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jeriendhalThere was a chime at Margo's belt, and she pulled out her com, snapping, “Lady Margo!” She listened for a moment then replied, “Very well. Make sure the perimeter is secure. I don't want any surprises sneaking up on us.” She let up her foot from Salli's chest, grabbing the metal chair and hauling it back upright. “You're lucky, looks like my ride is here.”
Salli heard the whine of thrusters as what sounded like a ship landed right outside in the central courtyard. There was a long silence, and the door at the front of the hall opened, admitting a small foxen figure, Ali.
The younger vixen looked strained, no surprise there, tail drooping, eyes red and puffy from lack of sleep. She was dressed in plain fatigues, cleaner than Margo's, that she'd put on when she went out on the commando raid, minus the clamshell armor and weapons. Under her arm she carried a thin com pad, and Salli recognized it as Commander Blacksailor's.
Margo drew a heavy plasma pistol from her belt holster and aimed it at Ali, before the vixen could step forward. “That's far enough! Put down the pad and strip, Ali-Kat.”
Ali flicked a look of intense distress at Salli, then nodded and silently began pulling off her fatigues, leaving herself naked except for her panties and bra.
Margo grinned sourly, “All the way, slit.”
Salli watched as Ali complied, squinting her eye and trying to focus. Something was wrong with Ali's pelt. There was a large patch missing at her shoulder and upper bicep, exposing the skin underneath. She sucked in a breath as she realized what this meant. It put on display the spiral scar carved into Ali's skin, declaration of her former allegiance to Bloody Margo and her pirate fleet.
“Ali, what's going on?” she croaked.
“I'm rescuing you, milady,” Ali said, her golden eyes not meeting Salli's.
“Step forward, slowly now,” Margo ordered, keeping her pistol aimed straight at Ali as the naked vixen approached. “Stop. Put that comp on the ground.” When Ali had done so, she continued, “Now start talking. Why are you showing off your allegiance mark?”
Ali, still not meeting Salli's gaze, replied, “I want back in.”
“What?” Salli gasped, as Margo let out a surprised chuckle.
“Oh, really?” Margo asked, her voice dripping with disdain. “What makes you think I'd want you?”
“You've been cut off from your fleet for half a Standard year, Lady Margo,” Ali told her. “It's scattered and the blood is in the water. The Patrol and local navies have already taken out the Fang, Shiv's Vengeance, and The Water Margin, and the Lyra was blown away by Old Zev's crew. The rest have either gone to ground, or sworn allegiance to other pirate lords. You need all the allies you can get at this point.”
“Even with that, you think I'd be stupid enough to trust you to watch my back?”
“No, you'd be smart. You're going to need a new first lieutenant after all. You never did get around to replacing Compton after he was offed at Krill Station last year.”
Margo snorted. “You think you could fill his boots, girlie?”
Ali smiled. It was a very feral looking smile that Salli had never seen before, and it made the noblevixen's stomach lurch in surprise. “Why not?” Ali asked. “I'm the one that offed him after all.”
The pirate shook her head a fraction of an inch. “Sure you did. Still not good enough.”
“How about this to sweeten the pot? I know the Red Vixen's true identity. I could lead you to her, let you get your revenge on her.”
“Ali, no!” Salli shouted, her head pounding in pain and fear. What was going on? Was it a game to try and lull Bloody Margo into lowering her defenses? Was it truth? Could the young vixen be truly willing to betray Melanie, after expressing so much gratitude to the latter for rescuing her from Margo's clutches? It was impossible for Salli to tell now. The look in Ali's eyes was frightening to see. It was the look of someone who had seen Death and was not longer afraid of Her embrace.
“Oh, that's better. Tell me more,” Margo cooed.
“Ali, no!” Salli shouted again. “You can't! She trusts you! I trust you!”
Ali took in a deep breath. “Then you were a fool, milady. Did you really think we could have something together? Marry even? Mix our genes in a lab raise up some cubs? You a high Noble and me the lowest of Commoners? Vicountess and pirate? After everything I've done?”
