by Enid Titan
Chapter 36
Nobody Wants An Orgy
“Let me guess, nobody wants to have an orgy?”
“A man died, Kazim. Show some respect,” Nova hisses.
“I’d say we gave him a proper funeral. Kendall? 931? Do you agree?”
“It’s more than he deserves,” Kendall snaps.
“See? It’s more than he deserves. An orgy would practically be a gift.”
“Kazim?” I snap, “We aren’t having an orgy and that’s final. So break out another bottle of rum or I’ll be forced to strangle you.”
Kazim elbows Jaen in the side and whispers, “Are you sure you want to put up with him at all? Frankly, I don’t understand the appeal.”
Nova and I shout, “Kazim!” At once and he shrugs before opening another stash of Plum Rum — significantly milder than the pepper rum from earlier. We can’t afford to get too drunk. I’d just broken us out of the ocean planet’s orbit, and we’re waiting for Garth to pick up our signal. At least we have definitive proof Saroyan’s ship flew out of range.
He pours out metal plum rum into metal cups, and we sit two to a cot. Jaen keeps Bonbon on her lap as Nova stares at the pet intently.
“Garth ought to change his rules about pets. The little rat is growing on me.”
“He’s not a rat,” Jaen giggles, “he’s a hedgehog.”
“A blue hedgehog,” Kazim says, “Not like anything on Earth.”
“You’ve been to Earth?!” Jaen gasps.
Most humans in this part of the galaxy haven’t. Nova rests her hand on Kazim’s thigh and he clears his throat.
“My first owner was human.”
“Oh.”
Jaen realizes she must have said something inappropriate. Kazim doesn’t mind. He drinks the rest of his rum and clears his throat.
“I ought to get some sleep. We don’t know when Garth will show up and I’ll need my mind fresh for piloting.”
“You humans need so much sleep,” I comment. Jaen elbows me playfully. Nova shrugs.
“We’d all better get to bed. Sorry ladies, no wild parties tonight. You’ll have to save it for after the mission.”
Kendall and 931 don’t seem to mind. They snuggle underneath the blanket, cuddling with each other on the cot. I lie against the wall as Jaen climbs into the cot next to me. Nova and Kazim lower the lights and giggle as Kazim pulls her into his cot. I hear them kissing in the dark. Jaen’s feet touch my leg and I gasp.
“Cold,” I hiss.
“Sorry,” she whispers.
“I told you to wear socks.”
“They were too big.”
“Your toes are little icicles…”
“You’re nice and warm,” she whispers, nuzzling against me a giant puff of her hair nearly suffocating me. She smells like pecans and pumpkin beer. I slowly ease my arm around her waist and she doesn’t stop me.
“Come closer,” I whisper, “I’ll warm you up.”
“Don’t try anything,” she whispers back.
“What could I possibly try?”
“You know what I mean.”
She’s impossible. But I close my eyes and try to sleep. Then I feel two soft mounds poking against me. Her butt. She’s wriggling her butt against my… What on Earth is Jaen doing? Her little butt wriggles and gyrates and a tightness forms in my groin as my hardness rises.
“Jaen,” I breathe against her ear, “What do you think you’re doing?”
She exhales and pretends to sleep for a moment. Oh, no, little mouse. Not so fast…
I run my tongue over her ear and she gasps.
“Don’t pretend to sleep.”
“I wasn’t doing anything,” she whispers in protest and mock dismay.
“Hm,” I murmur and shut my eyes again. I can’t stop my hardness rising in my trousers pushing against her pillowy buttocks as she wriggles and wriggles. It occurs to me that she’s enjoying this teasing and torment and maybe she’s enjoying it.
“Do you know what you’re doing to me, woman,” I growl into her ear. She flips around suddenly, her hands rushing to my face.
“Kiss me.”
“Oh no… I won’t fall for these mixed messages.”
“Kiss me, now.”
