The Luxorian Fugitive

by J. Alan Veerkamp

  “I know. He just brought it out of me.” The smile on Liam’s face was warm and sad at the same time.

  “Hmm…what’s this? Pause.” The vid stopped as Hadrian left the shower and passed Mac entering. He touched the image of Mac on the screen. “Follow new target. Continue.” Since scanning Hadrian was boring as hell, he could perv on Mac for a while. In all the chaos, he hadn’t had a chance to talk to him. While he would be much happier watching the tech in his private shower, he could be content with this. The vid continued, with Mac in the center position. Hadrian didn’t seem so important anymore.

  On the screen, Mac showered next to Liam while chatting away. Danverse wasn’t thrilled Liam was still sporting an impressive erection. He paid close attention as Mac began to wash himself and get hard, too.

  “What the fuck?”

  “Marc?”

  There was Mac in the shower. On his knees in front of Liam. And Liam wasn’t stopping him.

  The furious heat rising in his chest nauseated him. His jaw clamped tight, and the harsh drum of his own quickening pulse filled his ears. Turning from the screen, he burned a stare into Liam that made the big man twist his face in confusion.

  The words coming out of Danverse’s mouth sounded barely human. “Liam, you…piece…of…shit.”

  Liam’s face lost its color as he glanced to the monitor and saw the scene playing out.

  “Oh, shit. Marc, it’s not what you think.”

  Kicking back the chair, Danverse rounded the desk. Liam raised his open hands in defense. “Really? Please explain to me how that’s not your cock down my boy’s throat!”

  “We didn’t plan it. It just happened.”

  “I bet.”

  “Right afterward, we both knew what a mistake it was.” Liam’s tone was full of regret, but the possessive beast inside Danverse refused to acknowledge it.

  He looked back at the vid and the pleasure on Liam’s face. “I can tell how much you were hating it.”

  “He told me he hadn’t been touched in almost a year.” Liam’s voice was rising. “It was eating him alive! What were you waiting for? Until he was so broken he had no other choice?”

  A sudden shove slammed Liam backward into the couch. The shift from sorry to rage that flashed across Liam’s face was immediate. The uncharacteristic sight of Liam, fists clenched, leaping forward into his personal space should have made him think twice. But he was far too pissed off to think clearly.

  “He wasn’t your boy right then. And let’s be honest. He still isn’t your boy! You’re too much of a fucking coward to go after him, but you’ve spent plenty of time keeping me around to satisfy your sick needs.”

  “That was you knocking on my door, if I remember correctly!”

  “Because I didn’t know what else to do! And you took full advantage of it. No wonder you didn’t want me with Hadrian!”

  “That freak-show whore of yours? Great choice!”

  “Because you knew I wouldn’t need you anymore and you’d have to go dirty your precious, innocent Mac!” Liam roared as he closed in. He had never challenged Danverse before, and Danverse was too furious to back down.

  “Go find Hadrian! You two deserve each other—you’re both fucking damaged goods!” Centimeters away, Liam had to feel Danverse’s breath on his face. “Here’s a tip, Liam: saving Hadrian won’t bring the boy from Belathius Pointe back to life!”

  Danverse never saw the punch that sent him sprawling over his desk, smashing head and shoulders into the floor. Fire bloomed across his jaw, married to the taste of blood, as he shook his head. Rage welled in Liam’s eyes as he stomped forward. Every muscle pulsed as he grabbed Danverse by the collar, pulling their faces close.

  For the first time, Danverse shrank. Liam had never been aggressive enough to make him feel overpowered. He had always been the follower, the one who obeyed orders. That was gone now. The alpha dog bowed as the command he held over Liam crumbled.

  Liam snarled like an animal. “You fucking bastard. That was low even for you. Well, guess what? I’m done letting people abuse me. You and me, Marc, we’re through.” Liam’s anger couldn’t be mistaken even as the tears were poised to fall. “I would rather rot in a sanitarium than ever let you touch me again.”

  Liam slammed him back to the floor as he released his hold. Jumping up, Liam spun and placed his palm on the reader, opening the door. With a fist, he hammered the door control, cracking the black glass panel. Then Danverse’s best friend stalked out, leaving him fuming on the deck.

