Part 3

Chapter10

The nude blonde, brunette, and redhead, lying on the deck, were screaming and crying. They were distraught, and completely hysterical. The redhead was copiously vomiting all over the deck, herself, the jewels she carried, and her companions.

I gestured to Beverly and Agatha. “Please sedate them, immediately.” Bev and Agatha jumped to the task.

I looked at the three newcomers. “Crystal, identify our guests, please.”

Crystal replied, “Captain. Naval records show the ships manifest for the yacht Amazon listing three passengers with the destination Space Station Saint Louis. They are Andrea Dreesen, accompanied by two slaves identified as Abbi and Cara.”

She continued, “The Naval database has identification and household records for Admiral Richard Dreesen, of the Court of Athens. The record lists his daughter as Andrea Dreesen. I have compared the data for Andrea Dreesen and her two personal slaves with the three females currently in our hold. There is a more than a ninety-nine per cent confidence level that our guests are, in fact, Andrea and her two slaves Abbi and Cara. Andrea is the blonde.”

“Thank you, Crystal.”

By now, the three women were quiet as they lay on the deck. Bev and Agatha were hovering around them, checking their vitals.

I needed information, and these women needed reassurance. “Bev, please take the redhead and brunette to my cabin. Do whatever is medically necessary to calm them and physically stabilize their condition. Clean them. Let them sleep. Agatha, the blonde goes to the ready room. Stabilize her. Clean her up. But I need her coherent and able to talk.”

This was a case where my two lovelies revealed their bot identities, with their beyond human strength. Beverly picked up her heavy medical bag and slung it over her shoulder. Then she effortlessly lifted Abbi and Cara into her arms, going quickly to my cabin. Tiny Agatha grabbed her equally heavy emergency bag, shouldered it, and lifted Andrea easily into her arms, and took her to my ready room.

I had further instructions for Crystal.

“Crystal, please send a maintenance robot to clean the hold. The redhead was puking all over the place. In addition, I need three cloth bags of two-liter capacity each, to collect the jewels they scattered on the deck.”

The three bags immediately appeared at my feet. Shark’s entire hold was a large volume replicator. Crystal had labeled the three bags respectively as blonde, brunette, and redhead. The maintenance robot cleaned the jewels for me. I picked up the remaining jewels from the deck for the individual bags. The robot continued cleaning the deck as I left the hold.

Walking onto the bridge, I continued my discussion with Crystal, asking her to prepare signal drones.

No ship, not even a super dreadnought, had the capacity for real time faster than light communication. Messaging across space in real time takes planet-based power and facilities. Even if a ship could generate signals of that magnitude, it would be indiscreet. It would be like hanging a great big sign saying, “look at me,” and “come and get me,” as the omni-directional signal spewed across the galaxy.

Ships communicated by sending small, cloaked probes, or drones, towards bases and planets. The probes traveled at warp three to five. They would respond to specific transponder codes in delivering their message. Bases and planets each had “mailboxes,” that is, special satellites which caught drones, accepting their messages for distribution.

We would be using our special Naval communication protocol to set special instructions in our drone programming. Our three cloaked message probes were targeted to Athens, Saint Louis, and Clement, with reports of the battle and Shark’s multiple salvage claims. The message would include the information about our brown-blotched raider stalker, and the survival of Andrea and her two slaves.

Our message probes, in addition to responding to naval headquarter codes, would also respond to naval ship transponder codes. The probe response to meeting a naval vessel would be de-cloaking, delivering the message, then re-cloaking and continuing to its final destination.

Crystal and I set the messages in motion. I also reviewed defensive posture for Shark hovering next to the battle scene. We reverted to passive scanning as we cloaked, easing away from the two ruined ships. I reduced our readiness to DefCon 3.

As I poured a cup of coffee in the galley, I mentally reviewed the Empire’s rules of rescue, salvage, and recovery.

