by Mima
“This is a sweet ship, Malla. I can’t believe you scored it from a Fiinaach for only four million. Those big bastards are greedy. He must have liked you.”
Malla smiled to remember the gruff, black-skinned pilot. “He recognized my cloak. He wanted to hold my hand, to taste my energy.”
Vel glanced sharply at her. “It was probably a ploy for you to deactivate the cloak, and then he would have had you.”
Malla replied calmly, “It’s a common myth among people that even touching an Elite server can make you stronger, boost you. There are tons of anecdotal stories that suggest a slight psychosomatic outcome is actually possible. I told him it wasn’t true. I told him I’d have to come to summon the energy, and since he wasn’t Luo, it might possibly even hurt.
He was asking sixteen million --”
Kor snorted, “Robbery.”
“And I said if I masturbated, would he give it to me for four.”
Vel and Kor stopped working and spun in their swiveling seats in such an identical, outraged manner, she laughed. Grady stirred and put a large arm around her.
“You left this little detail out of your retelling.” Shon peered around Grady.
Malla had planned to never tell them. She’d prostituted her energy and hadn’t minded in the least but knew that they would. But after the last two and a half days, she no longer worried they’d judge her for it.
She shrugged. “You’re worth it.”
Vel vibrated in his harness. “Malla…tell me it went well. Tell me nothing happened.”
“He was exceedingly respectful the entire time. I sat at a table, he sat opposite. I put my hand in the middle of the table, he laid his over it. I kept my cloak on, and underneath it, touched myself until I came. I gave him only the tiniest trickle of light energy, and he screamed. He grabbed my hand tight, and beat his other fist on the table, and that was it. He was sure the experience made him smarter and stronger.”
She looked around at her men. More softly, she added, “There were times that I felt dirty, forced even, in my training scenarios at the Base. In the name of learning control and improving my abilities, I had to do many things I didn’t want to with people I didn’t know and sometimes didn’t like. I wanted to do this thing with Bren-Bren. I was happy to do it.
Because even if I had just taken the ship at his price, and let the government pay for it, that wouldn’t have bought his loyalty when the tracers came calling.”
There was a beat of silence. Then Shon grunted. “Good tactics, Malla.” He went back to his plates.
The others seemed to take their cue from him. Kor relaxed and spun back to his
screens, scowling. After a moment, Vel did, too.
Grady’s hand moved up and down her arm. She couldn’t feel his touch, his heat, and hated the armor between them. “You know, I hope, that we would never expect you to do that for us. In any situation. You’ve given your body in service to us, and we hold that in the highest respect. There’s never a call for you to have to share it.”
Malla tilted her head way back to look up at him. His crew-cut blond hair glimmered in the harsh white interior light of the cabin. It brought out the lines around his eyes, the grooves bracketing his mouth, all the little scars on his face. Tears welled up in her eyes.
“I know, Grady. Trust me to be honest when I offer and say I don’t mind. Trust me to be just as tough a soldier as you when I do what needs to be done, regardless of what I’d prefer.”
He frowned. It made him look rather ferocious. “What do you mean?” He sounded
suspicious.
“Let it go, Grady.” Shon spoke. “I know what she means. I hear you, Malla. We’ll all be right by your side.”
Shon was the one planning out the logistics. He understood she had a tactical mind as well. Apparently, they were the only ones who realized the secondary reason Malla had to go with them on this mission. Char’s team was going to be useless without service. She was more nervous about Kor’s reaction than she was about serving the other team, especially now that she knew she could simply enjoy one of her own men and let them drink off the harmony.
Malla laid her head back on Grady’s shoulder. It was more comfortable with his arm around her. He seemed to fall back asleep instantly, although he never shifted position. She was tired, too. Ever since she’d become part of their team, she hadn’t had a full shift’s worth of sleep. None of them had. They didn’t need it, as long as they were powered by her. In the last ten hours, they’d foregone their usual feeding schedule of one man every six-hour shift.
For one thing, they only needed to feed every other day if they weren’t active. For another, they could now drink all at once. And then there had simply been too much to do.
She’d taken catnaps, in between the training workout she’d had with each of the men and helping Shon extrapolate the schematics of the building Radha was in. Because the humans had taken over guarding the way station gate, she’d been able to see all her men interact. Kor and Grady shared tech talk while they worked out with resistance bands. Shon and Kor bantered about power pack changes on the newest model of tiny pressure grenades while Kor cooked for the team. Vel took care of a myriad of social, political, familial, and economic issues to try to cover his absence of the last few days and his upcoming silence during this mission and then played chess with Shon, seeking advice and commiseration.
They were beautiful together. And they were hers. She loved how when she walked
into a room, they acknowledged her, and included her, without altering their actions. They didn’t fawn over her or smother her with their admiration. They respected her. Except Kor, who only respected her after he’d cleared his head of the rampaging lust he seemed to slip into every time he saw her. She loved being pounced on by him and kissed with single-minded passion. He was able to let it go a little easier each time now, without such agony of willpower to keep from ravishing her. Like he trusted her to still be there if he let her go. He was so fierce. So gruff in his manhood, like he was still trying to prove himself to the older team. Smiling, she recalled a conversation they’d shared.
