by K. C. Cross
“Something you can’t get.” She shrugs and shoots another target. And maybe I underestimated Delphi’s skills. Because she’s a damn good shot and she’s on to me too. “So… this is lotsa fun and all,” she continues. “But you’re not getting anything from me unless I get something from you.”
“Just tell me what it is,” I huff. “I can get anything I want.”
“Except this,” Delphi retorts, still shooting shit.
“What is it?” I demand.
“You really want to know? Because your failure is going to eat you away when you can’t deliver.”
“Delphi,” I growl.
“Fine. I’ve been meaning to ask you about this anyway. I want to know about a place called Earth.”
“What?” I say, squinting my eyes at her. “What the hell is an Earth?”
“A planet. That’s the place you and Lyra were going to when you got sidetracked on Bull Station.”
“Never heard of it.”
“How is that possible? You were going there.”
“I was asleep in the fucking cryopod for weeks before we left Cygnia. I don’t know anything about Earth. Didn’t you ask Lyra?”
“Yes. Of course I did. She didn’t know anything either. She said she heard someone talking about your destination and that’s how she knew where you guys were going.”
“Hmmm. Weird. I don’t know anything. Why do you need this information?” I don’t know why, but I’m suspicious of Delphi.
She sighs. “See, Jimmy’s got this thing for this planet called Earth. His mom was there, or something. I’m not really sure. But then we kinda, sorta, went there when we were on Mighty Minions, right?” I open my mouth to ask a million questions about that, but she just holds up a hand and says, “Never mind. It’s a long story. But I want to know more about this place. If you can find out more about Earth, I’ll tell you what I noticed about Valor when he came to save us on the Lair.”
“Earth,” I whisper. “Where the hell do I find information about Earth?”
“There is no information. That’s why I know you can’t deliver.” She smiles sweetly, then turns and pops a target out of existence, like she has eyes in the back of her head, then turns back and smiles at me again. “So… nice try. Sorry you’re not gonna get that ship.”
“This is bullshit,” I growl. “Someone has to know something. Doesn’t Jimmy know?”
“If Jimmy knew I wouldn’t have to ask you, would I?” She frowns. “But…”
“But what?” I ask, leaning forward towards her a little, eager for any hint of what to do next.
“But I heard that maybe… ALCOR—the Real ALCOR—knew about it.”
“Well,” I huff. “He’s dead.”
“I know, but Baby ALCOR could have something hidden away in his core memory.”
“So why didn’t you ask him?”
“He’s not friendly with me.” She shrugs. “I tried. And Jimmy tried too. But we don’t know him that well. Jimmy left right after the memorial ceremony for Real ALCOR, so there was no real bonding time.”
“Hmmm,” I say. “Well, I know Baby ALCOR pretty well.”
“As you should.” She laughs. “You’ve been locked up enough times since they woke you up.”
“I could ask him,” I offer. Ignoring her dig. “I could get that info. Then”—I point my finger at her—“when I do, you will tell me everything that happened with Veila and Valor when he showed up on Mighty Minions to bring you and Jimmy home. And,” I say, stressing the word, “I want to know everything Jimmy knows about Veila too.”
“Deal,” she says, extending her hand.
“Deal,” I say, shaking it.
Then I turn to the targets and start popping them off, one by one, as they whiz by.
I’m totally ahead now.
Not only will I learn why Valor is infatuated with Veila, I will get all the info about Veila that Luck is hiding.
Take that, you lucky bastard.
CHAPTER NINE - LUCK
Even though Nyleena and I already had sex this morning I find myself counting down the minutes until it’s time for our regularly scheduled tryst in the garden patch. It’s not the same one from yesterday but we have this schedule going, so I expect her to show.
Today our patch of wilderness is located on level one hundred eighteen near the swimming pool sector. It’s a little different than the last one, which was mostly grass and short plants. This one is a circular grove of leafy trees with a patch of velvet clover in the middle.
