A knock at her door interrupted a moment of calm. Fuck!.... she was never getting any sleep!.... “What!” she shouted sitting up and looking at the door.
Cage had the urge to smile. He suppressed it. He could have sent her his report, but his diagnostic only told him he wanted to be there in person. “I have news.” He told her through the door. “I will open the door if you wish to hear it.”
He had news?.... What the fuck did that mean?.... Couldn’t he use the vid screen?... She looked down at herself. Pj top and shorts, flow blanket over the top. She’d been determined to get at least an hour’s sleep on her 3 hour break. Marlea sighed and looked to the door in anticipation. “Open.”
Cage heard her call out ‘open’ over his neuro net and engaged the lock, the door opened and he stepped through. He found her sitting on the bed with her back to the wall and her knees up under her chin, her arms folded across them with the flow blanket covering her, staring straight at him. His data told him he thought she looked cute. It seemed right to him as he wondered what she was wearing under the blanket. She had Old Earth cartoon rabbits on the top. Cage had the impulse to smile and supressed it. It wasn’t logical.
“You couldn’t use the vid screen to report in?” she asked warily.
“I could have yes, but it was more important to see you and give the information.”
Marlea thumbed to the replicator. “Ok, might as well be comfortable. Could I have some water? Would you like a drink as well?” He moved to the replicator and ordered two waters then gave her one. She took it thanking him, then telling him to take a seat. Taking a couple of cool pulls, she focused on him being there. “What you got?”
Cage moved in behind her and took her in his arms, telling her everything he’d told the Admiral. He watched as her mind went over the intel. “How do you know that this situation with the ships, equipment and their physical health isn’t something that been there all the time? They don’t exactly look or act like anything other than what they are.”
He agreed. “That’s true they aren’t. But they have a long history of taking what they want and having others do the work for them. They’re scavengers and take what they need. From what they’re saying, supplies are not getting through, bases that were normally set up for a time and moved on, are not happening. Replacements and supplies are not getting to them. Equipment is failing and resources are few on the ground.”
Marlea scrunched up her nose. “These are the fuckers that nearly killed us all and took our ship. I’m not really bothered by any of that.”
He gave her a nod. “I understand and rightly so. But this is new intel for us. They are desperate and desperate men do desperate things. It is more likely now that a ship or more are coming to investigate why they didn’t make it to their rendezvous. They would want to strip the ship or haul it in or find out why it didn’t make it and pursue that.”
“So they will be coming then.”
“That is the logical expectation.”
Marlea threw off the flow blanket and stood. “So now we have the Company coming for us, the bloody pirates and the Empire. All likely to turn up around the same time in the same place with us in the middle of it all. Fantastic!” She marched off into the bathroom, stripped out of her Pjs and walked into the shower turning the vapour jets on. They’d be no fucking sleeping now…. Too much in her head…. “What else could go wrong!.” She cried out in frustration as she walked into the hot vapour. “Fuck!”
She just stood there staring at the wall. Could this get any messier?..... Tears threatened and she blinked them back.
He could scent her tears. They were faint but there. She was angry and frustrated, stressed by what was happening out of her control. He stood and stripped following her into the shower. Reaching out he lightly touched her shoulder until he knew she felt him. “You are thinking too hard.”
Marlea huffed. What the hell else was she going to do?.... “Maybe. I just needed a moment. Some time to … I don’t know… think of something else…. Or not think at all, to sleep but ……. no chance of that happening. Hit after hit and they just keep coming…”
He hands slipped down her arms and she sighed leaning back into him. He placed his head on hers and pulled her bodily against him. He was rock hard, she wouldn’t have been able to miss it. “I can help with some of that,” he whispered taking the soap and starting to wash her.
From her shoulders down to her toes, every inch got his attention. Her ass, beautiful round globes seemed to beckon him as his fingers slipped between her thighs and he washed and caressed loosening muscles pulling her with every stroke further away from her destructive emotions to more pleasurable ones. He turned her when finished and did the same to her front. Lathering attention on her shoulders and neck, relaxing those muscles and working her breasts and nipples until she was panting and gazing at him with hot eyes. Her desire full and blooming in the air around them. He worked his magic down her stomach and slipped over her pubic hair to her toes and picking one foot up and then the other, he washed and rinsed and made his way up her legs not missing an inch.
Marlea was on fire. She was sure the vapour was evaporating as soon as it hit her skin. His touch was electric. Sparking her all over. Her need had heightened the moment he’d touched her and only got worse the longer he’d washed her. Was he washing her?..... She wasn’t sure but she needed a whole lot more than those creative hands.
He slipped his hand into her pubic curls. Marlea gasped as he stroked her. Her nipples beyond hard. Satisfied Cage moved his fingers between her nether lips and slowly stroked her catching her clit and her entrance. She bit her lip and moaned lifting her leg to give him better access. “Fuck me,” she whispered. “I need you.”
Cage lifted her up by the waist and hovered over his cock. “Are you sure? It will only make the bonding stronger.”
