As she brought the
Star Fairy
in for a landing, Kora idly checked on her accounts. All of her bets had come in, but that was what happened when you always bet on a sure thing.
So, it was cheating a little when you could tap into an entire system’s network of communication, but male whores were expensive, so she always kept a hefty savings ready and waiting. She used her information skimming to place bets on treaties and corporate negotiations. No large amounts, nothing to get someone in a fuss over, but in the long run, it added up to quite a bit when she ran bets across nine different systems and collected on ninety-five percent of them.
She stared blindly into the displays that were feeding her information from the ship, the landing pad and the Guardian base. Special dispensation for her ship had been granted, and she settled on the platform, as light as a falling leaf.
Neuro was in another blue-grey uniform that made him seem like a repairman on her ship. He was sitting in the control room and watching her. “Will you come with me to meet the Guardians?”
“It is not necessary. I am content to remain here and do some long-distance shopping. I need to be close to my ship in case I get a call.” She smiled brightly and extended her hand. “It was nice meeting you.”
He took her hand and pulled her to him. His breath mingled with hers but that was the only move he made. They stood, body to body, their crossed hands the only barrier to more intimate contact between them.
He leaned down and whispered, “This has only begun, Gamble. I will see you later.”
She stared at him when he let go of her hand and left her alone. Her lips wanted a kiss; she wanted it badly, but she had to watch him go.
She walked back over to her command throne and dropped into it. Self-denial was not her strong suit. When they had fixed her body, two decades of appetites had woken and come roaring to the surface. Unable to deal with the constant hungers, she had followed her therapists’ advice and had just given in. It was true, that after two years of indulging herself, the cravings had eased off. Her body had ceased the constant clamouring, and she was able to concentrate on the transporter project. She had regained part of herself, and now, with Neuro, she was back to the constant ache again.
A ping got her attention. “Yes, this is Transporter Knox.”
Nitza chuckled. “Hello, Gamble. You have been given a new assignment.”
Kora perked up. “Where am I going?”
“You are now permanent transport for Neuro. He is being removed from undercover work now that you made a public spectacle of his extraction. Was that on purpose, by the way?”
Kora laughed. “Have you ever tried to extract a male Selna from a brothel? They had any number of trackers lining his fancy clothing, and if I didn’t have the sight I have, the collection agents would have been on our asses. By the way, I am filing a claim for the penalty I had to pay for removing him from the premises. He was incredibly expensive.”
Nitza snickered. “I imagine he would be. The information he provided has made nine different espionage teams perfectly giddy.”
“So, why is he getting a permanent transport?”
Nitza laughed. “He can’t drive. He can’t fly. His talent makes him complete crap at spatial recognition when it comes to navigating the stars.”
“Why do I think that it is a lie?”
“It is a half-truth. He can’t concentrate on his clients if he is finding his way to the next jump site. That will be your job.”
“How much does this job pay?”
“Standard plus speed bonuses. When the Guardians crack, they crack fast and you need to get Neuro there.”
“Will you still be my dispatcher?”
“I will. I am exclusive to the transporter program. Now that Gadget has her mate, and it looks like you are getting yours, it seems that specialization is inevitable.”
“I am not getting a mate.”
“Are you sure? Charm’s mate has sent an image in to the transport program now that she knows what the cyborg markings are. There is no getting around it. You are his mate. She isn’t wrong, or at least she hasn’t been wrong yet.”
Kora snorted. “If I ever meet her, I am going to give her a piece of my mind.”
“You are welcome to do it, but you have to know that you would have to get through Charm to do that, and he is very protective.”
Kora drummed her nails on the arm of her chair. “That is just peachy.”
“Don’t be like that. Neuro is a nice guy. I am sending you his files, all his files.” Nitza chortled.
Kora wasn’t sure what she meant until she saw the companion-training file. That one remained tightly closed.
“I think I am going to have to go for some more exercise.”
“Fair enough, but Neuro has been notified of the assignment, so don’t try to fool him.”
Kora snorted. “Would I try to do something like that?”
“No comment. Talk to you later, Gamble. Stay lucky.”
“Talk to you later.” She disconnected the call.
Groaning, she stomped to her room and slipped into her exercise gear. This was going to require sit-ups. Nothing else worked through her tension like sit-ups.
