by Catty Diva
“We’ve got a newbie,” Steve explained.
“She’s a pretty one,” the old man observed.
“She certainly is,” Steve agreed. He put in his order and Isis ordered the same. At least she trusted him that far.
“I’m Izzy. I’ll be working in medical.”
“I’m Doug. Been here a long damn time,” the old man admitted.
Steve had heard the old man had come here as a young man. He’d been an injured space pirate abandoned when they had docked for repairs after a fight. The others left here had either died or found a way off station. It was sad to spend a lifetime here surrounded by the bleak walls and unhappy people.
They moved down the line and Steve introduced her to the other two servers. One was an old lady, May, he thought Doug saw from time to time. The other was a younger man related to one of the guards. Few brought family here, but the teenager wouldn’t be here long. His brother would be leaving one way or the other. If not when they raided this dump, then when his time was up in two weeks.
Their plates were full and he guided her to a nearby table. They took their glasses to the drink dispensers along one of the walls that was directly where they could have a view of their table and filled them up. Steve led her back to the table. “Any questions about the station?” He asked once they had sat down.
“There doesn’t seem to be much to it. It also seems to be a dangerous place. I can see why they’re shorthanded.”
“It certainly can be dangerous being so far off the beaten path. I would say a woman would need to be more careful since there are mercenaries and pirates around sometimes. Stick to the areas of the station that go with the lab and you should be relatively safe. We have security in place to assure it.”
“I believe I’ve met the head of security. Brat, I think?” She purposely messed up his name. There was no doubt in her mind he was watching and listening to see if Steve hit on her.
“No, his name is Prat and yes, he’s in charge here. Any security issues should be brought to his attention,” Steve explained. Isis would understand he was telling her Prat ran the show around here. She would get little satisfaction by taking issues up the chain of command.
They began to eat. The meal was meatloaf with mashed potatoes, corn, a hot roll, and a piece of cherry pie for dessert. “If you’re still hungry, you can have seconds. I usually get them if a meal is good. You never know what the next meal will be.”
“Do they normally serve lunch for breakfast?” Isis asked.
“Breakfast is served at five in the morning. It’s ten now, that’s when lunch starts. Security works two twelve hour shifts a day. Medical works an eight hour shift, but is on call for the rest of the time. You’ll be the lucky one on call most of the time until another newbie arrives. The fight last night is unusual. You won’t be disturbed often. It may be a month before you’re called in again. It’s the uncertainty of never knowing that’s irritating.”
“You can say that again,” Isis agreed. “Seconds, huh? Let’s get them before the good stuffs gone.”
They got their seconds and finished up. Isis headed to medical, but he was off until his next shift started. He headed to the gym. Seeing Isis and spending time with her had gotten his motor running. Something was needed to work off all the full head of steam he had going.
Once he arrived at the gym, he immediately saw Prat there boxing with one of his buddies. He just worked out on the weights and the tread climber until he was nearly exhausted. Right before he was about to quit, ready to shower and turn in for the night, he saw Prat headed right for him.
“I told you to stay away from the fresh meat,” Prat informed.
“So?” Steve asked.
“You don’t think I saw you talking to her? She’s fucking mine!”
“Does she know that?”
“I told her.”
“I’m not sure she agrees. I was just showing her around anyway. She seems like a nice girl.”
“She’s nice enough. Stay away from her or else.” Prat had his say and he walked away. He was a jerk, always.
Steve headed to his room. Once there he entered his bathroom stripping and placing his clothes in his laundry bag. The bags for all the employees went out once a week. Stepping in the shower, he set the temperature and turned the water on. Damn, that felt good! The sweat and aggravation washed away and he felt much better.
He got in bed not bothering to wear anything. If he was a woman on this station, he might not enjoy that freedom. As a man, he didn’t worry about being attacked sexually, although it did happen. No, instead he would worry about her. Now he had found her again, he never wanted to be away from her again. Unfortunately, he couldn’t kidnap her and keep her in his room and in his bed.
It bothered him that Prat had honed in on her the second she’d stepped onto the station. Not that it was a surprise, she was so beautiful he’d expected it. That made the memory of their one night together resurface no matter how hard he tried to keep it down.
They all sat around drinking and sharing stories of past exploits. Moon hunters had the coolest stories because they weren’t limited by the laws that bound Earth government operatives. If they stepped outside those rules, they could never share that for fear of being declared a criminal and hunted instead of being the hunter.
Duke had told a particularly good story about working on a case recovering some royal jewels from a whorehouse. The prostitutes had caught him and piled on trying to stop him from leaving. They’d all been naked or nearly that way and normally he would have liked it. Luckily, Jazzy was his partner and she dumped ice water on all of them. Before they recovered from the shock of it all, they swung out of the room on ropes and were pulled up into a ship.
Steve noticed at this point, that several more hunters drifted back towards their rooms. Duke excused himself to go hit on a pair of twin females at the bar and he was left alone with Isis. “Want to come to my room for a night cap?” One of the world’s oldest and much overused lines, but she’d said yes.
