Sort of Legal

Hi Guys, Well, this is something of a departure for me, I've been loving the Three Square Meals series Tefler has written. It has inspired me to write my own story based in his universe. So the start of a new series for me and the beginning of a new style of witting for me too.

I publish this with huge thanks to Tefler for allowing me to take these liberties, and thanks to my super editor, Gene, for helping me polish this.

I hope you like it, please vote and leave comments, I love feedback from my readers.

Stacey x

*****

"What do you have for us Faye?" John asked as he sat down in the ready room.

"This caught my attention," Faye said.

John lent forward to read the e mail, it was vague and evasive but mentioned information regarding the Nymphs.

"Yeah, interesting, but I'm not sure if it really anything at all," John said with a shrug.

"True, but there were a number of other issues with the message, that's what really brought it to my attention. I have so far tracked this one back through two dead drop servers. Single use, and pretty thoroughly reformatted before being restored to normal functions."

"Sounds like something Irillith would love," John said with a smile.

"Yes, and she did. Its quite a clever way of delivering messages, indicates whoever sent it has the intent to stay hidden, and the ability to do it, and that takes a big effort. Extrapolating from there I'd suggest that the entity responsible is black ops of some kind," Faye said.

"That moves it up a notch," John said.

"Would you like me to investigate further?" Faye asked.

"I think we'd be foolish not to, see if you can add some tracking to the reply though. See what we get from that," John said rising to leave the ready room.

***

"John, the reply was picked up and we have a bit more information on the Nymphs," Faye said as she watched John and Calara practice in the Dojo.

"Ok, what do we have this time?" John said as the both used soft white towels to clean up.

"I'm going out on a limb, but I think the source is good. And I'm surprised at how they beat my tracking program."

"They beat you?" John asked with a half-smile.

"Yes, the message was displayed on all screens in public library on New Eden for approximately 0.32 seconds, exactly one frame of surveillance camera footage. From there I am guessing they used the security cameras to view the message and somehow that data package was sent out."

"That is a lot of effort to view our reply," John said.

"Yeah, with no way to know if they were in the library or view remotely or had a special camera set up and with no electronic transfer I have no way of tracing the final destination," Faye said, "But we do have a reply and a request to meet. Oddly not too far from our current location."

"Well that is one thing, but you know how I feel about coincidences," John said, "But I guess we should see this through, I'll take Alyssia and Sakura."

***

Walking into the hotel lobby a few days later John and the girls looked round, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

*Ok lets keep our eyes open I'm still not 100% happy with this.* John thought

*We'll keep you safe, and then we get rewarded for being good girls?* Alyissa asked cheekily.

*Oh, you'll be getting special treatment, I promise,* John thought with a smile noticing Sakura blush a little.

John knocked on the door thinking to himself for the hundredth time they should have locked the whole building down and had the rest of the girls on standby.

*Relax, I'm not getting anything massive,* Alyissa thought, *It does feel a bit odd, but not harmful*

The door was opened by a stunning busty brunet in a skin tight pink tube dress and white high heel boots, a black leather collar with a leash ring was around her throat.

"Oh my god your hair is like, really good!" She squealed looking at Alyissa.

"Yeah, thanks," Alyissa said smiling at the girl's exuberance.

She looked at John and seemed to be thinking hard, her pretty face screwed up.

"Hey! Are you like, famous?" She finally said pointing at John.

"I've been on the news once or twice," John replied indulgently.

"Wow that's cool. Wow, Asian chicks are so hot too, this is awesome," She said twirling a strand of hair in her fingers.

"Ok," Sakura said uncertainly.

The girl stood there looking at them blankly for a moment.

"I think we're here to see someone?" John prompted.

"I'm someone!" She replied brightly "I'm Ginger, but I'm not ginger," she said giggling holding out her hand to shake. John shook her hand.

*Is this a joke?* John asked Alyissa.

*God knows.* Alyissa replied.

"That's great Ginger, do you have some information for us?" John asked.

"No, I don't think so, but I want to know how she gets her hair so perfect!" Ginger said continuing to shake Johns hand.

"Ginger, they are here to see me!" a mans vice yelled from deeper in the suite.

"Oh ok, ummm, come in," she said. Turning and walking into the rooms, she had a small tattoo of a turtle or something on her right shoulder.

