Steampunk Harlots Ch. 17

"Your general just won you a major victory. Parade that around the city and nobody will care. Praise the troops involved and the populous will love you for it."

"True, but there is the ruling class to consider."

"The ruling class seldom starts riots when they are sucking up to your victory march. That being said, you are right, you need something to save face. My captain demanded some kind of compensation for my death correct?"

"She most certainly did..." he replied sheepishly.

"So subtract that from whatever financial reparations that are made. Knowing I'm alive will go far in improving her mood."

"I suppose..."

"Then to sweeten the deal, I bow out of your military accolades. It becomes your victory in the field without a foreign officer from Crater Peak stealing the glory. Hail the bravery of the pilots who died saving a civilian who fell from the sky, make your Leftenant a Captain, and the sergeant here a Leftenant," Hannah turned to Grey, "Apologies and condolences," then turned back after receiving an insulted acknowledgement from Grey. "And I leave without a fuss, while you let this case be decided before it gathers attention."

"Smother scandal with victory... Fine. The faster it's dealt with the less people will dwell on it. With the people on my side, I could ruin any noble who questions me. Let her in when she arr--" he got cut off as Liddy burst into court.

Hannah remained facing the front after stepping backwards a few paces.

"Duke Harnon!" Liddy screamed, holding a bloody basket in her hands. "I come to press charges and demand satisfaction!"

"Yes, captain. I have just heard. Your requests have been sponsored, and I will do anything I can to see justice done."

Liddy faltered, "What?"

"The taking of crew members of a foreign merchant vessel is terribly illegal, regardless of what said crew members might be. What terms have you to make amends for this grievance?"

Liddy was nonplussed and continued cautiously, not understanding what was going on and why it was going in her favour. "Criminal charges for all those willingly operating the farm seized by my crew."

"Yes, of course. What else?"

"... the seizure of holdings, assets, and property of any and all involved in the conspiracy of kidnapping."

"Ah yes, without question."

"Seizure of property and finances of anyone directly profiting from the farm's operation?"

Duke Harnon looked to his advisor who nodded, "Very well, yes."

"This, of course, includes the city's slave market, its property of land and slaves, as well as the farm itself."

"I... well, property can only be owned by those of... oh well, I suppose your sponsor would qualify. Yes, the market and farm as well."

"I... is this a joke?" Liddy asked.

"No, Captain. It was made very clear to me that legal right lies with you and while I could dismiss this all away regardless, it simply would cost more in the long run to oppose you. Or in the immediate short run, I suppose."

"Now I am feeling slightly bad about going so far as bringing a severed head to court," Liddy looked down at the basket dripping blood.

Hannah sighed loudly as she turned to face Liddy, Inky, and the rest of the soldier girls as she took off her cap. "I have been a terrible influence on you, haven't I?"

Duke Harnon took that as the cue to add his terms, "Of course I will deduct an amount from seized assets equal to payment made as compensation for her death."

Liddy ignored him and dropped the basket in shock. Inky laughed loudly and pushed Liddy forward as she ran to embrace Hannah. Liddy kept herself moving after being brought to her senses and also embraced Hannah. Liddy openly wept as she fought Inky for Hannah's lips for her own. Most of the assembled men just observed the kissing with a smile and subtle nod.

****

Outside the court soon after, Liddy was cheerfully explaining the details of her demands to a scribe while frequently flashing smiles at Hannah. Inky inspected the cut on her head.

"That looks like a closer shave than I ever got." Inky smiled. "Bullet or shrapnel? Looks like shrapnel."

"Neither. Our barber was really just that fucking terrible," Hannah scoffed.

One of the soldiers gave an emotionally wounded moan from behind them before cracking a smile.

"Most of the girls are at the farm, but I think there are a few who came with us you are going to want to see." Inky nodded towards the gates where Ving stood with Vile.

"Ummm..." was all Hannah managed.

"Name is Vile, personal slave to the guy in the basket. Tore the bad guys apart with fire once she got free. Long story, too long to tell it between now and when you get to Ving."

"We can celebrate later. Don't think I didn't feel your hand on my ass."

"Mari is in the lounge with Easy. Might want to speak with her first." Inky nodded towards the ship that sat parked in the middle of the street that ran in front of Duke Harnon's estate.

