Another image, and then another. Youth passed quickly into adulthood. There I stood next to a tall woman with dark, flame-colored hair; she held an infant, and her belly was swollen in pregnancy. She looked like me.
There was a candid shot of me sitting at a table, Griffin at my side, and other men and women looking grim. Maps were scattered across the table. An older man dominated the image. It was a war room. As I studied the image, my head began to ache. Cold sweat prickled my skin.
“That was your uncle.” Griffin reached past me and turned off the display. The holograph withdrew into the frame, leaving only a two-dimensional image of a pair of pretty little girls. They were toddlers. The image must have been taken before the war.
“I didn’t mean for you to see that. Not yet.”
“My uncle.” I wanted to look some more, but I was panting; my heart raced. Uncertainly I stepped away. It wasn’t until he glanced at my body that I realized I was nude. I waited for his instructions. I began to calm. My reaction to the images melted away.
“Helios. Your clothing… I brought clean clothes for you. They belonged to Markus but should fit.”
There was an odd tenor to his voice, but I thought only of dressing. Carefully, item by item, I clothed myself in the garb of a man who would have killed me. Griffin hovered awkwardly, looking at the floor rather than at my body as I dressed. I didn’t understand his discomfort. We’d had sex. Twice.
“Lio, I’m sorry for what I did to you.”
He did appear stricken by guilt, but I didn’t understand. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I pulled on a pair of knee-high leather boots. They buckled up the side, and I focused on the fastenings. There were six on each leg, enabling me to adjust the boot to my calf.
“Helios. Look at me, please.”
Obediently I looked up. To my surprise, there was a tear at the inner edge of his eye. It seemed odd to see such a tough man brought to tears. I folded my hands in my lap and waited with humble patience.
Obedient? I shook my head, trying to catch the thought. Even with…. I blinked, unable to remember the name. Who had I been with before? A feeling rushed through my chest… that feeling you get when you are just about to remember that something really bad has happened, but it’s still so new, you have to recall what it was.
“What did you do to me?” My voice came out cracked and harsh. Even with the other… before Griffin, I’d never been a particularly obedient slave. I glanced around the room, looking for something to remind me, and I saw a small, ragged book. He had liked my cooking….
“U’shma. That was his name.” I frowned, the creature’s image slowly forming in my mind. I let it build, trying to reconstruct my memories.
“Helios, do you remember…. You have a slave chip implanted in your brain. I didn’t realize that taking you from U’shma would send you into a separation crisis. You were having a meltdown. I was afraid.” He pulled a heavy chair away from the wall and sat facing me. “I had to break the imprint.”
“By dominating me.”
He nodded, his gaze on the floor.
“And now you’ve forced me to imprint on you.”
“It’s just temporary. Until we can deactivate the chip. I promise.”
He sounded so worried, but I felt warm. Serene. Willing to do anything for this big man. My master.
Master?
I was going to be so pissed when this thing was out of my brain!
“I never felt this… compliant with U’shma.”
“He probably never had the force of personality to establish his mastery over you. And considering how badly you reacted to the separation, I’d say that was a good thing.”
I remembered that a slave would receive a memory wash every time he or she switched owners. That’s why my world had revolved around my owner. But this time, Griffin had forced his imprint on me without taking my memories.
“You had better be very careful how you handle me in the next few weeks. You don’t want me pissed at you, Griffin.”
His laugh washed over me, rich and full. He sounded immensely relieved. I couldn’t help laughing in response. “So for now I’m your slave boy, but once we meet up with your friend….”
He quickly grew serious. “I don’t know how much damage was done to you, Lio. But once the chip is deactivated, there should be some recovery. And your own personality will be back in command. This imprint will dissolve.” He looked worried, and I wondered how much of what he said was hopeful conjecture, rather than fact.
“Oh God. Good. No offense, Griffin. It feels good, but I don’t like it. Not really.” I started to rub my hand over my face and then stopped as the rough skin throbbed with pain. “What in hell happened last night?”
“It wasn’t last night; it was three days ago.”
“Three days?” That explained why my hands were scabbed.
“I found you in the gym. You’d been repeating the same kilij form for hours. The sleeves of your shirt were soaked with blood. Initially I thought you’d be all right once I stopped you, but then you began to melt down. Your eyes were bleeding… your ear as well. I was afraid you’d have a heart attack. You’d gone white as a sheet, and you were icy cold. You kept saying his name over and over.”
“I remember talking to you… and then….”
“I assaulted you. I’m sorry.”
“You son of a she-wolf.” My curse lacked conviction. He’d saved my sanity, if not my life. “I can’t believe I was out for three days.”
Oddly, I didn’t feel that I’d been unconscious for that long. Aside from some stiffness and the distinct need to pee, I felt good.
“You weren’t really out. I had you up a bit. For food… water….”
“I don’t remember.”
“I imagine the chip was rebooting.” He stood, and I followed suit, trailing him as he left the room and crossed over onto the bridge. “If ever I meet the person who invented that thing, I’ll take pleasure in killing them slowly.”