Any craft without power and life support was “abandoned” and thus, fair game to be claimed as “recovered as salvage.” In battle, the defeated were automatically claimed as salvage, including any humans, slaves, or bots. Andrea and her companions were included in the defined ship “salvage”, by virtue of the sequence of their yacht’s destruction, attacker’s defeat, and rescue. They were my slaves unless or until I released, sold, or ransomed them.

Chapter11

The ready room door slid closed behind me. Andrea was naked and sitting on the couch. Agatha was sitting in a chair near at hand, observing her patient. Andrea turned and gazed at me with an apprehensive expression. She shivered, staring at my body armor and weapons.

I walked past her, tossing the three “jewel” bags on my desk. I moved to the glass case holding the daishō. I placed the wakizashi on its bracket. I paused, bowing respectfully, before I closed the cabinet. I shrugged out of my combat harness. Rail gun and knife went on desktop, and Agatha helped me divest myself of my body armor. She quickly stored armor and harness.

Andrea watched me as I stripped naked. She also seemed fascinated by the framed crests, parchments, and pictures on the ready room walls. Shark’s name, in engraved shadowed text, was spotlighted in the center, arced above the logo of our namesake: a sleek and fearsome black shark, with mouth gaping open, revealing large and terrible teeth.

I took a moment to observe my guest. She was a tall and lovely girl, looking only slightly older than I, with long thick honey-blonde hair down her back to her butt. Her breasts were large, high, and firm, with fat, prominent, pink nipples. Her stomach was flat, with well-defined six-pack abs. Her butt was diminutive and taut. She had very long shapely legs, with trim ankles ending in small, well-shaped feet. Her sex was smooth and hairless.

Andrea suddenly found her voice, as she was pointing at grandfather’s picture. “That’s Admiral Carteris, isn’t it?” She pointed again as she asked, “Is that his Carteris crest?”

I asked, “How do you know the Admiral and the Carteris crest?”

She smiled at me as she answered, “His father, Victor, hosted a cotillion reception for the Emperor introducing all the newly installed ladies of the court. I was introduced to Louis at the same time I was presented as one of the new princesses to the court of Quintin. Just before embarking on my visit to Uncle Rutger.”

Suddenly she sobered and looked very grave as she asked, “Are you a pirate? Are you going to rape me and kill me? Where are my slaves?” She teared up and began to sob. I guessed that the recollection of that happier time, juxtaposed with the current situation, was just too much. She began to weep in earnest.

I walked around the desk, and sat on the couch, next to Andrea. I turned her into my arms. I pulled her up into my lap, holding her tightly with her head on my shoulder. She continued sobbing, as I lightly rubbed her back and shoulders.

I said, “Do not cry, my princess.”

Andrea swung her head until she could look at me. Her face was stunning, even while tear streaked.

She grabbed my hand tightly as she asked, “Who are you?”

I showed her my signet ring with the Carteris crest as I answered. “I am NOT a pirate. Edward Demarest. Son of Charles Demarest. Captain of the scout Shark. Grandson of Admiral Louis Carteris. I rescued you from the yacht Amazon. The Shark destroyed the raider who attacked your yacht. Your slaves are receiving medical care in my quarters. You will not be raped or harmed while under my protection.”

Andrea threw her arm around my neck, as she buried her face in my chest. She shivered as she sobbed quietly. I held her, with one hand lightly stroking the back of her head. She still held my other hand in her own unyielding, single-handed grasp.

She lifted her face to mine and kissed me. I kissed her urgently, my tongue invading her mouth. Andrea did not resist. She opened her mouth, welcoming my tongue to play with hers.

We continued to kiss as I lightly caressed her hair. I played with her hair between my fingers, as I trailed along her spine.

I asked, “Your hair is long, lustrous, soft and beautiful. How do you maintain it, so far from home?”

Andrea smiled as she replied, “Slave Cara is a trained clothing designer, beautician, barber and hair stylist. Slave Abbi is my personal trainer and coach.” She smiled again. “Thank you for changing the subject.”

She continued in a more somber tone, “Edward, I wish to see the battle. Please.”

“Are you sure?”

