Page 58 of Stalker
"Let's do this."
Captain Strongbow answers the door herself, her pristine white uniform a stark contrast against the penthouse's dark wood paneling. Her medals gleam under the recessed lighting.
"Please, come in." She steps aside with military precision.
The penthouse suite stretches before us, all chrome and leather and floor-to-ceiling windows. A pitcher of ice water sits on the glass coffee table, condensation beading on its surface.
"Water?" Strongbow pours four glasses.
I watch her take a sip first before lifting my own glass. The ice clinks against crystal as I drink.
Vorpa spreads the datacubes across the table. Each projection springs to life - shipping manifests, security footage, financial records. My father's web of corruption laid bare in glowing blue light.
"This goes deeper than we initially suspected." Vorpa's claws click against one cube. "The slavery ring extends beyond just vakutans."
Prova shrinks into herself as the evidence of her torture plays out in miniature above the table. I reach for her hand and squeeze it.
"If all of this is true," Strongbow sets down her glass, "the three of you took a grave risk by coming here."
"It was calculated." I meet her steady gaze. "You're young enough to still believe in what the IHC stands for. Your record shows your dedication to honor and justice. We're betting you care more about that than about protecting a criminal, decorated war hero or not."
Strongbow's lips curl into a smile that sends ice through my veins. "It's fortunate you came to me first. The Commander would have been quite troubled if this had gone public."
The words don't make sense at first. My brain refuses to process their meaning, like trying to read text in a dream. "What do you mean?"
The crystal tumbler slips from my numb fingers. It hits the carpet with a muted thud, water spreading in a dark stain. My legs turn to jelly beneath me.
I look to Vorpa and Prova for help, but they're frozen in place. Only their eyes move, wide with panic and rage.
My back hits the floor. The plush carpet cushions my fall but I barely feel it. My limbs won't respond.
"But... the water. You drank it too." My tongue feels thick, clumsy.
Strongbow laughs, a cold sound devoid of warmth. "Antidote, my dear. Basic precaution when dealing with traitors."
She taps her comm unit. "All clear, sir. They're secured."
The door slides open with a soft hiss. Through blurring vision, I see polished boots step into view. My gaze travels up pressed uniform pants to the stern face I've known all my life.
Dad stands over me, his expression a mask of disappointment. "Oh, Maryse. What am I going to do with you?"
Bile rises in my throat as Strongbow drops to her knees, pressing her lips to Dad's polished boots. The sight of her - a decorated military officer - debasing herself makes my skin crawl.
"Did I do good, Daddy?" Her voice shifts to a simpering childish tone that turns my stomach.
"You were a very good girl, little Cunny." Dad pats her head like a pet dog. "I stepped in some offal on the street. Go ahead and clean that off for me."
The paralytic keeps me from turning away as Strongbow's tongue darts out. My father's smile widens as he looks down at me, his eyes glinting with a madness I never saw before.
"It occurred to me a long time ago that my brainwashing technique could be used for more than just making women into properly submissive, docile companions." His words drip with pride. "Imagine it, Maryse. Senators, starship captains, captains of industry...all licking my boots clean. We could be the most powerful family in the galaxy."
"Go to hell." The words slur past my numb lips. "You're a bad man."
Dad's face hardens. The mask of fatherly disappointment slips, revealing something dark and rotting beneath. "Such language. Don't worry, princess. Once the procedure is complete, you'll be my perfect little girl again."
My stomach heaves as he turns toward Vorpa and Prova. His boots click against the floor as he paces between them, one finger extended like he's choosing a pastry from a display case.
"Eenie, meenie, miney, moe." His sing-song voice makes my skin crawl. "Catch a vakutan bitch by the toe..."