Jakopy
Princess Kina looks at her reflect on her mirror, one last time. She doesn't look like royalty in this outfit, Princesses are not supposed to wear brown trousers, white shirt or big boots, however she would need that, to the place she goes, it will come handy and comfortable, something that neither dresses nor jewels can bring. She finally puts her cloak on her to be definitely ready. Ready to fight for her people and her future realm.
Someone knocks on her door and after taking her bag she opens it. It is Bhell, her bodyguard, but also one of her most trusted friend. Bhell as been her guard since he turned eighteen and she was thirteen years old. But they knew each other before and basically grew up together, him and his little sister Niriana, who is three years old younger than her. Ten years that he had been assigned to the job.
He gives her a look, asking if she's ready to go. She nods and follows him right after closing the door of her royal bedroom.
She won't say goodbye to her family, her mother is not around, and her father and brother passed away during the siege, three months ago.
One of her other guards told her that the ship is ready and the prisoner inside. She thanks him politely and enter the big engine. She sits, Bhell and two other guards by her side. They have a private room.
It's the bigger ship of the planet, and it can transport hundred of passengers to the closest planet of the Three Allies which is, Navina, the journey will only last a day.
Navina is her first stage, once she'll be there Bhell, his sister and herself will meet Jakopy, a friend who can actually track everyone and thanks to him they will be able to find Malia Berkenson, Bhell ex-girlfriend and her friend, the best and most of all the most trusted pilot she knows.
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“Go Kina! Hide.”
“Father, they're going to kill you.”
“It's a sacrifice I'm ready to make if it means the protection of my family angel. Now go!”
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Kina wakes up in a sweat. She was having nightmares. Again. Since her father's death months ago, she is always dreaming about what has happened during the siege. It's all this Garjon fault. Her people killed her father and her little brother. She takes the knife she is usually holding in her trousers and leave quietly her bedroom.
She has no shoes, and is simply wearing a nightgown, but she doesn't care she has to face her enemy, she is too far angry to give up. She knows that the creature is holding on a room several step away from her quarters.
She passes two corridors when she finally reach the room where the prisoner is holding. She is about to touch the door handle when someone says.
“You shouldn't do that Kina.”
She jumps a bit by surprise and turns her head to her stalker. She is an idiot to think that no one would be there, watching the prisoner.
It's Niriana, Bhell's little sister. She'd rather face her than an other guard. So somehow she is glad it's her.
She is warrior for the Three Allies. a new one actually, she has just been graduated after being formed in Centrikla the last planet of the Three Allies, and since that she is close to the Princess, she has been assigned to be among the warrior who are protecting her for the mission.
“You had a nightmare? Don't you?” It is more rhetorical but Kina nods nonetheless. The warrior sighs. “What were you going to do? Kill her during her sleep.”
The Princess sighs and drops her knife.
“I don't know… It's just...” The beautiful blonde haired princess is on a verge of crying when she follows. “Her people killed my father and my brother… And...I'm starting to think that maybe it was a bad idea to negotiate “her” life.”
Because it supposed to be her idea. She has faced the Chancellor, and the Queen and her people by herself to expose this insane thought. Sparing the life of the Princess Garjon in order to negotiate with their King. And now she has to convince the Concil because they are the one who take care of the Law.
“Kina, you know what I think about this idea.” Of course she knows, Niriana is among the people who vote for the execution of the prisoner. But she is her friend and would never hate her to be against her in this decision. “But, now we are here, the decision has been made, your idea has been voted by two planets of the Allies Kina, and perhaps it will change something or not but we are too far to taking it back now.”
“You're right. I'm sorry.”
She gathers her knife and sits with her friend on the floor.
“Besides. I'm really excited to finally see this famous Malia Berkenson, who is by the way the only girl who has kicked my brother's ass, besides me, obviously.”
Kina laughs.
She remembers this story, it was Bhell's and hers first encounter with the pilot. They were drinking at some bar on Navina, when Malia was fighting with some belvart guy (some stupid creature with six eyes and three arms) when Bhell finally decided to intervene, he caught her in his arms, then she yelled at him and kick him in the groin. Bhell was furious, and yelled at her, then, this time she really kicked his ass, but something change between the two and several months after they've started sleeping with each other.
“You will absolutely love her. But at first don't be around too much, Bhell and her had some kind of shit to deal with. And believe me it won't be pretty.”
“I'm sure it'll be okay. Bhell is always speaking about her like she was kind of Queen, or Goddess.”
