by Celeste Raye
Krane was still running his mouth at the far side of the bar, but it wasn't as obtrusive. Irene would find a way to say thank you to the person who'd relieved her anxiety without explaining her gift. Perhaps she'd get him a refill on his drink or a bite of food and declare it to be a welcoming gift for a new customer. She knew by her feelings that this person, a male, had never entered the bar before.
She'd heard Jimbo speaking to the man and his short reply. After that, the newcomer hadn't spoken a word. He wasn't the talkative sort as most of the drinkers who came in tended to be.
Irene was laughing and joking with the vacationing couple when she felt the instant switch of emotions. It took her breath away and pain, unlike any she'd dealt with before, wracked her body. Her heart came close to exploding, her knees grew weak, and she had to grab hold of the table to keep from collapsing to the floor.
"Oh, dear! Are you okay? Sit down," her customer said in concern. "Should we get your boss?"
"No," Irene managed to squeeze out, her lungs having a hard time filling with air. She sat down at the table and focused on reorienting herself, using mind over matter to remind her body that the pain and sorrow she felt wasn't her own. "Give me a minute, and I'll be fine. This day has had a few rough moments, and I'm afraid they're catching up with me."
"Let us buy you a drink," the customers requested. "You probably need a break. I'm certain I would if I was running back and forth to the bar. Surely, you're allowed to rest a moment or two."
"It's okay. Jimbo's a sympathetic boss. He gives us breaks often. I was just overcome for a moment. I'm fine now. Don't let me spoil your fun. I'll be right back with your order." Irene took each step through the room carefully, trying to appear as if nothing unusual had occurred, though her heart was pounding and her lungs ached from the inability to get a deep breath.
She couldn't help but search out the man whose emotions had flipped so suddenly from happiness to great pain. She found the man at the bar. He was much younger than she'd expected. Such heartache was usually a part of the older generations. His sandy-colored hair was shoulder length and for the moment hid most of his face, for he was staring down at the bar into the amber liquid in his glass. He was really tall and muscular, though not as intimidating as Jimbo. His clothes were clean and nicely aged, but they hung a bit loose. She imagined he'd lost weight recently. His arms had well-defined muscles, and she assumed that beneath his leather pants and gray shirt, the rest of him would prove to be the same.
It took all the courage she possessed to walk up beside him. However, she was left without a choice. Jimbo was at that end of the bar, and she had to deliver the order and receive the drinks. Both she and the stranger stiffened as she approached.
"Hey, Jimbo," she forced out through frozen lips. "Table two wants a whiskey, a brew, and the nacho plate. Leave off the Corilian buffalo meat."
"Sure thing, Irene. I'll let the cook know and here are the drinks," he replied. "You're looking pale. Has Krane still got you ruffled?"
How odd. In the last few minutes, she'd forgotten Krane's existence. The stranger's sadness had completely replaced him and his evilness. "No, he's not important enough to think about. I am having some issues with turning off my mind, if you know what I mean."
Jimbo was one of the few who she trusted with the secret of her ability. She preferred to keep it from being public knowledge, especially from those like Krane. His type would find a monetary or unsavory use for it. They tended to twist good things into bad whenever possible.
"I get it. If a whiskey would help, you're welcome to one. I know I don't normally allow it while you're working, but this is different."
The sadness and pain emanating from the stranger were so strong that anyone could sense it. She supposed Jimbo was aware of it and must realize the dire effect it was having on her. Irene shocked herself by saying, "Pour me a double while I deliver these drinks."
Jimbo raised his eyebrows but didn't argue. The drink was there when she returned. The stranger had another glass in front of him as well.
Irene swallowed half her drink in one gulp. Liquid courage burned her throat and settled a small piece of her mind. She stopped shaking and took a deep breath for the first time since the man had suffered the mood swing. Unable to stand the silence any longer, she asked, "Did you just arrive? Is the docking station still a jumbled mess?"
