Page 6

Life For Hel

Hel had been called in to help Kasey with her work. She would assist with the drones to see if they were still working. It was too much fun to call work, especially when one of her squad mates would be working in the trash chute or water treatment. Yuck! It was hard to deny she was glad it wasn't her. She could get over it if she felt a little bit guilty about that. She would see the guys at supper. If she kept avoiding that, they would start asking questions. They would bother her until she answered with something. If they didn't believe her, they would just keep pestering her until they came up with what they thought was the truth.

“Let’s try this one out first.” Kasey pointed to one of the drones.

They all looked exactly alike, so once one was tested, they would move it to the other side of the room. It was odd that the same remote worked on all three. She had to put a number on the drone and put it into the remote so it would work. Hel used the remote to start the drone. Once the drone began, she had it lift off and move around the room. Next, she had it fly upside down and then roll around.

"Looks like it is working just fine. We'll wait until it's outside to test the weapons. Let's do the other two," Kasey directed.

“Sounds good.”

Hel tested the other two, and they also worked fine. She'd thought they would because they had been stored in a dry place where no one had bothered them. It hadn't made sense that she would be called in here—not yet anyway.

“How are things going with Flander?”

"Flander? Same as usual," Hel observed.

“I thought there was something between the two of you.”

“Why did you think that?”

“He always paid special attention to you. I suspected you were his mate. It’s such a surprise that I misinterpreted that. Flander has always been very protective of you. I'm sure you've noticed because everyone else has. I thought as soon as you turned eighteen, your relationship would change. Maybe I was wrong. It could also be that he's trying to give you a little time since you are so young.” Kasey explained.

“Nothing has changed, and I don't believe it ever will. You have taken on an overly romantic view since you mated.

“Perhaps, but I'm still not sure it isn't true.”

“Maybe you'll have more luck matchmaking, Lane," Hel declared.

“Don't be silly; that never works with boys. They usually move forward quickly as long as the girl is age appropriate.”

“So, you're saying that I have messed this up? Why Are you sure that we would make a good match?”

“It's always seemed obvious to us. I could see how he felt in his eyes and that it hurt him when you flirted like you didn't mean it," Kasey admitted.

“I never saw any sign of that.”

“You're young, and you weren't looking for it. You thought he was hot and wanted to have a little fun. I'm not sure what's changed, and maybe he's not sure either.”

“If that means I'm not sure what I want, maybe you're right. It's not like he's shown any interest or at least not anything that counts for much.” Hel said.

You guys will have time to figure things out after this assignment.

“From what I've seen, this assignment won't be done anytime soon.”

"I'm sure you've heard I made a deal with the emperor. They are going to protect and rebuild Purgatory. It will be one of the few protected planets allowed to self-govern," Kasey observed.

“Are you sure you can trust him?”

“What choice do we have? Right now, the planet is not a fit place to live. Our people are dying and need help.”

Maybe it was not what she wanted to hear, but it was the truth. They might be exchanging one enemy for another because this alliance would be hard to keep in check. The emperor was known for back sliding and looking for ways to get by with things. How could Kasey control that situation? Hel didn't think she could. Ashe knew they were trying to find peace, but right now, all she saw in population centers on the planet was chaos.

They finished testing the drones and went through some of the plans, and then Hel headed to her room. She changed clothes for supper and wanted to meet the rest of the squad at the cafeteria.

“We were beginning to wonder if you would show up," Timson observed.

“I heard you got a real easy job," Jaird said.

“Are you going to take a turn at the refuse chute?” Ronner asked.

Only Tanen stayed silent and said nothing. She ignored them and sat down and began to eat noticing that Flander was not there yet. Today, most warriors were eating burgers and fries. The meal was rumored to be an old earth dish, but she figured it wasn't served like this. These buns were small, and the burgers were huge. Those fries were fresh cut, and this meal was one of her favorites. She wasn't the only one and that was why they served it once a week.

“Don't you got nothing to say?” Jaird asked.

“Aren't you busy eating? I'm surprised that as much as you like to eat, you guys are busy talking," Hel observed.