“You were a slave, Ali. You weren't responsible,” Salli insisted.
A light seemed to dawn in Margo's eyes, and her smile returned. “Oh, Ali-Kat. You never told her, did you?”
TBC
Salli heard the whine of thrusters as what sounded like a ship landed right outside in the central courtyard. There was a long silence, and the door at the front of the hall opened, admitting a small foxen figure, Ali.
The younger vixen looked strained, no surprise there, tail drooping, eyes red and puffy from lack of sleep. She was dressed in plain fatigues, cleaner than Margo's, that she'd put on when she went out on the commando raid, minus the clamshell armor and weapons. Under her arm she carried a thin com pad, and Salli recognized it as Commander Blacksailor's.
Margo drew a heavy plasma pistol from her belt holster and aimed it at Ali, before the vixen could step forward. “That's far enough! Put down the pad and strip, Ali-Kat.”
Ali flicked a look of intense distress at Salli, then nodded and silently began pulling off her fatigues, leaving herself naked except for her panties and bra.
Margo grinned sourly, “All the way, slit.”
Salli watched as Ali complied, squinting her eye and trying to focus. Something was wrong with Ali's pelt. There was a large patch missing at her shoulder and upper bicep, exposing the skin underneath. She sucked in a breath as she realized what this meant. It put on display the spiral scar carved into Ali's skin, declaration of her former allegiance to Bloody Margo and her pirate fleet.
“Ali, what's going on?” she croaked.
“I'm rescuing you, milady,” Ali said, her golden eyes not meeting Salli's.
“Step forward, slowly now,” Margo ordered, keeping her pistol aimed straight at Ali as the naked vixen approached. “Stop. Put that comp on the ground.” When Ali had done so, she continued, “Now start talking. Why are you showing off your allegiance mark?”
Ali, still not meeting Salli's gaze, replied, “I want back in.”
“What?” Salli gasped, as Margo let out a surprised chuckle.
“Oh, really?” Margo asked, her voice dripping with disdain. “What makes you think I'd want you?”
“You've been cut off from your fleet for half a Standard year, Lady Margo,” Ali told her. “It's scattered and the blood is in the water. The Patrol and local navies have already taken out the Fang, Shiv's Vengeance, and The Water Margin, and the Lyra was blown away by Old Zev's crew. The rest have either gone to ground, or sworn allegiance to other pirate lords. You need all the allies you can get at this point.”
“Even with that, you think I'd be stupid enough to trust you to watch my back?”
“No, you'd be smart. You're going to need a new first lieutenant after all. You never did get around to replacing Compton after he was offed at Krill Station last year.”
Margo snorted. “You think you could fill his boots, girlie?”
Ali smiled. It was a very feral looking smile that Salli had never seen before, and it made the noblevixen's stomach lurch in surprise. “Why not?” Ali asked. “I'm the one that offed him after all.”
The pirate shook her head a fraction of an inch. “Sure you did. Still not good enough.”
“How about this to sweeten the pot? I know the Red Vixen's true identity. I could lead you to her, let you get your revenge on her.”
“Ali, no!” Salli shouted, her head pounding in pain and fear. What was going on? Was it a game to try and lull Bloody Margo into lowering her defenses? Was it truth? Could the young vixen be truly willing to betray Melanie, after expressing so much gratitude to the latter for rescuing her from Margo's clutches? It was impossible for Salli to tell now. The look in Ali's eyes was frightening to see. It was the look of someone who had seen Death and was not longer afraid of Her embrace.
“Oh, that's better. Tell me more,” Margo cooed.
“Ali, no!” Salli shouted again. “You can't! She trusts you! I trust you!”
Ali took in a deep breath. “Then you were a fool, milady. Did you really think we could have something together? Marry even? Mix our genes in a lab raise up some cubs? You a high Noble and me the lowest of Commoners? Vicountess and pirate? After everything I've done?”
“You were a slave, Ali. You weren't responsible,” Salli insisted.
A light seemed to dawn in Margo's eyes, and her smile returned. “Oh, Ali-Kat. You never told her, did you?”
TBC
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