Aisaak: Delti Utopia 6 (A Sci-Fi Alien Weredragon Romance)

by Celeste Raye

  "Isn't that letter proof?"

  "The way it's worded makes it appear that I have an agreement and owe the money. I'd have to prove otherwise. I'm sure that papers supposedly signed by me would magically appear in the record's office. He's got us under his thumb, and he knows it. I make a big profit and can pay his price, though it might cost me some bodyguards and a waitress or two. But, if he undermines my business and profits drop, I'll lose the bar," Jimbo explained.

  "Aisaak left. If I go too, he might leave you alone. We brought this trouble to your door. Your business was doing fine before we caused Krane's wrath."

  "I jumped to your defense the same as Aisaak."

  "You didn't rip out his lip ring or beat him to a pulp. Those honors belong to Aisaak and me," Irene replied.

  "The bruises on his neck were my contribution, and it was my guards who held a gun to his head. I don't regret any of it. Allowing him to control my business isn't living a free life as I intended when I relocated here. We have to go forward from here. I'll pay until I can't, then reassess my life. Tonight, I'm not sleeping. I'm making a trip to the strip clubs and dives. That's the way to gain information about underground businesses, if they exist."

  "You're not going without me. Two are safer than one."

  Irene made a special effort to fit in at the strip clubs. She sacrificed her favorite blouse, cutting off several inches of the hem to bare more skin and lowered the neckline. She borrowed a skimpy skirt from another waitress, curled her hair, and used an exorbitant amount of makeup. The bruises were covered, and her eyes appeared larger than normal. None of it hid her natural beauty.

  Jimbo slipped a gun and a knife into his waistband. His fierce expression and huge size were the only costumes necessary.

  The streets were littered with trash, and drunken gamblers stumbled past as they went from one seedy establishment to another. Everyone was willing to talk, yet they learned nothing useful until they reached dive number five. It was a strip joint and bar that was cleaner than the rest.

  The sun was rising as they entered and the strippers were showing signs of exhaustion. Their enthusiasm for the change tossed at them was waning. Jimbo's offer of a gold coin for information brought forth a slew of takers. Irene was shoved aside with sneers of derision. Her youth and beauty sent the women into jealous, cruel taunting.

  "You ain't got the moves to work here, little wannabe. You got to pay dues before you get the good hours. Pretty ain't enough. Experience in the rooms upstairs will teach you what men want."

  Irene brushed off the taunts. The jibes were tasteless but non-threatening. They were worth enduring to find Savanah. "No need to get your panties in a twist, ladies. I don't want your jobs."

  "See there! She don't know nothing. Girl, we ain't wearing no panties. Men don't like that shit."

  "Ladies! Rein it in if you want the gold," Jimbo called their attention back to him. "Who's heard about the disappearing women? Did any of you know them?"

  "I heard they’re being taken right off the street. Young ones, like little missy here. Ain't right to grab them if they ain't advertising for the gig. One of them came in here looking for work. She was fresh as a spring daisy and too young to be away from mama. She was one of them water folks, alien. She got turned away. It made me sad. Maybe if we'd let her in, she wouldn't have disappeared."

  "Who's taking them and where?" Irene asked.

  "You worried you gonna get taken, child? You may be right. I ain't naming no names. I ain't that big a fool. I hear he's real big, like this one here. He's got tattoos and piercings. Works for you know who."

  "There's a large number of men who fit that description," Jimbo countered.

  "True, but you know who I mean. If you want to learn more, you best be going to see Lolita. She's been hired to run the girls over at the big house. She'd know everything. She always did. Cops used to pay her for information, pirates too."

  "How do we get to her?" Irene inquired.

  "You got to figure that out for your own self, sugar. If I wasn't so tired I would have kept my mouth shut and you wouldn't have learned nothing. Always was a blabbermouth when I need sleep. Go on now, before someone who cares catches me gossiping."

  ***Aisaak***

  "Let's get down to the facts. What's your name? Who are you running from and who are you protecting?" Tann questioned Aisaak.

