Personal Gain

Posted on Sun Jul 28th, 2024 @ 7:39am by Lieutenant Commander Lyra Cassiel & Lottie

Mission: S1 Episode 8: Resolutions
Location: Dralian Trading Post
Timeline: Date 2371-12-26 at 1500
2643 words - 5.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

“Energize.”

The haze of light cleared quickly from Lyra’s vision and she looked around the immediate area of the Dralian owned trading post. It wasn’t an overly large locale, but she immediately noted it was mostly clean and well lit unlike many of the random trading posts dotted around the quadrant. She was wearing a pristinely cut leather jacket over a blood red scoop neck shirt that didn’t show any of her cleavage, but it hugged her body and didn’t leave the shape of any of her curves to the imagination. The look was finished with a near black dark wash jean and a pair of feminine boots; her commbadge was affixed to her jacket. It wasn’t a look she often sported now, but it was one that was comfortable for her given how she had lived over half of her life.

Behind her stood two massive Kazon men along with one male Banean and one male Numiri. The surprising finish to the group, however, was the pretty little quarter Trill slave Lottie. The girl was clearly extremely nervous both for being off the ship for the first time and likely being with Lyra, but Lyra was hoping that perhaps this trip might give her some insight into the girl and if her plan for the future would end up working or not. She did hope so; it wasn’t as if servants were readily available. With a simple gesture, she summoned her slaves to heel like a pack of loyal dogs, and they began walking. They drew attention, and for Lyra’s purposes that was a good thing for once. As they moved to a slightly less congested area, she glanced over her shoulder.

“Lottie, come walk by my side.”

Immediately, Lottie moved to comply and glanced over to Lyra with nervous blue eyes. “Yes, Domina.”

It wasn’t uncommon for some Terrans - especially those of the Imperial line - to prefer to be referred to by the Roman titles of dominus and domina instead of the more standard master and mistress. Lyra was pleased the girl had only needed to be told once to remember the preference, but she would be curious to see if it would stick in more stressful situations. “Tell me about your life before you were sold to the Fleet for service. Who were your masters and how did you serve them?”

Lottie blinked but complied immediately. “I was born to my mother Idrin in the house of my first master Mitchell Holland and his wife Claudia Holland. They lived in Salzburg, Austria where my Master worked in banking and my Mistress remained at home to oversee it and raise their children; she enjoyed collecting art.” She paused to wet her lips and then continued, “I was the only first class slave owned by my masters and my main focus was assisting my mistress in day to day activities and keeping the house orderly through both instructing and assisting the second class slaves. I cooked meals, cleaned, and helped make sure my mistress remained informed on any needs within the household. I was trained to do this from childhood, and I know my masters were always pleased with the work I did.”

It bordered on being boastful, but it was a simple truth. Her masters had taken advantage of a horrible situation to make their lives easier and it had most certainly been a great fortune for them in the end to have a slave as dedicated and knowledgeable as Lottie.

“Why did your masters sell you into the service of the Fleet?” Lyra pressed as they walked.

“Master Mitchell made a bad investment that severely impacted the family. Without selling off their home, I was the highest object of value they could sell along with a few other slaves and some rarities Mistress Claudia had acquired.” Lottie replied and frowned slightly, her eyes downcast.

Lyra pursed her lips slightly. She knew the purchase price for Lottie had been quite high and it was easy to see why. Still, her confidence in her plan did not waver. “You said you assisted your mistress with her children; how many did she have and at what stages of their lives did you assist her?”

Lottie was confused and curious in equal measure at Lyra’s questions, but she knew it was not her place to ask about it. “Mistress had four children. I was too young to assist with the first two as they were both around my age, but there was a significant gap between the first and last two. With the two younger children, I spent a good portion of my time helping to look after the children even in their earliest days so Mistress could continue with her own pursuits.”

“Did you enjoy working with the children?”

“Yes, Domina. I love children.” Lottie smiled warmly despite herself.

Lyra’s dark eyes shifted over toward Lottie and took in the sweet, innocent smile the young woman wore. A slave like this wouldn’t be so bad; perhaps she might even find herself developing an affection toward it like one might have affection toward a pet. Either way, options were limited.

“If you were given the opportunity to enter back into private service, would you prefer that over serving in the fleet? Answer honestly, you won’t be punished.”

