Venis Vey is a young smuggler fairly new to the business. She was taught the trade by her old boy friend who was a smuggler for years until his death about two years ago. Vee “inherited” his ship after his death and now works for herself. She gets most of her business through “Guppa the Hutt” one of two rare Hutt twins. Guppa really likes Vee but his twin Budda is jealous and is planning to get rid of her.
Her ship touched down on the busy landing pad at Raes Dortan. This was one of her favorite space ports. There was always a party on Raes Dortan somewhere. First she had to settle a dispute with an old acquaintance, Zefrada, a very bad guy. The star port authorities would have to be dealt with first of coarse. Everyone gets a slice on Raes Dortan. It was simply the price of doing business here. If you grease the right palms no questions would be asked. Hell, if you had enough money they would swear on their children’s lives you were never even there. Vee slipped into her sexiest skin tight coveralls and zipped it up about half way. She tied her hair up in two pigtails and grabbed her shoulder bag. Vee took one last look at herself in the mirror and smiled. She looked sexy yet innocent and she knew it. She only stood about five feet tall and had snow white hair. Her large ice blue eyes would make any man stop dead in their tracks. Although small in stature she still had a fantastic figure and used it as best she could.
It was winter on Raes Dortan and the frigid air took her a little by surprise when she opened the air lock. The port had few indoor docking bays and those were usually reserved for full time rentals. Most ships just landed on the large flat plasticrete pad that had been hastily poured around the old star port station. A few years ago Sillium and Tri-oxium had been found here in huge amounts and this started a mining boom. The little back water station had quadrupled it’s population almost over night. The transient population alone was as much as the original population had been.
She started to run toward the main station with her bag slung over her shoulder military fashion. It was colder then she thought and she even pondered going back for a coat. The coat was not going to go with her plan, it’s better if she looked half frozen when she got to the customs desk. Several vehicles slowed down to offer her a ride but she just smiled and thanked them for being so nice to offer. Even at night and running across the large field she still was drawing attention. Vee had finally made it to the main station door way. Two men stopped and held the door for her, men are such suckers. She smiled and thanked them for being so kind. They just smiled back and muttered something dumb. She was sure to laugh at their comments and wave as she left them dreaming about her all night. She wasn’t sure what it was that men found so irresistible about her but she used it to the utmost. She hurried down the crowded terminal towards the customs check point. Vee was glad to see a new guy at the post. She easily worked her way threw the crowd up to the desk. Once or twice she gave a plea to some sap to let her go ahead of him. They went for it every time. It wasn’t that she didn’t like men it was that it was so much easier to bat her eyes or give a little pout and they would do what ever she wanted.
When she got to the desk she put her finger tip in her mouth and gave the guard the old “I’m so helpless and alone, would you please help me you big strong man?”routine. At first he was a little stubborn about the paper work not being in order until she worked up a few tears and made it sound as if he was harassing her. It worked like always and he let her go thru the gate. He didn’t even look in her bag as Vee had known he wouldn’t.
She quickly made her way to the terminal exit and had some guy give her his cab. Vee entered the destination into the droid pilot and off they flew. The view of the star port was spectacular. Hundreds of space craft of all kinds were everywhere. There lights and thrusters lit up the night sky like a grand celebration. It was beginning to snow now and all that could be seen through the view screen was the snow flakes zooming by. She could see the old fortress that belonged to Zefrada. The man was a womprat. He dealt in most anything a decent criminal would not. Drugs, slaves, and worse was the type of action he built his empire on. Zefrada was no ones fool though and Vee knew she had to be careful, her charms would not sway this man. Unlike most men that she played with he had a stable of women he could use and abuse all he wanted and some better looking and more willing to please him than Vee would be. No way would her looks be any help here except for him to snatch her up and slave her out.
The cab circled the compound once after it was given clearance and landed on a platform high on one of the towers. The snow was coming down heavier now and the wind had picked up quite a bit. It was freezing when Vee got out of the cab and ran to the door. Vee pressed the intercom on the door and asked to be let inside. She saw the cab take off and head straight back to the space port. Vee stood there freezing as she tried to get a reply from inside.
“Open the door Zefrada it’s me, Venis Vey.”she said shivering.
