by D T Dyllin
“He’s in the engine room. He’s refusing to leave until he gets payment. He’s threatening to take possession of the ship. He said—”
I placed my hand on top of Masha’s soft black hair, smiling at her. At least I think it was a smile. “I’ll take care of it. No one is taking my ship.” I stepped past her, marching stiffly to the engine room. By the time I got there, I was ready to explode, my pulse beating against my eardrums like a countdown clock. How dare someone come on my ship and try to take advantage of my crew! Especially Masha!
A humanoid was leaning over the engine with his back to me. I pulled out my laser gun, jabbing it into his back. “I heard you’re trying to pull a fast one over on me.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! I’m just trying to get paid for my services.”
“Turn around nice and slow. If you make one move I don’t like, you’re going to be dead before you get a chance to regret it.” I moved back a few paces. When the humanoid was facing me, his beady little eyes darted around nervously. The man was thin, short, and greasy looking. He was repulsive. “Did you bathe in engine grease or something?” I crinkled my nose in disdain.
“First you threaten me, and then you insult me.”
Pffft … The man had the nerve to act outraged. I would do a lot more than insult and threaten him, if he wasn’t careful. “Look here, asshole. I have no patience for creatures like you who try to take advantage of sweet beings such as my engineer, Masha. What? Did you take one look at her cherub face and think she’d be an easy target? Maybe she is, since she communicates best with mechanical things, but not me. You’ve fucked with the wrong captain.”
“I-I simply want to be paid for my services.” Grease Man’s tone had morphed from outraged to sniveling.
I choked back a laugh at the predictability of it all.
“What Masha paid you, what you quoted, that’s all you’re getting. But I guess you’d like a bonus of a laser wound to your,” I pulled the trigger, and Grease Man howled in pain, “foot?”
He clutched his foot, hopping around on the good one. “You’re insane. I’m going to report you to the—”
“Look, buddy. You threaten me or my crew one more time and you won’t be alive to report anything to anyone ever again. You got me?”
Finally the truth of my words settled fear into his eyes. Took him long enough. “Yeah. I understand. I won’t cause any more trouble.”
I bared my teeth at him. “Good. Now get the hell off my ship and don’t tell anyone about this or I will be paying you another visit. The second time won’t end as well for you.”
As he hobbled past me, his beady eyes averted, I noticed a bank cuff stuffed into his back pocket. I snagged it. “Hey!” he exclaimed. “That’s mine!”
“Not anymore. That’s what happens when you get greedy. Now get off my damn ship. Now.”
“It’s encrypted, anyhow. You won’t be able to—”
“I’ll hack into it just fine,” I sneered. “Last warning.” Cocking my gun, I aimed right between his eyes. “You’re trying my patience. You really don’t want to see me when you’ve pushed me past my breaking point.”
Finally Grease Man took the hint, and scurried out of the engine room. I stepped out after him to make sure he left. “Huh,” I muttered to myself. He was moving a lot faster than I would have thought after I shot him in the foot. At least with laser guns the wound cauterized. For the first time since I’d started carrying one, instead of an antique Earth gun, I was appreciative. After all, if I’d shot Grease Man with a bullet then I would have had a mess on my hands. And blood is no fun to clean up.
Masha came ambling down the corridor from the direction of my quarters a moment later. She regarded me with hope in her black eyes as she sniffled. “Is he gone?” I tossed the bank cuff in her general direction, her nimble fingers closing around it deftly. “You got his bank cuff?”
“Yep. I’m guessing I don’t have to tell you what to do with it.”
“I’ll have the funds in your account and the tracking codes erased within the hour.” Masha grinned, her entire visage lighting up. “Maybe he’ll have enough for the new part.”
I tried, very unsuccessfully, not to roll my eyes. Masha was friggin’ relentless when she wanted something. “Maybe.” I holstered my gun. “Let’s plan on hitting space, too. I’m tired of being stationary. Now that we’ve had maintenance I’d like to put some distance between us and this supply space station. We can pick up the part, if there’s enough on that cuff, at our next stop. And don’t worry, it won’t be long, I’m in tracking mode.”