  Chapter Ten

  MAC APPRAISED HIMSELF in the mirror as he smoothed down his chocolate-colored vest. It opened low in the front, showing off his chest, and fit snug around his waist without binding. Freshly scrubbed, not a trace of mechanical fluids stained his skin, and he could still smell a faint trace of soap. His normally wild thatch of hair had been trimmed to an attractive, tamed style that hugged his scalp. Running his hand along his clean-shaven jaw, he hardly recognized himself. He had forgotten the man in the mirror somehow but was determined to keep him.

  Cleanliness was one of the few things making him feel centered. Conditions in the orphanage had been squalid, and keeping things tidy helped him forget. Why he didn’t keep himself as clean as his surroundings, he couldn’t say. Perhaps he valued the ship more than himself.

  He loved the Santa Claus. It was the only place he’d ever felt at home. Being one of the unfortunate products of the Centauri Civil War, a wartime orphan, he was accustomed to never feeling settled. He grew up without having anyplace to call his own. Becoming the head tech on board was the best thing to ever happen to him. Even with the loneliness, this was far better than what his life had become after he came of age. He’d expected life outside the orphanage to be wonderful, but the reality was overwhelming. It sounded a lot like the stories he’d dismissed as fiction of criminals released from prison. Out of touch with the rest of the world, Mac was nearly swallowed by it. His intellect and skills had kept him from drowning, but only barely.

  Finding the close-knit community aboard the Santa Claus was a godsend. He’d taken one look at Captain Danverse and known where he belonged. He was useful and wanted, a rare experience for a stray. Being near Danverse brought comfort and order to his world. His thoughts normally raced at blinding speed. Forever analyzing, it often seemed like there were overlapping voices in his head. More than once growing up, he’d been told he was too smart for his own good. If he didn’t constantly focus to maintain a stream of linear thought, he would get lost in the overwhelming data. Right then, it was all unraveling.

  He’d tried to speak with Danverse yesterday but was refused. Apparently, a fight had broken out between Danverse and Liam on the bridge, and the story had instantly spread through the contained community. Liam wouldn’t speak to him either. It only required two seconds of analysis to determine the cause.

  The sad weight in his chest made him take a deep breath. He didn’t have time to dwell on it. There was work to be done.

  “Mrs. Claus. Where can I find Liam Jacks?”

  “Security Chief Jacks is in his quarters. Will there be anything else?”

  “No, thank you.”

  Mac was the only person on board with which Mrs. Claus engaged beyond specific requests. It was one of the first things he’d added to the system when he hired on. A surrogate mother had to be capable of more than minimal responses.

  His sandaled feet were quiet as he walked down the hall. The only sound other than the engines’ hum was the fabric of his snug breeches brushing between his thighs. He rounded the corner and stopped before room 204. After taking another deep breath to steel himself, he touched the door chime.

  Liam’s voice came through the speaker. “Who is it?”

  “Boss, it’s Mac.”

  After a long pause, he heard the door panel beep. Amber text flashed the status on the panel: Do Not Disturb. He growled as he pounded the door with his fist.

  “Damn it, boss! I want to talk to you
!” He leaned against the door but jumped back as it hissed open. Liam loomed in the doorway and invaded Mac’s personal space. Deep lines of sorrow scarred Liam’s unshaven face as he towered over him. These were the moments when Mac was reminded of how fearsome the sergeant could be. He read the display as an act of intimidation, not aggression, so he stood his ground.

  “You shouldn’t be here.”

  Mac looked Liam over. “I’m glad to see you’re dressed. I want to talk to you.”

  “If Marc finds out you’re here—”

  “He’ll what? Stop talking to me more?”

  “Mac…he found out about us in the shower.”

  Mac nodded and huffed. “Of course he did. Why else would he shut us both out? How did he find out anyway?”

  “He was following Hadrian on the privileged security vids. I guess he stopped following him when you came on the screen. And there we were.”