In the lounge a well-dressed dark skinned Terran stood to great them. His shaven head and lager build giving him a commanding presence.

"Sorry about that, I ordered room service, that's probably what confused Ginger," he said buttoning the jacket of his suit.

"Oh, you're not room service?" Ginger asked John and the girls smiling brightly.

"No, we're not," John said.

"I wondered why someone in room service was on the news," Ginger said.

"Ginger, why don't you go and read a magazine, we have business to discuss," the man said.

"Ok, but I don't like reading," she said sulkily, but obediently she sat on a stool at the bar and picked up a magazine, opening it she put her finger on the line of text and her lips moved silently as she read the article.

"Nice to finally meet the Lion himself," the man said extending a hand.

"John will do, and you are?" John said shaking hand perfunctorily.

"It's Quip, but that's not important. Please sit," He said taking a seat on the couch.

John and Alyissa sat Sakura stood behind them watching.

"I'm honoured to meet two of the famed Lionesses, you look even prettier in real life," Quip said.

"We're more than just pretty faces," Sakura growled.

*Alyissa see what you can find out* John thought.

Alyissa pealed herself easily forward into the astral plain, she was surprised at the smell of fear as she entered. Looking at Quip she was amazed to see he had no real astral presence, he just had the faintest of outlines. Turning to the woman she could already hear the woman reading from the magazine, the words coming out slowly in single syllables till she managed to assemble them into actual words. Each word seemed to make the girl happy. Alyissa shook her head wondering if it was even worth the effort to go inside her mind. After a moment she approached Ginger for a closer look, the smell of fear pervaded, as did a desire to be free. Looking closely, she could see what appeared to be a string of rocks round her head. Alyissa laughed thinking that maybe she really did have rocks in her head. She laughed again as the woman worked out word was 'shampoo'. Alyissa wondered suddenly if the woman's brain had been deliberately damaged somehow.

*This is all wrong, she's a slave* Alyissa thought to John.

"Of course, you are, of course..." Quip began as John held up his hand to cut him off.

"I Have no idea what your fucking game is here, but one thing I am well known for is not tolerating slavery," John said coldly.

"Slaves? What..." Quip began.

"You have just run out of rope, we're all going back to the ship, I'll interrogate you there, and once I'm done, if your very good, I'll let you live, but I will free any and all slaves you own."

*Get ready* John warned the girls.

"You have this all wrong!" Quip said springing to his feet.

"I have nothing wrong, we're all going nice and quietly," John said unholstering his pistol.

"No!" Ginger yelled she grabbed what looked to be nothing more than an ornamental Samurai sword and flicked the scabbard off revelling a wickedly sharp blade. It took a moment to realise the vapid bimbo was gone and a fierce warrior had replaced her. Ginger swung the sword aiming towards John, she was nowhere near fast enough to beat Sakura, one of her twin swords struck in a lightning fast flash, she swung precisely severing the woman's forearm in one swift accurate cut. The severed limb fell to the floor, still clutching the sword. Blood sprayed from the stump as the woman's momentum carried her forward. Sukara stepped though finishing the move, expecting Ginger to fall on her knees. Ginger kept her feet, she stamped down on her own severed arm the bones crunching as they broke, the hand releasing its grip on the sword and she snatched it up, a swift back stroke made Sakura step back, Ginger kept kept moving forward towards John.

"Ginger, stop!" Quip yelled.

*Fuck, Stockholm syndrome! Try not to kill her!* Alyissa yelled to John and Sakura. John's pistol was almost pressed at Quips forehead as he stood watching in horror his arms raised in surrender.

Sakura's pistol barked once, she'd just heard Alyissa in time to shift her aim slightly from the woman's head, the heavy slug from the pistol tore through the woman's body below the ribs blasting a huge chunk from her side, she collapsed to her knees.

Looking up the woman snarled through bloody teeth at John as she pushed up from the floor.

"Not going with you!" She spat trying to stand.

Alyissa stepped forward and grasped Gingers psychically at the same time clamping down over the stump and applying pressure to stop the bleeding from the grievous wound to her side.

"To the roof, we'll get the raptor to pick us up from there," John said, Alyissa floated Ginger out of the room despite her struggling to break free. Sukura taking tail to make sure they weren't going to get ambushed from behind. Quip followed behind John quietly, his eyes never leaving Ginger, nor hers leaving his.