  "I'm Aisaak. I arrived about a week ago and never intended to stay. The searches at the space dock kept me here. First night in town, while getting a whiskey, I intervened when a man named Krane hit a waitress in the head. Since then, we've had other encounters that weren't to his liking. He came after the bar owner, Jimbo, and the waitress, Irene, for retribution. It's them I'm protecting."

  "Krane's a bad one, worse than any pirate," Constantine explained. "He came along about the time you left, Tann. He's an enforcer, but he's mixed up in more than that. He does as he pleases and asks the big boss for forgiveness after the deed is done. He gets his way because he gets the job done fast."

  "I've met Jimbo. He's one of the few who still has a deed to his bar. He pays a fee for the privilege of exercising his rights. Before long, this way station will be entirely owned by one person, although I'm beginning to suspect that it's a group and they don't just have Delti Utopia 6 in their grasp. What did the woman do to make Krane think she deserved a head shot?" Tann asked.

  "She was revolted by his touch and his filthy, sweaty body rubbing on her. He had her in a clench from behind. She ripped out his lip ring, and he used a fist against her temple. Jimbo and I stopped the second try. I broke his nose and bruised some ribs. He's a big guy, the same species as Jimbo," Aisaak explained.

  "I bet he didn't let that insult pass," Constantine retorted.

  "He tried to burn down the bar. It's still operating. But, Irene went to see her sister who worked as a card dealer. I was supposed to follow her everywhere to protect her. However, she left without my knowledge just before the attack on the bar. I went searching for her. I found her in an alley with Krane and his men standing over her unconscious body. She'd been tranquilized. They intended to take her. I lost control and transformed. They were terrified and ran. I flew her back to the bar for help, and it was suggested that I make myself scarce, since the whole city witnessed the incident and probably have pictures of the dragon. I saw the campfires and sought sanctuary. End of story."

  "You managed to do all that in a week?" Constantine chortled. "I wish I'd seen it. I say you can stay. You'll fit right in with us misfits. It took me years to get in that big a mess."

  Tann had to smile. "It took a few months for me. I agree, you can stay. You can have a cabin in our ship. But, I don't believe your leaving will end the trouble for Jimbo or the girl. Krane won't let it slide. As Constantine said, he gets what he wants, and he wants the woman. He'll destroy Jimbo and the bar to get to her. If he's as evil as you both proclaim, collateral damage won't concern him, nor will the protestations of the big boss."

  "I planned on returning after the gossip over my dragon died down anyway," Aisaak admitted. "Irene's sister is missing, and I promised to continue the search for her. She left her job. Neither her coworkers nor her neighbors have seen her. Her landlord says pirates brought paperwork from the big boss that allowed them to empty her apartment. Something is going down on this way station that's being covered up."

  "She ain't the only one who went missing," Constantine declared. "We have spies in the city, and they hear things. There's been more disappearances of young, pretty women. I didn't know that pirates had gotten involved. I promise it ain't none of us. We're outcasts, but we don't steal women."

  "We were on Alpha Beta when a shipment arrived," Tann added. "They blocked the unloading of the cargo from sight. I couldn't imagine what needed to be hidden when the government gold that was handed over to me was right out in the open. Tika disobeyed my orders to stay locked away. She was high enough in the ship to see over the curtains that blocked the cargo. She saw women, a
ll species, being offloaded. There has to be a connection."

  "Money, right? Isn't it always about more money? This way station is making profits where others have failed. What's different? I've been all over in the last months. Nowhere has there been a place under control of an unknown entity. Businesses were prosperous if their owners worked hard and were savvy. They failed if the owners did neither. No one forced them out of business or made them pay for protection. You could speak with any owner, including those who ran the biggest casinos. You knew their names. Law enforcement did its job. Not here. Delti Utopia 6 is more like Earth. The rich own or control everything. The law looks the other way unless it is them who are attacked. Isn't that why the space dock is in shambles? Pirates attacked a Space Force ship?" Aisaak raged.

