- Chapter 2 -

The Phantasia's off-duty performers were glad for Ashyra's meal, for they were all recalled to work the following morning. The summons was expected, yet it still managed to surprise, for it had been issued by Skylla, rather than Drasheel.

"Assemble at First Sun's Peak for a special rehearsal session in full dance-gear", the message read. "The Phantasia expects your very best."

Freeport's first artificial sun had reached its zenith - early morning, as the city measured time - when the girls gathered on the large stage in the Paradise Lounge. As with most practice sessions, Skylla was in command, but on this exceptional occasion she was dressed to perform, in her glistening snake-skin body suit, gloves and thigh-high boots.

Skylla inspected all fifteen girls as they lined up before her in three ranks of five, as though they were soldiers on parade before royalty. One by one, she regarded them with cold, yet knowing eyes, evaluating their fitness to perform, and sent three girls home, seeing that they needed their time off more than the others.

That left twelve, who all seemed to pass the First Dancer's inspection. "Sending Lajonda, Rinni and Phiru home is the limit of my control over this matter", Skylla told them as she paced back and forth in front of the first five girls. "Shortly, a representative of His Highness, the Prince of the Scarlet Cluster,will arrive to select four girls to perform on the royal pleasure-cruiser. His Highness has been on a long and arduous tour of the territories surrounding his kingdom, and he wishes to be entertained as he completes the last leg of that tour. We want the Prince to make his way home with the best possible memories of The Phantasia and its performers."

Skylla made a show of everything, least of all this address to her "troops". Her prowling was dance practice in itself, her turns performed smoothly and crisply, almost on the tips of her toes. No-one, not even Skylla's greatest enemy, could watch her move and not be impressed.

Circumstances allowed the First Dancer this indulgence, but nothing in the way of additional time to prepare her fellow dancers. Barely a minute later, sounds from the central hall reached the dancers, telling them that the Prince's representative had arrived, and had been greeted by Drasheel. Our employer is none too happy, Raven thought to herself, sensing Drasheel's heightened emotional state. Maybe he was expecting a more regal visitor...

"...I'm sure the Prince would rather see our girls for himself", the club's owner-to-be insisted as he led the way into the lounge, never taking his eyes off his guest.

"I have detailed instructions", replied a well-educated and clearly-pronounced man's voice. "His Highness has never had cause to be anything but delighted with choices on his behalf."

***Oh, great***, sighed Ashyra, sharing her thoughts with Raven. ***It's some backside-kisser by royal appointment. Possibly the most sycophantic group of people in all existence. Don't expect to work too hard, Raven-baby - if we do, the shock'll probably kill him!***

It looked as though Ashyra could have been right, if first sight was anything to go by. The robed man was tall, but his exposed face and hands suggested he was particularly thin. Most of the top and back of the man's head was covered by a close-fitting skull-cap, the contours of which suggested there was no hair beneath.

One hand was closed around a staff, a length of fine dark wood inlaid with silvery-blue metal. At the top end was a circular hoop, a foot or so in diameter, across the inside of which was stretched a circle of black velvet, decorated with the Prince's insignia - the ring of blue stars.

Raven turned her attention to the man, and tried to look inside him to read his emotions. It was the first time she had tried to actively employ this strange psychic power, and she did not expect much in the way of results. The rest of the girls were getting increasingly excited, which did not help matters, but Raven found she could make contact, measuring the man's feelings without delving deep into his private thoughts.

There was little to read. The Prince's representative kept his emotions well in check. He seemed calm, certain of what he was doing, and not unduly affected by the presence of thirteen beautiful women, all in rather scanty costumes.

"I am Roskaat, Aide to The Court of The Sapphire Cluster", he announced once he reached the front of the stage. "The Prince wishes to have dancers from this establishment provide entertainment on his personal vessel. I am to choose from your numbers."

Raven could feel heightened emotions from Skylla now. The First Dancer was anxious, perhaps concerned that she might be left out. "Might I offer some suggestions...?", ventured the woman in snake-skin, stepping forward.

"These are your fellow performers, and you are First Girl", replied the Aide. "Your assistance would be most welcome."

Skylla briefly took Roskaat aside, out of earshot, and after an exchange of hushed words, Raven sensed the dancer's mood changing for the better.

***And then there were three***, chuckled Ashyra's mind-voice as Skylla returned, as upright and proud as she had ever been.

To begin with, Skylla had the twelve remaining dancers walk past Roskaat, one at a time at a leisurely walking pace. The Aide watched in silence, his eyes only ever on the girl in front of him, never showing any signs of being aroused, or even interested.

No decisions were made during this exercise, and so the process was repeated, with each girl executing a full-circle twirl at the midpoint of their walk. The Aide almost had to duck when Raven performed this manoeuvre, her ankle-length hair almost whipping in his face as it fanned out around her, but Roskaat remained impassive.

"Yes, she will do nicely", said the Aide, quite unexpectedly, once Raven had finished her walk. "She is...?"

"Raven, Master Roskaat", answered Skylla. "Our newest recruit. Plenty of raw talent there."

