by S. L. Hadley
“Isss ssshame to be sssaved.”
“No,” she replied, instantly. “It’s a debt. Earn this. Live a long and happy life. And if you have a daughter someday….”
Inu laughed then, reluctantly, and nodded.
“Inu will do zisss.”
Rather than speak further, Kitty simply leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. Patting his cheek, she pulled away and walked away. She could feel the eyes of the males on her back and forced herself to keep from looking back.
“Remember,” she called. “Nita’s in charge while I’m gone. I don’t want to hear about some damn mutiny, understood?”
A few muted laughs answered her, followed by an unexpected “Aye, Captain,” from Ammon.
Only once she’d passed around the bend in the hallway and vanished from sight did Kitty allow the shaky breath to leak from her lungs. The trembling followed a second later, so much so that she had to briefly pause and lean against the bulkhead to collect herself. Wearing a brave face was difficult enough, but the nearer she came to passing through the landing bay doors the more reality sunk in.
It was only the sight of Nita, back turned and standing in the gap that looked out on the moon’s deserted surface that gave her the strength to continue. At the sound of Kitty’s footsteps, the woman turned and looked at her with red eyes, swollen from crying.
The sight closed up Kitty’s throat and she had to swallow several times before she managed to speak.
“You’re supposed to be happy,” Kitty teased. “Four months aboard and you’re already getting promoted.”
Choking back a sob, Nita closed the distance between them and wrapped Kitty in a hug as tight as she’d ever experienced.
“How can you joke at a time like this?”
Kitty breathed deeply, savoring the clean, reassuring scent of the woman’s hair and the soft, passionate feeling of skin against hers. She could feel the warm breeze rolling in from the world outside and spared a moment’s thought to the irony of how something so pleasant could convey such dread under the circumstances.
“You’ll understand,” Kitty whispered. “They’ll need you to be strong. Give them a purpose.”
“They have one,” Nita growled back. “We’re going to find Lio and rescue you.”
She said it with such confidence that Kitty had to work hard to squash the desperate hope that rose in her chest. Pulling back from the hug—feeling as though the effort was struggling against several times the force of gravity—she donned a calm smile and stared into Nita’s eyes.
“If anyone can do it,” she said. “It’s going to be you. Take care of yourself, Captain.”
“Thank you, Kitty. For everything.”
Taking a deep breath, Kitty turned and walked down the ramp. The first step was nothing special, if anything the moon’s gravity was a shade weaker than the Feronia’s, but it still sent a subtle tremor up her leg. Once she’d begun, however, the next came easier, and the third easier still. All too quickly, she arrived at the bottom and stepped out into the sunlight.
“My pleasure,” she whispered, too quietly for Nita to possibly hear.
This time, it was more important than ever that Kitty not look back. She forced herself to stare straight ahead, focusing on the monstrous factory as she walked. A single look, a mere glance over her shoulder, and she might not be able to go through with it. Determined as she was, she was nevertheless self-aware enough to know that much.
The whine of the Feronia’s engines shook her to her core and it was only then that she allowed herself to turn and watch the ship rise. It was the first time since taking command that she’d watched the sight from the outside and the beauty of the ship’s strong lines and well-maintained sub-light engines nearly took her breath away. Deep inside her chest, part of her wanted to scream and run after her, begging not to be left behind.
Don’t go! Don’t leave me!
Sighing, Kitty turned away and continued her march.
It took close to an hour before she reached the factory. The first two doors she tried were padlocked shut, worrying her for a moment, but the third was unlocked. The hinges had rusted in place, despite their quality construction, and it took several shoulder-leading shoves before it gave way and allowed her entry.
The door she’d chosen didn’t lead into the factory itself, but an office that contained several large, broken windows that looked down on the machinery that had been left behind. Most of the massive, rusted automatons were several centuries old and had already been outdated when the moon was abandoned.
