Page 7

Working Short

He'd seen something like this coming and had been working to prevent it. Flander had contacted everyone with the influence he knew, but they were all too scared. Cowards! None of them should be in a position of leadership, and yet they all were. Now, they were stuck with the results, and many warriors might die—all because of their worthless emperor. That cause would be taken up someday, but not now.

Hel's idea to fill nonessential positions with refugees had helped until this four-day leave program was canceled. Flander wondered if using some of them in essential positions was worth the risk. The problem was that sometimes, someone seemed trustworthy and let you down. How could you know? Trust could be full of pitfalls. This was one they might have to attempt because they were ridiculously shorthanded. Flander knew that any losses would be blamed on Ranni and used to discredit him. That was unacceptable. This was just one reason he hated politics.

The emperor was playing from a strong position. He was in control of just about everything and using it to return his eldest son. While it was true that he was doing other things to other people, he could multitask. Kasey and Hel would know which people were more trustworthy than others since they knew some of these people and had known them for years when they were younger. They needed some way to sort out the most likely safe and those that weren't safe.

After all the work he'd done trying to find someone that would help with the situation, he ended up being late for breakfast. Maybe late was an exaggeration because he got there in time to finish eating about the time that Hel had. Today, they would be going to the planet, and there was never a way to tell how that would work out. They all headed to the ship because they had been taking that every time in case they got large numbers of refugees. That was unlikely since none of the places they were going were in highly populated areas. The ship had its own pilot, and he was the one who would fly them down and out. That might be better because somebody was staying with the ship and ensuring it wasn't attacked.

The pilot could also have the engine running and be ready for a hot takeoff in case there was a large group of people, and some of them were hostile. They were headed toward the planet, another remote location, so the possibility of a large group of people was remote. When they landed, it was in a small cluster of what looked like houses. The one they headed toward was small and looked almost like a child's playhouse. Hel managed to get into it quickly, and they headed in. Inside, it still looked like a child's playhouse with slides and seesaws,

“What was this intended to be?” Flander asked.

“This was the child's play area because most people had children and brought them to work with them. The work areas are upstairs and downstairs. Everyone loved working in the building. When there was peace, it would become a workplace again.

“I don't see any signs of disrepair. It's holding up well.”

“It's built out of a special product that should last longer than any of us live," Hel admitted.

He could see that the company had been very family oriented. That made it easier for the employees and inspired loyalty that other companies did not have. Flander had heard that they had paid well and had a generous employee package that gave leave, medical and life insurance, and other things. They could do so because their products were high-tech and top-notch. Unfortunately, that was what had brought the Grabbers to the planet. Things might have turned out differently if they had robots and some of the other protective items. It made him wonder if the company got back on its feet, would they put out more items that would protect the planet? He felt Kasey would want to, but he wasn't sure if she had complete control of the company.

Just because they were making protective equipment made him feel like whoever was in charge would want those kinds of items. A few squads of robots might have made enough difference to discourage the grabbers because they did not like losses. A ship or two would have turned the battle in the planet's favor. Especially if they were outfitted with some of the weapons they had planned. Ironically, the things they attacked the planet for were unavailable to them. The lockdowns would cost them a great deal of artillery. They would also have had to destroy the buildings and what was in them.

It made Flander wonder why they had not tried to get the information about entering the buildings out of the father. Maybe that was a sign that he had died, so they could not get anything out of him. Kasey had admitted that their mother did not work with them and didn't have the code to enter any buildings. That explained why they didn't get anything out of her. She didn't know. This did make him wonder where she had worked and if she had any research in her lab that they would want.

Everything in this facility had been packed up, and he had no idea what they had retrieved. It was flashed up to the ship without an issue since it wasn't below ground. That had been almost too easy, and now they headed back out. The robot went first, and then Android followed them. A few people gathered, and they took them with them. Their ship dropped them all off on the second planet at the base. It was easy to settle these people since there was such a small group.

Hel would review the files and assign jobs to some of them. It depended on what they were able and willing to do. Some of them would be assigned work at the base, but if you, hopefully, they would go to the ship for duties there. First-year warriors were often assigned duties in medical, the greenhouse, laundry, and the kitchen. A dozen warriors or more could still be freed from those positions and put into those positions where they were needed. While it was true that there were reasons that first-year warriors weren't immediately put into fieldwork, it was done when it was necessary, and right now, it was.

They would be closely supervised by their leaders. Flander hoped that that would work because they needed warriors so badly. Refugees from previous trips still had to be listed by their abilities. These new ones wouldn't be enough to make a difference, although they might make a difference here, where many workers are needed. This latest situation just made him angry at the emperor, but there was little he could do about it. Eventually, there would be a time of reckoning, but that also wouldn't be his doing.