***You lucky bitch!***, exclaimed Ashyra, directing her thoughts at Raven. ***I knew that hair was an asset.***

At Skylla's direction, Raven stepped down from the stage, and went to take a seat at the bar. Drasheel was already there, observing the proceedings, and he turned to Raven as the girl sat. "Well done", he whispered. "You've been here only two shift-cycles, and already you've earned Royal approval. Lord Serpentine smiles on you, Raven."

No more girls appeared to impress enough to be selected during the second walkby - and Roskaat's calm-as-still-water emotional landscape gave nothing away to Raven. Next, Skylla had each girl perform a brief routine she made up on the spot, and the Aide watched five girls go through it before making another selection.

"Yes, her - the one in the silver."

A flash of intense emotion - excitement, a little fear, a liberal dash of astonishment - burst into being like fireworks around Chal'Shi. Her costume was all silver leather - a short waistcoat, a tiny skirt and thigh-high boots - and Raven could not help but think that the way the outfit caught the stage lights had helped to make the decision.

The girl joined Raven. "Isn't this great?", she whispered as she sat down, but a stern look from Drasheel ensured she said nothing more without permission.

Ashyra was next to last, and Raven hoped the mysterious Lord Serpentine would smile on her friend as well. Had she been allowed to improvise, Ashyra would probably have been chosen immediately, such was the passion she invested in her performances, but Skylla allowed only the moves she herself had demonstrated, making the task considerably harder.

Ashyra could not help herself, however, and included a single alteration that swayed the balance. On one of the final twirls, she snapped her head round sharply, rather than let it swing round loosely, and this drew an approving nod from Roskaat.

"And this one", confirmed the Aide. "She has spirit."

Skylla glared balefully at Ashyra as the elfin dancer climbed down off the stage, but the triumphant girl walked past the First Dancer as though she was just empty air, her mind only on what lay ahead.

"We are done here, it seems", stated Roskaat bluntly. "If your dancers are ready, Master Drasheel, we can leave for His Highness's vessel at once..."

"Not...just...yet", replied Drasheel. "I have security considerations to handle yet."

"Your performers will be quite safe on board the Prince's ship, I assure you", said the Aide. "We have the best guardsmen in the kingdom..."

"But they're still your men - not mine", said Drasheel. "I trust no-one that I don't pay personally."

Roskaat was astonished. "You doubt the word of the Royal House of the Sapphire Cluster?", he exclaimed.

"I insist on sending my own personnel along", responded Drasheel. "Accept this, or find some other girls."

Astonished before, the Aide now appeared on the verge of losing the restraint he had displayed throughout the transaction. "You insult His Highness...!"

"I insult no-one", declared Drasheel. "I simply protect my business. The Prince has my deepest admiration but, unlike some, I am not blinded by it. Again, I must insist - I send my own security staff, or the girls stay here. I need only send one guard."

Roskaat calmed visibly. "Hmmm - I suppose one guard would not pose any problem..."

***He hasn't seen the "one guard" Drasheel has in mind***, giggled Ashyra, thought-sharing with Raven again. ***Just watch this!***

Drasheel glanced, quite casually, over to the archway that led back to the club's entrance hall, and a piece of the shadows there came to life. In a single stride, it changed from a nondescript mass to a tall sinuous figure, the stage lights making metal, leather and living scales glisten. "This is Sshraada", announced the future owner of the Phantasia. "One of our best security personnel."

The creature was essentially a woman, of a kind Raven had only glimpsed in the audience at the club...until now. Sshraada was easily seven feet tall, of a build combining both agility and power, whilst favouring neither. Her body was covered in dark, gleaming scales, lightening where they merged into bands on her throat and the insides of her arms and legs. The peak of her fearsome form was a short length of snake-like neck and a serpentine head.

She wore little in the way of clothing - a panel of segmented armour strapped in place from neck to crotch, long fingerless gloves of black leather and thigh-length boots with short cuffs, trimmed with steel studs. Her only visible weapon was a long slender, gently-curved sword, carried slung across her back in a scabbard held in place by a broad belt fastened about her body.

"A Naagian?", murmured Roskaat. "Of the...Na'Sha'Haar warclan?"

The snake-woman tilted her head to the right a little, and glared with narrowed, yellow eyes towards the Aide. "The term 'warclan' is a poor translation, but your observation is correct", she said.

Her voice sounded quite human, with only a hint of a hiss, but any illusion of humanity was dispelled as a long forked tongue flickered from her mouth. Raven found her presence a little unnerving, but was reassured by the thought that others would feel the same, and steer clear of the Naagian and her charges.

Drasheel was intrigued by Roskaat's observation, and directed an inquiring look at the Royal Aide. "Her sword-sheath bears the red and yellow honour-cord of the Na'Sha'Haar", the thin robed man explained. "Many Naagians live in the Sapphire Cluster. It pays to know their ways."

"The Prince is sh'raa'naash to us", informed Sshraada. "Again, there is no direct translation, but it is the highest rank and mark of respect we grant to those who have not come from the egg."

"And this respect you have for His Highness will not impede the execution of your duties?", asked Drasheel.

"No-one is immune to this sword", she replied, sliding two inches of blade from its scabbard, "once it is drawn to defend those I have been called on to protect."

Roskaat went a little pale. Drasheel smiled. Skylla nodded approvingly.

Raven, Ashyra and Chal'Shi, on the other hand, did not know whether to smile or tremble.

 

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