Collateral Trade

by Candace Smith

  Janella lifted another box from the wagon. “If I had my degree, I might have been able to go with them.”

  Sharell shivered. “God, would you want to? Even if this thing doesn’t blow up on takeoff, I’ve had enough prison living for a lifetime.”

  “Being in space isn’t the same as living in the cave. I’d just like to experience it, and it would only be for two years max. They might even shuttle people back and forth more regularly once the secret is out.” Janella shrugged. “I guess I still have a while to work on Dr. Terar and convince him to put me up for a slot. I’ve heard rumors we’ve got another year.”

  “I don’t know. With the full-system check this afternoon, they might not think they need it. It seems stupid to make us bring the food on board and get things setup in the plant lab. I can understand the engines and structural tests, but shit.” Sharell was exhausted from carrying boxes of meal packs onto the ship and up two decks to food supplies on three hours’ sleep.

  “Tammy said they’ve ordered all of the medics on board, even the doctors. This little spaceship check-up must be costing the company a fortune.” If she could not get a spot on the maiden launch, Janella planned to go back to school and finish her degree. She had worked on the project for three years, and the pay she saved would cover tuition and all living expenses.

  They were told the craft was supposed to launch and circle the earth for a few years. It seemed like an extravagant vacation for the rich men. A rumor started by Manny and carefully laced through Maintenance and Cleaning crews, stated the ‘true’ purpose of the investment. Excursions on the ship would be sold for enormous fees to people wishing to spend a few weeks in space. No doubt Manerea Industries would recoup their investment and make yet another fortune.

  Sharell drove their cart to the Security post in front of the elevator. “This is such a pain in the ass. They’ve seen us coming back and forth all morning. Why the hell do they insist on a complete scan each time we pass through?”

  Officer Metzer would have scanned them even if it were not her orders. Sharell was five-ten with black hair slung casually over her shoulder in a braid that rolled over full breasts to her waist. Gorgeous green eyes and a sensual mouth… Yummy. Unfortunately, Sharell had discouraged her advances. Sandy ended up forming a comfortable relationship with Cynthia, a woman in Navigation.

  Her hands cupped under Sharell’s breasts, checking for contraband. “Officer Metzer, there’s nothing but boobs.” She was irritated by the lesbian’s continual mauling. What part of ‘No’ did you not get?

  Sandy passed her thumbs over erect nipples, and chuckled. “Pass.” She watched Sharell swing her long legs into the cart, and hoped the girl would not take part with the protesters after launch.

  Two hours later, Sharell and Janella stood in the lab. They were told to head to onboard stations to answer questions from the board. “What the hell could they want to ask me about?” Sharell griped. Her assigned shift to Research was over in thirty minutes.

  Janella shrugged, and looked at the other thirty botanists standing by tables. “Same reason they need all of us to explain shit they won’t understand about making squished meal packs.”

  There was a rumbling beneath them and the floor vibrated. “At least the tests have begun. I wonder how far down the list we are from Engine Systems check?” Sharell asked.

  “They’ll probably go through the Infirmary and Navigation after the Computer Systems pass. I have a feeling empty nursery tiers of dirt are not a high priority.”

  The rumbling grew louder, and Sharell turned at the sound of the door sliding open. Two armed Security officers walked in, blocking the door after it slid closed. Officer Metzer inserted her red lock card into the panel. A fleeting internal fear warned: Better run. Better let that dike get in a good squeeze, and hit the chute. Sharell nudged Janella and glanced at the guards. “What the hell?” The lab shook and she grabbed onto the table. The blood drained from her face at the same time as her stomach dropped. “God, we’re launching.”

  “Stand at your post,” Sandy ordered calmly, keeping her hand on her stun gun. “No doubt you’ve guessed we have launched. You have been honored to be chosen to join Manerea on their mission.”

