Dirty Girls

by Rodzil LaBraun

  "That was totally awesome," I said. "Thank you for doing that for me. I'm sorry that you're going to need another shower.

  She stood up and snatched her shirt from the bed. "Actually," she told me. "I think I'll walk around like this for a while. I'm headed to a meeting with Sage next."

  What the fuck! I visualized it with a slack jaw.

  Honey laughed hard at my expression before saying, "I'm just joking. Damn, Kash, you really are a pervert."

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:

  Sage stayed in her room for the majority of each day. I didn't think that she was hiding. It was as if she believed that was simply the best way for her to do her job. She was in nearly constant communication with the team, overseeing all projects in her own way. Her focus no doubt included some surveillance. I was beginning to wonder if our reclusive leader had the ability to see inside our quarters. Was she watching me having sex with the girls?

  The rare moments when I spotted her outside of her own quarters, she was speaking with either Strawberry or Vanilla. That was understandable considering the roles of those two women. However, with the new chain of command, shouldn't she be coming to me as well? Or, maybe she was waiting for me to approach her for some one-on-one collaboration, testing my allegiance.

  After reviewing my morning messages, I sent one to Sage requesting a meeting. She quickly agreed and scheduled it for late in the day. Her reasoning for the timing was that we could then review the accomplishments and challenges of the day as well. It was just enough to set my mind at ease that there wasn't an insurmountable barrier forming between us.

  After an hour of tablet training I reported to Honeysuckle for repair duty. She had been consumed by the project and working hard to meet the imposed deadline. I was lucky that she squeezed in time for the amazing tit-job that I had received. She quickly gave me two tasks when I showed up, both fitting me perfectly.

  Job number one involved moving from the pilot's quarters to the captains. Then I needed to strip down the evacuated room so that damage could be assessed from the inside. The move would put me sleeping just one door away from Sage, and on the opposite end of the inhabited section of the ship from Cinnamon.

  The second job was to climb onto the top of the ship and take dozens of photos and videos of the damage to the top front right corner. That would show the exterior view of the same damage that afflicted my old quarters. None of the girls had ventured up there yet due to the danger involved. Only Captain King had done so, using the ladder steps that were embedded into the body of the ship at regular intervals all the way around. There were no recordings from his roof visit.

  Everyone had their own assignments to help get the ship flight ready. Still, my outdoor task should have had a helper included. Someone needed to keep an eye out for threats while the other one recorded the damaged section. Even with two, it would be difficult to make it to cover quickly once trouble was spotted. I had been assigned a hazardous mission, and intentionally sent alone.

  Was that the real reason why Sage scheduled our meeting for the evening? Did she not expect me to survive the day? Or, did she anticipate that I would refuse the assignment, thereby weakening me in the eyes of the all-female crew?

  When it turned out that no one else was planning to be outside the vessel the same time as me, I really got suspicious. I considered talking to people about it, raising a concern, revealing Sage's tactic. She was seemingly planning to get rid of me the same way that she had the captain. Even if I didn't face an attack by dragons, she could come outside while no one else was looking and shoot me with the rifle. It was rumored that was how she had eliminated King. His body was gone before anyone else was able to appear on the scene and vouch for the new leader's story.

  She couldn't deny me use of the pistol, as least. I had been cleared to handle it, and no one else would have a need for the weapon at the same time. If I kept my wits about me, I could be ready for her. I was comfortable in my ability to use the firearm. It wasn’t equipped with a scope like the rifle, but she probably wouldn't be that far from me anyway. However, I had no idea of her skill level in a firefight.

  Coffee, Honeysuckle and Cinnamon all sent me private messages encouraging me to refuse to handle the assignment alone. The ship had a drone for performing such a task in space or other dangerous conditions. It could be used here as well, if the remote flying camera unit had not suffered an inexplicable energy surge recently that fried its computer board. The drone was in need of repairs as well, but Sage had suspiciously placed it low on the priority list. I was definitely being set up.

  I was a cocky bastard, though, in my previous life. Right up until I got sent to prison. But I felt a surge of that egotistical stupidity taking over my brain. My angered mind was screaming, bring it on, bitch! I knew that if her plan backfired, it would put me in a more favorable position. Instead of fearing what might happen to me out there, I began looking forward to it. Planning for it.

  The divine and shapely Vanilla covered my exposed skin with her manufactured camo paste. Though I knew not to approach the subject, I paid close attention to the doctor's attitude toward me. If she was in cahoots with Sage in this murderous scheme, she certainly wasn't letting on. In fact, she showed genuine concern for my welfare, urging extreme caution.

  When I headed down the stairs toward the exit, I had hoped that my favorite ladies would be there to send me off. They fully understood the danger involved. A brief exchange before stepping outside seemed logical to me. Instead, though, only Sage waited for me by the door.

  Handing me the pistol, the exaggeratedly proportioned female chief said robotically, "Be careful out there, Kash." That was it. If she meant to display due respect, she failed miserably in my opinion.