He felt like singing and dancing. He’d just met her, but he thought she was the most perfect female he’d ever seen. Steve had to hold back his inner caveman that wanted to take her, take her now! Once they were alone, it was a battle against his desire. Apparently an unnecessary one because Isis threw herself in his arms and her mouth ravaged his lips.
Never before had Steve had such an aggressive lover and he liked it. She ripped his shirt open and kissed his chest sucking then biting one nipple. “Strip!” She demanded. And strip he did as he watched her while she did the same.
Gods, the woman was gorgeous. Pulling her into his arms, he reveled at the feel of her silky flesh. They kissed and it was like detonating a bomb. Heat rolled over them, their hearts pounded in perfect harmony, and their breaths were ragged. Picking her up in his arms, he carefully set her on the bed before he joined her.
Nearly crazed with need, he tested her channel with a finger to make sure she was prepared and she was soaking. He should do more, but he needed her now and she urged him on. He rolled on top of her putting his weight on his forearms and he lined up his cock and sank deep into her in one hard push. Never had he felt something so perfect.
Her channel pulsed around his shaft hugging it tightly in its wet heat. He made an animalistic noise, both territorial and showing his pleasure. Mine! It echoed in his mind even though he knew Isis would protest any claim he would make. Luckily, he’d only made that claim in his mind. Steve moved in and almost all the way out before pounding back into her. Her legs wrapped around his hips and he felt her toes dig into his ass cheeks.
He seemed to like everything the woman did. Her toes digging in just spurred him on. Faster, harder, and deeper, he lost himself to the rhythm. The tension built until he fought to hold off his release until he could hold it back no more. Isis screamed his name as she found her orgasm and he followed immediately, growling like a lion.
Chapter 5
Steve
&
nbsp; Her third day on the station was over and she’d finally gotten the tour of the holding cells the subjects were in. Their situation was still harsh, but she’d been assured they were making changes in the way their subjects were held and treated. Jacobs took full credit for all the changes although he’d been here five years and the changes had only been recently initiated.
He was full of hot air and full of himself. A braggart pure and simple, he wanted others to have a high regard for him. Sadly, the man had no real confidence in himself and he was terrified of anyone with authority or strength. It was sad that he was in charge of a place where lives depended on him. There was no doubt he knew the victim from the hanging had been murdered, but he’d never investigate.
If he did, he might find the perpetrator and have to attempt to take action. Jacobs would be terrified at the thought of having to attempt to arrest anyone. The guilty party was either Prat or one of his goons judging by the way she’d seen things run around here. Had Prat not approved of the murder, he would have hunted down whoever did it and punished them personally.
Not because he cared about the subjects or anyone else. It would be because it was done without his approval. He was the petty tyrant around here and he expected things to be done his way or no way. Prat was arrogant, self-aggrandizing, and the biggest bully she’d ever seen. He ran this place with an iron fist. One he would use to pummel anyone who disagreed into submission.
Isis wasn’t stupid and she knew the improvement in the treatment of subjects came about because they were losing them at a rapid pace through raids and deaths and they were much harder to get now. Their sources had been slowly drying up and public outrage over their practices was at an all-time high. The previously neutral government was now at least attempting to take action. There had been agencies that had tried in the past to help, but now they no longer had to hide those efforts.
Steve’s presence proved that. He was from one of the more public agencies. His presence threw Isis off her stride. They’d played together and it made it harder for them to work together. That night replayed in her mind often, but she wasn’t made for forever. Steve wasn’t either if he would just admit it to himself. They were both free spirits that should never be tied down. Maybe she had resented him at first. She’d thought him arrogant and high handed, but she suspected now it had just been fear of falling and falling hard.
That man was addictive and dangerous. He made her want things she’d been designed never to have. The smartest thing she could do was stay the hell away from him and she’d tried. Steve simply made a habit of coming around a couple times during the day. It was to check a security camera. He was making rounds, or even a computer test. Creative, that’s what he was.
Just when she thought about him, there he was again. “Just making my rounds. Want me to come by and take you to lunch?” Steve asked.
“I think I can find my way alone.”
“What fun is there in eating lunch by yourself?”
Isis just looked at him not knowing how to answer that. He was right, it was no fun. She still couldn’t spend time with him, it was too dangerous for her. It messed with her mind and screwed up her heart. Steve left without another word. By the time lunch rolled around, she left alone and figured he’d given up.
When she stepped into the hallway, Prat stood there and she knew he was waiting for her. “I’m here to take you to lunch,” He smirked.
“I plan to eat alone.”
“I’m escorting you and I plan to sit with you,” Prat insisted.
“Ah, you’re too late. She already agreed to accompany me,” Steve said when he came up behind her.
“I told you to leave her alone.”
“And I told you women decide these things themselves, you don’t decide for them.”
“Stay out of it or else.”
“I’ll take my chances, Prat. Step back and give us some privacy.”
