The Assistant
20 Oct 2016Jubei Himura
It's my own desire
It's my own remorse
Help me to decide
Help me make the most of freedom
and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world
Everybody wants to rule the world by Tears for Fears, covered by Ninja Sex Party & TWRP
I've fought squads of enemy soldiers, infiltrated capitol-class starships, and killed people that revelled in the worst kind of acts. I'm the creator of the Jisatsuken-Hadan-Tengai maneuver! Hell, I've even fought against the best martial artist in Pegasi.
But this? I didn't know how I'd handle this.
* * * * * *
"...and so, it's in the Chapterhouse's best interest that you have an assistant." Commander Zilfallion finished his best sale's pitch. The kid was only twenty four and already a hell of a pilot, having already completed several high level Inquisitor missions. His friendly attitude and humble nature made him a welcome addition to the Chapterhouse.
"I'm not buyin' it." I replied as I sifted through my piles of paperwork. "I just need to straighten up my reception area."
Zilf just laughed and pulled out a sheet of paper that was dated 'June 3301'. "Yeah, that's it... Oh, except for the fact that you've never cleaned this place since you joined!"
"Watch it kid," I growled, smiling. "wouldn't wanna add blood to my cleanup list."
Zilf was right though, my front office was nothing short of a pig sty. Piles of unfinished paperwork and research reports littered the desk and chairs. Unfortunately the clutter had also spread to the floor and started to create an obstacle course from the corridor entrance to my back office doorway.
I heard Zilf's smartwatch beep. He looked down at it and smiled before heading to the corridor.
"It's a done deal Jubei!" he said before he left the room. "Commander Noxa is coming here right now to present your new assistant."
I grumbled and went back to locating a file I had just procured on Tjakiri. However, I was once again interrupted by my office door sliding open.
"Got a minute Jubei?" he asked with a sly smirk on his face.
"What have you got for me Noxa?" I called from behind a stack of books.
"Well," he started, carefully choosing his words. "Endincite, Gideon, and I have come to the conclusion that after many, many missing reports-"
"I made reports in-person." I cut him off.
"Sorry, missing written reports. Look you need and assistant to make some sense out of your files and reports. Look at this place!" he clearly wasn't having any of my witty banter. "The paperwork with the ISA has been completed. I've gifted one of my brightest Imperial slaves to you."
"Look, I don't want an assistant and I sure as hell don't want to own a person." I tried to laugh it off.
"Too late, she's here." Noxa laughed.
She?
"Inquisitor Jubei Himura, may I present Veronica Richardson. She's yours now, to be your assistant."
A young woman who looked to be in her early to mid twenties walked into the room. Long blond hair bounced just past her shoulders as she made her way toward the desk. Her shapely figure was accentuated by the Imperial business attire: a light grey cropped jacket with white flowing designs covering a snug white dress that ended just below the knees, revealing milky-white legs that ended in a slightly raised pair of light grey dress shoes.
"Hello Baron Himura, pleased to meet you." she said with an Imperial accent. "I hope I can be of use to you."
Sensing my inability to react, Noxa laughed and took his leave. "I'll let you two get acquainted."
After Noxa was gone, I took a minute to compose myself. I really didn't need to own an Imperial slave. Hell, I didn't want too.
"Shall I clean the front office, Master?" Veronica asked politely.
"First, I'm not 'Master'. Second, I'm not wise enough to have any Imperial servants." I stated. It was true, it took a certain maturity to own Imperial slaves. The kind of maturity to understand that these aren't actual slaves, they're people who are paying back a debt. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to handle being responsible for another's life again. "Be honest. If you wish to go free, I will grant it."
"Actually, I'm fine with paying of my debt." she said defiantly. "Master Noxa was very kind to me. He saved my family and I from a horrible slaver."
"If he saved you, then why are you an Imperial servant now?"
"Well," she looked like she was embarrassed to say. "during my last year of high-school I was applying for accounting at the military academy in Facece, and accidentally released the locks to three of the Imperial Cutters that were docked there. They floated into each other and caused roughly one-hundred million credits of damage."
"How the blood-soaked-pirate-hell did you manage that?!" I exclaimed, quite shocked.
"My butt hit the console during a passionate romp with a very handsome dock-hand." she blushed.
I stood there with my mouth open in disbelief. After about a minute, I started to laugh. Not a quiet laugh either, but a full-on gut-busting laugh. I couldn't believe what she told me. However, the look on her face told me it was all true.
"Hope it was worth it." I chuckled, wiping away a tear.
"Every minute." Veronica stated very slyly, challenging my attempt at a witty joke.
"Sorry I asked!"
"After that, I became an Imperial slave to pay off the debt." she continued. "I was given a contract for a super rich slaver on the edges of Imperial space. He had... lecherous motives. Master Noxa saw his horrible handling of me before we were to depart and offered the man half of my debt for my contract. Seen as he only paid one million and he was getting fifty million, he gave me to Master Noxa."
Veronica picked up the books that were on the main desk and put them onto the bookshelf. She then started collecting the various papers that lined the desk.
"Master Noxa put me through military school, were I excelled in the Close Quarters Combat course." she smiled right at me as she said this.
"Is that a fact?" I rubbed my chin. "Alright, how about a little wager? Let's have a match. If I win, you have to work in Dub's bar to pay off your debt. If you win, you get to choose how you work off the debt and I will immediately pay half of what you currently owe. First to the mat loses."
"Deal."
This was perfect. I could have her bug Dub and leave me alone in peace. Noxa couldn't even give me crap about it, it was an agreed upon wager and she would have to honour it.
I let her to the back of the office and opened the door to my office-proper, a large room styled like an ancient Japanese dojo. This was that room I looked after and cleaned daily. It was my sanctuary, my place of peace. Few people had been allowed to see my inner office outside of my fellow inquisitors.
"Wow." Veronica gasped. "I never expected this..."
"Do you need to change?" I asked as I took my boots off and walked onto the tatami floor.
"No." she said as she got into a fighting stance.
I shrugged. "Suit yourself."
I rushed forward and grabbed her jacket, meaning to throw her to the ground quickly but gently. However, I felt soft hands on my wrists twisting and pulling. Suddenly the ceiling was beneath me and I hit the floor hard. I stayed on the floor, trying to figure out what happened.
"I win, Master." Veronica stood over me smiling.
"What CQC course did you say you excelled at?" I asked weakly.
"Tatsumaki-Himura," she laughed. "The course you developed."
"Well... shit." I had clearly underestimated this girl.
"My decision is to honour Master Noxa's wishes and be your assistant." she stated firmly. "Now, I have to do something about that front office. I'm not working in those conditions! When you're done snoozing I could use your help."
Veronica stepped off the tatami returned to the front office. Within a minute could hear her moving various books and stacks of paper from place to place.
I think I'm going to like her.