by L H Whitlock
Lily glanced behind her at Alberta, who had her hands up in mock surrender. “See, Alberta, I told you this shit would catch up with you. Why do you always have crazy ass exes?”
Tally, the female version of Evin, gasped. “If I’m crazy, it’s only because she,” Tally motioned at Alberta with her gun, “stole my ship and left me on this godforsaken asteroid. She’s nothing but a dirty fucking thief.” Tally sneered and refocused the gun on Alberta. “And you fly like a little bitch.”
“Shit,” Lily muttered, hanging her head.
Alberta gave a loud battle cry and launched herself over the bar, sending Tally and herself tumbling to the sticky wood floor.
Lily caught a brief glimpse of Gustavo’s and Gloria’s mouths falling open and Ulrick raising a brow. Not missing a beat, Lily tossed her drink in Evin’s face. The mixture of liquor and embarrassment turned his green face a shade of purple. She elbowed him in the face, sending the taller man to the ground, holding his nose.
The bar erupted into a battle. There were no rules or etiquette. Men bashed stools over opponents while their backs were turned. Spit flew, drinks splashed in faces, and tag teams commenced.
Gloria ducked under a table. Gustavo tried to rationalize with an approaching man before giving up and landing a jab in the man’s jaw. Ulrick simply stood, his back leaning against the wall, watching the entertainment.
“Ah ha! There he is,” Alberta announced, pointing across the brawl to Henter who was attempting to slide undetected from the room.
“Ulrick,” Lily shouted across the room, “grab him.” Lily pointed at Henter.
The gray, tentacled man picked up his pace. Ulrick caught up with him quickly and dragged him by two slimy appendages out of the tavern. “Let’s go!” he instructed the others, not bothering to turn around.
Alberta picked herself up off the ground, wiped her hands on her pants, tripped a woman who ran past, and strolled out of the bar.
Gustavo, Gloria, and Lily spilled out onto the streets after the pilot. They passed through a dense cluster of pirates, the noise from the fight having drawn their attention.
“You know,” Gloria said, glaring at Alberta, her hands on her hips, “there are other ways to get what you want. We could have just asked people if they saw this ugly, gray guy.”
“That probably wouldn’t have worked,” Lily replied. “Not many people here like Alberta; it would have taken us forever to find Henter. See how quickly we got him.”
“Lots of people likes me,” Alberta mumbled.
“Of course you would agree. You’re just as crazy as she is!” Gloria threw up her hands. “It’s not even worth it.”
“What is it this time, Alberta?” Henter asked.
“We need to know about Developers,” Alberta replied nudging him forward. “You tell where they are and give seventy kon.”
“I’m not paying you to kidnap me!”
“You owe before, two separate things.”
“Come on, Alberta, you know I can’t say a word,” Henter cried out as Ulrick pushed him forward.
“We need to find a quiet place to talk.” Lily glanced around at the crowds.
“I knows just the place,” Alberta said with a grin.
16
The lights turned on, changing the darkness behind Brock’s eyelids from black to a dull gray. He groaned, not ready to wake up.
Brock felt a nudge on his shoulder and his eyes flew open. Alyssa’s head rested on his chest, her leg was draped over his, and her nearly see-through nightie rode up over her ass. She was wearing matching underwear, to his fortune or misfortune he could not determine. One thing was clear though: Fuck, she had a nice ass.
Brock released a slow breath and debated his next move. Did he try to slip away before she woke? Or did he test his luck? She did start it after all, and his raging erection was voting for the latter. A soft sigh escaped her lips and she curled in closer to him.
Going against every male instinct, Brock made a slight move to try and slip out from under her. Alyssa woke. Apparently, the gorgeous goddess somehow slept through florescent lights, but not a very, and he meant a very, minute movement.
Brock remained torturously still as Alyssa stretched her arm further across his chest before looking up at him. A few moments of silence passed, then Alyssa’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. She gasped and pushed him away. Her little attack was unsuccessful at moving his body.
“What are you doing?” Alyssa nearly screeched. “I told you not to touch me!”
