Planet of Pain

by B. A. Bradbury

  No one was paying him any attention, and Jo realised they must have heard the story before; many times, probably. Kaz was breathing hard as he drove into her, but she didn’t delude herself his climax was close. Having ejaculated once she guessed he could hold back quite a while. Mike called it his ‘second coming’, she remembered – and straightaway a lump came into her throat, and her eyes filled with tears. Stupid. It was foolish, thinking about Mike. He was part of another life, one she would never see again, probably. She had to forget all that and focus on the here and now.

  ‘Hey, the bitch is crying,’ Snake crowed, and straight away Mundell stood up and came over.

  ‘What is it, kid?’

  ‘Lamenting her cherry,’ Snake said.

  They were all looking at her, so she wiped away the tears with her hand, angry at herself for this display of weakness, and especially angry for letting them see it.

  ‘Some guy,’ Kaz said, slowing his rhythm, ‘back in the real world, right?’

  He might be a bastard but he was pretty astute. She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak, and unexpectedly Kaz withdrew and stepped back.

  ‘She’s all yours,’ he said to Snake.

  ‘You didn’t squirt,’ Snake said, surprised.

  Kaz shrugged. ‘Like Mundell said, we got all night.’

  Snake needed no second bidding. He went to the nearest footlocker and dragged one end out, away from the bunk. He sat on the end and opened his knees, telling her to kneel down in front of him. ‘Gimme a tit fuck,’ he said, once she was in place.

  He had to explain to her how to do it, and at his instruction she cupped her breasts, then leaned forward and took his cock in her cleavage. She pressed her breasts together, enveloping his shaft, then proceeded to bob up and down. Snake closed his eyes and leaned back, propping himself on his arms.

  ‘Oh yeah,’ he murmured throatily. ‘Fuck, yeah!’

  He too seemed determined not to rush his second session, and she found herself glancing up at the wall display from time to time, breaking the promise she’d made to herself not to watch the clock, and twenty minutes it was, give or take, when Snake finally began to squirm, cursing her.

  ‘You stupid fucking cunt,’ he snarled, his face twisted and ugly. ‘Drink it down, bitch!’

  She lowered her face and took the tip of his cock between her lips, and a few seconds later he ejaculated and she dutifully held his semen in her mouth till he was empty. He tipped up her chin, grinning evilly at her, and she forced herself to swallow the warm, sour fluid.

  Mundell took hold of her arm and drew her to her feet. It seemed they weren’t going to allow her to rest even for a minute. He steered her back to the mattresses on the floor.

  ‘Know what a sixty-nine is, kid?’ he asked, and she nodded. ‘Great,’ he said, ‘you can go on top, okay?’

  He lay on his back and Jo lay on top of him, facing his feet, her head above his groin. She took his cock in her mouth and began to suck him, and he began to lick her sex. He was good at it, his lips and tongue busy with labia and clitoris, and her hips began to twitch spasmodically. His hands moved constantly over her, rubbing up and down her spine, stroking her hair and feeling her breasts. She sucked hard, and soon he was tonguing her almost frantically. She worked his shaft with her fingers, her lips tight around his glans, and he bucked and squirted into her mouth, then remembering the last time she kept him there till he had softened fully. Only then did she roll off him.

  She lay on her back, eyes closed, fighting her mounting despair. She’d come into this determined to endure it without complaint or self-pity, the way Bel did, but her resolve was being ground down by their unceasing attentions. She just wanted it over. She daren’t even look at the clock, fearful of what it would say.

  ‘Come on, buddy,’ she heard Mundell say. ‘It’s your turn now.’

  ‘Me?’ Eran said.

  ‘Sure. Come and get on top of her.’

  ‘Okay.’

  She felt his bulk, and the next second all his weight was crushing her. Her eyes opened wide and she gasped, and tried to push him off.

  ‘Ease up,’ Mundell said. ‘Ease up, buddy. Don’t want to squash her flat, do we?’

  The weight lessened somewhat, and she could breath once more.

  ‘You’ll have to put him in,’ Mundell said to her, so she obediently reached down and took hold of his cock. It was limp, but once again it stiffened quickly in her grasp, so she steered it to her vagina and the instant the tip breached her Eran began pushing with his hips. Mundell stayed close, watching her face and Eran’s, muttering words of encouragement.