Seating herself in an oversized, dust-covered chair, Kitty propped her legs on the room’s large, faux-wood table and waited. It took barely a minute in the too-quiet stillness before Kitty’s hands wandered to the laspistol holstered at her hip. She drew the weapon, turning it slowly in her hands as she studied it.
The temptation was obvious. Under other circumstances, she wouldn’t have hesitated. One squeeze of the trigger and it would all be over.
For her, at least. But DeWitt, and Satoshi by extension, weren’t merely after her life. If she was dead, there would be nothing to stop them from hunting down Nita and Inu and all the rest of them. As it was, the only reassurance she had was DeWitt’s honor. If she was dead, he would have no reason to restrain Satoshi and protect her crew.
Dying would have been easier, but she’d never been one to take the easy way out.
It didn’t stop her from thinking about it, though. She was so lost in thought that she never heard the approaching engines. It wasn’t until DeWitt’s men came pouring through the door that she realized she wasn’t alone.
She didn’t recognize the men, evidence of a deliberate, hand-picked selection by their boss. The men carried their weapons in their hands, not pointing them directly at her but not quite holding them at their sides, either. Apparently, her reputation was enough to suggest she wouldn’t go quietly.
In this case, they were wrong. But the notion was enough to bring a smile to Kitty’s face.
DeWitt was the fifth man to walk through the door. His eyes were dark, but his face was otherwise emotionless. At the sight of Kitty seated before him, he hesitated, a flash of pain briefly filling his eyes. It disappeared a moment later and he cleared his throat.
“Kitty,” he said.
Smiling sadly, Kitty dropped her feet from the desk and slowly rose. The men on either side of DeWitt tensed, though the man himself didn’t react, even when Kitty turned her laspistol about and offered it to him, grip-first.
“Uncle,” she said.
DeWitt took the weapon, staring down at it for a second. He gave a small nod to the man on his left and Kitty had only enough time for a single breath before the men approached as one. Two wrenched her arms back to be restrained, while another slipped a solid-black blinding-bag over her head.
From then, until she was seated on a ship of some unknown variety, the world became a confusing blur of motion and grunted orders.
***
They were several hours into the flight when Kitty heard the soft, muffled sound of someone moving about. Despite her best efforts, she tensed. That tension turned into a brief spike of adrenaline as a hand seized the bag over her head and yanked it free. She blinked furiously, squinting as her eyes adjusted to the relative brightness of the ship’s interior lighting.
DeWitt sat opposite her, wearing his usual fine suit and carrying an unidentified glass of something that smelled strongly of alcohol. He took a small sip, then glanced up at the man who’d removed Kitty’s hood and jerked his head toward the door. He remained silent as the man departed, giving Kitty a chance to look around the room.
They were in a small storage room of some kind, empty apart from a few sealed boxes of emergency supplies. DeWitt was seated atop one such box, while Kitty sat on the floor between two others.
“I wish it hadn’t come to this, Kitty,” DeWitt said.
“Yeah, you mentioned that.”
“I just don’t und
erstand,” he continued, ignoring her snide tone. “You had everything you could have wanted. Money, freedom, as many lovers as you wanted. Why would you throw it all away for some drakashi you just met?”
“I don’t expect you to understand.”
“That’s why I’m asking!” DeWitt snapped. He took a large gulp of his drink and set it aside. “I promised your father I’d look after you! And you’re making that a fucking challenge, girl!”
Kitty’s eyes narrowed, gritting her teeth.
“I’m not a child anymore, DeWitt. And I don’t owe you an explanation.”
DeWitt’s eyes bulged and his face went red. For a second, he looked as though he was about to rage and shout. Instead, he leaned in closer, fingers digging into his knees like claws.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” DeWitt hissed. “Do you have any idea the position you’re putting me in? This could cause a war, girl! Even your father wouldn’t have dared to do something so rash! Thousands of lives could be at stake! Billions of credits!”
“I acted alone,” Kitty said, taken aback. “This doesn’t have to involve you. The only reason I surrendered was to protect my crew.”
