Nights and Days in Hive Acropolis Ch. 13

"What?"

Her mistress grins. "I want everyone to see you being carried out of here in the arms of a big scary Goliath!"

Vaia's happy to do as she's told.

***

When they get outside the compound, they find Sash chatting away with some Van Saar youngsters. Some older clan members are watching over it all, but things seem calm enough.

Some of the Van Saars cheer when they see Rebeck carrying Vaia. Vaia smiles. Maybe they don't all hate her after all.

"Hey baby!" Sash calls. "Didn't I promise I'd do anything for you."

"Yeah, you did." Vaia hops out of Rebeck's arms and runs into Sash's.

There are whoops and cheers as the pair hug and kiss.

"Hope you enjoyed the show, folks," Rebeck calls out as the three head for the air-car. "Vaia will be chained to the sink, so she won't be able to keep in touch," she jokes.

"Hope they stop cracking down on you guys now," adds Sash.

"You're driving, Sash," says Rebeck, getting into the back and pulling Vaia in with her.

Sash gets into the driver's seat and starts the engine. As they lift off, Rebeck puts Vaia over her knee.

"Hey! What's this for!"

Smack!

"Come on now! That was a gentle one, because it's been a while, but we're not in public now, slut."

Vaia is grinning like a loon. "Mistress, may I know why I deserve to be punished?"

Smack!

"This is for making... making Sash worry!"

"Hah!"

Smack!

"And for putting me to all this trouble. The money for that release of yours is coming out of my pay cheques, so you'd better be worth every thaler, slave!"

"I will be, Mistress! I'm sorry, Mistress!"

Smack!

"But you did keep my collar on, like a good girl, so I won't be too hard on you."

Smack!

"Do you think that's enough for you to learn your lesson?"

"No, Mistress!"

"Oh? Perhaps I'll have to spank you all the way home, huh?"

"I think so, Mistress," Vaia squeals.

"Yeah, I've been thinking," says Sash from the front. "I'm surprised that release wasn't set higher. What with all Vaia's education."

"Did you read all the fine print?" Vaia asks.

"I think we did."

Smack!

"Check again. There should be a sub-section on 'Patent Rights'. House Van Saar gets a cut of the profits on any patent I develop for any future employer."

"Oh. Oh!" This has got Sash thinking.

Rebeck sits Vaia up in her lap. "Vaia, is inventing something you're likely to do?"

"Well, it is expected of me, yeah. I mean I got my certificate for producing an STC-ready set of blueprints and specifications years ago."

"STC!?" Sash almost loses her focus on the traffic lane. "You made an STC!"

There were a lot of myths about the Standard Template Construction system. To an engineer like Vaia, an STC was simply an extremely thorough set of documents and technical drawings that described, in a range of formats so as to be accessible for any level of information technology down to pen and ink, how to build, maintain and use a variety of technological items, with a number of different options for the materials that could be used, that could be selected from based on their availability, and so forth.

In their heyday, during one of humanity's waves of interstellar colonisation, prior to the Age of Strife, STC technologies had been produced to the order of colonists by artificially-intelligent fabrication machines, leading to their nigh-miraculous reputation.

Under the Imperium, individual worlds were often free to employ any technologies they wished, but for the Imperium's governing bodies themselves to commit to a galaxy-wide roll-out of a new piece of technology, it had to be drawn up to STC standards. Those were demanding, and existing STC items were already of such a high standard, reliable and adaptable, with a catalogue covering a vast range of human needs in space, planetside, and in other environments besides, that this high bar to entry accounted for much of the Imperium's technological stagnation for much of its history.

As with much else, things had changed with the Tyranid Wars, with far more new STCs seeing development, approval and broad usage. The STC for the Chimera APC, for instance, had been approved because of a desire to mechanise as many units of Imperial Guard as possible, when factories producing Rhino APCs (a much older STC), such as that of Vaia's clan, failed to keep up with demand.

"Not a full one. Just a... part of a reactor that I designed. Drawn up to STC standards. The work was approved by the local STC committee, but it would never be used, because the STC catalogue already contains a part that fulfills the same function. My design is more efficient, but the existing one functions well and is already long-established. Doing something like that's part of getting engineering qualifications now. It would have been sent to the Sol committee for final approval and archiving, but that's not on the cards any more. I guess the Necromunda committee handles final approval for the Republic."

"Hmm. That still sounds pretty impressive to me," says Sash, who feels like she needs to review her understanding of what STC means.

"Vaia," Rebeck says to her, seeming very serious, "please don't invent anything for the Representative."

"Whaaat? Mistress, why not?"

"Because she might decide that the money she loses out on, because of that clause, also has to come out of my pay cheque." It's funny to think, but it could happen.

Vaia giggles. "Okay, Mistress. I don't think producing any patents is in my job description."

"Damn right. For now, I want your mind focused on other things entirely!"

"Wheee!"

Smack!

***

When they get back to Rebeck and Sash's rooms in the Spire -- her rooms too now, thinks Vaia! -- once they are through the lock, Rebeck has Vaia strip and attaches a leash to her collar.

Without prompting, Vaia drops down to the floor and... abases herself. There's no other way to describe it. It just feels right to her to do it.

Sash whistles. "I think she really missed you!"

Rebeck doesn't pay her friend any attention. She presents her boot to Vaia.

"Lick."

Her slave obeys.

She feels such joy to be home.

***

It's not long, though, before Rebeck reaches down and picks up the girl subserviently tonguing her boots. She draws her into a tight embrace.

"Huh?"

"You've had a really tough time, Vaia. Now we've got you here, there'll be plenty of chances to play those games later."

Rebeck's crying, Vaia sees. Soon, she is too.

Her mistress carries her into the sitting room and rests with her on the couch, while Vaia lets it all out.

"That's it. It's okay. You've had a tough time, haven't you? I'm sorry we took so long."

Sash brings drinks and joins them on the sofa, stroking Vaia's back tenderly.

After a while, Vaia raises her teary face. "I... I--" She doesn't know what to say.

"Listen here," says Sash. "It was a rough way to go about it, but now you know what a House, what a clan, is really worth when the chips are down. There may not be so many of us, but Rebeck and I are not like that. We're a gang. We're tight. You're one of us now, and we've got your back for life. Whatever comes, we don't let go of each other!"

Yes, thinks Vaia. Houses aren't so bad. She's read of far worse human social structures. But what Sash is saying speaks to her deeply. That's the true culture of Necromunda. She's found her gang at last.

Once she's had a drink or two and is less of an emotional wreck, the other two give Vaia a proper tour of their apartment, now that it's to be her home too.

There is a spare bedroom. "We'll reserve this for you now," says Rebeck. "You can keep your stuff in here, and use it when you really need to be by yourself. No-Mistress Zone!"

Vaia worries a little. "My own bedroom...? Do I...?"

"No," says Rebeck immediately. "Just storage. You'll be sleeping in my room."

Vaia is relieved. "That's where I belong."

The two kiss for a while.

After, Vaia asks, "Mistress, if I'm sharing your room... am I allowed to tidy it?"