“Pete, will you ever keep her still.”
“I’m trying,” he said as he wrestled with the wriggling bundle.
Tanith managed to free one arm and she landed a punch on his jaw.
“Ouch,” Pete yelled. “If you do that again, I will punch you back.”
She lay still for a moment, contemplating the threat. Pete wouldn’t dare. Jake would kill him if he hurt her. She lashed out with her leg, grazing his cheek with the heel of her shoe. “Oh, I’m sorry, I hope that didn’t hurt. Much.”
“That is it. I have had it up to here with you.”
Jake watched anxiously in the mirror as Pete rolled Tanith into the narrow floor space between the seats and followed her down. There was a furious thrashing behind him. He had never met anyone who could curse as much as Pete, but Tanith was running a close second. If they weren’t in so much danger, it might have been funny.
Pete gave a roar from the back. “She bit me. She fucking bit me. Jake, we better be near the spaceport or she is out of here at the next junction.”
Jake increased speed. They wouldn’t be around to deal with the consequences. He ran a red light at the last junction and they screeched to a halt at the loading bay. Jake went to find a shuttle. He was back within minutes, but by then there was a screaming match coming from the back of the Terra-pod. He opened the door. “I’m glad you’re both getting on so well. We’re in shuttle bay nine, departing in seven minutes.”
Between them, they carried the wriggling bundle to the shuttle. Thankfully, they were the only crew. The force field in the rear of the shuttle meant that she couldn’t physically get at them, but her shouts and threats were beginning to hurt his ears. “I have to talk to Strom. Can you take her to the brig?”
“Not a chance, Jake. If I never see her again it will be too soon.”
“I’ll give you a hundred credits.”
Pete rubbed his jaw. “Make it two. She bites.”
“Done.”
Chapter Four
“Let me out of here, you bastards.” Tanith grabbed the food tray and flung it in the direction of the doorway. The tray bounced back, clanging loudly when it hit the floor, while the food struck the force field with a sizzling splat, oozing slowly downward until it reached the floor of the cell.
She picked up the regulation flight suit from the low bunk, eyeing it disdainfully. There was no way that she was going to wear that ugly thing. Glancing around the cell, she spotted the container of water, which had accompanied her dinner and poured the contents over the suit before flinging it into a corner. She sat down on the bunk, breathing heavily. There was nothing left to destroy.
Tanith took inventory of her new surroundings—one bunk without blankets, one chair fixed to the floor, one tiny sink with a scrap of polished metal above it. Behind a low screen at the rear of the cell were a sonic shower stall and a metal toilet. If they thought they were going to keep her caged like an animal, they were sadly mistaken.
When she got out of here, Jake and his techie friend were going to suffer. Tanith hugged the robe tighter, rubbing her hands up and down the sleeves. It was cooler here than it was on Cyraelia and the idiots hadn’t thought to bring any of her clothes. What the hell was she going to do for the next six months with a wardrobe that consisted of lingerie and high heels? Tears of frustration pricked behind her eyelids and she blinked them away.
Overhead, the electronic eye of the security monitor recorded her every movement. She hadn’t been able to reach it earlier, but perhaps it could have a messy encounter with breakfast tomorrow. With that cheerful prospect in mind, Tanith rubbed her eyes. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of crying. In fact, they were probably watching her right now.
Wait a minute. The ship hadn’t left Cyraelian space yet. There was still time to escape. All she needed was one stupid human to open the cell door. Her mouth curved in a smile. It was time to fight back and she still had one weapon.
Tanith stood up gracefully and walked to the rear of the cell. Keeping her back to the camera, she shrugged out of the bathrobe, easing it slowly downward to reveal a dark-red chemise with thin straps. The chemise barely concealed the Dermatrax. Since she’d met the treacherous human, the markings had been growing rapidly. Within a few weeks it would reach the top of her spine and then the Dermatrax would drive her to seek a life-mate. Poor thing probably thought that Jake was it. Well, we were both wrong about that one.
