Why are you so angry about this?”
“You are whipping your own sister!” Jules shouted.
“Because she made a mistake. If my mother did the same
thing, I’ll whip her too.”
Jules reeled. “You whip your mother?”
“Of course. She is female, isn’t she?”
“But…she’s a human being! You mother.”
“No she’s not!”
“What?”
Jaya pointed at Tomi again and asked, “What are you
Tomi? Are you human?”
The answer was immediate. “This creature is female.
This creature is a cow, a pig, a worm. Only males are human. This creature is
nothing but an animal.”
Jaya looked at Jules. “Tomi is a female. Like all
females in the Patriarch Alliance, she is an animal. She’s well-trained, but
she is still an animal. If you lower the whip, animals will always become
disobedient.”
Jules shocked look was unmistaken.
“Have you ever whipped anyone before?” Jaya asked.
“What! Of course not! We…”
“Here, Tomi has 3 more strokes. You do it.” Jaya
handed over the whip as he spoke.
Without knowing why, Jules
took the whip. He looked at it properly for the first time. It was very light,
but the power and excitement he felt was indescribable. He looked at Tomi,
suddenly Jaya spoke.
“Beg him to punish you Tomi.”
Tomi immediately shouted. “Yes Sir. Please Mister
Jules, please whip this worthless creature. Please correct this creature’s
actions so that this creature will never make the same mistake again.”
Jules shook his head. He seems to be doing that a lot
today.
“Please Mister Jules; this animal is too stupid to
learn without pain. Please teach this creature the error of her ways. Please
whip this creature with all your might.”
That settles it. Before he
knew it, Jules’ arm went back and then swung the whip across. He wanted to copy
what Jaya did, but the aim was wrong. The whip hit Tomi across the buttocks
instead of the back.
“No, you’re doing it wrong.” Jaya stepped in. “Ever
played golf? Same thing really. Swing your arm across your body and then follow
though.”
“Won’t that hurt her?” What is he doing? Jules
couldn’t believe it but he was discussing techniques on how to whip people.
“The whip won’t tear her skin. That’s why it’s laser
and not say leather or bamboo.” Jaya was like a teacher. “Two more.” he said.
Jules’ arm went back and
followed Jaya’s instruction. He was a great golf player and this time, his aim
was true. The whip slashed across the back of Tomi. The scream was immediate.
Jules felt…empowered! He was getting into this.
“One more. Make it count,” Jaya said.
Jules’ arm went back again. He
swung his arm with all his strength and then followed though like Jaya said.
Tomi’s scream was the loudest yet and she collapsed onto the ground.
“Brilliant!” Jaya clapped
Jules on the shoulder. “You’re a natural! Just bloody beautiful!” Jules let the
praise wash over him. He only has eyes for Tomi. Collapsed on the ground, she
was breathing heavily but motionless, too tired to even move. Only one thought
entered Jules’ head…he must do this again soon.
|
|
|