Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2018 19:59:27 GMT -5
Amatricina walked hurriedly down the halls of her keep, heeled boots clicking against the stone floor, great cloak trailing behind her with each step. She had not felt this eager in a long while, almost giddy with excitement, though she did not let it show. Her porcelain countenance remained stone faced as ever, her fiery gaze harsh as it was cruel. The demoness did not like showing her elation openly, others might confuse her high spirits for her growing soft on them. It was a lesson her mother had taught her well so many centuries ago. Above all else she had an image to preserve, and preserve it well she did. As she continued her stroll, thoughts of the possibilities to come filled her head. For a wondrous opportunity had presented itself, and she had seized it with burning vigor. An enormous cargo freighter had passed into range of her clan’s long range scanner. The vessel had a monstrous size, and was guarded by escort craft. Despite not normally acting as space pirates, Amatricina would always make an exception if the prize was well worth the effort. There was very little she would not do if the ends justify the means.
The freighter had been running a dangerous gauntlet through her star system, attempting to weave between planets by navigating through the contested no man’s lands between each warring factions’ territories. For whatever reason it had skirted too close to Amatricina’s dominion, perhaps their star maps had outdated or inaccurate information. Or maybe the captain had been too brazen, growing lax when the earlier legs of their voyage went so smoothly. Or maybe it was some other unforeseen circumstance Amatricina had not thought of, regardless though the ship’s misfortune proved to be her boon. In any event, she had dispatched her forces to claim the vessel in her name, and they had succeeded marvelously in their task. The battle for the freighter had proved a messy one, with most of the escort craft perishing in flames. The crew of the vessel had been spared, at least momentarily; he was shackled and proud before her for questioning as to his motives and any other useful information. Once he had been bled dry of any pertinent revelations, Amatricina had the man disposed of, by total incineration. His wailing screams in the final moments of his life a sweet chorus to her ears.
Even as the demoness mused to herself, the craft in question rested in drydock at one of her planetside shipyards, awaiting repair and refit until it could be made ready to serve her own purposes. The damage it had sustained in its capture was, admittedly, quite a bit, but ultimately it would be significantly less resources to repair the vessel up to fire demon standards than for Amatricina to have simply commissioned such a craft to be built wholesale. She was eager to inspect her newest toy first-hand, and oversee the progress made thus far with the repairs. Stepping into an elevator, Amatricina pressed a button for the ground floor. While it was entirely possible for her to simply fly to her destination using her ki, she deigned to do so for anything that was not of crucial importance. Comfort, at least in casual matters, for preferable to speed. The freighter would still be there whether Amatricina took five minutes or five hours to get there. Besides, the brief trip would give her a short respite to think.
The rapid descent of the elevator slowed to a crawl, before stopping gracefully at its destination, the ground level of Amatricina’s fortress. Amatricina exited as the metal doors swung open, sentries bowing their heads to her as she entered the room. The demoness raised two fingers, snapping them loudly without skipping a beat as she continued her stride. A demon stepped forth, a data pad in his hand, to walk besides Amatricina. He kept pace with her, though one step behind, to walk beside your liege lord like an equal was consider a grave offense to their status. “Remosco…” Amatricina said flatly, not even so much as making eye contact with the other demon. “Yes mistress?” The male demon replied swiftly, eyes rising from his gadget so his undivided attention was given to his liege. “Signal the terminal station, have a tram readied for my arrival. I wish to inspect shipyard 15-B and the progress they’ve made on my prize.” The demon nodded in acknowledgement, already beginning to type furiously onto his data pad, relaying the instructions to the station’s operators. “At once mistress.” He replied as he typed, though he did not say more. Servants were not to speak unless spoken to, and Lady Amatricina was rarely one for idle conversation.
A brief walk later and the two arrived at the terminal station. The capital of Amatricina’s dominion was a sprawling megacity, a hive of industry and infrastructure. A massive rail network interconnected various buildings and facilities like so many veins in a body, allowing for rapid movement of soldiers, materials, and goods. Naturally, the fortress had its own express lines to a number of major locations, designed for uninterrupted travel for distinguished individuals away from the mass transit or freight lines. Sentries at the station saluted Amatricina, opening the door for her and her servant as they stepped silently inside. The gleaming station was a sprawling one, with half a dozen rail terminals and a number of waiting trams and trains. Though it could theoretically service several hundred patrons at once, rarely if ever did it. On most occasions Amatricina used it purely for her personal service, or on occasion allowed high ranking retinue to do so on her blessings. Amatricina walked slowly towards the rails, hands crossed behind her back, paying little heed to the numerous workers within the station, each silently hoping she did not express her displeasure at some small aspect of their performance.
The demoness’ gaze shifted slightly to the right, and she spied the headlights of a tram fast approaching from the east. It screamed towards the station, braking rapidly as it came closer, until finally it gracefully rolled into the terminal before coming to a stop. Remosco let out a soft high, the trams were nothing if not timely. The vehicle lined itself up perfectly with Amatricina as it came to a halt, doors gliding open just as she reached them, allowing her to step inside without pause. “Acceptable.” She stated simply as she stepped aboard, much to the unspoken relief of those around her. Remosco boarded behind her, the tramway doors quickly closing behind him. He found a seat on the opposite end of the carriage, far away from his liege. If she wanted him to sit near her, she would have specified. The dutiful servant had long since figured out most of his mistress’ quicks and particulars. Knowing your liege’s specific tastes and preferences was a good way to remain in their good graces, and among the living. He had seen lesser servants harshly reprimanded for such slights as clumsily spilling a drink, forgetting an instruction, or speaking out of turn. These were not follies this particular retainer wished to make.
Amatricina brushed her cape to the side as her seated herself, crossing one leg over the other. A few moments later and the tram began to roll back out of the station, gliding along the magnetized track towards its destination. The track weaving between towering spires and buildings as it moved further and further from the city’s heart, towards the industrial districts that ringed its perimeter. Amatricina paid the sights no mind, instead inspecting her nails, lost in her own musing thoughts. Remosco typed away hurriedly at his data pad, notifying the shift foreman and the facility oversee at the shipyard of their liege’s imminent arrival. She would be expecting progress, and if they didn’t deliver satisfactory results then heads would be on the proverbial chopping block. With his messages relayed the retainer took a moment to collect his thoughts. Remosco found his gaze wandering to Amatricina, though he tried to avoid it. He glanced at the floor, but found his eyes wandering up her legs, inspecting every curve that graced her form, stopping for a moment to linger on her imposing bust. As he continued his visual excursion, his eyes came to briefly make contact with Amatricina’s ruby gaze. Remosco immediately panicked, diverting his gaze back to his data pad, feigning some important attention in it as he furiously typed at nothing. Had she realized? She had to have, the demon could feel his face growing hot with embarrassment kept in check by the fear his head might soon leave his shoulders.
