Mitchell's Revenge
Orlov homestead at Noo on Tarasov

Anja was finishing an assignment at her desk in her room, when Daria strode in. Anja swivelled her chair around to face her.

“Today we go to Achernar,” Daria announced.

Anja’s heart leapt in her chest. At last she had a chance to leave the homestead. She watched Daria’s face closely as she explained the purpose of the trip.

“Today you will try out for a partner. It’s time you began to work properly. We have three boys to choose from,” she said. “You will dance with each of them, and see how you get along. According to my information, their mothers want them to be champions. And they know the consequences if they fail.”

Anja shivered. She had nightmares about Lake Ladogat and the young man who died in its boiling waters. In her dreams the colour of the water changed from deep violet to pink to blood red. She usually woke up screaming. Then she’d lie awake until she was too tired to do anything but sleep.

“Are you listening to me?” Daria demanded. Anja re-focussed her attention on Daria.

“Yes, yes,” she replied. She stood up.

“You will also be measured for your competition costume,” Daria said. “The costumier will be at the tryouts. He needs to see how you move and what your potential is. Then he will make something to suit.”

“Do I have any say in what the costume looks like?” asked Anja. “If I like it then I will perform better for you.”

Daria looked at the girl in surprise. She was an old head on young shoulders. Anja took everything in around her and she learned fast. Her progress to date was remarkable. It would be interesting to see how she worked with a real partner from now on.

“I will think on it,” she replied. “If I say yes, then you should think about what you would like.” Anja nodded.

“Thank you,” she said meekly.

“You remember Elena Zeitsev, don’t you?” asked Daria, as Elena appeared in the doorway. Anja smiled at her over Daria’s shoulder. Elena put her forefinger to her lips and shook her head imperceptibly as she stepped into the room. Anja’s smile faded. Elena was dressed in military fatigues and had a heavy sidearm holstered at her waist. She bristled with coms tech.

“As we’re leaving the homestead, we’ll need protection,” Daria explained. “Elena will be our bodyguard today. You will not think about trying to run, hide, or anything else. She will be in contact with Anton here at the homestead at all times. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“Hello Anja,” said Elena quietly. “It’s good to see you again. You’ve grown ten centimetres since I last saw you.”

“Hello Elena,” Anja said, standing straight. “I have, and I’m stronger now too. I’m learning to dance.”

“I heard,” said Elena, smiling at her now. “I’m looking forward to seeing what you’ve learned. You’d better dress for travel now. We’re leaving in twenty minutes.”

Half an hour later they were on the road to Achernar. Anja was reminded of just how flat and featureless the landscape was. There was nothing to indicate how far they’d come or the direction they were travelling in. Petr was their driver again and they were travelling in the same land carrier she had arrived in. Elena sat up front with Petr and Anja shared the rear seat with Daria.

On the outskirts of Achernar Elena began to direct Petr through the city. They travelled through what looked to Anja like a commercial district. There were warehouses and long flat buildings with numbers above their doorways. There was no signage and nothing to indicate the names of the companies that operated from here. The occasional heavy vehicle passed by. There was very little other traffic.

Eventually they came to a stop outside one of the long flat buildings. It had a stylised number five on the front. Anja saw from her vantage point above the street that there was nowhere to run, so she resigned herself to behaving perfectly. Except for her tutor, she’d had no contact with anyone else on the planet other than the Orlov family. Elena escorted them from the vehicle.

Anja carried her case containing her practice dresses and several pairs of shoes. She’d managed to scavenge some sweets from the kitchen and a couple of bottles of water. She had a feeling it was going to be a long day. Daria explained on the journey that she had made an appointment for each boy. They were expected to arrive promptly for the tryout. She allowed time between the completion of the tryout and the next appointment so that they could discuss and evaluate the performance.

Daria opened the door to number five and led Anja through a narrow entry way that opened into a long barn of a room. Elena followed behind them and positioned herself near the doorway. A beautifully polished timber floor stretched from where they were standing to the end of the room. Mirrors lined the wall on the right hand side from the ceiling to the floor. Bench seats lined the left hand side and Anja could see a door with the intergalactic man/woman symbols on it which indicated change rooms and toilets.