  Officer Metzer got to use her stun gun twice before the group settled down and stopped bombarding her with questions and shouts of panicked outrage. Sharell missed all of this while she stood quietly gripping the table. Her eyes glazed and she was silently crying, feeling squeezed again beside a beat-up bookcase and heavy drapes. Don’t move. Hush and keep quiet. Stay invisible, and it will all go away. Her mom’s soft drawled warning could not comfort her. Sharell knew how poorly that had worked out.

  An hour later, Sharell followed the lab rats to the shuttlebay where the rest of the Maintenance crew gathered, staring at the platform. Jerome stood behind a podium with two other board members, surrounded by Security. Three workers rushed forward, and guards stunned them and dragged them to a room marked ‘C’ off the bay.

  Sharell listened to Jerome’s statement, slowly coming to terms that she had been kidnapped. At least some of the researchers, scientists, and engineers dreamed of going into space. She preferred solid ground and detested flying in planes. And now I’m on the damn space ship, headed towards Adam One. Some bullshit planet he thinks has an atmosphere and resources resembling Earth. “If it’s the same, then why the hell leave? With all his money, his next idea is to rule a planet?” Sharell murmured to Janella. She had always scrambled to adapt to situations after learning at a young age there were things she could never control. She figured they were already in space, and there sure as hell was no bus coming to take her home. “At least we room together.”

  “No way are we going to make it. He’ll miss his toys and money, and turn back to run his fingers through his coin chest,” Janella whispered. Two years was one thing, but exiled forever did not fit into her plans.

  “I don’t know. I talked to a few guys putting stuff in the Engine room, and I guess this brainiack figured out something called a fusion engine. It’s supposed to put the ship into some sort of super drive. My bet is that we’ll either blow up or crap out half-way there.”

  * * * * *

  One of the brainiacks miscalculated fuel, and the fusion engine crapped out six months later. They floated in the general direction of their destination, aided by occasional bursts from the landing engines. Jerome remained convinced there would be a solution to the problem, and he refused to turn back towards Earth.

  Chapter II

  Tian stood at the window of the pod he shared with his twin, watching the finion blossoms swaying in the breeze. He inhaled their light fragrance, grounding himself and preparing for the day. Golden waves cascaded down his broad bronze back and his muscular arms hung at his sides. His blue eyes flecked with the ice blue of arousal and his cock twitched against a nest of darker blonde curls.

  Chaya sat on their bed pulling on his boots, his straight black hair brushing the length of his arms. The past few weeks were stressful, and it would not benefit him to rush his light twin.

  Tian finally turned and smiled at his brother. “For some reason, I keep seeing green.”

  Chaya laughed. “You just spent half an hour looking at finion leaves.”

  “I was watching the flowers,” Tian corrected. The yellow blossoms were feathery and their two-foot strands danced in the wind. “No, I reach out and see green.”

  “As in, skin?” Chaya scowled. “I hope we do not choose one with green skin. The council will never let her out of our chambers.”

  “No, not her skin.” Tian shrugged. “It may have nothing to do with the species we find, at all.” He walked towards the wardrobe. “Would you rather study in here for a while?”

  Chaya’s dark eyes flashed. “No. I don’t want our brothers to think we have lost all control.”

  “Laiya and Sian pushed through the petition. They understand the unfairness.”

  “They were also promoted to First
Twin Council for their effort.”

  “Our brothers have helped make it possible for us to find a mate. Now you want to sit on council?” Tian knew Chaya had no use for politics. He joked how his older brothers were strapped to the confines of the council chambers where things rarely changed.

  Actana laws had been established so long ago that it had been difficult for Laiya and Sian to petition to retrieve the ancient scrolls. They were kept in a vault, in case they offered suggestions that could disrupt their well-structured society. Of course, the mere presence of second-set twins had accomplished that fracture.

  Everything on Actana was set to a predictable set of laws and rules. Families consisted of one set of twins and a daughter. The brothers remained together for life, and the daughters mated primarily for political standing, establishing a new family hierarchy.

  This worked fine for centuries, until three decades ago. The rare occurrence of an eclipse of the triple moons produced second-set twins in many families. There was no place for them in Actana society, and no mates for them. It was not that first-set twins were superior; it was more like the second-set twins were invisible.

