Chapter 14

Conna stood with Astra at the main door, each holding their rifles by their sides with the butts on the floor and gripping the barrels by the bayonet mount. In their new uniforms, they kept an eye out on the docks. They could hear the work crews on the other side of the ship getting to work repairing the damage. Inky was watching over them herself, with Laurel and Tara at her side. The rest of the girls were installing permanent mounts for the machine guns on the ship’s rails and discreet storage for the weapons so they could be hidden from guests.

“No clients at all today,” Conna muttered again in frustration.

“After what the captain did, I doubt anyone of status in this city is going to be getting on the ship,” Astra replied.

“How’s she holding up?”

“Somewhere on the line between regretting her alienation of the upper class and ordering us to kill the lot of them.”

“They caved in, though, right?” Conna asked, a touch of concern in her tone.

“Yeah, somewhat. Enough to get us fixed up, but not enough to let us sit here not working. Or rather, the other girls not working.”

“I doubt some of them can work right now. I know Inky was close with her, but she’s soldiering on and doesn’t need to fuck anyone. Mari and Ving wouldn’t be able to see clients right now -- if there were any to be seen.”

“Easy isn’t doing much better. She was on deck and saw it all.” Astra shook her head, still surprised by how lucky the fairy was.

“Face it, it’s killed the mood of everyone on board.”

“What about the mermaid or that noble girl?”

“Mermaid got quiet. She’s not stupid. She could tell her attitude wouldn’t be right, but doesn’t seem to know any other way of talking. The classy bitch is kind of the same. Knows not to try and say anything to ‘make it better’ but neither of them really knew her well enough to be personally bothered a whole lot.”

“What do you think will happen?”

“Once the ship’s fixed, we’re gonna leave. That’s for sure. Then dock wherever and open for business. We will prolly be picking up the slack until the others get their grief worked out.” Conna couldn’t conceal her interest in the prospect of seeing clients herself.

“I admit, I am looking forward to getting some action.”

“Same, Juno took me under the ship last night so nobody would hear us.”

“That’s how I spent my morning.” Astra grinned, then nodded towards a group of men coming onto the docks.

“Those aren’t nobles.”

“Nope, they are our class.”

“Ewww, soldiers? They don’t have any money,” Conna joked with a smile.

“Hey, we got piles of it. Though they don’t look private sector.”

“Nope, ocean blue of the local uniform. At least they aren’t armed.” Conna knocked on the door behind her to signal the arrival of potential clients.

The seven men were approaching in a group around a young man blushing as his friends patted him on the back. Jovial in their attitude as they stepped onto the gangplank leading up to the door Conna and Astra were guarding. The moment they did so, the girls tapped the buts of their rifles on the deck, then in perfect sync, readied them in their arms. Now holding them, still aimed away, but with one hand on the grip and one finger extended on the trigger guard while the other hand held the foregrip. The arriving soldiers recognised the crisp reaction and understood the beautiful women at the door were not mere window dressing.

The leading soldier adopted a straighter posture and squared his shoulders before offering a salute. Keeping their hands on their rifles, the girls offered a nod in return. He let down his salute and nodded back.

“Pardon me. I was told this fine vessel was open for the kind of business that might see my younger brother, and newest squadmate, be made into a man. I hope I was not misinformed.”

“Not at all. Just that the last time a group of soldiers attempted that, they did so by force,” Conna explained.

“Oh, no.” The man seemed genuinely concerned.

“They failed and suffered their deserved fate.” Astra left no room for misinterpretation in her tone.

“I see. Well, I can assure you we have no ill intent. Though I can certainly respect your caution.”

“We appreciate that. You are also woefully unprepared if that were untrue.” Conna cocked a smile to ease the tension.

The man returned the smile, “Indeed, and I can imagine a few of the choice words certain officers would use to explain that to me. Though hopefully, money should suffice as adequate preparation for our actual intent.”

