by M. D. Cooper
Kylie snorted. “Whatever, Maverick. Whatever. If you think I’m really going to believe you,” she pivoted and began to walk off the platform, but Maverick grabbed her arm and pushed her against the railing.
“You don’t walk away from me, Kylie. Never! You understand me?”
“Get off me, asshole!” Kylie pushed Maverick off her with a casual thrust of her hands. It wasn’t even a fraction of her strength, but he starred at her with wide eyes.
“What happened to you? How’d you do that?” His hands shook and Kylie couldn’t tell if it was fear or rage. She glanced at his two vixens now had their rifles aimed at her head.
She ignored them and stared Maverick down. “You don’t touch me, Maverick. Never again. Keep your distance if you know what’s good for you.”
Kyle turned and strode off the platform, waiting for the shots to come from Maverick’s guards. She could all but feel the rifles pointed at her head.
But they didn’t fire.
Maverick called out after her. “You know what to do! Tomorrow on the floor. If not, then the police learn it all!”
Kylie would have to think about that. She’d have to think about it long and hard. Because right then, she couldn’t decide which path was worse.
The only thing she knew was she had been betrayed by someone she loved.
Again.
* * * * *
Kylie sipped her bad coffee and scowled.
Oh God, the brew was worse than usual. Kylie considered pouring it down the sink but instead, she grabbed a few potato chips and sat down at the galley table, cradling her mug. Across the black mug it read ‘Kiss the Captain’. A funny, stupid thing Nadine had picked up for their first anniversary together.
Now that Kylie had seen a side of Nadine she had never imagined, she no longer knew what was real or not. Had they ever even been together?
There were times when a shrewd and ruthless act on Nadine’s part could have gotten them out of hot water, but Nadine had never behaved in that way. She’d always been in some sort of trouble, needing to be rescued or helped out of a situation. She fell apart under pressure. The anxiety of being on a spaceship, out in the far reaches of the dark had almost done her in more than once.
Was it all an act? Could nothing be trusted?
Kylie watched the feed again and again as she sipped her coffee. It wasn’t until she heard footsteps that she wiped a stray tear and lifted her mug to obscure her face from whoever might be headed in.
It was Rogers and Winter. Well, didn’t that just beat the odds?
Rogers sat down beside her while Winter spun a chair across from her so he could sit on it backwards. He leaned his arms across the back and grunted. “You look like shit. What’d Maverick do to you?”
Kylie glanced between them and Rogers nodded in agreement.
She sighed. “He can help get Nadine out.”
Winter’s eyes widened and he and Rogers pumped fists. “Boom!” Rogers said. “I thought you’d look happier about it. Why aren’t we celebrating?”
“Tomorrow morning, I have to call for a vote of non-confidence and nominate Maverick as Vaax’s replacement. He says there are those on his side who will…support him.”
“And if they don’t?”
Kylie sipped her coffee. “I suspect either Maverick, or Vaax will decide that I’ve outlived my usefulness and I’ll be killed shortly afterward.”
“Damn,” Rogers whispered. “Do we know how to step in it or what?”
“Lana is somewhere on this damn station and I’d bet my life on Vaax having her. Doing this is actually the best way to find her—with Vaax dethroned we can figure out what she’s been up to and rescue Lana…”
“Again,” Rogers added.
“So, you want to go through with it?” Winter asked. “If you do, I’ll support you. It was my job to keep Lana safe and I didn’t. It’s on me more than anyone.”
Kylie didn’t know about that. “Lana’s responsible for her own actions, Winter.”
“Maybe, but a lot of people are out to get her. I should’ve kept a closer eye on her.”
Kylie had never seen him beat himself up so much over a person before. “And what’s in her blood is worth a lot of money to all the wrong people,” Kylie said. “We’ll find her and get her back.”
“Then we get her back and get her home. Silstrand needs the nano more than anyone and we trust them…well…a little bit…anyway. Right?” Rogers asked.
“They tried to kill us,” Winter said.
“Only because you stole the ship.” Kylie pointed out.
Winter rolled his eyes. “Are we ever going to stop bringing that up?”
Despite herself, Kylie laughed. Rogers got up and poured himself some coffee. After a small sip, he convulsed. “Oh my God! Why is this so bad?”
“Grab me a cup too, will you?” Winter asked and then laid a hand on Kylie’s shoulder. “We’ll get Nadine back and we’ll figure out what to do.”
Kylie wished it was that easy. “Strangely enough, I wish Grayson was here. I could use one of his plans right about now.”
“What do you think he’d say if he were?” Roger asked as he sipped his coffee with a wince.
“That making a deal with the devil is never really worth it but often necessary,” Kylie said. “Maybe.”
Winter sipped his coffee and almost spat it out. “Man, this stuff tastes like vinegar.”
“Well, I did descale the coffee maker to try to get it to work right. I gave it a rinse after, though, I swear!”
“With what? More vinegar?” Rogers asked.
Kylie pondered that possiblity; she had been distracted. “You know…that may be what happened.”
Kylie ducked as Winter and Rogers started throwing plastic forks and napkins at her.