Tanith released her hair from its bindings, allowing the soft, black strands to ripple down her back. She turned her head and looked over her shoulder, blowing a kiss in the direction of the camera, beckoning the watchers. Lying down on the bunk, she closed her eyes and began to count.
At the far end of the corridor, Ensign McGee almost leapt off his chair. “Holy stars, did you see what she just did?”
The crewman beside him groaned. Brig duty was usually boring as hell, with nothing but the occasional fight or a drunken crewman to liven up the long hours. Today was different. Chief Engineer Olafson had arrived a short while ago carrying a Cyraelian female over one shoulder, trying to ignore her as she screamed, kicked and bit him. Then she had entertained them with a violent temper tantrum in the cell. He had seldom met a woman with a filthier tongue.
“Shouldn’t we go to her, Sir? I mean, she must want something.”
The junior crewman gazed wistfully at the monitor. They had all hoped to have a close encounter of the Cyraelian kind when they arrived here. But the captain had issued orders that the women were strictly off-limits. “I could go down there and check on her,” he offered hopefully.
The supervisor swiveled in this chair. “I think that as senior crewman on the watch, I better go and see what the little lady wants.”
* * * * *
Jake waited nervously outside the captain’s briefing room. He wasn’t looking forward to this. Strom would go supernova when he heard what he and Pete had done, but he couldn’t leave Tanith behind. Adjusting the collar on his tunic, he pressed the entrance com. He had to get this over with.
“Good to have you back on board, Jake.”
Jake took a deep breath. “I’d like to make a complaint, Sir.”
Strom sat bolt upright in his chair. “Ship’s com, please record these proceedings.”
“Affirmative, Captain.”
“What is the nature of your complaint, Lieutenant Svenson?” Strom asked formally.
“I wish to report an assault on a Fleet Command officer by a Cyraelian civilian, Sir.”
Strom’s dark eyes narrowed in bewilderment. “You may continue, Lieutenant Svenson.”
Here goes. I hope the weeks I spent plowing through Fleet Command regulations have been worth it. “Sir, I believe I have the right under Star Code Alpha 9706.23 to have the civilian brought to trial before a panel of three officers, of no lower than the rank of captain.”
“I’ll have to check that one out, Lieutenant. But even so, I’m the highest-ranking Fleet Command officer in this quadrant and the only captain.”
Jake’s mouth twisted at the edges as he tried not to grin. Any second now, Strom was going to blow. “You can’t adjudicate, Sir. You’re a witness to the assault, Sir.”
Two angry spots flared on Strom’s cheeks. “Tanith. You’re talking about charging Tanith Jasson with assault? Let me get this straight. You expect me to take your former lover into custody so that she can stand trial before a military court back on Earth?”
Jake couldn’t hide his smile any longer. It was almost impossible to get one over on Strom, but he couldn’t do anything about this. “Yes Sir.”
“Lieutenant Svenson,” Strom said impatiently. “Did you do anything else while in custody except study Fleet Command regulations?”
Jake stood up straight, keeping his eyes fixed on the view-screen behind Strom’s desk. “No, Sir. Not a lot, Sir.”
The doors opened again and Pete entered. “The prisoner is in the brig, Sir. And if I might add, Sir, she bit me twice, Sir.”
He rubbed his left hand. “I’ve never encountered such a little hellcat.”
“Ship’s com, cease recording.”
Strom looked from one to the other, shaking his head in frustration. “Jake, this is impossible. I insist that you drop these charges.”
“I plan on doing just that, boss, the minute I get her back to Earth.”
“And what are you going to do with Tanith in the meantime?”
Jake winked at him. “I’m going to tame her.”
Tanith’s eyelashes fluttered open as the force field disengaged. The crewman hovered at the doorway. One hundred and ninety-two seconds—damn, she had hoped the control room was farther away.
“Are you all right, Miss?”
Tanith sat up. “I’m scared, crewman. I’ve never been in custody before. Can you sit with me for a little while?”