  ‘That’s the way, buddy. Feels good, huh?’

  Eran wasn’t long coming. He grunted as he drove hard into her, then let out a long groan. Once again his weight crushed her, and once again she struggled to push him away. Mundell helped, pulling the big man off her, but Eran caught hold of her as he spilled sideways so that they rolled over together in a tangle of arms and legs, coming to rest with Eran on his back and Jo facedown on top of him. His arms enveloped her, and he squeezed her tight.

  ‘You’re nice,’ he said, nuzzling his face into her neck. ‘I like you.’

  ‘You’re squashing her again,’ Mundell said, prising Eran’s arms away, freeing her from the bear-like hug. She rolled off him and lay on her side, feeling drained. She couldn’t do this. The thought of more sex was simply unbearable.

  ‘So who fucks her next?’ Kaz asked.

  Snake laughed nastily. ‘Hey, guys, I just had me this wild idea—’

  There was a bong over general com and all of them jumped.

  ‘Chow time,’ Mundell said.

  ‘What do we do with sweetpea?’ Kaz asked. ‘Lock her in or take her with us?’

  ‘Neither,’ Mundell said. ‘You three go. I’ll stay and keep an eye on her.’

  ‘Oh yeah? You planning a private party, maybe?’

  ‘Nothing like that. When you’re back I’ll go. And grab a shower while you’re out; this place stinks.’

  The three men pulled on trousers and boots and went out, then Mundell squatted beside Jo and laid a hand on her shoulder. ‘You tired?’ Jo nodded. ‘Guys will be gone awhile,’ he said. ‘You should maybe try to get some sleep.’

  He pointed to the bunk in the corner, the one that hadn’t been stripped, and she climbed stiffly to her feet and went over to it. She lay down facing the back bulkhead and he covered her with a blanket. She’d said she was tired, but she felt weary rather than sleepy. Her inner clock was still skewed and looked likely to stay that way, but it was good just to be able to close her eyes and relax, and know that no one would bother her for a while.

  Maybe twenty minutes or so later she heard someone come in. ‘How’s she doing?’

  Kaz’s voice. She lay still, eyes shut, hoping they would leave her in peace a while longer.

  ‘Keep it down,’ Mundell said quietly. ‘Kid had a busy night; let her sleep.’

  ‘My heart bleeds,’ Kaz said. ‘You heard the news about General Nielsen?’

  ‘What about him?’

  ‘You ain’t heard? We got the bastard. Shadow snagged him yesterday, not fifty light from here.’

  ‘You serious? How solid is this?’

  ‘Rock. I got it from Jaggs, who got it from Wimpy in com. Word is we’ll be home in time for Christmas.’

  ‘Yeah?’ Mundell said sourly. ‘They said that last year too, and we’re still here.’

  ‘Yeah… but with Nielsen in the bag maybe it’s true. Not that I want to go home, mind. Occupying force on some Reiver station is the place to be, right? Free booze, and women just for the taking. Speaking of which…’

  She heard footsteps, and then the blanket was drawn off her. She mumbled some nonsense and yawned; feigning waking up so they wouldn’t know she’d overheard their conversati
on.

  ‘Rise and shine, kid,’ Kaz said, as she rolled over and blinked at him.

  ‘I need to take a shower,’ she said.

  ‘Oh, sure thing,’ he said. ‘Maybe a massage too, huh? Hell, why not a manicure while you’re at it?’

  He took her hand and lifted her to her feet, clearly amused by what seemed to her a perfectly reasonable request. He stripped off, sat down on the footlocker Snake had used, and patted his knee. Jo looked at Mundell, who just shrugged. With a sigh she straddled Kaz’s legs, facing him, and eased herself down onto his waiting cock, and as he entered her he gave a grunt of satisfaction. She began to raise and lower herself, her hands resting on his shoulders, and as she found her rhythm the door opened and Snake came in.

  ‘Where’s Eran?’ Mundell asked.

  ‘Still feeding his face,’ Snake said.