Two hours later, her body ached and was coated in sweat. She returned to her quarters, had a shower and pulled on another of her pretty blue, white and silver bodysuits.
A message was waiting on her com system, which was peculiar. Normally, the
Star Fairy
just put the messages through to her.
“Gamble, you are cordially invited to dinner in the Guardian compound. Please dress casually. Dinner is at eighteen hundred hours.”
Kora checked her chrono and winced. She had twenty minutes.
She flipped open her closet and frowned. Most of what she had was appropriate for a night in a brothel, not dinner with Guardians.
She found a deep blue dress in a toga style with a chain belt. After attaching a monitor gem to her shoulder, she paired the dress with matching sandals and checked herself in a mirror before heading out.
Her eyes were the same ice blue as her under-skin systems and the only bright bit of colour was her hair. In a fit of whimsy, she unravelled the last foot of braid and removed the weight that she wore and frequently used as a weapon. Her hair cascaded down from her braided coil and framed her upper torso. Kora smiled slightly. She thought it looked pretty.
With no time to waste, she shared her nervousness with the ship, and she opened all the doors and stairways for her. The dress fluttered around her as she breathed in the atmosphere, heading toward the Guardian Base.
There were cameras watching every moment of her movements, and she told the
Star Fairy
to share the feeds. There was no sense in dropping security for a dinner party.
The doors opened as she approached. It was a lovely building that had been repurposed. It seemed to have been an ancient castle at some point but now was fully lined with technology.
A Guardian came forward and greeted her. Commander Ranit was elegant in the extreme. “Welcome, Transport Specialist Knox. Or do you prefer, Gamble?”
“Either one will do, Commander Ranit.”
“Call me Jeeni; we aren’t formal on Keylan.”
“Then call me Kora”
“Kora, welcome to Keylan Guardian Base.”
Jeeni linked arms with her, and they walked down the hall.
“I have never before met a cyborg as attractive as you.”
Kora blushed. There was definite interest in that tone. “Thank you. The final product is a credit to my designers and my parents, of course.”
Jeeni pulled her snugly to her side. “Well, whomever the credit belongs to, your animated features manage to bring the entire package to life.”
“Thank you for the flattery, but your elegance far trumps my perkiness.” Kora politely but firmly removed herself from Jeeni’s grasp.
There was a flash of irritation in her features, but Jeeni inclined her head and surrendered for the moment.
The halls gave way to a dining room with a vaulted ceiling. Two men sat in low conversation, and on the other side of the table, Neuro was waiting. He got to his feet the moment that he saw her.
“Gamble, I am so glad you could make it.” He came around the table and took her in his arms.
Jeeni huffed. “She would like to go by Kora here, Neuro. Not everyone is as stuck up as you.”
He snorted lightly before kissing Kora in greeting. There was a deliberateness to it that told her he was staking his claim. When he lifted his head, his eyes were that same blue that had so fascinated her on the ship.
“Kora, this is Steerak and Leddaken. Guardians of Keylan.” He kept one arm around her, and she didn’t fight him.
Guardians were pledged to take care of their populations and the citizens of the Nyal Imperium. Kora was not any of those things. She was not even a living being by the standards of several worlds she visited. The level of flesh versus tech was in favour of tech. Her body had the same rights as a game console in the eyes of some Guardians.
Being thought to be Neuro’s lover was the only protection she would get, so it was a role she was willing to play.
As he held her seat out for her and she settled on the chair, the Guardians all looked at her with differing levels of hunger in their eyes.
Why did I think dinner with strangers would be a good idea?
The ship sent her calming signals of blue and lavender, her favourite colours. If she needed it, the
Star Fairy
would come to her aid. Oddly enough, knowing that a battle-ready shuttle was standing by gave her the courage to keep her seat.
She smiled and put her napkin in her lap, preparing for the barrage of questions. With the idea of the ship attacking the Guardian Base, she felt at ease about the coming evening. It was funny how life could be made better by the little things.
The bots that served them were efficient and silent. Kora kept her hands in her lap until her glass was filled. It was wine. She fought a grimace.
“Would it be plausible to get water?”
The three Guardians of Keylan scowled at her, and she sighed. “Never mind. The wine is fine.”
She lifted her glass with the others and let the liquid touch her lips. She didn’t let any inside her mouth. Tech didn’t mix well with alcohol.