The man raised his head slowly. It appeared to be a difficult task. She finally saw his face. He was handsome. No, it was more than that. He was absolutely gorgeous. His chin was well defined, his cheekbones sculpted by a master, his lips full and kissable, and his eyes were the deepest brown imaginable. The pain was there, but much more resided in his gaze. They contained wisdom and experience beyond his actual years and something else she couldn't quite grasp.
With great effort and reluctance, he answered, "I arrived a couple of hours ago. Confusion reigns at the docking station."
He had given her the answers to her questions, but no more than that. He wasn't opening up the way most men did after a couple of drinks. Irene's curiosity was aroused by his reticence. After all, she felt his emotions and considered that not only a connection but something that gave her a right to know everything.
Irene threw back the rest of her double and, undeterred, tried again to get the man to talk about himself. "What's your name? Where are you from? If you came from Earth, tell me what's happening there. I left months ago, and news from there doesn't reach me much. Humans that come here are mostly pirates, and they haven't seen their home planet in longer than me."
He stared at her for a moment, and she figured he would refuse to reply. She was wrong, sort of. He replied with as few words as he could, "Aisaak is my name. I don't have any Earth news."
Well, that was frustrating. It told her nothing except his name. She knew there was a story behind his emotions and she felt an intrinsic desire to hear it. For some reason, she had a funny notion that he was seeking something from her. He wanted her to be someone she wasn't. It made little sense to Irene. There was a tug at her heartstrings. She was attracted to Aisaak, and he was fighting one for her, thus the curt answers.
Jimbo broke in by handing her the nachos she'd forgotten had been ordered. The double shot of whiskey must have hit her harder than expected. No matter what occurred around her, she never forgot a customer. Balancing the oversized plate over her head to ensure it wasn't knocked to the floor while she navigated the crowded tables, Irene reluctantly left Aisaak at the bar. She plastered a smile on her face and delivered the order, convincing the couple that she was back to her cheerful self.
Table one waved at her for refills. It wasn't her table to serve, but she nodded her compliance anyway. It would give her a reason to return to the bar and speak with Aisaak again.
Krane had other ideas. He and his group were headed for the door when he sidetracked to Irene. With Jimbo stuck behind the bar, he considered it safe to harass Irene. He grabbed her around the waist from behind, slamming her back to his sweaty chest. His fingers splayed over her bared midriff. His tongue darted out to lick her ear.
"It's about time you gave in, sugar. You've had enough time to acclimate to Delti Utopia 6. You know the score. I get what I want, and so does the big boss. You're wasted here. I can get you a room with silk sheets, custom lingerie, and fancy perfume. All you have to do is let me inside that tight core. Can't you feel how hard you make me?"
Irene screamed. She couldn't help herself. She'd had enough emotional ups and downs tonight. Krane's touch, the hardness he spoke of rammed against her bottom, and the crude words sent her over the top. Her hand automatically went up to his face to remove the tongue from her ear. Her fingers claimed the ring hanging from his pierced lip and pulled at it with the strength fear and disgust gave her. It ripped from his lip and blood spurted over her cheek.
Krane's fist hit her in the side of the head and would have done so a second time if someone hadn't intervened. He let her drop when Jimbo's arm wrapped
around his thick neck and Aisaak's fist pummeled his gut. Krane's men joined the melee.
Irene rolled away from the men's feet and was helped out of the way by other patrons. A chair wielded by one customer removed one of Krane's men from the mix. The other one ran from the building. Whether he was afraid or going for the authorities, it didn't matter. The authorities left brawling to the bar owner's own security men. Jimbo's were now taking control of the situation. Krane was down on the floor with a gun to his head. His face was a bloody mess. Aisaak had broken his nose and left a gash in his cheek to go along with the dangling lip Irene had caused. Jimbo had left bruises on Krane's neck to match the ones on his torso put there by Aisaak.
Her heroes had a few bumps and bruises, but no bloody spots. Aisaak would sport a black eye for a while, and Jimbo was rubbing his ribs where he'd received Krane's elbow.
Irene's head was throbbing, and she was dizzy. She'd received a glancing blow rather than a full on one, otherwise, she'd have been unconscious at best or dead at the worst. She knew she wouldn't have lived if he'd managed to hit her a second time.
