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Chapter Fifteen

Mula Pesada

“D ieter, this is amazing.” Vic stood in chicken shit, with the stench of pigs and cows burning her nostrils.

The chickens had two legs they scampered on but six on their backs like the spines of a dinosaur.

The pigs were many and ravenous, whining when she neared.

There were two cows, large rectangular beasts with eight udders each.

The snorts, grunts, squawking echoed off the hull, sounding more like alien whales than farmstock.

“Yup, you have to feed them. The chickens get from this bag.” Along the wall was a row of bags, all beige.

Someone had painted a ‘CH’ on it, for which she was grateful.

“Spare feed is in the storeroom. The pigs get our kitchen scraps. About once every three months, we slaughter one. This is why we have so many. The cows you need to milk. Take turns, though. They get cranky if you milk them daily.”

“Farg. I’ve never milked a cow.”

He laughed. “It’s easy. I’ll show you in the morning.

If your chore is to tend the animals, you have to rise earlier than the crew, as well.

Might as well make breakfast while you’re at it since you would’ve gathered what eggs the chickens have laid.

” He waved his hand at the strange peephole houses to the rear of the chicken pen.

“Once you’ve done this and made breakfast, there’s the itaya to take care of. ”

More for her to do? “The what?”

“An alien parasite that lives off sol, so tend to breed close to the engines. They’re space-worthy, territorial, and will attack if provoked.

Spraying them with nitrous oxide is considered an act of aggression.

” He grinned as if he hadn’t shocked the shit out of her.

“Not to worry. You’ll be suited up, tethered, carrying the nitro gun and a blaster. You’ll do fine.”

She gulped. “Out there?” Pointing a finger, she indicated the outside of the ship, in space, no oxygen… No problem.

“Yup. The tether’s strong. I’ll show you, of course. I can’t send you out there not knowing what to look for. So once we’re out of the neutral zone around Lunar Base, we’ll suit up.”

“Sure,” but her voice quavered. “When do I get to see the engine room?”

“Off-limits to new employees for obvious reasons.”

“Farg.” Her shoulders slumped. “I used to repair solar plates when I worked my ma’s sol farm. I miss the smell of it, the steadfast presence of the machinery, their drones and twangs as if they offered comfort and companionship.”

He blinked at her as if she’d lost her mind. “You have maintenance experience?”

She bit the inside of her cheek lest she spewed nonsense again. One session with Drafe and her wits were scattered. “It’s been a while, but I am handy with a welding torch.”

He beamed. “Those are different with no oxygen, but I can do with your help. I’ll run it past the captain.

Might be able to split your time.” He loped to the door leading out the pens.

“Let’s get you a uniform.” He jog-walked along the passages, spinning to check she followed until they reached a locker room of sorts.

“Here’s the replacements. The first set is free, anything else comes out of your cut.” He thrust a shirt, cargo pants, a jacket, and boots at her. She couldn’t help but remember when Ande had done the same so many years ago.

Sighing, she placed the stack and unhooked her dress clasp.

“Wait.” Dieter gasped and spun on a heel, showing her his back. “I didn’t… You shouldn’t…” He chuckled. “That was unexpected.”

“Sorry.” She stripped off the dress and her boots. “Where I come from, nudity’s a non-issue.”

“Where is this place? Can I join?” His attempt at humor to disarm the tension in the air was appreciated.

“Trust me, you don’t want to experience or live through what I had to.

” The pants had numerous pockets, the shirt was a sleeveless T-shirt in white, and the jacket had a place for a white name tag, just like Leah’s.

The boots were too big, so she shuffled around Dieter to find a smaller pair.

Once those were on, she stomped to ensure they fit well, then tapped his shoulder.

He faced her, his cheeks glowing. “Tiny will add your name. Speaking of which, you need a full medical. It’s protocol. She can’t fix you unless she has a baseline understanding of your health.”

“Sure.” Vic grinned. At the Ring, they had medicals after each battle and at least once a week before that. Carne took great care to protect their assets.

Grabbing her dress and old boots, she hurried after Dieter.

He marched past the mess, the food storeroom, and a command center.

A quick peek in showed Grunt stuck in front of a massive console with an extensive holographic map of their solar system.

The sharp medical odors of the med bay made her grimace.

