Chapter 53 – In the Dark

 

Returning to the playroom, K’rra heard a multitude of couples still in the throes of frantic sex. Turning the lights out had done nothing to squelch their enthusiasm. She saw that there was some light. Luminescent panels cast a pale, sickly glow, offering only the dimmest light to see by. The shapes and bodies of a multitude of partners deep in the act of fucking continued all around her.

The attendant remained in the same spot, tapping at their datapad to determine the cause of the sudden power failure. K’rra walked into the attendant while protecting the bucket. On contact, she reached out for the stunner and jerked her body away. Just touching it had caused a flash of pain so intensely that she nearly dropped the bucket. K’rra had hoped the lack of power would shut down the implant controller unit, allowing her to take the non-lethal weapon.

K’rra continued deeper into he room as if nothing had happened. She stepped on copulating couples a few times, nearly tripping. Occasionally, hands would grip her calves, trying to pull her into the orgy as well. She ignored these and continued on carefully to the center of the room.

Waves of arousal pulsed through K’rra. She could tell Jae was broadcasting everything, affecting everyone with her arousal. When K’rra approached the bed, she saw Jae, bent over, her skintight bodysuit had been pulled down to her knees. Bared-assed Jae was in a position very unbecoming of a Fury.

Meaty hands were wrapped around her hips, pulling the Fury’s entire body against that scarred naked human behind her. The bounty hunter slammed into Jae furiously, making her cry out with each impaling thrust. Judging just by their faces, K’rra could tell they were both near climax. 

K’r took the bucket in both hands… Then froze.

Jae tipped her head back, her eyes and mouth wide open, looking tortured. Then a wave of blinding light rushed through K’rra, causing her to nearly drop the water-filled bucket. K’rra’s implants buzzed furiously, almost making her drop to her knees as an orgasm swept through her. Blind and delirious, she staggered trying to find balance. Reaching out her hand, she found one of the bedposts and she clenched it like a life preserver.

Something deep in her mind reaffirmed that this is what it meant to be a slave, focused on the pleasure of others, enjoying what bliss they could share when allowed. Her hand cupped her sex, feeling the vibrating implant dancing on her nub. She wanted to drop to her knees… But something prevented her. She had to stay on mission, no matter what blissful distraction begged to sway her.

As the climax subsided, K’rra could hear others all around her in the throes of their own crescendos. The noise of dozens of couples all climaxing in unison was deafening, and unheard only moments before.

On the bed jae had collapsed, held up by the bounty hunter angrily driving into her. He wasn’t sated and wanted more. Jae on the other hand was senseless, quivering in his grasp as he used her like a rag doll. K’rra gave Jae a moment to catch her senses, then flung the water from the bucket across the two.

*****

Kaster’s blade erupted casting a flash of light below the dais. Hunters fired their weapons from around the Hol, each intent on collecting Vydon’s favor.

The changing lights, from brightly lit chamber, to pitch black, then the glowing sword threw off many practiced gunmen’s aim. Bolts flew randomly from the dais at Kaster, most missing and streaking into the crowd of petitioners and hangers-on. There were screams as blaster bolts flew through the crowd, hitting several innocents.

Not so innocent, thought Kaster as his Focus helped guide him to block a shot that would have winged him.

In the dim light, with the bright glowing blade in his face, it was impossible to see with his eyes alone. Kaster reached out with other senses, feeling the Focus around him like a vast pool of water. Within that pool ripples of life essence, of dangers, of the rot of death permeated everything. He let the ebbs and flows guide him, moving his feet to make his body follow the riptides of probability that ended in safety. The currents were swift-moving, safely swirling to danger in a heartbeat without warning. Kaster trusted in himself and let the surges pull him along, drifting in their wakes, and joining the tide of life and hope.

Hol Vydon saw a dancing blade of light just meters away, as the wielder danced around lightning bolts meant to kill. Guards, just dark, hulking shapes, rushed around Vydon to protect him as the air filled with sizzling energy beams. One moment, Kaster was blotted out by the massive shape of a bodyguard; the next, he was visible as a specter as the guard was struck down by a blaster to the back or a blade slashing through his front.

Vydon rolled off his throne to hands and knees, crawling frantically away from the chaos of flashing blades and deadly streaks of light. He moved silently, hoping to vanish in the smoke and chaos. 

Kae slammed her wrists together, and the manacles released. She could see Kaster just ahead of her, his blade vanishing and reappearing in blurred arcs, flashing then hiding behind his body as he fought. Thick arms grabbed her clumsily, one gripping her jumpsuit at the back of her collar, another wrapping awkwardly around an arm, trying to find a grasp.

She kicked out, managing to spin around face to face with her attacker. He refused to let her go, and she was unable to see the currents of Focus as well as Kaster. Kae slammed the manacles together again, then grabbed the being's collar and ripped it back. Her captor knew better than to struggle away from her and instead leaned in. Against an unarmed opponent, it might have been the right move. Kae simply dropped the now armed manacles into the opening, then kicked away from him with all her might.

Kae was unable to escape. She slipped her arm away, but her captor still held her by the neck. She ducked in toward him, panicking that the manacle bomb would go off any moment. It did. There was a loud pop, and the man’s tunic puffed out violently. He then jerked back away, screaming and releasing Kae, who dropped to the floor. 

This was madness, Kae thought, she’d never trained for a physical fight like this. Her talents lie on an entirely different set of skills. If only she’d done the talking, she’d have Vydon eating from her hand right now.

Kaster sensed more than saw that Hol Vydon was fleeing on hands and knees. He moved up the stairs to the dais, chasing him, then sensed a great danger approaching. He spun with Blade as a hunter flung himself at Kaster. The hunter was fast getting inside the Blade swing and catching Kaster’s arm. Kaster could feel a sickly projection of death rushing toward him and shifted his body just in time as a knife blade slipped up under his ribs. Kaster’s last twist prevented the blade from piercing a lung. 

He tried to back away from the blade, but his assailant was lightning fast, slicing inward. Kaster felt the blade slice through his diaphragm and immediately sputtered, choking on his inability to draw breath. Kaster shoved forward, feeling the knife penetrate deeper, but frustrating his attacker's desire to slice open his whole front. Striking out with an elbow, Kaster made stars flash in the assailant's skull, a flash of a distraction, but one that allowed Kaster to sweep his Blade around, taking off the attacker's hand, and nearly taking Kaster's off-hand with it.

As the hunter screamed in agony, backing away frantically, Kaster dropped to his knees, feeling blood rush out from the gash. Being unable to breathe properly was bad, but the blood loss would kill him in moments. The tides of the swirling energies all around him turned dark with nearly every beat; the flow of Focus was grim. With no other alternatives, Kaster pressed his Blade to the wound, cauterizing it. It would buy him a little time, internally, though he knew the blood loss continued.

“You’re going to be alright,” a panicked voice whispered in her ear. For a moment, he was furious, no, things were definitely not alright. But as the words echoed in his mind, he found himself letting go of the worry. Fingers patted his belt and withdrew the second WaveBlade pomel. When it erupted, Kaster saw Jae standing over him like a tiger mother protecting her young. He coughed and blackness swirled, threatening to take him.