Chapter 4

The night before Colin had sent Yana to her own bed with instructions to be ready to leave in the morning, he hadn’t wished to get involved in any histrionics with the slave. Now Yana was stood in the hall waiting for her new master to bid farewell to the rest of his family. Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked upon her old master who, was lined up with the rest of the Hadden family. Like Colin she was dressed in the blue jumpsuit that was the uniform for the crew of the Red Rose. The only major difference between her uniform and Colin’s was that her new master was carrying a weapon.

Colin had already bade farewell to his mother and Annie before he moved down the line and approached his father.

“I know you’ve already been given a lot of gifts Colin, but I’ve got one final item for you,” he said and drew his arm from behind his back. “This is the silver dirk and it came from Earth when the family left home. It’s one of a pair and the silver one was always given to the second son of the house.”

In his hand was something akin to a small sword; the whole thing was nearly half a metre long from the top of the pommel to the tip of the scabbard. As Colin took it from his hand, Jason continued, “The dirk was the traditional backup weapon of the Highlander and was a symbol of his honour. Oaths of fealty were sworn on its blade and if the oath was broken, so was the dirk.”

Colin rotated the weapon in his hands, smoothly extracting the three hundred millimetre long blade from its scabbard and admired the highly polished steel blade. Inset into the double-edged weapon were three deep grooves or blood channels that allowed it to be withdrawn easily from a body.

“The words around the pommel are in Gaelic, the old language of Scotland. It declares ‘Daondan Airbhinneach’ which means ‘Always Honourable’ as a rough translation,” said Jason. “The other dirk, the golden one is for Fraser and it will be presented to him when he takes his seat on the house council at the end of the year.”

Fraser hissed; he’d no idea that he would be formally joining the council so soon. The detail of the family dirk passed him by in the sudden rush of joy that his maturity had been recognised. Across the room Yana too felt that surge of joy but it was tinged with sadness as she realised that setting her aside may have been one of the things his father had been waiting for.

Colin returned the blade to its sheath and addressed his father, “Thank you,” he said seriously, “It’ll have a place of honour on my ship and I’ll endeavour to live up to the motto.”

“That’s all I can ask,” replied his father just as seriously.

“I’d better be going,” said Colin.

Before he could leave his sister threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely, “Take care,” she whispered.

“I will,” he promised and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Now let me go or we’ll be doing all of this again tomorrow.”

Colin and Yana left the family home and were transported to the spaceport where a shuttle waited to ferry them to Orbital One and the waiting scout ship Red Rose.

Colin strode through the hatch that had moved out of his way at his command with Yana a pace or two behind him. He made his way to the bridge where Adele, Zara and Rosie greeted him. The three of them were in the same blue jumpsuits that he wore though, like Yana they were not armed. For some reason that detail was the first thing that Colin focused on.

“Why aren’t you armed?” he asked, “I know Aunt Annie sent up sufficient weapons for us all.”

“You haven’t given us permission to carry arms, Captain,” replied Adele.

“As bots we cannot go armed unless specifically instructed to do so by our owner,” said Zara with a sweet smile, “and in case you’ve forgotten that’s you, Captain.”

“OK,” replied Colin with a grin, “you have my permission to carry guns.”

“Noted,” responded Rosie and a holstered pistol appeared on her holographically generated hip.

“I’ll get them,” sang Zara as she headed for the hatch. Spotting Yana she stopped, “Does Yana need a weapon, Captain?”

“You know, Yana?” asked Colin in surprise.

“Of course we do, Captain,” replied Adele, “she’s been here several times to learn about the ship’s systems.”

Colin turned to his slave, “Have you been trained in the use of pistols?”

“Yes, Sir,” she replied.

“Right,” said Colin and then paused in thought for just a moment. “First things first, all of you address me as Colin whilst we’re on board the Rose, when we’re anywhere else call me Captain. You can all carry sidearms at all times if you so desire though I’ve no intention of carrying mine when we’re out in space.”

“I take it you know where the galley is, Yana?” he asked switching subjects.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Right, dump your stuff in one of the cabins and see if you can rustle up a pot of coffee,” he glanced around the bridge but couldn’t think of anything that needed doing there at that moment. “We’ll all meet you in the living area and discuss what I have planned.” He switched his gaze to Zara, “Bring the sidearms there.”

Zara nodded and slipped out of the hatch in the direction of the armoury. Yana backed out slowly and disappeared in the direction of the galley.

Colin turned to the AI, “Rosie, are we ready to depart?”

“All systems are in the green”, she replied, “All stores are topped off and a flight plan for Tagliana has been filed with Orbital One’s flight controllers, all they need is a departure time. In other words we’re ready to rock.”

Colin nodded and then indicated the hatch, “Shall we?” he asked Adele.

Chuckling the redhead led Colin off the bridge.

As they entered the open living area Rosie reappeared, “So, where are we going?” she asked.

Colin dropped into a convenient armchair before answering, “Wait until the rest get here,” he said.

“Boo,” responded Rosie with a pout.