“We’ll be arriving shortly my liege.” He managed to pull himself together enough to not stammer his words. “I am aware.” Amatricina stated in reply, the slightest simper crossing her face. Remosco saw it too, all the conflicting nature of the expression filled him with mounting dread. He thought to himself how much simpler his job would have been under her father. Lord Tartaros was said to wear his emotions on his face. If he was angered, you would know, if he was proud, he would say it. The elder demon was not known to be one to mince words. Remosco’s own father had served under him, as a captain in one of his lord’s many legions. His old man would return home from campaigns regaling stories about the “Black Flame” and what an honor it was to fight under his banners, of the glory they’d won in battle or the enemies they’d slain. Ultimately his father paid for his unwavering loyalty with his life, cut down on the field of battle. It was said he “died standing” as any good soldier should, taking down several enemies with him in his final moments. Remosco likened Amatricina more to her mother, outwardly distant, always hiding her true emotions. Great ruthlessness hiding behind the veneer of greater beauty. When he was young and still just a humble page shadowing under the tutelage of a senior scribe Remosco would see Lady Bonara on occasion. Even the most hardened of soldiers seemed uneasy in her presence, and on the rare instances she lashed out against her subordinates for some transgression the results were typically fatal. He knew all too well that the same would happen to him some day if he did not appease his liege’s every whim.
Amatricina’s simper in truth betrayed a much deeper elation, though the capture of the freighter had put her in fantastically high spirits, sometimes in life it was the simple things in life that gave the deepest pleasures. The demoness did so enjoy taunting the hearts of men from time to time, and she had been quick to catch Remosco’s wandering eyes as they hungrily scoured every inch of her physique. Were she in a foul mood, even the slightest ogling would be met with heavy handed aggression. A broken limb, a burned face, maybe a severed hand if she was feeling exceptionally cruel that day. But, this was different. The two were in private aboard the tram as it cruised towards its destination. There were no high command officers, magistrates, or bureaucrats to maintain appearances for. Just superior and subordinate. Besides, Remosco was a diligent servant, he had served her ably as a page when he was younger, now he served just as admirably as a scribe. So long as his performance or his attitude did not change drastically, she had no reason to reprimand him. So, why not have a little fun toying with him Amatricina thought to herself, just this once.
The demoness’ eyes narrowed into a sultry gaze, she waited for Remosco to return to typing away at his data pad. “Did you like what you saw?” Her voice barely a whisper, just enough for the other demon to hear her above the hum of the tram as it rumbled along. Remosco nearly shot up from his seat, the hairs visibly standing up along the back of his neck. “What?” He managed to squeak, unsure if the voice he’d heard was real or the product of some less than chaste daydreams. In an instant Amatricina snapped back to her normal stoicism, feigning ignorance. “What was that Remosco?” She muttered in a lazy tone, pretending to be more interested in the city skyline off in the distance. “Nothing my liege.” The scribe sputtered nervously. “Hmm… that’s what I thought.” Amatricina chimed in reply. She uncrossed her legs, raising her arms high above her head as she arched her back in a mighty stretch. Besides feeling marvelous, it had the desired side effect of thrusting out her expansive chest, barely contained by her metal brassiere. Remosco’s eyes nearly bulged out of his skull and his jaw would have hit the floor were he not self aware enough to shut it. Amatricina let out a slight snicker as she resumed her earlier posture. If he ever did that kind of reaction to her in front of her royal court she’d sear his eyes out, but just this once, it was innocently cute.
The massive structure of the shipyard came into view before the two demons. It grew in the distance like a mountain of steel and smoke. Large enough to berth even the largest class of war cruiser, or a small flotilla of smaller vessels. The freighter no doubt would look dwarfed by the interior of the structure. “We’ll be arriving soon my liege.” Remosco stated numbly, still largely in auto pilot from the earlier flirtatious display. “I am aware, I have eyes.” Amatricina snapped back, slightly irritated he was still so entranced, but mostly feigning anger. Her curt response seemed to be enough to knock him out of his daze. The tram began to slow, magnetic brakes decelerating the carriage as it headed into the shipyard’s own terminal. It looked more like the mouth of some great beast, a cavernous maw that opened in the side of the structure, forked metal tongues helping it swallow train after train. Freight lines ran tirelessly to and from the leviathan structure, moving an endless procession of components and modules to be fitted onto vessels, and hauling away salvaged or scrapped metal to be repurposed elsewhere. As her tram was coming to a full stop, Amatricina couldn’t help but notice the large freight train unloading in the terminal next to hers. She was slightly saddened when she noted the great slabs of metal being offloaded from the carriages were too thin for her particular freighter. No, these were to be used for the hulls of smaller, more agile craft.