“I’m afraid that would be against regulations, Miss.”
Despite his words, Tanith noted that he had already taken two steps into the cell, carefully avoiding the spilled food. “Well, perhaps you can help me find my earring? I seem to have dropped it.”
Kneeling down, she patted the floor beneath the bunk, giving him a glimpse of smooth, shapely thigh. He was down beside her in an instant. Tanith pointed to the floor beside the sink. “There it is.”
The crewman never saw the tray coming, but she gave him a second blow just to be sure. Tanith removed the laser weapon from his unconscious body. She had minutes at most before they came for her. Pulling on the damp flight suit, she ran barefoot from the cell. The shuttle bay was six flights below and the elevator was thankfully empty. Tanith watched as the display changed with agonizing slowness. “Come on. Come on.”
The doors opened. A row of silvery craft lined the shuttle bay. Most were in darkness, secured and ready for departure, but one was still being unloaded. She moved stealthily toward the small craft, her bare feet moving silently on the polished floor. Two men were laughing and joking as they unpacked the last of the supplies. They were both young and unarmed. Tanith stepped out from behind the engine and pointed her weapon. “Hello, humans.”
After that, it was almost too easy. Tanith strapped herself into the copilot’s seat and watched as the pilot performed the preflight check. The other one would operate the shuttle bay door. She had given him her assurance that his friend would be released unharmed when they landed safely on the surface. “Can’t you go any faster?”
The young crewman flushed. “I’m going as fast as I can, ma’am, but I have to follow preflight procedures.”
At last the engines hummed and the craft moved forward. The shuttle bay doors opened slowly and Tanith could see the vast inkiness of space and the planet far below them. She breathed a sigh of relief. Soon she would be home again and Jake could go and jump into a black hole. The craft rose smoothly, heading for open space. Just a few more minutes and they would be out of here. A klaxon sounded, loud and shrill, audible above the engines of the shuttle. She twisted in her seat to look at the pilot. “What’s happening?”
“It’s an emergency shutdown, ma’am. They’re overriding the outer doors from the bridge.”
Tanith pressed the laser gun against his head. “Keep going.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I can’t. We won’t make it.”
Tanith watched as beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. He was just a kid, probably several years younger than she. She pulled the weapon away from his face, suppressing a burst of hysterical laughter when she realized that the safety was still on. It was no use. She was going nowhere. “Set the shuttle down.”
“Yes ma’am.” He could hardly disguise the relief in his voice.
The shuttle returned to its parking bay and the engines ceased humming. The crewman eyed the weapon nervously. “Ma’am?”
“Get out of here,” she snarled.
Tanith watched through the view-screen as he ran toward the security party. Two officers and three crew members stood on the deck, all were armed. She weighed her options. One against five was suicide but at least she would go out in a blaze of glory. Just like Raoul, a small bitter voice inside her head reminded her. While she was alive, she still had a chance to escape and she could hurt Jake the way he had hurt her. Dropping her weapon, Tanith stepped from the shuttlecraft with her hands above her head.
Jake reached her first. His face was ashen, and somehow that made her feel a whole lot better. “Tanith, what the hell did you think you were doing? You could have been hurt.”
His eyes were filled with a mixture of anger and concern. If she didn’t know better, she might have believed that the treacherous human was actually worried about her. “Why, Lieutenant Svenson, I didn’t know you cared.”
Jake touched her face. “Tanith, don’t. You know how I feel about you.”
She wanted to believe him, to rest her face against his hand, to feel his arms around her once more. How the hell does he do this to me? Tanith pulled away, wiping her cheek roughly with the sleeve of her flight suit. She glared, willing Jake to believe that she hated him. Instead, the skin around his eyes crinkled and he smiled at her. Jake wasn’t fooled for a minute. She still wanted him and he knew it.
She should have let them shoot her.