There was no answer.
“Damn it Zef, open the door I’m freezing out here!” she pounded on the door.
“State your business.” came a voice on the intercom.
“It’s me, Vee, I got your stuff Zef. Now stop fooling around and let me in.” She was starting to get worried now. It would be just like Zefrada to let her freeze half to death as one of his sadistic jokes before he would let her in.
“Did you come alone?” came the voice again.
“Very funny Zef, you know I’m alone.” Vee was getting nervous. He was going to let her die out here or at least get frost bite. Zefrada and Vee had not seen eye to eye on their last deal and Zefrada had felt a little cheated. He was not a forgiving man and Vee had come to try and work things out with him. Vee’s fingers were numb and she was shivering so hard she couldn’t speak. She reached into her shoulder bag and slowly pulled out a small doll that looked like her. A friend had made a couple of these for her as a joke and this was her last one. She was going to use it if she needed to escape from inside but now she needed it to get inside instead. She crawled to the far edge of the platform and pressed the left eye then the right eye and then the left again. With her last bit of energy she threw it at the door pressing herself as flat as she could to the ground. The doll hit the door and slid down to the bottom. A huge explosion rocked the platform sliding Vee to the very edge. When the smoke cleared Vee crawled as fast as she could to the entrance. Zefrada only had a few guards because he never trusted anyone. It appeared like he was now down two more. She saw two bodies just inside the doorway killed in the explosion. They must have been waiting for her to freeze before they opened the door to bring her inside.
Well that was it, he didn’t want her apology, he wanted her dead. The gloves were off now and it was him or her. Vee found one of the guards guns and grabbed it. She was still shivering and couldn’t fight just yet. The other guards would be there soon and she had to buy some time to warm up. She was able to push a small cabinet close to the wall and climb on top. She could just reach the ceiling tiles above and push one out of the way. With a bit of a struggle she was able to climb up and inside pulling the tile shut behind her. Time, she needed time. Time to get warm and to plan what to do next. She knew the ceiling wasn’t going to be a good hiding spot for long and she had to decide what to do next.
Down below she heard a noise. Vee took a deep breathe and held it. She could hear someone or something coming up the hallway. If it was one of Zefrada’s hunting beasts she wouldn’t stand a chance. It would sniff her out and drag her right out of the ceiling and kill her. It was a droid, most likely a common house droid. Zefrada had already lost two guards because he underestimated Vee and he wouldn’t make that mistake again. She could hear it’s clanking foot steps moving slowly below her. “Good.” she thought. The droid wouldn’t be able to find her up here and that will give her more time to warm up.
Without warning the ceiling gave way and Vee came smashing down on top of the cabinet and onto the floor. She had just ran out of time. The droid took a step back “Master, master, I have found her!” it reported back.
Vee quickly stumbled down the hall way. She wasn’t sure if she was getting closer or farther away from Zefrada. She just wanted to be away from that damned snitching droid. She stopped at an intersection in the hall way to decide which way to go. The droid was still behind her giving reports continually. Vee raised the gun she had taken from the dead guard to shoot the droid but before she could shoot the lights went out. It was pitch black now and she was helpless. She heard heavy footsteps coming from in front of her. Vee waited . They were almost on her before she dropped prone and started shooting. The men she hit were screaming, the ones she missed were shooting back. Vee was fighting for her life. This wasn’t what she was good at. She was a smuggler and it was her job to get things someplace without it being known. She wasn’t a warrior, she was scared to death. Vee lay on the floor and just kept shooting at their muzzle flashes. She didn’t know if she had even hit any of them. The guards quickly backed off down to the hallway they came in by. She did it! She had beaten them back. The lights came on again and she saw three men in various stages of death in front of her. Her gun was empty now. It may have been for a while she was so shaky now she couldn’t be sure. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a small object on the floor just ahead of her. There was a sudden bright flash and a boom and she was out.
Vee awoke with her head pounding. Everything was upside down in the large room. She was cold. Her arms were tied behind her and hanging straight out, the blood had rushed into them and they had gone numb. She was very cold and still disoriented. She had been stripped naked and hung up by her ankles in this huge room. Vee threw up. She was about to die in some unthinkable way at the hands of this sadistic maniac. Vee scanned the room for some hope. In the corner was a young girl shivering and sitting on a stool.