Waving goodbye to her comrades, Hannah trotted down the path, where she could see Ving facing away with her arms crossed. One of the local cavalry guards stood nearby with his men, having evidently been summoned to respond to the landing, but not having anything to do once he arrived. Hannah walked beside him and stole his riding crop as she passed. Raising her arm, Hannah took a grand swing, but holding back slightly as she struck Ving across the ass with it. Ving yelled in pain and turned to scream at her attacker when she froze instantly on seeing Hannah. She didn't wait for her to recover.

"Hey girl, miss me?" she said before diving in for a kiss.

Ving was still stunned when Hannah picked her up off her feet and carried her, lip locked, up the ramp of the ship. Vile turned to Inky.

"So I'm guessing that was the friend she just told me she had lost?"

"Yup," Inky replied.

"I'm not getting my riding crop back am I?" asked the cavalry officer.

"Nope," Inky replied.

****

Mari sat with Easy on the couch in the lounge, holding hands, and leaning on each other.

"I was just so worried. I always used to be so strong, but unravelled when... and then you... I know I'm just going in loops but..." Mari paused when she realised Easy was no longer looking at her.

She turned around to see Ving held in Hannah's arms, who stopped kissing long enough to speak, "Move over, we wanna fuck."

Hannah had only a moment to set Ving down gently on her feet when Mari tackled Hannah with a tight embrace and let out a howling shriek of excitement. Easy, while not letting out tears of excitement as Mari was, embraced Hannah as well. While the two of them hugged their lost friend tightly, Ving had gotten on her knees and worked to unfasten Hannah's trousers. Mari looked down when Ving nudged her hips out of the way.

"Oh, so that wasn't just a joke." Mari laughed looking back at Hannah.

Hannah shrugged, "When has it ever been? Had too many men lately. Getting dropped off in a war zone tends to limit one's access to the fairer sex."

"Are you sexed out?" Mari turned her head to ask Easy.

"I'm in the same boat as Hannah," Easy smiled, then realised what she said. "I mean, I need me some lady love."

"Fair enough. Haven't gotten laid in days and I have a lot to celebrate." Mari finished her sentiment with a kiss.

****

Outside, Foxy called out, "Time."

Juno hit her stopwatch. "One minute, six seconds."

"I'm out," Inky sighed.

"Calling less than a minute kind of felt like too big a piece of time, but thank you. Minute ten was mine," Liddy smiled.

"Mari and Easy are kissing. Doesn't sound like they are going anywhere." Foxy updated.

"Oh, good for them!" Liddy clapped with excitement.

"We should have bet on that as well," Astra added.

"I think I love you people," Vile spoke softly.

****

Hannah stripped off her jacket as Ving bit lightly into her thigh. She saw Easy flutter her wings as Mari bent her over the couch. Her dress lifted, Easy gasped as Mari put her tongue to her. Hannah turned and laid down on the couch with her head resting under Easy. Ving quickly stripped out of her clothing as Hannah watched and blindly pulled Easy's breasts free from her dress. Crawling on top of Hannah, Ving felt the sparkling skin of the breasts caress her head, her own hair teasing the nipples, as she kissed Hannah again.

Gripping Ving's head with one hand, Hannah reached around her waist with the other to keep their kiss as tight as possible. She slid her leg between her lover's and bent it so Ving could grind her hips and rub herself against it. Ving gripped Hannah tightly by her breast, which was being smothered by her own, and reached down to penetrate her with the other. Having longed for a woman's touch, Hannah inhaled deeply as Ving went right to working three fingers inside her. Ving gripped tightly with both hands and pulled hard as she knew Hannah loved.

Easy moaned as Mari worked two fingers inside her while her tongue flicked over her flesh. Feeling Ving's hair rubbing against her breasts made her shudder and wish someone would pay them direct attention. Holding herself stable with one arm, she reached down to tease her own breasts, occasionally touching Ving's head or Hannah's hand that gripped it. Then Hannah pushed Ving away to lean up, and putting her at face level with Easy. Ving leant in to kiss the fairy and feel her long tongue slither into her mouth. Easy switched her free arm from her own breasts to Ving's, while Hannah shoved a pillow under herself to reach Easy's breasts with her tongue.

