Wastes of Space

by Darcy Town

  Tasanee grinned at Ravil. “All I know how to do is fucking build the damn flying things. Made in China!”

  Ravil sank in her seat, guilty. Her presence had caused the whole thing. Tasanee handed her a beer. Ravil sniffed it. “What is this?”

  Keto took the beer out of her hands. “We are not giving her alcohol.”

  Oro frowned. “Why not? Kids are always funny drunks.”

  “No, Oro.” Danny handed Ravil a glass of water. “Here you go.”

  “So.” Ravil looked around. “Global peace, that’s nice though, right?”

  “Fuck global peace!” Tasanee raised her beer. “I mean, you know, if we didn’t have it I wouldn’t have Kat, but at least we’d be free.”

  Keto sighed. “Oh, here we go.”

  Ravil leaned in. “Free?”

  “From the aliens!” Tasanee looked at Ravil. “This is all because of aliens.” The others snickered. She glared at them. “You guys buy this American-Chinese ‘let’s be friends’ bullshit after decades of Cold War that reached into motherfucking space? Suddenly they’re like yeah okay, you’re pretty cool, yeah. We’ll divide the world evenly, except for Russia because who wants that cold shit.” Tasanee looked for Evgeniy, smiled when she saw he wasn’t there. She pointed to Ravil. “Aliens are what it is. They forced us out of space!”

  “Why?” Oro gestured at her with his bottle. “Why the fuck would aliens do that? Aliens would be totally awesome.”

  Danny frowned. “Aliens would rape and pillage us, Oro.”

  Keto shook his head. “You guys…”

  Katarina pointed up to the ceiling. “Aliens don’t exist. We’ve been up there. It’s just cold and dark.”

  “Exactly.” Keto nodded. “And no aliens, no nothing. I sat on that space station for two years. It’s dead silent except for the shit you guys blasted our way.”

  Tasanee glared at them. “Don’t listen to them, Ravil. They’re blinded by their complacency. It’s totally aliens. Why else did we suddenly get all this badass technology when we quit space? It was a bribe!”

  Danny smirked. “Rat, the Empire acquired new technology because they stopped pouring all of their money into spaceships. They focused on others things.”

  Tasanee waved him off. “America and China get weapons and technology that allow them to subdue all the little rebel colonies they’ve accrued. They become real empires, not just the ones they were playing at. Their deal with the aliens is, they get to keep their power as long as they stay out of space and why go there anyways? China and America only wanted it because who controls space, controls the missiles and spy shit, but if you are already in control then space isn’t needed.” She smacked her beer on the table. “If you guys would just look at it clearly for a moment, you’d see I’m right.”

  Oro laughed and got up to get a second helping of soup. “Or just insane.”

  Ravil nodded along with Tasanee. “I think it’s a good theory, Rat.”

  “Thank you!” Tasanee took Oro’s seat next to Ravil. “Now the real thing is. Why haven’t they invaded?”

  Ravil shrugged. “Controlling a population means you have to provide for them, or kill them and why bother with them if there is no need to? Keeping them locked down on their planet keeps them from getting in the way. They’re also easier to track and study that way. Just label them Wasters and keep tabs on them if anything develops.”

  Tasanee nodded, engrossed. “See? That’s logical shit right there.”

  Oro rolled his eyes and sat in her vacated chair. “Yeah, talking about aliens is logical.”

  “Wasters.” Katarina smiled. “Now there’s a perfect fucking word. I love it. We’re the trash of the universe.”

  Bass picked up from next door and shook the walls. Keto looked out the window. “Speaking of trash of the universe.”

  “What is it?” Ravil looked out into the dark at the strobe lights from the building next door. People danced and laughed in the front yard, carefree. They looked young like her. She smiled as a group of happy teenagers raced between the buildings.

  Tasanee elbowed her. “Want to go to a rave tonight?”

  “No!” Danny and Keto shouted at Tasanee.

  Katarina shook her head. “Rat, Rake told me to care for her. Letting her trip out on E is not caring for her.”

  Tasanee sat back in her seat. “I wouldn’t let her take anything.”

