-Sam Smith
It was the 15th and I was stuck attending this party of unbearable people when I could be at home watching the gladiator games. But the upper class was above such events somehow, this wouldn’t matter if I was home I could still watch it. But on the same day this event was happening and I had to attend and pretend to be happy, sometimes I wonder if all the stuff that I do for my business is worth it. This dress was simple since I wanted to be as comfortable as possible, I had enough influence that no one would say anything. My choose of shoe was also more comfort oriented because fuck heels.
This open room was pretentiously decorated and the people here were just as bad, Orange stood behind my chair and I told her to get me another beer. She left and I stayed seated and looked while someone walked up and asked to sit with me. I had chosen to sit alone as I had little energy to pretend to enjoy a conversation, still I played nice.
“Sure, that’s fine.” I told her.
She had on an over decorated dress with unnecessary amounts jewelry on, I choose to wear none myself as I didn’t care to show off. She started to talk and I listened pretending to have interest.
“Your so popular but choose to sit alone, why when so many people would love to tell about what they think of your product?” she told me. I wanted to tell her to fuck off but acted like I cared for her.
“I love just watching others wear it and see how they apply it, I find that satisfying.” I lied to her waiting for my beer.
Finally she came back with it and I took it instantly as she went back to standing behind me, enough beer and I could get the thoughts of being with Dan right now out of my head. His friends and Lin having fun while not worrying about maintaining a polite and proper appearance.
“Whats your inspiration?” she asked.
I responded by bull shitting for several minutes and we talked for awhile until she left, by the time I was alone my drink was almost done. Unfortunately another girl walked to my table and sat down without asking, the other girl at least had good intent and asked to sit. This person had some other intention still I acted like I didn’t know.
“Hello, what brings you to my table?” I asked.
“Just wanted to ask about your work.” I was told.
We talked for awhile until she revealed her reason for talking to me.
“Any men catch your eye?” she asked.
“No, not yet. I have high standards for some one like that.” I responded.
“Oh really, you actually think I believe that. When you continue to associate with that rat, even hiring him several times.” she told me. Her face still had the same nice appearance.
“I can hire who I want to, that’s none of your business. He is useful for certain jobs, nothing more.” I told her. Wanting to keep my feelings for Dan hidden I acted like he was just a hired gun, still I hated speaking so poorly of him.
“Sure that’s it, nothing more even though the rumors say otherwise. Some one like you taking interest in the son of a prostitute, didn’t know you were into rats.” she told me bluntly.
“What are you getting at you bitch, clearly you think you know something so say it already.” I told her while finally dropping my fake smile.
“I already told you, unless your stupid. What if your parents found out about your secret life, you there daughter loving some one like Dan. If more people knew these rumors It would be hard to be in public wouldn’t it.” she continued.
“Leave my table now, I’m not talking to you any more.” I told her.
“If I’m wrong then why get so mad?” she asked while a grin showed.
“You imply I would have romantic interest in a rat, I will not tolerate that.” I told her. I hated what I just said, calling him a rat. He knew I didn’t think that but to say such a thing was unforgivable, still the sooner she left me alone the sooner I could stop trashing him.
“Fine, ill go.” she told me as she finally left.
I then got up and smacked Orange on the face, “Another beer, now!! Unless you want more torture when we get back make it quick.” I told her.
-Lilith Byrne
I was in my room as I didn’t want to do any thing, I just wanted to be left alone. The empty bed in the room taunted me and I avoided looking at it, I wasn’t on duty today and there was the gladiator games so it was a day off for most people.
“Hey Lilith I know your in there, please just talk to me.” I heard from the hall but luckily the door was locked. Liam was trying to help I know but I didn’t want to talk with him, still I remained silent.
“I’m not talking to you as a petty officer right now and wont order you to do anything, I just want to help you. The games start in an hour so come out.” I continued to hear but I still just lied in bed.
“I’m not leaving so staying silent wont help you.” he still spoke to me.
He then tapped my door over and over until it was so fucking annoying that I got up and opened the door, “Stop it you dick.” I told him. I was feeling terrible and wanted to be left alone, I wasn’t being nice right now.
“That’s not how you speak to your commanding officer, you know better.” some one told me as they walked by.
“Of all the times to say that now is not it, leave right now!” Liam yelled at them and they walked away.
“Can I come in to talk?” he asked.
“Fine.” I said and he walked in and turned on the light.
“I know you don’t want to talk so just listen, I know you two had joined at the same time and roomed together for a long time. Still you need to leave your room, I’m not saying its easy to loose someone like her but this wont help.” he told me.