Neuro put his glass aside. “I believe that I would prefer water as well. This vintage is not to my liking.”
The bots immediately brought out water for everyone at the table. Jeeni frowned, but she allowed the change to the table.
Kora sipped at the water while the other Guardians had wine, and Neuro joined her in her beverage choice. The bots brought out the meal, and the dinner guests ate slowly and in silence. Apparently, idle chitchat was not something to be engaged in during the meal.
Once the frozen dessert was served, Kora’s nerves were stretched to the breaking point. When someone finally spoke, Kora jumped.
“Well, Kora, how did you come by such excellent markings?” Steerak broke the silence.
She smiled slightly and placed her hands in her lap once again. “It is the design used to reinforce my facial structure to reduce fracturing and maintain cohesion.”
He blinked. “Oh. It is lovely.”
She inclined her head. “Thank you.”
Leddaken took up the conversational gambit. “I have never met a cyborg before.”
“Ah. Well, there are more of us than you would imagine, though few are as extensively altered as I am.”
Under the table, Neuro took her hand.
Leddaken didn’t give up. “Are many of your people altered in such a way?”
“No. Only four others that I know of. We are all part of the transport project for the Guardians.” She squeezed Neuro’s hand.
Jeeni asked her a question. “Oh, do you travel much?”
Kora kept her tone polite. “Yes, nearly constantly. Neuro, how long are you going to spend here on Keylan?”
He squeezed her hand. “Two more days should see the end to my duties here.”
Jeeni blinked. “What have you seen?”
Kora smiled slowly. “It’s classified.”
The table at large paused, and then, slow laughter began in the Guardians. It was the icebreaker that was needed, and soon, Kora was no longer the focus of attention.
A few hours later, standing and chatting with Steerak about navigation, she took note of the dim sky. It was dark out. Time to head back to the
Star Fairy
.
She excused herself and spoke to Jeeni. “Thank you for a most entertaining evening, but I must get back to my ship. She gets lonely in the dark on strange worlds.”
It would have been funnier if it weren’t true.
“I was hoping you would stay the night. We have guest quarters.”
“No, I am sorry, but the
Fairy
does need me. I did not tell her I would be away all night.”
Jeeni laughed, a light, lilting laugh that suited her doe-soft skin and deep brown eyes. “Your ship is female?”
“Of course. Most ships are. And she is very young. Too young to be left alone for long.” Kora bowed.
Jeeni pouted. “I wanted to ask you more questions.”
She inclined her head. “Come to my ship tomorrow and I will answer what I can. For tonight, I really am done.”
Jeeni sighed. “Then, you are free to go. Good rest to you, Kora. I will contact you in the morning for a tour of your ship.”
Kora inclined her head and made her good evenings to Steerak and Leddaken. She was turning toward Neuro when he wrapped his arm around her waist. “Shall we, Gamble?”
She kept herself from making a face as she inclined her head. “By all means, Neuro.”
They walked together out of the base and into the humid evening air.
“That was very sneaky, Neuro.” She said it low and with the laugh of one lover to another.
“They are rather set in their ways, I am afraid. They are not on the rotational roster for a reason.” He whispered in the same low tone, moving his hand over the curve of her hip.
They didn’t say another word, merely walked slowly back to the
Star Fairy
. The moment they were inside and the hatch was closed, she put her hand over Neuro’s and pried it off. “And that concludes the fake intimacy for the evening.”
He caught and held her hand. “What about real intimacy? I will abide by whatever rules you want to lay out.”
She paused and turned to him. “You really mean that, don’t you?”
He tilted his head slightly and smiled. “Of course I do. We cannot move forward unless we take a step. This would be a step.”
She shivered at the intense look in his eyes. “That it would.”
“Well?”
“Any rules I lay out?”
He grinned. “Anything you wish.”
She nodded. “You might regret that. Come with me.”
A plan was taking place in her mind, and he wasn’t going to like it. It would put all the pieces clearly on her side of the board.
He followed her up to her quarters, and she sighed as the door closed. “Well. Since my issues are with trust, you are going to have to trust me.”
She went to her weapons locker and removed two restraint cuffs.
“You keep weapons in your quarters?”
“I keep them throughout the ship. You never know when you are going to need them.”
He shrugged. There was no arguing with her logic.
She hummed softly and went to her toy chest.
He looked over her shoulder curiously. “You have quite the collection.”