“That would be most preferred.” Astra smiled as she opened the door. “Follow me with your brother.”

He gestured for his brother to come along and followed Astra inside, “I had heard your ship had left port already. What brought you ... Oh.” He stopped to notice the gaping hole on the opposite side of the ship. “Nevermind.”

They walked into the lounge to see Liddy sitting at her table reading a letter that had arrived earlier. She looked up to see the young men, the youngest of whom was wide-eyed and blushing as his eyes checked every woman in the room. Inky had moved to check out the arrivals and keep an eye on the repairs while Catherine had been sitting with Liddy. Easy was staring out the window, but turned to smile at the arrivals. Emma entered with Foxy and Leira, having fetched them.

“Welcome.” Liddy greeted, standing up. “I’m afraid our ship is a little less than presentable but happy to be having your business.”

“Seems like we arrived at a bad time.” The older brother observed, noticing the struggled smiles of some of the women who managed one.

“Yes.” Liddy nodded at the damage. “We lost one of our own. So it is a very bad time. But she would be the first person to throw a fit if we let it stop us from working.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. You have my condolences.” He offered a small bow that Liddy returned with a smile. “I wouldn’t want to impose my little brother on anyone grieving.”

“I appreciate that. Lady Catherine Bell here seems to have caught his eye and would most appreciate the distraction.”

He turned to see his little brother bashfully smiling at Catherine, trying to avert his gaze without actually doing it. Turning back to Liddy, he nodded with a smile. Catherine stood up and offered her hand to the young man, and after an elbow to his ribs from his older brother, he took it and was led into one of the work rooms.

Catherine locked the door once they were inside and turned to face the young man -- who seemed to be lost in thought, wondering if he should sit in the bed yet.

“What’s your name?” she asked softly.

Brought back to focus, he nervously replied, “Sams ... Miss ... Lady ... Sorry, I’m...”

Catherine silenced him with a smile, “Hush, don’t worry Sams, just call me Cat. I lost my ladyship, so I have no title for you to get right or wrong.”

“You were a real Lady?” he asked, surprised. “Well, I mean, of course you are a lady, I just mean...”

“Yes, I was. Long story. Don’t fret.” Cat moved to sit him down on the bed and sit beside him. “You don’t need to worry so much about decorum here. You are going to war. Can a woman really be more intimidating?”

“Well, yes. I was trained for war.” He cocked a smile.

Cat laughed. “Well said. As well as being so true. You have your wits when you relax, remember that. I like men who can make me laugh as well. Your squad seems to like you very much to arrange this all. How did that happen? I always thought the new guy had it rough?”

“Well, yeah. I mean my brother was there and that helped, but he wasn’t going to coddle me. So I just knew I had to do something big. Our bunks had a surprise inspection. I was there alone while the rest were at chow. New guy has to mop up before breakfast. So I hear them tearing the bunks in the next barracks over and I just grabbed everyone’s stuff. We all knew where it was hidden. I couldn’t get rid of it so I put it all in my locker. They came in, found it, knew it wasn’t all mine, but I told them it was. Told them I had gotten it in the mail and hadn’t gotten around to sending it home. Got reamed and assigned latrine duty, but no flogging or official marks on my record. I’ve been one of them ever since ... until I told them I’d never been with a woman. So they decided to fix that for me and make me a man.”

“I can’t do that for you.” Cat smiled.

“I don’t understand.” He looked disappointed and confused.

“Loyalty, taking one for the team, stuff like that makes you a man. You didn’t need anyone else’s help doing it either. This...” Cat moved to sit on his lap, facing him, legs on either side. “This is just a celebration.”

He smiled, looking up into her eyes.

“Two things you need to know about women first.”

“Yes?”

“First, we love it when men look into our eyes when we talk. You do it admirably.” Cat leant forward to push her cleavage closer. “Second, when she puts them this close to your face, she wants you to look at them.”