“You, on the stool, come here.” said Vee still only half conscious.
The girl stood up as if startled and turned towards Vee’s voice.
“Are you awake? I must get the master.” said the girl.
Vee could see the girl was very beautiful but was blindfolded.
“No wait, please come here first!” Vee pleaded.
The girl felt her way over to where Vee was hanging. She could see to her horror the girl wasn’t blindfolded she had been blinded. And not in a surgical way. The poor girl had scars and blisters showing from under what Vee could now see were bandages.
“Listen to me! I can get us out of here. If you help me I swear I will take you with me.
“No… I must tell the master you are awake.” the girl said as she felt her way back toward the door.
“No! Don’t go, Please listen to me. If you go now your master will torture me and kill me. If you tell him you will be helping him to do to me what he did to you!” Vee was close to panic now.
“I’m sorry but I must.” the girl sounded truly sorry and took a step closer to the door.
“I have a space ship at the star port and powerful friends. If we can make it that far we will be safe. I have money and can pay for bacta tank treatments for you. You don’t have to tell your master I’m awake just yet. Let me down for a moment, you don’t have to untie me just let my head clear for a second and we can make a plan.
“I can’t, look what he’s done to me. He is a monster! He would only do worse things to me!” the girl made it to the door and yelled through the bars in the door, “Master she is awake!”
“Shut up, I can help you!” Vee screamed as she saw her last chance of freedom disappear.
The door opened slowly and warm air drifted inside causing a slight mist to rise. Silhouetted in the door way was a tall thin man. It was Zefrada, he was wearing a plush robe and caring a drink in one hand. The girl was now on her knees with her head down touching the floor. “Get out.” was all he said to her. The girl crawled like an animal out of the room.
“Zefrada, we can make a deal! Just cut me down and give me a chance! I’m sorry, you win, I’ll make it right!” Vee was now unashamedly begging for her life. She had crossed the wrong person this time and there was no way she was getting out of this.
Zefrada slapped Vee across the face as hard as he could sending her spinning in circles hanging from the ceiling.
“Stop begging! You make me sick! Your kind is always so quick to steal from someone and laugh about how clever they are. That is until they get caught. Then they don’t feel so smart. Then they stop laughing.” Zefrada said grabbing her by the hair to stop her spinning.
“You see, when prissy little bitches like you steal from me that makes me look weak, Do you think I’m a weak man Venis Vey?” Zefrada said as he shook Vee’s head back and forth.
“No sir, I don’t think you’re weak.” Vee had no fight in her. She just wanted to live thru this.
“Your damned right I’m not!” he said and then punched Vee full in the stomach sending her spinning again.
Vee was hoping at this point she would pass out but she knew he would not let that happen, he wanted this to last.
“You know what I’m gonna do to you Venis Vey?” Zefrada said steadying her by her hair again.
“I’m going to skin you.” he said coldly.
“I’m going to cut off all the skin from that pretty little face of yours then I’m going to let you live that way as an example to people that I do business with not to steal from me.” he said with a bit of glee in his voice. “Then who knows what will happen to you next.” he turned and called to the blind girl to bring him his knife.
“ I’ll get you what I owe you Zef! Just one more chance please!” Vee was saying anything now she had no ideas left.
The girl came into the room feeling for anything she might trip over. She was standing right next to Zefrada and handed him the knife.
“You stupid idiot, This is just the sheath you blind whore!” Before Zefrada could say anything else the girl had jammed the knife into his stomach.
Zefrada looked shocked but just for a second. He grabbed the girl’s hand and wrestled the knife from her stabbing her in the back as she tried to escape. With his other hand he grabbed her by the throat and started to squeeze. The girl was gasping for air but she began to scratch at his face. She wasn’t going to die easy. They struggled for a few more seconds and then she went limp in his hand. He dropped her on the floor with a sicking thud. Zefrada looked at his wound, blood was everywhere. He looked at Vee in disbelief, he was going to die. Zefrada looked again at the dead girl and gave a out a little laugh and then fell flat on his face. His head made a loud cracking sound as it hit, he was dead.