  “Lovely. I don’t know if I should be flattered or offended. Either way, I’m not here to talk about him.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  Not wanting the door closed in his face, he ducked under Liam’s arm and took a seat on the corner of his ridiculously large bed. With a raised eyebrow, he cast a dubious glare over the rumpled sheets but stopped himself because it wasn’t why he was there.

  “I wanted to see how you were doing, boss. I don’t have a lot of friends. I need to take care of the ones I have.”

  Liam walked back to his desk and faced away, sifting through the files on his monitor. Several data pads were online and scattered on the desk. Personal ID files of the raiders and a Subspace Link to Luxoria were visible on the screen.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Researching.” Liam grumbled as he thumbed through the files on his screen, refusing to look Mac’s way. It was not like the boss to be this dismissive. He had to be in bad shape.

  “I’m sorry about what happened to Hadrian. I know he was really special to you.”

  “He still is. I haven’t given up on him yet.” Liam continued to work without pausing.

  “What do you plan to do?”

  “I’m going to get him back.”

  Mac climbed off the bed. “Boss, that’s crazy. You can’t even get back to Luxoria.”

  “The raiders’ ship has faster-than-light engines. Most of the details I can figure out on the way.”

  “You can’t just bull your way in there. You’ll get yourself killed.”

  Liam looked back over his shoulder. “I’m a sniper, Mac. I don’t storm the beach. I sit back and wait for my chance.”

  “Have you asked the captain for help?”

  “He already said no, right before we got in a fight.”

  “Then what are you supposed to do?”

  Liam shrugged as he dug deeper into his information. Mac thought he probably should be pissed at the whole scenario but couldn’t find it in himself. All he felt was a growing sense of guilt. No matter what complications had been thrown his way with Danverse, they were nothing compared to what Liam was experiencing. Life sometimes was unfair. An orphan understood the reality all too well.

  Liam began mumbling as he scoured the monitor data. “I’m so close. I just need to find a way to shut down…”

  The odd way Liam drifted off was unnerving, and even more so when he pivoted his chair to face Mac. Liam’s piercing eyes burned a strange menace. Being in this room at that moment seemed like a bad idea.

  “Um, boss? Why are you looking at me like that?”

  Liam stood. “Do you still have that scrambler from the raiders?”

  “Yeah. It’s in my quarters.” His suspicions grew like wildfire as Liam closed the gap between them, a manic tension in his eyes.

  “And you have all the specs for the raiders’ ship, right?”

  “I haven’t cleared them from my data pad yet.”

  Liam was so close, Mac could feel the heat from his body. “You turned off my equipment that one time for maintenance.”

  “It’s part of my tech clearance.” He became quieter and quieter with each response.

  “Go back to your quarters and get that data pad and scrambler. You’re going to show me how to use it. Then you’re going to turn off the docking protocols and tractor beam.”

  Mac swallowed. “Why am I doing all this?”

  Liam paused for a moment. “Because I’m taking the raiders’ ship and getting Hadrian back one way or another.”

  “You can’t ask me to do this, boss.” The shock made his eyes feel larger than possible.

  “I can’t stay on board knowing I had a chance to save him. I love him, Mac, and I need him. Hadrian told me once that he would do anything to be with me. I’d like to believe he’d do the same if the situation were reversed.”

  “You’re asking me to blatantly go against the captain. You know what he means to me, right?”

  Liam gave him a sad nod. “The same that Hadrian does to me. You’d sacrifice all of us if you thought you could save him, wouldn’t you?”

  “That’s not fair, boss.” Mac turned away. The truth struck too hard.

  “No, it’s not. But what’s happened to Hadrian isn’t, either. I don't know why I didn't say something sooner—maybe I blamed Marc for Hadrian's arrest—but I have evidence he’s innocent. I just can’t go through their government to prove it. I have to do something more drastic, and I have to do it now.”

  Sighing, Mac ran a nervous hand through his hair. “You better come back, boss. Don’t make me regret this.”

  “Oh God. Thank you, Mac.” Liam swooped in, snatching him off the ground in a crushing hug.

  “Cap’n’s going to kill me.” Squeezing his eyes tight, he pressed his face into Liam’s neck.