Once the tram had come to a full stop Amatricina rose to her feet, barely a moment’s hesitation. Truth be told she was very eager to see her prize, though not as eager as to see it space-worthy once more. “Come Remosco, we have idled long enough.” The demoness ordered, her words terse as she disembarked the tram. Her scribe simply nodded in acknowledgement before quickly rising to his feet. He did not wish to speak again unless specifically asked to, for he feared the odds of reprisal were steadily growing against him. Upon stepping onto the station floor, Amatricina was immediately greeted by a pair of sentries. They saluted and bowed before resuming their vigil. An elder demon waited patiently for the two, his gaze trained on Amatricina. He stood of slightly above average height, with worn down horns indicative of a youth spent as a hard nosed soldier. His expression was a stone faced landscape of scars, some from battle, some from dangerous physical work. The demon stood rigidly, hands crossed behind his back, barrel chest puffed out. Despite his age the elder demon looked as if he could break any guard in the room in half if they spared, and the truth was, he could. “Lady Amatricina!” The demon shouted warmly, giving a short bow as he addressed his guests. “It is an honor to welcome your presence. I am Chogan, High Oversee of this facility. I have personally been supervising the repair efforts on your vessel. I must say…”
Amatricina raised a hand, cutting the demon’s long winded ramblings short. She appreciated the formalities, but his overeagerness to appease her had immediately grown tiresome. It was one step above groveling as far as she was concerned. “A pleasure to meet you Chogan, I’m sure the honor is all yours.” The demoness replied, she deigned to introduce Remosco as he was the most inferior of the three. As a humble servant his station did not dictate the social standing needed to properly introduce himself, he was one step above property compared to Chogan. “However,” Amatricina added, eyes level with the older demon as she spoke. “I would much prefer you give as the details as you show us to the vessel. I see no reason for us to stand here dallying in this glorified rail depot.” Her tone was of mild irritation, and Chogan picked up on it immediately. “Yes of course my liege.” He said swiftly, before turning to lead his two “guests” out of the room. Though socially Amatricina outranked Chogan, she paced at his side like an equal. He was after all, leading the way, so she could not take her rightful place walking ahead of him. Remosco however, was still forced to walk behind Amatricina due to his lower standing. Not that he minded, the view of her wide feminine hips and prodigious rear were mesmerizing, and he was careful to only catch glances when there were no prying eyes to rat him out. Life was after all, about finding joy in the simple things.
“You may continue with your report, High Overseer.” Amatricina said frankly, addressing Chogan now by title, not name. Names were generally only used for formal introductions, demons were expected to address each other chiefly by titles. It helped to reinforce one’s standing over another. Names only served to reinforce informal bonds, encouraging too much leniency between superior and subordinate. “Yes, of course my liege.” Chogan retorted before clearing his throat. “As I mentioned, I have been supervising over the repair efforts on your captured freighter. We were able to recover intact schematics from the ship’s central computers, which have greatly expedited our efforts.” Amatricina’s ears perked at the information, it was an unexpected bit of good news. “Excellent, see that whoever was responsible for recovering that data be appropriately compensated.” Chogan nodded, making mental note of the errand. “Oh course, as you will my liege. I will see to it shortly. Now, as I was saying, while the schematics have helped us greatly, it does not diminish the extent of the damage the vessel sustained.” There it was, Amatricina thought to herself, they always delivered the bad news after the good, as if to soften the blow. “The engines are almost a total loss from the damage they sustained when they were disabled, and most of the engineering deck was lost to the resulting fires. This is… of course, all before the obvious damage to the hull from the battle itself as well as the damage to the turrets and other weapon hardpoints inflicted by your soldiers.”
Amatricina waved a hand nonchalantly, these details did not phase her. She had her prize and she had it in one piece, the rest was all superficial, how did Chogan expect anyone to pirate a vessel without taking out its engines and weapons. “Well that was all rather expected isn’t it?” Amatricina replied simply. “How else did you expect my men to capture the ship?” Her question was rhetorical, she did not give the demon time to answer. “I would like to see the extent of the damage firsthand before I make any judgments.” Chogan nodded, unspokeningly hurrying his pace a bit. “Yes of course my liege. The dry-dock is just up ahead, past that door.” His finger pointed ahead, to a large metal door sealed tightly shut. A security console was mounted to the wall at one side. The overseer walked up to it, punching in several passwords before pressing his hand to the console. After a quick scan it beeped in acknowledgement, and the great steel doorway slide open with a pneumatic hiss.
The demoness’ eyes briefly adjusted to the harsh light on the other side of the door. Beyond lied a catwalk, high above the cavernous room. Before the trio rested the enormous superstructure of the captured freighter, filling most of the dry-dock facility. Workers bustled around the craft like so many flies circling a corpse, some carrying tools or materials, others inspecting the structure or performing some other task. A number of cranes mounted on tracks along the ceiling of the facility hung overhead, one held aloft a replacement turret for the one stationed above the vessel’s bridge. It had been damaged beyond repair in the battle, and even from here Amatricina could see the old turret being disassembled for scrap down on the facility floor. The demons working on the project themselves was numerous as they were varied. Teams of imps were tasked with moving through crawl spaces and other cramped confines, performing work on wiring and electrical systems. Scamps and other middling classes of demons mostly served for manual labor, hauling around large pieces of metal, fuel tanks, or munitions cases. Actual fire demons performed most of the skilled labor, using their fiery ki as welding torches and plasma cutters as they shaped material and applied repairs. It all moved like organized chaos, which Amatricina greatly appreciated. She despised inefficiency from her laborers, and if she so much as caught wind of an imp dropping a single screw or bolt she’d incinerate him to make an example of the rest.
“It is all… very impressive.” Amatricina said, momentarily distracted and at a loss for words. She leaned forward, resting herself against the handrails of the catwalk, taking in the sights before her. Already several of the demons on the ground had looked up, noticing her presence. They pretended not to notice, silently redoubling their efforts as to avoid any possible reprimanding that may come. Meanwhile, Chogan was silently beaming with pride, excited that his liege was impressed with his work forces’ efforts. The warning of her imminent arrival had been on such short notice, had the overseer had more time to prepare he could have whipped his work force into a more productive frenzy. After Amatricina had taken in the spectacle for a few more moments, she began to take better stock of what Chogan had told her. The hull of the freighter was indeed pot mocked with holes along its outer hull, some from entry points where her warriors had forcibly entered the vessel, others from ki blasts or secondary explosions during the battle. So long as none threatened the superstructure of the ship, she knew well that would be an easy repair. Just replace the damaged sections of hull and see to it that the original structural integrity is restored. The damage to the engines was more problematic. Though they were partially obscured by a heavy metal scaffolding that had been erected around them, even from here Amatricina could see the extent of the damages they’d taken. Several of the ship’s main thrusters had been completely detonated, others were almost fused together from the heat as they were melted by the blast. It would be an extensive repair, to put it lightly.
