[ Contents | 6. Experimental Subject #12 | 7. Lover and Servant | 8. Escape! ]

Yamucha's Student

By Dragoness Eclectic

Chapter 7. Lover and Servant

Colonel Dark paced the length of his command center. He wasn't worried, it was merely his way of thinking. Jerome Sebastien Dark always thought better on his feet. Eyes the color of winter ice fixed abruptly on Tao Pie Pie.

"I have decided," Dark said, "to change The Plan. We will take the People's Republic next. Draw up a battle plan and have it ready for my review by this time tomorrow."

Tao Pie Pie nodded, bowing slightly to his employer as he did so. A smirk crossed his face. "Should I include Soliere's new subjects?"

"Yes--and give Mathieu a heads-up that I will be needing his new toys soon." Colonel Dark smiled genially, and waved a dismissal to Tao Pie Pie, turning back to the large computer screen before him.

As Tao Pie Pie left, he passed the dayshift communications officer. The grey-uniformed officer swallowed nervously as the assassin passed him by--Tao Pie Pie's moods were capricious and deadly, and only Mistress Lunch and Dr. Soliere were known for sure to be on the assassin's "Do Not Kill Without Colonel Dark's Authorization" list.

"Sir!" the officer saluted Colonel Dark as he reported. "The videos you requested--the Cell Game broadcast and the reports from the battle with the Space Warriors, sir."

"Good," responded Colonel Dark as he took the cartridges from his communications officer. "That will be all, Lieutenant Tsukiev." He returned the young officer's salute and turned away to peruse the tapes.

Lieutenant Tsukiev returned to his console and thumbed through the procedures manual. He knew his daily routine, but reviewing it steadied his nerves. Of all the People's Republic agents in the Dark Ribbon Army, only he knew that Colonel Dark was planning to attack the Republic! Treacherous bastard--turning on his own patrons, betraying the Revolution!

Sweat beaded on his forehead; Dark had to know that the Republic kept a close eye on his operation, but which agents did he know about? If Dark suspected Tsukiev, he would not live out the night; but if Tsukiev did not send warning to his superiors, he would be as much a traitor as Dark--but if he was being watched, his first attempt to send a warning would be his last. The communications officer was far too obvious a suspect if any information leaked.

At least Tao Pie Pie will be busy drawing up the battle plan, Tsukiev thought feverishly. He won't be sent to kill me any time soon unless I do something that really gets their attention. So.. what warning to send? Right now, I don't know when or where or how they're going to attack, but I can almost certainly get a warning out. But if I wait, I might have a chance to get a look at Pie Pie's battle plan, and give them a good warning... But if I wait, it might be that I'm already known to be an agent, and they're already watching me... and I'll be killed before I can give the warning.

Tsukiev flipped through the pages of the manual, not reading a word. He took a deep breath, calming himself. Okay, I don't know that they're watching me--if they suspected me, Tao would have killed me right then--he's got to suspect I heard Dark give the order. So he doesn't know that I serve two masters... I'll wait. A warning without information is useless, and I'd rather die accomplishing something.

Pie Pie looked into the training room; his apprentice Mist knelt on the mat, meditating with a drawn sword across her lap. He smiled coldly, and stalked silently across the room toward her, one hand poised to strike.

He felt the slight breeze as she vanished, dodging almost faster than Pie Pie could see, and felt another breeze as he dodged in turn. The sharp blade flashed past his neck, missing by inches. Pie Pie lashed out with a foot, only to have it deflected by a blocking hand.

He spun in place and crouched in guard position; Mist faced him, sword also at guard, green eyes glinting. Pie Pie smirked.

"Better, but not good enough, girl! I attacked you, and you're just waiting for me to finish the job! What have I taught you?"

"The job's not finished until there's a corpse on the floor and money in the bank," she hissed. Long black braids flew into the air as she leapt and tumbled, coming suddenly at Tao Pie Pie from the side. Again, the sword cut only air as Pie Pie dodged--and suddenly whirled to block her left-hand strike! The sword blow had been a feint--

Pie Pie swept out with his foot, catching her off-balance; Mist stumbled, but regained her footing--

--Just as Pie Pie's hand clipped the side of her head. Mist dropped like a stone.

"That was sloppy," he said to the unconscious girl. Tao Pie Pie waited a few minutes for her to awaken, and repeated himself as soon as she was half-conscious. "That was sloppy. I don't have the time to discipline you properly," he said, kicking her three times very deliberately, once in each thigh and once in the back. Mist gasped, but did not scream, though tears of pain leaked from her eyes. Pie Pie's blows had jammed nerve clusters in her legs and back, paralyzing her with pain.

Pie Pie smiled coldly. "Clean my quarters again, then stay here and practice until I give you permission to do otherwise." His cyber-eyes whirred as he watched the girl drag herself along the floor, her temporarily cripppled leg muscles useless for walking. "Hurry up; I expect you to be done with your chores by the time I finish." He stalked out, smiling with satisfaction.

"My plans are complete; soon, my dear, you will be the mistress of the ruler of the Northern People's Republic," Jerome Sebastien Dark crooned as he stroked Lunch's blonde hair. Her head rested comfortably on his bare chest as they lay in bed.

"Mmmph," Lunch replied, green eyes dreamy as she snuggled closer to her lover. "You're so good to me, Jerome. I really should kill you."

Jerome chuckled, and blew lightly in her ear. "Careful, my dear--you'll ruin your reputation as a heartless bitch." He pulled her gently to him and kissed her.

She drew back one hand and slapped him. "Never with you, bastard!" Lunch was grinning fiercely, a certain light dancing in her green, green eyes; she returned the kiss with passion, a passion he returned.

As always, their mutual passion intensified; as always, afterwards, Jerome ran his strong hands over her body, tracing ancient scars. In the privacy of his thoughts, he reaffirmed his resolve to someday find the one who had done this to his beautiful Lunch, find the one who had shattered her mind and scarred her body. Once, Lunch must have been whole, until someone had used her so badly that Lunch had become two: Brunette Lunch, still the innocent, trusting child, and Blonde Lunch, her savage, ruthless, worldly-wise protector.

She had not been beaten by her former lover, the martial artist Tienshenhan; Dark knew that much. Blonde Lunch had loved him in her way, and only death had parted them. Unfortunate for Tienshenhan; fortunate for Jerome Sebastien Dark. He'd found a lover and a partner, someone he respected and almost trusted--a rare thing in his world.

Sometimes Brunette Lunch's childlike nature disturbed Jerome more than he could admit--for the child shared the same body as the fierce woman he respected, lusted after and... and he shut off those thoughts abruptly. Yes, he would find the man who had done this to her, and for once, he would not be coldly efficient; he would take his time, and be sloppy, and the man would die screaming after as many hours or days as Colonel Jerome Sebastien Dark of the Dark Ribbon Army could make him last.

With a cold smile on his lips, Dark finally dropped off to sleep, Lunch curled up beside him. None would dare disturb them.

[ Contents | 6. Experimental Subject #12 | 7. Lover and Servant | 8. Escape! ]

Disclaimer: See Credits.

Copyright 2001 by Dragoness Eclectic