Sams grinned and kept eye contact a bit longer before looking down to marvel at the exposed soft flesh. His hands moved to rest on her knees, exposed by her position, and slowly move them up. Reaching her thighs under her dress, he glanced up with an ‘I can do this, right?’ look on his face before her smile told him yes. Leaning in, he kissed her neck and worked his lips lower while his hands moved higher. His fingers stopped as they reached the edge of the lace covering her womanhood and bum. Feeling the delicate material and squeezing tightly on her flesh. His breathing deepened as his lips parted to let his tongue run over her breasts at the edge of where they disappeared under her dress.

“First time getting your hands up a dress?” Cat asked, as she reached behind herself to unfasten her dress.

“First time doing it without getting slapped,” he replied, pulling her closer, looking up into her eyes with his mouth between her breasts.

Cat laughed loudly and kissed him on the forehead, “Glad that didn’t spoil your desire. Though you may need them to help me pull this off.”

Undone, her dress loosened and her breasts exposed themselves more with each breath she took. He slowly peeled her dress away to bunch up at her waist and fully expose her chest. Taking each breast in a firm grip, he forced Cat to gasp sharply and smile as he moved to give each proper attention with his mouth in turn.

Cat loved the attention shown to her breasts. Since he was so inexperienced, he tried a bit of everything and it felt good. Moaning and gasping at the right times, mostly even involuntarily, let him know what she liked and he was quick enough to learn. Feeling her nipples pulled by his teeth and pushed with his tongue was her favourite. Slight bite marks on her breasts faded after the pleasure their placement provided. She let him enjoy the process of pleasing her for a while longer, before she craved too strongly between her legs. Feeling his hardness pressing against her wetness even through his trousers.

Sliding down off his lap, she left him confused for a moment, until her hands made it clear what she was planning. Unbinding his trousers and pulling his member free, she shuddered in anticipation at its pleasing size. Yet she couldn’t rush things. Taking it in both hands, she slowly ran her tongue up the side and around the head before running it down the other side. Knowing he wasn’t experienced enough to last long with such teasing she took it in her mouth and slowly swallowed it before slowly releasing it. She ran her hands up his side and fetched his when they moved to hold hers. Cat placed them on her head so he could control it. Holding her head, he moved her back and forth, getting harder and faster with the pace. Cat gagged and choked as he did but never stopped moaning from the pleasure of being used like that. With him focused on that, Cat was free to use her hands and remove her dress, leaving only her lace underwear on her body.

Pulling her head free, she looked up and started pushing him backwards, crawling onto the bed with him after pulling his trousers off completely. He yanked off his own shirt as she turned around to wiggle her bum in his face while on all fours. Taking the hint, he moved up behind her, letting his hard cock rest on her bum between the cheeks while he ran his hands up and down the naked back before him. Then sliding his fingers under the lace he slowly pulled it free. Reaching back with one hand, she took a hold of him as he tried to aim himself and, with her assistance, found where he needed to be.

Slowly, with her legs widening as they kneeled on the bed, she felt him pushing inside. No matter what experience Cat had in the past, she always felt as though each penetration was her first. Aside from any time a group of men had been pleasing her at once or taking turns of course. Holding her by the hips, he pulled as she rocked back and forth, making each thrust reach deep inside her. Feeling her breasts hanging free and bouncing with each sudden shift in direction, Catherine felt alive like she never did when doing anything else.

In an impressive display of flexibility, Cat lifted one leg to swing over his head as she turned about and pushed him down so that she could face him again, straddling him. He braced himself with one arm while the other was around her waist, to support her while she moved her hips against his thrusts. Now he could admire the movement of her breasts as they bounced and glistened with sweat. She leant in close to let him toy with them again, but instead he pulled her in for a kiss. Feeling his tongue in her mouth while his manhood penetrated even deeper into her body as she screamed into his mouth the climax she couldn’t hold back.