Andrea nodded her head mutely, looking very serious. I turned toward the center of the room. Andrea turned and settled her back against my stomach. She placed my left hand between her legs, tight against her shaved cunt. She raised my right hand and placed the palm on her right tit. Her plump nipple nestled into my palm.

I called to Crystal, “Crystal. Please show a holo-display of the sensor readings for the ship-to-ship battle.”

The ghostly holo 3-Dimensional display began floating in the center of the ready room. It started at the point of Shark’s arrival on the battlefield. Andrea watched in uncomfortable, squirmy silence. Finally, just after the position where we surveyed the damage to the raider from our volley, Andrea spoke up. “Crystal, please freeze the display.”

I nodded, to make it clear to Crystal that she could obey Andrea in this. The display stopped. The ships hung in midair within the ready room. Andrea stood up and walked around the display. She was crying softly like a gentle rainfall. She asked in a whisper, “The pretty ensign ... the nice cook...?”

“I’m sorry, my princess. I was not in time.”

Andrea fell into my lap, face contorted with sudden rage. She screamed out, “I hate them! I hope you killed the fuckers. I hate them all. Kill them all!”

Andrea was striking at me with her fists. I grabbed her wrists and held on until she collapsed. She fell against me, exhausted. I said, “Do not say that, my princess. You must not hate. You must never be like them. I walked through the raider ship after the blasts that I ordered. They died hard. There was nothing heroic in the manner of their death. I needed to see their deaths to understand what I had done. I must be careful. It would be easy to become a raider or a pirate. Only by not becoming them, do we really win the battle.”

Andrea said, “Thank you, Edward.” She continued, “We have much to talk about.”

Andrea twisted and turned until she was seated on my lap fully facing me straddling my legs. She looked me in the eye as she brought both my hands together between us at chest level with her hands pressing my hands together. She said, “I am your slave, Edward Demarest.”

I tried to demur. First, I said, “Eddy. Please call me Eddy.”

Andrea said, “Eddy, that was not a question. I am the daughter of an admiral. I was surrounded by admirals and other Navy men, discussing Navy rules. I am not stupid. I have absorbed my share of knowledge. In the Quintin court I listened to protracted, mind-numbing deliberations of the policy and regulation of battle and salvage. This is without doubt less tedious, with added immediacy, when I am the object of salvage.”

I said, “My princess. I cannot enslave you. I will make your emancipation official once I present you to Admiral Rutger Danell, as soon as we reach St. Louis.”

“Eddy! You can’t do that. That is the WORST thing you could possibly do!”

“I don’t understand, my princess. I have no use for slaves. Can’t I just release you?”

Andrea spoke passionately, “No, Eddy. Please believe me. I spent all my young life observing the machinations of the Emperor’s court. I helped my father steer around and through the traps and obstacles of court politics. I will advise you honestly and competently if you will let me. You will cause grave damage to the Demarest’s and Carteris’ relationship with the Emperor, and with the other houses, all by the undemanding act of merely emancipating me in Saint Louis.”

I shook my head mulishly and said, “I am a scout! I have no use for slaves. I don’t want to enslave you, my princess.”

Andrea responded, “Eddy, do you trust me?”

I answered, “Andrea, I trust you implicitly, but in actual fact, I want you to join me on my big bed where we will make love.”

Andrea giggled as she said, “Excellent idea, Eddy. But we need to settle the slavery and ransom issue first.”

I interrupted her, as I gestured to Agatha. “Agatha, please bring us juice and coffee. Thank you.”

Agatha stood and left the room.

Andrea asked, “Is she a Fembot?”

“Yes. Both Agatha and Beverly are bots.”

Andrea said, “She is extremely advanced, and so beautiful. They must be wonderful companions for you, Eddy.”

I tried to figure out whether she was being ironic or sarcastic. Andrea, however, seemed sincerely happy that my lovely bots would be suitable escorts for my journey.

Andrea continued, “Thank you for ordering beverages. You will be a good and kind master.”