“They were too busy being nosy," Flander said as he sat at the table.

“Just curious, Boss," Timson mentioned.

“It's not a warrior's place to be curious. We do the job without complaint and only worry about our assigned job," Flander instructed.

“That's bullshit, man," Ronner declared.

"No, that's part of being in the military," Flander admitted.

Obviously, he was waiting for everyone to leave so he could talk to her, so she waited, too. She was curious about what he wanted to say, especially in light of what her sister had just told her.

“I'd like to take you to supper tomorrow at the officer’s cafeteria," Flander explained.

If a person was going out on a date and had either the money or the rank, it was the only place available in this area. There were none other for entertainment or food.

“Okay." Why had she said that? Maybe it was because she'd been caught off guard that he had even asked.

“I'll pick you up at your room," Flander said. She assumed he meant at the usual time.

He hurried away, and she wondered if that was because he feared she would change her mind. Once she had given her word, she wouldn't go back on it. Maybe she was still curious about what he might have to say? Was it even possible that her sister was right and Flander wanted her in a permanent way? It was hard to imagine, but nothing was impossible, and she might find out more tomorrow night. She couldn't deny that she still found him the most handsome warrior she had ever seen. Throw in smart, capable, and a true leader, and the fact that he'd never reacted to her had really hurt.

Could she turn back the clock to a time she didn’t resent his lack of interest? Maybe because if she was honest, she still wanted him. She understood why he couldn't act on any interest before she was eighteen, but couldn't he explain that to her? All she had felt was rejected, and at sixteen, that was hard to handle. Hel decided to wait and see what happened. Maybe he would just tell her he wanted to be friends and hope she didn't expect anything. It was also possible he wanted just a quick roll in the hay, but she didn't think so. He'd always told them not to mess with other squad members. She always felt that talk came up because she had joined the squad, and before, she didn't think there were any other women in it. Not that it was unusual for male warriors to sleep together until they found their mates.

Another problem that came to mind was she had nothing pretty to wear. She'd ask her sister, but Kasey wanted to know everything, and she wasn't sure she wanted to tell her. Hel could go to the store onboard and find something that would work. It wasn't like she had ever spent any of the money she had been paid because there was no place worth spending it most of the time. Hel had to admit it would be exciting to dress up like a girl for a change.

Hel finished her makeup, did her hair, and put on the dress she found at the ship's market. It was sexy and a huge surprise because usually there was nothing like it in the market. Even though she didn't buy much there, she checked monthly to see if anything worthwhile would be there. Something like this dress never was. It was red, tight, and showed off her long legs and flat stomach, and dipped in the front to show off her full breasts. She hoped that it would knock Flander for a loop.

There was a knock at the door, so she opened it, and there he stood. She'd never seen him like that before. He was dressed in human clothing. His black jeans were tight as hell, and a silky black shirt unbuttoned at the top with only his boots, the type he usually wore. Her mouth watered. She just wanted to jump him. Hel didn't know why. She'd never been with a man before and didn't know what to do. She felt the heat between her legs. She was wet and knew he could smell it. Looking at his groin, she saw he was reacting too. Good! But she intended to make him work for it.

Hel was ready. Flander opened the door so she could exit, then closed it behind her. He followed her because she knew the way to the officer’s area. When she entered, everyone stared. She had to admit that it made her feel beautiful. She had never felt that way before. It was a feeling that she could get used to. Flander moved in front of her, leading her to a remote seating area in the corner. It would give them some privacy.

He ordered food for them. They brought her wine, whiskey for him, and an appetizer. It was something that hadn't happened to her since she was young. Her parents often took them out when they were younger, and money was available. Mom had always said she wanted them to understand things like that and not have to learn it when they went out on dates. They'd even attended concerts and other events when they were off world. Hel had to admit they'd had a great childhood until their planet had been attacked.

She worried about what her sister's children would face in this new world. Hel Understood why Kasey wanted to reclaim Purgatory even if she had to make a deal with the devil. Everyone knew that the current emperor was the devil. He was the most hated emperor of all time.

