Insidious - Part 3

Fiction Friday. Escape pod here.

Still not sure about this one. Oh well, lets play it out to its conclusion anyway....

Insidious - Part 3

"The next field trip will be in two weeks time. A three day visit to the ruins on Deltole Six as well as a special shuttle ride to the ruins in orbit around the moon of the same planet. Yes boys and girls, we get to do some space-archaeology on this one! Costs, number of extra credits for the dig and permission slip proformas are on the appropriate page on the network." the Professor stated to the class.

"The ruins are some 10,000 years old and carry inscriptions of an unknown language. There are some who believe they are Yan Jung related but others say there are major inconsistencies in the architecture and writing. These are perhaps the most important Gallente related ruins we will visit on this course so I strongly advise you to come on this extra trip especially if your are lacking credits. Remember to hand your current assignments in before you leave."

The classroom became noisy as the students all stood and started to file towards the door.

"Want to stay over tonight and work on our Federation/Caldari history coursework?" Doure asked as Vysena pulled in beside her in the queue to hand in their assignments.

"Sure your folks won't mind?" 

"No problem. I'll let mum know you're staying and Winston can make extra for dinner."

"Winston?" Vysena asked.

"Our domestic drone. He cooks the food."

"You have a drone to do the housework?" Vysena asked incredulously.

"Erm yes." replied Doure sheepishly.

"How the other half live!" joked Vysena as they passed the professor their work and headed out of the college.

Later that evening the girls were laid out on Doure's bedroom floor. Datapads laid out in front of them as they worked on their assignment on the first Gallente/Caldari war.

"So you going on that archy field trip?" Vysena asked.

"I don't think so." Doure mumbled.

"Why not? Bouey is going." Vysena teased. Doure looked at her in shock.

"What?" Vysena smiled. "You think I don't know? I've seen how you look at him. You want a piece of that and I don't blame you, he's hot. Hey if I had time for a boyfriend I'd have taken him if you didn't."

Doure looked all embarrassed. "I want to go on the trip but my dad is holding one of his parties that weekend. I wait on the guests when he does."

"What? He makes you serve at a house party in your own house?" Vysena asked in surprise.

"Yeah. He says it keeps me grounded and teaches me the value of sacrifice and work. I cannot complain. Its better than having to get a real job."

Vysena nodded in understanding. Doure realized what she'd said and kept quite not wanting to say anything that might offend her friend. At that point Yverens called up from downstairs to say dinner was ready. The two girls charged down stairs into the dining room. Yverens smiled and nodded to Vysena in greeting as she entered. His wife approached the new-comer.

"Hi. I'm Slens." she said extending her hand. Vysena shook it.

"Yes I know. We've met many times. Oris roasted coffee beans, 2kg?" she said with a friendly smile. Slens' face was one of confusion. Suddenly she put her hand over her mouth in shock.

"Oh my! You are the girl who works in the coffee shop! I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you." she said in horror. "I'm horrified!"

"Don't worry about it. Those awful hats we have to wear as part of the uniform aren't very flattering." Vysena laughed.

They took their seats as Slens explained she would pick up her special coffee blend up from a specialty shop uptown. Vysena said she'd been working there for the last couple of months to help pay the rent on her apartment. This led to a bit of an abridged history of how Vysena got here. She explained that her family had died in an accident but didn't give details and nobody pressed. She'd survived and been taken in by the Sisters. She'd stayed with them having nowhere else to go. Finally she came of age and wanted to go to college so had left the Sisters.

-o0o-

"You going on the field trip?". The voice came from behind her as they filed out of their Gallente Culture lecture which made her spin around. Bouey was standing there smiling at her.

"I... I... I..." Doure stammered looking up at her crush.

Bouey was a traditional Gallente college all-star. Blonde, incredibly handsome, athletic, on the college zero-G handball 1st team and overall popular guy. Doure had never spoken to him. As far as she knew he didn't know she even existed.

"I don't think so. We have a family thing." she managed to get out.

"That's a shame." he said sounding genuinely disappointing. "I was hoping you'd be coming."

Doure shrugged and continued walking. She caught up with Vysena. "You'll never believe what happened!" she said excitedly.

"What?" Vysena asked.

"I'll tell you later when you come round to do our coursework!" Doure teased and sped on!

It was hours later when they were up in Doure's bedroom working on their homework she told Vysena what had happened.

"Bouey asked if I was going on the archy field trip!" Doure gushed.

"No!" squealed Vysena . "You HAVE to go!"

"I can't." Doure said sadly. "Remember I'm waiting at my dad's party!"

"I have an idea." with that Vysena sprang to her feet and ran from Doure's bedroom. Doure jumped up and gave chase.

"No! Stop! Whatever you are doing stop it!"

Yverens was downstairs in his 'den' on his datapad when he hear fast approaching feet. Whilst retired as an agent for the Federation Navy, he still kept up with Empyrean matters. The three big screens relayed what was happening that day. 

Vysena appeared in the doorway looking as hot as ever. He cursed himself for thinking that. She was the same age as his daughter!

"Hey Mr Catelnau." she almost purred. He could hear more fast approach footsteps.

"I've got a proposition for you."

Yverens raised a questioning eyebrow as his daughter skidded into the room.

"Whatever she said, tell her no!" his daughter gasped.

"What is it?" Yverens asked putting his datapad down.

"The Archeology course has a field trip to Deltole Six at the weekend. It gives a lot, and I mean a lot, of extra credits. Doure won't even ask you if she can go because she's working at your party that weekend. I'd like to offer to stand in for her so she can go on the dig and get the credits. As she's lacking a bit."