There was a counter with a water cooler on it and tall glasses. Anja could see music tech on the other side of it. There were speaker domes built in to the ceiling at regular intervals. A thin dark haired man emerged from behind the counter and glided towards Daria. He had the same ice blue eyes, which looked odd with his dark hair.

“Darling!” he exclaimed as he reached her with his arms outstretched. She smiled as he hugged her close. Anja stood by not quite knowing where to look. Daria released herself from his embrace and stood at arm’s length.

“I have found quite a talent Givi,” she said excitedly. “This is Anja.” She gestured towards her protege. Anja smiled nervously at him and clutched her dress case in front of her.

“This is my brother, Givi Safronov,” Daria explained to Anja. “He is in charge of this dance school. He knows music, he teaches dance, and he designs and makes the most divine costumes. He will be creating your dresses. And he will help me decide on the best partner for you today.”

Givi made strange clucking noises as he circled Anja, examining her from head to foot. It was unnerving to say the least. She felt as if she were on display in a shop window. He walked back to Daria’s side and stood with his hands on his slim hips.

“She‘s perfect darling,” he said. “And I think I know which boy will do today.” He glanced at the clock on the wall behind the counter. “Let’s get organised. The first one will be here soon.”

“You can get changed in there,” Daria pointed towards the change rooms. “Elena will stay with you at all times.” She gestured to Elena to follow Anja.

“Ballroom first,” she went on. “Then just change shoes for Latin. It will be enough to see the partnership possibilities.”

Anja did as she was told. As the girl and the mercenary disappeared into the change rooms the door chimed. Givi went to meet the first boy. He arrived with his mother, sister and aunt, all of whom had a vested interest in his success. He was eleven years old, blond haired and blue eyed and as tall as Anja. The whole family knew there was money to be made from partnering an Orlov daughter.

In the change rooms, Elena stood close to Anja and swiftly switched off all her coms gear. She had only a few seconds before Anton would become suspicious. Anja looked questioningly at her.

“I will get a message to your family,” she whispered to Anja. “For that I will need your measurements and the pattern for your dress.”

She switched the coms back on. Anja nodded and smiled broadly at her. Her mind went into overdrive as she hung her dresses on the hooks provided and put her shoes in a row on the floor. She wondered what pattern could she invent that would send a message to Sibil that she was alive. The measurements alone would not be enough because she had grown so much since she left EQ2. She changed into a ballroom practice dress and wriggled the suede soled shoes onto her feet.

“I’m ready,” she said to Elena.

They returned to the ballroom to find the first boy already changed and waiting for them. The tryout process began with the ballroom. Givi selected the music and watched with Daria as the two youngsters paired up and began to dance.

Anja did exactly as she had been taught. But she found it very difficult to dance with someone her own age and height. Everything felt different. And she didn’t feel comfortable with this boy at all. They stumbled and crashed into each other. He pulled her right arm straight and lifted her left shoulder up. He held her so tightly to him that she felt she couldn’t breathe. It was not an enjoyable experience. After the four ballroom dances, she changed her shoes and danced the Latin. This was marginally better but still not good.

When they finished, the boy and his family were thanked and dismissed. It was a unanimous decision that this one was no good. Anja had time for a drink and some sweets before the next boy arrived. They went through the process again. Still no good. That left the last one. She had some time to catch her breath as they waited for him.

Half an hour later the door chimed and Elena ushered the family in. This time the boys’ father accompanied the group. Both parents were tall and graceful, blond haired and blue eyed. Anja could see they had been dancers when they were young. She shook their hands as she was introduced. The father explained that they had been young competitors like her, and they were now returning to competition in the senior ranks. The whole family travelled together to the events and supported each other through the rounds.

Aleksandr Ostrakov was a fraction taller than Anja, and at age eleven, had only one year left in the junior ranks. He had short blond hair and grey eyes. He stood up very straight and his eyes twinkled as he was introduced to Anja.