  Disruptions occurred as first-set twins mated, and dark twins from the second-set born had to hold their aggression in check. Their inherited instinct to form a family became a constant disruptive problem. This was the reason Chaya gave Tian as much time as he needed in the morning to ground himself. Tian had to refuel to send waves of calmness towards him. Chaya refused to disrespect their family, but it was becoming more difficult. They needed a mate. His body and need to dominate burned for one.

  Chaya collected the Star Charts and they walked the short bridge to the gathering room. Tian unfolded his scrolls, diligently working to decipher ancient text on the correct procedure to deal with a primitive woman. Chaya studied the Star Charts. He felt Tian’s tranquil message wash over him, but it was still difficult to keep from sneaking furtive glances at Milana. She knelt between his older brothers on the other side of the gathering room. It would be five minutes before they ordered her to rise and led her to the communal baths.

  Chaya shook his head, sending his sheet of black hair flying over the Star Charts and accomplishing nothing. He still could not clear his head of Milana’s graceful curves. The pads on the fingers of one hand rubbed together, imagining the feel of her soft skin. He looked up to see Laiya glaring at him, sitting straight with white knuckled fists gripping his knees and his own dark mane hanging down his broad back.

  Frustration, anger, and yes, maybe a little jealousy. Not the kindest or safest ways for an Actana warrior to feel towards his brothers, but screw it. It is what it is.

  Tian could feel the rush of his twin’s emotions rising. Calm down, Chaya. Let’s study in our pod.

  We have as much right to sit in the gathering room as our brothers. At least that has not been taken from us.

  It has not been taken from Laiya, either. Why get yourself all worked up over this? Tian had been dealing with his dark twin’s rage since they were old enough to fathom the disparity of the council’s rules between first and second-set twins.

  Tian waited for Laiya’s inevitable order, anticipating Chaya’s reaction and preparing to calm him down. In pods with second-set twins, older brothers calling to their mate often erupted into outbursts of frustration. So far, Tian had successfully tamed Chaya’s temper by scanning his emotions as soon as he felt them shift.

  “Milana, come.”

  From across the room Chaya’s eyes snapped up from the Star Charts. The young woman rose from her knees, wobbling slightly. Dammit, Laiya. You should have her trained better by now. If she was ours…

  She isn’t. And how can they train her properly if they are constantly guarded and watching your reactions? Chill out. Tian glanced up from the scrolls and waved tranquility towards his twin before resuming his reading. Who was he kidding? The script blurred together in the shape of Milana’s figure.

  Chaya’s grip tightened on the charts while he continued to stare at her. Eyes lowered, she crossed the floor to Laiya, silently holding her wrist cuffs out and waiting for his leash. Chaya’s balls filled with the weight of his frustration at her sign of submission. Nipple clamps forced her tightened nubs to protrude further, clearly outlined by the short flowing shift she wore.

  Laiya’s eyes were dark with angry warning, and a deep protective growl vibrated softly through the gathering room. Sian’s hand reached out to rest on Laiya’s shoulder while Tian sent sensations of calmness into Chaya. It was the choreographed dance of an uncomfortable scene the brothers experienced every time they were together.

  Sian, his blue eyes deepened with Chaya’s threat, concentrated on washing compassion into Laiya and reminding him that this was not Chaya’s fault. It could have been them born as the second twins and denied a mate.

  Tian struggled against the threatening blast of desire building in Chaya. Please, we can’t apologize again.

  They do not have to flaunt their good fortune in front of us.

  Even without twin-speak, Tian could feel his brother’s rage. Calm down, Chaya. Please. They are only calling for their mate. Tian felt his brother’s frustration and arousal stagger under the weight of his psychic assault, and he finally lifted his eyes from the scroll.

  Laiya gave Chaya one last scathing look and led Milana from the room. Just before following them out the door, Sian turned to his brothers. “We know you are no threat to our mate, but it is difficult to watch you stare at her.”