  Danny collected dirty dishes and dumped them in the sink. “What fun would a rave be then? If not for E, it’s just a bunch of kids with flashy lights bumping into one another in the dark.”

  Oro smirked. “Like you’ve ever done E.”

  Danny smiled and poured soap on the dishes. “Oh Oro, so young and still so naïve, just like your sister.”

  Oro pointed a thumb at his chest. “Hey, I’m older than Rat at least.” He smiled and looked at Ravil. “Older than this one too. So where’d Rake pick you up anyways? Daycare?”

  “Gambling house.” Ravil grabbed for the glass of water that was put in front of her. “He killed lots of soldiers and we ran away together.”

  “The attack on the marines? That was Rake?” Oro downed his beer. “Oh fuck, man.”

  Danny recognized Oro’s expression. “Spill it, now.”

  Oro turned in his seat. “Someone’s been tracking down the survivors from that night, torturing, and killing them. They even attacked the American base, killing everyone in the hospital ward where one of the survivors was treated. They managed to wipe out an entire medical wing, it’s sick shit. The tapes are all missing, but I hacked in and looked at the aftermath and autopsy pictures, foul man, people cut up.”

  Ravil covered her mouth. “Cut up?”

  “Sliced with some wicked knives.” Oro nodded. “Apparently there have been a few other attacks around town with the same MO, someone’s pissed. Rumor is that it is a revenge killing, you know someone important got killed in the crossfire, so someone is going around killing all the survivors from that night, figuring it was one of them that did it.”

  Danny eyed Ravil. “Has anyone been following you and Rake?”

  Ravil shook her head. “No one has approached us.” She stared at her bowl, thinking quickly. If the Hunter was onto them, it would not have bothered with the others. They would have been attacked already. This killing of others, it did not fit well with a Hunter’s normal attack pattern. She took a deep breath; this was something else then, not involving her.

  Danny took a seat at the table. “The only people prying around here have been government snoops, but they aren’t killing anyone.” He inclined his head at Ravil. “If someone is after you and Rake simply for living through that night and they haven’t found you yet, no one will think to find you here. This city is huge and you have been on the move since.”

  She stood. “We should move Rake regardless.”

  Danny touched her arm. “Ravil, you’re safe.”

  “I don’t care about me, what about him?” She did not want to take chances. “They’ll find him.”

  Danny looked at Keto and the rest. “Darling, I think you should just relax.”

  Ravil threw his hand off. “I may look young, but I’ve been on the run for a long time.” She stood. “This isn’t something to be taken lightly.”

  “We’re not taking it lightly.”

  “Then do something!”

  “We can’t move him even if we wanted to.” Keto looked her over. “He’s not well, Ravil. He might get worse. Besides, if they are looking for him they have no reason to go there, he is hidden.”

  “That doesn’t matter.”

  Katarina stood and pulled out a gun from the cupboard. “I’ll go and take watch at Betty’s, just in case.”

  Danny stood up. “No.”

  “Danny, someone should.” She checked that the weapon was loaded. “I’m going.”

  “Kat, I said no and that’s an order.”

  Katarina glared at him, but set the gun down on the counter. “Yes, sir.”
>
  Danny holstered the weapon. “Look. Keto, call Evgeniy, he’s already heading over there.” He waited for Keto to get the Russian on the line before continuing. He gazed at Ravil. “Does that make you feel better?”

  “A little.” She calmed herself with the knowledge that since it wasn’t a Hunter, it was a Waster, and Rake dealt with Wasters easily. “Rake will be done with this healing process soon?”

  Danny nodded. “Yes, Keto has been taking care of him, he’ll be all better in no time.”

  Katarina hugged Ravil and pulled her away from the kitchen. “Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

  Keto looked up from the phone. “Czar has agreed to take watch and he told Betty to keep watch too.” He rubbed his eyes and yawned. “I need to sleep, but I will be over there first thing tomorrow, Ravil. Czar and I will make sure he is fine.”

  Ravil swallowed. “He still should be moved now.”

  Keto shook his head. “This is a dangerous time for him. We cannot jeopardize that because of some coincidences.”

  “You people have no fear!” Ravil ran up the stairs. She stalked to her room and slammed the door behind her.

