Orion Company
By Mr. J.
Chapter IV: Buyer’s Remorse
Anna scrubs the germs off her body as she stands in the shower, sticky sweat rolling off her arms and legs as her mind drifts back to the nightmare she had just a few minutes before. She could swear she was back at the farmhouse roughhousing with Dana, the dream was so vivid. The sight of cornstalks stretching six feet high, the earthy aroma of the ground after a nights rain... Then there is the demolished house, and the smell of gunpowder. Dana’s shimmering form as she disappeared, forever.
Anna wills herself not to close her eyes. She cannot help but think about her mother and sister on mornings like this, just like the previous mornings before. Her only solace is that her crewmates cannot hear her screams. Does Vanessa know? Would she care?
What happened to her mother and sister? Are they dead? Breeders? Concubines of some kind? And why did the aliens choose them? The questions keep swirling around her head like a massive storm. She doubts she’ll get the answers in her lifetime.
Sometimes Anna wishes it’d been she that was taken instead. She’d like to imagine she would’ve been able to put her feelings aside long enough to say goodbye. Then there are other, darker memories as well. The feeling of jealousy as she watched her sister make out with the monster, one hand creeping towards the creature’s shaft. The moist panties, the weakness in the knees, the anger at not being chosen.
Furtive hands explore Anna’s body as she cranes her head, imagining herself transported to a different place...
A voice pierces her racing thoughts.
“Anna? Are you okay?” Vanessa pounds on the door.
“I’m fine.” Anna calls out. “I’ll be right out.”
She stares at the tangled weave of hair in the mirror and climbs into her khakis, wishing she’d spent more time getting ready than taking the mental detour. With a resigned sigh she washes her hands and parts her blonde locks just so, meeting Vanessa on the other side. The guest steals a glance at the space age undershirt accenting her host’s petite breasts, wondering if it the standard dress code or Anna’s personal taste.
“Is there a problem?” Anna asks brusquely.
“No. I heard you in the shower. Is thera problem?”
“Uh...it’s nothing.” Anna quickly changes the subject. “I fell on my butt, that’s all. So did you get any sleep last night?”
“Alright, if you don’t mind sleeping on the floor.”
The watch on Anna’s hand chimes loudly.
“What’s that sound?”
“0500.” Anna explains. “They should be getting up any minute now.”
“Any minute now?”
“For chow.” Anna explains. “Breakfast always starts at 0500. Follow me.”
“Where are we going?”
“You just have to trust me.”
Moments later the duo arrives at what appears to be a small mess kitchen. Actually, calling it a mess would be generous. A small stove rests in the corner while a glowing orb sits nearby, pulsing with shades of brown and red. The beep-beep-beep of a rectangular square reverberates softly in the background.
“What’s that?” Vanessa points.
“Toaster. We got it from some Trellian merchants we did business with. Believe it or not that glowing orb is the coffeemaker. How it works, I have no idea.”
Anna spies a figure in the darkness and reaches for a knife, only to be shooed away by an upraised hand.
“Just me, squirt.” A feminine voice chuckles.
She glances up at Caitlin, looking half dressed in her tank top and l.
“I see you’ve brought a guest this morning.” Caitlin grins.
“What the fuck?” Anna puts her hands on her hips. “Have you no decency?”
“Rules are made to be broken, squirt.” Caitlin pops a pill into her mouth. “As long as this ship stays at room temperature I don’t see a problem with it. Besides, I’m tired of wearing the same damn thing everyday like I’m going to work.”
“Well you might not have a problem with it, but the captain will. I’d suggest you go change into something more suitable before she wakes up.”
“Look at you, little Ms. High and Mighty. Didn’t know the captain appointed you hall monitor. Have you told your friend yet about your collection of...”
Anna clears her throat.
“Dolls. Antique Terran dolls.”
Caitlin laughs.
“That’s what you’re calling them now. While we’re talking, at least have the good decency to introduce the two of us.”
“Vanessa, this is Caitlin, our science officer-cum-engineer. Caitlin, this is Vanessa. The girl you wanted to throw out the airlock.”