“I didn’t do shit,” Brock growled. He tried to stand but fell off the bed, taking Alyssa with him.
Brock landed on his back with Alyssa atop him, her head on his abdomen, and her legs between his.
“Get off me,” Alyssa squealed, pushing herself to her hands and knees. She came to an abrupt halt when she noticed the persistent mound in his shorts.
She stared for a moment, making him twitch with erotic hopes, then she gasped and jumped to her feet.
“I don’t even know what is wrong with me! I can’t… I can’t… I’m going to tell them!” With tears in her eyes she activated the Lisspull and was sucked into the tube in the ceiling.
Brock sat stunned. What the hell did she think he did? He didn’t do shit. Hell, he wanted to, but he didn’t. Who would she tell anyway and why should he care? The moment the thought crossed his mind Brock’s heart stopped and he leapt to his feet. Pushing a button on his RAB, he activated the slender suit, then initiated the Lisspull.
***
Heat scorched Alyssa’s cheeks and tears burned her eyes. Anger filled every step as she walked down the hallway, en route for the Collective’s office. She was an idiot for accepting this mission. She was too weak to be so close to a blasphemer.
Despite her outrage, her skin was hot and sensitive, her heart hammered in her chest, and her stomach was a nervous mess. Her mind kept replaying the moment she realized she was sleeping on Brock. Just with the thought, her stomach flopped again and her fingers tingled, remembering the feel of his defined body. Gods, maybe she really should be eliminated.
Her body was clammy, her mouth dry. She was on the verge of tears, though she didn’t know why.
Half of her wanted to run back to Brock, the other wanted to high tail it to the nearest mechanic and demand he give her an advancement.
Up ahead she spotted Voen. She remembered how recently he had still been covered in blotches of flesh. Now he was nothing but shiny chrome. His chest consisted of a single gear, mostly for decoration. His abdomen was roped metals, braded and adorned with gems, showing his high societal class. He had a new arm, one that was similar to Brock’s in concept, but his particular model was only allotted for war heroes. He glanced at her, seemingly disinterested, and then glanced back at his RAB. A chill washed over her and goose bumps blossomed along the back of her neck. A warning. That’s what it felt like: a warning telling her to run and to run far.
Voen’s eyes bored into her again. The coldness of the blue lights penetrated her, as though he could see her every secret, her every uninhibited thought. It wasn’t until that moment that she realized she was standing in front of one of the Developer’s most highly revered generals, Coordinator Voen, who would be most pleased to terminate her existence in a single moment, wearing nothing but her sleeping outfit. In her hurry she had forgotten to cover herself. How could this happen? How could she be so airheaded?
Her breath seized, the very air in her lungs growing cold. She avoided the general’s eyes for this very reason. Voen would not give her pity or understanding.
She wanted to melt into the floor and was desperate to activate the Lisspull and flee, but she froze.
A hand wrapped around her shoulder. She immediately knew it was Brock by the way her skin heated beneath his strong fingers. “So sorry, we’ve been having a problem with Alyssa’s RAB. It was not changing her back into her Slender outfit. She was trying to find the technician to repair it, but I think I figured
it out.” Brock’s voice was solid, a single steady note that helped anchor Alyssa to the very ground. He was covering for her. Why? He could save himself. He had to save himself.
“Ah, Aldridge, pleasant seeing you again,” Voen responded, his voice emotionless as ever.
Brock pressed the button on Alyssa’s RAB and the fabric of the Slender suit clung to her once more.
Brock stepped in front of her, blocking her from Voen’s view. She stared at his strong back, his muscles rippling under the suit, a reminder of what was beneath. She wanted to break down into tears, but she couldn’t. If she had any hope of saving the situation, she had to remain strong.
“We’re sorry for the disturbance. Alyssa was looking for the technician. She thought she could make it to the office before anyone saw her. She is incredibly disappointed that the RAB left her exposed. Surely you understand.”
“I heard your story,” Voen responded. “Alyssa, you have failed your mission. Just as I expected, you are weak. Your actions will be judged by the Collective.”