Vee couldn’t believe what had just happened. She was alive and still in one piece. She began to twist and shake her body in hopes of somehow knocking herself loose from the hook above. It was useless, the rope was to tight. She was slowly spinning helpless in the room. What could she do? One of Zefrada’s thugs was sure to check on him soon and then what?
Vee froze in terror as she heard someone behind her. She was facing away from the door and couldn’t see who or what it was. She spun slowly toward the door and couldn’t believe what she saw. It was the blind girl. She wasn’t dead and had somehow stood up. The knife was still sticking out of her back. She just stood there swaying back and forth. “Is he dead?” the girl asked Vee.
“Yes, yes he’s dead now cut me down so we can get out of here.” Vee whispered.
“Good.” was all she said and started to feel around the room. She was headed for the door. Vee pleaded for her to come back she kept walking toward the door. When she reached the door she felt around in the shadows and hit a button that began to lower Vee to the ground.
“We’re free now.”said the girl smiling and she collapsed on the floor. Vee wasted no time and shimmied herself over to the girl and twisted around and took hold of the knife in the girl’s back. Vee hesitated for a second. If the girl was still alive this might kill her but she had to do it if they had any chance of surviving. She pulled the knife out with one quick jerk. The girl didn’t move or make a sound. With tears running down her face she rocked herself up on her knees and wedged the knifes handle between her ankles. Vee was able to cut the ropes on her wrists fairly easily. She rubbed her wrists vigorously until she could feel the numbness going away in her hands. Vee then cut the ropes around her ankles and she was free. She looked around the room and found her clothes and put them on. She looked at the girl laying on the floor dead. She gave her life to save her and she didn’t even know her name. Vee took a good look at her and realized she was probably only sixteen years old.
She wouldn’t leave her. She picked the girl up and put her over her shoulders and walked out of the room.
This level of the fortress was unoccupied. Apparently Zefrada liked his privacy when he was torturing someone to death. Vee staggered into the main hall way. The girl’s limb body was heavier than she thought it would be. The hallway was empty and fairly well lit. Vee thought of leaving the girl’s body then finding a way out and then come back for it. She wouldn’t do that. If she had to make a quick exit she may not have time to go back for it.
Down the hall way she could make out two doors. A large set of double doors at the end and a single door down and to the right. She would try the right. Vee walked slowly under the weight of the body and down to the door. It opened easily a little to her surprise into an unused room of some good size. She went in and closed the door behind her. At the far side of the door was another door. She tried it and it opened at the top of a long dark set of stairs. She had nowhere else to go but down. She carefully started down the stairs into the darkness below. Her legs were becoming unstable under the weight of the body on her shoulders. This must be some ancient stair way not yet renovated be Zefrada, now it will never be. She could feel cool air coming from below. It was a draft of some kind blowing up the stair way. Could it really be this easy? It couldn’t be, for her to just walk down a flight of stairs and outside to freedom was not possible. Vee kept going down the stairs. Sweat was now dripping from her forehead. The combination of adrenaline and carrying the body was making her sweat now. She needed to rest. Reaching the bottom of the stairs Vee put the girl’s body down as easily as she could. She sat down next to it and gasped for air. Looking around she saw she was in a small room that had a door with a barred window in it. There was a small amount of light coming through the opening as well as a cold breeze. After a while she had caught her breathe Vee decided to look through the door to see if she could find a way out through the next room. She began to feel a new sense of urgency as she realized they would find Zefrada’s corpse soon and it was an easy thing to figure out were they had gone. She had to get on tip toes to see into the opening. Vee saw in the next room was a window that had bars on it and was open to the outside. The cool air felt good on her. Nervously she turned the door handle and it opened. She couldn’t believe her luck this far. With out any more hesitation she picked up the girl’s body one more time and entered the room. The inside of the room was very dark and it was hard to tell just how big it was. The window was ancient and in bad shape but looking out she was able to see a court yard about thirty feet below. Once again she laid the girl gently on the floor. Vee grabbed one of the bars in the window and gave it a good hard shake. It moved, just a little but it did move. She gave it another hard shake and it became a little more loose. This is going to work, eventually the bar would come out and she could squeeze through.