I lean forward and kiss her. Jaen’s fingers run through my hair, causing white hair to tumble out of the low knot. Her hands rove over my horns and my hardness is ready to erupt from my trousers. I want her hands on me. I want my hands on her. And I need her. I need her full lips against my neck. I need my body pressed against her soft curves. I need the tightness between her legs to envelop me.
“Jaen,” I whisper, “We can’t. Not with others around.”
“Why not?” She whispers.
“Because,” I answer honestly, “if I put my cock in you, you’ll scream so loud it’ll wake them.”
“Arrogant bastard,” she whispers, running her finger over my lips and then kissing me.
I’m not saying this for the sake of bravado. I’m trying to be honest with her. Jaen may be no stranger to inter-species mating but I’m an Odilian and chances are, she’s never been with an alien like me — a truly alien beast.
“Just kiss me, woman,” I murmur, “And stop arguing.”
She kisses me again and we fall asleep fully clothed in each other’s arms after our lips swell from kissing.
Chapter 37
Is That All Anyone Thinks About?
“Mind telling me when this happened?” I ask Garth calmly.
Picking us up went smoothly and now we’re having what ought to have been a private meeting in his office. He has company. Jisoo sits on his lap, her lips coating his neck with kisses while he makes low chortles.
“Stop asking stupid questions, Gavriel. Jisoo’s a fine young woman.”
Jisoo giggles and shakes hair out of her face.
“Did you read my mission report?” I ask Garth, sitting across from him.
Maybe it’s a good thing that the old bastard’s finally getting some. Jisoo’s attractive. Much too thin for my tastes, but maybe the size difference turns the old orc on.
“I read it. We have a problem, clearly. But since you left, there were several more acts of sabotage. We need to beef up security and find this saboteur.”
Before I can respond, Jisoo straddles Garth’s lap and runs her fingers over his tusks.
“This meeting’s boring, babe,” she teases, “Why don’t I show you a trick I learned on Septavia Prime?”
Garth chuckles and clutches her tiny waist. Seriously!? It’s like I’ve disappeared. I clear my throat. Garth moves Jisoo’s head.
“Ah, um… Gavriel. I’m busy now. Set up security shifts and we’ll have another meeting.”
Jisoo hops off his lap and climbs across the table like a cat until her face sits inches away from mine.
“Want to join us, big boy?” Jisoo teases.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with the two of you, but there’s definitely something wrong with you.”
“Don’t be jealous you haven’t found passion.”
“Captain?”
“You may leave,” Garth dismisses me. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. As I’m running down the halls, I run smack into Jaen who swears and looks like she wants to punch me until she recognizes me.
“Gav! I’ve been looking for you.”
“Okay. Aren’t you on shift?”
“Technically. I’m looking after Kendall and 931, but they’re occupied.”
“What does that mean?”
“I think they’re sleeping together.”
“Is that all anyone on this bloody ship thinks about?”
“What’s wrong with you? I thought you were meeting Garth,” Jaen states.
I scoff.
“I was. But he’s having sex right now.”
“Oh.”
“Sorry. Should I not have told you?”
“He’s my ex-boyfriend, he can have sex with whoever he wants. I don’t care.”
; “It sounds like you do.”
“I don’t.”
She pushes her spectacles up her nose.
“Who is he having sex with?” she asks.
“Ha! So you do care?”
“No. I don’t. I’m curious. Jeez. It’s good gossip. The Captain’s having sex with one of the crew. You think that would be a conflict of interest.”
“Why?”
“Doesn’t this ship still have a saboteur?”
“Jisoo’s served on this ship as long as any of us have. Plus, she’s helping with the investigation.”
“Whatever you say.”
“You said you were looking for me?”
“I wanted to have lunch. And ask you something.”
“Are you asking me on a date?”
“It’s just lunch, Gavriel.”
“Hm.”
“Are you coming?”
“Yes, Crewman Nabokov. I’ll have lunch with you.”
“It’s weird when you call me that.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Nabokov is so dramatic. Jaen is simple. I like Jaen.”
“I like Jaen too,” I tell her.