The raptor dropped quickly towards the roof as Faye brought it in for a pin point landing, the ramp dropping quickly. John motioned Quip to get on as Alyissa moved Ginger into the drop ship.

"Her blood is in your hands," Quip said as he passed.

"Fuck you slaver," John hissed back barely holding his rage in check.

Faye punched the raptor straight back to the Invictus ignoring all the cries from the ground control as she raced to get the injured woman to Rachel.

"Well, you really fucked that up, I hope you can save her," Quip said watching John and the girls. John broke away from checking on Ginger and stormed over to Quip, he pressed the barrel of the pistol against Quips temple.

"One more fucking word from you and I'll pull this trigger and dump your corpse," John hissed his finger tightening daring Quip to say anything. Quip looked back his own eyes blazing with fury.

"You dumb cunts," Ginger groaned spitting a mouthful of blood at Alyissa and Sakura.

"Its ok, we've got you, everything will be alright, please relax," Alyissa said, shocked at how deeply in Stockholm syndrome the woman was. She nodded as Sakura held up the injector pen, set to deliver a strong sedative to the woman.

The Raptor docked smoothly with the Invictus and the twins were waiting in full gleaming white armour. Rachel waited behind them as Alyissa floated Ginger onto the waiting stretcher.

John kicked Quip hard in the middle of the back throwing him forward the twins in a heap.

"He's a slave owner, help him get safely to the brig Ladies," John said.

"Move," Irillith snapped kicking Quip hard in the ribs, Quip struggled to his feet as the twins herded towards the brig.

"Is Ginger going to be Ok?" Quip asked.

"Not your problem anymore," Tash said shoving him hard in the back.

John strode over to the stretcher where Rachel was already healing Gingers wounds, John watched in fascination as the tissues regrew and knitted back together.

"I'll never get tired of seeing that, your amazing honey," Johns said stroking Rachels tawny hair.

"She doesn't quit, I'll give her that," Sakura said inspecting Gingers sword carefully.

"Wow and those tits don't quit either," Dana said as she walked into the hanger.

"Sparks, you can be too much sometimes," Alyissa laughed. "Now let's get that collar off her and move her into a room to rest."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Rachel said, "If she's got Stockholm syndrome as badly as you said, she's going to need a lot of help to re adjust."

"Ok you're the doctor here, so its going to be up to you, what's the plan?" John asked.

"Clean her up, then put her to bed and keep an eye on her till she wakes up," Rachel said picking up a pair of shears and cutting the pink dress off.

"Kinky!" Dana giggled as the pink dress came away revelling Gingers firm breast with silver hoops though the nipples.

"Yeah but let's give our patent a little privacy. I know this is going to sound a bit harsh, but she's probably a danger, mainly too herself, I'd recommend putting her in the brig, at least until we can start to straighten her out," Rachel said.

"She's been through hell, lets give her a little dignity. If you think the brig is best, then let's do that." John agreed ushering the rest of the girls away leaving Rachel to finish her work.

"We're going to take good care of you," Rachel whispered cutting off the rest of her clothes, her eyebrow raised noticing the three additional hoops on the girl's shaven pussy. "That is kinky though."

***

Ginger woke slowly, her body felt surprisingly good considering, she thought. She lay very still not even opening her eyes till she had worked out as much as she could from where she lay. Mentally and with the smallest movements she could use she checked how functional she was. Wriggling her fingers, she confirmed she had both hands, stifling a gasp she wondered if she was hallucinating, calming herself she checked again, yes, she had both hands intact and working. Gently easing her hands over the abdomen, she confirmed there were no bandages or open wounds, somehow, she was whole again.

<Quip are you there?> Ginger texted from her ocular implant.

<Thank fuck for that! Yes, Yes, I'm here> Quip replied.

<Where are you?> Ginger asked.

<The brig, I have no idea if they can over intercept this, but I'm guessing not> He replied.

<Well at least that's one thing in our favour> she said.

<I'm sorry Ginger, I have no idea why they did all that> Quip said.

<Sanctimonious assholes> She replied.