  I accepted the weapon, looking for signs of tampering as I nodded. Then I went out the door without a backward glance. This was not the time to be drawn to her boisterous hourglass figure or huge jugs. I needed to stay laser focused like my life depended on it. There was a decent chance that it did.

  When the door finally closed behind me, I did check to make sure that she hadn't followed me out. It would be hard for her to hide it from the crew if I was shot in the back while still between the two massive engines. Yet, it would be silly of me not to eliminate that possibility.

  Once out of her view I released the safety on the pistol and pressed the barrel into the matted down grass. Looking around for predators that I might inadvertently attract, I pulled the trigger and sent a bolt into the ground. At least she hadn't sabotaged my firearm. The clip was full as well, twelve rounds, so I considered my chances good. I also had my new sword dangling from my belt as a backup. At some point I would have to practice with the close combat weapon.

  More of the giggly goats danced near the mist harvesters. There must be something about our moisture trapping contraption that drew them. I would have to investigate that issue another time. After making sure that there weren't any larger creatures hunting them, I proceeded toward the nearest ladder. The design of the embedded steps was very efficient. Eight-inch deep rungs with nice treading, and recessed hand grips off to the sides. I ascended to the top easily, even with a pistol in one hand. After one more cautious look around, this time with a birds-eye view, I walked almost the entire length of the hull to reach the corner that badly needed repairs.

  Several skeletons littered the ship’s topside. Some were from the smaller animals that were easy prey for dragons. Two were remnants of the giant flying lizards themselves. I imagined that those died in battles that we were able to feel the vibrations of inside. One was still being picked clean by several large blue and green birds. They scattered at the sight of me.

  Carefully I peeled away debris and torn metal where possible before extracting the camera from the cargo pocket of my shorts. There was a two-inch screen on the back for viewing and a large round lens protruding from the front. A soft comfortable handle extended below it to make my task easy. I could hold the pistol in one hand and the ca
mera in the other without taking a chance on losing either of them, as long as I didn't slip on the slick metal surface and fall.

  I took one broad view video of the damaged section before beginning to snap photos of specific panels and circuitry. One of the communication arrays had been destroyed in the collision with the partially uprooted, thick stubborn tree. Hopefully we could do without it. I was just about to hold the camera closer for a deeper look when I realized that I had forgotten to watch for Sage sneaking up on me. I stood up carefully and peered across the hull. Then I looked over the side for movement in the grass or along the ladder sections. There was no sign of her.

  As I went back to my assigned task, I caught sight of movement in the distance. Two dragons were flying my way. Large ones, too. I urgently flattened my body onto the black metal hull.

  They continued their bee line for our ship, so I pulled my pistol forward. Just before arriving at the huge hulk of the vessel they split up. One dropped to the ground out of view close to our mist harvesters as the other landed on the far end of the hull. The one that I could still see moved its long neck to point its head in different directions. It reminded me of an eagle that knew full well where its prey was but chose not to stare at it before pouncing.

  What then began to crawl slowly toward me was a large blue dragon, the first that I had ever seen. Most of the scaly hide was a bold cobalt color, shading toward midnight underneath. Thorny looking horns protruded off its back like a dinosaur. The gentle breeze at its back sent a whiff of wet wood in my direction. That must be there signature scent.

  The yellows that attacked Cinnamon and I when we first met smelled like freshly cut grass. The blacks that I chased off with the pistol recently had a strong scent of cucumber. Though the green dragon that feasted on my Wofur kill never got very close, I remembered the strange odor reminiscent of a broken-down car. Each color or species had their own specific scent apparently.

  Golden eyes with vertically slit crimson centers began to focus on me as its approach quickened. I climbed to one knee and placed my camera arm across it to steady my aim, dropping the recording device softly at my feet. The stench got stronger as I squeezed the trigger, missing its narrow lizard-like body but penetrating a wing just as I felt a rush of air behind me. Steamy breath then blistered the back of my neck. The other dragon had flanked me.

  I rolled quickly onto my back as the second blue monster crested the edge. Roughly fifteen feet long like its partner, the terrifying beast was just a few feet from my face. I fired two bolts rapidly, one to the neck and the other missing completely. The creature yelled "wow!" just like the smaller black ones did when cut or shot. It clutched at its neck as it folded thin wings in to crawl off to the side.

  I rolled onto my belly to face the first enormous lizard once again. It had halved the distance between us, apparently not too bothered by the tiny hole in its bat-like nearly translucent wing. Two more bolts exploded from the barrel of my pistol, both contacting the thick skinned, scaly chest. It was clearly stunned but did not propel backwards from the force of the slugs liked I had hoped.

  I turned to face the other one just as its tail came flying around rapidly at my head. I yanked my noggin back quickly, eyes wide as the pointed tip of the long rear appendage barely missed my nose. It did however graze my shooting hand, leaving a nasty scratch on the back and sending my firearm flying over the edge.