She grasped his shoulders and held on. “Don’t care, need you.”
Opening her legs wider he pulled her down on his cock, bracing one hand on the wall while holding her up with the other and started to pound into her. His data flashed red across the board on his optic. He was in no doubt how badly he wanted in her. He couldn’t stop. He gripped her harder as she encouraged him on, trying to ride him as he powered into her. Her muscles rippling along his cock, her hot sweet pussy sucking on him, pulling him into her time and time again.
Her scent intoxicating, he couldn’t get enough. The moment she reached her climax and hesitated on the cusp, he was ready for her and rubbed himself hard against her. Screaming her relief, he fucked her hard and fast until he too, ramped up into her, letting himself go. Hot seed flowing from him into his mate.
His mate…… fucking perfect….
Chapter Six
They never did make it out of the shower before her alarm went off. Time up. Cage had been most attentive, and she had to give him credit, her mind wasn’t thinking at all!
He’d tried to give her some spiel about Cyborgs, bonding, imprinting. Danger Will Robinson shit but she wasn’t hearing it.
And she realised she didn’t care…… He annoyed the shit out of her some of the time, a lot of the time but she wouldn’t trade her time with him for anything. She liked him. Liked that he was bossy. And when she thought about what he did, he was right, he’d acted in their safety. Did it annoy her that he’d not thought to ask her first? Hell yeah it did. But she had to admit it was sweet of him too. No one had put her safety before their own. No one had thought of her at all.
She walked into engineering seeing her men watching the engine go through its paces, she joined them. “We’re gonna have company soon, tell me this is up and working.”
The chief engineer scratched his head and turned to her. “I’m not sure how it all works but the data says its functioning at 100% and we have triple the capacity we had before. The Cyborgs replaced most of it. Never seen anything like it.”
That itch was back. She got why he’d done it, but it still pissed her off.
/> “At this point, as long as it works is all that matters.”
“Well according to this and several test runs, it works alright.”
“Great, keep me posted if that changes. Batten down everything, we have incoming that are not going to be friendly.” She made sure she made eye contact with each man before leaving.
She reached the corridor when the alarm sounded, and the computer gave a warning. “Life support malfunction. Emergency Life Support activated.”
Fuck! Now what….. She touched her earpiece. “Computer connect me with Commander Cage.” She called out running towards the lifts. Then changed her mind. She wasn’t getting caught in there with the damn virus messing with them, and headed to the stairs again.
“Marlea?”
She kept climbing. “What the fuck is happening with that virus. Life support just went down. Engines are online and ready, damage is fixed and ship is secured. We can leave and avoid shit, if that virus is done.”
He growled. “I’m getting an update now. Clearly it isn’t done,” he told her unable to keep the annoyance out of his voice. “Bane has his best people on it. They’re close.”
Marlea kept going. Her legs were shaky and her breathing in short supply. “Can you get life support back up and running as soon as possible? Otherwise we’re gonna have some serious problems. I’m heading to the Bridge now.”
“Affirmative.” She knew the connection had been severed. If she had the energy to shake her head, she would. One step forward…..
Cage had the impulse to throw something. An emotion. One he shouldn’t be having. He pulled the diagnostic running on his systems in the back of his mind to the front of his optic. Emotion and pain receptors were still off but his readings told him they were bleeding through heavily. The Bond…..
The thought that he’d not done enough to protect the female from him persisted. He’d tried again when he’d gathered her up from the shower exhausted from their time together. Replayed images floated across his optic and he pushed them away, too late for his cock now. It was already rock hard the moment his mind brought them forward.
She was still in danger. The ship had a mind of its own with this virus. It didn’t get much more deadly than life support going down. Connecting his neuro net he searched for the connection to Bane. It opened.
Do we have a handle on this fucking virus!
There was quiet for a moment. It is evasive. Thinking. Predatory. We are closer.
I know all that! He snapped. How long?
I cannot say. Hours, days, weeks. Who knows.
Fuck! We don’t have days or weeks. We expect company any minute. Can that ship fly and be safe? He’s own diagnostic on that question came up a result. Shit! That wasn’t good….
Not with the virus active. Its too risky. Bane told him what he already knew. They were out of time. Two ships were better than one when facing unknown odds but if it came to it, they could fight with just their own. The female’s safety would be at risk….
Shut it down now. He told him. They were out of time and the risks too great to hope they found it in time.
The whole system?
Yes.
And the Action Captain?
I’ll explain. No time do it now.
She won’t like it and you know the risks. It might not come back up at all. This ship could end up being dead in space.
It’s a risk we have to take. No more time. Do it.
Maybe you should run it by her first? Save you getting your ass kicked.
A growl crept up his throat. Bane would have heard it over their shared neuro net. Just do it, he growled out cutting the connection.
WTF! The address systems blared the alarm, she carried on jogging to the Bridge. The emergency lights blinked on. “Systems shut down and reboot in 2 minute. All stations prepare for shut down. Emergency protocol in place.”