  ‘Aw, shit,’ Mundell said. ‘What have I fucking told you guys about leaving him alone?’ He dressed quickly and headed for the door, and with a final warning that she wasn’t to be marked he left, leaving Jo alone with the worst two in the squad. Kaz winked at her, and slid his right hand down between their bellies. He began to stroke her clitoris with the ball of his thumb. He was patient and unhurried, and soon familiar feelings were stirring. She rode him faster, pushing down hard onto his lap, seeking distraction from the here-and-now.

  He watched her face as she rode him, a knowing smile on his lips. He had terrific eyes, grey and astonishingly clear. His thumb never paused in its endeavours, and against all odds she felt her climax starting to build. She hadn’t expected that, or wanted it – distraction was one thing but an orgasm was altogether different. In a way it would condone what was happening, and that wasn’t good. She tried to suppress it by reminding herself what lurked behind that great face, but it made no difference. The situation slid rapidly out of control and soon she was gasping, pushing down on him ever faster.

  ‘Oh man,’ Snake said, ‘look at her go! That’s one hot bitch, for sure. You want to get her down on the deck? Crying shame to let them other holes go to waste, right?’

  ‘You’ll just have to wait, pal,’ Kaz said, his eyes never leaving Jo’s. ‘Me and sweetpea are having us a moment here.’

  ‘Hey, she ain’t your private fucking property, you know.’

  Kaz ignored him, but just as she felt her climax approaching the movement of his hand slowed, then stopped altogether and she let out a sob of dismay.

  ‘Yeah,’ he said with a grin, ‘disappointing as hell when that happens, ain’t it?’

  She reached down, desperate for release, but his hand blocked hers and he refused to move it. There was a brief tussle but he was too strong for her. Her movements ceased and she sat on his lap, shivering, his cock unmoving inside her. ‘You bastard,’ she groaned.

  He laughed. ‘You don’t know the half of it, kid. Shoulda seen me on Midas-four. Remember that recon trooper we snagged, Snake? The one with the dragon tattoos on her tits?’

  Snake just glared at them, saying nothing, and Jo guessed he was still mad at his squadmate for refusing to share her.

  ‘Holed up in a burned out bunker for three days, we were,’ Kaz said, seemingly oblivious to the animosity flowing in his direction, ‘till the flyboys could clear a path and bring in the transports. Four of us and one Reiver squaddie, unhappy as hell that we snagged her. I tell you, we sure did make that girl squeal. Like you said, I’m a bastard. Put your hands behind your head.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘You heard me.’

  Cautiously she did so, and slowly, purposefully, he began to thumb her clitoris once more. His free hand slid around behind her and kneaded her buttocks. She was wary, wanting to trust him but convinced he was planning to trick her again, so she tried to deny him the opportunity by keeping still and holding herself in check – and for a while she was successful. Then, just when she thought she had mastered her feelings, he dipped his head to her left breast and sucked her nipple. Her insides melted and she felt an overwhelming desire to clutch him to her. She resisted the temptation, but the damage was done. Need surged in her and before she knew it she was bouncing on his lap, already past the point of no return. His lips released her nipple and his face turned up to hers, his thumb flicking rapidly.

  They came together, Kaz with a shuddering groan and Jo with a wail. As the aftershocks rippled through her she took his face in her hands and kissed him. He gave a startled gulp but recovered quickly, worming his tongue into her mouth, and he was a great kisser – another item on the growing list of things she hated him for.

  He held her in the aftermath, but their embrace was all too brief, for Snake was already tugging at her arm, and with a pat on her rump and an enigmatic smile Kaz yielded her up to him.

  ‘Kneel down,’ Snake ordered, she did so, and he stood before her, pulling on his cock till it was stiff. ‘Open.’ She opened her mouth and he fed his cock inside. She began to suck, he grabbed a handful of her hair in one hand and pinched her nose with the thumb and forefinger of his other, shutting off her air supply. ‘Open,’ he said. ‘Open.’

  She didn’t understand – her mouth was open. The only thing she could assume was that he wanted it wider still, so she complied, opening it as wide as it would go, but it struck her as counterproductive since she could no longer use her lips or her tongue effectively, but she soon discovered he had something very different in mind. He shoved his cock deeper, right into the back of her throat, and she gagged, her hands lifting instinctively to push him away.