Jimbo lifted her in his big arms and said, "Boys, watch the bar and send for the doc. I'm taking Irene upstairs to her room. Get that piece of shit out of here and don't let him back in."
Irene reached out toward Aisaak and told him, "Thank you for intervening. I'm still alive because of you."
He tersely replied, "Women shouldn't be touched unless they wish to be. Even then, they are never to be harmed." He turned his back and walked out.
Chapter Five
***Aisaak***
Talking to the woman that the bartender had referred to as Irene hadn't been easy. It had taken a lot of self-control to force his mind to remain in the present. It had helped immensely that her eyes and voice were nothing like Vega's. His uninformative replies to her inquiries were the most he could give at the time. He had to answer her. It would have been rude to ignore her completely. It wasn't her fault that she resembled the woman he'd lost. It was, however, his fault that he felt an attraction to her despite his recent loss and the love he'd had for her. Though undesired and unfortunate, it was a betrayal to Vega's memory.
Aisaak had the attraction under control until he'd heard her scream. He'd assessed the issue instantaneously and leaped to protect the woman. Inborn instinct sent him flying to aid a damsel in distress and gave him a much-needed outlet for his roiling emotions. The fact that the evil Krane deserved every punch only made it better.
Jimbo had reacted in the same manner, earning Aisaak's deep respect. He'd sensed the wariness the bartender had felt toward the tattooed man and his cohorts. They could cause trouble for his business beyond a simple bar fight. He was risking a lot to protect Irene, who was just his waitress. Unless she was more than that to Jimbo. For all Aisaak knew, she could be his wife or his lover. His gut told him differently. It proclaimed Irene to be a free spirit, unspoken for.
Aisaak had come very close to ending Krane's life right there on the bar floor. He'd wanted to burn him as he'd done Vega's killers. It was an overreaction he couldn't afford, not since he was stuck at this way station. Prison wouldn't serve his needs at all.
He'd also wished to be the one soothing and caring for Irene. He could do for her what he'd been unable to do for Vega and make some restitution to his soul. The idea of that had confused him further, so he'd left.
There was a hotel next door. He went inside to rent a room but was told they were full due to the backup at the docking station. He spent the next three hours in search of a place to stay. There wasn't an open room anywhere despite his willingness to double the usual rental rate. He had two choices left. He could go to the big casino and either pay the exorbitant price for one of their opulent suites or gamble all night. His second option was to go back to Jimbo's bar and find a table in the back where he could catch some sleep sitting up with his head against the wall. He'd done it before back on Earth in far worse places. At least Jimbo's was clean, and the bartender would keep him from being robbed.
For that reason, he chose Jimbo's. At least that's what he told himself. He swore it had nothing to do with finding out if Irene was okay or seeing her again.
Jimbo was back behind the bar. The place was still crowded, though all the faces were different than the earlier ones. There was no sign of Krane and Jimbo's enforcers were outside at their posts once more. The two he passed at the front door nodded their recognition.
Before he could take a seat at the table in the darkest corner, Jimbo was there to put a whiskey in front of him. "It's on the house as a thanks for helping. I'll bring you some food too, for not burning down my bar when I know you could have."
"I won't lie. I considered incinerating Krane, but I didn't have the desire to go to prison for a fool like him. Although, I would have had a bed there. Is it okay if I nap at this table? There aren't any available rooms unless I go to the big casino and I don't have any intention of doing that."
"That's the last place you should go. Krane works for the big boss, and the casino belongs to him. You'd be signing your own death warrant by setting foot in that building. You're safer here for now. The big boss usually leaves me alone. It's Krane who might retaliate. My men will stay alert, and I'm calling in reinforcements. I can do better than this table. Irene would want me to show you some hospitality. So, there's another room on the same floor as hers that you can use. It's not much, just a bed. The bathroom down here will have to suffice for you."
"A bed is all I need. It'll be dark and quiet. How much do you charge?"
"Two gold coins a night. However, it won't cost anything if you agree to work for me. Krane's not the only one that brings trouble to my door. The more men I have for security, the better I feel. You're good and quick with your hands, so I'm offering steady, honest work. It's the best offer you'll get unless you have a longing to work for the big boss," Jimbo explained.
