Page 19 of Solomon's Ransom

Sol was flushed and writhing, the red head of his cock leaking clear fluid onto his hand. He was a vision. Remma had never been much for humans before, and he still wasn’t; it was only Sol, capable and cagey, equally quick to laugh and to scowl, who had captured his attention. He would take up as much of Sol’s time as Sol would let him, and visit him every day to watch him get himself off, if that was what Sol wanted.

He hoped Sol would want other things. More. He hoped he could find lube on the ship. Surely there was something that would suffice.

“Remma,” Sol said unsteadily. He turned his face toward the wall, back arching. His hips pushed up into his hand. He was almost there, Remma could see, and in another minute he groaned and went still, pumping thin white semen over his knuckles.

Remma didn’t consciously decide. He just went to his knees on the floor beside the bed, leaned in, and licked Sol’s hand clean.

Sol’s free hand settled on Remma’s head, a light, benedictive touch. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to,” Remma mumbled, tongue still working. It didn’t taste like much. Tangy, salty. His lips tingled slightly, but he knew human emissions weren’t toxic to him, so he didn’t worry about it. The sensation wasn’t unpleasant. Anyway it was outweighed by the feeling of Sol’s fingers tracing along the lines of bone on his forehead.

“You could come again,” Sol said casually. “I wouldn’t mind a visit.”

“Am I forgiven, then?” Remma asked Sol’s knuckles.

“No. But you’re the only person on this ship who isn’t my enemy. As long as you’re able to come see me, I’d like you to.”

“Then I will,” Remma said. “Whenever I can.”

* * *

True to his word,Remma came every day, and that gave Sol something to look forward to aside from his twice-daily deliveries of only moderately appetizing food. Remma was better than food; he was someone to talk to, a living person to fill the tedious silence of Sol’s prison cell.

They fucked every time, and talked afterward, and then sometimes fucked again. Sol got the impression that Remma also didn’t have much to do, although surely he had more options for entertainment than Sol did. He never said much about his shipboard activities.

For the first few days, their conversation stayed light and inconsequential. Sol was still angry, and he didn’t want to bring up any touchy subjects that would cause an argument and lead Remma to stop his visits. After a while, he felt his anger fading. He believed that Remma hadn’t meant any harm, and that everything that had happened was mostly bad luck. Remma had been careless but not malicious. Sol wasn’t quite ready to forgive him, but he was ready to let go of the hot fury he’d felt at first.

So that meant it was time to take care of business.

“We need some kind of plan to get me out of here,” Sol said as the sweat dried on his skin.

Remma sighed as if Sol were being completely unreasonable. “Don’t we have a plan? We’re going to have Denna ransom you back to the colony.”

“You know there isn’t money for that. So what’s theactualplan?”

“Oh. Well.” Remma bit at the tip of one claw. “We could… try to steal a shuttle, I guess, once we’re near an inhabited system. But I’m not sure what to do about the guard.”

“Surely you can find a gun somewhere on this ship,” Sol said dryly.

“And then do what with it? I could probably figure out how to shoot it, but that isn’t saying much. The guards all know I can’t fight.”

“You could at leasttry,” Sol said, annoyed. Remma wasn’t usually so defeatist. “Fine, okay. I’ll keep thinking about it.”

“Sorry,” Remma said, and at least he had the grace to look ashamed. “I’ll keep thinking, too. I don’t want you to think I’m giving up. I promise we’ll get you out of here.”

“We’ll see,” Sol said, still annoyed.

Remma rolled over to look at him. “Do you even want me to keep visiting you? You don’t seem to like me very much. You like my dick, that’s all.”

“I’mmadat you! You got me kidnapped by pirates!”

“Even before that. You’re always—” Remma made a vague gesture. “Maybe it’s just how humans are. When we first got to know each other, I thought you enjoyed my company, but lately you seem indifferent. Except when I’m fucking you.”

Sol tried not to cringe. Guilt chewed at his breastbone. “That’s not true. I’m just—” What possible excuse could he give? He didn’t want Remma to know why he kept himself cold. “I’ve been worried about the winter, that’s all. That we won’t have enough money to make it through.”

Remma’s expression screamed of skepticism. “I didn’t know that was on your mind so much.”

“I’m always worried about the colony. I feel like it’s my responsibility since I’m Loden’s son.”