  Danny gazed at the ceiling and sighed. He waved to Katarina. “Go console teenage you.”

  Katarina rolled her eyes. “I did not do that.”

  Danny raised an eyebrow. “You were the door-slamming queen.”

  Katarina went pale. “That was Sammy, you ass.” She turned and ran after Ravil. She threw Rake’s door open and slammed it behind her.

  Oro and Tasanee shared a worried look.

  Danny sighed. “She really thinks of no one but him.”

  Keto nodded. “Rake is similarly fixated on her. Danny, I think this is going to be a problem.”

  Danny eyed him. “What do you mean?”

  Keto gestured to the front door. They stepped out onto the porch, out of hearing range of Oro and Tasanee. Outside, Keto rested his elbows on the railing and looked down the empty street. “I think Rake has become obsessive in nature, and I think she is replacing his other needs. He’s pinning everything on her.”

  Danny made a face. “Why would he do that?”

  “Her age, her general helplessness, older men trying to assault her. Ring any bells?”

  “Do you think it’s something inappropriate between those two?”

  Keto shook his head. “Not yet.”

  “Yet?”

  Keto waved his hand towards the house. “She is obviously attached to him, cares for him, and doesn’t seem to think rationally in regards to him. Rake saved her and she’s thankful, she’s dependent on him.”

  “Get to the point, Keto.”

  Keto sighed. “His proclivities have gone from lewd to debauched and downright disgusting in the past year. We have no idea what he’s capable of now. He may not have hurt her before because he had the drugs and got a fix that way. But Rake sober, I do not know.”

  “Keto! He would never hurt her.”

  Keto shrugged. “Even if nothing materialized, him and a child? Terrible combination for her especially, so why take any risks?”

  Danny frowned. “I don’t think Rake would do that. That wouldn’t make sense with his past, Keto. Hurting a girl her age would be the last thing he’d ever do.”

  “He was witness to and almost the victim of a murder, Danny. We do not know what he is capable of. The event drove him to suicide attempts and drugs. It drove him to the streets.” Keto stared into the darkness. “He is hallucinating Lara.”

  Danny looked ill. “God, poor Rake.”

  Keto stood up straight and folded his arms. “Poor Rake, yes, but what about the poor girl? She is not Lara, Danny, and he is no longer seventeen. He is a man and she is a child. I do not think Rake sees the distinction, and I do not think Ravil understands it.”

  “We are not dumping her.”

  “Of course not. She is innocent in this and she should remain innocent, Danny. You’re right in that Rake might never touch her, but he will damage her. They should be separated.”

  “Keto, he is not going to like it.”

  Keto frowned. “He shouldn’t feel either way about it, the fact that he does means something is wrong with him and I told him as much before I left the last time.”

  Danny looked into the night sky. “I’ll call Charlie and see if he can take her, but I’m not going to do it yet.” He leaned on the railing. “I want to speak to Rake first and see this for myself.”

  ***

  Inside Rake’s room, Katarina leaned against the door and forced a smile. “He’ll be fine, Ravil.”

  Ravil stared out her window. “Sure.”

  Katarina jerked her head towards her room. “Come and chill with Rat and me. You can see the rave from our room, it can be fun to watch.” She held her hand out.

  Ravil didn’t move. “I don’t know.”

  Katarina smiled and opened the door. “Please, please? If you don’t, Rat won’t leave you alone anyways.”

  “Okay.” Ravil sighed and followed Katarina out.

  Katarina crossed the hall and flicked on her paper lamps. Her room took on a warm orange glow. She kicked plush purple beanbags towards the window. She sat down on one and patted the one beside her.

  Ravil plopped down and looked through the window. The building next door flashed with blue and red lights intermittently. Katarina pointed, part of the back of the building had been modified, the roof torn off. Dancers moved in the moonlight, black light swept across their clothes making them glow like a neon rainbow.

  Ravil smiled at the dancers, they were young, happy. They bounced into one another, touching, caressing. She watched a boy and girl kiss against a wall.

  Katarina put something in her hand. Ravil looked up. A mint candy sat in the palm of her right hand. She sniffed it, unfamiliar with mint. She smiled and sniffed it again. “What is this?”