Twitching her nose, she hoped to ease the sting of sterilizing agents.

Tiny wasn’t tiny. No, she was a short, plump woman with purple hair. When she smiled at Vic, she appeared to be the sweetest person. “I thought Dieter would never bring you.”

“Had to see the chickens first.” Vic chuckled. “But we saved the best for last.”

“Wait outside, Deets.” Tiny rose from her chair to approach Vic, gliding her hand along the steel counter.

“I’ll check on lunch.” He ran his gaze over Vic, blushed, and bumped his shoulder as he scrambled out of the med bay.

Tiny giggled. “I see you’re making an impact…again.”

“Sorry about yesterday. I saw bullies scaring the shit out of a weakling.” Vic winced, getting tired of having to explain herself. Would she do it again? Farg, yes. Where was the weasel? She’d ask Dieter later.

“I can believe that. Nikko’s scowl is quite intimidating, or so I’m told.” Tiny pointed to the threadbare gown. “Please strip, and put that on.”

“Nudity doesn’t bother me.”

Tiny met Vic’s gaze, but the solid white of her eyes made Vic twitch. Was she blind? Stripping off her newly acquired uniform, she stood before Tiny.

“It may appear as if I’m intruding on your personal space, but I see through my hands. I apologize if they’re cold.” What followed was similar to a full body massage but without the relieving of tension and aching muscles.

Vic gritted her teeth, enduring the constant stimulation, especially after Drafe touched her.

“Mm, you are in prime condition. The implants are new and well done. I’ve never felt such a masterpiece of craftsmanship.” Tiny grinned and stepped back.

“How do you know about the implants?”

Tiny held up her hands, and embedded in her fingers were sensory chips, no doubt to enhance touch. “Cybernetics respond differently to flesh. Yours are almost imperceptible, along with the barest of scars. Your new limbs must have cost a fortune.”

Why would I need your tokens? Sebastian Carne’s knowing smirk flitted across her thoughts.

“Yes.” A grin formed. Injuring asshat Ramirez was a bonus.

“I’ve documented everything. You may dress.” Tiny paused as she sterilized her hands. “Be gentle with him. He’s a sweet man.”

Vic pulled on her pants and clipped the magnets in place. “Who?”

Tiny took a while to respond. “Dieter.”

Ah, now Vic understood. “I’m not interested in him.” She tugged on her shirt and snapped her boots on. “Does he know?”

“Know what?” Tiny didn’t look up, choosing instead to keep her gaze downcast.

Vic smiled. The poor girl pined. “That you like him?”

Tiny gasped and sliced a glance at the door. “No,” she whispered.

“Why not?”

Tiny dropped her chin to her chest as she straightened the tools in a metal tray.

Women were fools. Then again, Vic had done everything she could to survive. Avoided relationships with everyone but Ande, fought for her innocence, her freedom, and her life. “You’re beautiful as you are, Tiny. He would be a fool not to see that.”

She snorted, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Right, and now that you’re here—”

“Tell him I have someone.” Drafe’s obsidian chest, his pale-yellow eyes, his roar when he orgasmed, followed by his promise to find her… Yes, she had someone.

“You do?” Tiny’s white eyes widened with pure joy.

Vic smirked. “In a way.”

“Is that the man I smell on you?”

Vic laughed. “What does he smell like?”

“Sunlight, hot rocks, sheer masculinity?”

“Yes,” Vic rasped, wishing she’d had the time to bury her nose in the curve of his neck.

“I’ll send you the results of your bloodwork.” Tiny tapped a vial.

Their session was ending. Sadness dampened the lingering lust in Vic’s heart. She cast a glance at the door, as if beyond it lay a life of loneliness. Perhaps, if she took the first brave step toward friendship, a warmer world awaited her. “Mind if I visit you?”

“Sure.” Pink splashed Tiny’s cheeks.

“You’re the only one without a hidden agenda.” Vic drew in a deep breath, finding that step had been easier than she’d anticipated. “Here I can be myself.”

“You’re welcome anytime, Vic. I’m alone for the most part.”

Clasping Tiny’s hand for a quick squeeze, Vic hit the button on the door, opening it. “See you later?”

“Sure.” Tiny waved at Dieter hovering in the doorway. “Bye, Deets.”