  ‘Hands down, bitch.’ He released her nose just long enough to slap her face. It wasn’t brutally hard, but the unexpectedness of it shocked her.

  ‘Cut that out,’ Kaz warned. ‘You get us proscribed, I swear I’ll rip your fucking heart out.’

  ‘Shit,’ Snake said, ‘that was just a love tap.’ He slapped her again, as if by way of demonstration, then pinched her nose once more. ‘Come on, bitch,’ he said. ‘Open.’

  He proceeded to subject her to a thoroughly degrading fifteen minutes, pushing his cock into her throat and keeping it there while she gagged and retched, desperate to draw a breath. Respites were pitifully brief: he would pull back for a second or two only and Jo would suck in a few precious lungfuls of air, wheezing and gasping like an old woman, before that engorged monstrosity slid over her tongue once more to perpetuate her suffering, and her tribulations only ended when Mundell returned with Eran in tow.

  Jo’s reddened cheek told the whole story, she supposed, for the squad leader went mad, although if anything he seemed more angry at Kaz for allowing it than at Snake for doing it.

  ‘What the fuck was I supposed to do?’ Kaz protested. ‘The guy’s a rat, okay; but it’s why she’s here, right?’

  ‘She ain’t here to be slapped, shit-for-brains,’ Mundell snarled. ‘You think the sarge was kidding about checking her for bruises?’

  It marked a turning point in their treatment of Jo. Snake was sent off to fetch a wet towel, which Mundell made her hold against her cheek. He wouldn’t even consider allowing them to use her again, despite Snake’s whining protestations and Kaz’s obvious disgust, and as a result her final few hours with them were almost pleasant, as she lay on the bunk waiting for Sergeant Vaughan to collect her.

  Chapter 10

  Admiral Talmann’s gaunt face was impassive as he studied the naked, sobbing woman on the table before him. She was restrained at wrist, ankle and waist, and throughout that long first day of her interrogation she heaved and thrust against her bonds in a desperate, futile attempt to escape the pain. Talmann had watched her frantic thrashings with grim satisfaction. Though he had caused many women to suffer as Kepler was now suffering, she was the first member of Second Attack Group to fall into his hands. The first, crucially, who could name his son’s killer.

  But progress in that respect was slow. At the start she had denied that the in
cident in question even took place, and stuck to her guns for a good two hours despite the evidence of the tape, which she maintained, ludicrously, was a fake. But careful work with the pliers and escalating pain levels eventually paid dividends, forcing her to admit that it may have occurred, though she insisted she possessed no direct knowledge. Talmann had switched his attentions from her belly to her breasts, and an hour or so later she was again changing her story. Yes, she’d heard rumours that a crippled League fighter had been boosted into Zeta’s sun, but she didn’t know who was responsible. He didn’t believe a word of it.

  Kepler’s blubbering subsided, though he knew she was in pain still. He ran his hands over her, causing her to moan as he fingered her abused flesh. Her breasts and belly were covered in small, distinctive bruises where the sharp jaws of the pliers had bitten on tender flesh. Her nipples received his especial attention, and she writhed and wailed pitifully as he plucked at them now.

  ‘The name, Kepler,’ he hissed. ‘Give me the name.’

  She shook her head, refusing to betray a colleague, or perhaps she was still pretending she didn’t know. Misery, fear, despair – all were plain to see in her eyes; yet she continued to resist him. She was strong, certainly, but that was nothing new. Others before her had been equally tenacious, but none had been able to hold out indefinitely. All had succumbed, divulging everything they knew, just as this one would succumb. It would take time, but time wasn’t his enemy. He had waited two years for that name, and learned the art of patience in the process. Nothing could bring Leo back. All Talmann could do was avenge him, and in this time was his ally. Kepler’s suffering would last many days – weeks, if he could contrive it. Agony in payment for his son’s agony. And the admiral had a great deal of experience in this field.

  Soon she would give him a name, but it would not be the one he was seeking. Some squadmate killed in action or otherwise beyond his reach would be blamed for the atrocity. Kepler would hold out for as long as she was able, of course, to give credence to her capitulation, thinking to make her interrogator believe he had truly broken her spirit. Her predictability was laughable.