Alyssa heard the gasp leave her lips before she could muffle it. She was finished. No trial. Only judgment and she would perish, and now, because of her, so would Brock.
17
For the thirteen-millionth time, Brock paced the length of his cell. He was in some unholy place within the bowels of the ship. There was no indication of time, no bed, no nothin’. There was only the red glare of lights illuminating from tubes in the walls... and silence... a whole load of silence. Everything had happened so quickly. One moment Voen was damning them, and the next they were grabbed from behind and escorted, rather rudely, to this unforgiving place.
His cell was only about ten feet long, and maybe four feet wide. There was no indication of where the edges of his confinement were. He stood in a vast, seemingly open room with metal floors emitting the same sickly glow as the walls. He discovered the edges of his prison when he first saw Alyssa across the room. He went to comfort her, only to run smack into a block of solid air. He did it a second time too, when Alyssa crumpled to the floor, her hands covering her face. It had been so heart wrenching he forgot the damn invisible wall was there.
Besides himself and Alyssa there was another man. He was well built with short black hair. He wore a slender suit; his one sleeve was rolled up, revealing the black markings of a Hilian. Brock tried to get his attention for a long while, but no sound emitted from his fist pounding on the barrier.
Brock once again turned in agitation, took three steps, and then whipped around and repeated the process. Alyssa knew he was there; she could see him just as he could see her. Within an hour of getting locked in the clunker she had gazed in his direction, her eyes puffy and face red. She mouthed a word at him, then fresh tears fell from her eyes. Since then she hadn’t looked at him once. She sat, leaning against the invisible wall, her back hunched and knees tucked into her chest.
Oh, and another thing, the motherfuckers had taken his arm! That had to be an act just as blasphemous as walking around in a nightie! What kind of sick fucker takes a man’s arm? He threw up his arms—correction, arm. Another string of elaborately colorful language erupting from his mouth. He kicked the invisible wall only to have jolts of pain shoot up his leg and throb in his hip.
He groaned. He missed his arm, but more than that he missed his gun. He loved his gun. A Developer walking through the room caught his eye. Repeating his actions from earlier, Brock glared at the machine, his middle fingers in the air—correction, his one fucking middle finger. The damned machine didn’t even cast him a glance. No respect, he got no damn respect.
Another Developer entered the room. His metal was painted black, making the white glow of his eyes even colder. He walked through the room, his gaze fixed on Alyssa.
“Hey asshole! Over here.” Brock waved his arm in the air, but the Developer ignored him.
Alyssa scrambled to her feet and pressed herself against the far end of her cell.
Brock’s heart skipped a beat. Alyssa glanced over at him, the fear on her face distorting her beauty.
“Hey!” Brock yelled, grabbing his crotch. “Suck my balls, you asshole. Suck ’em till you choke.” Brock kicked the wall of his cell. “Hey! Are you listening to me? I’m talking to you.”
The Developer stopped just before entering Alyssa’s cell. He pressed a button on his RAB and Alyssa was seemingly pulled forward. The moment Alyssa was within arm’s reach he turned and started for the exit. Alyssa floated into the air and was forced to follow as though she were full of helium and being pulled along by string.
Brock banged against the wall of his cell until he nearly bled. Alyssa glanced in his direction, her eyes wild with fear. Her bottom lip quivered, and she mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ as she floated past his cell.
“Hey!” Brock yelled. “Leave her the fuck alone. Take me, you bastard! What, you can’t handle fighting a man so you gotta hurt the ladies? Hey! Fuck you!”
The Developer left the room without glancing his way.
Brock’s arm fell to his side. He barely noticed the throbbing from the repeated impact. He had to get out. He had to save Alyssa.
18
“This is ridiculous. You guys are animals. You truly are, you know that?” Gloria glared at Lily and Alberta and crossed her hands over her yellow bra. She had replaced her boots with some discarded platform heels. They glowed orange in the dim light, contrasting the stained carpet in a not-so-attractive way.
Lily shrugged and tried unsuccessfully to brush glitter off her leggings. “We haven’t done anything yet.”
