The Devil and The Queen of Wands

Posted on Sat Mar 6th, 2021 @ 9:43am by Alison Bliss & Kindra Graham

Mission: Six Days to Santo
Location: Kindra's shuttle
Timeline: Day 24 - Morning, right after "Shipboard Shuffle"

Alison entered the shuttle. Now, with Kindra moved in, Alison was looking forward to meet the companion and talk to her again. They met in the past when Kindra saved her and Alden in one of their misadventures. Back then, there was not much time to know each other but Alison found Kindra intriguing.

Alison still couldn’t decide if it was because of the sexual attraction she felt, a fact that Kindra was the first companion for ages that was friendly and open, or maybe it was something else. The curiosity about this attraction was probably the biggest factor that brought Alison here, on the top of sincere even if shallow at this point friendship.

Not bothering to knock, which was a norm for her, Alison slipped inside, moving with feminine grace in her confident steps. She had low-rise denim shorts, ankle high leather boots and a red tank top. She was armed in a holstered SIG pistol on the belt.
“Hi.” Alison said stepping inside to make sure she didn’t startle Kindra. “How are you settling in?”

Kindra was dressed casually in a dark blue knit choli and matching loose cotton trousers gathered at the waist and ankles. She looked up from where she sat on the bed, one hand on the harmonic curve of her harp, the other holding her tuning wrench. "Alison." A genuine smile spread across her face. "You caught me procrastinating."

The contents of the largest of Kindra's three trunks – decorations and accoutrements for creating her companion ambiance – were scattered around the space. Kindra had been unable to decide on an aesthetic or theme she wanted to project and had allowed herself to be distracted by the pleasure she always found in practicing her harp. She looked the other woman up and down, taking in the leather boots, tank top, and pistol, then gestured to the weapon. "Guess I still have a lot to learn about accessorizing for shindigs on the outer planets."

Alison smiled noticing where Kindra's eyes stopped. The companion was as always stunning and Alison's thoughts were colored by her desires for a longer moment. Shaking her head slightly, she looked around, noticing seemingly chaotic arrangement of various items and decorations. She didn't answer immediately to give herself a moment to clear her head and push her thoughts into more friendly and relaxed level.

"That? We have new people on board, I don't know them, so I am cautious." Alison said and gave dark-haired woman a toothy smile. "I like to expect the worst – there’s a small chance I’ll be pleasantly surprised. Unless you mean my skimpy clothing." She finished playfully.

Kindra grinned at Alison and plucked the low F string again. She nodded to herself, satisfied it was tuned and tucked the tuning wrench into the case. "I take it the purpose of your ensemble is two-fold. Skimpy clothing for distraction, and the pistol for protection? I thought the shepherd and I are the only new people on board." She shifted her harp to the side but remained sitting. In a mildly teasing tone she asked, "Which of us are you expecting to make trouble?"

"There is also Jonas, relatively new is Niamh and Chloe." Alison replied. "At this point... there is almost as many new faces as there is old. I am expecting troubles from everyone, including you."

Alison moved closer to Kindra but remained outside of the touch reach. She knelt by one of the figurines and looked at it. She touched it gently with an extended index finger before looked back at Kindra. "So what's your story with Jonas?"

"Jonas? Shwai (handsome), yeah?" She wondered if Alison had taken a personal interest in the man. "I met him about six months ago. He probably saved my life. I was distraught… and stupid, looking for quick transport off Persephone at the port after hours, and not paying attention to my surroundings. Jonas scared away some opportunistic thugs and agreed to be my bodyguard. Took me to his safehouse and kept me safe until we could get transport off planet." Kindra got to her feet. "Underneath that muscle is a clever, smart man. How did Jonas come to be on Fortune's Echo?"

Alison sighed and sat on the floor stretching her long legs out she looked at at Kindra. From that perspective, she looked incredibly hot. However, as Alison thought about it... Kindra looked incredibly hot from any angle. Forcing herself to remain on the subject of the conversation, Alison looked toward the exit from the shuttle as if expecting Jonas to appear there.

"Oh... yeah. Shwai. Wo De Tian A." Alison giggled looking back at Kindra. "Like a god of pleasure." She then shrugged somewhat deflating a bit. "He just popped up one day and since Alden knew him, he offered him a place right away. Well... how could I object to that? I am still getting pussyboner when I see him... but he doesn't seem to be interested. Excuse my relaxed language." Fact was that Alison on one hand felt Kindra would prefer her being relaxed self. On the other hand, she had a clear intention toward Kindra and any way to get there seemed like the good one. Starting from the most direct one.

Kindra smiled at Alison's assessment of Jonas. If Alden knew him and Alison didn't, that meant Alden and Jonas' friendship went years back. "I'm surprised he's not interested in you. I definitely had the impression Jonas likes the direct approach." Kindra admired that about Alison – asking for what she wanted directly. It required the self-awareness to know what she wanted and enough bold self-interest to ask.