Amatricina lifted herself from the railing, coming to hover in the air for a moment before flying off towards the engine scaffolding. Chogan and Remosco looked surprised for a second, then obliged by silently flying along after her. The demoness landed gracefully, the demons working on slicing away damaged metalwork nearby acting as if she was not there, continuing their task unless they were specifically told to stop. Amatricina ran her hand along the damaged engine, feeling the smooth surface of melted metal and ceramics. “Oversee, the schematics recovered, did they state the relative power output of these engines relative to our own?” The overseer nodded. “Yes my liege. The thrust ratios are slightly above those of our standard class star ship engines. They have a peak performance output of 1.25 milli-kiri at cruising speeds, but their power draw is between eight and ten percent higher than our own.” Amatricina rubbed a hand to her chin, musing over what had been said to her. It both annoyed and pleased her that the engines were more powerful, albeit less efficient than her clan’s own. “In that case, see if the designs can be integrated into our own in such a matter that preserves their power ratios. I am unconcerned by the added power draw, our infernum class reactors should be more than ample power supplies .” She said astutely, eyes still running along the warped curves and twisted metal of the engine damage.
“My liege, if I may interject, reactors of that size may diminish the cargo space slightly. The infernum class are larger and more fuel hungry than what this ship is currently outfitted with.” Chogan braced himself mentally, knowing well questioning his liege openly could have dire consequences. Amatricina sighed, her hand pressed flat against the metal of the engine. The steel beneath her palm instantly heated up to melting point, dripping to the floor in a soupy molten slurry. “Then re-purpose some of the crew accommodations for additional fuel storage. Or do you think my soldiers so weak we need as many as these fools did to guard this vessel?” Her words were ice cold in spite of her flaring temper. And Amatricina turned to face Chogan, her gaze like two molten daggers. “Of course my liege! I do not know why I didn’t consider that course of action myself.” The demon said nervously, almost pleading. Amatricina thought on adding a spiteful comment about how that was because she was warlord, and he was merely in charge of an over-sized machine shop, but refrained herself. She did not wish to spoil her good mood further. “Good, now that that is in order, I wish to see the rest of my vessel. Come.” With that the demoness again lifted herself into the air, hovering off to the side of the freighter leaving only a hand shaped scorch mark where she had been.
Her scribe and the overseer followed her at her obligation, as she drifted along the hull of the vessel. Delicate feminine hands glided across torn steel, inspecting every gash and hole, each one a wound as a much of a story. It was all superficial damage compared to the engines. Moving towards a cargo bay door on the underside, Amatricina ascended up into the main hold of the ship. Inside teams scamps and goblins were busy working on piping and electrical work, most shot quick glances at Amatricina before rushing back to their work. The demoness looked about the cavernous room, like the belly of a great beast. “The cargo? What was it.” She asked inquisitively, wondering what could have been precious enough to risk running a gauntlet past her planet. “A number of things my liege.” Chogan replied swiftly, coming to land besides Amatricina. “Mostly plunder, artifacts and treasures from other worlds. There was also a large amount of ki siphoning devices as well as some magical relics.” Amatricina raised an eyebrow. “Anything of notable rarity?” Chogan merely shook his head. “No, though we had anything that gave off a magical reading sent to the Arcanum for further examination.” The answer was sufficient for Amatricina, “Very well.” She said simply, before continuing to stroll through the bowels of the ship.
Much of the entire of the vessel bore scores of battle. Marks where ki blasts had been deflected into walls, scorch marks from her soldiers’ fires, as well as a myriad of dents and holes from punches and kicks that had missed their mark or otherwise. The damage became more extensive as she approached a bulkhead door, knocked clean off its mounting bracket and leaning at an odd angle. “The engineering deck is on the other side, my liege.” The overseer stated as Amatricina lifted the hulk of metal and stepped under it. The corridors beyond were blackened with ash and soot. Walls melted into slag with pipes and wiring little more than blackened masses from the explosion. “A reactor meltdown?” Amatricina questioned, looking at the extent of the damage. “No, actually.” Chogan replied. “Several of the crew attempted to scuttle the ship by detonating themselves rather than face capture.” The demoness scoffed at the answer to her question. She sincerely hoped if any of her soldiers pulled the same stunt, they would at least be able to destroy the freighter. While the sacrifice of whoever had given their lives was admirable, it showed Amatricina only how weak the opposition had been. “At least they died standing.” She muttered to no one in particular, before turning to leave. “Your plans for the engineering deck, Oversee?” The demoness asked upon passing by her overseer. “Total repair and refit my liege. It would be more work to try and salvage anything in here. Unless… you have specific orders.” He added the last bit nervously, still weary of earlier. “No, that will be sufficient. Just see that the bulkhead doors are reinforced is all.”
The rest of the procession through the ship was more mundane. Crew quarters showed clear signs of battle, it also appeared her soldiers had ransacked the sleeping quarters and captains cabin upon commandeering the vessel. How typical of them, Amatricina thought to herself. Whatever trinkets they’d pocketed were a small compensation she mused to herself. The galley and mess hall held similar outcomes, the former stunk of spoiled food from the vessel losing power for refrigeration. Part of her wanted to call out Chogan again for the stench, but she settled for grabbing one of the imps “cleaning” the room by the scruff of his neck. “I want this place so clean my men could eat off of it.” She said as her slender fingers tightened around the creature’s windpipe. “Understood?” The imp wheezed and nodded yes frantically, before Amatricina relinquished her grip and let it fall to the floor with a thud. She proceeded to leave the room, and its stench, behind. Moving into the bridge it was clear most of the fighting had been done by the time her men had reached this part of the ship. Save for the door blown off its framework there was little sign of a struggle. “Flight control and navigation systems’ status?” She asked curtly. “Still fully operational my liege.” Chogan replied nearly as fast. “Scanning and communications?” “Also still operable, though some of the external relays and antennae have been damaged or lost.” “Weapons control and shields?” Amatricina’s final question. “Totally offline, though the control systems are largely intact. They should be operable once replacement modules are installed.” The demoness raised an eyebrow, hands resting on one of the bridge crew’s seats as she gazed out the ship’s bridge, picturing the day the view would be the black abyss of space once more. “Hmm… All said and done, not near as bad as things could have.”
A small smile crossed Amatricina’s face and she turned to face her two compatriots. “I have seen enough. Overseer, I am thoroughly impressed with the spectacle that is this vessel. I expect her flight worthy as soon as acceptably possible, and I grant you the authority to requisition any additional resources or manpower your facility made need to see her flight worthy once more. Until then, I expect regular reports delivered to me on your progress.” Chogan dropped to one knee, bowing deeply before Amatricina. “Thank you my liege. I have heard and I shall obey. It pleases me to no end to have impressed you and met your expectations. You have my promise this vessel will be finest in our trade fleets once she is starbound again. Now please, allow me to escort you out.” Amatricina nodded, then gestured with her hand to Remosco. “Come then, we are leaving. Notify my tram, I wish to waste no time returning to my chambers.” The scribe gave a short not at his instructions, tapping several buttons on his data pad as he followed the demoness out of the hull of the ship. All said and done Amatricina was more than impressed by the work being done, and looked forward to rechristening the ship into her fleets. It would be a gem among the stars, of that she would make sure. Now the only question remained… what to name the vessel when it was completed?
