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+--- Thread: A Series of Maltese Events (/showthread.php?tid=33243)
A Series of Maltese Events - Thexare - 01-18-2010
(// Dialog-heavy. Mostly just getting the framework of this one up.)
Slave Auction at Spaceport Epsilon!
Time: 3 PM
What: Many highly qualified slaves captured near Cambridge and Munich, sold individually.
Time: 3 PM
What: Many highly qualified slaves captured near Cambridge and Munich, sold individually.
"Hmm... this is different," Tiana said, looking at an advertisement. "Slave auction... individuals, not lots. We don't see that often."
"Huh. Wonder if there's any-"
"Santiago, you're not buying a whore. I am going to the auction, though..."
"Better be fast then. It's 2:30 now. I'll tell Emilio that you'll be late getting home."
She got up immediately and left. Spaceport Epsilon wasn't far, just at the other end of town. Five minutes on a speeder. Ground traffic was dead, but there were a lot of atmospheric shuttles and freighters. That made sense, although with it being an individual auction, they were probably larger than necessary.
She stopped just outside the spaceport and walked in.
"Ma'am, this spaceport is closed to anyone that is not here for the auction," a man in a suit said with an annoying, nasal voice.
"That's why I'm here, idiot. I'm Tiana Santini."
"I need some proof of identity." Tiana responded by punching him in the face. The man in the suit fell to the ground clutching his now-broken nose. "alright, alright, go in already!"
The auction started about ten minutes later; earlier than planned because the auditorium was completely full. Tiana was the first to arrive, thanks to avoiding airborne traffic, and she took a spot alone standing up against a wall.
"Hello, hello. Let's get on with the auction, since we're all here. The first item up for bid is Aina!" A Kusari woman was marched out onto the stage, tears in her eyes. Strangely, she looked like she had been completely unhurt.
Aina? The name sounded familiar...
"We've got a real treasure here, folks. She surrendered herself willingly, and on top of that she's already addicted to Cardamine! She won't have any trouble adjusting to life here, and she's a skilled navigator, sensor operator, and freighter mechanic. Starting the bids at ten thousand credits."
"Fifteen thousand!"
"Twenty thousand!"
"Twenty-five thousand!"
"Fifty thousand!" a woman shouted, apparently hoping to overbid everyone else.
"Fifty thousand, I hear fifty thousand! Going once..."
Ayumu... Tiana thought to herself.
"Going twice..."
Why am I doing this...
"One hundred and fifty thousand," Tiana declared. Everyone immediately went silent and stared at her in shock. "The hell are you looking at? I said 'one hundred and fifty thousand', and that's what I meant!"
"O-of course, miss. One... one hundred and fifty thousand credits. Going once... going twice... and sold to number 029. Where do you want her?"
"With me. I took a speeder, not a ship."
The auction continued while Tiana observed quietly. Aina was still shocked at the entire event; it wasn't quite what she had expected, but at least the other people on the Cerulean were safe.
"And for our last item, a real treat - Celia Lopez, a Corsair fighter pilot!" The beautiful Corsair was marched out on stage like all the others before her. She wasn't crying, instead her look was one of angry defiance. "We'll start the bidding at-"
"Seventy-five thousand." Tiana interrupted.
"Er... are you sure? She doesn't have any real skills outside of a fighter..."
"Are you arguing with me? Go ask your doorman what happens when people argue with me."
"N-no, miss, forgive me. Seventy-five thousand credits. Going once... going twice... and sold to the woman in black. Thank you all for coming, and I hope you'll be here next time. Especially you."
It was around 6 PM by the time the auction was over. The three women rode out to Hangar OF2-39, with Celia in the back seat - still in handcuffs - and Aina next to Tiana.
"Um... what's going to happen to us?"
"Aina. Aina Kouryo, correct? I would hate to have wasted my money."
"Y- how did you know?"
"I've... heard about you." She pauses, choosing her next words carefully. "Someone is interested in seeing you, although he had nothing to do with you getting here."
"And me?" the Corsair woman asked.
"I have ideas. You'll find out soon enough," Tiana said, with none of the kindness that was in her tone a moment ago.
------
"Ayumu! I have someone here to see you."
"Can it wait? I'm fixing something..."
"Get out here NOW."
"Alright, Tiana..." Ayumu walked down the stairs and was immediately stunned at what he saw. "Aina!? What? How did you... what?"
"Wait... you're-" For a brief moment, she saw the young salvager and mechanic she'd met on Freeport 6. "Ayumu?"
"Yes. But... Tiana, what's going on?"
"She was taken by slavers. I saw her at the auction."
The two went to the kitchen, and Ayumu started reheating a bowl of soup. "It's not great, but it's something. I guess we should get the most important part out of the way now: You're free to go. I'll get a seat on the Andalusia reserved for you."
"N-no. I want to stay. If I go, they'll... they'll think I escaped, and they'll hurt Evan and Kayla..." The names were familiar to Ayumu. He'd maintained a form of contact with Azure Line Shipping. "And I'll be safer here too."
"I suppose that is what you wanted, isn't it Ayumu? You told me..." Tiana began.
"... that all I really wanted was Aina's safety. I just hoped it wasn't going to be this way..."
"Can I... send a message to Evan and Kayla? So they know I'm okay?"
"Sure."
Sending transmission...
Sender: Aina Kouryo
Location: Hangar OF2-39, Planet Malta
To: Kayla Cross, Cerulean
Kayla, I'm alright. Do you remember that cute mechanic we met on Freeport 6 a while back? He's here! His friend paid for my freedom, but I'm staying with the Outcasts. I think I'd be safer here. We can still see each other, though. You can come here, I can visit you, whichever. I'm free!
All the same, shoot that slaver for me. He was too... grabby.
End of transmission.