Masha nodded. “Yes, Captain Jane.”
Yep, she was happy. Masha only indulged me by calling me Captain Jane when she wanted to stroke my ego because she was pleased about something I’d done. I’m pretty sure she was trying to train me with positive reinforcement. Masha really knew how to manipulate me. Why can’t she be ugly with scales? It’s next to impossible to not fall prey to someone who looks like an angelic human child.
I sighed, heading back to my quarters. Maybe I can pick back up where I left off in my dream.
“Jane, come here,” Ash commanded.
I shook my head, protesting, even as my feet carried me towards him. When I was scant inches away, he drew his index finger down between my breasts. I was naked, but I didn’t mind one bit. His heated touch caused a moan to erupt from me involuntarily. He palmed me between my legs, and I arched into him, my eyes fluttering shut. “You want more.” Not a question but a statement.
I wanted to deny my need, but at the same time I found myself wondering why he was fully clothed, and how exactly I could rectify that situation. I wanted to feel Ash moving inside of me again. My entire body quivered in anticipation.
I’m dreaming. I have to be. I didn’t remember anything leading up to being naked in front of Ash, and I didn’t recognize the room we were in. It was dominated by a large bed with black satin sheets, everything else fuzzy around the edges. Yep, definitely a dream. Knowing that I was having a very realistic dream fantasy made me do a mental shrug. Why not enjoy it? And since that was the case, I wanted to be in control.
My eyes snapped open, blazing with burning desire for Ash. “Take off your clothes. I need you inside of me. Now.”
Ash chuckled. “Needy? I think I like it.”
“Of course you do, it’s my dream.”
He smirked. “Ah. Right. Of course it is.” He tugged his shirt over his head, and stepped out of his pants. “Better?” he asked, raising his arms to spin in a slow circle.
I hadn’t had a chance to study his naked physique in reality, since he’d taken me from behind, and hadn’t done anything but unzip his pants. He was a fine specimen of a man. All hard lines, not bulky, but defined in all the right places. He had a six-pack, ending in that masculine V which seemed to point to his impressive cock. I had the urge to drop down on my knees as I stared at it. It was large, but not overly so. It was the perfect length and girth … at least it’d felt that way the first time he’d been inside of me. Ash’s body made my mouth water, and my pussy weep. I wasn’t afraid to admit it to myself, in my dream world anyways.
“You just going to stare or are you going to do something?”
My cheeks flushed. He was aggravating even in my dream. “Lie down,” I commanded. “On the bed.” Ash went over to the bed without hesitation, sprawling his large frame across the middle. He propped his hands under his head so he could watch me approach him. “Good,” I murmured. “Now just sit back and relax.”
“I definitely like you this way,” Ash rasped, his eyes swirling with flames.
“Stop talking,” I grated, “you’ll ruin it.”
I climbed up to straddle him. Meeting his gaze, I hovered my body over his, trembling, before plunging down onto him. His large hands flew up to cup my breasts as I began to ride him, hard. I closed my eyes, throwing my head back as I ground my pelvis into his on every downward stroke. I was already on the edge, my entire body crackling lik
e it was on fire.
“Look at me, Jane.” Ash’s voice held something within it that made me want to obey, so I did. After all, it was just a dream.
I gasped. White-hot flames surrounded us, burning brightly. “I should have believed you about your ability to handle fire,” Ash growled.
After my initial shock, I found that I liked the flames, their touch an extension of Ash, which was beyond erotic. They licked, caressed, and sucked all at the same time. It was overwhelming, and the fire—Ash’s fire—consumed me from the inside out, wringing sensations from me I didn’t know were possible.
“That’s right, give yourself over to me.”
His words triggered my orgasm, flames exploding around us. I squeezed my eyes shut again, riding out the ecstasy. A moment later Ash pulsed his own release, the heat of it ripping a moan from me. I dug my fingers into his back, clawing, as we rocked against each other, moving languidly, recovering slowly. “And to think, that was just the beginning. I’ve decided I’m going to keep you … despite the fact that you get too friendly with laser cuffs.”
