jeriendhal | Fic: Altered Trajectory (cont.)

Hazel nodded and reached across the table to clasp his paw in her own. He held onto it tightly. Then they both jumped at a chime from the main door, which opened open a moment later with the snap of magnetic bolts releasing.

Two figures entered. The first was Lord Rolas, dressed not quite as naked as before, the belt and fabric flaps being replaced by tight black suede shorts and a red sash around his waist. The golden cuffs at his wrists remained though, joined now by a matching collar at his neck at least two centimeters thick. A heavy chain leash hung from it, held idly by the vixen beside him.

She was dressed as provocatively, if not more so, than her captive, wearing what amounted to a red leather bikini supplemented by golden rings on each finger, a bejeweled golden torc at her throat, and a much more practical looking gun belt at her hips.

Rufus felt Hazel twit his ear with her finger and mutter an annoyed, “Down, boy,” before his brain re-booted sufficiently to allow him to recognize whom he was looking at.

“Lady Softpaw?” he exclaimed as the door slammed shut behind them.

“Oh, that’s such a boring name,” Softpaw replied. “I prefer The Red Vixen, Scourge of the Spaceways.” She struck a dramatic pose, hand on one hip. The effect was spoiled somewhat by her husband rolling his eyes behind her back. “I saw that, Rollie,” Softpaw said, not even turning around.

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t share your sense of humor, my love,” he replied, his expression dour. “In case you’ve forgotten, that’s the son of our liege lady you’re showing off to.”

“No need to be alarmed, Rollie. We’re all friends here.” Her smile dropped and suddenly she was all business. “Unless of course you really did murder our client, Lord Ru Ofanius. In which case I’m going to be facing some very difficult decisions in the near future.”

“We did nothing of the sort!” Rufus said angrily. “Drisden was dead by the time we reached him. He must have been killed by Terran Federation agents. We were trying to contact him because his com had gone dead and I feared my mission’s cover was blown.”

Softpaw, or the Red Vixen as she preferred, pursed her lips. “Rolas agrees with you. We took Drisden’s body back aboard the Scarlet Claw and had it examined. The blasts that killed him were from weapons heavier than the ones your party was carrying. So you’re off the hook for that. I’d still dearly love to know what a Farmer Lord was doing sneaking about Bolt Hole and trying to chat up with a member of a race that doesn’t officially exist yet.”

“And I’d like to know how by the Cold and Dark a prim and proper Farmer Lady ends up being a space pirate,” Hazel interjected.

“I’m very sorry,” Rufus said to Softpaw, “but I’m not at liberty to discuss that.” He stood up from his chair to bow at her. “Also, unfortunately, in my capacity as Lord Ru Ofanius Brushtail and representative of Countess Brushtail, I must accuse you of piracy and ask that you surrender yourself to me for trial.”

TBC