Everyone went where they were supposed to, and he went to his spare office and began to work. Flander was checking the list his mate made. It listed what some refugees could do and where they could be put. From the first list, he saw they had people for the kitchen on the ship, one at the base, and people for the greenhouse. Some even said they wouldn't mind working on the trash chute and other areas that didn't require skill. Those people needed to be sorted out and taken to the ship a few at a time to see how they could handle those positions. These people would help with the shortages immediately. Putting skilled people into security positions was a whole lot different. That required a measure of trust. At the moment, he didn't feel much confidence in anyone.

It was lunchtime, and he went to join the squad, noting that Hel was there. She looked so young, but she was sexy and drew him in. What he felt for her continued to grow stronger. Flander couldn't see that same possessiveness on her face. He'd thought he'd seen it the other night, but had he been wrong? Flander decided he needed to move forward in his relationship, or he could lose her. His mind was made up, and he would start once they got back on the ship. It was time to get over the fact that she was young and just remember that she was his. Everyone finished eating and spread to the wind, going to where their work was.

He continued to work with the names and got thirty people who could do various jobs on the ship. Hopefully, they would work out. While that would only be a small help, at least it would help. That was all he could do for now, and he gave the list of today's people to the secretary working nearby. She would notify the people on the list, and they would get to choose whether they came to the ship or not. If they decided not to, they would work down here, but the work did not pay as well as going to the ship did. Some of these people might be able to slide into security jobs.

It was time to return to the ship, and he met up with his squad. A shuttle was there because the ship had long since returned, and that was what they would ride back. Those who agreed to go to the ship to work would go there in the morning. Security on the ship would monitor them to ensure nobody was there to cause harm. It was a start, and they would see where they went from there. The emperor would be hard to thwart because he would just devise another way to take away some of the warriors here.

Flander found it hard to believe that he would do this when he had a deal with Kasey for her high-tech plans. Contracts were something that the Majuri had always followed through on. They were considered a race that kept their word, which would not help their reputation. It seemed he wanted to get rid of his son so badly that he was willing to do anything, even messing up a good reputation that the warrior race had for a long time. This was a bigger concern because it would affect everyone who worked in the field. They would all be at risk, and he wasn't sure what to do.

He made it to the shuttle, where everyone was waiting for him, and it didn't take long to make it to the ship. Everyone was waiting for him, and then they left immediately. They landed and had just enough time to clean up and change before supper. Flander planned to ask Hel to work in the office with him to get some of these potential workers sorted out. She understood what the problems would be and what they needed to be. The other guys were great warriors, but office work was beyond them. They could find enough people, especially if they stopped in a population center in the morning, where they might find more qualified people.

Flander made it to supper when several of the other squad members did. Hel wasn't there yet, and he worried she might not show. She did about the time he was halfway through his meal. He ate slowly so he could wait around for her. The other guys left one by one until it was just the two of them.

"I could use some help going through the lists of refugee names," Flander said.

“I can help you. What jobs are you looking to fill?”

“Honestly? I want to fill some of the low priority jobs, but I want someone that can move over into security after we are sure they are trustworthy.”

“I can help with that. This critical shortage will not be good for us. I'm not sure why the douchebag did this because this doesn't just affect Ranni. It affects the whole ship," Hel admitted.

“That's true, but he's a selfish bastard. I fear he's only going to get worse. Ranni has not attempted to challenge him or get his position, so I don't understand why he's doing this.”

“I think he has some kind of mental issue. It will only worsen, and we will all suffer for it.”

“Maybe that’s the case. We’ve never had an insane emperor in all our history.” Flander admitted.

“He may have been dropped as a child.”

“That’s not funny.”

"It's not meant to be. Babies, even Majuri ones, are sensitive to being dropped, shaken, and mistreated in other ways," Hel observed. "It's clear something is wrong with him."

“I can't deny that, but wouldn't it have shown up when he was young?”

“Maybe it did, and people wrote it off because they couldn't question him. He was the heir apparent and could do no wrong. That would make it hard to deal with those kinds of issues when they showed up and were brought to someone's attention who could do something about them.”

“There was a rumor that his father was about to name a different heir, but he died suddenly. Some think that he killed his father," Flander admitted.

“This whole thing is unfortunate. He had potential, and it may have been stolen from him by an abusive caretaker.”

“It was more than sad since the whole empire has suffered, and we will continue to suffer until he is gone."

"That won't be easy to do," Hel offered.

“It won’t happen anytime soon. That would require support that we don’t have. That’s what he is counting on.”

“Our work for now is done. It’s time for rest.”

"Is rest what you really want?" Flander asked, and his eyes glowed.