“I have hormonal fluctuations, and I like to take care of them myself.” She flipped through one of the organizers and found the mask. “There we go.”
For the final segment of her plan, she went to her desk and got out a pair of dice and a flat tray. “All right. I am going to keep this fair. For every demand I make, we will roll for it. High roller makes the final choice and a tie will result in a re-roll or change of the request.”
He blinked. “That is surprisingly fair. I thought you would have a list of requests similar to your orders at the brothel.”
She snorted. “Not if I have to look you in the eye tomorrow. This game is my first act of trust. Are you willing?”
“May I make some requests?”
“Of course. One for me, one for you. This will start us even. Now, did you want to get anything else?” The equality had taken shape when she had seen the placid sincerity in his eyes. He wanted her, but he was willing to play by her rules. That one thing made her willing to bend those rules.
“This is a fair start. May I stipulate that we will both play without clothing?”
“Now?”
He shrugged and parted his suit. “It will be easier if we can finish our game and make contact at that point.”
She shivered. “Good point.”
She unclasped the gown and removed the recorder. The
Star Fairy
was going to get an eyeful as it was without a weird camera angle.
She removed her sandals and peeled out of the gown simply by slipping her arm out of the top and pushing it into a slide off her hips.
Naked, she took a seat at the table she used for eating her meals in private and delicately crossed her legs. The cuffs and mask sat next to the dice on the table.
Neuro got out of his suit with grace and efficiency. Naked, he folded his suit and draped it over the other chair. “Where shall we begin our game?”
“The bed would be fine. I will bring the dice if you bring the cuffs and mask.”
The arch of his erection jerked hard when she finished speaking and a distinct wave of heat crept through her skin. She took the tray with the dice and sat on the bed.
He grinned. “I feel like I am an adolescent again.”
“Well, that is about the level of my emotional development, so we are even.” She snorted. He may feel like an adolescent, but his body was definitely fully developed.
She blinked and straightened. “Well, I suppose we should start with the basics. The mask. High roller determines who wears it.”
He grinned. “Ladies first.”
She lifted the dice and rolled. Three. “Damnit!”
He smirked and rolled. Eleven. “You will be wearing the mask.”
She muttered, “This seemed a lot more reasonable in my mind. Your turn.”
He lifted the dice. “If I get high roll, you will wear your hair down.”
They clattered across the tray. Six.
She lifted the dice and rolled. Five.
Sighing she reached up and continued the unravelling of her braid. “You win. This is the most unlucky I have ever been.”
He looked at the dice suspiciously. “I thought you had better luck than this. Ah well, perhaps it is being transferred to me.”
She shrugged and worked until her hair was down and around her in a wavy cloak.
Neuro took a handful and stroked it with his thumb. “So soft.”
“So I have been told. Now the cuffs.” Seven.
He rolled. Seven.
“Tie. Well, we can either re-roll or change the terms.” She frowned and fiddled with her hair.
“Re-roll.”
Nine. She sighed in relief.
Ten.
“Damnit!”
“It appears that you will be wearing the cuffs. Now, face up or face down.”
She blinked. She had forgotten that face down was an option, not that it was necessary with the blindfold on. Her heart stuttered in panic.
She rolled. Twelve. “Oh, thank the stars.”
He rolled. Two. “Ladies choice.”
“Face up.”
He inclined his head. “I believe that those are enough choices for me. Would you like a panic word?”
“Oh, if I panic, you will know it, but how about
celestial
as a safe word?” The ship was happy that she was using its private name for something that would keep Kora safe.
“Celestial it is. If I do anything that makes you uncomfortable, I will stop.” His gaze was sincere.
“Then, I will trust you. I suppose it has to start somewhere.” Her hands trembled a little, but she gripped the cuffs and snapped them onto her wrists. “
Star Fairy
restraint bars, please, measured for my arm span.”
The bars slid out of her headboard.
“Built-ins? Very nice.” He approved. His voice was getting lower and more guttural by the moment.
“Thank you.” She fastened her right wrist to the bar and extended her left to the other where he quickly snapped it shut. He tugged her hair carefully out from under her and draped it over her right shoulder.
When her hair was settled, he moved the mask over her face and settled it into place. The world went dark, and she waited a whole three seconds before she used her link to the ship to spy on him.
Trust was trust, but she wasn’t stupid.