“Congratulations it’s a girl.”
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Finna no bullshit glare whipped the smile off of Sting’s face faster than he could flinch. In all his years he never met someone quite like her, she was small yes but could break him in half if she really wanted to.
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He had seen her action once and he didn’t want to be stuck in medical for months to repair broken twisted bones.
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“I mean she’s a healthy martian...she’s luck you ran across her when you did or else she would dried up in the sun completely.”
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The glare lingered on him before he slowly began to soften as she turned toward the large fish-tank. The mermaid was looking relatively healthier than she was on Mars her tail still shined like rainbows but her skin was now a flush light blue instead of it’s previous dark shade.
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“Where did you say you found her again?” Sting asked his fingers fiddling a holographic pad in his hand, the device keeping steady track of the girl’s vitals making sure their wouldn’t be any drastic change to her condition.
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“A pool inside of the palace…”
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Sting let out a small hum of understanding that would explain the scales, only the royals were allowed to have scales like that one of Mars’s way of identifying the rich from the poor. “She must have a dozen guards surrounding her then her entire tail is covered in scales….”
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“She was alone.”
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The medic’s fingers paused for a moment his frown deepening as he turned toward Finna, her gaze still focused on the fish-tank.
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“Alone? Are you sure?”
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She nodded her head slowly, “when I searched the palace it was deserted…I didn’t find any remains when I reached the pool” she took a step forward lifting a her hand to gently place it on the tank, “when I found her she was laying in her own blood but there was no guard in sight.”
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Sting let out a soft hum his attention focused on the floating mermaid as she slept peacefully in the tank. Blissfully unaware of the mystery that surrounded her or the attention she managed to capture, “I suppose then the question would be why wasn’t she placed in lockdown.”
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Finna didn’t speak her eyes never leaving the tank even while she took a step back, the attention she gave the nameless being almost made Sting feel...uncomfortable.
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“You're not bewitched by her beauty are you?” He asked his coy smile returning to his face only for it to face when dark guys gazed toward him in annoyance. “See if you can match her DNA with anyone from the planet...I need to contact the main branch and inform them of their loss.”
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Ah yes...oh...oh no.
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Finna turned on her heels preparing the leave the trauma bay before a hand grabbed her forearm stilling her movement. She stilled for a moment her eyes slowly trailing toward the hand that gripped onto her so tightly.
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“I wouldn’t advise of that…” Sting said his words coming out as a low whisper all humor now faded from his features, “you should contact the advisers instead leave them the problem of informing the head of the branch.”
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Finna hummed softly at his words her eyes still focused on the other’s hand before he slowly understood her silent warning and let go of her. “Doctor Sting...can you inform me on my previous position before I was ordered onto this ship…”
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Sting quirked his brow, “you were employed as a bodyguard…”
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“Hmm...and to whom exactly was I employed to?”
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“The...head of the main branch of the Albatross…” he said his cheeks flushing in embarrassment as he ran a hand through his short grey hair. Finna nodded her head slowly allowing the conversation to sink in “which means that the relationship I have formed with our employers is more personal than yours, thus you do not have the right or authority to suggest who I may or may not inform on this serious matter.”
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“Yes I understand that...but you were banished here for a reason.”
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For a moment Sting imagined that her eyes turned into brown slit’s, revealing a pain and vulnerability he had not seen since she stumbled upon the ship for the first time.
It faded quickly before he was able to analyze it she turned her back to him cutting off whatever chance he had to see more of her, “if there is no longer any purpose for me here I will be in the Holodeck...I expect the report on her DNA by the time I reach my quarters.”
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And like that she was gone...fading like a fragile ghost.
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Sting sighed and ran a hand over his face resigning himself to the silence of the trauma bay as he sat down next to the fish-tank.
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“She wasn’t always like this you know…” he murmured to his new guest, “she used to actually be pleasant company.”
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One of the things Finna always hated about the Holodeck was that it was cold...so cold, it always messed with her senses.
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She sighed as the door closed behind her with a soft click locking itself in place so there would be no interruptions. And when it came to call’s like these interruptions meant consequences for both her and whoever stepped inside the deck at the inopportune time...she had a scar on her back to remind her of that.
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She lifted her right hand moving it slowly through the air in-front of her summoning the attention of the deck itself.
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Good evening, Mrs. Soldien who would you like to contact today?
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Finna sucked in a breath her shoulders squaring as she slowly descended to the floor on one knee, her eyes focused on the ground.
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Submissive...and obedient.
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“Ultran Albatross….”
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The AI paused as if the computer itself was hesitating at the sound of the name the ruler of half the galaxy. But the small whirring sound that fluttered over her head alerted her that the machine managed to stop hesitating long enough to make the call.
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It only took two whirl’s for the other end to pick up the call...and the scent of vanilla and power filled the air, the round metallic ground turned into soft rich carpet as her ears twitched at the sound of a small familiar hum.
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“Lord Ultran…”
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“Finna...I was wondering when my loyal dog would contact me…”
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Footsteps circled her slowly...intimidatingly...but she didn’t move, from her position didn’t lift her eyes from the floor. She was after all a obedient dog she remembered the rules that were beat into her when she was a young pup.
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Fingers that felt so real but still so cold gripped her neck and tilted her head, she felt her neck begin to burn the brand of her lord reacting to finally seeing it’s master after so long.
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“Why have you waited so long?...” He let go of her chin allowing her place her head back into it’s original position.
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“Forgive me my lord...but our ship detected a distress call and we we’re compelled to respond to it.”
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A short pause...before he continued his circling, “last I checked you are a clean-up crew” he whispered “clean-up crew’s do not respond to distress calls” she could feel his eyes on her looking for any sign of fear or weakness....but he would find none...he would always find none.
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“The distress signal was sent from Mars your grace…”
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A long pause.
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“We are well aware of how that planet is one of many that belong to you due to your inheritance and thus we wanted to see if we could help salvage it.”
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He was closer now his scent burning her nostrils her nails dug into her leg poking holes in the fabric of her pants, feeling small pinpricks of pain that was enough to keep her grounded to reality.
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“What did you find?”
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“The world decimated...the water is gone and the soil is now scorched we estimated that it would take three years to reconstruct the planet.”
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A huff of anger and the sound of a very fragile and possibly valuable object shattering on the wall behind her.
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She didn’t flinch or even register to the crash but she listened to the footsteps march toward her before her chin was once again grabbed and she was forced to look upward.
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She gazed into the eyes that reflected years of age...at the wrinkles that framed his delicate face and the graying dark strands that laid uneven on his cheek.
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“We’re there any signs of those who ravaged my planet?...” his voice finally higher than a whisper.
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“No your grace…”
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“You speak the truth?”
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The brand burned turning from a dull pain to a blistering heat, her features remained neutral her gaze never leaving his.
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“Yes your grace…”
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They stared at each other each trying to reach beyond the facade they hid behind before her lord finally had enough and let her go. He sighed sounding like a parent that was disappointed with it’s child.
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“I expected better from you…”
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“I apologize your grace…” she bowed lower her forehead pressing against the soft carpet in shame, and a leathered boot pressed against her skull in forgiveness.
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“Return to me...I do not care if you have to waste your warpdrive but return to the estate immediately it would seem that for now I need my dog by my side.”
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Her fingers dug into the carpet choking back a small yip of happiness as she nodded her head slowly in understanding.
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“Good dog…”
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There was a soft click before the line became lost and her forehead burned against the metal floor.
Finna sat up with a small sigh her fingers pressing against the brand on her neck as she gazed down at her lap, her mind wandering for a moment before she began to wonder something.
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Why didn’t he ask if there we’re potential survivors?