She’d finished being tested on her memorization of a few routes by him, and sat
cuddled against him in the lounge.
“I hear Grady and Vel had a fight about you.”
“I guess. I’m a new element in their bond, and it’s confusing Vel
a bit. They’re okay. Nothing will break them apart, and I think he’s
realizing that.”
“Vel likes it when things go his way, and stay the way he
planned. He gets absolutely furious when there are deviations. It’s
great when a mission goes to shit. He gets t i
h s stone-cold calm o ,
n
like he’s walking through a park, smelling roses. He is one controlled
son of a bitch, even when he’s boiling mad.”
Malla remembered Vel’s straining voice, crying
out in ecstasy
over the mingled taste of her and Kor. And Grady’s cry echoing his.
She wondered if it would bother Kor to know that they were both
attracted to him. “They’re good men.”
“The best team members a man could have. And Vel will be the
best king Shaubia has ever had. If we survive this war. He can’t do
this for much longer. He was only supposed to do it for five years.
He’s nuts for doing it in the first place. But he knows Grady won’t
quit till it’s over, not even to be with him.”
“You think Vel should leave the team?”
“There’s no denying he’s got other responsibilities, and losing
him would be a blow politically. He just has to believe that we can
keep Grady’s back as good as he could.”
“You care about them, too.”
“You share servers, you share food and beds and gear. You share
firefights and bug fights and missions screwed by bureaucrats, and
you watch guys you know, guys you like, fall on other teams. My
first team, they were like my family, but I was only with them for a
year. When we fell, when two of them died and only
Sara and I
made it, I thought I was going to kill myself. Grady took me out of
medical, said he saw my file and wanted me for their team.
“I didn’t want to leave Sara, but she said she was going the desk
route. So I asked Grady if I’d have to have male servers, ’cause I
liked women. Luckily for me, Vel gets flaming jealous of other men.
I don’t know what he saw in me, but I’m so glad I’m with them.”
“You knew he was gay?”
“Sweet, when you’re Luo, the way you swing is never a secret. If
we don’t drink, we become animals, either violent or crazy or both.
If we’re lucky, we’ll go into a coma before we go into a killing
frenzy.” Kor wiped his hand on his thigh, shifted. “When we were
stuck waiting for you, I got scared. More sca ed than I’ve
r
ever been
in a fight. Crap, I to a
t lly understand the chaos wars, before the
planets would let us recruit for servers. No one could live rationally
with that kind of buzzing in your brain.”
His jaw worked, and she knew there was more in there, more
guilt and fear, but he wouldn’t continue. So she distracted him.
“Did you know Grady and Vel are attracted to you?”
She held her breath, waiting for
him to stiffen, pull away. He
looked at her incredulously. Grinning that sexy smile, his eyes burst
with colors. “Malla my love, when you’re as hot a specimen as I am,
everybody wants a piece of you.”
She burst out laughing, and he joined her. Vel wandered in and
frowned at them, and they just went on laughing harder. Shaking
his head, he walked out.
Kor sighed between his chuckles. “Ahh, now there goes a fine-
looking stud. Just look at that tight ass.”
Malla looked at him with huge eyes, until he winked at her. She
laughed until her tummy ached.
Kor and Grady were hers in a way that went straight to her gut. Vel and Shon were hers…somewhat. Vel was owned by many other people before her claim registered. He was never going to be completely hers, not even, perhaps, completely Grady’s. But Shon…he needed her. And she needed to help him. It grew more urgent for her every hour. His heartbreaking reservation during both times she’d served him privately. His self-loathing and distrust of his gift. It wasn’t fair. He took care of all of them, he guided them and herded them and gave them all a voice. He was a leader in the best sense of the word, letting them all contribute as much as was practical.
Even now, he sat at the side of the ship, working on contingencies, possibilities. She stirred, loosened her harness, and leaned around Grady.
“Shon?”
“Yes, Malla?” He stopped what he was doing and looked up, but she could tell by his eyes his brain was still on his work.
“Can I help? We’re in here for two hours.”
He focused on her. “Sleep, Malla. You’ll have enough time for your brief later.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
He considered her. “Thanks. You did good work before, but everything I’m doing now is too complex to explain deep enough to turn it over to you.”
“All right. Are you sure there isn’t even a small bit of research I could do?”
Kor spun in his chair and palmed his crotch. “I’ve got some research you could do. Let’s find out what makes me go faster, shallow or deep.”
Malla rolled her eyes. “Kor, you know that answer has already been thoroughly
investigated.”
He laughed and spun back to his controls.
Vel spoke through clenched teeth. “You overstep yourself because of Malla’s passion, Kor. You’d never talk to another server like that, especially an Elite. Don’t respond to him when he’s such a crude piece of useless dick, Malla.”
“Shut the fuck up, Vel.” Kor’s voice was fairly heated.