A scuffling sound was heard just above her head. She froze and looked up into the darkness. The ceiling of this room was very high it seemed. The darkness would not allow her to see just how high however. She stood quiet for a moment, the sound came from above again. Something was up there in the darkness watching her below. Vee began to frantically yank on the window bars. The sound was more frequent now and whatever it was up there no longer was trying to be stealthy. Suddenly the bar wedged itself solid. It wouldn’t budge at all. Vee went cold, from above she saw what looked like a huge black twisted icicle coming down slowly from the darkness. It was about six feet long. Then she saw another and another. They were the legs of some kind of huge spider like beast. Vee stood completely still the creature was gigantic about fifteen feet across and eight feet tall. It’s carapace was jet black except for a large white diamond shaped spot on it’s long thin body. She guessed this was it’s sensor organ and it was pointed directly at her. The thing must know she was there. Why else would it have come down? The creature stood in the center of the room waving two of it’s legs in the air slowly. It was using them to locate it’s prey somehow she thought. Vee panicked, she made a dive for the window and in an instant it was on her. She had managed to squirm part way through the window and was trying to pull the rest of her body through the tiny opening. The beast was jabbing at her with it’s long slender legs trying to pull her back into the room. As she continued to twist and pull herself through the window the bar that was jammed came free and Vee nearly fell head long straight down to the court yard below. The thing was squealing in frustration as it continued to try and pull her back in the room. Hanging on to the remaining bar Vee was able to twist herself around and wedge herself into the corner of the window sill on the out side of the window. A blaster bolt exploded next to her head and she saw one of Zefrada’s guards in the court yard shooting at her. He had come out of a doorway that had a large opening and small roof over it. She had no choice, she jumped for it.
The leap was about ten feet down. Vee hit the roof hard and rolled once then slid off. She tried to grab the edge but missed. It was just enough to slow her fall so she could turn to land feet first. Vee hit hard and twisted her ankle falling on the ground. The guard ran over and slid on the snow that was covering the courtyard. He yanked Vee up to her feet roughly still just maintaining his balance on the slippery stone floor.
It may have been frustration or anger but whatever it was made Vee shove him as hard as she could. Before she had realized what had happened he lost his footing and fell screaming backward over the rail of the courtyard. Vee heard him scream until he hit something below with a sicking thud. Vee looked up at the window she just escaped from. The creature was still trying to grab at her. She thought about the poor girl’s body lying up in the room. It would have to remain there. The girl deserved much better than that but there wasn’t time to do anything for her. If Vee died now that girl would have died for nothing. She had to keep going.
Vee entered the fortress as quietly as she could. Her ankle was throbbing with pain. She recognized this area of the fortress from her earlier visits. The hanger bay was just one flight down. If she was able to make it to the other side of the fortress she could take the back stair way down to that level.
An alarm sounded. It was going off all over the fortress now. She stepped back into a doorway and watched as several men ran up a flight of stairs to the level where Zefrada’s body was. They knew he was dead. This was it. She decided it was now or never. It wouldn’t take long before they sealed off the hanger bay. She decided to go for it. Vee half ran half hopped all the way down to the stair way at the far end of the hall way. She made it! Now just down one flight of stairs and into the hangar bay. Vee saw two men enter at the bottom of the stair way armed to the teeth. She turned to head back the way she came but another man, Kertos, Zefrada’s second in command was right behind her with three guards. “End of the line Vee.” he said.
Vee was taken to a nice office and made to sit on a large plush couch. Amazingly she was left there unattended. Kertos entered the room with a blaster pistol in his hand. He told the others not to disturb him and shut and locked the door.
“I’m not even going to ask how you escaped. All in all it will work out better if I don’t know. You may not realize it but you have done me a great favor Vee. As you know Zefrada was quite insane, in a very dangerous kind of way.” Kertos had put the pistol on the big desk in the center of the room and was pacing slowly back and forth across the room.
“Vee, you know I had always liked you…I mean as one professional too another. It made me sick to find out what Zefrada had planned for you but at the time, in my position there was very little I could do for you.” Kertos looked at Vee for some sort of response.
“Oh yes, I understand what a problem that must have been for you.” Vee said not sure where this conversation was headed.