“It’s not that simple,” DeWitt said, standing. “I haven’t told Satoshi yet, but I can’t keep this secret for long. He’ll want you himself.”
“It doesn’t matter. What about my crew?”
“It doesn’t m—” DeWitt echoed in bewilderment. “Kitty! Do you have any idea what he’d do to you? I’m doing everything I can just to save your life! Forget about your crew for one damn second!”
Kitty said nothing and simply stared up at him, trying to convey her will with her eyes. DeWitt stared back for a long moment and then sighed, removing his glasses and massaging the bridge of his nose.
“I’ll tell him we’re searching for the Feronia. Interrogating you for clues. As long as your crew stays far away from his territory, they’ll be fine.”
Kitty sighed, nodding and feeling a great weight disappear from her shoulders.
“Thank you, Uncle,” she said.
“Don’t thank me yet,” he growled, replacing his glasses and glaring down at her. “Whatever your reasons for martyrdom, I haven’t given up on you yet, girl. I will interrogate you and I will find your drakashi. And when I do, you’ll be free and he’ll be going back to Satoshi. Understood?”
A fist of anxiety settled in Kitty’s stomach as she looked up and saw the determination in DeWitt’s eyes. Rather than shy away as her instincts urged, Kitty flashed a wicked, hateful grin back up at him.
“I’m not going to tell you shit,” she said. “I don’t know where they’re going and wouldn’t tell you if I did.”
“You will.”
“Fuck you!”
DeWitt shrugged helplessly, heading for the door. He paused at the console, resting his hand atop the panel instead of pressing his palm to the reader.
“Hate me if you want, Kitty,” he said. “I can take it. But this is for your own good.”
***
They came for Kitty a short time after DeWitt had parted. She guessed it was about half an hour, but without any way of measuring time she had no way to be sure. DeWitt’s companion hadn’t returned to place the bag over her head, so she’d simply used the newfound freedom to explore her surroundings a bit. The supply crates were empty, so she’d pushed several together to form a makeshift couch. She’d also, after much difficulty, succeeded in maneuvering her bound wrists around her legs so she could rest comfortably on her back, hands resting on her stomach. That was how they’d found her.
There were three of them, two large men and a third male of some alien race she didn’t recognize. The latter’s body was more or less humanoid, though his four, crimson eyes were narrow and beady. His claw-tipped fingers were long, each containing two extra knuckles that helped draw attention to the way he curled and uncurled his hands into fists.
“DeWitt said you like aliens,” one of the men said, while his fellow sealed the door behind them.
Kitty sat up, then stood, forcing herself to stand her ground and not back away. It was difficult, particularly given the sense of vulnerability that came from her restrained hands. She cleared her throat, masking her fear with an unworried look of boredom.
“Something of a connoisseur,” she said.
The men chuckled, exchanging glances.
“That’s good,” said the same man who’d spoken before. He patted the back of the alien male. “You see, our friend here has a problem. Can’t seem to keep a girl. Beds plenty of them, but none stick around for a second time. Figured a woman of your… vast experience might be able to tell him why.”
So, that was how it was going to be. Kitty hadn’t bothered lying to herself. She’d lived among the Syndicate long enough to know this would be an inevitability. It was just coming sooner than she’d expected. Perhaps she’d underestimated DeWitt’s desperation to resolve the situation.
“I’ll take a look,” she said with the same nonchalance. “What’s your friend’s name?”
“Kreax,” the male said, stepping closer. A twisted smile stretched wide across his face, far wider than a human mouth could have. A small, yet dangerous looking knife was fastened to his belt at the hip and Kitty struggled not to glance at it openly. Behind him, the two men grinned fiendishly as well.
“Kreax,” Kitty echoed, nodding. “What’s your poison? Standing? Sitting? I’m afraid I don’t have a bed in here, so we’re a bit limited.”
All three smiles faltered slightly as the men exchanged looks of surprise and confusion. They’d obviously come here, expecting Kitty to cower and beg. As if her pride would have allowed it. They planned to rape her? Fuck that, she was practically the goddess of lust and it would take worse than three males to break her! They’d be the ones broken today.