The entire ship was dead?....... who would be that stupid?... She cranked her neck. He wouldn’t?.... Entering the Bridge at speed she stopped on a dime and cried out. “Who the fuck shut my ship down?”
Bane stood and turned to her. “I did. There was no telling how long it would take to flush the virus completely. We have incoming. As is, it wasn’t safe to travel. The only other option was to shut everything off, wipe the system and reboot it. It comes with some risk, but the odds are good that with the shutdown and a purge it will clear the virus and be good to go.”
“And if not?” she glared at him.
“The ship is dead, and it will need towing to the nearest port.”
Marlea tried to hold back the scream that threatened to escape her in her frustration. “Fuck! All this and we could lose it anyway. You had no right. None. That is a decision for the Captain to make.”
“Agreed. We have several aggressors of unknown numbers heading our way. There was no way to tell if our search for the virus would have been ultimately successful in time to save this ship. Shutting it down was a viable option. It gives the best chance of success and survival and the decision was time sensitive. And my Captain made that decision.”
She would kill him!.... “Cage is not the fucking Captain of this ship.” She pointed her finger at him. “Fucking learn that shit or get off my vessel. How long before you can bring it back online?”
“12.8 hours.”
Marlea nearly collapsed into the nearest chair. So long.... Did they have 13 hours before trouble arrived?.... That was going to be close. The company’s ships could be there at any time. The pirates? Who knew if or when they would turn up but she knew for sure the company were going to put up a fight.
Damn it…. It didn’t take much to realise that Cage had made that decision knowing how long it would take to boot up and that time was off the essence. She shook her head, they were likely out of time anyway. That didn’t make it right!..... her mind screamed.
“Ok, we have to deal with it now. Keep a countdown running on all vid screens throughout the ship. I want everyone to know how long until we can fire up again.”
“There’s a danger it won’t.” He told her.
Marlea gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes at him. She felt like her back was against the wall. “I know.” Then walked into her office and sat down. Wasting no time, she called up the ships computer while she could. “Ship wide communications.”
“Affirmative.”
“This is the Acting Captain. You have heard the address. Ship shutdown in less than 2 minutes. Everyone to their stations. All systems to go through emergency shutdown procedure immediately. The ship is sound and new engine is working. However, there are two things you need to be aware of. One the virus in our computer software is aggressive and intelligent and we have been unable to stop it. Hence the glitches we’ve been experiencing. Unfortunately, we cannot chance being on our way and another system failure leaves us dormant and vulnerable in space or vents oxygen or something else like life support goes again. Therefore, with time running out and no other option, we have decided to do a complete shutdown, wipe the computer and do a reboot. This will take time. Approximately twelve hours and eight minutes. Second, the company has been trading in illegal goods. A major crime that they will be answering for. Those goods were found on our ship after the raid and it was clear from my communication with the XO he knew all about it and none too happy to have been found out. He’s sending ships to deal with it. To deal with us.
“I know none of this is the fault of the crew on this ship. In addition, it is likely that the pirates that were waiting on their ship to return will come looking too. I won’t lie to you, it will be close on if we are up and running before we have company but without doing it, we might have been finished anyway. Those that do not wish to engage the company have the right to sit this one out. However, they are coming to shut us up. If they think anyone knows what they’ve been up to, well, I’m sure you can guess what will happen. Every man needs to be armed, ready at his station. The clock is ticking people. Once the wipe is completed, we will r
eboot all systems and hopefully be out of here before anyone shows up. All communication will be via runners or Cyborgs during this period. The Cyborg vessel will remain with us and scan for any activity giving us as much advanced notice as possible. Should the need arise to evac the ship, you will have plenty of time aided by the Cyborgs, but it is hoped that the wipe will kick the virus’ ass and put us back in control. To your posts people and standby. Ship wide communication off.”
“Affirmative.” 16 Seconds to go. She’d kept it short and sweet and crossed her fingers. She hoped it was enough.
She wanted to call Cage out. Scream out at him but what was the point. He kept pushing his luck on her ship. “Ships systems shutting down in 5,4,3,2,1.” The automated address system informed her. For a moment everything went black. Then emergency lighting and life support kicked in giving the place a red glow. Both were on a completely separate system from the mainframe as protocol required. The countdown came up on the vid screen. She watched it for a while, knowing there was nothing else they could do but wait.
***
His men went about their business but in reality, they were all watching the clock. They would either be defending the other ship or taking everyone off it and towing it. Either way, they would be prepared. He’d given his orders. The other ship was to be protected. The moment they had any vessels on long range scanners both ships would be on full alert until they knew exactly who was coming at them.
Cage read the flow of information across his optic. The constant updates on both his ship and now Marleas count down. He’s gut had been telling him for a while now that time was running out. He had a feeling it was going to be tight. Those company ships were going to be on a mission to save Pierce’s ass. It was a logical response to a threat to his life and company. It was already too late for that but they didn’t know it.
Cage Page 10