“Haven’t done anything yet?” Gloria placed her palm on a velvet-topped table, glanced down at the half-finished drinks, and yanked her hand back in disgust. “You got us arrested, started a bar fight, kidnapped some sort of deep-sea creature, and now you just emptied an entire whorehouse. Now what are you going to do? Beat this poor man to death?” Gloria brushed a hand through her golden hair. “Also, just so you know, it’s repulsive in here.”
Alberta rested one foot on a tapestry-covered ottoman. “No, nots to deaths.”
The gray, tentacled man slid backward, bumping into a large mirrored wall covered in fingerprints. “Now, now, Alberta. There’s no need to get violent. You know I can’t tell you where the Developers are.” His voice came out in gargles, as though he couldn’t breathe.
“Thens needs violence,” Alberta retorted, then grabbed a half-finished cocktail from a table and emptied it in one giant gulp.
Gloria rolled her eyes, picked up a fallen chair, and sat. “Well, at least give him some water or he won’t be able to tell us anything.”
Alberta pulled a hose out of the now-empty bubble bath pit that just minutes before held an interspecies orgy, and sprayed Henter.
Henter gasped as he basked in the water, taking deep breaths and opening his mouth to drink. His image reflected off the multiple mirrors around the room. Techno music blared and lights pulsed, making Lily feel disoriented and a little queasy.
Lily sat on the stage, her legs swinging beneath her as she watched Alberta and Henter. Alberta had led them here, saying it was a friend’s casino. They quickly discovered that it was now a whorehouse. Alberta gave the room a once over, then lifted her gun and laid a round of bullets into the ceiling.
Sleazy business associates, scantily-clad, cake-faced bimbos, and waitresses scattered around the room, screaming and tripping over themselves. Now that the building was clear, Lily didn’t think it was entirely back alley and shady. The stage was nice and the floating platforms with tassels were fun.
Ulrick had taken one step inside and glanced at the dirt-encrusted carpet, discarded clothing, and beverages before indicating that he would ‘watch the front door,’ and stepped back into the streets. Gustavo smirked as he watched a seven-nippled lady, covered in silly string, clonk out of the room. Then he sat at a table and finished the remnants of someone’s forgotten meal.
Ulrick’s head peeked through the curtain of beads that mask
ed the front door. A string caught on his ear before Ulrick yanked his head free. “Are you ladies almost done? This man,” he pulled in a scrawny reptilian with purple scales and a pointed nose into the room by his collar, “has indicated that he has seen mechanical beings on the planet. They could be Developers.” The reptilian wiggled in Ulrick’s grasp and gave a small pleading noise.
“Really? We will hurry.” Lily slid off the stage to join Alberta, careful to step over the oily-haired creature that was nibbling at the crumbs scattered over the floor.
“Okays, lasts chance. Give coordinates or I give this,” Alberta held up a book containing Henter’s business associates, “tos authorities.”
“That would cost me millions of Kon,” Henter growled.
“Not me problem.” Alberta said with a shrug and twisted one of the piercings in her ear.
“Allie, just give me one page.” Lily held out her hand.
Alberta ripped out a page. Lily grabbed it, snapped a photo using her RAB then attached it to a message. “I will send this right now unless you tell us where it is.”
Henter spat at her feet, the acid in the film eating a hole in the floor.
Lily pressed the send button and showed the confirmation to Henter. She would be lying if she didn’t admit that it was a little satisfying. “This will be the whole book if you do not fork it up.”
Henter’s skin flushed a sickly color. “Fine: 167, 4448, 910. Now, please, have some mercy and give me back my book. Who knows how much business you’ve just cost me.”
Lily entered the coordinates into her RAB. “We are about six galactic standard days away, even if we TIP. It is in a multi-planetary system, or looks like it used to be. The star it orbits is a red-giant. This thing is super unstable. Could go at any moment.”
“How close is it to the Chandrasekhar limit?” Gloria asked.
Lily glanced back at her RAB. “Uh, it is pretty close. It could go either way when it implodes—could become a white dwarf or a black hole.”
