However, as those who remembered the time before steam grew grey and withered, the raw resource used in making steam engines more than their technology allowed became scarce. The once plentiful element, raw magic that had bonded with fossil fuels in the ground over centuries called Ember; that is boiled with the water in an engine burning traditional fuels, is now becoming much harder to find. Mines are dug deeper and prospectors scour for new sources. Heavy contestation over ownership of the new and old sources is escalating tensions. As a result, the tried and true method of settling debates has come back with full fury. War was on the horizon as each nation is quickly industrializing its military.
At the most blissfully unaware state possible, the most critical element in the war to come was getting herself drunk in a bar with no idea of the role she would play.
“Don’t you think you have had enough?” Miller, the barkeep, teased his favorite customer. She was not his favorite because she paid her bills or avoided needing to be thrown out. Rather, he enjoyed having a fun loving, red-haired woman with an amazing figure and ample bosom permanently affixed to his bar stool to bring in customers.
“I will give up drinking when people stop buying them for me. When do you think that will be?” Although she never really found the old and overweight barkeep attractive, she always favored him with a smile and her most playful voice.
“Last call as always, I guess.” He chuckled.
The exchange was not what it seemed. It was a planned conversation and his way of letting her know when a man she had brought home in the past walked in. The last call bit was to let her know the old fling was avoiding her. If he felt there might be a ruckus he would suggest she buy her own drinks to help her cut down. Not that she was shy about how she had fun but it would rather spoil things if those buying drinks for her knew.
“Damn… Now here comes real trouble.” Miller announced.
“And hello to you too!” The new arrival exclaimed as she sat down at the bar. “Hey, Hannah. Get laid yet?”
“Just my landlord’s son at lunch. So my rent is paid.” Hannah chuckled. “How are you doing Mari?”
Mari was a visual contrast to Hannah. While Hannah had clean skin and an elegant haircut, Mari had half her head shaved and her skin covered in ink. Her hair was dyed purple and it was always styled in whatever outrageous manner Mari took a fancy to. As well endowed as Hannah’s breasts were Mari had her beat at almost twice her size. Her low cut top showing off the gleaming mounds and the ink that covered them.
“Nothing new on them today,” Mari commented catching Hanna staring at her breasts. “I’ve been too busy today.”
“Your busy day is I’m guessing at least seven men.”
“Three, but that’s just what I woke up with and I had to do something while waiting for my appointment.”
“An appointment that you are going to rope me into joining you?”
“No, but also yes.” Mari flicked her hand to order a drink and adjusted her skirt.
She always did that when she was about to try and convince someone into doing something and seduction wasn’t an option. Hannah stared at her until she was ready to speak again.
“So, I already agreed on my behalf. It’s a job in a brothel.” Mari explained.
“Those are illegal if I recall. In this country and a lot of others.”
“Well, actually it’s only illegal if it’s in a permanent structure. Kinda boring to get into the legal crap, but the point is that if you operate from an airship you can do whatever you want. Since it’s not a part of the country or city, but just visiting, you can run whatever business you want. As long as it’s not narcotics or smuggling whatever, then we are in the clear.”
“I assume murder and such are also off the table,” Hanna stated levelly with disinterest.
“Well yes,” Mari confirmed. “But the point is that we can get paid to dress up pretty and spread our legs for all the fun we can manage. I know you like to choose for yourself, but after that bit with the blindfold in the stadium locker room I doubt you can claim to be that picky.”
“Yes I can, I knew they were all sexy as hell before going in there. The blindfold was not to see what was going on. I still have standards, just not restraint.”
“The point is…” Mari sighed, “You have taken a lot of men to bed you might not have if you didn’t get lost in the moment. At that wedding last month, you didn’t know any of the men before then.”
“I was drunk off my ass and still don’t remember. I like where I am, I choose who I want, live where I want, and I never suffer from a lack of food, clothing, or drink. What more do I need?”
“Make enough money and you can buy your own airship and do that same stuff, but all over the world with a lot more people and not worry about how we just ruined your reputation by discussing your sex life in front of everyone here.”
Hannah looked around the bar realizing that absolutely everyone heard the whole thing. There were some very genuinely disappointed looks from some of her previous conquests and more than a few disgusted looks amidst the shocked expressions.