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The freighter had been running a dangerous gauntlet through her star system, attempting to weave between planets by navigating through the contested no man’s lands between each warring factions’ territories. For whatever reason it had skirted too close to Amatricina’s dominion, perhaps their star maps had outdated or inaccurate information. Or maybe the captain had been too brazen, growing lax when the earlier legs of their voyage went so smoothly. Or maybe it was some other unforeseen circumstance Amatricina had not thought of, regardless though the ship’s misfortune proved to be her boon. In any event, she had dispatched her forces to claim the vessel in her name, and they had succeeded marvelously in their task. The battle for the freighter had proved a messy one, with most of the escort craft perishing in flames. The crew of the vessel had been spared, at least momentarily; he was shackled and proud before her for questioning as to his motives and any other useful information. Once he had been bled dry of any pertinent revelations, Amatricina had the man disposed of, by total incineration. His wailing screams in the final moments of his life a sweet chorus to her ears.
Even as the demoness mused to herself, the craft in question rested in drydock at one of her planetside shipyards, awaiting repair and refit until it could be made ready to serve her own purposes. The damage it had sustained in its capture was, admittedly, quite a bit, but ultimately it would be significantly less resources to repair the vessel up to fire demon standards than for Amatricina to have simply commissioned such a craft to be built wholesale. She was eager to inspect her newest toy first-hand, and oversee the progress made thus far with the repairs. Stepping into an elevator, Amatricina pressed a button for the ground floor. While it was entirely possible for her to simply fly to her destination using her ki, she deigned to do so for anything that was not of crucial importance. Comfort, at least in casual matters, for preferable to speed. The freighter would still be there whether Amatricina took five minutes or five hours to get there. Besides, the brief trip would give her a short respite to think.
The rapid descent of the elevator slowed to a crawl, before stopping gracefully at its destination, the ground level of Amatricina’s fortress. Amatricina exited as the metal doors swung open, sentries bowing their heads to her as she entered the room. The demoness raised two fingers, snapping them loudly without skipping a beat as she continued her stride. A demon stepped forth, a data pad in his hand, to walk besides Amatricina. He kept pace with her, though one step behind, to walk beside your liege lord like an equal was consider a grave offense to their status. “Remosco…” Amatricina said flatly, not even so much as making eye contact with the other demon. “Yes mistress?” The male demon replied swiftly, eyes rising from his gadget so his undivided attention was given to his liege. “Signal the terminal station, have a tram readied for my arrival. I wish to inspect shipyard 15-B and the progress they’ve made on my prize.” The demon nodded in acknowledgement, already beginning to type furiously onto his data pad, relaying the instructions to the station’s operators. “At once mistress.” He replied as he typed, though he did not say more. Servants were not to speak unless spoken to, and Lady Amatricina was rarely one for idle conversation.
A brief walk later and the two arrived at the terminal station. The capital of Amatricina’s dominion was a sprawling megacity, a hive of industry and infrastructure. A massive rail network interconnected various buildings and facilities like so many veins in a body, allowing for rapid movement of soldiers, materials, and goods. Naturally, the fortress had its own express lines to a number of major locations, designed for uninterrupted travel for distinguished individuals away from the mass transit or freight lines. Sentries at the station saluted Amatricina, opening the door for her and her servant as they stepped silently inside. The gleaming station was a sprawling one, with half a dozen rail terminals and a number of waiting trams and trains. Though it could theoretically service several hundred patrons at once, rarely if ever did it. On most occasions Amatricina used it purely for her personal service, or on occasion allowed high ranking retinue to do so on her blessings. Amatricina walked slowly towards the rails, hands crossed behind her back, paying little heed to the numerous workers within the station, each silently hoping she did not express her displeasure at some small aspect of their performance.
The demoness’ gaze shifted slightly to the right, and she spied the headlights of a tram fast approaching from the east. It screamed towards the station, braking rapidly as it came closer, until finally it gracefully rolled into the terminal before coming to a stop. Remosco let out a soft high, the trams were nothing if not timely. The vehicle lined itself up perfectly with Amatricina as it came to a halt, doors gliding open just as she reached them, allowing her to step inside without pause. “Acceptable.” She stated simply as she stepped aboard, much to the unspoken relief of those around her. Remosco boarded behind her, the tramway doors quickly closing behind him. He found a seat on the opposite end of the carriage, far away from his liege. If she wanted him to sit near her, she would have specified. The dutiful servant had long since figured out most of his mistress’ quicks and particulars. Knowing your liege’s specific tastes and preferences was a good way to remain in their good graces, and among the living. He had seen lesser servants harshly reprimanded for such slights as clumsily spilling a drink, forgetting an instruction, or speaking out of turn. These were not follies this particular retainer wished to make.
Amatricina brushed her cape to the side as her seated herself, crossing one leg over the other. A few moments later and the tram began to roll back out of the station, gliding along the magnetized track towards its destination. The track weaving between towering spires and buildings as it moved further and further from the city’s heart, towards the industrial districts that ringed its perimeter. Amatricina paid the sights no mind, instead inspecting her nails, lost in her own musing thoughts. Remosco typed away hurriedly at his data pad, notifying the shift foreman and the facility oversee at the shipyard of their liege’s imminent arrival. She would be expecting progress, and if they didn’t deliver satisfactory results then heads would be on the proverbial chopping block. With his messages relayed the retainer took a moment to collect his thoughts. Remosco found his gaze wandering to Amatricina, though he tried to avoid it. He glanced at the floor, but found his eyes wandering up her legs, inspecting every curve that graced her form, stopping for a moment to linger on her imposing bust. As he continued his visual excursion, his eyes came to briefly make contact with Amatricina’s ruby gaze. Remosco immediately panicked, diverting his gaze back to his data pad, feigning some important attention in it as he furiously typed at nothing. Had she realized? She had to have, the demon could feel his face growing hot with embarrassment kept in check by the fear his head might soon leave his shoulders.