“Hey, okay! You’re just lucky I don’t have my trusty spork.”
The boys laughed and Rogers dumped out the coffee and ran it through with a pot of water to flush it out. Winter grabbed a bag of chips and sat down, eating them noisily while Kyle cleaned them up, and washed the utensils. Typical guy behavior.
Kylie paused for a moment as she threw the balled-up napkins into the trash chute.
Oh, Kylie was counting on that. She just wasn’t sure if she was going to like the answers she got.
SUBTERFUGE
STELLAR DATE: 09.23.8947 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: Emperor’s Tears, Bay 1295C, Ring 15, The Futz, Freemont
REGION: Gedri System, Silstrand Alliance
Dinner with a new crew was something Grayson would never get used to. Even during his years in the space force, he kept to formalities only.
Not only because he was a by-the-book sort of man but because he was socially awkward. He always had been. When he was younger, he had been lucky to have married, and loved, a very outgoing woman who had helped him in that regard.
On his own, he was a fish out of water. Lucky for him, his potato curls were always a hit, even if Kylie had remarked once or twice that he needed to add a few more recipes to his skill set. She hadn’t been wrong; she usually wasn’t.
The galley was smaller than the Dauntless’s and the cold steel table wasn’t nearly as nice. Tayna sat beside him and Captain Gabriel sat on the far side with Micha. A short name for a very tall fellow with black dreadlocks and a face so tattooed Grayson wouldn’t have been able to find his eyes if he hadn’t known where to look.
Beers were the only beverage available, and Micha took a long pull of his before complimenting Grayson on the food.
“Good taters and great steak. You clean up in engine bay and the kitchen, Rudy man!”
Grayson smiled as he stabbed a potato with his fork. Eating kept him busy
and stopped him from being so nervous. “Thank you, Micha.”
Gabriel and Tayna clinked beer bottles together. “So, you just make port here?” Gabriel asked. “Surprised that you’d be looking for a new gig. A captain would be a fool to let you go,” Gabriel said.
“I just recently finished a ‘gig’,” Grayson had trouble keeping the disdain for the word from his voice, “on a small freighter. I fell in with a group, nice people, but it was time I go my own way.”
“Oh yeah?” Tayna asked, dangling a potato swirl into her mouth. “How come?”
“I rather not say, if that’s all right. It was…a personal decision.”
Gabriel reached across the table and swatted Tayna on the arm. “Sorry about her. When she smells fresh blood in the water she gets a little excited, you know what I mean?” Gabriel laughed and one by one they all joined him.
As Grayson laughed, he couldn’t help but notice Tayna wasn’t taking her eyes off him. He was starting to feel like so much chum in the water. Just waiting for the shark to come along. He decided to make sure his cabin door was locked at night.
“Tough break-up, huh?” Tayna asked. “That’s too bad. Girl, guy, other?”
“Uhh…girl.” Grayson cringed. Maybe he should’ve said guy just to keep her off his back. On the other hand, the way Micha was looking at him, it may not have made things better. He’d rather fight off Tayna than a man like Micha.
“So,” Grayson cleared his throat as he started to grab dirty dishes and pile them onto the counter. “You mentioned we were shipping off soon, but didn’t say exactly where.”
The crew looked to their captain, who gave Grayson a level stare, making him wonder why it was so wrong to ask where they were going.
“We don’t talk work over dinner,” Micha said. “House rule.”
“Captain’s rule,” Gabriel said as he stood and stretched his arms. “But since the eating is over we can. We’re still waiting on our cargo, and with Harken’s murder, they’ve decided to keep the lockdown in place until the commission makes its ruling tomorrow. I guess they’re trying to keep things as orderly as they can around here.”
Grayson nodded. “Probably not an easy job.”
Micha laughed. “You got that right.”
The captain nodded and left—though Grayson couldn’t help but notice the man hadn’t answered the question about the ship’s destination.
Micha followed soon after, but Tanya stayed to help Grayson clean up. As he was wiping down the counters, making sure to get every stray crumb, Tayna brushed up against him, more than once too.
She grazed him with her breasts, let a hand brush across his ass, eventually she even got right beside him and pushed her hips into his.
He looked at Tayna; her wide eyes were soulful but far from innocent.
“Is there something you’d like to tell me?” Grayson asked.
She twirled her finger through her hair. “I like you, that’s all.” Tayna swayed side to side. “You’re all stiff and proper. I don’t get a lot of that. I’d love to see what you’re like in the sack. Are you stiff and proper there too?”
Well, she certainly didn’t waste any time.
Grayson pulled back as she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a long kiss. He pushed her away gently and laughed. “Is this how you welcome all men on board your vessel?”
Tayna giggled with a nod. “Oh, honey, I haven’t even begun to welcome you yet.”
It was wrong, that was for sure. He was lying about his name, who he was and why he was even there. It was very possible Tayna was a Scipio spy, which meant she stood against everything Grayson stood for.
Yet somehow, all of that was exciting him. He felt more than a little aroused and pushed her back against the counter, pressing his lips against hers.