<I promise we'll get you the best replacement arm money can buy>

<I don't know how, but unless I'm imagining it I have both hands> Ginger said

<We'll I'll be fucked, how did they do that?>

<No idea, and did I get shot?>

<Yeah badly, that Asian chick blew a fucking big hole in you>

<Yeah, I thought so, I can't feel any evidence of injury at all.> Ginger said

<Do you know where you are?>

<No, I haven't opened my eyes yet> She asked

<Good plan, I think they were going to take you to the brig too. You going to go full RTI?> Quip replied.

<Yeah best plan we have right now> Ginger text back.

<I can't hack us out of here, someone thought about this, there is no way into the network from here. I'll cooperate and try to get them to take me out of here>

<And how the hell do you expect to get them to do that?> Ginger texted.

<I'll have to rely on my natural charm and whit> Quip replied.

<Oh, we are so fucked> Ginger shot back.

***

"Ok so that went really badly," John said running his hands back through his hair, "Who are they can we do some digging?"

"Already onto it John," Said Illrith.

Johns eyes flicked to the camera feeds from the cells, the woman, Ginger, still laying on the bed in the cell moving slowly still out from the sedative, the man, Quip sitting still on the bed, apparently meditating.

"The man we are drawing a big fat blank on, no records at all, face doesn't come up in any data base we have access too, and we have access to a hell of a lot. So that is interesting. The woman on the other hand she's a lot easier to track, Ginger Young, T-Fed military, a dishonourable discharge, and a fair bit more," Illrith said. John indicated for her to continue.

"She was a stores person, after basic was in the stores audit section. According to her file barely scraped through basic and was only just able to complete the basic fitness test, she failed it a few times in fact. Never promoted, never did anything at all. All in all, until her court martial and discharge, she had the most un remarkable and boring career the military has to offer," Illirith shrugged.

"And that's the woman who attacked me with a sword, and after having her arm cut off kept coming and then kept coming after getting shot? A storewoman? Really?" John asked.

"That's what the file says. The court martial was for embezzlement and gross neglect of duty, but the files are marked Paper copy only. Which again is pretty odd."

"I'm going to call bullshit on that," Sakura said, "This is a really nice sword, and she moved too well. Not many people will keep going with one arm."

"Yeah, I've seen big guys drop from an injury like that, hardly surprising. Ok so can we find her CO see if they have anything more to offer?" John asked.

"I do have one more thing, its after she was discharged, seems she had a full body sculpt done, and then worked as a stripper, filed her taxes and listed her tips accurately too," Irllith said starting a video play back. The crew watched as the woman danced effortlessly and seductively for a few minutes.

"She knows how to move," Jade said appreciatively.

"Yeah," Said John Squirming in his seat a little "Have you got her CO yet?"

"Putting the call through now," Calara said.

The call connected after a few moments.

"Oh my! Errr, Small Corporal, crap, I Mean Corporal Small, Audit section 256, how can I help you Mr Lion?" The confused tubby young man said when the call connected.

"Relax, Corporal, I would like to speak to the CO about a Ginger Young, did you know her?" John asked.

"umm no Sir, I'm pretty new here, just got promoted, must be before my time. Sorry Sir," He stammered.

"Not a problem, can I speak to the CO now, or maybe someone who's been there longer?" John prompted as the young man sat silently staring at him.

"Oh shit, ummm yes, no, he's not here I can get the adjutant if you want him Sir? He's been here all morning," Corporal Small said.

"Sure, that will be fine," John said smiling at the man's lack of composure.

"I'll get him, Sir!" The young man leapt to his feet and saluted before running off the chair tumbling over in his haste.

"Oh my god that was too funny!" Alyissa said laughing at the young man.

"Poor guy I thought he was going to pass out," Calara said shaking her head.

The screen sat empty for a minute then suddenly what sounded like a scuffle could be heard along with cried of "The Lion, the Lion!" One man was struggling to get another into the camera frame.

"Christ sake Tim, let me get in the fucking chair!" The man yelled out, another flabby pasty looking man. "You could have just transferred the call you ass!"

"Oh, shit I didn't think of that!" Corporal Small stood rigidly to attention behind the chair and saluted, while the other man sat and adjusted his uniform.

"Tim! You didn't even pause the call!" The man said looking round at Corporal Small, "What are you doing? Get out!"