  Tann looked away for a moment. He knew the whole story and had been highly involved in the takedown. He was well aware of the searches and backup on the space dock. His actions had caused it. That's why the pirate's spaceship had avoided the city, entered the way station from the dark side, and landed in the derelict's vicinity.

  Aisaak could be trusted with the truth. Tann's gut told him that. Yet, he couldn't reveal his identity or his mission at this encampment. He and the crew had made a tentative pact with Constantine, but neither side truly trusted the other. They were simply tolerant and traded information as well as stolen bounty. That way they all survived and remained far from the big boss's grasp.

  "The fools heard a rumor that Torbin's gold was on that ship," Constantine replied when Tann remained silent. "The old buzzard was too smart for the thieves. He'd gone off on his own and took the gold with him. I bet he planted that rumor for spite. Anyway, the fools attacked a ship full of cops. Brought attention where the big boss doesn't want it. It's a tangled mess, but since it doesn’t affect me or mine, I think it's damned funny."

  "Have we settled Aisaak's intrusion to your satisfaction, Constantine? If we have, then I'll take him off your hands. He'll be wanting food and sleep. We'll talk more later. I have a feeling I'll be joining him in the city."

  Chapter Twelve

  ***Irene***

  Armed with information that brought her fear for Savanah to a whole new level, Irene wanted to begin the hunt for Lolita immediately. "The longer we wait, the more Savanah will suffer," she argued.

  "We've pushed the limits of our tolerance already. Neither of us has rested or eaten. Mistakes are easier to make when a person is tired and hungry. We don't want to add to Savanah's trouble if she is in trouble at all. We have only rumors and gut feelings to go on. You know your sister better than any of us, but people can change. She may have run off with a lover and figured she'd tell you all about later. After all, you haven't spoken to her in a while. Besides, it will get around that we've been asking questions and that's going to add to Krane's list of things to hold against us. We're getting close to uncovering something he can't afford to have brought into the light. The danger is real, for us and Savanah," Jimbo retorted.

  "Aisaak would go with me if he was here," Irene's frustration made her taunt.

  "I don't believe he would," Jimbo disagreed. "He knows the score and risking you is too high a stake to gamble with. He's grown protective of you, though he doesn't wish to. You know it's true because you can feel it. There's no way you've been able to block such a strong emotion, and it's definitely strong if I can sense it."

  "I thought he cared. I did feel that protective vibe and more. We even acted on our mutual attraction and needs. He snuck back the night Krane tried to take me. He came to my room, and things got heated, out of hand. I may have started it, but he was a willing participant. Afterward, he said it was all a mistake. I'd known there were conflicting emotions within him. I chose to ignore them, telling myself they were just due to his guilt over returning and taking the risk of being seen. I was so very wrong. He said he's not free to be with whoever he chooses. Oh, he's not married or involved. At least, not anymore. I got the guilt part right, though. The woman he loved was killed. He didn't explain how, but he blames himself, and I couldn't convince him otherwise. He left, and it's over before it could really begin," Irene admitted.

  "It's not over. He had a taste of you, and he'll want more. He can fight the emotional side of things for a time, but the sexual attraction will overshadow his sensible side."

  "He did promise to keep looking for Savanah, so he will be around here at some point. It won't be for me, however. I heard and felt the finality of his goodbye," Irene replied.

  "You felt what he was determined to do in a deeply regretful moment. It isn't a true representation of what he desires. Men can go from hot to cold and back again with a simple change of thought. When the woman we care about is with us and we get angry, we turn off our love. When we're away from her, we miss everything about her, including the arguments, and love pushes the anger aside. I have a feeling he made you his without even realizing it. He's the type who doesn't play the field. As I said, he wouldn't risk searching for Lolita right now. He'd want to plan it out."

  "I'll give in. It's not that you've convinced me it's foolish. It's that I don't know where to start."

  ***Aisaak***

  Tann made the introductions to his family. Not the pirate crew who had glared menacingly at the new arrival, yet remained silent due to their trust in Tann, but to his immediate family.

