High Commander Diah's Resistance

Things Heat Up

Two months later

Tav listened thankfully, and got stronger. He first fought the lighter class Gladiators and Indents that the Master used as a more 'regular' entertainment. Meaning, they didn't actually have to worry about dying as much as every one else. Tav and I would meet up in the simulator every chance we got and I showed him some apparently crazy maneuvers that the Luve never did in battle. I asked why, he said they never tried forcing their wings to work independently of one another. I told him that's bullhockey, and that if he could do it now, then his people were always able to. I even went to the weapon-smith and talked to him about tipping Tav's wing-nails with metal hooks or something, he made me a light-weighted metal prototype that I slapped on Tav none too soon. The Master had noticed a stir off planet. The Luve were indeed aware that Tav was dirt-side, just not where exactly. So he had decided to 'graduate' Tav to the more exotic Death-Match arena, they called it something else of course, but that's what it was.

When I told Tav of this new development, he just gave a nasty smirk and said not to worry, all involved that he was actually able to see would answer for their disrespect of the treaty the Luve had with the planets that harbored both the Master's Arena and The Hazits Market. I raised a questioning brow at him and swirled my finger in a silent bid for more info. He just snorted and said it was best that I remain in the dark for the moment. I scowled at him and told him he was damn lucky he was a cute little shit and that I would give him the benefit of the doubt that he knew what the hell he was going on about. Little punk had the nerve to muss up my hair with his wing hands of all things, and say all would be well and to just stay alert(duh, like I was ever anything BUT all-fing-hands since I'd been nabbed), and that if a perimeter breach alert ever went off, to head straight to the roof.

Of course he slipped away for training after dropping that tidbit, so I couldn't even ask what the hell that meant! And he didn't mention it again. I knew better than to broach it too. That dangerously blatant conversation had taken place in the only dead zone the G & I Wing had. It was almost always populated by the Masters flunkies. That time was a rarity, only occurring once every 5 days. I used it to warn Tav of his being bumped up. And the next death match was in two days. We had no time to nitpick details. So we had to find ways in the simulator. Tav being the smart little beastie that he is, programmed it to be a mock rescue. But with us being the ones doing the rescuing. It gave me an idea of what to expect from his people when it came to extraction. Thesimulations had dealt with picking up targets who'd had their wings clipped, which was damn good. Unfortunately, Luve though muscular, have very light though strong bones. This allows them to launch themselves insanely high into the air from a running start even from the ground, so they can unfurl their wings and pump one really hard time to gain some momentum... WELLP, Lanna ain't no Luve y'all, and I may only weigh 140lbs? but human muscle is dense, and our bones be HEAVY! I had managed to get fit, out of self defense if nothing else, so at least it wouldn't be weighing my winged savior down, so that was something I guess.

When I had arrived here I had been 200lbs, which was 50lbs less than what I had been before my 35th birthday, Collin and I had both started eating better and adding more physical activity to our lives... and I HAD planned to keep going, but the fing Liazrd-men kinda fluckerd up that plan. But the Master for all his dastardly dealings didn't restrict his house slaves from actual exercise, especially ones he deemed gems like me that had a gift he coveted. So, in the end I got my Fluffy self down to a Curvy self, and it only took a diet and exercise plan I wouldn't wish on Earth's nastiest mother-in-law to do it. Of course it didn't hurt that I was making dishes that his guests drooled over and they envied him his possession of me, which also made me valuable indeed in the Masters eyes. And I used that favor shamelessly, as It gave me access to their internet. Which let me feed the Indents properly, which kept THEM healthier and stronger, kepping them alive longer than any Indent in the Arena Network on the planet. Master was actually getting RICHER, because of ME. It made me both relieved and pissed off at the same time. Relieved to help those as trapped as I, but pissed that he should prosper from our entrapment.

I knew I was not in the same realm of misery as they were, not by a long shot. I mean yeah, I was a slave... and yeah, I had to cut or maim a guard here and there when they thought to get frisky. But it was never as bad for me, as it was for the Arena Indents. They had to literally fight for their lives most times. Nor was my lot worse than the other house slaves. Master valued my skill too much, and would often make examples of the idiots who tried to 'sample' my er... goodies, without my permission. After the third male lost his bits and pieces, I finally got left alone. Apparently the idiots kept writing the other punishments off as situational, rather than the standard. Once they finally got it that I was not on the market, willingly or otherwise, I also no longer even had to deal with inept flirting either. Which suited me, as I had no interest in bed hopping or even settling into one bed other than the one I had to myself that Master allotted me in the Upper Servants Wing.

I think, were it not for the fact that I honestly went out of my way to keep the Arena Indents as healthy as possible, the house slaves would have been a danger to me. Due to how many apparent perks I seemed to be afforded. But they had been witness too many times to my frantic searches both online and verbally among them to find what foods would best help the A.I's to doubt my sincerity. Not to mention the fact that I never minded finding ways to sneak a favorite food or drink from any of their home worlds into their hands whenever I could. I was restricted of course to small portions easily scarfed and hidden, but still... I wanted to give them what comfort and happiness I could. And they in turn refrained from seeing me as some snooty upstart, who was in denial of the fact that she was just as much a slave as they were. Yeah, I got called that a time or two, until that person actually took the time to talk to me. Or I just avoided them as much as I could to prevent unrest till I could prove them wrong, not that I needed everyone to like me or anything, just not be antagonistic.

But I digress... So, I got one session of 'how the Luve rescue people', and basically realized I would have to get to the roof, then locate a craft hovering near the edge of the roof... HOPE it is the rescue team, and then that they know Tav wants me picked up with him. Then after that, I have to take a running, literal leap of faith into their arms and hope they don't either drop me, or neglect to try to catch me to start with... Oh joy, this is gonna be so much fun. I really need to get back into that simulator and try this, just one more time...