Majuri often showed strong feelings that way. Was rest what she really wanted? She wasn't sure. It was apparent that wasn't what Flander wanted. Hel needed to decide what she wanted from him. Could she sleep with him and walk away? Maybe that was something she wanted to find out. She could do it and then decide if that was all she wanted or wanted more. He seemed to realize she was having difficulty deciding what to do, and he was there next to her in a second. Flander pressed her up against the wall, and she could feel the heat from his body and the bulge between his legs. Heaven help her, and the desire seemed to take over. It was like it was just the two of them, and there was nothing else.

His kiss sent heat through her body, and she was wet between her legs. Flander’s fingers pinched her nipples, and she moaned. Yes, this felt so good. This was going to happen right here in the office. Maybe his desk was not the best place for her first time, but she was ready and willing. That's why she was confused and more than a little upset when he pulled away. Did he just not want her?

“Let me walk you to your room," Flander suggested.

She thought about refusing, but then she just nodded. Hel was too tired to try to figure him out. Did he prefer to do this in a bedroom, or was he just letting her down easy? He escorted her down the hallway to her room.

“Ask me in.”

“Come in if you want," Hel said.

He did and kicked the door closed. This time, he picked Hel up and carried her to her bed. After he laid her on it, he began to undress. Gods, he had the perfect body for a warrior. She could find no fault with it. Hel knew it felt good to touch, and she could see that it felt good to look at. The male was muscled like a warrior should be, with a narrow waist moving up to broad shoulders and arms that looked like they could lift a mountain. She'd always loved his lips. Now she knew how good they could feel. When he pulled off his pants, she was surprised at how large he was. Maybe she shouldn't have been since she had felt it pressed against her, and he had a massive package. It worried her because she was small and tight. That would be even worse this time since no one had ever been there.

“Aren't you going to get undressed?” Flander wondered.

Hel began to remove her clothing, but she was too slow for him, so he helped her. She felt the cool air hit her hot skin and got goosebumps. He kissed her, and then his mouth began to move down her neck and to her breasts. First one, then the other, as he slowly sucked them in until they were hard. His fingers feathered their way down her stomach to the point between her legs and slid into her slickened center. His tongue moved to her clit, which he began to circle. That felt amazing, and she just wanted more.

She began to lift towards him, and her hands sank into his hair so that he wouldn't quit what he was doing. This was amazing and made her wish she had done it sooner, except that she couldn't because he hadn't been available then. Hel stopped thinking and just tried to enjoy everything he did to her. Something inside was building, and she wanted it to continue. She sensed that she was about to reach the end of something, and she wanted it badly.

“Don't stop!” She moaned.

He didn't, and he continued what he was doing, but now he moved faster, and that was both his fingers that were moving in and out rapidly and his tongue that was circling her clit faster and faster. There was a pinch, but she ignored it, and the pain disappeared. Suddenly, she exploded, and the feeling was incredible. Hel cried out with pleasure, and her hips bucked. Her hands gripped him, and she was willing to let him go. Her breathing was faster, but it began to slow down. Flander slid up her body, and his enormous cock began to inch its way in.

It amazed her that it seemed to make its way inside her. She'd expected more pain, but apparently, he'd prepared her in the best possible way. There was little pain and a whole lot of pleasure. Flander began to move slowly, but she wanted more. She wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled up every time he pushed down, making them slam together. That felt amazing. He sped up, seeming to realize what she wanted. What amazed her was that it wasn't long before she began to feel that explosion building again.

That feeling was building, and she knew it wouldn't be long. Flander began to pound into her, and she felt his tongue lick her neck. It felt good, too, but it seemed out of place. The lick seemed to set off the explosion raced over her, and she felt a pinch on her neck. That set off another explosion, and it seemed to go on and on. Her mouth had a funny taste, and she realized she had bitten him too. Maybe biting was a thing that occurred during sex.

He fell, moved off her onto the side, and lay there as they both gasped for breath. That had just been a hell of an exercise session. As breathing became easier, she thought about things like that he hadn't worn protection. Maybe he didn't realize that she didn't have or take anything to prevent pregnancy. Perhaps once wouldn't matter, and they'd be fine. Hel had enjoyed what they'd just done and hoped they would do it again. She understood now how easy it was to fall into a relationship and be addicted to the sex.

Flander moved and curled around her, and they both fell asleep. She was so exhausted that she was still tired when she woke up. Her alarm hadn't gone off yet, but she felt it was time to get up. He was still with her, although she wasn't sure why because men usually left early. She wasn't sure what it all meant, but she would figure it out. Hel got up and went to the bathroom to shower and dress. Although she was tired, he was still in bed, but at least he was moving around, so she didn't have to worry about him. His eyes opened, and he looked at her.