“What are you thinking about?” Flander asked.

“Nothing important.”

“Looks pretty important to me.”

“I'm thinking about the past and what's going to happen to the planet in the future," Hel admitted.

“Since the planet was your home, I guess it's hard to turn that off.”

“It is, and I worry about this deal to try to make the planet safe.”

“I don't know much about it. Maybe I'm not meant to know much. It seems that anything they can return your planet back to something like it would be worth it," Flander suggested.

Maybe he was right, but she couldn't help but think it wasn't that easy. They were inviting the devil in and trusting that he would do as he said. In all the stories, when had the devil ever kept his word?

“Maybe you're right, but this isn't the time. We're supposed to be relaxing and enjoying a nice meal. Speaking of which, what is the special tonight?” Hel asked.

“It's something called fettuccine Alfredo, served with chicken. It's an ancient earth dish that is said to be delicious.”

“It's funny how many things the empire has adopted from Earth."

“You know why?” Flander asked.

“No, I'm aware that there are some Earth genes in most families in the empire, but is that enough reason to adopt so many Earth recipes?

“Yes, because Earth has been part of the empire, and I believe it was in some way before it disappeared. Humans are completely compatible with Majuri.”

“I've heard it say they are a slightly weaker, smaller form of Majuri," Hel admitted.

“I've heard that said as well, but you forgot the part about Majuri living longer and being smarter.”

“Yes, I should have remembered that since I've heard it often enough.”

“You need to learn to laugh it off, or other warriors will give you more grief," Flander advised.

“I know, but they were like a pack of wolves if they sense the slightest weakness.”

It was true, and they made it very difficult for her to be a weak human. She managed to ignore them most of the time, though there were a few she considered bullies. Those weren't attractive under any circumstances or in any race. That just went to show that there were those who were unattractive in every race.

“It’s okay. Your squad supports you no matter what.”

Hel nodded. She knew that was true, and she supported them. A waiter approached with a cart, and their food was served. It smelled wonderful, and the waiter set their food in front of them. Hel gave her food some attention. She had to admit it was great.

“What made you decide on this dish?”

“Kasey recommended it. She thought you would enjoy it.”

Damn! Her sister always seemed to know every move she would make and who it was with. It would be nice for once to get something by her. That certainly wasn't going to happen tonight. She was sure Kasey would hunt her down soon and try to find out what had happened. Hel put it out of her mind and tried to concentrate on this wonderful experience. Flander looked so sexy sitting across from her. The food was good, the wine was sweet, and the background music played soft and low. She could have imagined this when she first met him had he shown any interest. It was impossible to deny that she still liked it.

As soon as they finished dessert, Flander suggested they leave, and he escorted her back to her room. “I'm not ready to leave you yet. Will you ask me in for a drink?”

She nodded, and he followed her into her quarters. Like most officers, Hel had a kitchenette. On the cabinet, there was a bottle of wine and a bottle of expensive whiskey.

“Where did you get this?” Flander pointed to the whiskey.

“Ranni got it for me after I babysat because I had to use my leave. I don't know why he thinks that I would like this. It's very expensive, but it burns going down.”

“Maybe he was thinking of guests.”

“That's possible, but Kasey saw it, and she bought me a bottle of perfume instead. How do you like it?” Hel asked.

“I like it very much, but I like the whiskey, too.”

She took the wine he had poured for her, took a sip, and set the glass down. “What is this all about?”

"It's about us and a happily ever after. This is about where we should have always been, but you were too young," Flander admitted.

“You never said anything then. It seemed like I annoyed you more than anything. Even when I turned eighteen, you didn't say anything. It's been two months since then. Now, you're going to open up to me?” Hel asked.

“You're so young, and I'm afraid it's too soon. There are so many things you haven't done, and I'm not sure you will thank me for being in your life now without allowing you to really live it. When I was your age, that was when things began to happen. I had choices to make, and the whole world was before me. At that age, most people aren't sure what they truly want. I don't want to make those choices if you're not ready.”

“But you've decided to do it anyway?”