"No!" Doure said.

Her father looked at his daughter.

"Is this true? Are you lacking credits?" 

His daughter looked at the floor. The start of the semester was difficult with the bullies and she'd missed several lessons and been unable to concentrate in those she did attend. It was true she was lacking credits.

"I can make them back. Things are, well, better now."

Yverens considered that fact. It was obvious this friend had made a dramatic change on her life. She was certainly studying harder now and he'd not received a single absence report since they'd met.

"OK you can go and thanks for the offer Vysena but you don't need to do that."

"Oh I insist." Vysena said placing her hands on her hips "My idea. My way. I'll replace Doure as the waitress at your gathering. Don't worry, it'll be great!"

As the two girls retreated upstairs Yverens thought about it, and he did worry. Fellow former agents, polititians and several members of Gallente high-society attended his gatherings. It could all go horribly wrong!

"You get to make out with Bouey!" Vysena said excitedly jumping on Doure 's bed. She looked at Doure's reaction. It was not as expected.

"What is it?" she asked as Doure plonked herself down on the bed despondent.

"I....." Doure started but trailed off.

"You've never made out with a guy before?" Vysena asked surprised.

"No." was the curt answer.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Vysena apologised. An awkward silence followed.

"But you know what to do right? You've practiced right?"

Doure looked at her friend in confusion.

"With girlfriends. You've practiced haven't you?"

"Urrghhh! NO!" Doure replied shocked.

"Oh."

"What do you mean 'oh'. Have you?"

"Of course. If you don't learn then the first guy you do kiss will think you're a bad kisser and guys talk. Before you know it every guy within 2AU knows it. Me and the girls practiced a lot at the Sisters. First guy I kissed said I was the best kisser he'd ever dated!"

Doure looked sad. "No. I never have."

"Come here!" Vysena said.

Doure stayed where she was and looked at Vysena with a 'seriously?' look.

"If you don't learn Bouey will be disappointed and if word gets out you'll not get another boyfriend at this college. You want that?"

Doure shook her head as Vysena patted the bed in front of her as she swung onto her knees and sat upright. Begrudgingly Doure mirrored her position. Her heart racing.

"Calm down. Looks like you are going to have a heart attack. Vysena laughed reaching forward and brushing some hair from Doure's face."

"I'm sorry" she muttered.

"Relax. Her friend said. "Just close your eyes."

Doure close her eyes and waited. A few seconds passed and nothing happened. Then she felt a presence. Hot breath on her lips.

"Lick your lips" she heard Vysena whisper. She did and a second later felt soft lips envelop her own. She kissed her friend back. Slowly and tenderly.

"Not bad. Seriously that was your first?" Vysena said pulling back.

Doure nodded looking dreamily. 

"OK lets crank it up a notch. Bouey is eighteen not fourteen."

Vysena leant in again and Doure met her for the kiss. This time there was more passion. Doure felt Vysena's hot wet tongue pass between her lips seeking out her own. They melted together on top of the bed.

-o0o-

A few days later Doure took her seat on the shuttle. It was only a couple of jumps to Deltole but she was nervous. She sensed movement to her side and glanced up. Bouey was smiling down at her.

"Is this seat taken?"

"Erm... I..... no." she stuttered.

He placed his bag in the overhead locker and took the seat strapping himself in.

"First job when we arrive..." the Professor said loudly over the chatter "Is to set up your hab-tent. I've specifically asked for these to remain packed at the site as you need to learn how to install them. We'll be visiting the orbit ruins on the way back home."

The fasten safety belts light illuminated with a ping, stopping the Professor from continuing. A few minutes later the engines roared into life and the small shuttle blasted off from the spaceport.

Back down on the planet Yverens paced up and down. He was thinking he should have never trusted that girl. Yes she'd had a hard life but she was obviously damaged goods. Why he agreed to this he'll never know. He glanced at his watch. Ten to eight and no sign of his 'helper' for the night. His guests would be arriving soon and he'd have to get the domestic drone to serve. His wife would be down in a minute and he'd get it in the neck for agreeing to this in the first place. "Damn it" he muttered. He should have just let Doure go on the field trip and got hired help in. The buzzer on his front door sounded. The first guests! He opened the door and was shocked. Vysena was stood there wrapped in a long coat. Her hair had been styled so that it framed her face. The usual dark heavy makeup was gone. She was in a word stunning.

"I'm so sorry Mr Catelnau for being late. I couldn't get a cab from the transit station." she said stepping in.

Yverens was lost for words.

"Is there somewhere I can stash this?" she asked removing the coat. If he had been lost for words before, he was struck dumb now. Her dress fit like a second skin. Amarrian silk if he wasn't mistaken but Gallente styled. The electric red shimmied in the light. Through the long slit in the dress he could see one of her shapely legs clad in glossy black silk and the high heels matched the red of the dress. She looked like a cocktail waitress in a five start hotel on Gallente Prime. No, he reconsidered, she'd be appropriate on the arm of some Quafe Corporation executive.

"Mr Catelnau?" she repeated.

"Oh yes, sorry, I.... there are trays of champagne in the kitchen can you make sure everyone gets one as they arrive." he said holding his hand out for her coat and trying to compose himself.

"Of course. I'll do anything you want." she smiled and turned leaving Yverens there debating the real meaning of those words as he watched her sway towards the kitchen.

To be continued.......