As Vic and Dieter strolled to the airlock, Vic exaggerated a sigh.

Dieter’s gait faltered. “What’s the matter?”

“If I wasn’t already in love, I’d tap that.” She hitched a thumb at Tiny. His reaction would reveal much.

He jerked to a halt. “What? In love?”

Vic gritted her teeth. That’s all he took from what she said? “My heart belongs to another.” Well, it wasn’t a complete lie. “Is Tiny dating anyone?”

He frowned. “Not that I know of.”

Farg did she have her work cut out for her. In the airlock, he helped her climb into a spacesuit. As soon as she was in, he closed her up, touched a blue button on her shoulder, and similar to vacuum sealing, the suit hugged her like a second skin.

“Makes it easier to move, especially when you’re hauling ass away from vengeful itaya.”

Right. Survive the Ring, all its combatants, to be ravaged by space parasites?

Oh. She couldn’t wait. Helping Dieter into a suit, she earned a nose full of groin, chest, and armpit before she too zipped him shut and hit the button.

These suits were older than those Carne supplied, though the functionality remained the same.

But she didn’t have the heart to tell Dieter she’d done this before. Just not on the outside of ship.

“Tap your heels together to activate magnetization.” He balanced a helmet over her head and tapped the top until it was a snug fit. Her breath fogged the visor. He flipped it back with a chuckle while clipping the suit to the helmet.

She did the same for him, except the tapping. As tall as he was, she couldn’t reach. He had no problem doing it himself and clipping the suit to the helmet.

“Comes with practice.” He handed her a blaster and strapped one to his thigh.

She did the same. After flipping her visor down, he hit the airlock release.

As the door slid open, he unhooked two silver guns that had the look of bazookas of old.

“You can’t pick these up with gravity activated. They’re heavy.”

She wasn’t paying him that much attention, not with the vastness of space before her and the dwindling Lunar Base orbiting the moon. Behind that was Earth, happily spinning on its axis as if her life wasn’t in peril.

“Computer, extend tethers.” His voice filled her ears.

Something snapped onto Vic’s shoulders, but before she could spin to study his back, he pushed himself out the door. At the last minute, he caught the door’s edge and swung himself. He vanished from sight. Fear strangled her throat, and she thrust herself at the door.

“Hurry up, Vic. This is a time-waster of note, and I have pasta sauce on the boil.” His voice in her ears calmed her erratic heartbeat.

Moving in the cumbersome suit didn’t bother, not when anti-gravitational fighting had been part of Carne’s training.

In a tank, the chance of floating off was zero.

She shuddered. Would Dieter fetch her if her tether snapped?

She caught the edge and mimicked his maneuver, tapping her heels at the last minute. The thud-thud reverberated up her legs when the boots pinned her to the outside of the ship.

“The longest part of this is the walking.” He pointed with his nitro gun to the stern where plumes burned with bright light.

At each thud, she grew accustomed to the task of strolling with space around her, mostly by pretending it wasn’t there.

He recited his pasta recipe he hoped she’d like.

Yeah, there had to be something on the intra on how to cook old school.

Protein bars on a plate with hydro-gel in a glass was all her struggling brain could envision.

“Sometimes I have to suit up to repair a panel or exchange fuses some idiot engineer installed on the outside.” He paused and gestured to the lumps of mustard yellow clinging to the side of the ship.

She was so close to the engines, the sol heat dewed sweat on her brow, and the white plumes burned shapes into her retinae.

“How can you see?” She blinked to clear her tearing eyes.

He chuckled. “It’s always the little things I forget. Computer, activate the sunvisor for Vic.”

“Sunvisor activated.”

When her visor tinted, she sighed. Gazing out to space, there was a sense of peace amid the lethal beauty. She didn’t feel as alone as she thought she would, just as long as her boots stuck to the metal beneath her.

“Okay, on the count of three, hit the switch on the side and aim for the piles.” Laughing, he called out three and fired.

She joined him, blasting the yellow lumps. They popped off like hydro-gel caps. The momentum launched them into space, toward the Lunar Base.

“They’ll catch a ride on another ship.” He stepped to the side and aimed at the next pile.

One by one, they cleared the itaya. It was satisfying work. No creature was harmed, and her relief at that meant she might not be the one to slaughter a pig when the time came.