“Stop it, Gavriel.”
“Fine… Let’s have lunch, Jaen. The girl I definitely do not like.”
We stand at the counter as Licker spoons bowls full of broth for us. We sit in the corner of the mess hall at an inconspicuous table for two. Licker’s broth smells like vinegar and beef, an unusual but edible combination, I suppose. Jaen wrinkles her nose as she tastes it.
“Seriously? Is it true Licker’s dad is the best chef in the sector?”
“Yes… It’s unfortunate.”
I take a mouthful of broth into my mouth and understand Jaen’s wrinkled nose. Not Licker’s best work. Possibly their worst work.
“Why did you ask me to lunch? This isn’t a date, so there must be a reason.”
“I want to go on a date.”
“Where would you like me to take you on this ship? It’s not exactly the world’s most romantic venue.”
“I didn’t mean with you.”
I scowl and stick a piece of acidic beef into my mouth, wincing as I instinctively suck my cheeks in to cope with the unpleasant flavor.
“What is the point of asking me at all, then? Date whoever you like. I don’t care. You can go back and become Saroyan’s whore for all I care.”
“Gavriel…”
“What? What do you expect me to say? You know how I feel about you.”
She exhales in frustration.
“If you’d give a minute to explain —
“Explain, what? Maybe I’m tired of being your plaything. I don’t want to sit around wondering if anything will ever happen.”
“Nobody asked you to do that,” she snaps, “I told you that there’s no love on pirate ships. If you’d listen to what I said instead of —
“Don’t play that game,” I interrupt, “There’s no love on pirate ships? You are full of it. I nearly died trying to save your life. And that night… you might act like you didn’t want me, but you did. You were practically begging me to fuck you.”
“Stop it, Gavriel,” she hisses, glowering at me through her spectacles as they fog up from soup steam.
“You were,” I sneer, knowing I’m going too far and that my best move would be to stop myself, “You were desperate.”
“Stop it.”
“Who do you plan on dating?”
“Xanth wants to go on a date with me.”
“Right. I guess you like them old. Do you call him ‘daddy’ while you make love?”
Her eyes well with tears, but she clutches her spoon like she’s going to stab me with it.
“Why are you crying?” I sneer again, “Date the man. There’s no reason for you to get my permission.”
“You’re a bastard, Gavriel,” she sniffs, “I hate having a crush on you. You’re a horrible, stupid, idiot. Kazim is so wrong about you.”
She storms off before I can say anything else. I slam my spoon into my bowl. Damn it. I let my emotions get the best of me again. Now look at what I’ve done… Did she just admit to having a crush on me?
“Jaen!” I call across the mess hall. But it’s too late. She’s disappeared and the next time she sees me, she’ll probably knife me in the gut again. Fuck. I’m an idiot.
Chapter 38
Jaen’s Date
I know I’m acting irrationally. I’m hiding behind a support beam when I ought to be on duty guarding the storage containers on the lower decks, but I’m watching Xanth and Jaen in the mess hall.
How could she date him? What does she see in the old man? Xanth leans over to touch her forearm and she pulls her hand away. Ha! Maybe she doesn’t like him. But I can’t think of a good reason she’d date the doctor if she didn’t like him.
If Garth found out this was what I was doing instead of my duty shift, he’d lose his mind. It’s bad enough we discovered Poke and Horus doing it. Now Nova and Kazim finally got together and they’ve only had six arguments over Kazim’s flirtatiousness — a significant decrease from before they got together.
If I strain, I can hear their conversation. I push hair behind my horns and listen.
“Jaen… what can I do to win your heart?” Xanth intones.
“Nothing, Xanth. I’m here. I’m on this date. That’s all I get.”
“Is there someone else?” He asks.
“No. There’s no one else.”
No one else?! I know how pathetic I am, hiding here and skulking about to watch her on this stupid date. What would Kazim tell me? He’d tell me I was a pathetic idiot loser. Not to mention I could land my ass in a boatload of trouble.
