Kassandra Phoenix

Molly O'Malley was ten when the most beautiful woman she had ever seen came to the small town on the backwater planet where Molly had spent her whole young life on. The woman had such poise, such elegance, that she made all other women seem dull and lifeless by comparison.

The woman, whose name Molly never learned, went from class to class in the small school, speaking with each of the children in turn. She asked Molly some questions and let her go back to class. The next day, Molly`s parents told her she would be going to a new school, a different school far away, off-planet. To the Core Worlds. She had been picked because she was the perfect candidate for this special school.

Molly was sad to go but eager to start an adventure. She boarded the ship, waving goodbye to her friends and family, and never returned. Molly was the only child picked from her entire planet, something that filled her with pride.

She entered the Companion Academy on Aphrodite. The first thing they did was perform a complete physical examination, a total body scan. Her hair was cut to be like all the other children`s. And she was given a new name, one that sounded exotic and mysterious. She would no longer be simple farmgirl, Molly O'Malley – she would be Kassandra Phoenix.

Kassandra excelled at her new school. She dove into every lesson with a hunger to learn that astonished her professors. She'd never known the galaxy held so much to know, and she wanted to know it all.

She grew up in the Academy, grew tall and curvaceous, her bright red hair deepening to a fiery sunset, her bright eyes and quick smile charming all who knew her. When she turned eighteen she began learning the sexual techniques that made the Academy on Aphrodite famous. She excelled at those as she had all her other lessons.

At the age of 21, Kassandra Phoenix graduated in the top five percent of her class, and immediately passed the examinations for her licence. She took the contracts the Guild set up, began building her own clientele. For four years, she enjoyed every luxury, every refinement.

Then came a contract that changed her life. She took it, despite her initial misgivings. Those misgivings turned out to be correct. The client was a repulsive pig of a man, a slaver by trade. Kassandra broke her contract with him, refusing to perform the services he demanded of her.

The slaver sued the Guild. He had money and money brings power. He was a Citizen, and citizenship bought influence. He was so enraged the Guild only had one choice.

Kassandra Phoenix had her licence revoked. She would no longer be granted the status and prestige that came with being a Companion. She was shunned by her former classmates. She had to even surrender her very name – she would once more be simply, Molly O'Malley.

Joining the Cumbersome is another story.