  "Fuck!" I yelled. With all this heavy thumping on the roof, the girls had to know that I was in trouble. The question was whether or not Sage would allow them to come to my rescue.

  I remembered my sword as the powerful tail whipped back toward me. I fumbled clumsily with the buttons on the hilt, not having practiced expanding the weapon enough, to finally get the sharp blade exposed. The last twenty inches of the dark blue's tail severed off easily, with practically no pressure against my grip.

  Both dragons screamed then, taking on their angriest looks yet. Stalking me like boxers in a ring, they shaped me up before deciding to pounce at the same time. There was no way I'd be able to fend them both off at the same time.

  The one with the painfully shortened tail was posed to reach me first, so I swung the blade at it. Its feet held their ground, but its neck jerked back to avoid my slice. He had learned well already to dodge my thin orange sword.

  I didn't have time to fully turn toward the other blue fucker as its huge teeth jutted forward at my face, the hot stench of rotting lumber unbearable. Then suddenly, the dragon went flying sideways without even having its wings extended. Scaly green flesh took its place in my vision. And the scent of burnt anti-freeze bombarded my nasal passages instead. A third dragon had arrived.

  The sapphire colored monster that had dodged my blade then surged forward once again. While it was distracted by the new arrival, I pushed the tip of my sword into its neck. It was much harder to penetrate than the tail, and only went in a few inches before the beast retracted in pain. Dark blood erupted from the wound.

  Off to my side, the first blue dragon had regained its footing before the new greenie. It swung its tail to provide a powerful lash to the new dragon's face, knocking him off balance. Its teeth then quickly found the other dragon’s neck. They were fighting each other instead of eating me.

  The enemy of my enemy is my friend, I decided. I swung my blade at a dark blue claw grasping for good footing on the smooth metal surface. Three talons separated themselves, more blood spewing onto the hull. The de-toed monster released its grip on the other dragon with a loud screeching scream.

  Both of the blue giant lizards were hurting, but they were obviously too proud to back away. Or too blinded by anger. They stood beside each other gawking at me in disbelief. No doubt they envisioned their flanking maneuver ending much more successfully. The addition of a new enemy complicated their plans. But they weren't done yet.

  When the green dragon scrambled to its feet, I got worried. It was not near as injured as the other two. Even with the sword wielding going very well, I was greatly outmatched. I needed help. Damn you Sage! I yelled inside my head.

  As I shifted to face the new foe, I realized something very important. The pungent smelling beast was not facing me. Its intention in joining the fight was not what I had originally thought, which was to steal my human corpse from the blues just as it did the Wofur. No, it had come to my aid instead.

  I didn't know how much I could trust it, but I figured my best chance to survive this ordeal was to pretend that the green dragon and I had already formed an alliance. I turned to face the bloody blue creatures again just as they pounced.

  The monster facing me snapped with its giant gator jaw the same time as its tail swung around. I whipped my sword toward its neck but missed. His head was being used as a decoy. My follow through luckily managed to cut a deep slice into what was left of its tail. But the blade got lodged in its dense flesh. I turned in horror to see its gaping mouth diving for me, yawning open to accommodate my thick head into its jaw. I was about to be eaten.

  The vicious opponent facing mister green dragon had feigned its attack, though, and retreated. As enough steam from the open dragon maw blasted my face to burn off my eyelashes, my new friend came to my rescue once again.

  Huge white teeth extending from dark green lips bit into the neck of my would-be killer. That blue dragon's teeth then snapped shut abruptly, nearly taking my face with it. Then the beast was on its back squirming as the other dragon pinned it down, chewing at its mutilated neck like a mad dog playing with its favorite bone.

  I scooted away from the carnage, already having more lizard blood on my clothes than I cared for. I pressed the button to shield my blade, watching in amazement as it pried itself out of the thick blue flesh as the creature lashed back and forth in desperation.

  Then I hit the red button to remove the shield, accidentally bumping the green button as well. When the unusual shimmer crossed the blade, all blood and debris fell clear of the weapon. I had stumbled upon a self-cleaning feature.<
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  The big blue guy finally went limp with a broken, shredded neck. Its friend was nowhere to be found. It had bailed out wisely, sacrificing its partner to save its own life.

  Mister green returned to a more natural and peaceful pose, licking his own teeth and lips as it scratched at its own superficial injuries. Then he turned to face me, saying, "I." Alarmed by the communication, I watched patiently as it took a long breath before speaking again, then pointing its nose at the dead dragon. "Eat," it told me.

  "Yeah, sure," I replied, hardly believing that I was having this conversation. "It is all yours. You deserve it. Thank you for your help."

  My new friend then bowed its head toward me before replying, "Thank... you." There was actually a lengthy pause between the two words. Either it was out of breath, or speaking our language was a slow process for it. I wondered if my speech was sounding crazy fast for its hearing. I decided to slow down and enunciate well when I spoke next.

  "No problem. I don't know why you helped me, but I really appreciate it."