After a time, Kreax’s smile returned and he gestured.
“Kneel.”
“Well, aren’t you brave?” she teased. Grinning, Kitty sank slowly to her knees. Staring up at him, she clicked her teeth.
Kreax hesitated, glancing at the other two in obvious concern. The men’s expressions hardened and one nodded impatiently.
“Get on with it!” he demanded. “If she bites you, we’ll make her regret it.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Kitty purred. Reaching out, she grabbed a fistful of the alien’s trousers about the ankle and dragged him closer. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Not until I’ve gotten to experience you properly, that is. Those two are the boring ones who’d better not get any ideas.”
Kreax fumbled with his belt and Kitty stopped him with her hands. Still bound, she peeled his fingers away from the front of his pants and rubbed him slowly and firmly through the fabric. Though they hadn’t even begun, the male was already hard and stiff beneath her touch.
“Could you take these off?” she asked, indicating the cuffs. “It’d be easier to… you know.”
“Key!” Kreax snapped, reaching back with one hand. He didn’t even turn to look, his gaze locked on Kitty’s face as she nuzzled his hidden erection with her cheek.
“But, DeWitt said—” one of the men protested.
“Fuck what he said! Give me the damn key!”
Even without seeing either of the men’s faces, Kitty could sense the rising tension in the air as one of them handed Kreax the key. He unlocked her shackles hastily, fingers trembling slightly in obvious anticipation. Kitty breathed a sigh of relief as the bonds fell away, massaging her wrists and flashing a mischievous grin up at the male looming above her.
“Now then, where were we?”
Slowly, half-closing her eyes in mostly feigned lust, Kitty reached up and resumed her work. Stripping away Kreax’s belt, it was a simple matter to unbutton his trousers and guide them down to his ankles. They were practically bursting open already and, as she peeled down the male’s underwear as well, it was not difficult to see why.
The male’s cock was so bizarre and disti
nctly unlike a human’s that Kitty didn’t know where to begin. The skin was the same grey pallor as the rest of him, but aside from a certain smoothness around the middle of his shaft, the rest was utterly alien. The tip was nearly as broad as her wrist, ribbed, and shaped like a cone-shaped seed. And yet, that was not the strangest attribute. Near the base of his member, rather than hair or simply smooth skin, a mass of tentacles, each roughly the size of her pinky, writhed and twitched.
“Well look at you,” Kitty murmured, biting her lip and running a finger through the sea of wriggling tendrils. Several curled instinctively around her finger, tugging and squeezing the digit. “You are a big boy, aren’t you?”
Before Kreax had a chance to respond, Kitty leaned in and licked teasingly up the underside of his shaft. The tentacles shuddered, spasming wildly against the fingers encircling his base. Their motion grew more frantic and urgent as her tongue neared his tip. Kitty continued up over it, exploring the firm ridges and spongy grooves between along the way.
“You like that, don’t you?” she purred as she pulled her lips away. Grinding the head against her cheek, she pumped slowly and firmly at the base of his shaft.
Rather than answer aloud, Kreax merely grinned and reached around to cup the back of her head. Kitty allowed it, staring up at him with gleaming eyes and angling his now thoroughly rigid cock down to a more acceptable angle. Before he had a chance to force her, she dove forward and plunged him deeply into her mouth. The broadness of his tip proved a challenge, but once she managed to navigate him past her teeth, the rest came easy. In the span of a second, she had taken him nearly to the base and could feel the soft, somewhat pointed head tickling the entrance to her throat.
Kreax groaned and Kitty chuckled, mouth full. She wrung her fingers playfully around the narrow band of member that remained outside her lips, the other hand tugging the curious tentacles that gathered there. A faint tremor shook the male’s leg then, and she knew she had him.
After all, there wasn’t a male in the galaxy that could maintain his composure when she was determined to distract him.
