Tales from the Stream Ch. 21

Emily showed the video feed to Lúcia.

Lúcia placed her clenched fist in her palm and bowed to Emily, before returning her attention on FOCCER HQ. The red rims of her eyes were more pronounced and no longer contained to just the lower half. Her left eye twitched constantly.

"Marie-Anne reports she's ready," said Emily.

"Where's Jamie?" asked Jade.

"I don't know," said Joan. "She should be here by now."

On the sidewalk from left, Jamie turned the corner with a swagger in her step. On her heel was a trio of women sporting buzz cuts identical to Jamie's and packing considerable muscle mass.

"Found some friends," announced Jamie. "Space Marines from Fifth Division, out of Camp--"

"Would you get down," hissed Jade.

"Sometimes I forget." Jamie chuckled, as she sauntered over. "You were with the Navy, weren't you?"

Jade narrowed her eyes.

One of Jamie's new friends spoke up. "The LT here said there were some not so nice people that might need to be taught some manners. We'd like to help."

"Ell... Tee?" said Emily.

Jamie turned to Emily and winked. "I was in the Space Marines ROTC," she said. "Did I not tell you that? It's how I paid for college."

"You never mentioned it." Emily sighed, and settled her slightly unfocused gaze squarely on Jamie's backside.

Captain Jade frowned. "Would you get down," she hissed again.

"Not how we do things," said Jamie. She turned to her new friends. "Master Sergeant?"

"Oorah!"

Jamie and her friends turned, formed a line four across, and marched toward the front entrance of FOCCER HQ.

"Fuck," mumbled Jade. She turned to Emily. "Radio all teams. Tell them the mission's a go."

* * *

Inside FOCCER HQ

"Have you seen this woman?" Emily held the tablet in front of the receptionist who was shaking so hard she nearly fell over. "Her name is Aidoru."

The crumpled bodies of seven uniformed security guards lay on the floor, moaning. Shouts of "Oorah" echoed from the vestibule ahead. A single harvester crab dropped from the ceiling on the desk. He stood tall with all eight legs straight, pointing his eye stalks at receptionist.

"Look," said Jade. "We don't want to hurt you. We just want our friend back. Have you seen her?"

"Twelfth..." the receptionist sobbed. "Twelfth floor. Executive offices."

"Thank you." She turned to the harvester crab. "Come on, Reg."

Reg jumped from the desk to Jade's shoulder just as she sprinted toward the bank of elevators. She pressed the button. There was a muted chime, followed by an instrumental rendition of The Girl from Ipanema issuing from an overhead speaker. Reg swayed to the music while Jade stood ramrod straight.

"Fuck it," said Jade, turning her gaze to the stairwell. "Stairs."

The exit sign above the stairwell door had been broken and the nearby emergency lighting was active, casting pools of light over the floor. At Captain Jade's feet, another harvester crab tapped at her ankle.

"Right," said Jade. "Captain Joan. Find something to help me pry these doors open. These boys have a plan."

"Got it," said Joan.

Reg climbed down to join the group.

Dozens of harvester crabs streamed over the walls and ceiling, making their way to the elevator, each raising a pincer high in the air as they took their turns squeezing through the crack.

Behind the line of crabs, were Lúcia and Amaliya, walking alone, heads held high and clenched fist pressed against open palms. So calm and focused was their demeanor, they seemed to be floating over the floor toward the stairwell.

There was another shout of "Oorah" from the floor above, and the crumpled body of a security guard came tumbling out of the stairwell entrance. Lúcia and Amaliya stepped around him, and were momentarily bathed in the twin circles of illumination from the emergency lighting. The soft, Brazilian jazz of The Girl from Ipanema continued, unabated.

"Fucking unreal," mumbled Jade.

The last harvester crab slipped into the crack of the elevator doors. "They're in," said Joan.

"Let's go," said Jade, focusing her gaze on the stairwell.

* * *

Twelfth Floor

"You can't be in here." A single uniformed security guard stood in front of Captain Jade, blocking her entrance to the executive wing.

"Step aside," said Jade. "I'm here for my friend, not for you."

"Fuck it," said Captain Joan, landing a punch that bloodied the man's nose and sent him crashing to the floor. "My patience has ended."

Jade, Joan, and Emily hustled forward until they came to a set of double doors. The nearby plaque on the wall read, 'Executive Boardroom'.

Inside, a pair of double-chinned men in tailored suits were slumped in the corner, moaning. At the head of the conference table, and in the two chairs on either side, sat Aidoru. She was leaning back, with her boots perched on the table. Her faces were covered in chocolate.