It’s very soft. Better than grass, I decide as I lie down in the mottled, shifting light to wait for her. Almost like a bed.
We should give bed fucking a try. Last night, after we both came, she was so exhausted she fell asleep in my lap. Which, can I just say, was weird.
But I was tired. So I think I fell asleep too. Because when I woke up we were both lying haphazardly across the couch and the auto-mold had shaped around us in this weird way, so my neck was killing me.
And it was dark in my quarters. All the lights had gone into evening mode. Which is just this very low-level glow along the baseboards. I tried to wake her. I even unzipped her bodysuit and got it off her, seeing if she’d get pissed and slug me in the face. At least she’d be awake.
But she was out. Like, passed out good. It was weird, but also lucky. So much bare skin. Now I wish I had turned the lights on. Then I could’ve seen her naked for once.
But the idea didn’t occur to me so I took her boots off and just as I was picking her up in my arms, she sorta woke up and snatched them up from the floor, only to drop them again as I walked her down the hallway.
By the time I put her in bed, she was fast asleep again.
I should’ve had sex with her in the bed. It would’ve been a nice change.
This secret garden is pretty good though. Not a bed, for sure. But nice.
My fingers splay out on top of the velvet clover, pressing down a little to gauge the depth. Thick. Cushion-y too.
I open an air screen and check the time.
She’s fifteen minutes late.
Hmm.
She always shows up after I do, but never this late.
Did she think we didn’t have to meet today since we fucked this morning?
Sun, I hope not. I’m pretty sure she mentioned something about our regularly-scheduled tryst this morning, didn’t she?
But then again, she was wound tight when she left me. So determined to win this little battle of wills with Crux.
I laugh.
He is not giving that crazy bitch a sentient ship. She has no clue what she’s doing. She didn’t even know you had to pay your way through the gates. Like… how the fuck would she get anywhere?
I can picture it now. Nyleena gets her ship, leaves the station, and three spins later we get a frantic neutrino call—collect—asking us to come save her.
I laugh again. Ha. That’s so Nyleena.
When Crux asked me to take her mind off things by suggesting she get a job I was all for it. But now she’s obsessed with the idea of getting her own ship.
What would that look like for me?
I mean… I’m pretty used to this daily sex stuff. And I have to admit, it’s so much better when you fuck your soulmate because we only have to do it once. Not that I ever minded having to fuck girls twice to satisfy my second cock, it’s just way better not having to explain how we Akeelians are different every single fucking time.
Yeah. Maybe that’s what I like about being around Nyleena. The fact that she gets me.
And I sorta get her. I get the way her crazy brain works. I’m even being supportive by giving her these little challenges. She thrives on that kind of stuff.
But here’s the thing… I really do want to know what’s up with Valor. And Tray. There’s something they’re not telling me. I can feel it.
Valor does not belong in the Pleasure Prison control room. He belongs with me. And Lady Luck. And Cha-Cha.
He just doesn
’t know it yet.
And we don’t belong here, on Harem. We belong out there. In the farthest reaches of the galaxy searching for old AI parts to keep this place running.
I miss it. I fucking love landing on ancient abandoned stations. You never know what you’re gonna find on them.
Some alien species trying to murder you at every turn?
Yes. I love it.
Some thousand-year-old booby trap just waiting for you to trigger it so it can cut your head off as you reach for your booty?
Fuck yeah, give it to me.
Long-forgotten secrets written on walls in weird languages?
More, please.
This can’t be the end of our adventures together. It just can’t. We’re so young still. We have many decades of salvaging ahead of us.
I refuse to believe it’s over.
But I would miss the princess sex if Valor and I left again. Maybe Nyleena would like to come with us?
Valor would probably hate that too.
Everything has changed since Beauty died.
But there’s no way back. There was nothing left of her. There was an old backup of her mind somewhere in Real ALCOR’s data core, but the Baby already admitted that she was not in his memory banks.