"I don't know how long I'll be here. I haven't stayed in one place for longer than an hour in months. If I can leave when I choose to, then I'll accept the job," Aisaak replied. "I need some sleep first."
"Your shift will coincide with mine and Irene's. My assistant takes the day shift. You'll have until four tomorrow afternoon to rest. Use it wisely. You'll be on duty until four the next morning. You get one day off. We'll decide on it later. Let's get you fed and off to sleep."
Jimbo brought him a soy burger stacked high with fresh vegetables. "I grow them out back in a wooden box. They’re for my own use, but this is a unique occasion. Enjoy them. Fresh vegetables are hard to get here. By the way, you can shower at my place when you need it. Here's the key to your room, third floor and the only door on the left. The one on the right is Irene's. I'm on the second floor."
Aisaak felt he'd made a friend. He hadn't gotten close enough to anyone in his travels to form a friendship, and he realized he'd missed it. It made him a little more talkative. "Is Irene okay? How bad was she hurt?"
"She won't be working for a day or two, that's for sure. Doc said she has a concussion and she'll have a bad headache and dizziness for a while. I'm supposed to wake her up every hour until daybreak to make certain she's in her right mind. It's what Kane's planning to do to her next that has me worried. I can protect her here, but she can't stay locked up in this building forever. She's got a sister that works a card table for the big boss, and she'll be wanting to see her. I may have to send a bodyguard with her, and she'll object."
"I'll take her if you want. I wouldn't mind giving another beating to Krane."
"He won't be alone. He'll have his own version of bodyguards and weapons too," Jimbo announced. "Don't get yourself killed. They'll take Irene and ruin her if you do."
Aisaak's eyes darkened, and his face hardened to a steel-like texture. Never again would he let a woman be taken from him. He'd have to be dead for that to happen, though even then he figured his ghost would fight in his place. "No one will get to her on my watch. I can't answer for what will happen if she r
efuses my services."
"If she sneaks off, you'll have to follow her undetected. She's become like a little sister to me, and I won't let them turn her into a prostitute or a possession. I don't think you want that either. Something tells me there's a story you need to share. I won't ask for it yet. You're not ready to explain, but eventually, I will. Irene's going to want to hear it too."
Aisaak shook his head. "No, Jimbo. I'm not repeating my past transgressions to anyone. I can't change them and neither can you. There's no use talking about it. Suffice it to say I've left it all behind and I'll endure the sadness and pain it caused by myself."
"No, you won't. There's someone else who will feel it right along with you, but that's not my secret to tell. Eat your burger and get some sleep. If you want to clean up first, come to the bar and I'll give you the key to my room. I disarmed all the fancy palm print coding. I prefer the old fashioned key locks."
"You don't want anyone cutting off your hand to get access to your room?" Aisaak joked.
"Your words are truer than you think. Pirates will do anything for gold. I can't believe so many humans resorted to it and ruined the reputation of the whole species."
"If you saw what Earth was like now you wouldn't wonder anymore. Unless your extremely wealthy, an alien, or have unique talents like the Naga, the only options for survival are slavery and piracy. I'd take piracy any day," Aisaak admitted.
"Me too. Irene was lucky, I guess. Her family was hidden away in a valley. They were self-sufficient enough to stay under the radar, so they missed the worst of it. Pipe dreams sent her here. Those virtual reality videos fool a lot of people into believing Delti Utopia 6 is a paradise. It's not. It's a cesspool of thieves and worse. They won't find what they're looking for at the docking station. The big boss is too cagey for that. If he wants shipments, there are other places to land. Pirates have done it for years. Torbin and his crew had a favorite spot. That's the pirate who started all this spaceship searching. He's long gone and happily retired where the big boss will never find him. His crew disappeared, but I expect them back sooner rather than later. They left in hopes of all this dying down. They don't want to be punished by the big boss for Torbin's supposed misdeeds. There's a Naga with them I hear. His name's Tann. They say he's a good guy for a pirate."