Prat stomped off, but his behavior would escalate. Isis knew the type. “Thanks, I think. You may get us killed. That man’s rage is barely under control.”
“He’s got you in his sights. You need to be careful. Believe me, there’s nothing nice about him.”
“I’ve already figured that much out. That man turns my stomach.”
“Some poor prostitute is probably in agony right now,” Steve observed.
“He gets by with that?”
“He pays the owner extra. You’ll probably treat her later tonight when he’s done.”
“I feel bad about that.”
“Me too. But there’s nothing to be done about it.” Steve led her to the cafeteria where they ate lunch. Prat was nowhere to be seen which made her more certain that some poor woman was being tormented like Steve had suggested.
Once they’d eaten, Steve escorted her back to medical. She kept expecting a patient, but at the end of her shift no one had showed. Isis was relieved and she left to go grab a bite to eat before going to the gym to work out. It was a habit she had most nights. When she was through, she went back to her room. There wasn’t really much more to life on Zero than eat, sleep, and work. It was a boring and repetitive existence, only made worse by the presence of tormentors like Prat. It was no wonder the first person she had met on the station had been happy to leave it.
Isis would be happy to go too. She usually understood the reasons behind waiting to take down labs like this one, but she didn’t get it this time. Something must be going on behind the scenes she was unaware of for Cash to be waiting like he was. Jacobs was a cowardly moron and Prat a self-serving bully, but there didn’t seem to be anyone on a higher level here. Those two didn’t have enough authority to be privy to anything helpful to the investigation. Zero was aptly named as far as Isis could see. There was zero reason to stay here.
She fell asleep not long after she got to bed and it wasn’t long after that when a buzz sounded. She got up and spoke through the door. “It’s an emergency patient. You need to hurry she has some severe trauma and bleeding,” Wayne urged.
Four minutes later, they were hurrying along the hall and she got a look at her patient. “By the gods! Was she in a shuttle accident?”
“No, she’s a hooker that was beaten by a customer,” Wayne said and understanding dawned on her.
Isis got to work and began with a pain killer and an anti-inflammatory. She cleaned the wound and applied hard pressure. After several minutes, the bleeding on the worst wound slowed and then stopped. She started her on blood to replace some of what she had lost and then she started on the most serious injuries and cleaned and stitched them one at a time. The broken ribs she could do little about, but she gave her an accelerated healing agent. It wasn’t intended for regular patients, but she didn’t care. This woman needed all the help she could get.
Wayne had quietly assisted her and not said anything until now. “What are your instructions?
“I’d keep her for a few days. What will Jacobs do?”
“He’ll want to eject her as soon as he gets here.”
“She needs more care than that. Are you aware of retero virus?”
“Yes, that shit’s deadly.”
“Our patient seems to have some of the symptoms.” Isis took out a marker and began to draw some unusual marks that resembled sores. “Do we have isolation facilities?”
Wayne laughed. “We certainly do.”
“Let’s get her in there and then decontaminate ourselves and this room according to protocol,” Isis suggested.
“You’re very interesting to work with. I’ll give you that.” Wayne moved the patient into isolation while she began the decontamination protocols.
This would prevent anyone from removing the woman from isolation until the rash cleared up, or the virus was confirmed. The virus was deadly and once confirmed, patients usually died within a few days. Knowing what a coward Jacobs was, she assumed he would leave patient care to her. Since it was a potential case of a deadly incurable virus, her customer would have to be hunted down
to determine if he had the virus. Testing was painful. Isis hoped she was given the task of testing Prat.
For now, Isis finished and headed back to bed. When she woke in the morning, she headed to breakfast. Few people were there and that allowed her to get finished eating and back to medical fast. Jacobs was there looking nervous and upset.
“What have you done?” He said wringing his hands.
“I had a patient last night and she broke out in a suspicious looking rash. My thought was, I could ignore it and if it was deadly, we all die. Or, I could follow protocols and if it’s not what it looks like, no big deal. If it goes away, we just release her. Meanwhile the man who she was with last might, might be carrying a plague that will sweep through this ship and kill us all.”
“Dear gods, you’re right. It may be nothing, but what if it’s not. He needs to be tested right away. I’ll have him come in and you can do the testing.”
It was obvious Jacobs had worked on more than one prostitute after Prat had been done with them. “I wouldn’t tell him what it might be. There’d be no reason for him to be tested. Tell him it’s curable if caught in time.”
“You’re right. He’d never come in. Why would he care if we all die with him?” Jacobs left, nervous, but looking determined.
It wasn’t long before he came back leading a pissed off looking Prat. “Did that bitch give me something?”
“We’re not sure. If she did and you get treated right away, you’ll be fine. If you’re not tested and have it, it can be horribly painful and even deadly if not treated.”
“What do I need to do?”
“Pull down your pants and lean over. I need to take a tissue sample.”
“You just want to get in my pants, Sweetheart. Alright, I’m willing to show my ass if you want to see it.” Prat dropped his pants and slid his underwear down.