“What?” I opened my eyes, staring down at Ash. “What do you mean?” I didn’t like the sudden turn in my dream. I just wanted a quick, imaginary fuck, not talk of keeping anyone or any other relationship bullshit. Wasn’t it supposed to be my fantasy?
Sitting up with me still impaled on him, Ash rested his forehead against mine, his hot breath washing across my face. “I said that I’ve decided to keep you.” Amusement twinkled in his eyes when I frowned. “This isn’t a dream, Jane. Just thought you should know. Oh, and maybe it’s time you start questioning what kind of DNA you carry … besides human that is. You might be pleasantly surprised. I know I was.”
I sat up in a puddle of my own sweat, my gaze sweeping over my dimly lit living quarters. Everything seemed to be in its proper place, and I, of course, was completely alone. What the hell kind of messed up dream was that? It was hot, though, in more ways than one. A shiver ran up my spine despite my heated skin. It was just a dream. Nothing more and nothing less. It just got a little weird at the end.
Cold shower. I need a cold shower. Hopefully our water filtration system would be up and running since the ship had just gotten maintenance done. I really missed showers with real water. In the mean time, I’d think about the next step in tracking down Ash, not about the super sexy dream I’d just had about him. Nope, I wouldn’t think about naked Ash or what I wanted him to do to me. I wouldn’t think about it at all. Cold shower. Cold shower. I need a cold shower.
Having the water filtration system up and running was not the blessing I had hoped for. Even with the temperature set on cool, my body had remained overheated from my slumbering nocturnal naughtiness with Ash. I’d ended up pleasuring myself several times while thinking about him. I’d left the bathroom physically cleaner, but feeling mentally dirtier. So much for not thinking about him.
I’d never been attracted to anyone the way I was to Ash. Most of the men I’d been with were easily forgotten after I’d taken them for a ride. The only exception, besides Ash, was my boyfriend from when I still lived on New Earth. Of course, he’d dropped me faster than a hot asteroid when I’d tested out as a ‘normal human’. I shot him in the arm and left shortly after that. There was no love lost between us, and even though I’d been attracted to him enough to stay with him, I think it was mostly misguided teenager attachment. He’d been my first sexual partner, and therefore I thought I loved him. Or maybe I did love him, I just wasn’t in love with him. No one had ever made me physically feel what he had before, or since … until Ash. And what Ash made me feel was beyond anything I could ever have imagined. To think I’d just met him. What if I let him—
I shook my head. What the hell am I thinking? I will not have sex with that man again. I will track him down and exchange him for a large chunk of cash. End of story. There would be no visitations from me when he was contained on my ship either. He was just another one and done, as far as I was concerned. My subconscious was going to have to cool it, too.
“What has you looking so pensive?” Zula asked, as she glided into our eating lounge.
“Just trying to come up with a plan on how to track Ash.” One that doesn’t end with us naked and him inside of me.
I picked up my spoon, scraping the edge of my bowl, and forced a bite of the beige sludge into my mouth. It was mushy and runny, without much flavor. I swallowed, pushing the rest of my meal away. I’d prepared it like I’d been instructed, but either oatmeal wasn’t the Earth breakfast delicacy I’d been told, or I’d done something wrong.
“Have some of my rations. It may not be Earth food, which let me remind you—”
“I know!” I snapped. “I wasn’t even born yet when Earth was destroyed. You don’t have to keep reminding me.”
Sitting down at the table across from me, Zula started munching on what looked like a blue sandwich while she eyed my oatmeal. “Apparently I do have to keep reminding you.”
“Yeah, well, maybe I’m afraid eating blue food will turn me into a Smurfette like you.”
“Do not call me that,” Zula growled, blue crumbs falling from her mouth.
Every. Single. Time. It never failed. I loved having something that riled her up faultlessly. “It’s a genuine concern.” I picked up my bowl, and took it over to the food waste disposal unit. After I’d vaporized the oatmeal, I began rummaging for something actually edible. “I think we need to stop somewhere to get better food. I—”
“Wasted all of your money on Earth food and Earth clothing,” Zula finished for me.