“I'm sorry for not asking you. Okay, maybe I'm not sorry because I've wanted to be with you for so long," Flander observed.

“I'm not sure what you mean.”

“Do you know nothing about mating?”

“Not much because no one wanted to discuss it with me when I asked questions," Hel admitted.

“I mated you last night, and you're mine. That's just the way it is. It will not change unless one of us dies.”

Holy shit! Was that true? If it was, how did she feel about it? There was a time when she wanted his attention more than anything. The question was, did she still want that now? If she decided that she didn't, what would she do with Flander? She would have to work this out, and her room wasn't the place to do it. She left and figured that he would get ready and go alone. Hopefully, he would remember to lock her door, not that she had many valuables in her room.

Hel wondered what kind of life they might have together. Did he want children? Of course, he did because all Majuri warriors wanted children. But did she want children? She did. Unfortunately, they wouldn't have her sister's children to play with because they were too old. Lane was too young and wouldn't have children until hers were teenagers. He didn't even have a genuine interest in girls yet, though that might come soon. Her life was too crazy because she was a warrior, and there was no time for children yet.

Maybe she just needed to leave thoughts of a family alone and worry about what kind of couple they might make. After all, that was where everything started. Moving toward the cafeteria, Hel felt sore all over. It wasn't necessarily a bad sore because it reminded her of what they had done last night, which had been fabulous. As she entered the cafeteria, everyone looked at her, and she remembered that the warriors would be able to smell the mating. They would probably even know who she was mated to. Her face heated, and she knew she was perhaps a bright red.

All she could do was ignore it, and she filled her tray with extra food because she was especially hungry, and they would notice that, too. She wondered what ability she would pick up because her sister had picked up several after she had mated. Extra talent was never a bad thing. It made her wonder what extra talent Flander would pick up from her. Ranni had picked up some from her sister, Kasey. Hel wasn't sure what talent she had that Flander wasn't already better in. All the physical areas he could beat her in. The guy was already smart. So, what could he possibly gain from her?

Her squad looked up at her but said nothing. The surprise was that no one looked like they didn't know already. The surprise wasn't that they had mated but that Flander wanted to. It was something they had expected would happen eventually. Why hadn't she seen it? All she'd seen was disinterest in him. Was she so blind to the emotions that Flander felt? Apparently, that was the way things were. Everyone had seen it but her.

The guys were eating quickly, so she ate to replenish her energy. Today, they would be going to the new base and doing as much as they could. There were issues that they would need to deal with, and safety was the most important one. Safety bunkers were what they wanted to manufacture, and these would keep the people safe from all but the worst attacks. These would be put together, and families would get priority on using them.

Others would find what safety they could, and warriors were never safe under battle conditions. They would fight and die if necessary. She looked up and saw Flander had joined them. There was no place to sit but across from her. Hel tried to concentrate on her food but looked at him occasionally. What could she say? He was nice to look at. The other guys were finished eating. She was usually last, but today, she beat Flander.

Hel wondered how they would get so many buildings built. Refugees had flooded the base, and places to live were needed. They couldn't bring any more refugees there until most of those there were settled. That was the way that things were done. A bit of doubling or even tripling app was allowable, and they even had people camped out for a certain amount of time, but the chaos they had at the camp was unacceptable and could not be continued. All of them would dig in and work as hard as they could. Her job was often easier because she would find people among the refugees trained to do specific jobs, and they would put them to use.

This was something she was good at, and it would help. Flander finally finished eating, and they all headed to the shuttle with some available other people, or maybe he'd even volunteered. The planet wasn't far, and after landing, everyone left the shuttle and headed to their assigned place. She headed to an office and immediately reviewed the refugees' records. The skills and abilities that the last group had were amazing. She'd recognized a few names from Purgatory, and these were talented, capable people who could be put to better use working for Mercury.

That was impossible, but she'd discuss it with Kasey later. Meanwhile, she'd found cooks, builders, and a lady with experience supervising a cleaning crew. There was also an experienced maintenance boss. It was like hitting oil. This would help them both on the planet and on the ship. Hel was pleased with her work. It was lunch time, and she decided she needed her energy, so she went to the cafeteria. Her squad was there, but they finished their meal while she was just beginning. She felt like she was starving, and the food had a powerful scent. It was a good one, but more than she usually noticed.

Could it be that her sense of smell had improved, or was she just imagining it? Time would tell. Hel would keep a close eye on things. Her whole life would change now, but she didn't want to think about that now. Her squad finished their food, and they all left without a word. She didn't mind. What was there to say anyway? Hel could only hope the changes would come slowly.