Chapter Four
Another week of dealing with the day-to-day.
The vid call from the Commander on-world coming in. She opened it. “Prosecutor Jane, good morning.”
“Commander, how can I help you?”
“Frost. The investigation is over. He is to be dismissed as a Councillor and faces charges. We are arresting him this morning.”
She sat back. “Glad to hear it. The Council will need to vote in another member. Public elections. People will need to know why.”
He gave a nod. “A statement will need to be made. You will be called as a witness.”
She gave a nod. “The Second chair can do the statement.” He inclined his head. “Also, the historic charges. Someone buried them or dismissed them. I want them interviewed.” She told him. He gave a nod. “Thank you for the update.”
He hesitated.
She stilled. Now what?..... “Commander Kito has made a formal request for Mate status to the Empire.”
He’d found someone else?..... She kept her face neutral. That was good… right?.....
“I congratulate him on his good fortune.” She said blankly. “Good day.” And cut the call.
Sitting there. Doing nothing. Staring into space. And still sitting there until she realised she’d been doing that for nearly an hour.
Her brain clicking back in, she blinked looking up at the office wondering if anyone had noticed. All going about their business. She felt, alone. Her throat tight. She’d have to evaluate that later. And did what she always did, went back to work.
Next day the Frost news hit the media. His arrest and why. People being urged to come forward. Frost to appear in the Judiciary Courts later that day with charges. Likely he would be detained until the actual Court day. She was glad of that, she didn’t trust him.
The whole situation made her sad. And angry.
She made a decision. Calling her team leaders in for a meeting.
“Based on the evidence of Counsellor Frost, I want a search of the Hub made.
Set up a program that searches continuously on all data that comes in on any inappropriate behaviour reported anywhere and in any form.
I want it linked if it's there. Found if we don’t know of it.
If this behaviour is ongoing on our world, I want it wiped out.
Made known it's not going to be ignored and anyone we find gets prosecuted.”
She looked around the room. Getting good eye contact with her teams. “Kandra, you're our best coding officer, lead on this but we all work it once we have any intel.”
Kenda nodded. “Any comments?” she asked the room.
She got none. “Thank you. Lets get to it. Kenda a moment in my office.” The room emptied and they walked to her office.
“Set it up so I get a detailed report on what we find on the Hub weekly. Then monthly.” Kendra gave her another nod.
She wasn’t a big talker. “And you’ll need to give the Commander on-world the heads up you’re working on this. ”
Kendra’s face flushed. Not another one….. “I’d rather not.” She spoke quietly.
“Why?”
Kendra shifted. “He’s… intense.”
She sat back. “You know him?” Kendra’s face flushed again. “How exactly?” This was news to her she’d not even noticed. That was a wake-up call. She didn’t miss anything and yet she clearly had here.
Been too distracted….
“Umm. I err. Bumped into him.” Kendra’s nose wrinkled.
“I was at the farmers market; I like the produce. Didn’t know he was there.
He was checking it out. I was engrossed in sourcing some preserves and turned quickly and he was standing there behind me.
” She looked at her. Keeping her face neutral.
“I didn’t touch him.” Kendra blurted. “I stepped to the side quickly. But…”
“But?”
Kendra’s face flushed again. Her voice lowered. “He err…. Said I needed to spend time with him.”
“You know what that means, right?” Kendra nodded. “Did you?”
“No. I left. Quickly.”
“He seen you since?”
Kendra shook her head. “Don’t think so, not direct anyway.”
She sighed. “Ok. I’ll do the Commander update.
” Kendra’s relief was clear, her body relaxed.
“But you know his interest is not going away Kendra. Unless you face it. Tell him to his face, shut it down and show that you mean it. If you hesitate, if you’re unsure, if your body shows the slightest interest, he will pursue you. ”
“I know.” Kendra said weakly.
“Are you interested?” Kendra nodded but looked a bit sick.
She laughed. Couldn’t help it. Kendra looked how she felt herself at times thinking of Kito.
Kendra looked surprised. “They are possessive.” She told her.
“Dominant and determined. Know what you are facing.” Kendra gave another nod.
“Be sure. You will be his everything you know that.”
“It comes with limits.”
“Every relationship comes with limits. Theirs are different from a human one. You just need to understand it. He would never hold you back. He would want you happy. A big decision. They are the best of men. No lying. No cheating. Brutally honest.” She was giving relationship advice she didn’t want herself.