  “No, he won’t. It may get his attention, though.”

  “I already had a plan for that, thank you very much.”

  Liam pulled back with a wicked grin. “Does it have anything to do with this nice outfit and cleaned-up look you’re sporting?”

  Mac smiled and ducked his gaze. “I was going to find him after I checked in on you.”

  “You still can. It would have worked, Mac. I hope this doesn’t make it harder.” Liam turned his head and looked him in the eye. “Give him a chance. He loves you. On this ship, you don’t get that pissed off over a blowjob if you’re not completely hooked on a guy.”

  Releasing him, Liam ran his hand along Mac’s neck and head. Rubbing his palm across his eye, Mac pushed back a threatening tear. This was going to be a stressful day. He hoped he was up to the task.

  “All right, Mac. Go back to your room and get that stuff. The faster I head out, the better my chances.”

  MAC TURNED AND headed for the door as Liam began rummaging through the room behind him. Now that he’d brought Liam everything he’d asked for and showed him how it all worked, he had been forgotten, but that was fine. Once the door closed and he was alone in the hall, he fell back against the hull and exhaled in a violent rush. Body shaking, he struggled to stay upright, a tight grip on the satchel slung over his shoulder.

  Mac couldn’t believe he’d found the courage to perform a flagrant act of insubordination. It wasn’t like him at all. His own nature always had him following orders or doing tasks to make others happy. The captain’s presence had heightened his need to submit, but this was not the time. Taking the initiative like this scared him witless. He needed to find the strength to follow through. He’d come this far, hadn’t he?

  When the captain found out, he was going to be livid. Now Mac was an accomplice in spacecraft theft. Liam was going to rescue Hadrian. Hadrian was captured. Was it hot in there? Travel to Luxoria at cruising speed would take approximately 2.45 days. The hum of the engine sounded off. His tech manual was open to page 345. The fibers in his shirt were a synthetic poly-blend.

  Mac palmed his temples and hissed. “Stop it!” Anxiety made his thoughts race in random directions, and he was losing focus. Gritting his teeth, he chanted one word in his
head over and over. Danverse. The one person who always brought sanity when his mind ran rampant. He repeated the thought, louder and louder, until it began to drown out the scattered voices.

  “Oh God, I need you.” Mac had never been more thankful there was no one in the empty hallway to hear him.

  With great effort, he ordered his thoughts. Once he was no longer in danger of hyperventilating, he continued around the corner, heading for the locker room. He splashed cold water on his face and shot a determined stare into the mirror.

  “You can do this.” He challenged his reflection until it looked like he might believe it.

  Pulling his personal data pad from the satchel, he checked the time. He estimated he had roughly six minutes before Liam left the ship. He needed to get moving.

  “Mrs. Claus. Is Captain Danverse on the bridge?”

  “Yes, Mr. Smith. Do you require anything else?”

  “No, thank you.”

  He trotted to the lift and, moments later, was heading for the bridge. Pausing at the door, he took a deep cleansing breath, straightened his clothes, and placed his hand on the black access panel.

  Teddy and Daveth were chatting at their posts while the captain stood at his station. Danverse looked stressed, quite like Liam did earlier, with a startling bruise along his jaw. The gossip about the fight was true. Danverse checked random items on his screen with little interest. Mac scuffed his feet on the floor to get his attention.

  “Mac?” Danverse turned in surprise and wasted no time surveying Mac’s new look. His gaze hovered at the point Mac’s vest exposed his chest. “You look good.”

  “Thanks. You’re looking a little rough.”

  Daveth was turned in his chair. “Nice outfit, Mac.” He nodded and apparently lingered too long.

  Danverse whipped his head around to face the pilot. “I’m gonna be really pissed if we crash into something because you’re not paying attention.” The warning made Mac more at ease. There was still something between them. Mac hoped it would still be there after the next few minutes. Glaring, the captain waited for Daveth to return his attention to the main viewport. Daveth stole a glance over at Teddy, who returned an eye roll and went back to his task. Looking at Mac, Danverse seemed to soften.