  Aisaak found some incongruencies in the appearance of Tann's wife. She was a tiny, black-haired human with big blue eyes that showed an innocence. Yet, she had a skull and crossbones earring dangling from her right ear and a tattoo that matched one of Tann's, proclaiming her to be a pirate. Her clothing could be considered provocative, enhancing her curves.

  The three teenagers he met were from all different species, but the weredragon treated them as if they were his own children. They all sported the piracy tattoo. Only the female Naga was adorned with the skull and crossbones earring.

  "Wow! Another weredragon," the one called Tika exclaimed. "Tell me you're not taken and you'll wait for me! There aren't many of us around."

  "You must excuse her enthusiasm and inappropriate statements, Aisaak. We have yet to find a way to make her understand she shouldn't say everything she thinks. Impulsiveness is her most dangerous attribute. As I told you outside, she's the one who disobeyed me and saw the cargo of women," Tann explained.

  "Hey! Don't knock me in front of the hot guy! You're ruining my chances."

  Aisaak smiled and answered kindly, "I'm sorry to disappoint you. It isn't only our age difference that must keep me from you. Though you will be a stunning woman, I am very much taken."

  He had meant it to be a necessary lie, but to his horror, he knew it to be true down to his very soul. He had inadvertently made Irene his. He'd joined himself to her in a way he'd held back from joining Vega. There was a difference in the innocent first love he'd shared with Vega and the deeper connection of his soul to Irene. He had to let the past go or lose the future. It was all becoming clear. He rubbed the palm of his hand over his heart to alleviate the pain saying farewell to his past caused.

  "Mariana and Tika will bring you a meal. I have something I need to reveal to you tonight. My family knows it already. However, the pirates do not. You'll have to make a vow of secrecy as everyone here has. After you have rested is soon enough to bring them in on the newest developments."

  Aisaak nodded his weary assent. The revelation he was going through required all his concentration. Whatever Tann had to reveal was irrelevant. He'd simply accept it as he had all the things that had occurred since he'd arrived on the way station. He was growing numb to change, except for that which disturbed his soul.

  Once the entire group was seated and had watched Aisaak force down a bite of his meal, Tann began the shocking revelation. "Constantine related the story of the attack on the Space Force as he saw it. He doesn't have all the facts, and that is as it should be. It was actually a sting operation begun by an undercover cop, namely me. We sacrificed the capture of Torbin a
nd his crew for bigger stakes."

  "You're an undercover cop? You're second-in-command of a pirate ship, with a notorious pirate's tattoo on your arm and his loyalty markings. No wonder the cops turn the other way when illegal things happen here. You're all a part of it!" Aisaak shouted in anger. he tossed his plate across the room and spat on the floor.

  "You had me trusting you! What new mess have I gotten into? Will I be allowed to leave or is this the end for me?" Aisaak asked.

  "The cops haven't turned their backs on justice. I was put here to dig deep into what Delti Utopia 6 is hiding. We thought it was just a pirate haven and a greedy overlord. Things are much worse than they first appeared. We want the identity of the big boss and those above him. The theft of government gold and the alien space station, Alpha Beta, now being in the hands of rich humans were clues that bigger, more nefarious things were in the works. Torbin, a small star in a huge sky, got his freedom in exchange for aid in getting closer to the center of the universe. The sting was set up to take down a piece of the big boss's empire. It worked. You saw the mess at the docking station. We've slowed his transactions. It's costing him trading shipments, which in turn takes money out of his pocket. Anger and frustration will cause him to make mistakes, ones we can use to break him and those above him for good."

  "I'm supposed to believe all that when you're still with the pirates? They've promoted you and given you their loyalty marking. I see you as a traitor," Aisaak stated.

  "Then he's doing an excellent job," Mariana replied. "He is risking his reputation as well as his life to stop the illegal acts on this way station. We all are. He didn't have to remain here, undercover. He chose to. We left and could have stayed away. We came back to go deeper. The big boss knows us and mistrusts us, yet we will return to the casino. That's the center of all the crimes."