The young slave hesitated, averting her gaze and worrying her hands together in front of her. Feelings on assignments weren’t something to be discussed - or had in general - a slave was a slave and would do whatever they were commanded. She felt trapped by Lyra’s question, and even with the assurance she wouldn’t be punished, she was unsure. The truth was though, she was afraid of what might happen were she to not answer.

“Y-yes, Domina, I would.” Lottie squeaked out.

“Mm…” Lyra hummed acknowledgement. “Perhaps the future may hold something unexpected for you and I both.”

Lottie didn’t question the cryptic statement, and the group continued walking through the various avenues of the trading post. After pausing to ask a guard for further direction, they soon ended up in a large aisle full of dealers in flesh. Lyra knew who she was looking for and after a winding trip, she found the twin slavers she had contacted on the outpost. They were a species called the Boray that had light blue-ish purple skin and solid eyes that seemed to lack iris or pupil. Their black hair was kept long and heavily ornamented, likely a point of pride for them. They had strong, sharp features that were truly quite attractive if one could move past the color of their skin and the bony ridges on their temples and chin that ran down their necks likely to their concealed chests. That particular weakness had never afflicted Lyra. They smiled at her charmingly and in sync which was likely something they used in business.

“You must be Commander Cassiel.” One of them practically purred out and moved closer to her. It was impossible to tell where their eyes were lingering, but by the twitching of their lips she could tell they were having their fill of eyeing her and likely the pretty young woman who had fallen in line behind her.

“That’s right.” Lyra nodded and came to a stop with her group.

“Nevalon.” The one who had greeted her offered his name.

“Traxus.” The other supplied immediately and both bowed their heads in sync. “These are the slaves you spoke of?”

Lyra stepped to the side and gestured for Lottie to move away. With a simple motion of her hand, the Banean and Numiri men stepped forward with the Kazon taking a step up after them. “Yes, they are. Feel free to inspect them, but they are just as promised.”

She stood by with surprising patience as the two men approached her slaves and began to inspect them. These two with twenty others had been the survivors of the forty Baneans and Numiri she had been given to do with as she pleased in recompense for their imprisonment and torture of her. She had no intention of killing them all at once like had probably been expected of her; though she would likely kill a few more when the mood struck her. Instead, she had been trying her hand at breaking them and seeing them trained as slaves to great success and now she had decided to sell two of them for her own purposes - their lives belonged to her, she could do what she wished.

“Impressive, very impressive.” Nevalon said with genuine admiration. “Come, shall we sit and talk more?”

With a nod Lyra consented and they moved as a group to sit at a table under a canopy. Around them, slaves owned by the twins were put out on display for buyers who were examining them like one might look at produce at a store. A slave poured their drinks and they began to discuss the matter at hand. The Boray men were intensely curious about the story of the sundering of the Baneans and the complete annihilation of the Numiri and Lyra provided it willingly though of course left out the details involving herself. They were fascinated by it and hung off her every word; it even seemed quite genuine and not some sort of business tactic.

When she was done, the Banean and Numiri were put through several sets of tasks to prove their viability as slaves and how obedient they were. The Banean was focused on more cerebral tasks while the larger Numiri was given more physical challenges including sparring with one of the Boray’s slave guards; Lyra’s trained dog had won, of course.

“These two are certainly a rare find - the Numiri especially.” Lyra pointed out and placed her hands on the Numiri man’s shoulders. She leaned into his back and spoke to the Boray men over his shoulder with an enticing look in her dark eyes and an equally alluring timbre to her voice.

“You’ll likely never find another like him.”

The two brothers turned to discuss with each other and Lyra resumed her seat at the table.

“What about the woman?” Traxus asked and eyed Lottie with clear lust in his eyes.

“She’s mine and not for sale.” Lyra replied definitively. Lottie glanced over at her, confused by the phrasing though said nothing.

“Pity, but understandable.” The men sat back down with Lyra at the table

Lyra waited as Nevalon and Traxus settled in, their eyes flicking between her and the slaves. She knew the value of what she was offering, and she had no intention of letting them lowball her. She spoke with confidence, but kept her voice low. "Now, let's discuss the matter of payment.”