Mari had gotten herself naked as she satisfied her desires with Easy, and looked below her lover to see Hannah running her tongue between her breasts. She shared a smile with her friend, and then stood to invade the kiss between Easy and Ving, stealing Ving for herself while she pushed Easy to her knees on the floor. Easy pushed her long tongue deep into Mari. Ving felt the massive breasts of Mari push against hers, and soon Mari pulled back enough to let Ving attend to them directly. Hannah watched Ving as she slowly covered Mari's breasts with her saliva, and the tight grip on them she took when biting them. Ving felt her hips moved as Hannah worked herself over the couch and under her so that she was soon sitting on her lover's face and feeling her tongue enter her.

Feeling Ving shudder as her climax made her whole body tense up and bite down harder. Mari gasped for air. The bite, the tongue from Easy, and the joy of everyone she cared about being alive and well made Mari let go of her pain and scream loudly. She filled Easy's mouth with her wetness and climax for the first time in days. Easy giggled as she lapped up everything that flowed from Mari's long overdue release. When she was finished, she stood up to kiss Mari and then Ving before looking down at Hannah's naked body begging for attention. Easy removed Hannah's hand from her own womanhood, and slowly teased it with her tongue before pushing it inside her. Mari laid down on the floor and moved under where Easy was kneeling to resume her love for her fairy.

Hannah continued to gorge deeply between Ving's legs and held her by the breasts with her now free hands. As Ving did the same, four hands were roaming all over her chest teasing and pulling on them. Underneath, Hannah tried to moan from the attentions of Easy into the soft flesh of Ving. Letting out another howl, Ving climaxed again, and this time Easy couldn't hold it in any longer. As Easy climaxed, tongue deep within Hannah, it twitched and spasmed in ways Hannah couldn't withstand. Her nails dug into Ving's breasts as she wrapped her legs around Easy's head to keep her in place. Mari had her own fingers inside herself, and listened in pleasure as her best friend let out a muffled scream with her lover's tongue inside her.

Ving moved off the couch to let Hannah breathe and knelt on the floor with her head resting on the heaving breasts of the redhead, looking up at her. Hannah finally let Easy withdraw her tongue, and lovingly watched Ving's head rise and fall with her own breaths. Easy slid down onto Mari and kissed her.

"So," Hannah spoke between heavy breaths. "Next round in the bath or in Liddy's bed?"

****

"How many ways in and out of the market?" Liddy asked the captain of Duke Harnon's personal guard.

"The main entry and the loading docks. I've already sent men to the loading docks." The captain replied, trying not to be obvious about his looks at how much cleavage the dress Liddy wore exposed.

"And how many ways out for people desperate to flee? Windows and such. There would be the sewers as well, I imagine."

"Normally yes, except they have invested a lot in securing this market from thieves and escape attempts. Only the important people would have special ways out, and it won't be through the sewers."

"Then that's who we hit first. I know just the man I want to find, and he should be here counting his books by now."

Liddy marched through the gates of the slave market and smiled as the men guarding it were suddenly finding themselves under arrest. She looked upon the slaves being prodded around on display, knowing their humiliation was soon at an end. She soon reached the spot where she had first seen Leira and knew the main office would be nearby.

"In there." Vile nodded towards one of the buildings that surrounded the market. "I've been here often enough over the years."

"Figured it was around here somewhere. When we get there, hang outside the door. I don't want him getting wind of what's going on, if he doesn't already." Liddy replied.

"Fair enough. Sounds like you have a plan." Vile checked out Liddy as the blonde woman walked on ahead.

After finally finding the main office, Liddy walked in with the guard captain and found her old client looking up in surprise. Even more surprised were the two Emberborn men who had satisfied her while their master was out.

"Well now, this is a surprise. What brings you here? I sure could use your services, of course, but I haven't sent word. Nothing wrong with your gift, I hope."

"On the contrary, the gift has served me well. Actually, I have recently gotten access to a few interesting records and had thought maybe we could both share some information and make a lot of people happy."

"And who might we make happy?" he asked, curious and almost playful.

"Well, there is an official investigation that I have ended up in the middle of," Liddy nodded to the guard captain. "There is going to be a major... redistribution of wealth. From some important people into the pockets of others."

"I'm listening," he said, holding Liddy by the hand as she came around his desk to sit in his lap.

"Well," Liddy breathed in, to puff out her chest. "It's up to me to determine who is at fault. Yet I lack the local political knowledge to know who might be most worthy of reward as much as punishment. You, on the other hand, know all the players. So my questions to you are, who are your friends? Enemies? And what their connections are to the slave market specifically?"