“It's so hard to stay away from you. I want you in my life because I don't know what to do without you there. You are my one and only. If I lose you, there's no reason to go on. Do you know what you want out of life?” Flander asked.

“You’ve caught me off guard. I don’t know what to say.”

Flander put his glass down and moved toward her quickly. He pushed her up against the wall and pressed his body up against her. His mouth dropped to hers. He kissed her deeply. His tongue entered her mouth when she gasped. He moaned, and she thought that he was going to do more, but he pushed away.

“You need to think about things. I will give you some time. Just remember that I care about you and hope we can be together," Flander moved away and left her quarters.

Should she have answered him? Hel worried he believed she didn't want him now because that wasn't true. She wanted him to work at winning her since he had never done that before. He pushed her away when she was younger and now wanted her to return when he snapped his fingers. She wanted romance and sweetness. Hel wanted him to work for it and prove he really wanted her, even though it was something that a Majuri warrior rarely did.

Hel planned to be strong and hold firm because she had gone through a lot, and he needed to make up for that, didn't he? This was a good start, but she needed more. There was a voice inside her head saying just give in. Tell him what he wants to know and show him how much you want him, but she hasn’t listened to it yet. She got ready for bed, and in the morning, she would see how she felt. If he genuinely wanted her, he would do what she needed.

The next morning, she was up and at it as she dressed and headed to breakfast, where the squad would be waiting for her. It was funny that she couldn't remember how many facilities they had on the planet. She was sure she had been to all of them more than once, but some stood out more than others. Today, they would be going to the base in the hopes that they would see results, but she couldn't help but wonder if anyone would be coming back to base with them tomorrow since none had come yesterday.

She was the last one other than Flander to arrive at breakfast. Hel sat down with her tray and began to eat. It wasn't long before Flander showed up. She began to eat faster so she would be done when he was. It worked, and she was done when the squad was ready. She would need her energy today; she was sure of it. They loaded the shuttle and headed to the base. There was a lot of activity when they arrived. She went to check on the two trainees that were working in the kitchen.

“I could use a few more of these. They were doing a great job," Cook said.

Hel was glad to hear it. Since they seemed to be doing fine, she headed down to the office to review the records of the others there. It looked like she would end up in construction with the rest of the team because there wasn't anything else to do in the office. She could apply herself to the building that was being snapped together. That was more her style than getting down in the concrete and the dirt. Did that mean she was too much of a girl?

No, because when they went out into the field, she was down in the dirt, and she looked like shit. Hel didn't mind that because she was doing what she was good at. She'd never done construction, so she didn't know if she could do it. Learning while she was working with her team was not something that she enjoyed doing. Flander had not given her an assignment, so she decided to go where they were snapping the parts of one of the new buildings together. They seemed happy to see her, and she jumped in and got to work.

It wasn't as easy as it sounded. It didn't take long until Hel was covered with sweat. She felt gritty from the dirt that was nearby. The new building was coming along great. It wouldn't be long before the floor would be done, even though they had just started. These buildings were alright, but they didn't hold up like the old-style buildings. The places they snapped together often gave way in ten or twenty years. These were more like emergency buildings used because they were needed. Frequently, work was done on them to get them to hold up longer.

The building where the rest of her squad was working was also moving along but slower. The work was much more complex and physical, but the building would hold up much longer. It wasn't long before they took a break for lunch. She headed to the cafeteria, where the food was available. That was where she ran into her squad because they were sitting at a table eating.

“Where are you hiding out at?” Timson asked.

“I've been at the snapping building. It's coming along well.”

“Snapping? Is that what you call it. You ought to be working with us.” Timson observed. The others were eating and not taking a break to talk.

“We should divide the various tasks to help move them forward. This building will have offices, but it will also have places for people working on this planet to live. That's just as important.”