Not even Asshole ALCOR has it. He was put inside the Pleasure Prison decades ago. So even if he does somehow have a backup of Beauty, it’s not the Beauty she was when she died.
It’s the Beauty she was before.
Which is a whole different person. That Beauty never went to all those places with us. She never fought ancient aliens on abandoned stations. She never dismantled booby traps or deciphered long-forgotten writing on long-forgotten walls.
What’s the point then? Can’t Valor just accept that she’s gone forever? Why can’t he see all the good stuff Cha-Cha brings to our little crew?
I open up my air screen and check the time again, then sit up.
“For sun’s sake,” I mutter. Because Nyleena is more than a half hour late now.
She stood me up!
Fuck that. My cocks were satisfied earlier today but they’re far from satisfied now.
I’m gonna find my little maniac princess and get what she owes me.
CHAPTER TEN - NYLEENA
“I’ll tell you what,” I say to Delphi. “I’ll take you on my team any day.”
“Thanks,” she says, doing a little curtsey.
Our lane inside Scarlet’s Shooting Gallery is littered with shattered clay targets. Like the whole floor is covered in debris.
“I’m actually glad you invited me out today, Nyleena,” Delphi says. “This was fun.”
“It really was,” I say, meaning it. “We should do this more often.”
“For sure,” she says. “And for the record, you’re not a bad shot.”
“Shit.” I laugh. “Better than you!”
Which isn’t entirely true. We’re pretty evenly matched. Which was a nice surprise.
“If I ever find myself in a bind I’ll call you first for backup, sister.”
Sister. I beam at her. “Same, bitch. And where do you shop for your outfits? Because they are cute as fuck.”
“Oh, this?” She does one of those shy shrugs and lifts the hem of her flirty purple mini-skirt up a little. Then she leans in and whispers, “Jimmy’s autoshopper has all of Xyla’s outfits in it.”
“Really?” I say, looking her up and down again. She’s got silver boots. Which I own as well, but hers have designs carved in them and I’m pretty sure they’re made of some real silver alloy, not aluminum alloy like mine are. Much higher quality. Maybe even designer. They have lots of designer stores on Harem but you need appointments to get them to dress you. I don’t have that kind of clout because I don’t have access to Luck’s autoshopper.
If I had known this when I was in his quarters earlier I’d have asked him to hook me up.
“Yeah,” Delphi says. “All I do is pick the ones I like, adjust it for my size, and poof. It appears like magic.”
“Damn,” I whisper. I might be jealous of Delphi. Jimmy is very good to her.
I wonder if Luck would be that good to me if I ask sweetly?
“What the ever-loving fuck?”
Delphi and I both turn to see Luck storming towards us. His face is all red and contorted into something that might be rage.
“What?” I ask, my hope of getting designer Xyla boots disappearing in an instant.
“You stood me up!” he says. Then lowers his voice and says, “Hey, Delphi. Sorry to barge in on your…” He frowns at the multitude of cleaning servos busy scooping up our target debris on the shooting lane. “What is this?”
“Target practice,” Delphi says, closing out her air screen. “And I guess the time got away from me too. Because I’m late to meet Jimmy. We’re having a romantic dinner tonight.” She smiles as she picks up her unused ammo and says, “Do it again soon, Nyleena?” over her shoulder as she makes for the door.
“Sure!” I call out. “Thanks for the good time!”
When I turn back to Luck, he’s still angry. “What’s your problem?” I ask. “How the hell did you find me here, anyway?”.
“The Baby tracks your every move, Nyleena. You’re not only unreliable when it comes to fuck appointments, you’re also unpredictable when it comes to being a law-abiding citizen.”
“Oh, that reminds me,” I say, holding up a finger. “I need to go talk to Baby ALCOR right now.” I turn to leave, but he catches me by the arm. “What are you doing?”