Go her…
Smiling at her, Kendra left.
Shit….
Connecting to the on-world Commander, she updated him via a message of her intention to investigate Frost's phenomenon extensively. She needed to make sure they’d not missed anyone else doing the same. Messaging this time, not wanting to do a live link.
Coming back to her almost immediately with a ‘thank you’ and to update him on any results. She didn’t mention Kendra, he’d know all about her by now if she was important to him. That Kendra worked for her. Where she lived, what she liked, who she was.
And it wasn’t her place to ask.
Zee coming in over the next couple of days updating on the trading situation. The investigation fanning out getting wider. Still no clue as to who was responsible if it was a coordinated failure or not. Thanking him she got back to her own work.
Leaving the office late as usual, she didn’t see the attack coming.
Until it was on her.
Her vehicle had been unusually surrounded by 3 other vehicles at a small distance.
She’d not taken any notice of it. It was a car park after all.
And got within touching distance of her truck when 5 men came at her.
Spotting it immediately, she spun and turned and used every skill she had.
She fought. Pressed the alert she had. And fought on.
They didn’t want to take her, this was a beat down.
She’d like to say she wasted them but, they were bigger, stronger and more of them but she didn’t go down.
She used every skill Elon had ever taught her.
Using her baton, her fighting skills, her agility.
She ducked, and moved fast, avoiding strikes giving her own.
But she couldn’t miss them all, she took them and fought on until sirens could be heard and then they went for broke.
A coordinated attack, all of them all at once.
She threw down. Kicked out. Bit, scratched.
Head butted. Until they backed away, her limping but standing.
Head held high. She’d survived. Gave the impression she could go again.
Showing no emotion but lifting her right arm, pointing her finger at the lead aggressive and beckoning him forward with a smile.
She was not done. She would never be done.
He backed away, the others moving into the shadows and disappearing.
All in black, faces covered. There was little to give them away.
Her security arriving. Then the Empire. Then the ambo.
She stood through it all, not giving in to weakness.
Giving statements as her injuries were catalogued and treated.
Ribs broken. Strapped. Fractured knee. Wrapped.
Head injury. Face swelling. Covered. Left arm dislocated.
Put back. The pain eyewatering. She breathed through it. One eye shutting. Possible concussion.
The on-world Commander coming to her. Checking her over. She gave a nod that killed her. He assessed her still standing seeing her being treated. His hand going on the medical report. His eyes glazed over. “A worthy Mate indeed.” He told her quietly.
She snorted. “A worthy Prosecutor.” He inclined his head.
Then another people carrier arrived and Cyborgs piled out. An almighty roar filling the night. She pressed her lips together narrowing her eyes at the on-world Commander.
Shit….
Yeah, she couldn’t look at that coming. “I’m going home.” She told no one and limped to her vehicle.
Finding herself airborne and carried a growl in the air. “I want names!” He roared again. “Find them. Whatever it takes. I demand justice. I will kill them myself!”
“Would you shut up? Headache.”
He shut up immediately. Huffed a lot, walking to his vehicle placing her in it. Strapping her in. Seeing his eyes glaze over his men moved in surrounding them. Protection.
A bit late…. Her mind wandered. But isn’t that what she’d asked for?.....
“Stay awake.” He growled low.
“I know.” Her breathing difficult.
“12 hours.”
“I know.”
“Too long, taking you to my ship. Medbed.”
She wanted to argue but she was too tired and in too much pain. “Ok.”
He kept her awake. Annoying her, until he carried her into his ships medical she guessed by the smell of it, she couldn’t see much and was placed in the medbed.
She’d seen plenty over the years. His eyes glazed over, his hand on the bed scanner he was uploading her pattern from the medical assessment.
The bed bleeped. And he leaned down facing her.
“I’m going to punish you for getting injured female. ”
She closed her eyes. “No, you won’t.”
His fingers stroked her cheek. “No I won’t.”
And she passed out.
Waking feeling no pain. The canopy opened and another face showed above her. “Lady Jane, you are repaired. I am the ships medic. Otto. You will need water, and a shower, rest for a couple of days.”
He helped her out. “How long?”
“Just over 10 hours. Some of the injuries were more severe than first thought.”
“How bad?”
“The ribs were splintered. Eye socket cracked.”
Shit that was bad….
“He know?” The medic gave a nod. “Where is he?”