"I guess we missed all the exciting stuff," said Jade.

"What about these two?" Joan pointed to a young man and a young woman, also seated at the conference table, but dressed more casually with an off-the rack look. "Who are these FOCCERs?"

"They are my new friends," said Aidoru.

"Please be kind to them, Captain.

"They brought me chocolate."

"Please," stammered the young man. "We're... we're just interns. Junior FOCCERs"

"Interns?"

"We would never hurt Aidoru," said the young woman. "We love her music. We love her."

"More Toblerone, Miss Aidoru?" said the young man. "I can get another box from storage."

Aidoru smiled with chocolaty lips and teeth.

"Ma chérie!" Lúcia burst through the doors and ran to the conference table. "You are safe!"

Lúcia threw her arms around Aidoru, hugging her and kissing her all over her face and mouth. "And... And you are very chocolaty."

Aidoru grinned.

"Lúcia, my love.

"Your rescue is most daring.

"For that I'm grateful."

"Ma chérie." Lúcia squeezed Aidoru tightly. "Je t'aime."

"You are my sunshine," said Aidoru, wrapping herselves around Lúcia.

"And you light my darkest nights.

"You are my soulmate."

"That was fucking beautiful," said Captain Jade. "Absolutely fucking beautiful."

"I know, right?" said Captain Joan, reaching to wipe a tear from beneath her eye.

Just beyond the doorway to the boardroom, Amaliya turned toward the trio of Space Marines, her clenched fist pressed against her palm, and bowed to each of them in turn. She entered the conference room and stood next to Jade and Joan.

"You missed it," Jade whispered to Amaliya. "Aidoru was just professing her undying love for her Lúcia."

"It was... It was beautiful," said Joan, still wiping under her eye and now sniffling as well.

From the other side of the boardroom window that overlooked the street below, came the distinctive two-tone sound of the Nouveau Paris Metro Police siren.

"We should probably pack this up," said Jade. She bent forward to kiss Lúcia and Aidoru on cheeks. "Shall we?"

Aidoru stood up and hugged the two interns as the group headed for the conference room door.

The young man lept up from his chair, producing a felt-tip pen and a piece of paper. "Would you...? Before you go, could I get your autograph, Miss Aidoru?"

Aidoru smiled as she took the pen.

"For my loyal fans.

"It is no trouble at all.

"It is my pleasure."

"Me too?" said the woman, standing.

As Aidoru finished signing the paper for the young man, the young woman ripped her blouse open and unhooked her bra. "Right here?" she said, dragging her finger over her left breast. "Please?"

Aidoru turned to Lúcia. Lúcia nodded.

Aidoru finished her signature with a flourish, then dipped two of her heads to take a swipe at the young woman's exposed nipples.

"I'm never washing this again." The young intern stood wobbling for a moment. Finally, she collapsed into a conference chair with a deep sigh and some help getting situated from her male colleague.

"Come on, superstar," chided Jade, beckoning Aidoru and Lúcia forward with a wave of her hand.

Outside, the police sirens were getting louder.

* * *

Back at Mia's meadow

Novice Lenore entered the meadow pushing a cart laden with tea cups and a large ceramic pot in the center of it all. She poured two cups, handing one to Captain Joan and one to captain Jade, where they stood chatting a few meters from Amaliya.

Novice Lenore whispered a few words to Joan and Jade before returning to the tea cart. She let her gaze linger on Captain Jade's backside for a few moments before fetching another two cups. The first was delivered to Emily and the second to Jamie.

Amaliya overheard Lenore's hushed tones as she spoke to them. "It worked," said Lenore. "Mother Bertilda's plan worked."

Emily smiled and reached out to squeeze Lenore's shoulder.

Novice Lenore picked up two more cups from the cart. She brought one to Amaliya and kept the other for herself. "It worked. The sisterhood now owns a sixty-percent interest in Aidoru's record label."

"Good news," said Amaliya, sipping her tea.

"Mother Bertilda also sends word that we shall be having dinner shortly," added Lenore. "Within the hour."

"Mother Bertilda?" said Amaliya. "Not Sister Jane?"

"Sister Jane is at the hot springs, instructing Novice Anna and Novice Hame in proper bathing techniques." Lenore flushed pink for a moment. "There was an incident in the kitchen involving a sack of flour."

"I see," said Amaliya.

Novice Lenore nodded. Sneaking a glance at Captain Jade, she turned back just as quickly and cast her gaze to her feet.