Straightening my spine, I adjusted my Steampunk outfit. I was going to have to look into tracking down more clothing like the pieces I’d recently purchased. I was enjoying the mix of functionality with style that Steampunk Earth clothing offered. Plus, it was a part of my heritage. I met Zula’s gaze, and cracked my neck, sighing. “It’s never a waste. I told you that my clothes are all part of the job.”
“You’re not on the job now.”
“I will be soon. I’m just trying to come up with a good pl—”
“Jane,” Tamzea’s voice echoed through the ship’s intercom, “we’re being hailed by a UGFS diplomatic cruiser. They’re requesting to speak with you personally.”
“Ohh—ookay,” I stammered. What reason would someone on a UGFS diplomatic cruiser have for wanting to talk to me? I haven’t done anything wrong … lately. I don’t think. I bit the inside of my cheek. “I’ll meet you in the control room.”
Hurrying out of the eating lounge, I sprinted down the long corridor and climbed the ladder that took me to the upper level of The Pittsburgh. Just outside the entrance I paused to catch my breath, wiping sweat from my forehead, and smoothed my hands over my clothes to make sure I was presentable.
I inhaled deeply, and rounded the corner, hoping I didn’t appear as flustered as I felt. “Hello, Captain Sevis here. How may I be of service?” I directed my question to the large communication screen on the wall.
An attractive male humanoid, who appeared to be in his early thirties, with dark hair and dark eyes, smiled at me congenially. He was wearing the dual toned blue uniform of all UGFS personnel. By the larger insignia on his chest and decorative pads on his shoulders, I knew immediately he was the ambassador on the cruiser. My apprehension racketed up another level, fresh sweat gathering along my hairline. “Yes. I am Ambassador Aralias. There is a sensitive matter I wish to speak with you about. Are your lines secure?”
I shifted, locking my hands behind my back so my fidgeting fingers weren’t visible, and bowed in deference before responding. I wasn’t the best at etiquette, but most of the time if I at least appeared to be trying it would be good enough—or at least that strategy hadn’t failed me yet. “Our lines are secure, Ambassador. What would you like to discuss?”
“I was recently informed that you expressed interest in the bounty on the creature simply known as Ash.” The ambassador blinked at me expectantly.
; I cleared my throat. “Yeah … I mean, yes.”
“We, of the UGFS, would like to make you aware that this Ash has stolen some highly sensitive material we must have returned to us. It’s a data chip carrying the standard UGFS verifying code and seal. The information contained on it is top secret. We need the chip and Ash both in one piece. However, if you find yourself in a position where you may have to choose … bring us the chip. If you can do it within a fortnight your fee will be doubled.”
“Doubled?” I squeaked.
“Yes, Captain Sevis, doubled. I have been informed that you are one of the best at what you do, but I also need the issue of the chip to be kept secret. If the information on that chip is leaked, it could lead us to … many problems. If you are confident you can do these things for us, I will pull Ash from the database, and officially the job will be yours.”
I was rendered speechless. Normally bounties were listed in the database, and if you had the clearance to view them, then whoever got to the bounty first collected. I had higher clearance than most, but I’d never heard of an exclusive contract with the UGFS before. I was pretty sure if one had been out there, at any point, one of my competitors would have bragged about it. I cleared my throat again. “I won’t let you and the UGFS down, sir. I’m honored that you have entrusted me with this job. Is there any other information I may need?”
“No. Thank you for your time, Captain Sevis. I look forward to the successful outcome of your mission within the fortnight.” The ambassador smiled at me again, but it didn’t reach his eyes. I could have sworn his gaze raked over me with disdain, but the emotion was gone so fast I was sure I’d imagined it because of my unease.
“Thank you again, sir.” I tipped my lips up in what I hoped looked like a smile, remaining still until the screen went blank. It was followed by the beep signaling Tamzea turning everything off on our end as well. I blinked rapidly in shock, unable to stop staring at the screen. “I’m not sure if I should be nervous or excited about this.” My gut fluttered with anxiety. Something felt off about the entire situation. Of course it also could be that bite of oatmeal I just had. The stuff was sitting like a rock in my stomach.