Chapter Five
The new cell was identical to the first. Humans really knew how to make a girl feel special, but it had been worth it. The captain had torn strips off Jake in the shuttle bay and he was in a whole lot of trouble over her little escapade. Tanith lay down on the bunk and, for the first time in weeks, she smiled. The perfect solution to her desire for revenge had just presented itself. Any mischief she got into would be reflected back on Jake and she had six months to torture him and make his life hell. He would be glad to get rid of her by then and she could start a new life on Earth.
Tanith eyed the security monitor overhead. She couldn’t try to escape again. They would be waiting for that. She needed to get creative. Pursing her lips, she blew a kiss at the monitor. “Crewman, I need access to the regulations governing the treatment of prisoners and could I possibly have a nail file?”
Restricted access to the ship’s com was granted several hours later, but the nail file didn’t arrive. What did they think she was going to do with it? All she wanted was a manicure. Tanith spent the evening reading through Fleet Command regulations, pausing to smile flirtatiously at the young crewman who delivered her meal. He pushed the tray into the cell before running away like a scared ground warver. By the time the lights were dimmed, she was almost looking forward to the next day.
Tanith looked at the startled crewman’s face. The young ensign had just delivered breakfast and now she was going to ruin his day. This should be fun. “Fleet Command Regulation 5993.2—all prisoners being held for a period exceeding one week are entitled to a minimum of two hours exercise time outside the cell each day.”
“Ma’am, I don’t know…”
She tapped her foot impatiently. “Then I suggest you find out.”
An hour later she was in the female changing room in the gymnasium. They had left her a selection of exercise clothes to change into, all of which were very utilitarian. That wouldn’t do at all. Not for what she had in mind. The girl at the far side of the changing room was wearing something much more interesting.
Jake groaned when he heard his name being called on the ship’s com. He had just come off duty—eight hours on the bridge, passing through some of the most boring space imaginable, without so much as an asteroid field to navigate through. Strom had been furious about Tanith’s little escape effort and now he had been rostered for a week of night duty. Still, it had almost been worth it for that brief touch of her skin. Tanith might hate his guts but she still wanted him, and that was a start.
“Lieutenant Svenson, report to deck fourteen immediately,” the call came again as Jake struggled into his uniform. There was nothing on deck fourteen but ship’s stores and recreational facilities. Why would they want him there? Jake walked the deck, glancing th
rough each open door. Most of the facilities were quiet, but there was a crowd in the gym. Strom paced the corridor impatiently.
“Lieutenant Svenson, would you care to join me on the viewing deck, please?” The flinty glare in Strom’s eyes belied his polite request and Jake followed him obediently up the stairs.
The viewing deck was crowded, which usually only happened if there was a team contest scheduled. Some of the crew shuffled out when they noticed the captain’s arrival. One or two of the men winked in Jake’s direction and several eyed him with unconcealed envy. Then he saw her—one hundred and twenty pounds of physical perfection, graceful as a dancer on the parallel bars, performing to a very appreciative audience. Lean, taut and strong, Tanith’s long legs swung upward and she held her body in a perfectly controlled handstand before launching into a half twist and dismounting easily. The tiny camisole she wore barely covered her breasts and the matching thong left little to the imagination. She might as well have been naked.
Several crewmen stepped forward to offer her a towel and she laughingly accepted one of them, dabbing her face gently, before returning it to him. From his blissful expression, she might as well have given him a week’s leave. Jake had a sudden urge to choke him to death with the towel and only Strom’s presence restrained him from beating her other admirers to a pulp.
Strom growled under his breath. “In case you haven’t noticed, Lieutenant, she is not wearing regulation exercise clothing. Do you know how many single crewmen there are on this ship?”
“One hundred and twenty-seven,” Jake responded automatically.
“I want her out of there—now.”
The big guy was about to go supernova any second. “Yes Sir. Immediately, Sir.”
Jake raced down the stairs and into the gym. The crew scattered when they saw his furious expression. “Haven’t you forgotten something, Tanith?” He could barely rein in the anger in his voice.
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