Colonel Seeders' Mail Order Bride, Hank

5 Rachelle

Rachelle's body shook so much, she could hardly put one foot in front of the other. Not that she needed to. The Amorphibian would have dragged her down the passage if she stopped walking. The grip she had on Rachelle's arm would surely leave a bruise.

Her expression never changed and she stared straight ahead until they stopped by the elevators that would take them through all the floors to the roof. Fresh air and her prescious flowers would be waiting for her to come say a final farewell.

"I need you to do exactly as I say if you want to make it out alive," the woman said as soon as the elevator doors closed behind them. "The general is waiting for us, but he will be waiting for a very long time. I can't say much now. We don't have time. Just pretend to be scared and try to make a run for it. My gun is set to stun and this is going to hurt like a bitch, but at least I will have a story to tell the general. No one will know who's blood is on you from the video feed."

Rachelle's brow creased as she thought about the woman's words. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand. You want me to escape?"

"I want you to break free of my grasp," she said slowly as though she spoke to a child, "turn and run. I will stun you and then take you into my hover craft. I have a body that looks like you. We will change your clothes, put your clothes on the dead girl and then take you somewhere safe. If you do not do this, or agree to it, you will end up like the dead girl. Do you understand?"

Was the girl the general's last victim? Surely he would see the difference between them. Everyone always spoke about her hair and unusual green eyes. But then... Rachelle would end up dead if she did not go along with the ruse. This woman wanted to help her, not take her to the general. She would get a chance to tell her story after all.

"You will be declared dead," she said as though she read Rachelle's mind. "No one must know that you are alive. You can't call anyone. You can't leave messages or collect clothes or trinkets. Dead people can't talk."

Rachelle's hand automatically closed over the locket around her neck. "I have everything I need right here with me."

"Good. I'll get you some clean clothes and food. You look positively starved." The smile on her face eased the sting of her words. The Amorphibian glanced at her from below long fake lashes. "May I ask you something?"

Rachelle checked the numbers above the door. They should have reached the roof already.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Firstly, I am Bridgette and this is entirely off the record. You don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable, but our kind... We are unable to take life. What made you do it?"

Without thinking about the answer, Rachelle said, "Desperation."

"I'm sorry, but I do not follow. Desperation of what?"

"To get away. To save myself. He did things before. Slapped me around, rubbed up against me, but he's never tried to rape me. I've..." Heat rose to her face as she stared down at her feet. "I've never been with a man before and I was not going to let him take me by force. I acted out of pure survival instincts."

"Yes. I can understand your need to protect yourself. A female's chastity is hers to give to whom she chooses. For that, I would have lashed out as well." She snorted and looked down at Rachelle. "Not that I am a virgin, but I would still fight any man that tried to force himself on me. We are almost there. I need you to do as I said so that I can get you out of here safely."

Rachelle took a good look at Bridgette. Her jacket had a few pins attached to it, one being the badge of a sergeant. Every strand of hair made up the perfect bun behind her head and her skin looked flawless in the harsh light of the elevator. Rachelle had to wonder why she chose to help her instead of following her orders.

It would have been easy for her to gain her confidence just to ensure she would not make a run for it. Robert played nice until he gained her trust and showed his true colours. Rachelle glance at the blaster and sure enough, it had been set to stun. Eddy had showed her how to use one when she visited them on the few occasions she could get away from the office.

Her thoughts turned to Robert. Would he have taken his threats seriously if she did report him? She never thought to look into filling a grievance for inappropriate behaviour, or researched sexual misconduct in the work place. She had been too busy doing his work and letting him take all the credit for it.

What would happen to her after they took away her identity? Would she still end up a prisoner? Bridgette never said what would happen after they declared her dead and took her to safety and when the elevator dinged for the last time, Rachelle lost her chance to ask.

Bridgette once again gripped her arm, but less firmly than before. A dull pain spreading through her head warned her not to move to fast, so she went with the plan.

They stepped out onto a roof, covered by a glass dome, but not the roof she expected. They had travelled to the farthest side of the space station where no crafts flew overhead, no ventilation pipes stretched up into the darkness beyond and no smog choked her.

A single, egg-shaped craft stood waiting for them and one man stood to the side, hand clutching his blaster, waiting for her to make a wrong move.

Eddy. He would see her get shot and then he would have to tell Coral that she no longer had any family, other than her in-laws. They would mourn her fake death, receive a large sum of money from her policy to cover her funeral and debts, and then burn all her possessions to release her spirit to the universe. Would that be sacrilegious? Performing a ritual for the dead when the person never died?

"Don't do this," she whispered to Bridgette. "Not in front of him. Please."

Bridgette ignored her request and tugged her forward, reigniting the pain in her chest and arm. Rachelle pulled free and shook her head, releasing the tears she had been holding back.

"Please, don't do this," she said again, while taking a step backwards.

"Rachelle, just do as she asks. Please," Eddy begged.

She looked around her, but only had the hovercrafts door to hide behind. If she could reach it, she could try to make Bridgette understand.

She took another step backwards, keeping her eye on Eddy and Bridgette and then spun around to launch herself behind the door.

The force of the projectile hit her spine with a heavy punch that flung her off her feet and straight into the steps that led down from the open door. Her ribs gave a loud crack and pain spread across every inch of her body, but she couldn't do more than give a soft groan. One more blow to her head, as though she hadn't received enough from Robert, and stars flickered before her eyes.

"You were meant to stun her not hurt her further!" Eddy shouted.

"I didn't think she would run straight at the damn stairs. I told you it would be a bad idea for you to be here. She probably worried what you would think if you saw her get shot."

Rachelle could not believe her own ears. Eddy knew all along and never said anything to her. He let her believe that she would be taken to the general to be tortured.

A shadow fell over her and then she smelled Eddy's fresh soapy scent.

"I know you are probably pissed at me right now, but I had to make it look real. All of it. I hope you understand." Though she wanted to be mad at him, the pleading in his voice wiped away all negative emotions. They did it all to save her from a destiny worse than death. "Take a deep breath. I have to lift you up and I think I heard something crack. She's going to pay for that."

Rachelle held her breath and then screamed as pain spread through the left side of her body.

And then everything faded away.