They didn’t have to wait long before Zara appeared carrying two of the holstered Glock model twenty’s, a similar weapon already graced her hip. Adele had only just finished strapping on her weapon when Yana arrived carrying a tray of cups and a fresh brewed pot of coffee.

After everyone had helped themselves to a coffee they found a place to sit and waited for Colin to begin. He in turn was looking over his crew with mild amusement. The bots were sipping the same drink as he was, something they didn’t need but was an ability built into bots to make them seem more human. They’d be able to dispose of the unneeded and undigested product at their leisure. Rosie was going through the same actions with a holographically generated cup of hot beverage.

“OK, enough of my musings,” said Colin to ensure he had the women’s attention. “Our first port of call will be Tagliana, where we will check in with the guild office and see if there is anything pressing we need to get involved in. If there’s nothing there I intend to head for Tor and then out into the wild blue yonder.”

“Tor!” gasped Yana when she heard the name.

Tor was a wild place but it was also the last planet with anything resembling an organised existence in human space, beyond it there was only the unexplored. The real problem from Yana’s perspective was what Tor did to generate credit.

It was a slave centre, a place where slaves could be bought and sold with little in the way of checking to see if a person really was a slave. Once a person had been registered there as a slave it became a fact and no amount of money or family pressure could change that fact.

It was rumoured, but never proven, that Tor ran a fleet of slavers, small ships that would attack the unwary and steal away the passengers and crew, selling them into a life of servitude. Whether it was true or not that the ships existed, it was well known that many well-to-do families and their kin’s kidnappers had exchanged items on the planet and no kidnappers had ever been bought to justice after such an event.

“No, Yana,” responded Colin, “I’m not planning on selling you, it’s just a step in our journey. Though there is one thing I’ll have to do when we get to Tagliana and that’s have your change of ownership recorded. It’s all right on Dundaff but I’ll need to update the Imperial database and I can do that on the station.” He gave her a smile, “You might want to think about how you want to be marked,” he said indicating the clan mark on the centre of her forehead. “I was thinking of replacing that with a small red rose with the number two at its centre. If you want it to be positioned somewhere else you’d better let me know before we get there.”

Yana nodded but remained silent. Slaves were required by law to be collared, marked and registered. The mark could be specific to an individual or an organisation, often a house mark. The collar was not only a legal requirement it had a practical aspect as well. It had to be fitted with a homing beacon and a secure locking mechanism and, although not a legal requirement, there were some that were fitted with a small explosive charge that could be triggered remotely. Not a pleasant thought for a slave who was unhappy with her lot.

He took a sip of his coffee before he continued, “What I’m going to be looking for is ore deposits, preferably heavy metals. When we find them we will claim them and sell the rights on to the highest bidder.”

“You’ll not be keeping them for your house?” asked Adele in surprise.

“Not unless they are truly spectacular,” replied Colin. “We haven’t got the resources or manpower to go off exploiting far off deposits.” He shrugged, “If it’s something spectacular I’ll deal with it at the time, probably by filing a general claim for the whole system without giving out details and letting Dad deal with the recovery requirements in due course.”

“That’s fine,” said Zara, “and I take it you’ve no intention of getting involved in anything vaguely suspicious?”

“Nothing at all,” said Colin. “I want nothing to do with trouble in any form. If I can get back to Dundaff without firing a weapon I’ll be one happy bunny.”

“That’s good,” announced Rosie, “I hate it when my paint work gets damaged.”

“And not just the paint work,” added Adele.

“Well I’m delicate and gentle,” said Colin, “and I’ve no intention of giving anyone a chance to put holes in my skin that aren’t already there.”

Colin drained the last of his coffee and looked at the four women, “Everyone finished?”

Receiving an affirmative reply he nodded, “Then let’s get on our way.”

“Aye-aye, Captain,” responded Rosie before she disappeared.

After two very busy weeks the scout vessel Red Rose approached the Tagliana space station. Her House Hadden registration was checked against Imperial records and after finding that she was a legitimate vessel with the right to be there, docking instructions were passed to the ship. Colin was not surprised to find that he and his ship were instructed to dock at one of the most distant ports from the hub.

“All secured,” reported Rosie as the docking tube sealed and pressurised.

“Switch to station keeping,” ordered Colin.

“Powering down,” replied Rosie and a couple of minutes later she added, “That’s it, we’re officially here.”

Zara chuckled from her position at the sensor station, “As though even you could miss an entire space station.”

“It’s not missing that’s hard,” replied Rosie looking very aloof, “It’s hitting it just hard enough to stick without breaking anything.”

“Thank you anyway,” said Colin. “Now I’ve got to go and report in. While I’m gone see if you can dig out anything worth knowing from the stations databases.”

“Will do,” said Rosie.

“And tell Yana to meet me at the docking tube,” said Colin.

“Shall we go ladies?” he asked addressing the two bots.

“Let’s,” replied Zara as she and Adele got to their feet.

“Secure the ship after we’ve gone,” said Colin and received a sniff from Rosie in response. As though she’d do anything else she seemed to be saying.

Colin let it go and headed for the docking tube, dropping his hand momentarily to his hip to check that his Glock was there.