“We’ll be arriving shortly my liege.” He managed to pull himself together enough to not stammer his words. “I am aware.” Amatricina stated in reply, the slightest simper crossing her face. Remosco saw it too, all the conflicting nature of the expression filled him with mounting dread. He thought to himself how much simpler his job would have been under her father. Lord Tartaros was said to wear his emotions on his face. If he was angered, you would know, if he was proud, he would say it. The elder demon was not known to be one to mince words. Remosco’s own father had served under him, as a captain in one of his lord’s many legions. His old man would return home from campaigns regaling stories about the “Black Flame” and what an honor it was to fight under his banners, of the glory they’d won in battle or the enemies they’d slain. Ultimately his father paid for his unwavering loyalty with his life, cut down on the field of battle. It was said he “died standing” as any good soldier should, taking down several enemies with him in his final moments. Remosco likened Amatricina more to her mother, outwardly distant, always hiding her true emotions. Great ruthlessness hiding behind the veneer of greater beauty. When he was young and still just a humble page shadowing under the tutelage of a senior scribe Remosco would see Lady Bonara on occasion. Even the most hardened of soldiers seemed uneasy in her presence, and on the rare instances she lashed out against her subordinates for some transgression the results were typically fatal. He knew all too well that the same would happen to him some day if he did not appease his liege’s every whim.
Amatricina’s simper in truth betrayed a much deeper elation, though the capture of the freighter had put her in fantastically high spirits, sometimes in life it was the simple things in life that gave the deepest pleasures. The demoness did so enjoy taunting the hearts of men from time to time, and she had been quick to catch Remosco’s wandering eyes as they hungrily scoured every inch of her physique. Were she in a foul mood, even the slightest ogling would be met with heavy handed aggression. A broken limb, a burned face, maybe a severed hand if she was feeling exceptionally cruel that day. But, this was different. The two were in private aboard the tram as it cruised towards its destination. There were no high command officers, magistrates, or bureaucrats to maintain appearances for. Just superior and subordinate. Besides, Remosco was a diligent servant, he had served her ably as a page when he was younger, now he served just as admirably as a scribe. So long as his performance or his attitude did not change drastically, she had no reason to reprimand him. So, why not have a little fun toying with him Amatricina thought to herself, just this once.
The demoness’ eyes narrowed into a sultry gaze, she waited for Remosco to return to typing away at his data pad. “Did you like what you saw?” Her voice barely a whisper, just enough for the other demon to hear her above the hum of the tram as it rumbled along. Remosco nearly shot up from his seat, the hairs visibly standing up along the back of his neck. “What?” He managed to squeak, unsure if the voice he’d heard was real or the product of some less than chaste daydreams. In an instant Amatricina snapped back to her normal stoicism, feigning ignorance. “What was that Remosco?” She muttered in a lazy tone, pretending to be more interested in the city skyline off in the distance. “Nothing my liege.” The scribe sputtered nervously. “Hmm… that’s what I thought.” Amatricina chimed in reply. She uncrossed her legs, raising her arms high above her head as she arched her back in a mighty stretch. Besides feeling marvelous, it had the desired side effect of thrusting out her expansive chest, barely contained by her metal brassiere. Remosco’s eyes nearly bulged out of his skull and his jaw would have hit the floor were he not self aware enough to shut it. Amatricina let out a slight snicker as she resumed her earlier posture. If he ever did that kind of reaction to her in front of her royal court she’d sear his eyes out, but just this once, it was innocently cute.
The massive structure of the shipyard came into view before the two demons. It grew in the distance like a mountain of steel and smoke. Large enough to berth even the largest class of war cruiser, or a small flotilla of smaller vessels. The freighter no doubt would look dwarfed by the interior of the structure. “We’ll be arriving soon my liege.” Remosco stated numbly, still largely in auto pilot from the earlier flirtatious display. “I am aware, I have eyes.” Amatricina snapped back, slightly irritated he was still so entranced, but mostly feigning anger. Her curt response seemed to be enough to knock him out of his daze. The tram began to slow, magnetic brakes decelerating the carriage as it headed into the shipyard’s own terminal. It looked more like the mouth of some great beast, a cavernous maw that opened in the side of the structure, forked metal tongues helping it swallow train after train. Freight lines ran tirelessly to and from the leviathan structure, moving an endless procession of components and modules to be fitted onto vessels, and hauling away salvaged or scrapped metal to be repurposed elsewhere. As her tram was coming to a full stop, Amatricina couldn’t help but notice the large freight train unloading in the terminal next to hers. She was slightly saddened when she noted the great slabs of metal being offloaded from the carriages were too thin for her particular freighter. No, these were to be used for the hulls of smaller, more agile craft.
Once the tram had come to a full stop Amatricina rose to her feet, barely a moment’s hesitation. Truth be told she was very eager to see her prize, though not as eager as to see it space-worthy once more. “Come Remosco, we have idled long enough.” The demoness ordered, her words terse as she disembarked the tram. Her scribe simply nodded in acknowledgement before quickly rising to his feet. He did not wish to speak again unless specifically asked to, for he feared the odds of reprisal were steadily growing against him. Upon stepping onto the station floor, Amatricina was immediately greeted by a pair of sentries. They saluted and bowed before resuming their vigil. An elder demon waited patiently for the two, his gaze trained on Amatricina. He stood of slightly above average height, with worn down horns indicative of a youth spent as a hard nosed soldier. His expression was a stone faced landscape of scars, some from battle, some from dangerous physical work. The demon stood rigidly, hands crossed behind his back, barrel chest puffed out. Despite his age the elder demon looked as if he could break any guard in the room in half if they spared, and the truth was, he could. “Lady Amatricina!” The demon shouted warmly, giving a short bow as he addressed his guests. “It is an honor to welcome your presence. I am Chogan, High Oversee of this facility. I have personally been supervising the repair efforts on your vessel. I must say…”
Amatricina raised a hand, cutting the demon’s long winded ramblings short. She appreciated the formalities, but his overeagerness to appease her had immediately grown tiresome. It was one step above groveling as far as she was concerned. “A pleasure to meet you Chogan, I’m sure the honor is all yours.” The demoness replied, she deigned to introduce Remosco as he was the most inferior of the three. As a humble servant his station did not dictate the social standing needed to properly introduce himself, he was one step above property compared to Chogan. “However,” Amatricina added, eyes level with the older demon as she spoke. “I would much prefer you give as the details as you show us to the vessel. I see no reason for us to stand here dallying in this glorified rail depot.” Her tone was of mild irritation, and Chogan picked up on it immediately. “Yes of course my liege.” He said swiftly, before turning to lead his two “guests” out of the room. Though socially Amatricina outranked Chogan, she paced at his side like an equal. He was after all, leading the way, so she could not take her rightful place walking ahead of him. Remosco however, was still forced to walk behind Amatricina due to his lower standing. Not that he minded, the view of her wide feminine hips and prodigious rear were mesmerizing, and he was careful to only catch glances when there were no prying eyes to rat him out. Life was after all, about finding joy in the simple things.