She also had the feeling her beautiful guest wanted something that - at least in this moment - didn't involve Jonas. The kind of complication she'd been so careful to avoid since her previous encounter with Alison and Alden two years ago. Kindra unsubtlety redirected the conversation. "It must be strange for you. For a long time it was just you and Alden, partners and allies. And now you're running a ship full of people. A family." So many interconnections, and every new person meant a potential disruption and reforming of those connections. Kindra sat on the settee facing Alison and leaned forward, one elbow propped on her knee and chin resting in her hand. "That's a big change. How do you cope?"

Alison thought for a moment about Jonas. Maybe she wasn't clear enough in her signals toward him. That might be the factor. But considering recent events and her permanent state of annoyance, she wasn't surprised. She sighed deciding to drop the subject for now, especially seeing how Kindra steered the conversation.
"Yes it is and I simply quit." She gave Kindra a mischievous smile. "Not the crew, but running the family." She licked her lips. "I wasn't consulted on all the changes and yes, for a long time it was mainly him and me. It was ok with a few people coming in here and there naturally. But recent changes were just too much, so I quit on being the first mate. I miss old times but I guess, Alden felt it was going nowhere."

Alison looked to the side and her sight wondered outwardly, as she reflected in her mind on the recent changes.
"I don't know. Maybe I also became a bit complacent and stopped evolving. Maybe that is the reason why Alden went over my head with all the changes. I simply let him." She looked back at Kindra. "So I am aiming at going for some changes but staying around. This is how I cope." She tilted her head. "Are you planning to stay here for long?"

"Yes. At least, I really hope it works out for me to stay. Being part of a family sounds… lovely." Kindra shifted her hands to her lap, folded and unfolded them. She needed to speak with Alden, to make sure he was okay with her being here. "After we, uh, met on the cruise ship, I spent some time with my family on Persephone. My stepparents Walter and Margaret, the couple my mother contracted with when I was little until, uh, she died. A couple of months ago I returned to Madrassa for a month. Families are comprised of people, and people change." And people you cared about died.

"I'm so glad I found you again, Alison. You and Alden. It feels like a second chance."

Alison flexed her legs and changed position to kneeling on her heels. She moved closer, almost touching Kindra's settee. Alison's face was now just under Kindra's. She reached her left hand, put it on Kindra’s thigh, and gently rubbed it. Someone might take it for a blatant sexual gesture, but there was so much subtlety in it, gentleness that came with a simple soft smile, that Alison was confident Kindra would pick on the real meaning of it. It was as intimate, sensual and feminine, as Alison could make it without making it sexual.
"Welcome home, Kindra." She said softly and showed her right hand to Kindra where she produced a small brooch on her open palm.

Kindra responded to Alison's hand on her thigh by gently covering it with her right hand, a sensual overture of acceptance and affection. She did feel like she'd come home, and she understood this was a moment of connection and intimacy that went deeper than a sexual gesture.

When Alison revealed the brooch, Kindra gasped. With her left hand, Kindra cupped Alison's hand that held the piece. "Mei mei, this is as beautiful as you are." The small brooch was slim and delicate, seven natural pearls in gold claw-style settings. It appeared to be a relic from Earth-that-was, or an excellent reproduction. Surely she could not intend to gift her this treasure. Kindra looked into her friend's deep blue eyes, surprised and uncertain. "I'm not sure I understand."

"I am just happy you found us again and happy you are going to stay around." Alison says with a soft smile matching her tone. "I guess I am just longing for some stability and reliability after recent chaotic events." Her eyes were looking right back at Kindra's deep brown ones. "Or maybe I am a bit tired of pretending in front of everyone that all is perfect."

Alison's eyes dropped on the brooch and corners of her lips twitched and expanded, adding a bit of mischief.
"Oh, you mean that... well, if you like it, take it. I won that on Quantum of the Star. They told me it belonged to a companion and though I didn't expect it did belong to you, it somehow reminded me of you all that time." She looked up on Kindra. She enjoyed the touch of Kindra's hand on her own, friendly and non-committing. Exactly as she expected, Kindra read through her physical gesture.

Such a sweet and sentimental keepsake, Kindra was deeply touched that Alison had kept a remembrance from their time together on the cruise ship, and now offered it as a gift without pretense or obligation. "I'm honored to accept, a reminder of you. But, your friendship is the best gift you could possibly give me." She leaned in and kissed Alison softly on the cheek, an intimate but not overtly sexual gesture.

Kindra gently took the brooch from Alison's hand. She was keenly aware that in the next several days she would need to establish a place for herself on Fortune's Echo as a respectable companion. That meant conducting herself properly and following companion conventions. At first, anyway. There was perhaps no one else better able to understand Kindra's inner conflicts than Alison. "You never have to pretend with me. I accept you as you are. I don't know how much influence I might have over how chaotic things get around here, but I will always be your friend, that much is stable."

Alison smiled at the kiss and let her eyes sunk into Kindra's with melancholy, as their faces were so close. Slowly she moved her hand back, off Kindra's thigh. Staying there would be overly sexual and Alison decided Kindra knew her enough to know the offer was there, but this was not time to ruin the moment with such innuendo.
"Thanks. I have a feeling you will be a stabilizing element here, my dear." This was the moment for friendship.