The deadly intent in his voice gave me the chills.
Once he took the pilot’s seat, I settled into the vacant chair, surprised at how comfortable it was. I gazed out the viewfinder, stunned at the vastness before us. I didn’t recall ever having been in space. I felt unmoored and confused. How did I know if we were upside-down or rightside-up?
“We’ve got another two hours in ID space, and then we’ll drop out just outside of the orbit of Barris 9. I’ll deliver the cargo, resupply, and we’ll be on our way fairly quickly.”
“ID space?”
“Interdimensional. It’s a fairly new technology. A small reactor throws us into an alternate dimension of sorts. The distance varies depending on which ID level you choose. We can also use wormholes and energy jumps.”
Wormholes made sense. “Energy jumps?”
“Think of it as a giant slingshot. The ship is placed in a gate within the orbit of a major planet or a small sun. Energy builds, and when the ship is released from the gate, it’s acquired enough energy to propel through the system. It’s crude but good for short jumps.”
The remainder of the day was like that; my questions grew and multiplied, and Griffin patiently answered. He showed me how to activate my navigational screen, and I began learning the equations to calculate ID jumps. Thankfully it seemed that I’d actually paid attention to my studies as a youth. The equations were complex, but with the assistance of the computer, I was able to calculate a course with accuracy. The whole concept of moving through an alternate dimension made me a bit uneasy, but in reality, the travel was not only faster, but completely uneventful. Unlike wormholes, which were few and far apart, ID space was always accessible.
“It’s odd, Helios. After all that’s happened, you’re still you.”
“Hmm?” I looked up from the display that extended from the arm of my chair. It was only then that I realized how weary he looked. Griffin’s face was lined with fatigue; his posture was very loose. Had he been at the helm since we’d left?
Oddly, that gave me comfort. I ended the program and pushed the display back into place. I looked at him curiously.
“You’ve always had this ability to shut out everything and focus completely on your task. Of course, in the past you never allowed me to take you by surprise.”
My cheeks flushed in embarrassment. I’d been kicking myself for being so careless in the gym.
“You’ll pick it up again, Lio. You’re just out of practice.”
I stared down at my hands, noticing that they were still stiff and sore. I’d blocked the pain as well as other outside distractions.
“What’s the frown for?”
“Oh… it’s just….” I started to say something about my hands, but to my horror, the truth came out instead.
“I don’t remember being so… gratified when U’shma praised me.”
He swung his chair around in my direction, a slightly grim smile on his face. “It’s the reward and punishment system. You probably received extensive training when you were first enslaved.” The smile faded at the mention of my captivity. It was still a mystery to me. I had no idea how I’d ended up in enemy hands.
“Anyhow, you were conditioned to seek praise and reward for good behavior.”
“And I was punished for bad behavior.” I swallowed; long-forgotten beatings itched along my nerve endings.
“I imagine you received a great deal more punishment than reward. You must have been a terrible slave.” He smiled again, turning back to the piloting console. His comment was rich with meaning, and for whatever reason, blood rushed to my groin. What had he been up to during those three days that I could not remember?
“Griffin, may I return to my quarters for a few moments?”
“Why are you asking… oh. Yes. I figure you can take Markus’s room. It’s directly across from mine.” He kept his head averted, his blind side to me. I felt acutely disappointed that I was being moved into another room. Didn’t he want me close? I fought not to look over my shoulder as I exited the bridge.
Markus’s cabin was mostly empty. I visited the latrine, found a comb, and carefully tied my hair back into a long braided tail. There was a mirror inside the door of a recessed wardrobe. The rest of Markus’s clothing was similar to what I was wearing—functional and sturdy. I studied myself, taking in the tall, lean silhouette. Out of the robes, I could see that my legs were long, my hips narrow. The tight shirt showcased the width of my shoulders, the flat planes of my belly.
My face… it was the same man in the photos I’d seen but less animated. There were so many things lying in hiding behind the smooth mask. I could look at that face for hours and never unlock the mysteries that were just under the surface.
Even to myself, I was a mystery.
Chapter Seven
THE SHIFT from ID space to regular speed was smooth and uneventful. It wasn’t always that way; the ship could shift over into the middle of an asteroid field or even into the path of another ship. Someday someone would come up with a warning system. It would undoubtedly save lives.
Traveling in ID was usually safe, allowing the pilot to relax and nap when needed. Griffin had a pull-down cot near the piloting array. He’d been catching short naps while we traveled. Travel in real time was often rife with danger. Once we shifted, Griffin stayed at the helm, completely focused on the journey. He didn’t even respond to my mild efforts at flirtation.
There were no more lessons on piloting, no more chatter about past owners or the implications of the imprint he’d forced on me.
What if the imprint held? Frankly I didn’t mind being enraptured with the man, but considering I was the heir to the kingship of our people, there would undoubtedly be dire consequences to consider. If Griffin wished to rule from behind the throne, I’d be at his mercy. Thankfully he appeared more disturbed by the turn of events than I felt.