“Oh that she is.”
Bhell and Malia broke up a year ago, when the girl get into real trouble and has been dealing with dangerous, and outlaw people, and Bhell is the law. So Malia left him with only a note. And since then, they have never seen her again, they don't even know where she is, that's why they need Jakopy.
Jakopy is on of her friend, he's around fifty years old, and practically raised Malia when she was a child. She even used to leave with him before becoming a pilot.
Jacopy was also a very good friend to the King Consort, her father. They always called him for technologies or more guns in Centrikla. Well, he doesn't do it anymore, he doesn't really like the Queen and Amaria The Chancellor, he only trusted her father.
Kina goes back to her chamber after saying goodnight to her friend and this time sleeps without having any nightmares.
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The next day when the big ship finally reach Navina, Bhell knocks to her quarter and tell her that they are here. After getting her matters back and leaving it to the Royal Center of Navina; Bhell, Niriana and her are left alone in the corner of the planet where Jakopy's lab is supposed to be.
After asking their direction to a nice citizen, they finally reach the place.
She've never been there. As a child perhaps, but she doesn't remember.
The Princess knocks to the iron door and seconds later a very small blue and golden robot opens it.
“Who is asking my master?” The little creature asks with a strange voice.
She is surprised first, talking is not something the robot usually does. But of course it is Jakopy's robot so it can do pretty much anything.
“Kina Galareina of Maleakina.” The blonde answers.
The robot disappears and when he comes back, this time he is not alone. A young boy probably a bit older than her is standing in front of her.
“You're not Jakopy.” The Princess points out.
“Sorry to disappoint you your Highness” he says the last word with more mockery than respect. “I'm Kay his apprentice, at your service.” He peck the princess's hand and look seductively to the other girl present.
“We need to see Jakopy, we are on a mission for the Three Allies. It is an emergency.”
The boy is smiling. He is actually good looking with his blonde hair and green eyes, but is arrogant smirk is so annoying that you could easily forget his beauty.
“He's not here. Actually he's not been here for months now. He disappeared, God who knows where.” He seems more serious when he announces the news, but then his arrogant smiles appears again. “But maybe I can help you beautiful ladies. I mean I will surely enjoy that, perhaps the dog can just stay and wait here.” He said pointing Bhell who makes a move to kick his ass right before receiving an electroshock from the blue and golden robot.
“What the hell!” He screams in pain and the Princess and his sister looks at him very worried.
“What was that!” Niriana shouts at the boy, wrath coming on her pretty face.
“That.” He answers slowly but not scary at all by the girl. “It's my robot defending me, love. Really cool program, actually my favorite.”
His robot. The Princess is surprised, if this annoying guy can built some really cool robot able to speak he can also help them to find Malia.
“We are sorry.” She apologizes. She could see her two friends looks but ignore them and continues. “Well, actually, maybe you can help. We need to find someone who is probably on an other planet.”
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They are now inside Jakopy and his apprentice's lab. There are lot of screens, and engineering machine. Bhell sits on a piece of metal which could be a chair, the girls choose to remain standing.
“So, who is the name of your man?” The Apprentice Kay is aksing.
Bhells looks at her, saying with his eyes “can we really trust him, Malia could be in danger.” But with or without Kay's help Malia will always be in danger she is trying to say, she attracts trouble.
“Malia Berkenson.” Kina answers knowing that she doesn't really have a choice and Kay right now is the only person able to find the pilot.
“Whoa, Malia… Is she in trouble or something?”
“Do you know her?” Niriana asks surprised as she is.
“Well, veeryy weeell… If you know what I mean.” Gross.
So Malia slept with this ass. Well it does sound like her. She is usually around pretty bad people who doesn't deserve her, but usually it doesn't last a week or two, well except with Bhell but it's an other story. She noticed Bhell's look, he is hurt.
“Whatever.” Bhell says retaining himself to punch the guy and be electrocuted once again (Malia will always be a tough subject for him.) “Can you at least find her”
Kay looks at them with his usual arrogant smile saying of course I'm so clever that I can do pretty much anything. But he doesn't talk. Instead he uses a keyboard and type Malia's ship name “The Kondor.” The results take some times before being post on the screen.
“Zgena.” Kina sighs. They will definitely have a problem. Zgena is the planet with most dangerous outlaws of the four galaxies, this planet is not enemy, but neither an ally, they actually hate royals member, and most of her family enemies have been hired these people to kill them.