Surprised by her scream, he almost tried to pull away, but Cat wouldn’t let him as she held him more tightly and ground her hips harder while she spasmed. Pushed over the edge by her sudden fervour, he burst inside her, grunting loudly. Feeling his hot fluid entering her kept her riding high until he finished, and they both came down together. Still straddling him, she slowly worked her hips as they caught their breath. Leaning back, Cat felt his attention return to her breasts even though he had started to soften inside her.

Downstairs in the room below, Mari wondered angrily how anyone could find it within them to enjoy anything. She stared venomously up at the ceiling.

In another room, Ving sat in Hannah’s bed, crying again, her tears long since exhausted.

Hannah opened her eyes to see a figure hovering over her. Sitting on her bed holding her hand but facing away. She sighed in disappointment, wishing she had woken up with her legs spread and her body filled.

“You’re awake.” The soldier, one of the many who had had her when she arrived.

“And you are in my bed but not in me. What’s wrong?” she said, then smiled.

“Oh, well a sleeping lady is off limits, isn’t she?”

“Well, yes, I suppose. Though personally I don’t mind as long as it’s someone who’s already had the pleasure of permission.”

“Fair enough. But the medic was clear that the only touch we were allowed was your hand to make sure you had a pulse.”

“That bad? How long was I out?” Hannah asked, growing a bit concerned.

“Not really bad, just really close. You were out all night and it’s almost lunch.”

“I feel like there is some bad news coming.”

“Well, a bit of something cut your head ... and well, you can’t stitch anything with hair in the way...”

Hannah opened her eyes wide with terror.

“Now don’t get too scared. It was just around the cut, we didn’t take it all. Just the one side.” He explained, passing her a little round mirror.

Hannah looked. Her whole right temple was shaved clean and a long stitched line ran across it. The stitches were neat and the scar would eventually be hidden by her hair. She sighed at how she would need to adjust her hair until it grew back a little.

“Help me up,” Hannah ordered

Getting to her feet with some help on her wobbly legs, she was relieved that there was minimal dizziness. She fixed her uniform and put her cap on, making sure to move some hair over the wound so it wouldn’t rub.

“You said it was lunch time?”

“Almos ... erm ... yes. Lunch time.”

As they listened to Catherine working, Liddy spoke about the letter she had been reading. “It would appear there is a special job for you four.”

“Something to do with us being Emberborn no doubt.” Foxy verbalised her observation since Emma, Easy, and Leira were there with her.

“Yes. Some kind of work program fixing up an old estate. Throwing some kind of welcome party and they wanted entertainment. No sex involved, but since we really need anything we can get, you might as well go. Something about the whole thing being an effort to improve the perception of free Emberborn as hard workers.”

“That doesn’t seem very normal. Most would want us in the gutter or back in chains,” Leira spoke, voicing her suspicion.

“True, but there are exceptions,” Emma stated, nodding towards Liddy.

“Yes, but just to hedge our bets, Foxy is going armed. Protective detail, not entertainment. Just in case. You get payment after the party. Since there is no sex contracted, you can accept it on site.”

“Will things be okay here?” Easy asked, obviously concerned about Mari.

“As well as they are now. If she needs you, you should be back tonight.”

Easy nodded and the rest of them had no further questions. Liddy handed Foxy the slip of paper with the address and directions on it. She gathered up her rifle and the four of them headed out. Liddy sighed, wishing the mood wasn’t so dour. She looked over at Inky who was talking with the soldier waiting for his brother. Her expression was stone cold and detached. Liddy decided that now would be the best time to sneak off to her room and give herself time to cry, now that nobody on board could hear her.

Outside, the four Emberborn made their way across town, drawing all eyes on them. It wasn’t often people saw Emberborn walking so openly, let alone one holding a rifle. Reaching the edge of town they spotted a waggon where several Emberborn were climbing aboard. Most dressed in poor cloth and a few only in rags. They all paused when the finely dressed women arrived.