  “For after.” Katarina lit a blunt and took a drag. She snapped it in front of Ravil’s face.

  Ravil watched the smoke slip from Katarina’s nose. She took the blunt and placed it between her lips. She inhaled, her eyes went wide. She coughed and tears sprang to her eyes. She fell into her beanbag. “Yuck!” Katarina handed her a glass of water. Ravil sucked it down. “What was that?”

  Katarina took another drag and held the blunt up. “Relaxation medicine.”

  Ravil eyed her. “You enjoy doing that?”

  “Aren’t you?” She watched Ravil’s face. “Eat the candy, relax. You’re too stressed out. You’ll make yourself sick with worry.”

  Ravil popped the mint into her mouth to clear the taste. She sucked on it and a pleasant thrumming rolled from her stomach through her head. The waves moved through her body, bringing her attention to her lungs, her stomach, her throat, her lips and then back down her spine. Ravil squirmed in her seat. She touched her face. “Odd.”

  Tasanee bounded into the room. “Mine!” She grabbed the blunt and took another beanbag. She leapt on Katarina and kissed her.

  Katarina grinned. “Where’s Oro?”

  “Chess, Danny, boring stuff.”

  “Oh.” She kissed Tasanee.

  Ravil watched them with a smile on her face. “Are you a mated pair?”

  Both women looked up. Tasanee slipped her hand up her girlfriend’s shirt and groped her. She shrugged. “Dunno baby, are we?”

  Katarina grinned and pulled her to the floor. “Sure thing, Rat.”

  Ravil stared back out the window at the ravers. Behind her Tasanee and Katarina kissed on the carpet. She heard Tasanee’s soft sighs and laughs as the two became more intimate. The sensation of an electric shock mixed with warmth and itching spread through her skin. She tried to ignore it. “Why did you have the penis wrapper in your things if you are both female and enjoy females?”

  Katarina and Tasanee broke into laughter. Tasanee rolled up to her butt. “Penis wrapper?”

  “Isn’t that what they are?”

  Tasanee smirked. “Literally, I guess. Why not call i
t a dick balloon?”

  Katarina shouted, “Cock drape!”

  Tasanee laughed. “Johnson enfolder!”

  Katarina smiled. “It’s just a condom, Ravil.”

  Ravil looked between the two. “Did I say something wrong?”

  Katarina leaned on her bed and pulled Tasanee into her lap. She traced her fingers along the waistband of Tasanee’s pants. “I fuck men for money during the day, Ravil. It’s one of my jobs.”

  Ravil gaped. “Why?”

  Katarina nibbled on Tasanee’s earlobe. “The money is good, and there are not a lot of jobs available to former pilots.”

  Ravil blushed pink. “But, sex is…I mean…”

  “Sex is what you want it to be, Ravil, it is what you make it.”

  Ravil looked away. “I’m sorry.”

  Katarina humored her with a smile. “Why?”

  “I can’t help but be a bit, uhm…”

  “Grossed out beyond words?” Tasanee put in.

  Ravil shrugged and chewed on a finger. “Rake tried to—”

  “Tried to what?” Katarina bolted upright, knocking Tasanee to the floor. She grabbed Ravil’s shoulder. “If he laid a hand on you and you didn’t—”

  “No!” Ravil shook her head. “No, no. He wanted me to go work in a brothel so he could get me off of his hands.”

  Katarina shook. “That stupid fuck! Did you kick him in the dick?”

  Tasanee rubbed her butt. “Did you punch his balls?”

  Ravil frowned. “No, I just cried until he changed his mind. I don’t think he really wanted me to do it. He changed his mind pretty quick.”

  Katarina paced. “He better not have actually wanted you to do it! I’ll hit him for you, that asshole!”

  Ravil looked confused. “Why are you upset about me doing something that you do yourself?”

  Katarina took her hand. “Ravil, I’m thirty years old. I made the decision and I only take men here where I have these guys to intervene if something goes bad. You’re just a kid. It wouldn’t be your choice. It would be forced. I can’t believe he did that!”

  Tasanee cracked her knuckles. “He ain’t living that one down, ever. He knows what the men are like.”