The walk through the station took a good twenty minutes with Colin in the lead and the two bots flanking him, Yana, as was befitting a slave bought up the rear. The group’s arrival at the Scouts’ Guild was barely commented on as similar groups moved in and out of the building regularly. Most of these scouts operated within the confines of Imperial space, a space that was bordered by the twelve planets identified by the Raenil and much of which still needed to be properly explored.

“Welcome, Scout,” greeted the bot manning the reception desk. “If you will swipe your ID through the scanner your presence will be recorded and any messages will be forwarded.”

Colin did as instructed and was surprised to note two messages were waiting for him.

“Accommodation is available within the hall if you require it,” continued the bot.

“No, thank you,” replied Colin, “but I will need directions to the slave registration offices.”

“The data can be printed or uploaded to one of your bots,” responded the receptionist.

“I’ll take the hard copy,” said Colin, not wanting to interface his two bots with the station.

“Yana, wait here for the instructions and then join us in that booth,” said Colin, pointing off to a free corner.

“Yes, Captain,” replied Yana with just the right amount of subservience.

“Come on, girls,” said Colin as he headed in the direction he’d indicated, “let’s find out who wants to talk to me.”

Dropping into a seat Colin swiped his ID through the scanner and called up his messages.

The first was from Angus, inviting him for a drink if he arrived before he departed. The second was a reminder from Master Graham to visit him before he set off. Colin raised an eyebrow as he listened to both messages in surprise. Not so much the one from the Master but the one from Angus was totally unexpected.

Colin sent off a request to meet the Master, at his convenience and was invited over that same afternoon.

Contemplating the message from Angus, Colin mused. The two of them had been acquaintances when he was on Montrose, his position in house Hadden had ensured that he had been required to attend several functions as his father’s representative. In the same way that Angus had been required to make an appearance. As the two of them had been in the same college they’d often ended up travelling together. Being in the same class had also required a certain amount of interaction but Colin would never have considered Angus to be a friend.

“I wonder if he’s free tonight,” murmured Colin before sending off a message to his fellow scout.

Yana approached the three of them clutching a piece of paper.

“Grab a seat,” instructed Colin and waited for her to sit. “Now, have you given the slave mark any thought?”

“The centre of the forehead is perfectly acceptable,” she replied softly.

“Not around the navel, like Logan’s slave Zena?” asked Colin referring to the most successful scout of recent times.

“No, Sir,” said Yana.

“Or how about around your left nipple, so that the mark is over your heart,” suggested Colin with a smirk.

“Sir!” exclaimed Yana as her face began to turn bright red.

“You are aware, Captain,” said Adele, “that a slave mark has to be visible at all times?”

“Yes,” replied Colin raising an eyebrow in query.

“Well that would mean that Yana would have to display her breasts at all times,” replied Adele.

“And I’m not sure if I’d like the competition,” added Zara cupping her own medium-sized breasts.

“I suppose that is a point,” conceded Colin glancing at Yana, who was studying the table before her. The slave may have been nearly forty but she looked no older than Adele or Zara. Her long mousy brown hair hung straight down framing her face and, if pulled forward, would have covered her ample breasts.

“It would also reduce the effectiveness of the jumpsuit,” pointed out Adele.

“OK, I’ll accept your advice,” said Colin, “We’ll stick the mark in the traditional position.”

Yana let out a deep breath but said nothing. Colin chuckled and Yana lifted her eyes, “I’d never do anything nasty to you, Yana.”

“Oh but you have to,” said Adele, “otherwise she may forget her position and end up being punished by some other free person.”

Colin scowled but Yana nodded.

“You agree?” asked Colin in surprise.

“I, like all of your family’s slaves are treated very well,” said Yana, “but not all free people accept that that is the right way to treat a slave. Away from the house I will need to be reminded of my station.” She gave a shy smile, “If you can do it in a public place it may even keep others from trying to take advantage of my seeming freedom.”

Colin glanced towards the two bots and caught them both nodding in agreement. He also remembered what his brother had said about Yana’s sexual preferences and fought down a blush.

“So you all think that I should be a firm master when we are away from the ship?” he asked.

A chorus of affirmatives surprised him, especially as Yana’s had been the loudest.

“I’ll think about it,” said Colin, “but in the meantime we need to get your transfer noted.”

He picked up the paper with the directions printed on it and was surprised that it was only three lines. It seems that the slave registration centre was only a block from the Scout’s headquarters.

“Let’s go,” he instructed and the group moved out in the same manner that they’d arrived in. The group quickly made their way along the street and into the slave registration office, where they were greeted by a woman with a large flower design on her forehead.

“How may I help you, Sir?” she asked Colin

“I wish to change this slave’s registration details,” said Colin.

“If you have her papers it will only take a moment, Sir,” said the woman said with a quick glance at Yana.

After reading the papers she consulted her computer terminal and after a couple of moments looked up, “You wish to change her mark from the House Hadden mark?”

“I do,” said Colin.

“We’ll get that done first and then get the new pictures taken,” said the woman.