“Balls…” Hannah muttered.
“As many as you could ever want. Now let’s go.” Mari quickly led Hanna out of the bar and towards the docks.
Unimaginatively named Crater Peak, the city they lived in was on a mountain that was also in the middle of a crater. The surrounding mountain range provided a massive natural barrier against any force attempting to march on it. Originally founded by the few hardy travelers who braved the crater mountains, the invention of the airship led to the creation of a castle at the center peak. Airship docks were installed below the castle to act as a trade hub as the rest of the city crawled down from the peak down towards the valley. Farms in the valley fed the city and grew some of the most exotic crops that the local environment allowed.
Hannah and Mari made their way up the mountainside in a gondola. Unlike typical examples, the ones that serviced Crater Peak were much larger, with two decks and full facilities. Hannah was more than able to blend in with the increasingly higher class passengers while Mari stuck out like a sore thumb. That is, whenever, of course, she wasn’t in the bathroom stall with a young fop who thought a slum girl would be a thrill. She left the stall and found Hannah sitting on the lap of the technician manning the controls.
“Are you sure that’s safe?” Mari asked, watching Hannah slowly moving her hips while in the man’s hands.
“The poor boy was so dreadfully underappreciated. Besides, it’s just a simple lever. He is more than capable of doing his job and me.” Hannah looked over her shoulder at the young man lost in bliss.
Mari looked around realizing all the attention was on her and not her friend. She also noticed they had missed a stop and realized that as long as Hannah held his attention, that their trip would go a lot faster. So she smiled and went off to enjoy the view. Nobody else seemed interested in making a move on her, but she wanted to keep attention on her and not Hannah.
Finishing off her new friend, Hannah slipped into the bathroom to clean up and put on a fresh pair of underwear. Arriving at the docks, Hannah flashed a smile and a wink to the gondola controller before leaving him to some angry passengers complaining about how he missed their stops.
“Got to admit that the classy look you go for lets you get away with a lot more,” Mari commented with friendly envy.
“Well, that is sort of the point. Nobody expects a sweet looking girl to act like I do, so they don’t see it when it happens. I still get asked if I’m a virgin on a regular basis. Like somehow a virgin can deepthroat or do anal without complaint her first time.” Hannah scoffed, rolling her eyes.
“I don’t think I could pull off the act even if I looked the part. Too much of a slum rat to give a damn. Why men want me is because they think I’m desperate and they are doing me a favor. Or that they are so bored with debutantes that they want a woman who will ride them like they’re the bitch.” Mari knew full well Hannah had heard the rant a thousand times before but they both enjoyed hearing it. “The benefits of being treated like disposable trash is that after the fun you can just walk away. How many times have men wanted to propose to you after you spread your legs for them?”
“About half the time they want a relationship. Or rather just a reliable fuck partner. Not that they know the difference. Roughly two or three marriage proposals a week, though. Still, my specialty is that when I’m in bed or wherever we end up fucking, I make them feel loved. And I do. For that short time of burning passion, I love that person.”
“When it’s not a sports team in the locker room.”
“Well yea, sometimes you just want to have a wild ride. That’s your specialty. I give the personal connection.”
“Well, this new job will make good use of that. Dock 17 is over there.”
They walked past all sorts of other airships that, while impressive, were industrial haulers or cheap passenger liners. Only the top ten docks housed the rich luxury liners or military warships of the line. Reaching their destination, the ship they saw looked absolutely dilapidated. There were rotten boards on the hull bounded with rusted iron rivets. The only thing that looked new was the renovated cabin on the deck, made from cheap wooden panels and plaster. The portholes were opaque with grime.
“Are we going to be murdered?” Hannah asked. “If you ruined my reputation just to get us murdered I want to know so I can bitch about it in advance.”
“No, damn it.” Mari sighed. “I suppose I should have warned you but I’ve already been here. It looks a lot nicer on the inside.”
“It could be the slum den I was born in and still look better on the inside than out.”
“Ok I will give you that but airships aren’t cheap. Even the shitty looking ones. So just ignore it until we get inside.”