“At least be around those who care about you, no one will make you….” he was speaking when I snapped.
“What am I supposed to do? Act happy like everything is fine, I see her empty bed and stuff right there every day! We might have lived together after we left the military, we had talked about it even if we were really only getting serious.” I told him while I started to cry again.
“I know but you cant hide forever.” he told me.
“Ill sit away from every one but I will watch, don’t talk to me once we get there.” I told him.
“Also you can see Lin again if you get some time off.” he continued.
“Yeah, being honest having lost her and then getting saved by Lin made me focus on her to distract myself. I do think shes cute and I am grateful to her, the combo of her death then being saved made me very fond of Lin. There is no replacing Alice and me viewing Lin as a friend might just be circumstantial but that’s how I feel. The thought of getting to see her again does help, still I feel bad at times for thinking this way.” I finally opened up to him and told him that.
“Okay, that was good now lets get going and I wont speak to you.” i was told and we left.
-Roberto Caputo
It was finally time for some revenge, after all those years I was a slave in this Empire I could finally make the one who made me suffer pay some how. Still after every thing I went through I at least was in a better situation in a way compared to back home. Even if my social status had capped I could still rise in other ways, all these thoughts filled my head as I woke up since I couldn’t help but be excited. I got ready then left my living area for the first floor, I was closed today still I had a lot of guns to work on. I did love being a gunsmith but I ended up spending hours working on them.
I remember how my life started, growing up on an island obsessed with race a delusional people who thought they were stronger then there neighbors. In the end the near by water city and other island fought back and conquered us, our land was split between them and we got sold off to avoid rebellion. I spent 3 years as a maintenance slave until at age 19 I earned my way up to assistant. Earned my freedom and have enjoyed the first 2 years of it, I was an armorer so I had a trade to help me. I hated this Empire at first but now I loved it, I learned a lot here and had no plans to leave.
At first I was pissed but also I was still thinking in the mind set I was taught, dark skinned people were better than all others. I didn’t understand how the ones here in the empire could work with the lesser whites. Still the system,ideology or culture, whatever it could be called got to me and I slowly learned to like it. This society was like a creature with endless amounts of heads that never stopped fighting each other but was so powerful that it couldn’t be defeated even if there was no unity. Funny thing is at first your afraid or hate it until its power forcibly draws you in, still you are now part of this powerful yet dysfunctional beast. I was now one of the many heads even if a tiny one, this society did discriminate but had a way for every one to move up some what even if some people were forever blocked from going higher. That being said freed slaves had become wealthy and formed there own factions and that was ok to do, they just couldn’t hold office so other people above them had to actually run in there place.
This whole society had no identifying physical characteristics, no it had a way of thinking and brutal honesty. The Empire never felt bad for what it did or said sorry, nor did they delude themselves that they were a superior race or had a better belief system. They had power because of resources and a huge military and that’s it, only exception I could think of would be the wealthy at the top. Power could be held and lost by any race as long as they played smart and had the hunger, granted I knew I would never move up from where I was now most likely. Most people here didn’t even understand racial discrimination or insults and those who did were like me and learned not to care. We never talked about or thought about it often, its funny how this culture made you not care anymore but that made sense. All were welcome as long as you knew how society worked, followed its rules and adopted its ideology for lack of a better word. There were very few taboos to break, now I would hold power for the first time in society.
I finally arrived at the slave shop owned by my friend, I had in the past done work on his guns for reduced prices being friends. He knew my back round and told me the daughter of my islands former leader was for sale and said he would hold her for me, back when we were rightfully defeated she was only 8 but all these years later had turned into a beauty. While I had changed because of our loss I still blamed our leader for thinking we could win plus I did suffer myself. So owning his daughter as my own slave would please me so much, he couldn’t do any thing to help her if he was still alive.
“Hey, I’m here to buy her.” I said to Declan as I entered his shop, he was waiting for me.
“your excited to see her so lets go right away, and as promised you get a reduced price.” I was told and we walked to the cells. I remember being in one myself but now it was reversed.
Finally I was seeing for myself her naked chained body, she looked away and said nothing until Declan spoke to her.
“Your being bought, say hello to your new Master. He used to be a slave himself because he is from your home and he wants you to get back at your father for what he did.” she was told.
She backed against the wall and covered her breast while going back to looking away but after the cell door was unlocked her chain was pulled once. She got up and let her hands get locked together behind her back, she was visibly shaking. She stayed silent other then saying “Yes Master” as she was walked to her holding cell in the office, I couldn’t help but look at her.