Vel reached over and tried to punch Kor in the shoulder, but he rebuffed the blow with a sweep of his arm.
“I know you want a piece of this dick, Vel. C’mon, try and take it right now. You’ll end up with your own shoved down your throat.”
“I see you say that when we’re both strapped in a tiny compartment, Kor. I wiped the mats with you.”
“You’re dodging the challenge. It’s just because you’re not good at narrow confines. I do my best work when it’s tight. Don’t you want to find out now that you don’t have the whole gym to dance around in? I’ll dance with you, Princy.”
Vel’s gray eyes narrowed. His jaw jutted. “Shon, shut the pup up.”
“Here, Malla, try to see if there’s any listed med centers along these routes or how far off route the closest ones are.” Shon handed her a vid plate. “And get up in the sleeping compartment while you’re at it.”
Kor crowed, powering down his screens, tucking them into the dash.
Vel turned farther around to face the room. “You’re kidding. You’re not encouraging him.”
“He’s right. You’re complacent because we’ve spent weeks in a cushy training facility.
Either take him down or eat his dust. No one is going into this mission arrogant.”
“How about if we go into this mission damaged? How about I rip his arms off?”
Kor cackled again, laughing as he unbuckled his harness.
Malla had managed to heave one leg into the chest-high cubby and roll herself into the tiny cave built into the back wall. “I’m here if it gets that bad.”
“No. Let them live with their bruises. Vel started it.” Shon was complacent.
“He was rude to Malla!” But Vel was unbuckling his harness now, too.
Kor made a childish farting noise. “Malla, was I too rude for you?”
She just laughed, even though her stomach cramped at their animosity. She propped her chin on her folded arms, lying stretched out on her tummy.
Grady finally heaved an enormous sigh. He unbuckled and took Kor’s chair. Kor began to jump and swing his arms. “Take a seat, Grandpappy, and watch your lover get grappled and pinned.”
Grady heaved another sigh, kicked his legs onto the dash, folded his arms, and closed his eyes. Malla wondered if he was just that confident in Vel’s abilities.
Vel was up, and as soon as Shon had settled in the pilot’s chair, Kor sprang at him.
Immediately, Malla saw that Shon was right. This was an entirely different kind of fighting than what she’d watched several hours earlier. Different than what she’d done with each of them. Their armor also made it different, allowing them to use their full strength and making sensitive body hits less damaging. She watched, breathless, at the grunting, twisting mass of them. They were so magnificent. Her thighs tightened, her cunt dampened. In about five minutes, Vel was pinned.
“Say it!” Kor panted.
Vel bucked and twisted and managed to get one arm free and Kor had to corral him again. Her breasts were throbbing where they pressed into the hard mat.
Kor blew into Vel’s ear. Vel groaned, and went limp. Kor didn’t fall for it. “My Prince, I’ll hold you all night until you say the words.”
“Don’t tempt him,” Grady mumbled, eyes still closed.
“Fine,” Vel was clearly infuriated. “Match yours.”
Kor bounced to his feet as if pulled by strings. “Woooooohoo!”
“It was your left leg, Vel. If you had swept it back, you could have stayed in it. And when you got your arm free, you shouldn’t have gone for his tor
so. He’s got more shoulder than you. You should have focused on getting your knees up.” Shon stood, swinging his arms in slow arcs.
Vel went back to his chair.
Shon sprang at Kor, who shook his butt at Vel.
“Hey! Rear attack!”
Kor’s quip made both the men laugh, but they fought on. Malla moved her hips
restlessly, rubbing herself as best she could in the confines of the armor. It became clear to her that Shon wasn’t even really trying. He was testing Kor’s movements and stances, increasing the reaction time in a few repetitions, then changing the pattern. Kor got irritated, more aggressive. Shon took a hard hit to the ribs, and spun with the blow on one foot, coming completely around behind Kor. He picked Kor up by armpit and butt and slammed him into the wall. The ship shuddered.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Grady muttered. “Think air pressure, sir.”
Kor wove on his feet, braced against the wall. He shook his head.
“Enough?” Shon asked.
Kor sighed. “I don’t know why I even try.”
“Because one day you’ll be good enough to take me. You can’t stand once you throw the hit. You threw a good one, but you stayed planted there, allowing me to come around behind you. Always move.”
“Got it. Always move.” Kor leaned against the wall, dabbing at the blood on his
forehead.
Shon swung his head, black eyes connecting to her brown. His head was lowered, jaw tucked in, shoulders up. Something about the way he stood…
“You got something you need to share, Malla?”
She shivered as her nipples puckered and her clit pulsed. His voice was dark, gravelly.
Suddenly, she knew he’d entered a heightened state where the berzerker was just under the surface. And he could smell her.
“I’d love to Shon.”
“We’re going to share you.”
She clenched deep inside, sending another sweep of moisture out her body. “Sounds good.” Her voice was a bare whisper.
He paced to the far side of the ship, near the hatch door, and then turned and paced to the other wall. Three steps, turn. “Grady.”