"She is dashing, isn't she?"

Lenore flushed pink again.

"It's alright." Amaliya touched her finger just under Novice Lenore's chin, coaxing her gaze upward. "Captain Jade has a marvelous ass, don't you think?"

Lenore held her lower lip in her teeth, saying nothing.

"Lovely for squeezing. Even better for thrusting." Amaliya sipped at her tea. Lenore did the same, though her hand and the tea in her cup were shaking as she did.

"And a fabulous tongue that never seems to quit."

Lenore swallowed hard.

"Do you see that patch of wildflowers up there, honey?" Amaliya pointed a few dozen meters away. "That's where we like to snuggle in for the night. The smell is amazing. And it's a big patch of flowers. Plenty of room for one more if you care to join us this evening. And maybe the next?"

Novice Lenore stood, her mouth opening and closing rhythmically, with no words coming out.

"You do like girls, don't you?"

Lenore closed her mouth, swallowed, and then nodded.

"Good." Amaliya leaned in and kissed Lenore on the cheek. "See you tonight, then?"

Novice Lenore was weaving visibly as she returned to the tea cart.

Amaliya turned her gaze to Lúcia and Aidoru, lying naked on the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. She smiled in their direction before making her way to stand by Captain Jade.

"Hey, babe," said Jade.

"Hi." Amaliya sipped at her tea. "I assume you already heard the good news?"

"The sisterhood owns Aidoru's record label," said Jade. "I have to say, that's almost more satisfying than punching those FOCCERs in the face."

"Almost," said Joan, grinning and flexing the fingers of her right hand.

Amaliya turned to Jade. "Listen baby, I sort of invited Lenore to shack up with us tonight. She seemed to be enjoying you from the rear, so... I hope that's alright."

"Sure," said Jade, licking her lips. "I could use a good workout."

Amaliya smirked.

"Shit," muttered Emily, from where she was standing with Mia and Jamie. "Shit, shit, shit."

Amaliya moved that direction "What's up, Em?"

"Marie-Anne says..." Emily sighed. "Oh, I can't... Mia, could you just play the message again?"

"Of course, Emily," said Mia. "It is from Marie-Anne. I am sorry to report that the criminal charges brought against the FOCCER executives have been blocked by judge's order. Only the civil suit remains, though it is being challenged as well. At the present time, things do not look promising."

"I've never known justice to move so swiftly," mumbled Amaliya. "How come it never seems to work that way for the little guy?"

Jade and Joan shrugged, each laying a hand on Amaliya's shoulder.

Lúcia and Aidoru rose from the ground and wandered over hand in hands. "Why is everyone suddenly so glum?" asked Lúcia.

"It looks like most of the FOCCERs have weaseled out of the criminal charges," said Amaliya. She turned to Aidoru. "I'm sorry, honey."

Aidoru shook her head.

"Have faith, Sister Amalya," said Lúcia. "Trust in God and you will often find things have a way of working out for the best."

"That's what I admire most about you, Lúcia," said Amalya, wrapping Lúcia and Aidoru in her arms. "Your ability to always see the good side of things."

Captain Jade stepped forward. "I'm just glad to see the old Lúcia is back. While I certainly respect the warrior nun mentality, and if someone ever came after my girl, well... But, still, I was a little concerned for you going over to the dark side and all."

"You need not worry, Captain," said Lúcia. "I have my Aidoru back to balance me. She keeps me anchored firmly on the side of goodness and light."

Aidoru smiled. She pointed to Lúcia and then drew a large circle in the air in front of her with her finger tips. She ended by turning her index finger inward.

"Ma petite," Lúcia whispered. "You complete me as well."

"No more punching people in the face, then?" asked Jade.

Lúcia shook her head. "Not today, Captain."

Captain Jade smiled and held her arms wide. "Bring it on in," she said. "Everybody. Come on. Group hug. Jamie, you too."

"You are my family," said Lúcia, buried in the center of the mass of hugs. "I love you all. From the bottom of my heart. You are all my sisters. And no matter what happens, I know I will always have you. Thank you."

* * *

In the FOCCER boardroom, three weeks later

Mother Bertilda stood at the head of the long, wooden conference table, dressed in her full-length nun's habit. She wore a deep frown as she looked up and down the two lines of executives seated on either side.

"Hello, boys. My friends call me Mother Bertilda." She said. "You may address me as Madam Chairwoman."

Mother Bertilda produced a ruler from a hidden pocket inside her habit and tapped it against her palm as she continued.

"There's going to be a few changes around here."