  With the girl out of sight and Tian’s consistent wave of tranquility, Chaya’s senses calmed. “I would feel the same,” he admitted. “You know I mean no disrespect, Sian. Congratulations on your appointment to First Twin Council. You have made our family proud.”

  “And you, Chaya?” Sian asked. “Can you feel pride for our accomplishment?”

  Chaya forced a smile. “Don’t push it, Sian.”

  Sian nodded, pleased that the altercation was avoided. He followed his mate and dark twin to the lift that would lead to the ground. As a light twin, he sensed his younger brother’s frustration, but his duty was to calm Laiya and their mate. Tian could deal with Chaya.

  “I can’t wait to leave,” Chaya muttered.

  “And who has allowed us this chance? It was Laiya and Sian who successfully petitioned to open the vault,” Tian reminded him. “Our brothers do understand our struggle, Chaya. They have purposely curbed training Milana in front of us, and keep her covered outside their pod.” Tian searched the page for his last coherently transcribed phrase.

  Chaya set the Star Charts down. “What kind of chance are we given, though? Searching through space for a primitive?”

  “Mmm, but this might not be a bad thing. We are finally going to be able to do something first twins can’t. As we can hold no rights in council, we do have the obligation to return with a suitable species.”

  Chaya’s eyes darkened. “Our selection will be limited to feral illiterates. She may never train properly to be presented in public, and that’s if her looks are passable. The council controls the last word on whether she will disrupt our society too badly to ever leave our private chambers.”

  “Chaya, it is an opportunity for us. Before the vault was opened, we had no hope for a mate. We were considering voluntary exile.” They had been weeks away from leaving to the outlands with other second-set twins who could no longer handle the disruption they caused their family.

  Chaya leaned back in his chair, getting comfortable for the first time since Milana walked into the room. “The council only agreed because of the fighting between first and second-sets.” He lifted an eyebrow, but there was a mischievous gleam in his dark eyes. “If you had not kept stopping me from going after Laiya, they might have voted to open them years ago.”

  “You don’t think straight when you’re near our brothers.”

  “I’m not jealous,” Chaya stated for the hundredth time.

  Tian knew his twin was jealous of the rights t
heir brothers held as firstborn. As dominant twin, he could not help himself. “Well, we’ll be off planet soon and take charge of our own destiny for a while.” Tian shrugged his broad shoulders, causing a ripple down his soft blonde waves. “Besides, I don’t mind being shut out from politics so much. We’re up for command of one of the battleships when we get back.” This entitlement, denied to first-set twins, became the trigger that always seemed to work. Tian knew Chaya preferred the excitement in space over the boring monotony of council rules their brothers were trapped in.

  Hidden in the outlands were three space ships, the Cathisis, Fontisa and Naresis. They were passenger vessels and not built for battle like those orbiting Actana. There were small fighters on board, but the main mission and the reason for the ships’ construction was to travel and find mates among other worlds for the second-set twins.

  Chaya decided the explanation in the ancient scrolls was bullshit, devised by the first-set twins to get rid of their brothers for a while. He and Tian considered an alien mate with the same trepidation as most second-set twins. Finding a mate among primitives was somewhat distasteful, much like biting into a sour grisp. It might ease hunger, but it was not nearly as palatable as the luscious vistanza. They could not imagine a true bonding with a woman who did not possess Actana females’ beauty.

  Their petit women, barely over six feet tall, had full breasts capped with dark nipples and slender waists, accentuated by thin golden chains that drew eyes to round hips. Embroidered mates’ collars circled graceful long necks, and their shining black hair stopped growing when it brushed across their shoulders. How could a primitive female compare? To an outsider, their women appeared almost identical with little variation, which suited the Actana structure.

  By order of the council, Tian began reading the scrolls and discussing the writings with his light father. If a primitive was to be their mate, Tian needed to gain perspective in order to deal with a woman from an outer world planet. Centuries ago, a declaration forbade advanced species from seeking mates between their worlds. It was unacceptable for a citizen from one planet to submit to another race… even if she was only a woman.