Nevalon leaned back, his expression thoughtful. "For these two slaves, we are prepared to offer 120,000 credits."

Traxus nodded in agreement. "And an additional 20,000 in precious jewels."

Lyra’s smile didn't waver, but her eyes hardened slightly. They had listened to what she had wanted with the combination of credits and jewels, but they were not giving her nearly the amount she was after. "One hundred twenty thousand credits and 20,000 in jewels?" she echoed. "Surely you jest. The Numiri alone could command such a price on his own. Strong, skilled in combat, and obedient. A perfect bodyguard or fighter. And the Banean, with his intellect, is an asset to any strategic planning. Both are rare finds, fully trained, and in prime condition. I am looking for 200,000 credits and 50,000 in jewels"

Nevalon hesitated, glancing at his brother before speaking again. "They are impressive, yes, but we must consider our own margins."

Lyra considered the two aliens before her. She had picked up on Nevalon’s hesitation and had felt his attention lingering on places that certainly were not on any of the slaves at her back. She turned her focus toward him, leaning toward him in a way that pulled her jacket slightly and revealed more of the curves on her body. Her dark eyes settled on his, and she parted her plush lips with purpose.

"Margins are important, I agree. But consider this: by acquiring these two, you gain not just their immediate services but the prestige of owning such unique and powerful assets." Her voice was melodic, giving a guise of understanding with their hesitation.

Nevalon seemed to waver, looking between Lyra and Traxus. "We recognize their value, Commander, but 200,000 credits and 50,000 in jewels is a steep price."

Lyra’s demeanor didn’t waver despite her annoyance. "You both know as well as I do that in the right circles, these slaves would fetch even higher prices."

Traxus sighed, leaning forward. "We could perhaps go up to 150,000 credits and 30,000 in jewels. That is a generous offer."

Finally, Lyra’s gaze hardened. "That is still below their worth. Consider the Numiri’s combat capabilities alone and the fact that his species is now virtually extinct except for a smattering of ships. Two hundred thousand credits and 50,000 in jewels, or I take them to someone who truly understands their value."

Traxus frowned, clearly conflicted. "Your point is valid, but the investment is substantial."

Lyra leaned back, crossing her legs with a confident air. Apparently they needed it spelled out for them in small words since they hadn’t picked up on it the first time. She spoke again, her face softening into a small, daring smirk that was coupled with a voice that held just the slightest of sultry notes. "Gentlemen, think long-term. The notoriety of owning such rare and capable slaves will attract more business to you, increase your standing among your peers, and ensure that your operations run more smoothly and securely. This is not just a purchase; it’s an enhancement to your entire enterprise."

The brothers exchanged a look, silently communicating. Though they were still hesitant, the way she spoke of the potential celebrity was intoxicating to them. Traxus spoke up, “We need a moment, please.”

Lyra nodded, her eyes never wavering. “Take your time. I assure you, it will be worth it.”

The brothers stood and moved away, engaging in a hushed conversation. Lyra watched them, her demeanor calm and confident. She knew they would come around. The slaves she offered were too valuable to pass up.

After a few minutes, the brothers returned, their expressions resigned but accepting. “Very well, Commander Cassiel,” Nevalon said. “Two hundred thousand credits and fifty thousand in precious gems, minerals, and metals.”

Lyra’s smile widened. “Excellent choice, gentlemen. I’m sure you’ll find these slaves to be worth every credit.” She extended her hand, and the brothers took turns shaking it.

As the deal was finalized, Lyra couldn’t help but feel a thrill of satisfaction. She had gotten exactly what she wanted, and the brothers were none the wiser to her subtle manipulations. She rose from her seat, gesturing for Lottie and the other slaves to follow.

“Pleasure doing business with you,” she said over her shoulder, leaving the brothers to marvel at their new acquisitions.

As they walked away, Lottie glanced up at Lyra with a mix of admiration and fear. She had made that entire exchange look so easy and those slaves had sold for more than she could have ever dreamed of, but what lingered in her mind was Lyra’s words of claim over her. Perhaps it had just been something easy.

With the deal concluded and her purpose fulfilled, Lyra led her entourage back through the trading post with a confident stride. The galaxy was a vast place, full of opportunities for those bold enough to seize them. And Lyra Cassiel was nothing if not bold.


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