Annika Dion had lived for 4 and twenty years. And it was starting to look as though it would be all that she would live. She had known the risks when she entered Nietzschean space- one occupied by the Drago-Kazov Pride and its various allies, at that. One of those such allies, the Jotun Pride, were quite solitary compared to their companions and slightly on the Barbarian side of the scale. Civilized Barbarians, they were called. And she was travelling very close to their principal planet, Zahaden. Well, actually, it was more like she was on a crash course for it.
She struggled to keep the small vessel under control so she could maneuver it to a less rough terrain. Lady Luck certainly was not on her side, for a console shorted out and sent rivulets of electricity up her body- knocking her out. The ship, her beloved Avatar, entered the atmosphere and headed straight for the woods near the border of Jotun Tjasse-the principal city, which was ruled by a very powerful Alpha, Jahanashah Dax.
At that present moment, slave traders were on their way to the massive modern castle-like structure that served as a home to the Dax family, with barely anything good to offer. As it was, their luck was about to change.
Sbaden Rosse saw the ship high overhead as it fell in an arc towards Zahaden. Usually, he wouldn't have bothered to check the wreckage. But he feared the Nietzscheans- especially the Jotuns, more than that. And they considered him, a human, to be genetically inferior. They only did business with him because he was morally destitute and cared nothing about the people he sold into slavery. Even humans. He didn't understand why the slaves protested having to work for the Dax family. Compared to the rest of the Nietzscheans, they were lenient towards their slaves.
"Okay, gentlemen, we're going to check the wreckage. Maybe we'll find some prospective slaves." His partners looked at him strangely, but gave no word of protest- they also feared for their heads. When they arrived at the site, they discovered that most of the ship was intact. Him and the men hurriedly bypassed the security system and entered the ship.
"Take her and put her in with the other slave. Oh, and take anything of value." His meaning was not lost on the men. Vin and Tone were obviously taken with the blonde siren they had just found. Vin smiled as he pulled her up over his shoulder. They exited the vessel and took her to their own. The faction had only one other slave, and she wasn't much. Human, from Arabia on Earth. But she was weak in body and spirit. Her skin was a golden brown and her hair was night black and hung limply over her shoulders. Her small frame was bony from malnutrition. The only one thing that stood out as a testament of past beauty, her eyes. They were a striking color of amber- hence the name they called her, Aubrey. Tone had kept her in his bed for a while, but said that she was nothing to brag about.
The pain was an intense, all consuming flame throughout her body. But the trials of life had taught her to keep still until she could assess the situation. Annika expanded her senses. There was another person in the room, a female. She was moving about. Annika was lying on a bed of some sort. It felt comforting to her screaming muscles. The female moved to the side of the bed. A creak as she sat down. Then she did something most unexpected- she started smoothing away the hair from Annika's face and continued the action. The motion was painstakingly familiar. Before she could stop herself, she was swept away in a whirlwind of memories. As if she was transported somewhere else, and yet was still aware of the first place.
From afar, Annika heard a sighing sound, silk upon silk. Then, closer, she could smell the sweet perfume of grass after the rain. It invaded her senses and caused her to reel. And over it, the beautiful, melodious sound of her mother's voice, singing in her native language. And, sight! Emerald green, the grass was. Tall and swaying in the wind. Annika could almost feel the small dewdrops wetting her legs and arms as she walked through the fields. In her distant vision, she could make out her mother's figure- her white blonde hair whipped by the wind. A boy by her side. 4 years old, same as she. Blond hair and blue eyes like her own and his chubby hand entwined in hers as they followed the music. He was laughing, and he called out her name, "Anyanka." Ari...NO!
"NO!" the rejection of memories was sudden and cut through her reverie like a knife. She struggled out of the woman's arms. As Annika scrutinized the female, she realized that she had been premature in calling the female a woman. She could be no more than 5 and ten years. Human, perhaps Arabian. She looked extremely malnourished, and her facial bones stood out gautly against her face, making her amber eyes appear twice their size. Then, as though drawn by an invisible force, her eyes drifted down to the girl's arm. There, on the underside of her forearm, was a bar code tatoo. The mark of a slave.
The girl's eyes were filled with fear. Relaxing slightly, Annika asked her, "What's your name?" The girl looked down at the floor automatically. "Aubrey" she said so softly, Annika almost didn't pick it up. Before she could ask the girl- Aubrey, anything further, the doors to the room opened. Two men, both in their late twenties paused outside the frame. They obviously hadn't come to see if she was okay. "Out." One said to Aubrey and she scurried out of the room, eyes downcast the entire time. The second man remained outside the room, obviously going to stand guard...or wait for his turn. Annika could see the intent in their movements, their eyes. The doors closed and locked with an audible chime.
Rage started a slow boil inside her. All emotions were cleared from her mind. All that was left was the sweet rush of murderous desire. It is said that when a person's own life or safety is in peril, that person can transcend the limits of the body and the mind and escape their possible doom. Annika wrenched her wrists out of his clasp and brought her elbows against his face, making him reel backwards, giving her the chance to shove him off her. She scrambled off the bed and grabbed the first heavy thing she could find and hit Vin over the head with it. He fell onto the bed, blood pooling around him, not breathing. The door chimed open, and his friend stepped in.
Annika smiled.