Hannah took a deep breath and stepped up the ramp to the loading door that had been left open and Mari led her into the ship. The hall showed signs of some very serious cleaning and a rolled up carpet was stacked off to the side of the hall. Doors on either side looked like they hadn’t been opened in years and those were most likely the personal cabins. Names were scratched into the woodwork. Having walked up some metal spiral stairs, only the railings of which had been scraped of rust, they were in a lobby that seemed to have been the focus of the cleanup. There was soft carpet, hardwood wall panels, antique chairs with soft velvet cushions, and a fully stocked bar with crystal glasses. Now, Hannah felt that murder was a less likely outcome.
Sitting at one of the chairs, staring at papers and ledgers arrayed on the solid oak table was a woman. She was older than either Hannah or Mari, who were 25 and 19 respectively. However, the woman couldn’t have been much beyond her early thirties. Wearing a dress that Hannah pegged as the cities fashion of choice last month which was a cheap buy when the nobility switches their wardrobe, but an amazing deal for anyone else. The outfit was a soft yellow jacket wrapping a white overbust corset and a long white pleated dress. Not what Hannah would consider fashionable but the nobility always played by its own rules. Her long blonde hair done up in curls that were falling out of shape. She had a slender narrow face, but not harshly so much like Hannah and Mari themselves, with lovely full lips that smiled when she looked up to see her new arrivals.
“Well now, Mari was right when she said she had the perfect friend for this ship. My hiring practice is only with women I would be willing to bed myself and now I suddenly find myself craving.”
Hannah walked over and straddled the woman in the chair, leaning in to let her breasts caress her face before tilting her head up to kiss her. It was a long kiss, sliding her tongue inside and massaging her soon to be employer’s tongue with her own. Eventually, she pulled away, feeling lips sucking on her tongue for a moment, trying to keep it locked with hers.
“Any time you crave a taste, I am more than willing,” Hannah whispered, while once again putting her breasts in the woman’s face.
“ ‘As classy as I am crude.’ ” She replied, “That’s what your friend said to me and that you were every bit a manipulator with your body as she was.”
Without preamble or introduction, the woman lifted Hannah backward onto the table and re-engaged the kiss. Hannah wrapped her legs around the woman and slid her hand under the jacket she was wearing to undo the corset dress. Keeping her other hand running through her blonde curls to the back of her head to hold her kiss in place. Hannah felt her breasts being squeezed tightly as a pair of hands found their way under her shirt. Finally releasing the last clasp on the dress Hannah yanked it down to reveal the smaller, but still more than a handful, breasts. Pushing the dress the rest of the way off with her feet, Hannah felt her top lifted entirely to push their breasts together. The kiss broke for a moment to get rid of Hannah’s top before resuming again.
Having done it before, Mari quietly slipped around to remove Hannah’s underwear so that when her new boss’s hands decided to explore between Hannah’s legs they wouldn’t have to wait to penetrate her flesh. Hannah shook slightly when she felt two fingers sliding into her and a very talented thumb locating her clit with flawless precision. Mari sat back down to enjoy the show while Hannah gasped for air as a third finger found it’s way inside. She returned the favor herself soon enough now that her hand was free after removing the dress. The table creaked as they swayed back and forth on top of it. Quickly the blonde gasped and soon screamed in ecstasy as she was brought to a climax that triggered Hannah to a vigorous frenzy to make it last as long as she could. Mari counted thirty-seven by the time she collapsed on top of Hannah panting like a dog, resting her head on her breasts.
When she started to get up, Mari helped her back into her seat when she couldn’t lift herself under her own power. She sat wearing only her yellow jacket with her curls resting on her sweaty breasts. Hannah lay on the table leaning up to look, keeping her legs apart and her body exposed.
“Well, I don’t know about you but that was the best job interview I could imagine giving,” Hannah commented with a smile.
“It has been a long time since I’ve had an orgasm that lasted so long and I’ve needed one for quite some time. Safe to say you have the job.”
Hannah sat up chuckling with her breasts bouncing as she did so.
“And I will. I expect all my girls to be available for my personal use.” She stated as flatly as she could still being out of breath but also looking at Mari so she knew that included her.
Mari was taken aback by the required sexual servitude that she hadn’t been told about in advance. “I…” she started
“Oh, girl! A tease I assure you. Your bodies are your own to do with as you please and under no circumstances are you to ever feel forced to avail them to anyone. Only once money has changed hands is anything expected of you. So even I must pay for your services.”
