You Don't Mess with my Girls

The note was simple. It had a planetary location, a city, a street, a number and a time. Three people had died to get her the note, two of theirs and one of hers. Crumpling the note in her hand she dropped it on the street outside of the address and pulled out a pair of old circular glasses, rose tinted lenses and sighed, squeezing the arm of the man beside her.
"You don't have to do this."
"You do, and that's enough for me. I'll wait til I get your signal."

There was music coming from inside, strong rhythmic undertones, the sound of the heels of the dancers, the clapping and a heavy singing voice. It was unlike any other Gallente music she had heard. Checking her weapons were secure she walked towards the door and into the taverna. The atmosphere inside was passionate and most of the people were watching the dancer, a tall thin woman who moved like she was possessed. But, she mused, another night to appreciate this. Business first. And with a smile that was almost a snarl she spotted the table with her prey.

Two geisha walked along the streets of an obscure border city. The heavy advertising of the Caldari interests flashed garish neon that cut through the driving rain and fog like a subdued nightmare. Under their umbrella's they looked small and petite, but as ever on the neon streets of caldari cities, looks can be deceiving. More than once a gang of youths had tried to stop them, it did not take long to disuade them. Together they stopped at a corner and look up and down.

"That last one bled on your kimono...."

Orchid looked down and stamped her foot.

"Why didn't they just turn around and run after we broke his arm? Why the bravado?"

"Maybe because for them to be beaten by women means more here than other places?"

Orchid hunched her shoulders and let her head roll, her neck cricking.

"How much futher? It's not bad enough that I'm drenched in blood but I'm getting soaked!"

"According to this, it's that blue door over there... come on... lets see how easy it is to get in."

Carm pushed her way through the crowd and fell into the empty seat at the round table full of minmatar. They looked up at her as she leant back in the chair, her hands deep in her duster pockets. Several stood up, hands going to holsters.
"Guys, not here. Sit."
The man at the opposite end of the table from her looked her up and down.
"You. I know you. Traitor to your people!"
He spat on the floor by his chair.
"Let me know why I shouldn't have my men drag you outside and execute you? I'd be well within my rights."
She chuckled.
"You dont have the cojones to do it. The blood in your veins is brutor piss, you do the sebiestor a disservice by being so weak and cowardly. Hiding at the back behind your big strong men. Yeah, all men. That it is it? You like men? Or boys?"
His pistol was out of it's holster and pointing at her.
"You dare sit there, slaver, and insult me?"
"I'm not a slaver, I'm a Holder, big difference. And you messed with one of my girls, trying to get her to turn against me. Loyalty obviously means nothing to you."
"Pah, what do you know of loyalty. Loyalty of the lash is no loyalty. Men are meant to be free. I am free, so are my men!"
"Free? You are all slaves to a decaying republic. You, you however are a punk, and a pretty second rate punk. The only real success you have had has been diverting slave transports. Six hundred rescued was it? Quite a coup, at least... it would have been...... They are on their way to.... Bei wasn't it? At your staging ground? Third moon?"
"How does she know this?"
"Quite, she is bluffing. Something she won't be able to do once I put a bullet in her head."
She smiled.
"You might want to call your boys."

The bestowers were old, but still usable as slave transports. In truth, though old not much had been done to make them any more comfortable. But, as some in the Amarr Empire thought, slaves are not used to comfort. The convoy had been six bestowers escorted by a dozen frigates and two cruisers. For such a transfer no more was needed. When the freedom fighters attacked it was over in minutes, their assault frigates tearing through the defence, and their own transports, large mastodons docking with the bestowers and troops boarded and secured each one. Six hundred slaves rescued, a minor coup for the freedom fighters, a feather in the cap of their sponsor. 

Once the slaves were aboard it was a short haul to low-sec and an escort, and then on to Bei, their secret staging grounds. However, almost immediately as the slaves were aboard things began to take a turn for the worse. On one of the mastodons guards and crew members began dissapearing and eventually the ship stopped broadcasting messages, claiming a systems error. The freedom fighters took no note, it was a minmatar ship after all, such things do happen. And anyway, the fleet was scheduled for repair at Bei.