“Excellent, I needed to take charge of this organization, to steer it in a new direction but there was Zefrada. I’ m sure he wouldn’t have agreed with me and then one of us would have to die. Well Vee you have taken care of that whole problem in one night. I’m the one calling the shots now not him. And to top it all off none of this is my doing. I can’t be held accountable to any of Zefrada’s friends for any of this. They will find out that Zefrada had tangled with “The Amazing Venis Vey !” he said waving his hands in the air like a carnival master. “There she was bound and ready to be killed by the big bad Zefrada, but wait, she has escaped and vanquished her tormenter thus leaving poor loyal Kertos in charge of this whole operation after being greiviously wounded himself.” Said Kertos as he handed Vee the blaster.
Vee just stared at Kertos in disbelief.
“Okay, your tired, here’s the easy version. You shoot me in the leg then you sneak out the secret emergency exit behind you to a small shuttle waiting at the end of the hallway. You escape and I become the new head man.” Kertos said in an almost condescending tone.
“Well, what do you say? You do want to be a legend don’t you?” he said smiling.”Don’t you get it? You’ll be famous for killing that bastard Zefrada, no one will want to mess with you ever again. That is unless you tell some one the truth. Then every one will know I lied and you are just a little nobody that anyone can mess with without any fear.” he said sticking his leg out.
“I just want you to promise me one thing Kertos.” Vee said pointing the gun at his head.
“What’s that? He replied.
“There is a dead girl up in the room with that creature.” Vee took the safety off the pistol.
Kertos was listening a little more carefully now. “Yes, what about it?” he answered.
“I want you to swear to me she will get a decent burial, I mean it.” Vee said.
Kertos hesitated as he tried to figure out the importance of this request. “ Okay, I promise, if that’s all you want then yes you have my word as a professional.” he said reassuringly.
“Good.” was all she said and then shot him in the leg.
Kertos grimaced in pain. He then motioned her to go through the exit to the waiting shuttle.
Vee ran as quickly as she could with her injured ankle down to the shuttle. She flew it straight to the space port and landed next to her own ship without asking permission from the tower. Vee pushed the shuttles hatch open and jumped out slipping and landing hard on the ground. She didn’t even turn off the shuttle’s engine she was in such a hurry.
Vee was now in her own ship. She was shaking so badly she could barely set the coordinates into the astrodroids interface. The ship lifted straight up and nearly hit several other ships in the process. It was over! She had gotten away. Vee put her head in her hands and bawled like a baby. It was over, it was really over. She just wanted to put as much distance between her and that place as she could. Once the ship left the planets surface she pulled herself together enough to hop down to her cabin. She made it to her bed and flopped down in it. Vee’s ankle was getting pretty swollen by now so she jammed some pillows under it as to give it some elevation. She lay on her back and covered her face with her hands. That was close, way to close. How could she be so stupid? She new she wouldn’t be able to charm her way out of that mess but she went right in and tried any way. She nearly died at that feinds hands and she had just walked right in. She had gotten to cocky and she nearly ended herself. Vee rolled over and grabbed a bottle on her night stand and took a large swig. It burned going down but she didn’t care. Her ankle was really starting to hurt now. The adrenaline was wearing off as she began to calm her nerves, she took another drink. Vee called to her droid to bring her some ice in a bag for her ankle. She wondered if her ankle was broken.
She had set the co-ordinates for Guppa’s planet. She new she would be safe there. Guppa liked her, she was like a favorite pet to him. She didn’t mind, all Hutts see other races as inferieror so what does it hurt to be a favorite.
Guppa had offered her a contract to work for him. She would do legitamate work for him in exchange for a smuggling run here and there. It wouldn’t pay as well but at least she would have some back up. She never thought she would need any back up. Venis Vey was to smart for that. This night was the first time she realized just how small she was. Just how little she mattered out there. She would have died screaming in a dark hole at the hands of that sick bastard and no one would have cared one bit. All those men she flirted with would forget her as soon as the next pretty face smiled at them. She needed to count on some body. She needed a friend and why not Guppa? He was powerful and his influence was far reaching to say the least.
The droid came in at last and gave her the ice bag. She put it on her ankle as gently as she could. It was probably broken.
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Last Updated (Friday, 17 May 2013 01:21)