“Oh really?” Hannah asked, giving Mari some time to relax. “How much did I just make?”
“Job interview doesn’t count.” She joked as she leaned forward to put her hands on Hannah’s thighs. “By the way, my name is Liddy and I don’t believe I have finished my portion of the job interview yet.”
As good as Hannah thought Liddy was with her hand it didn’t compare to the feeling of her tongue pushing inside her as Liddy forced her legs wide apart. Keeping her legs apart Hannah grabbed Liddy by her curls and held her in place as Liddy darted her tongue in and out and over her clit. When she used both, Hannah arched her back on the table, clawing at the air for something to grasp. Mari held her hand to keep her stable as she ground her hips into Liddy’s face as if to somehow get her deeper inside her. Hannah ended up letting go and gripping the table with both of her hands.
Mari sat in the chair Liddy had vacated and pulled off her top and relieved Liddy of her jacket she could press her massive breasts onto the flawless back of the blonde beauty. Mari slid her hands around Liddy to her breasts, to tease and play with them while she pleasured her friend. Liddy could feel the hard steel of the rings piercing Mari’s nipples pushing into her back. While Hannah could always last a long time she was helpless against the movements of the tongue exploring her. Liddy had Hannah screaming for almost a full minute. Mari counted before she collapsed.
Liddy leaned back, still kneeling on the floor resting her head on Mari’s belly, who was in turn resting her breasts on her head. Hannah lay on the table panting quickly. Her chest was rising and falling again and again as she slowly caught her breath. Her soft white flesh was glistening with sweat and reflecting the light.
“I was worried when Mari was the only one responding to my search for working girls. Now I feel much better about my chances of making this work.” Liddy explained.
“So it’s just the three of us?” Hannah asked between gasps, not bothering to sit up.
“So far as working girls are concerned. I have two mechanics who are sexy enough to work themselves, but not interested. I just didn’t want men on board working, and they wanted a ship where they couldn’t be cornered and coerced by the crew. I plan to sell myself as often as possible to keep this wreck afloat, but between managing things and keeping guests happy, you two will be doing most of the work for now. If we can get a few new girls before setting out or maybe at the next few stops, then things should get easier.”
“How’s the pay working then if not all of us are working clients?” Mari asked.
Hannah finally sat up, eager to listen, looking about for her clothes before deciding they didn’t matter enough to bother getting dressed.
“Well, I will be blunt and tell you that you won’t be making a lot to start. As you noticed this ship needs a lot of work and my funds are limited. Now, once everything is done, the way it works is that each port of call will be treated like a job. Everything we get paid from our rates, plus anything extra they give you goes into the pot. Any bills or coin that gets exchanged on this ship goes towards it. Gifts like jewelry or dresses or whatever else, are yours to keep since clients wouldn’t react well to their gifts being sold as soon as they leave, plus you will deserve the bonus. That pot is used to pay the staff.”
She continued, “Ship crews have standard wages, so they are the easy and consistent. Food, fuel, drinks, and other maintenance expenses are paid next directly from the pot. The rest is divided as shares between each girl, based on the number of clients we see with one client being one share. Since I’m the boss, I add thirty percent more shares to myself. So, if we saw twenty clients, the math would be for twenty-six shares and those six extra are mine. Now since this wreck needs so much work, I am including renovations as maintenance so each port I do a bit of work on the ship. We still get paid but not as much.”
Liddy actually looked worried after explaining all this. fearing her only two girls would walk out. “I will keep track of how much you are losing because of this and promise to pay you back once we are finished fixing this heap.”
“Sounds like a raw deal for us and a risky move for you, given that the ship is barely presentable. Why do this at all?” Hannah asked bluntly.
“Because I am tired of being passed between nobles who tire of me and tossed to the soldiery when I’m no longer the type of girl popular in court anymore. It’s time I put my talents to use making a life for myself on my own terms. I know it is a lot to ask a stranger but I need your help to make it happen.”
“I ended up spending a week in a barracks after one of the nobles had his fun with me at a party. So I can understand that. I’m in. Mari?” Hannah queried.
“I’ve already told her, I would, if you did,” Mari smirked.