She smelled good, felt even better in his hands, but even as he traced a hand down the curve of her waist, he thought of Kylie. Of how everything had fallen apart just when it was supposed have gotten better. Grayson wanted nothing more than to get her back, make love to her, and never leave her side again.
But she had chosen what she’d wanted and Grayson had also walked away. His thoughts of Kylie made him angry. He hated that she was still in his head when she had chosen Nadine over him. The rage intermingled with his attraction to Tayna and before he knew what he was doing, he had lifted her onto the counter and she spread her legs wide.
Tayna bit her lip. “Oh, I knew you’d go for it. I knew you could be a powerhouse if you wanted to.”
‘Shut up,” Grayson said forcefully because he knew she’d respond to that—and how did she…. Tayna squirmed against him, holding onto his shoulders tight.
“Make me scream,” she whispered, kissing his neck and dragging her nose against his skin.
Grayson planned on it.
* * * * *
With the task in the kitchen done, Grayson left Tayna while she was still buckling her belt. Her usually kempt hair was messy and her lipstick smeared, and he hadn’t seen such a happy glint in a woman’s eyes in a long time. He loathed himself for what he had done, how he had used her to sate his hunger…and his anger. And Tayna hadn’t even known. Or if she had guessed, she didn’t seem to care.
Of all the stupid decisions, Grayson thought, maybe he could leverage this new relationship for answers. But even that thought made him hate himself.
A woman, no matter what type of woman she was, wasn’t something you leveraged…but if he could get a leg up on what Scipio was planning…well, Grayson needed to do it.
He need to get some space, but didn’t want to leave the ship, so he ambled through the passageways, hoping not to bump into Tayna again—she probably would pressure him to go another round.
He passed by the bridge, and heard Gabriel speaking to someone on a holodisplay.
“… and make sure the cargo is kept secure. Don’t unseal it. Once you leave Silstrand space, there are supply ships at the designated staging areas if you run into any trouble.>
Designated staging areas outside of Silstrand space? That implied an imminent threat to Silstrand. But also, what could this precious cargo be?
Grayson crept back down the passageway, hugging the wall. If those were military staging grounds, then the SSF needed to be warned. He didn’t dare use the ship’s communication systems to send a message. Gabriel seemed like a binary sort or man. There were only friends and foes.
He could leave the ship and get a message to one of the SSF garrisons on The Futz, but he also wanted to keep an eye peeled for the inbound cargo.
He needed a way to do both.
Grayson slid down the ladders to the engineering deck and brought up the ship’s schematics, looking for the auxiliary comm array’s routing system. If he could send out a low-powered beam from the array, he could get a message to one of the SSF garrisons in the system.
Scipio was on the move and Silstrand had to prepare. They had to get ready to go to war.
He found the auxiliary array’s transmission line, but the array’s controller wasn’t where the schematics said it should be. It didn’t surprise him; half the systems on the ship had been re-arranged to make room for all the secret hidey-holes.
He traced the data line for the array to a conduit stack that passed through the overhead to the cargo deck.
Grayson grabbed a small toolkit and climbed the ladder tack to the deck, using an overlay of the ship’s corridors and rooms to guide him to where the conduit came up through the deck.
A clang caught his attention, and he turned a corner to see a man he didn’t recognize guiding a long crate on an a-grav pad though the corridor.
The man was moving away from him, and Grayson followed, curious if this was the mysterious cargo the captain had been talking about.
He was getting close when Micha stepped out of a passageway and placed a hand on his chest.
“I like you Rudy,” Micha said, “but I’m only going to say this once. Cargo’s not your business, kay? You
stay below, or in your quarters. Understood?”
“Sorry, I was just curious what kind of cargo we would be taking on so late?”
“The kind worth transporting.” Micha slapped one of Grayson’s cheeks lightly before turning away and speaking over his shoulder. “Keep to yourself and you’ll make some easy cash.”
Grayson still needed to find the auxiliary comm array’s control systems, but for now he’d lay low. If Micha caught him snooping around again it would be his ticket off the ship—if he was lucky.
He climbed the ladder back to his quarters and palmed the control for the door, gasping as it slid open.
Tayna was laying on his bed, chin resting on her hand, and her legs waggling in the air behind her.
And she was naked.
“I thought you might be hungry for something other than food,” she purred.
Grayson laughed nervously as the door closed behind him. “Well…I really just ate.”
“Time to eat again.” Tayna popped a grape into her mouth from the bowl balanced on the mattress beside her. “Juicy and sweet. Come on over, hot stuff.”
“Juicy and sweet, just like you?” Grayson asked with a playful smile.
Tayna laughed. “No one ever described me that way.”
“Maybe it’s about time they do,” Grayson said as he stepped forward and pulled a grape free from the bunch.
Tayna grinned and grabbed his hand. “Pour us some wine. It’s on the night stand. Let’s get ready to party.”
DECLARATION
STELLAR DATE: 09.24.8947 (Adjusted Years)
LOCATION: People’s Republic Tower, The Futz Spire, Freemont
REGION: Gedri System, Silstrand Alliance
Kylie hoped that’d be possible as she entered the assembly chamber through a door to see Vaax rise and walk to the podium.