“You may continue with your report, High Overseer.” Amatricina said frankly, addressing Chogan now by title, not name. Names were generally only used for formal introductions, demons were expected to address each other chiefly by titles. It helped to reinforce one’s standing over another. Names only served to reinforce informal bonds, encouraging too much leniency between superior and subordinate. “Yes, of course my liege.” Chogan retorted before clearing his throat. “As I mentioned, I have been supervising over the repair efforts on your captured freighter. We were able to recover intact schematics from the ship’s central computers, which have greatly expedited our efforts.” Amatricina’s ears perked at the information, it was an unexpected bit of good news. “Excellent, see that whoever was responsible for recovering that data be appropriately compensated.” Chogan nodded, making mental note of the errand. “Oh course, as you will my liege. I will see to it shortly. Now, as I was saying, while the schematics have helped us greatly, it does not diminish the extent of the damage the vessel sustained.” There it was, Amatricina thought to herself, they always delivered the bad news after the good, as if to soften the blow. “The engines are almost a total loss from the damage they sustained when they were disabled, and most of the engineering deck was lost to the resulting fires. This is… of course, all before the obvious damage to the hull from the battle itself as well as the damage to the turrets and other weapon hardpoints inflicted by your soldiers.”
Amatricina waved a hand nonchalantly, these details did not phase her. She had her prize and she had it in one piece, the rest was all superficial, how did Chogan expect anyone to pirate a vessel without taking out its engines and weapons. “Well that was all rather expected isn’t it?” Amatricina replied simply. “How else did you expect my men to capture the ship?” Her question was rhetorical, she did not give the demon time to answer. “I would like to see the extent of the damage firsthand before I make any judgments.” Chogan nodded, unspokeningly hurrying his pace a bit. “Yes of course my liege. The dry-dock is just up ahead, past that door.” His finger pointed ahead, to a large metal door sealed tightly shut. A security console was mounted to the wall at one side. The overseer walked up to it, punching in several passwords before pressing his hand to the console. After a quick scan it beeped in acknowledgement, and the great steel doorway slide open with a pneumatic hiss.
The demoness’ eyes briefly adjusted to the harsh light on the other side of the door. Beyond lied a catwalk, high above the cavernous room. Before the trio rested the enormous superstructure of the captured freighter, filling most of the dry-dock facility. Workers bustled around the craft like so many flies circling a corpse, some carrying tools or materials, others inspecting the structure or performing some other task. A number of cranes mounted on tracks along the ceiling of the facility hung overhead, one held aloft a replacement turret for the one stationed above the vessel’s bridge. It had been damaged beyond repair in the battle, and even from here Amatricina could see the old turret being disassembled for scrap down on the facility floor. The demons working on the project themselves was numerous as they were varied. Teams of imps were tasked with moving through crawl spaces and other cramped confines, performing work on wiring and electrical systems. Scamps and other middling classes of demons mostly served for manual labor, hauling around large pieces of metal, fuel tanks, or munitions cases. Actual fire demons performed most of the skilled labor, using their fiery ki as welding torches and plasma cutters as they shaped material and applied repairs. It all moved like organized chaos, which Amatricina greatly appreciated. She despised inefficiency from her laborers, and if she so much as caught wind of an imp dropping a single screw or bolt she’d incinerate him to make an example of the rest.
“It is all… very impressive.” Amatricina said, momentarily distracted and at a loss for words. She leaned forward, resting herself against the handrails of the catwalk, taking in the sights before her. Already several of the demons on the ground had looked up, noticing her presence. They pretended not to notice, silently redoubling their efforts as to avoid any possible reprimanding that may come. Meanwhile, Chogan was silently beaming with pride, excited that his liege was impressed with his work forces’ efforts. The warning of her imminent arrival had been on such short notice, had the overseer had more time to prepare he could have whipped his work force into a more productive frenzy. After Amatricina had taken in the spectacle for a few more moments, she began to take better stock of what Chogan had told her. The hull of the freighter was indeed pot mocked with holes along its outer hull, some from entry points where her warriors had forcibly entered the vessel, others from ki blasts or secondary explosions during the battle. So long as none threatened the superstructure of the ship, she knew well that would be an easy repair. Just replace the damaged sections of hull and see to it that the original structural integrity is restored. The damage to the engines was more problematic. Though they were partially obscured by a heavy metal scaffolding that had been erected around them, even from here Amatricina could see the extent of the damages they’d taken. Several of the ship’s main thrusters had been completely detonated, others were almost fused together from the heat as they were melted by the blast. It would be an extensive repair, to put it lightly.
Amatricina lifted herself from the railing, coming to hover in the air for a moment before flying off towards the engine scaffolding. Chogan and Remosco looked surprised for a second, then obliged by silently flying along after her. The demoness landed gracefully, the demons working on slicing away damaged metalwork nearby acting as if she was not there, continuing their task unless they were specifically told to stop. Amatricina ran her hand along the damaged engine, feeling the smooth surface of melted metal and ceramics. “Oversee, the schematics recovered, did they state the relative power output of these engines relative to our own?” The overseer nodded. “Yes my liege. The thrust ratios are slightly above those of our standard class star ship engines. They have a peak performance output of 1.25 milli-kiri at cruising speeds, but their power draw is between eight and ten percent higher than our own.” Amatricina rubbed a hand to her chin, musing over what had been said to her. It both annoyed and pleased her that the engines were more powerful, albeit less efficient than her clan’s own. “In that case, see if the designs can be integrated into our own in such a matter that preserves their power ratios. I am unconcerned by the added power draw, our infernum class reactors should be more than ample power supplies .” She said astutely, eyes still running along the warped curves and twisted metal of the engine damage.