Liddy sighed in relief. “Thank you. Now as for rules they are pretty simple. Regardless of whether you see clients here or at their place, you are to never let money change hands anywhere but on the ship. This is for legal reasons mostly, but if we get a bigger crew of girls I want everything in the open. Now, if for some reason, you find yourself not getting laid enough and you do it on your own time, then you are free to do so. Just that any paid sex is paid on the ship.”
She carried on, “Any activities between girls on the ship are between consenting adults. Except for me. I want to be your friend, but also as your boss, keep things professional so I will pay for your time and you get paid full wages with no cuts taken off. Gifts, like I said, are yours to keep, but if they try to give you extra coin or bills while off the ship you need to refuse. I don’t want you arrested. If you can get them to buy you things instead, then go for it.”
“I suppose that all makes sense. Seems silly to refuse extra money but last time I was arrested I was sore for a month.” Mari hadn’t really enjoyed the experience but happily satisfied city guards for a few days to avoid prison guards for years.
“All paid business goes through me so nobody agrees to anything without my permission. You two have fooled around with nobles, sure, but I lived with them and I know the world well enough to keep things safe for you and this ship. Try to avoid personal activities with the upper class and keep it professional. They are the clients who should be paying for your body not getting them for free because you are bored. That’s what the people in the class we were born into are for.
Liddy continued, “Also, feel free to entice girls to work on the ship but don’t promise anything. Any hires are my call to make. Granted, I doubt all interviews will go the way things did today. In fact, I should have avoided that entirely. But that’s done and over with. Lastly, the bar is free to drink from while in dock when we can buy more, but I don’t want to arrive somewhere and be cleaned out. Buy your own to drink while in the air until we are rolling in enough money that I don’t have to worry about it.”
“Damn. Hannah, will you be ok with that?” Mari asked with a grin while draping her arms over Liddy putting more pressure on Liddy’s head with her breasts.
“I can deal with a lack of booze easy. Though depending on how long it takes us to get places, I am going to climb the walls for some action.”
“Good.” Liddy shook her head in as much a gesture of humor as it was to feel Mari’s breasts. “You will need that energy to see as many clients as possible, once we dock. Now, I have some good news and bad news. Good news is your choice of cabin. The bad news is that I haven’t gotten those damn doors open since I bought this thing so I have no idea what is in any of them or what shape the cabins are in. So, tomorrow when the workers arrive, I will have them pry open the doors so you can clean them out and move in.”
“I’m pretty sure that I fuck people so I don’t have to clean anything myself.” Hannah laughed. “But I’m sure I will manage.”
“Well, the more we do ourselves, the less we need to pay others to do it for us. Also, you will be fucking people to do things for you. Just a little less directly than before.” Liddy smiled.
“Hannah and I both grew up pretty low in the city, so despite how comfortable we have gotten lately we know how to get our hands dirty with actual work,” Mari added laughing. “What room is yours?”
“This room for now, until I get the door busted open on that one.” Liddy pointed to the door near the stairs leading to the aft cabin at the rear of the ship. “Everything downstairs is yours to choose from. I’d like to have separate rooms for seeing clients at the front of the ship so that the view is better, and your rooms are your own. But I unsealed those doors first and they are such a mess that it would be best if you focused on the room you sleep in to be presentable and get the nicer rooms for work later.”
“Will we be seeing any clients before we leave?” Hannah asked.
“No, we will be working on the ship until we have to leave and while we are in the air to wherever I decide to take us next. When we land is when we see our first clients.”
“Fair enough. So how good a fuck did you get with Mari?”
“We were surrounded with sweaty workmen so it was a purely professional meeting. In hushed tones, so they didn’t get distracted.” Liddy explained.
Hannah got up from the table to sit on one of the chairs. “Then fuck her now. I know you want to be professional but she’s the reason I’m here and as our boss, you shouldn’t show any favoritism. I may have done you good but she will still make you scream.”
“I’ve been waiting for my turn. I’m game.” Mari added leaning down to speak softly in Liddy’s’ ear.
“You two are just determined to make me want you bad enough to pay you. Fine. Might as well take all I can get while it’s still the interview.” Liddy stated with a smile.
Hannah and Mari never actually fucked each other but always enjoyed the sight of watching the other work. Frequently sharing a man or woman or simply swapping partners and of course kissing each other when called to do so, but the rest of the time they acted more like sisters uninterested in getting physical together.