“You owe me a fuck!” he says.
“I fucked you this morning,” I huff.
“That didn’t count.”
“Says who?”
“Me,” he growls, pointing to his chest. “You told me this morning we were meeting for sex at the regularly scheduled time.”
“I did not!”
“Nyleena,” he hisses between clenched teeth. “We have an agreement. We both have needs that must be met to keep on an even keel.”
I laugh. “I’m fine. You’re the one who needs more. And you know what? Once a day is a lot, Luck. You’re damn lucky I gave in to that. When we came up with this little schedule it was every three days. Now you want it twice a day?”
“I never said twice.”
“Well, then I’ll be going.”
“Nyleena,” he says, grabbing his hard cocks under his tactical pants. “They need it now.”
I glance down and holy shit. He’s not kidding. “How did you even walk over here without everyone laughing at you?” I chuckle.
“It’s not funny,” he says. “It’s very uncomfortable.”
“Hmm. Did it ever occur to you that the more we do it, the more you need it?”
“I’m not the only one who needs it,” he says.
“Well, OK. But I’m not the one with blue balls right now and you are.”
“Just…” He walks towards me. Leans in to my ear. “Just a quickie. Right now.”
I’m about to give in just to get rid of him so I can be on my way, when the door slams open and a group of Centurian women walk in with rifles.
“Oh, we’re sorry,” one of them says, looking around. “Is this the wrong lane?”
“No,” her friend says. “We’re in the right place. Are you guys gonna be long?”
“We’re done here,” I say. I head for the door and look over my shoulder, mouthing the words, “Let’s go to your place,” to Luck.
Because he needs something from me. Which I am happy to provide. Because that means I get something from him in return.
Autoshopper access.
Luck is silent the whole way back up to his apartment. I do him a solid favor though. I stand in front of him the whole time so no one can see that he’s dying to have sex with me and might explode in his pants.
In fact, I take it one step further and accidentally rub my ass against his cocks a few times.
He grunts and moans like he’s in pain.
Poor guy.
Once we get inside his quarters I head straight to the autoshopper and take a seat on the little stool in front of it, my fingers already tabbing the menu.
But it’s locked. Who comes up here that he feels the need to lock his autoshopper?
“Can you open this for me, please?”
“Is that why you wanted to come up here?”
“What?” I ask, turning in my stool. He’s already got his pants open. Hand firmly jerking on his cocks. “You only wanted me up here for sex.”
“You’re trading me access to the autoshopper for sex?”
“Why not?” I ask. “Then we both get something we want.”
“So you don’t want to have sex with me?” He pushes his pants down just enough that both his cocks spill out.
I stare at them. I can’t help it. They are huge. And fat. And fucking spectacular. And the way his hand doesn’t fit all the way around them when he’s jerking them both at the same time has always been a turn-on for me.
My luminous flux begins to tingle between my legs.
“I do,” I say. “But did you see Delphi’s outfit? She has access to Xyla’s virtual closet. All she has to do is tap a few buttons, adjust the size, and poof. It appears like magic. I want some new Xyla boots.”
“Is that what it’s come to?” Luck asks. “Sex is just a transaction for you?”
“Everything is a transaction to me, Luck. You already know that. And don’t start pulling out your feelings on me. We’re not here for the feelings. Well,” I amend. “The climax is a feeling, I guess. But that’s also biology. We didn’t ask to be…” I sigh. “Soulmates, or whatever. Someone programmed that into us.”
“Does it matter?” he asks. His eyelids are heavy now. Almost halfway closed. His hand is still pumping up and down his shafts. Slowly, but I can tell he’s gripping himself tight.
I glance down again. I can’t stop myself. He’s very pretty. In a manly way, of course. Because underneath his shirt he has the battle scars to prove it.
I force my eyes back up to his. Violet. Suns, they are beautiful. Not purple. Not blue. Not pink. But somehow they are all those colors at the same time.