She smirked as she said the last. She let go of my hands and placed hers on my shoulders. She held my eye contact; she looked serious as she continued, “Eddy. You claimed the two ruined vessels. You expect to receive some form of salvage value, some compensation?”

“Yes.”

As I tried to continue speaking Andrea put her left hand over my mouth and shook her head as she continued, “Eddy, you must do exactly the same with any ‘salvaged’ human or bot. You must absolutely do this for ‘salvaged’ female princesses of the court Quintin.”

She pointed at herself in an exaggerated fashion as she said it. She continued, “To neglect this ransoming for compensation insults the princess, her family, the Emperor, all the other princesses and their families. Not incidentally, it imperils your two families’ position in court.”

I looked at her carefully. I slowly nodded. It started to dawn on me that my actions out here on the edge of the frontier had ramifications at the very center of the Empire. I was not enjoying the revelation. I asked, “Why? Why does it matter to you? Why would you want to be my slave? Why not just accept liberation and let Ed sink? Why...?”

Andrea answered, “Fair questions. You saved us. Twice! Once in the battle, and again when you extricated our escape pod. You came in, taking off your weapons and making me comfortable. Eddy, you held me while I cried. This trip was supposed to be an adventure, but a safe one! You have made my adventure safe again. I don’t want this to end just yet. You make me shiver when you call me ‘your princess.’ I can’t ignore that. I do yearn to visit that big, soft bed of yours.”

She again looked at me through her long blonde hair, as she continued, “You saved us at risk to yourself, Eddy. Justice and fairness make my dealings almost automatic. I must advise you honestly. I will help you to understand the court politics, and how to suit them. You are too good a person to let sink.”

Then with more enthusiasm and a big smile, Andrea concluded, “I will happily wear a collar telling all the worlds that I am your slave, and you, Edward Demarest, are my master.”

This was all pretty heady stuff for me. A naked princess, a blonde goddess was agreeing to be my slave. She already announced her intention to join me in my bed.

I should have been hard and aroused. Instead, I was soft and fretful, with a million thoughts bombarding me.

Andrea sensed my unease. She kissed my cheek as she laid her head on my shoulder. She whispered, “Don’t be anxious, Eddy. I am here for you for anything.”

My hands fell to Andrea’s hips. I held her, listening to her heartbeat and the soft sound of her breathing. I would have to tell Brother Ben I had found something even more soothing and stress-relieving than his pet fish!

Chapter12

The ready room door slid open. Agatha rejoined us, with a tray filled with beverages. As she set the tray on the table in front of the couch, I introduced my bot to my princess.

Andrea did not relinquish her seat on my lap. She swung around until she was sideways on my lap, with her left hand on my shoulder, lightly caressing my hair. Her two legs were thrust straight out on the couch cushion, next to us.

Agatha served the drinks. I had coffee. My right hand was behind Andrea, holding her hip, brushed by her long blonde hair. My left was holding my coffee cup. Andrea had several glasses of orange juice. I felt like the worst possible host. Andrea must have been parched, but only now was I addressing her thirst.

I apologized. “Sorry, my princess. I did not realize how thirsty you were.”

“Quite alright, my good and kind master. We were a bit distracted.”

I wanted to be annoyed at her. Seeing her smile through her halo of blonde hair quite short-circuited my irritation.

She sat sipping a glass of orange juice. She made me sip some of her juice as well. Then she asked another question. “Did you gather the jewels we carried out of the escape pod?”

“Yes.”

“Good. They belong to you now.”

I exploded, “God damn it, my goddess! I don’t want your fucking jewels.”

Andrea smiled happily and said, “Say that part again.”

“Which part?”

“The goddess part.”

“My goddess.”

“Now the princess one.”

“My princess.”

“I can’t decide.”

“You can’t decide what, Andrea?”

“Which one makes me more quivery and damp? Maybe if I could be your princess goddess, or your goddess princess...?”

“Do not press your luck, slave Andrea. We were discussing your fucking jewels.”

“Surprisingly, that works too. ‘Slave Andrea’ makes me feel all subservient and submissive. Wet too. Want a quick feel?”