“You all headed to that work project?” Easy asked politely.

“Yeah. What’s that got to do with you? Doesn’t exactly look like you need any help getting by.” A hound wearing rags spoke in a tone that hovered between insult and neutrality.

“Doesn’t matter what we wear, things get tough for all of us,” Leira replied.

He shrugged and turned away while the others climbed on. The girls did the same, and soon enough the waggon started moving. Foxy was used to there being some resentment from other Emberborn over how much easier things appeared to be for her but Emma couldn’t fathom it. To her, she was just a short while from being just as dirty and desperate as they were. To her, they were all as looked down and spat upon, but they saw her as privileged. Ashamed of her pretty dress, she looked away and met eyes with Easy, who gave her a soft smile. Not really feeling better, she took her hand and tried not to think about it.

The mood in the trenches was low. Most were injured, or at the very least suffering the grief of loss. They ate their food in silence and even the enemy seemed quiet. Hannah wondered if that was because so many of them were dead now. The men perked up when she had shown her face, relieved she hadn’t died in the night. Yet nobody was in the mood for her normal morale boost, not even her. She sat down and sang instead.

I just wanted to thank you

Thank you not for the things you have done

For the things you have lost

From the past and from the future

For the friends not coming home

Lost time with those you love

Scars that will show forever

Long letters of nothing and everything

The fear of the march to war

The fear of the fire around you

The fear of returning home

The fear of leaving yourself behind

Memories that haunt your nights

Impossible choices you made

Shielding us from having to make them

The freedom your suffering gave me

Thank you for your sacrifice

Hannah knew it wasn’t the most lyrically cohesive song in the world, but really a collection of things she had wished someone had said to her.

Getting off the waggon, the girls looked at the rundown estate. It clearly needed a lot of work, and several men sat with papers and books at a table appraising it. They turned to notice the group, and were of course distracted by the presence of the four women dressed in finery. Walking inside through thick wooden doors, they could tell work had already started. Scaffolding covered in sheets to disguise them were set up along the walls around the large entry way. It was almost a hall, given how much room there was to fill it, with seats and tables full of food.

The others from the waggon went right to eat while Easy found some handsome looking men to flirt with. Everyone was an Emberborn except the waiters who dispensed drinks. In expensive uniforms that looked vaguely military, they smiled as they took drink orders and answered questions. Emma took Leira into the crowd to start their work while Foxy heard someone approach the balcony overlooking the party.

“Welcome, everyone! I hope you are enjoying the drinks and food. I know you aren’t used to this and are eager to take advantage, but please, don’t make yourselves sick.” He smiled in a friendly tone. “You may have noticed the state of this place, I hope that after tonight you agree to help me make something wonderful out of it. Not that you care about what status I gain, but people need to know you are capable of honest labour and deserving of honest wages. I will personally sign a writ of worthiness for any of you who complete their work here. With that, you will have an easier time finding work later in life. I know it’s not much, but I believe you are worth the effort. Enjoy! Work begins tomorrow!”

Everyone returned to their feast. Foxy clicked off her rifle’s safety.

“Lock the doors, hit them with the gas.” she heard the man say in a hushed tone to someone else as he walked away.

Not that she was the only one with ears so sensitive, but she was being paid to be paranoid and not to be distracted. She spun around to see two men standing at the doors waiting to receive orders to close them. Foxy shouldered her rifle as she took a knee and fired. The bullet took off a chunk of his upper skull and he dropped. His friend moved behind his door and started to push it closed. She fired again hoping to hit him through the door but the wood was too thick to penetrate. It slammed shut as she took off to the other door that someone else had gotten behind and started to close it. Kicking it at a run, it stalled its movement a moment, but a pistol reached in and fired at her. She ducked to avoid it but that gave the other door time to close. The iron bolt locked, and she could hear a bar being locked into place on the outside.