“If there’s no one else, why won’t you accept my hand in marriage.”
“Marriage?! Is Xanth insane? Jaen’s young enough to be his daughter.”
“Doctor,” she says calmly, “I can’t marry you and you know that.”
“What about when the mission’s over? Where will you go?”
“I have plans. With a friend.”
Xanth scoffs.
“That Odilian has whispered sweet nothings into your ear, hasn’t he?”
She leans forward and hisses so softly I can barely hear her, “This has nothing to do with Gavriel.”
“It has everything to do with him. He’s a liar, Jaen.”
“He’s not. He rescued me. If you love me so much, why didn’t you?”
“I’m the ship’s doctor. I can’t leave the ship.”
“Gavriel doesn’t care about that.”
“Will you stop mentioning him? You’re on a date with me.”
“Only because you blackmailed me.”
Xanth chuckles.
“I did nothing of the sort.”
Garth’s voice comes on my intercom, and I slink out of the mess hall. It’s crowded enough that thankfully they don’t notice.
“WHERE ARE YOU GAVRIEL?” Garth roars.
Shit. I’ve messed up. I’m several decks away from the mess hall, and Captain Moray has clearly discovered my absence.
“I’m… I’m on a break.”
“You don’t get breaks on your shift and you need to get down here immediately!”
“Yes, Captain.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. With everything going on, Garth would be well within his rights to make me walk the plank. This isn’t how I die — untethered and pushed into space, left to suffocate in a spacesuit while floating towards nothing. I run.
When the doors slide open, Garth and Jisoo stand with folded arms amongst damaged food crates. Every single one of our food crates is damaged.
“Captain!”
“Jisoo came down here to check on the duty roster and she found this where you ought to have stood guard. Where the hell were you!?”
“Captain — I…”
“AN ANSWER, GAVRIEL.”
“I was in the mess hall.”
“Doing what?!”
“I was… distracted.”
“Damn it, Gavriel. I put my trust in you. Over one hundred people on this saucer put their trust in you. How could you let this happen knowing we have a saboteur on the loose?!”
Jisoo links arms with Garth and kisses his shoulder.
“Garth, don’t get so angry with him. He didn’t mean to abandon his post.”
“I did not abandon my post!”
“There is no good reason for you to have left it. Damn it, Gavriel. I cannot even look at you right now…”
“Captain. I apologize. I… I volunteer to go on an expedition to replenish the food stores.”
“No,” Garth sneers, “You’ve done enough. It’s my turn to take action. Clearly, I’ve allowed you too much rope. Gavriel, with Jisoo as my witness, I demote your rank from Quartermaster to Junior Crew. I revoke your access codes and senior crew privileges and your earnings will be cut by 35%.”
“Garth!”
“Do not protest,” Garth snaps, “You knew what you risked. Now get out of my sight.”
I have no argument to make. I’ve been demoted and dismissed. I storm out of the room and hear Garth arguing with Jisoo. She runs out of the room after me.
“Gavriel, wait!”
“What do you want?”
“Garth is totally unfair.”
“Unfair? It’s his ship. I made an agreement with him and failed in my duties.”
“Don’t lose hope in him,” Jisoo pleads, grabbing onto my sleeve. I yank my arm away from her and snap, “Since when are you so sentimental? I didn’t even know you were attracted to Garth.”
“He’s a powerful and alluring man. Plus, I’ve never been with an orc.”
I scoff.
“I’ll talk to him for you,” Jisoo promises.
“No. It’s more honorable to accept my punishment.”
“What were you doing? Why weren’t you on your shift? This isn’t like you, Gavriel.”
Chapter 39
Demoted
“Maybe if I knew where you were, I could talk to Garth for you,” Jisoo suggests.
“Trust me, it won’t help.”
Jisoo and I butt heads when it comes to making the ship run smoothly, but I’ve been on as many missions with her as any other senior crew member. She’s probably the one Garth will install as Quartermaster now that I’m now a member of his junior crew.