“It's too dangerous Kina.” Bhell interrupts her thoughts. “We will find an other pilot. This is my job to protect you Princess, and I don't think your mother will be happy to hear about the fact that is daughter is on the most dangerous planet.”
He is right. Her mother will actually be very mad and fired Bhell and his sister from their job immediately after their return, even if they win.
She turns her side to Kay and asks in a very serious tone.
“We need new identities. Can you do that?” She knows that Jakopy has some business with fake identities, so if this guy is his true apprentice, then so does he.”
Kay scratched his head clumsily and nods.
“I will. But you have to bring me with you.”
“Why? Is it because you want to screw your girlfriend.” Niriana says bitterly and Bhell lows his head sadly.
“First of all she is not my girlfriend, she dumps me three days after we slept together, I don't even think we can labeled our relationship. But no, it's not for that.” The Princess sees the sadness on his look and for the first time since she met him, she feels empathy. He seems to have been through harsh time too.
“My little sister Jerila, some gang got her. It took me years to finally find her, and she is on the same planet as Malia, so I'm gonna come and I will rescue her, because I'm the only one she has left.”
Kay tells them about called called the Nefallom and leaving in Zgena, they're like pork mixed with lion. Apparently years ago they've kidnapped his little sister on the planet Hev, from the Galaxy Gulpei. She was sleeping so as every member of his family.
Afterward, his father and his mother tried to find their baby girl, she was only three years old at this time. But they failed and his mother died by sadness a year after and then is father started drinking and have been found dead on his own vomit two year ago.
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Bhell has finally manage to negotiate a ship to bring them to Zgena. They were all having new identities even their prisoner, who after lot of arguments, it has been decided to free her so like this no one will suspect anything especially now that they are on their way to Zgena.
If Kina is being honest she is a bit afraid to go to an other planet, it would be the first time that she goes somewhere outside the Three Allies.
But sometimes when she is not too preoccupied she looks at her prisoner, and when she sees her she finds something innocent and very beautiful. Actually the most beautiful girl she has ever seen. But when she is about to talk to her she remembers her dad's death and it stops her immediately.
“In Height hours we will be in Zgena. Let's just hope that we won't find enemies during the way.” Bhells announces.
Kina and him are alone, Niriana is watching the prisoner and Kay is God who knows where.
“Are you anxious; to see her again?” She asks to Bhell.
He shake his head negatively.
“No, but I'm really worried that this time she is in very fucking trouble.”
“Don't be too harsh on her. She had no other choices.”
“I'll try.”
“She loved you, you know. Like truly.” And she knows that; so does he.
Their conversation is suddenly interrupted by a brutal tremor. Kina almost fell before Bhell catches her. What is that? She asks herself.
Her question is immediately answered by a hasting Niriana.
“The Garjon. They've found us.”
Bhell and her are following his sister quickly where the pilot is sitting. Kay is actually fighting with him. After calming he explains that the pilot doesn't know what is happening and wants to go back to Navina.
“We can't we have to go to Zgena.” The princess is begging him “I will pays you with all the gyer gold you need.”
He shakes his head.
“No. Your money is less important than my life if we go there I, and you, all of us will be killed, your money was interesting at first, but it's a suicide mi...”
He doesn't have time to end his answer that the enemy hid him on the head and knock him out.
“That's better.” She says. “No can someone take care of his body, I will handle the ship.”
Niriana reacts immediately and put a knife under the prisoner throat while Bhell has move to protect the Princess, like the bodyguard he is.
“Like the hell we will let you pilot.” Niriana shouts still threatening the girl who doesn't seem scared at all. “It is your people who is attacking us!”
Kina makes a move and orders Niriana to let down the knife. And after shouting insult to their enemy, she finally does.
The Princess acceptS the Garjon's offer despite everyone protests, while Bhell and Niriana are shooting the ships enemy, and Kay co-piloting.
Afters almost an hour of battle they finally get rid of the enemies and follow their journey without meeting any other troubles.
The first pilot wakes up an hour after and after debating he finally takes back the control to his ship and this time without any protests, and not even asking more money to do it. He has surely learn the previous lesson and doesn't want to be knocked out an other time by the pretty girl as he called her earlier.
Six hours later they're finally here.
Zgena.
When they leave the ship the air is pretty hot outside, and the atmosphere really scary. Kay hold Niriana's hand for two second before she hits him on the groin. He screams in pain, but nobody cares. The ship leaves immediately after they've left it.
Kina speaks “Well. Now we have to find Malia.”