“Just call me Aleks,” he said as he shook hands with her.

She liked him immediately. He seemed fun to be around and his parents were very nice to her. This tryout was quite different to the other two. Aleks asked Anja lots of questions about what she had learned, how she had been practicing, how she felt about it, what she thought of the music and which dances she liked the most. Once he had a good idea of what she had been doing he offered his hand to her and led her onto the floor.

Givi chose a lovely waltz for the first dance. Aleks explained to Anja how she should position herself against him, waited for the right beat and started to dance a series of simple steps that she could follow easily. They moved together, one two three, one two three, down the floor. It still felt strange to Anja and she could feel her entire body getting tense.

Aleks stopped moving at the far end of the room and stepped back from Anja. He held both her hands gently in his and explained how to follow him. He reminded her to breathe as they moved. They set up in the ballroom hold and started to move again. This time it was easier. Anja started to get a sense of what his lead meant.

“This one has possibilities,” Givi whispered excitedly to Daria. She nodded, never taking her eyes from the youngsters.

“I think he’s the one,” she agreed. “If he’s going to be a champion in this grade, he has to do it this year. He’ll be too old in another twelve months.”

Givi changed the music to tango. Anja and Aleks went through the same process for this dance. Half an hour later they had danced four ballroom and four latin dances and were looking more comfortable together. When they finished Daria instructed them to sit by her to watch Alek’s parents demonstrate how it could look with some work.

Ivan and Irina Ostrakov demonstrated all five ballroom dances, including the Viennese waltz, and then the five Latin dances, including the Paso Doble. They were very talented dancers. Anja decided she loved the Paso Doble, but was quickly told by Daria that she would not be learning that yet. And certainly not for the competition they were preparing for. She would have enough work with eight dances.

When they finished, Anja was despatched with Elena and Givi to the change rooms to be measured for her costumes. Elena again stationed herself at the door. Givi fussed around Anja as she stripped down to her underwear. He told her to stand still while he measured her waist, hips, chest, neck, arms, shoulder width and height. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ Find_Nøvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

As he muttered the measurements to himself, Anja repeated them loudly enough for Elena to hear. He then tapped them onto his handipalm which displayed a photo of Anja staring out at him.

“Thank you,” he said as he tapped. “That’s very helpful. I might actually get these right.”

Anja winked at Elena as he finished tapping the information into the unit. She nodded imperceptibly. Givi turned to face Anja.

“Now,” he said. ‘Daria has agreed to let you have some say in the pattern for your ballroom dress. But you have no say for the Latin one. What have you thought about?”

“Fireflies,” said Anja immediately. Givi frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“Fireflies,” Anja repeated. “You know, small dots of light that flicker as they move.”

“No I don’t actually,” replied Givi. “I’ve never seen anything like that. You’d better explain a bit more.”

“We have them on EQ2. They are tiny bugs that glow at night. They flicker. They fly very fast, as if they are dancing, like this,” Anja gestured a figure of eight shape in front of her. “Like slalom skiing around poles.”

“I don’t know about that either,” replied Givi, “But I get the general idea. I’m sure I can work that kind of pattern into the programming. It could look very pretty on the floor. Do you like any particular colour?”

“I like blue and silver,” she replied.

“That would look very good with your blond hair and blue eyes,” he replied. “Good idea. Leave it to me!” He scurried off, leaving her to change back into her street clothes.

When she and Elena returned to the ballroom the deal was done. Aleks Ostrakov was to be her partner. He smiled at her and shook her hand again.

“I look forward to working with you,” he said formally, and made a little bow. Anja smiled back at him.

“That’s enough now,” said Daria. “Aleks will come to the homestead three times a week for four hours. Once a week you will both practice here on the big floor. Givi will make your costumes, and then we’ll see what else we need to do. It’s time to go, we need to get back before dark.” She gestured to Elena to escort the Ostrakovs out of the building.

They followed shortly after. Anja sat in the back of the transport feeling exhausted but relieved. Aleks was very nice. Perhaps it would be alright after all.

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