A Mixed bag of firsts (part 3)
16 Jan 2021Akiya
Akiya private journal, 3306-12-26, entry 3"Hannah" takes a step back from me, arms closed, in a wary attitude. Sophie emits a pneumatic noise as the entry ramp closing mechanism discharges.
"What do you want?"
Ouch. I had understood her charming, seductive side was partly an act, but didn't anticipate the sudden coldness.
"You know I just got some money, and you didn't seem very happy with your situation here, and I think I owe you, as you saved me from whatever normally happens to who drinks those bad bottle your bar serves to potential marks." I start, and realise I'm making up justifications. Her coldness is unnerving me. I must be more smitten than I thought!
"Sorry, I'm rambling." I Take a big breath. "To be really honest, I'd really like us to be able to discuss as equals." Another big breath while I feel my cheeks redden. "I know I don't really know you, but since you sat at my table yesterday, I... I think I'm crushing on you. Big time. Even if I don't remember half of what you said, and nothing that happened after."
I pause while I catch my breath again. She unfolds her arms, and looks at me with a softer expression before interrupting me. "You understand that everything I said or did might be an act to get a repeat wealthy customer, don't you?"
"I do. But I need to know." So selfish of me. "And I think I owe you anyway, so even if you dislike me, I have to help you." Stop rambling and spit it out! "Would you agree for me to buy you, then I can bring you somewhere there are no slaves, or somewhere inside the Empire where I can officially free you?"
"I hate that you're such an innocent softie. With your protected background, you think everything is so simple? Just wave some credits the right way and everything will be solved? What about the debt you'll leave me in? You really think that will make us equals?"
Her anger is so apparent to me that I have to take a step back. "I don't think it's so simple, that's why I'm asking you!"
"You really want to help me? First stop calling me Hannah! That's not my name anymore, hasn't been for more than ten years!" She sees my pained expression and softens again. "I know you mean well, but... Let's start over. I'm Anonymous, except for that shitty slave records system. Ano for short if you prefer. Pronouns they/them."
Oh shit. "I'm sorry!" One thing that makes me afraid of social situation? How easy it is to misread a signal and offend someone.
"It's okay. Nobody told you. But please stop deadnaming me, unless it's to deal with my owner."
"Okay. Sorry again. And sorry for misgendering you too. Please tell me if I do anything to make you uncomfortable there. Because I've only ever been attracted to women, so..."
"You don't find me attractive now that you know?" And with that answer, they wink at me, and they are back into full seduction mode, hot gaze from below, arms positioned to highlight cleavage, and an enticing thigh appearing through the slit of her dress. But what gets me the most is the warm, inviting smile, they're now showing.
"Shit no!" I shake my head. They're really too good at that. "Of course you're still attractive, but that's why I'm not sure how to get my brain around it. I know it's my problem, not yours, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"Try to think of it another way," they interrupt me. "You've now discovered that you're not only attracted to women, you're attracted to women, and me." With a wink as punctuation.
"Okay. That might work. Sorry if it's offensive, but to be honest, I'm still finding hard to see you as something else than feminine."
"And that's why you should learn to tell some white lies. And you should see me with a binder and a suit on, honey. I think I'm quite hot in them, if I may say so myself. Or maybe my androgynous mode, braless under a suit, would be more to your liking? How lucky you must have been to be raised on a low-g world, bra optional for all persons with boobs! But you were quite obvious about being into women yesterday, so I've been in feminine mode since you entered the bar."
"Am I so obvious? And while we're on touchy subjects, Anonymous, really?" Anonymous sounds strange to me, but I'm not the one to decide.
"Yes, really. One day, when I just knew I didn't want to be called Hannah anymore, but wasn't sure of what I wanted yet, I tried to rebel and refused to enter anything in the name field for some concert security registration. And the system issued me a pass labelled Anonymous. Then I decided it was my stage name. Then the musicians I worked with started calling me Ano, and I fell into place: it was me. Strange how important decisions go, sometimes... And for you being a lesbian, I'm good at reading customers, but in your case, yes, you're very obvious, sorry to tell. Jodie, the bartender, had mailed me about a soft Imperial spacer lesbian to care for even before I saw you."