“You are not one bit compliant or obedient. You, my princess goddess, are being a manipulative bitch who is going to get a thorough spanking at my earliest convenience.”

I could not help smiling at Andrea’s easy ability to move the conversation around to suit her desires. She probably caused significant heartbreak at court on Athens. I said as much, “I’ll bet you were a ball breaker in court, my blonde princess goddess.”

“No, Eddy. I danced and flirted to amuse myself. The men in court were shallow fools, or they were very smart, playing dangerous games. That was really the reason for my trip; to meet a real man. Imagine my surprise when it worked!”

She smiled her dazzling smile and kissed me. Her full pouty lips tasted like sweet orange juice.

I tried to accept her compliment with good grace. I hoped I could meet Andrea’s expectations. I tried valiantly to get the conversation back on track. I said, “My blonde princess goddess who is on the verge of serious discipline, tell me about the jewels.”

This time she looked seriously at me as she answered, “Eddy, the jewels are family heirlooms and immensely expensive - irreplaceable, actually. House Dreesen must ransom the jewels or lose them. You cannot give the jewels back to me, except as part of an agreement with my daddy, the Admiral.”

“Ah, fuck! God damn it, Andrea.”

She put down her orange juice and placed the palm of her hand over my mouth. She exclaimed, “Edward!”

I finally sputtered to a stop, muttering through her hand. I kissed the palm of her hand.

Andrea said, “You will parade us at the space station, dressed as your slaves. Rutger will send the images to Admiral Daddy. Daddy will open negotiations. You will place a colossal ransom price. Almost as if you do not desire to give us back.”

This last said with a smirk and an arch glance. Andrea continued, “Daddy will finally appeal to Emperor Quintin to intervene. The emperor will contact his good friend Victor Carteris. Victor will contact House Demarest. These new, fresh negotiators will all be well pleased by your intransigence. Each will be able to extract favors of some kind for their participation in the negotiations.”

I looked at Andrea in awe dumbstruck by her analysis. Finally, I asked, “Then what?”

“If you really like fucking your three new slaves you never conclude negotiations. You keep stringing Daddy along. The price remains always just out of reach! The only thing that will affect your control of the situation is if House Dreesen, Quintin, Carteris, and/or Demarest have another unrelated ‘deal’ in play. Then they will force your hand.”

“Force how?”

She replied, “Could go either way. They might order you to send me home to Daddy. They might inform you that the ransom amount must always be out of reach.”

I asked, “Anything else, my totally cynical genius but lovely princess?”

Andrea replied, “Your families, Demarest and Carteris will be pleased that you have a princess with ties to House Quintin and his Athens court as your personal slave. That your slave princess is daughter of an admiral and related to many others in the Navy is just a lovely bonus. This is actually better than any arranged marriage. Your rescue of me, and destruction of the raider, makes you an authentic hero. I would be very surprised if either Demarest or Carteris pushed for my return. In fact, I would expect them to make negotiations slow, tedious, and time-consuming.”

I looked at her with a chagrined expression. I said, “I knew you were beautiful with one look. Now I find you to be a brilliant tactician. What else have I underestimated?”

Andrea answered, “My skill with a gun. My ability with throwing knives and a throwing axe. I left the weapons in the escape pod. We knew someone was opening the pod. We were all so sure that only raiders surrounded us. We knew the weapons would be certain death. Then I saw you in your armor with your sword. I just snapped, got hysterical, went out of my mind, and my slaves became hysterical as well. If you were a raider, we hoped to bribe you or distract you with the jewels.”

I replied, “I’m so sorry. I never thought about that. We were only verifying the pod was not filled with enemies.” I continued, “Andrea, my blonde princess, if you are serious about being my slave, then it is time to put you to work.”

Chapter13

I kissed Andrea on her full soft lips while holding her breast. I had tasks I wanted performed. On the other hand, kissing and fondling my golden blonde princess slave was too much fun to quit. She was holding my hard cock in her warm hand while we played. I finally released Andrea’s plump nipple. I sat up straight.