Although their own cycles had finished, the machines continued to whir and moan long after they had finished and dressed, Raniko taking a new, plainer outfit from the dryer. They giggled and caressed one another as though they were drunk, both in extremely high spirits.
“Well, this is it, I suppose,” Brandana said outside the laundry room door.
“I suppose so.”
For some special moments, they gazed into one another’s eyes, eager to say something, to stay together, to do it all again and again. However, life seemed too hard. Both of them had a job to do. Other things on their mind. Devon. Hans. Hudson Brody. The bounty. Kirslar. Populus. Surely it was impossible?
Brandana said, “I think we’ll see each other again.”
“You know, so do I,” Raniko agreed. “You’ve got me believing all this cosmic bullshit. Until then?”
“Until then.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Success Soured
Raniko enjoyed feeling naughty and walking out of such a fine hotel in somebody else’s clothes after a wonderful sexual encounter fitted the bill quite nicely. A couple of times, Raniko almost turned back. Brandana had gotten under her skin. Raniko had not only found the sex stimulating, she had enjoyed the conversation and the company very much. Yet it was time to be alone again. On the hunt. Her way.
Before she turned for the parking area, something made her hunter senses tingle. Her gaze was drawn towards the beach. Sitting there alone, quite still while others jogged past or flew kites, was a man with loose, dark curls. Could it be, she wondered? There was only one way to find out.
The closer she got, the more certain Raniko became. She checked that her handcuffs were to hand, pulling them to the top of her Fendi handbag.
“Hello. Mind some company?” she asked innocently.
Devon was startled. “I don’t mind.”
“My name’s Raniko. You?”
“Devon.”
“Nice name.”
“Thanks.”
“So, been here long?”
Raniko could not help but chat to the bounty. Prettier than she imagined, Devon held her interest and she looked at him like a curious cat. His hair was a beautiful chocolate brown and flecks of sand had blown up and got caught on his skin. Raniko wanted to pick them off and put them in her pocket. After meeting Brandana, after their wanton encounter, she was feeling very relaxed, very at peace with the world. Now, on the beach with Devon, she wished that they could stay there together. Something told her that they would get along under different circumstances.
“I don’t know how long I’ve been here,” he smiled.
“And you don’t care, right?”
“Right,” Devon grinned, feeling he could tell this strikingly beautiful woman anything. “How about you? How long have you been in Botanica?”
“Just arrived.”
“Do you like it so far?”
“Oh yeah.” Raniko nodded seriously. “I like it very much.” In a thrice, she had snapped handcuffs tightly around his pretty wrists.
“Wait a minute. What are you doing? Why have you handcuffed me?” Devon could not believe his eyes.
“I’m a bounty hunter, my sweet friend. I’ve been paid to bring you in.”
Devon grimaced. “Queen Uno.”
“Afraid so, baby. I am sorry about this, believe me. Well now, there’s my way or the highway. Are you the type to go quietly or am I going to have to rough you up a little?”
“I don’t have a choice.” He sighed. “I never have.”
His answer was so pitiful, Raniko queried, “What do you mean?”
“I hope you know that you’re taking me back to slavery, Raniko, if that’s even your real name. I had a huge stroke of luck to get off that planet alive. By handing me over to them, you’re as good as signing my death warrant. If you can live with that, go ahead. Take me back there.”
“Another sob story,” she said coldly when inside, she was cracking like a mirror struck with a stone. “You wouldn’t believe the crap that I hear on a daily basis.”
“Fine. Point me in the direction of your ship. I’ve enjoyed my few weeks of freedom. Nothing else matters now. Do what you will.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
A Crazy Idea
Brandana of course had no luck in finding Devon as Raniko had beaten her to the prize. As she paced the lengthy corridors of Botanica checking every single room just on the off chance he might be there, Raniko was cuffing the man Brandana loved to a gold plated bar on one of her many suede settees.
Brandana shed a quiet tear. She was not usually the crying type but she had experienced a very hard couple of days. It seemed that Devon had disappeared from the face of the planet when she was so desperate to be held in his arms. She had indulged in her first same sex relationship and she had disappeared too and only yesterday she was flying through the air bombing vicious Ratt Pirates. Life suddenly took its toll and she rested against the hotel wall, utterly exhausted.
Back in Hans’ ship, Brandana collapsed into the co-pilot seat.
“You alright, sis?”
“Fine. Just get me off this planet and quickly.”
“No Devon?”
“I can’t find him anywhere.”
“Sorry.” Hans shrugged.
“Give it up. You didn’t want me to find him anyway.”
“I know, but I didn’t think you’d be this upset about it. Tell you what,” a mischievous look spread across Hans’ face. “I know what might cheer you up.”
“What?” she sulked.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a while. What do you say to a bit of good, old fashioned revenge?”
Brandana blinked. “Go on.”