Secretly I could admit that it was nice to be under his control. There is a lot less stress once you lose all responsibility for your life. I didn’t have to worry about what the future held, knowing Griffin held the reins. He was strong and safe. I’d known him for mere days, perhaps weeks, and had never felt so at peace.
Of course, my mind kept straying to carnal matters. In all honesty, my thoughts had been on carnal matters since the first moment I’d seen him in the bar, but now various scenarios played out in my imagination. I pictured myself on my knees, servicing that beautiful cock of his. I lay still and prone as he fucked my ass, spread his seed all over my body. In my heart, I lived to serve him. In my brain, an angry little voice wouldn’t let me indulge in those fantasies without a severe lecture. I ignored the voice and luxuriated in the novelty of having a painless erection.
If I wanted to, I could have retreated to the privacy of my quarters and relieved that hard-on, but I sort of liked it. It made me feel like a man again. That was empowering. What frustrated me was the distance he’d put between us. Granted, he was piloting the ship, but still, he’d shut down to my advances. I’d grown sensitive to Griffin’s moods, to the subtle expressions on his face, and I knew he was worried. No doubt the consequences of the imprint weighed heavily on his mind. As we grew steadily closer to our destination, he barely spoke.
Within an hour, we’d drawn close enough to the Barris 9 spaceport that it was time to begin preparations to dock. Griffin became tense; I knew he didn’t like relying so heavily on the computers to bring the Aida into port, but his vision impaired him too much to do otherwise. I had the rare wisdom to keep my mouth shut and stay out of his way. At the same time, I carefully studied the procedure. Perhaps someday I’d be of more use in the cockpit of a ship.
The port grew enormous in our view screen, eventually dominating the entire landscape. After hours of manipulating the ship into the complex docking system, we finally inched into place. The cruiser shuddered to a stop, and Griffin released a deep breath, slumping slightly in his chair. Now I understood the toll this trip must have taken on him without having another pilot to back him up.
“When’s the last time you slept?” I turned to face him fully, concern overwhelming lust for the moment.
“I napped while you were sleeping. We’ll start taking shifts on the trip out.”
He activated a computer console and quickly entered data. I watched curiously, too far away to read the entry. As usual, he noticed my interest.
“I’m notifying the port authority of our arrival, where we traveled from, and also attached our bill of lading. They want to know what we are transporting and who we’ll be conducting business with here.”
“What exactly is our cargo?”
His grin was roguish. “Mostly agrichemicals. B9 is a farm planet. That’s why you see all those heavy freighters out there.”
“And what else?” There had to be another cargo, one that didn’t appear on the bill of lading.
He shrugged and rose from his chair. “We’ll be staying on the station a couple days. There’s a case already packed in your closet. I’ve reserved rooms at the Phase. It’s one of the nicer establishments here.”
I’d learned his poker face by now. He could be either laughing at me or hiding something dangerous. Part of me was angered, but that little voice was stifled by the happy, content feeling that clouded my mind.
Once we disembarked and headed into the station, I had to fight to walk beside Griffin rather than behind him.
“Why couldn’t I bring my sword?”
He glanced at me briefly. “It’s too obvious. Plus it’s the badge of your status in the Sun Temple. If word gets out that you’re alive and with me, we might end up walking into an ambush somewhere. And you’re not ready to fight.”
Funny. I felt ready to fight. My hands itched to hold my blade and Griffin’s watchfulness was rubbing off on me. Rather than feeling drowsy at the tension, I felt alert. Dangerous. I couldn’t r
ecall ever feeling dangerous. But the man in the holo-images had been a warrior. He’d been dangerous.
Griffin looked around warily, the lines of his body hard and cautious. Most of the men and women I saw as we entered the station had the same posture. This place was miles above Trell 57 and the other seedy bars I’d visited, but everyone I looked at was ready to fight.
We boarded a lift and rose to the upper levels of the station. Through the glass walls of the car, I could see most of the station interior. It was huge, very nearly the size of a small city. Plants grew abundantly, and space jockeys hurried from shop to shop, laying in supplies, shopping for clothing and goods, or simply taking time out from constant space travel.
A pair of middle-aged women strode through the crowds with focused determination but no clear destination. After seeing them loop around and repeat their route, I grinned. They were power-walking.
When I turned and looked in the other direction, huge windows showcased the planet below. Barris 9 was shrouded in blues and greens, testament to an abundantly fertile environment. I wondered what it would be like to live the life of a farmer. Of course, the farmers below were corporate and rarely touched the soil from which they drew their living. Heavy robotics and machinery did all the hard work. In time, the lack of human touch would take its toll on Barris 9, and the planet would begin a tragic decline. Soil would erode, water would diminish, and the stewards of the land would flee to search out another planet to harvest. Ironically, they knew better. They were scientists, trained in agriculture. In their way, they were as bad as the—
Pain shot through my head. I blinked, surprised at what seemed to be a deliberate gap in my memory. I breathed through it and moved on to another, less painful topic.
“Griffin, what is the name of our planet? You’ve never told me.”
An Uncommon Whore (2019 Edition) Page 7