I frown when being reminded of the bartender. "Yet she gave me that bottle I with that XO-something inside."
"Don't be too hard on her, we cannot do much about our orders. Plus she doesn't really know what's in which bottle, they just get a ping to bring this particular bottle to this particular customer sometimes. I mean, she can guess, she's already seen the effect, but you know what happens to slaves who disobey." They point their finger at me. "That's why when you go drink in the seedy part of a station, you bring a buddy and don't order the same thing!"
"Seedy? I was aiming for fancy!"
"Then you need to calibrate your sensors. Shows it's the first time you're rich. Anyways, basic rule, the higher the gravity, the fancier. You let your low gravity upbringing fool you, didn't you?"
"I went to a restaurant down there first, with higher gravity. But it felt so heavy. I mean not only the gravity, but the atmosphere, napkins so beautiful you don't even dare use them, people all whispering, even the music was barely audible, wallah. And the worst was the waiter, watching my every move!"
"Don't diss people for doing their job well! That's what fancy people want, the waiter, or the slave for you Imps, doing what they need without even having to ask. Like they're not even there."
"Well, I can't do that! Been the one ignored too often! So instead of drinking some Achenar whisky there, I went looking for a place that felt less stuffy and with louder music."
"And you climbed too far and ended at Sally's, where they don't serve Achenar, made a mark of yourself by asking the best bottle they had, and I had to make you pay for our premium suite to save you. At least you appreciated the music, I hope, Jodie works hard on the programmation."
"For what little I can remember, yes. And you drank with me, by the way!"
"And I've got a load of alcohol métabolisers in my stomach, can't get drunk, it's useful for my line of work. Apparently, they're programmed to also protect from a range of poisons and drugs, including XO-X3. Thankfully for you. I mean, I stringed you along a bit, made you pay for a lot of overpriced things, but I believe there are worse fates than being raptured by me."
"See how you are? One moment you're angry at me, then you're all friendly and honest, not to mention the flirty seducer act. I really can't understand where we stand with each other."
"And you know whatever I say, the customer slave relationship is going to make you question it. So think what you want." They shrug, but follow it with a sad smile that I choose to believe genuine.
--
Peace apparently restored between us, we embark on a visit of the ship. No, I have no buddy, navigator, or co-pilot, despite the cockpit being for two persons. Cockpit seats are not very comfortable in a dress, they're designed for someone wearing a flight suit. Plus I'm afraid of being filmed from the hangar. So we end resuming our discussion in the commander stateroom, were we sit on my bed.
"So, there's really nothing I can do to help you?"
"Ideally for you, you'd forget about me and leave for another system, like a most spacers do. Or if you like it here, forget that you're a customer and just enjoy. But I suppose that's a no on both? You're going to cling on that silly honour that even nobles don't really believe in?"
I nod.
"In that case, it's not like I'm happy being bossed around that people whose only skill is they were brought here before me, and not even being paid for that. I would be an idiot not to take your offer."
--
OOC: Thanks for continuing to read that story! This arc does not really end here, things are more complicated, but that seemed like a good cut point. Yes, I had promised only 3 parts, but I seem unable to write short dialogues, plus I rolled a couple complications I want to milk for my gameplay. The fourth part will be the last for this arc, I promise! As always, please don't hesitate to reach out with comments or to point my English or lore mistakes. I know English is not my native language, so I won't get mad. And I'm always eager for suggestions to augment my roleplay or give me new in-game objectives.
Little in-game content in that one yet, as for the whole of this arc. Mostly dialog and background, I'm afraid. Hope it's still fun to read.
As always too, if your commander wants to meet Akiya in-game, don't hesitate to send her a friend/wing/group request! She should be flying on week-end and holiday nights and rainy days, GMT+1, real-life permitting. You can contact her in Standard Galactic English or old pre-spacefaring French.