“On Queen Uno. How about making yourself feel better by dropping a bomb on her palace or ripping the place apart with some lasers and missiles? I’ve heard she secretly supports the Ratt Pirates.”
“Really, or are you just saying that?”
“You decide.” Hans winked.
“I tell you what, even though your idea does sound fun, how about we make a real change on Irella? We could kidnap her, yeah, and make her change her planet’s stupid, outdated, cruel traditions.”
Hans’ face fell. “Boom, boom! Crash, crash! Come on, it would be so much fun!”
“No. We will kidnap her, with a purpose.”
“You’re getting old and boring,” Hans moaned but still wasted no time in plotting their new course back to Irella.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Brody Feels The Pressure
As if he was not busy and stressed out enough, Hudson Brody’s planning of his next urgent mission was interrupted by an urgent call from the interplanetary police hot line, a direct line which was never used except in emergencies. Calls came straight through and were not even vetted by his secretary.
“Brody? Inspector Carter. Is this a good time?”
Hudson inwardly groaned. A call from him meant that something had gone badly wrong, or was about to. He felt a lot of dirty work about to fall into his lap. Stuff that he was not allowed to talk about. Nevertheless, the police force put a lot of money into Star Fighters every financial year, some of it dubious, all of it lucrative.
“Carter, good to hear from you,” he lied through his teeth, automatically switching to his best business voice. “How can I be of service?”
“I hear you recently took a job from the ruler of Irella.”
“Queen Uno.” Hudson knew she would be trouble.
“Yes. Thing is, she’s been kidnapped.”
Hudson felt genuine shock and a wave of uncertainty. The bad thing had already happened. “Really? When?”
“An hour ago.”
“Any idea who or why?”
“They left a note. Check your email, I’m sending it to you now.”
Hudson did so. The note read, ‘On behalf of all servants of this tyrannical Irellan rule, your Queen has been kidnapped. For the while she will remain safe. Until our demands are met. We demand the following things:
1. Set sensible and fair hours for all servants, in keeping with universal rules governing maximum hours allowable.
2. Fair pay for all servants, in keeping with universal rules governing minimum wage.
3. Better living conditions for servants.
4. More holidays for servants.
5. The complete abandonment of the keeping of bipenes for royal marriages and any other slave duty.
Our ship is in Irellan orbit awaiting your decision. If our demands are not met, your Queen will suffer. You have been warned and have twenty-four hours to resolve these matters.’
“Any clues on the handwriting?” Hudson asked.
“Not so far. There is a ship orbiting above the palace and we believe the queen is onboard. Brody, we need a hunter to get her back immediately. Can you supply?”
“Of course.” Hudson began to check availability on screen. “I have a hunter nearby right now. I’ll get in touch.”
“The queen’s safety is utmost, Brody. If she’s damaged, I’m holding Star Fighters completely responsible. I’ll be waiting for your call.”
With that, Carter was gone. Hudson shook his head and wondered how in the galaxy he managed to get himself into scrapes like this. With the head of a queen no less as his responsibility, and possibly the start of a great war if it all goes pear shaped, his stress levels soared. Hudson took a throat hogging tablet with a slug of Scotch and waited for his stomach to settle before he got in touch with the nearest hunter; Raniko on The Opulence.
* * * *
“Good to hear from you so soon,” Raniko teased for she had only recently contacted Hudson to tell him she was bringing back Devon safe and sound.
“We have a problem, my dear.”
“You mean you do,” she teased. “I don’t have problems, only the solutions.”
“I love my team,” Hudson growled. “Remember our favourite queen?”
“The bitch from Irella?”
“The very same. Well, this should please you, it seems she has been kidnapped.”
“Shame.” Raniko did not sound convinced. “What’s that got to do with me? Do you want me to take him back now or not?”
“No, no, don’t do that. I want you to divert. Lucky old you, Raniko, you are the closest hunter to the kidnapper’s ship. You told me the bounty was no problem so leave him safely locked up. I want you to board the ship and release the queen.”
“You are joking?”
“Afraid not. I’ve just had Carter on the phone. This is an emergency operation, Raniko. We need that queen back asap.”
Of course, Raniko had little choice but to agree. Failing to respond to a police emergency would result in all sorts of carnage. As she had said, Devon was no problem. He would stay put, she was sure.
Yet as she began to chart her course for Irella, Raniko could not help but feel a terrible sadness, so terrible that acid began to burn her larynx. Back in her ship, Devon lay fast asleep on the sofa, stretched out like a proud lion, looking sorrowful even in his somnolence. When she had first found him on the beach, there had been a dignity in his face that was lost now. Lost to despondency and she had caused it.
Raniko rubbed her chest but the burn of guilt would not abate. Several times she had found herself watching Devon as he slept, drawn to him, to his peaceful demeanour and his inner glow which was cooling now almost perceptibly before her eyes. She knelt before him and listened to his deep, calm breathing.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.