One by one the ships landed and the slaves were released, the guards puzzled by the lack of movement from the last ship, which had docked hard, shattering one of the landing struts and tilting at an angle. Repair crews were despatched and the ranking officer came over and only realised the situation when the hatch opened and a rag tag bunch of slaves, all heavily armed stormed onto the landing field.  Behind them the golden armoured troops of Amarr, lashing the slave crowd forward with whips and threats. The vitoc staved slaves attacked everything that moved, desperate to show they were worthy  for their dose, desperate to asuage their pain.

Inside the warehouse one of the guards heard the desperate sound of knocking and went over to the door. Pulling back the vision panel he looked into the pleading eyes of two geisha who both started talking to him in frantic Khanid.
"Whoa, whoa! I dont understand you, can you speak Gallente?"
"Yes... uh.. a little. Please kind sir, we need to come in out of the rain!"
"Find a hotel, or a corner cafe. This is not a place for..."
For the first time his eyes took in the two geisha. Even with their kimono's he could see their curves as the wet material was clinging to them. The flimsy umbrella's they had seemed to have kept their makeup and hair neat and that was it. That natural yearning that all men have for women in distress acted and he pulled back the locks and opened the door.
"There now, come in and...."

One of the two geisha, who before looked so helpless now held a large silenced pistol in her hand. She put one finger to her lips as the other frisked him then slammed her own pistol onto his neck, knocking him out. Orchid shook her head and lowered her pistol at him.
"You know what she said, no witnesses."
The sound of the ejected case on the floor was louder than the shot and a voice came from down the corridor.
"Hey, is that the delivery girl?"
"Why yes it is," Rose called out,"Where do you want it?"
A smiling face poked out of a corridor and she raised her pistol and fired, tearing his face away. A cry from inside the room as his companion saw his body fall. Orchid closed and locked the door and pulled out a second pistol.
"Come now Sister, time to go to work!"

On a whim, Orchid turned and looked up at the security camera and smiled before pumping a round into it.

The Leader gestured to one of his men, keeping his pistol trianed on the woman before him. Her state of relax was annoying, her utter calm. It was unnerving.

"Boss, the landing field is under attack. One of the slave transports... the slaves are attacking... I dont..."

"Give me that...."

He took his eyes off of her, it was all she needed. She kicked out at the table legs, pushing her chair backwards, her hands coming out of her pockets with heavy pistols in each, her thumbs already selecting full auto as she pulled the triggers and sprayed left and right.

Outside Lientus swore as he heard the sound of full auto pistols firing and dropped his cigarette and ran into the building. Bloody wife, he thought as he pushed past the screaming patrons trying to flee and watched as his wife was shot down before his eyes.  The heavy barrel of the combat shotgun came up and as the red mists descended he began to fire, his whole body shaking with each blast. 

As the trigger clicked on an empty barrel and the last shell casing pinged across the floor took a breath. The smoke in the air was mingled now with the screams of the wounded and the heavy smell of blood and spilt drinks. Slinging his weapon over his shoulder he pulled out a smaller pistol and walked over to the wounded. One shot each, then knelt down next to his wife and punched her in the chest. She gasped, her eyes flying open.

"You are one crazy woman."

"You hit me!"

"I woke you up is all. And to think you wanted to leave the armour behind this time."

"Okay, you were right.... " she grunted as he helped her up,"This time."

"They are all dead."

"It was just one cell anyway. Have the others reported in?"

"Orchid and Rose have swept the safe house, they have documents, money transfers, no survivors."

"And the landing platform?"

"I dont like using Amarr Mercenaries, their methods are...."

"They have their uses. I dont agree with their methods, which is why I dont want to know their methods, only that they succeeded."

"They did. The staging area was taken after a heavy firefight. They just said losses were within acceptable perameters for the job and documents would be forthcoming after final payment."

She sighed and nodded.

"Acceptable parameters... what the hell is that."

Picking up a bottle she looped her arm through her husbands.

"Come on, back way. I think we'll be too hot here for a while. Tell the girls we'll meet them at the backup site."

"Oh... and don't forget there is a Council Meeting tomorrow. You will have to attend."

"Gah, political nonsense.... but... it's my political nonsense. We'll have to change as well then."