Hannah leaned back in her chair softly massaging between her legs while Mari lifted Liddy to her feet holding her by her breasts. Liddy gasped in pain at the strong movement but was spun around to face Mari and thrown against the wall before she could say anything. Mari put her hand around Liddy’s throat and kissed her, squeezing ever so gently. Mari kicked Liddy’s leg to the side to expose her well-trimmed landing strip. Liddy had her hands on the arm choking her trying to pull it off before she succumbed to the desire to grab Mari by her massive breasts. She could never hope to hold them in her hands but tried so very hard to make sure she gave attention to each inch of them. Finally settling on yanking the piercings and forcing Mari to grunt in pleasurable pain.
Keeping her hand on the throat Mari pushed Liddy down so that her mouth could assuage the pain on her nipples. Liddy moved her talented tongue over them to heighten their sensitivity before she started to bite gently all over her breasts. Mari tightened her grip around Liddy as she bit her nipples and began to yank them with her teeth. Gasping for breath Mari, pulled Liddy off her and pinned her against the wall while she returned the favor. Liddy’s’ poor smaller breasts suffered in pleasure as Mari bit harder and yanked the tender nipples harder with her teeth before returning to roughly kissing Liddy, forcing her tongue into her mouth.
Hannah used her hand to abuse her own breasts as she penetrated herself with three fingers while she enjoyed the sight of Liddy being used. Mari suddenly pulled Liddy away from the wall and forced her to bend over a chair. Spreading Liddy’s legs with her feet Mari plunged three fingers inside her and worked them in and out rapidly. Already as wet as she could be, Liddy still wasn’t ready for the fourth finger and quickly the thumb. Liddy cried out in surprise as Mari pushed her whole fist inside her.
Tiny as Mari’s hands were, they were still a lot for any woman to take, but Liddy was well practiced and quickly began to moan deeply as each thrust of the fist made it’s exit and entry. Liddy couldn’t contain herself for long and screamed, while Hannah counted twenty-two seconds. ‘She must be losing energy,’ Hannah thought.
Deciding it was her turn Mari pushed Liddy off the chair onto the floor. Lying on her back, Liddy looked up just to see Mari kneeling over her and showing her what a clean shaven girl looked like. It was harder for Liddy to work her tongue with Mari grinding onto her face but Mari got more pleasure from staring at the wide eyes belonging to the woman desperately trying to breathe. Liddy reached up to hold on to Mari by her much less abused breasts to even the score.
Hannah enjoyed the spectacle of Liddy flailing her legs trying to get purchase enough to flip Mari but failing. Mari leaned forward to relieve the pressure on Liddy and bounce her hips over her mouth. For a moment hovering above, and the next brought to her waiting lips. One moment furiously working her tongue and the next, Liddy was desperately lifting her head to have more. Soon, Mari let out a loud stuttering moan as she climaxed, leaning backward grabbing her own breasts with Liddy’s help as Liddy lapped up like a dog at Mari’s flowing juices.
Mari made Liddy wait and continue to lick until she was done, before getting off her. Hannah tossed her shirt over to her and the three of them all started to re-dress.
“Well, I’ve never had a woman take me so roughly, so I had no idea I would enjoy it so much,” Liddy commented as she walked over to her dress.
“Normally I’m on the receiving end of the rough stuff but with a woman, I like to make her cry with pleasure,” Mari explained running a finger along Liddy’s cheek to her eye, which had definitely been crying, as the tears continued to flow.
“Well, there are always clients who want that. Receive or give. Hannah, can you help?” Liddy asked as she turned to show her undone back.
Still yet to find her own top, Hannah fastened up the dress and helped Liddy put the jacket back on. “This is a damn sight easier to do while I can see it.”
Liddy and Mari laughed. Hannah separated her bra and top from the pile that Liddy had yanked off her. She refastened the red clasp on the otherwise black piece and pulled her top back over her head. The shirt was white but stretched over her breasts making it very tight and her bra was very visible underneath. Mari almost never wore a bra and her simple tube top slid back on easily. She never did take her almost non-existent skirt off.
“So, go pick your rooms while I get my papers back in order. Then go pack your things and I will see you ready to get working tomorrow.” Liddy explained to the girls as she composed herself.
Mari and Hannah left Liddy to her work and started their new lives.
