Panic Attack

Posted on Fri Nov 2nd, 2018 @ 9:36am by Captain Rueben Gregnol

Mission: Mission 8 - Shattered
Location: SS Mary Rose
Timeline: Previous Mission
1124 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Kravik had caught wind that Katrina was aboard and had used both some half-trueths and money to obtain passage on the ship. It took some time for Kravik to find the location of Katrina's quarters as compared to his own vessel, The Stealer, this ship was massive and easily could house his own in its shuttlebay.

His lips creased into a smile as he found the room. He stopped before the door and noticed it was locked by a numerical pass code. He wondered if she was as preductable as he had found her to be. He entered the numerical spelling to the word, P-O-T-I-O-N-S. The door gave a dinging noise just before the door released its lock and slid open. "Creature of habit, Katrina...creature of habit."

He entered into the room and recognized the smell of spices and sweets. He placed the pearl necklace onto the small table and then moved to darkened shadowy corner and made himself comfortable while waiting for her.

As soon as the door closed behind Katrina, Kravik let the silence and the realization of the necklace's presence sink in before he spoke. "You dropped something in your haste to make a speedy exit. The shopkeeper came clean...eventually." He leaned forward from the shadows, exposing his face.

Katrina let out a breath. She had spent the better part of the day hanging out in the ship's sickbay. Others may think this ship is old but she loved it. It was far away from the life in space that she was used too and far and above anything she had hoped to want when she was planet side. A small smile crossed her lips as she approached her small living quarters. The door parted but she stopped short when her eyes hit the small table. The smile on her face instantly dropped. All she could feel in that moment was panic as her heart raced at the side of the frosty pearl necklace sitting on the table. The exact necklace she had sold to get on this ship.

She heard the voice and a chill ran though her. How did he find me? How did he get here? How did he get in my quarters? All the questions came to her mind but nothing came out of her mouth. She simply sat there and stared into the face of the man who owned her.

Kravik took a step closer as he ran his left hand through his hair while holding his gaze upon Katrina. "Why, why do you do this, Katrina?" he asked, clearly frustrated with the young woman. He walked behind her, with slow deliberate steps. "Have I not kept you safe? Have I not treated you respectively, never have I even threatened, let alone actually violate you? Did I not give you your own quarters and privacy?" he was now facing her, keeping his arms folded across his chest. "And yet, despite the opportunity to have made a large profit by selling you to the Orions and even to two Klingon brothers...I did not and kept you safe from harm. This is how you repay me, by running?"

Kravik sat down at one of the two chairs at the table and looked at Katrina. "Well, are you going to answer me, or just stand there?"

"I'm thinking." The women stated as she look over Kravik. Her prior owners would have whipped her by now and the lashings would have been awful. Just because he wasn't cruel like the others didn't mean she wanted to be around him or stay with him. She wanted to be her own person. "I don't know what you want me to say? I am not going to apologize" She may have mastered the art of being timid but it was an act.

Kravik kept his stare upon her, holding his eye contact. "Look, Katrina..." he motioned to the chair across from him. "for god's sake, please sit down. I'm not going to hurt you, you should know that by now. I don't expect you to apologize, and honestly, I would have your head checked if you did. I just want to know why, but I think I already know that answer." He let out an audible sigh as he waited for her to sit, but she didn't seem ready to do so yet.

"Look Katrina, I will make a deal with you. It's whats my plan was all along." He slid the chair our that was across from him with his foot. "Please, please sit with me so we can talk."

Katrina watched him for a moment. He was right. She wasn't afraid of him. With a nod she took the seat and looked at him unflinching. "Ok..."

"Thank-you." he stated sincerely. "I will make you this deal, but I need your word that you'll honor it. If and when we can find a way to the Sol System, I will free you. That will include me removing your branding and giving you enough credits to make a decent life for yourself in a place that I know you will be safe and free on. Out here, you will never be safe. If I set you free, you'll end up back with some cruel monster that will treat you like piece of meat."

He let out an uneasy breath and he tapped his fingers upon the table while looking down for a moment before returning his gaze. "However, if you run again, the deal is off," Kravik emphasized his statement with a strong double-tap upon the top of the table with his left index finger.

Katrina thought for a moment. She looked over the man sitting across from her. He had never given her reason to believe his wouldn't keep his word. For the first time since she had made any move closer to Kravik. Her hand touched the necklace that was sitting on the table. She had hated selling it and never thought she would see it again. "Can I still have this necklace?"

Kravik let a genuine smile fall upon his face and his facial features relaxed to show an uncommonly sympathetic person. "Of course you can, Katrina. It is yours, after all. I would never use that as leverage against you. I may be a lot of awful things, but hateful isn't one of them."

Katrina wrapped her fingers gently around the necklace and pulled it her lap. She had never had anything of value in her life. She didn't know why, but it meant a lot to her. "Thank you." She said quietly, almost so quiet he wouldn't be able to hear her.

TRACANTED