The guys paused to look up at her, making her nervous. Everyone returned to their meals, and she began to eat. Hel wondered where Flander was but didn’t ask. She didn't want to show too much interest. She didn't want the other guys to suspect anything. Once she finished eating, she hurried back to the building they were putting together. The rest of the squad had already left before she had. Putting together the prefab building wasn't as complicated as she thought it might be. It would make things easier for now. She could see where the guys were working on the old-fashioned apartment house that was being built. The guys were working hard, and the job was going slow. The difference was that once the apartment building was complete, it would last a long time.

She concentrated on her work. Suddenly, a siren blared, telling her that the day was done. Hel finished what she was doing and left the site. They now had two stories complete on this building that had just been started a couple days ago. That would help a great deal, and it would make a difference. Her squad met at the shuttle but had to wait for Flander. He showed up a little while later. He was working on something that the rest of the squad wasn't.

They got back to the ship quickly, and they all scattered. They would meet up again for supper soon. Hel showered, dressed, and headed back to the cafeteria because she was starving. Most of the squad was already there when she arrived, but it usually didn't take men as long to take a quick shower. Flander was the last to come, which was beginning to be the way things were.

“What's up with you lately, Boss?” Jaird asked.

“Nothing, just too much paperwork.”

“You'll be happy if you get promoted and get a secretary.”

“If I do.” Flander observed.

At that point, no one else had much to say because they were worried about getting their meal eaten. They were working hard and didn't have much time left after supper. Not that there was much entertainment available to spend time on. Most, if not all, of them, would go to their room and either watch whatever shows they had available on their computers or sit and drink to relax. At that point, they would go to bed and catch whatever sleep they could to prepare for the next day.

Today, they would head to the planet again. Hel wondered if they would have enough refugees to make it worthwhile and which facility they would visit. There were many of them, but this should be one that held worthwhile plans and items that could apply to war or security. Those were the items that were a priority because of the agreement with the emperor. Hel would do anything she could to help her sister keep that agreement and try to keep that emperor in line. She knew it would be hard for her sister to make this work. She thought her sister had given him enough items and plans to cover her side of the deal. He was a greedy douche bag who could never have enough to keep him satisfied.

As far as she could tell, no one liked him. He kept people in line through fear and greed. No one wanted to lose their position working for him because they paid well. Those who didn't work for him didn't want to lose their lives. Hel disliked him intensely as others did, but it didn't make any difference since she knew that. If he didn't die a natural death, eventually, it would be up to Ranni to take them out, and that's what the emperor was afraid of. That's why his heir was covering the most dangerous part of the empire instead of being protected. His forces were inadequate, making his people overworked. That was why they worked every day, but at least they got overtime.

That emperor said that money wasn't the problem. The problem was finding people willing to work in that area because it was dangerous. To the average person, that might make sense, but Hel knew that warriors were willing to come over and work that weren't allowed to come. Those who worked here got hazard pay, and many warriors wanted to make that extra money to get a home for their families. Hel had been around enough warriors; even some had tried to get on this ship but were denied. It was an open secret that the emperor wanted Ranni dead.

Breakfast was crazy today, and she wasn't sure why. Everyone was loud and rambunctious, but she accepted her table, where the squad was their usual self. She exchanged looks with her squad. They didn't seem to know the deal either.

"What's going on?" Tanen, the quiet one, asked.

“We’re getting a weekend off as a reward for our work. We’ll get paid and shipped home for four days. How cool is that?” The warrior asked.

It wasn't cool that they would be even more shorthanded now. Hel was sure there wouldn't be any extra sent to cover all the time that everyone would have off. Sure, they deserve some time off after working such long hours and not having time off, but extras should have been sent in to cover them. The fact that none of them would only put the others at higher risk. Hel hoped they would devise a way to cover the shortages. They had been trying to use some of the refugees to cover nonessential positions that didn't require the use of a weapon. That had helped, but now they would have more shortages.

“Sounds like more problems," Timson observed.

“Yeah, guys don't see that because they're so happy to have a visit home. Because of that, some of us will go home in a pine box.” Ronner offered.

“You're getting very human. We don't use pine boxes anymore; even humans don't," Timson said.

“It's just a saying, and to me, it's good. Not like all of you don't know what it means," Ronner admitted.