“My liege, if I may interject, reactors of that size may diminish the cargo space slightly. The infernum class are larger and more fuel hungry than what this ship is currently outfitted with.” Chogan braced himself mentally, knowing well questioning his liege openly could have dire consequences. Amatricina sighed, her hand pressed flat against the metal of the engine. The steel beneath her palm instantly heated up to melting point, dripping to the floor in a soupy molten slurry. “Then re-purpose some of the crew accommodations for additional fuel storage. Or do you think my soldiers so weak we need as many as these fools did to guard this vessel?” Her words were ice cold in spite of her flaring temper. And Amatricina turned to face Chogan, her gaze like two molten daggers. “Of course my liege! I do not know why I didn’t consider that course of action myself.” The demon said nervously, almost pleading. Amatricina thought on adding a spiteful comment about how that was because she was warlord, and he was merely in charge of an over-sized machine shop, but refrained herself. She did not wish to spoil her good mood further. “Good, now that that is in order, I wish to see the rest of my vessel. Come.” With that the demoness again lifted herself into the air, hovering off to the side of the freighter leaving only a hand shaped scorch mark where she had been.
Her scribe and the overseer followed her at her obligation, as she drifted along the hull of the vessel. Delicate feminine hands glided across torn steel, inspecting every gash and hole, each one a wound as a much of a story. It was all superficial damage compared to the engines. Moving towards a cargo bay door on the underside, Amatricina ascended up into the main hold of the ship. Inside teams scamps and goblins were busy working on piping and electrical work, most shot quick glances at Amatricina before rushing back to their work. The demoness looked about the cavernous room, like the belly of a great beast. “The cargo? What was it.” She asked inquisitively, wondering what could have been precious enough to risk running a gauntlet past her planet. “A number of things my liege.” Chogan replied swiftly, coming to land besides Amatricina. “Mostly plunder, artifacts and treasures from other worlds. There was also a large amount of ki siphoning devices as well as some magical relics.” Amatricina raised an eyebrow. “Anything of notable rarity?” Chogan merely shook his head. “No, though we had anything that gave off a magical reading sent to the Arcanum for further examination.” The answer was sufficient for Amatricina, “Very well.” She said simply, before continuing to stroll through the bowels of the ship.
Much of the entire of the vessel bore scores of battle. Marks where ki blasts had been deflected into walls, scorch marks from her soldiers’ fires, as well as a myriad of dents and holes from punches and kicks that had missed their mark or otherwise. The damage became more extensive as she approached a bulkhead door, knocked clean off its mounting bracket and leaning at an odd angle. “The engineering deck is on the other side, my liege.” The overseer stated as Amatricina lifted the hulk of metal and stepped under it. The corridors beyond were blackened with ash and soot. Walls melted into slag with pipes and wiring little more than blackened masses from the explosion. “A reactor meltdown?” Amatricina questioned, looking at the extent of the damage. “No, actually.” Chogan replied. “Several of the crew attempted to scuttle the ship by detonating themselves rather than face capture.” The demoness scoffed at the answer to her question. She sincerely hoped if any of her soldiers pulled the same stunt, they would at least be able to destroy the freighter. While the sacrifice of whoever had given their lives was admirable, it showed Amatricina only how weak the opposition had been. “At least they died standing.” She muttered to no one in particular, before turning to leave. “Your plans for the engineering deck, Oversee?” The demoness asked upon passing by her overseer. “Total repair and refit my liege. It would be more work to try and salvage anything in here. Unless… you have specific orders.” He added the last bit nervously, still weary of earlier. “No, that will be sufficient. Just see that the bulkhead doors are reinforced is all.”
The rest of the procession through the ship was more mundane. Crew quarters showed clear signs of battle, it also appeared her soldiers had ransacked the sleeping quarters and captains cabin upon commandeering the vessel. How typical of them, Amatricina thought to herself. Whatever trinkets they’d pocketed were a small compensation she mused to herself. The galley and mess hall held similar outcomes, the former stunk of spoiled food from the vessel losing power for refrigeration. Part of her wanted to call out Chogan again for the stench, but she settled for grabbing one of the imps “cleaning” the room by the scruff of his neck. “I want this place so clean my men could eat off of it.” She said as her slender fingers tightened around the creature’s windpipe. “Understood?” The imp wheezed and nodded yes frantically, before Amatricina relinquished her grip and let it fall to the floor with a thud. She proceeded to leave the room, and its stench, behind. Moving into the bridge it was clear most of the fighting had been done by the time her men had reached this part of the ship. Save for the door blown off its framework there was little sign of a struggle. “Flight control and navigation systems’ status?” She asked curtly. “Still fully operational my liege.” Chogan replied nearly as fast. “Scanning and communications?” “Also still operable, though some of the external relays and antennae have been damaged or lost.” “Weapons control and shields?” Amatricina’s final question. “Totally offline, though the control systems are largely intact. They should be operable once replacement modules are installed.” The demoness raised an eyebrow, hands resting on one of the bridge crew’s seats as she gazed out the ship’s bridge, picturing the day the view would be the black abyss of space once more. “Hmm… All said and done, not near as bad as things could have.”
A small smile crossed Amatricina’s face and she turned to face her two compatriots. “I have seen enough. Overseer, I am thoroughly impressed with the spectacle that is this vessel. I expect her flight worthy as soon as acceptably possible, and I grant you the authority to requisition any additional resources or manpower your facility made need to see her flight worthy once more. Until then, I expect regular reports delivered to me on your progress.” Chogan dropped to one knee, bowing deeply before Amatricina. “Thank you my liege. I have heard and I shall obey. It pleases me to no end to have impressed you and met your expectations. You have my promise this vessel will be finest in our trade fleets once she is starbound again. Now please, allow me to escort you out.” Amatricina nodded, then gestured with her hand to Remosco. “Come then, we are leaving. Notify my tram, I wish to waste no time returning to my chambers.” The scribe gave a short not at his instructions, tapping several buttons on his data pad as he followed the demoness out of the hull of the ship. All said and done Amatricina was more than impressed by the work being done, and looked forward to rechristening the ship into her fleets. It would be a gem among the stars, of that she would make sure. Now the only question remained… what to name the vessel when it was completed?
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