"So I give you names and their wealth becomes..." Liddy stopped him with a finger on his lips.

"The wealth of those wronged in this case. You help me decide who they might be."

He looked at Liddy and then at the guard captain before holding his hand up. The snake man put a quill in his hand and then an inkpot on the table while the wolf put parchment down on the desk. He explained to Liddy the names as he wrote them, who they were, what connections they had, pausing only to look at the breasts of the woman on his lap. When he was finished, the snake took the paper and poured pounce on it to dry the ink. Liddy got off his lap and took the paper from him.

"Captain," Liddy said with a grin.

"Sir Rotan, you are under arrest for conspiracy to commit kidnapping of free peoples and assault on a foreign merchant vessel. Your assets are hereby seized and delivered to Sir Rayvon Dexx. Fail to remain silent against the orders of your Duke, and you will be charged with treason."

The shock and surprise on his face was total as he glared at Liddy. Vile walked in.

"Hello, remember me?" she asked rhetorically, knowing nobody ever forgot her. "The fat sack of shit you gave me to is dead. The farm is free and the collars are off. As much as I'd like to burn you alive right now, I can't help but feel like the good captain here has a much better fate for you. A long drawn out ruination of everything you thought belonged to you. Your privilege, property, title, everything. Gone. Goodbye."

He was taken out of the office, too stunned to process what was going on. Inky was at the door and Liddy handed her the list. She would take care of them while Liddy oversaw the rest. She turned to the two men standing in stunned silence.

"You two, thank you greatly for your help," Liddy bowed slightly. "There are a few hoops to jump through still and it will take a few days, but you may consider yourselves free." Their jaws dropped and the snake man's actually unhinged. "Before then, though, I am going to need help keeping things together. We are going to need to transport all the slaves to the farm quickly, as well as secure as many from being sold as possible. Also, I need to get everyone who worked here in irons. Whatever you can do to help would be appreciated."

The wolf spoke first since his jaw didn't need to be reseated before doing so, "Free as in you won't treat us like slaves? I'd happily serve you. Even if it didn't mean satisfying your flesh again."

Vile spoke up before Liddy could respond, "Really? When did that happen?"

"Commoner Rotan was a client, wife barged in and caused a scene. They both left and I was left wanting. They helped me out." Liddy turned to the two men. "I want to make two things clear. Firstly, your collars will be taken off as soon as you get to the farm. We don't need possession issues while we are in the city, and things need to be written down. Secondly, if either of you wants my flesh again, you are more than welcome to it if you decide it's something you want. I will not 'order' you into doing anything."

"I do want," the wolf replied.

"I don't mind that kind of order," the snake added.

"Good, but either way it needs to wait until everyone is at the farm and free. Until then, please assist my soldiers and the house guard in identifying and detaining anyone related to the slave trade. I have a free hand in this, but who knows how long it will last, so time is of the essence."

They both nodded eagerly and dashed to the door, briefly pausing to kiss Liddy on their way out. Vile smirked as Liddy shifted her stance to deal with the tingle between her legs.

"They going to end up in your bedroom when we start transporting them to the farm?" Vile asked, with her smirk still showing.

"Not with their collars still on." Liddy shook her head. "Anyways, we need to get to work. The only thing faster to flee than those responsible is their money. We need to make sure their bank doesn't get wind of this."

"Actually they don't use the banks. Brings in too much money and nobody wants to be holding it. Robberies were always frequent, and they simply couldn't secure them enough. So they keep it where they already had lots of guards."

"Here? At the market itself?"

"Indeed, they needed a vault for day to day use anyway, so they just made it big enough to be their bank as well. Pretty impressive sight."

"You know where it is? Take me."

"Oh, I certainly will," Vile agreed with a more devilish smirk.

****

Inky marched through the crowd and turned to the house guard officer accompanying her. "Identify these people and arrest them if they are on the list, lock them in the slave pens. Otherwise, keep them contained in the yard. Lock the slavers up as well. We can interview them later. The slaves I want unshackled and put on carriages or trucks and taken to the train. Do NOT cram them in like cattle." The man nodded and began barking orders to his men. "Foxy, I want you to speak with everyone as they get on the train to let them know it's for real and to keep them calm."