Vanessa looks on confusedly.
Nikki straggles in moments later, yawning, followed by Captain Lee. The circle under their eyes does not speak well of the night before. Nikki stumbles toward the circular table and pulls up a chair, grumbling something about coffee.
“Did you know this girl has a name?” Caitlin glances at Nikki.
Nikki rubs her eyes.
“What was that sound last night?” She mumbles. “It Sounded like cats making love.”
“Probably just the vents groaning.” Anna attempts to throw her off-guard.
“Who is this?” Vanessa interrupts the redhead.
“Sorry.” Anna interrupts. “This is Nikki Henderson, ex-Confederate Space Force, and weapons expert extraordinaire. She’s the one responsible for the maintaining the shield and cannons. And this is Captain...”
“Lee. You can call me Lianna.”
“Li..a...nna.” Vanessa shakes the captain’s hand. “So what are you guys? Former military? Police?”
“Not all of us.” The captain explains. “Anna’s a civilian with a genius IQ. Her knowledge of xenobiology and culture are indispensible. She attended one of the outerworld universities a few years before dropping out to pursue other things. We keep trying to get her to go back, but I don’t think the life of a professional student is in her.”
“So what do you do exactly?”
“We’re...troubleshooters.” Captain Lee chooses her words carefully. “If you need to run guns or have a VIP who needs protection, we’re the go-to guys, and for a fee, we can make certain problems disappear...or reappear. Our database is the most secure outside of the military and we’d like to keep it that way. Naturally, we find our customers prefer the utmost discretion—you could imagine the problems it’d cause if word got out that we even existed.”
“So you’re mercenaries, then?” Vanessa takes a swig of coffee.
“The term people use nowadays is independent contractor, but yes. Until the quadrant becomes less dangerous there will always be a need for people like us. We like to think of ourselves as providing a much needed service in a violent world.”
Vanessa takes it all in over coffee and toast. At least Anna’s friends aren’t pirates. But piracy is in the eye of the beholder. She supposes they’re not that bad. At least they aren’t slavers. But one person’s pirate is another one’s privateer. The line is so murky...where is the line? Is there one anyway?
The rest of the morning procedes uneventfully as Vanessa excuses herself to wander back toward’s Anna’s quarters. The latter manages to get caught up on the past two day’s work, getting up to speed on the latest developments in the quadrant. A pile of briefs flow through the vidscreen as she compiles them for her boss, sneaking a chapter of two of novel reading in her free time. Red letter days like these rarely come often—and she intends to savor every minute.
Nikki breezes through her work just as well, as do the rest of the crew. The crew always seems to be in simpatico at moments like these, but they could just as easily be symbiotic creatures. The well-oiled machine of nonverbal communication and chemistry is what makes the Orion efficient even with its many handicaps—without that gel, they’d be a glorified sorority of girls blazing throughout the galaxy in search of whatever.
A low moan interrupts the calm.
“Did you hear that?” The captain asks.
“It sounds like it came from Anna’s room,” Nikki glances in the direction of the noise. “Anna, do you mind checking up on your friend? She could be sick.”
Anna reluctantly trudges back towards her room. The sound grows louder as she reaches her quarters, vibratng off the walls. Anna’s heart palpitates. Is Vanessa hurt? What if she’s been infected? Could it spread to the others? Could Caitlin be right—is Vanessa putting the rest of them in danger?
Anna feels sheepish just considering the possibility.
“Vanessa...” Her lip trembles. “Don’t move, I’ll be right there!”
Her eyes bulge as Vanessa writhes, pleasuring herself with Anna’s lime green fuckstick. Anna gazes at the open drawer in the corner of her eye, looking suspiciously empty. Jade and copper dildos laid bare on the floor for all to see. She never told her crewmates about her secret stash. But it’s the green, elastic member that catches Anna’s attention—her favorite.
She seethes with rage. Could Caitlin have let the cat out of the bag? Regardless, the outcome wouldn’t be good if the captain found out. This will certainly earn a flogging, for sure...
Anna blushes and turns her head, wondering what to tell the captain when she finds out..if she finds out.
“Annaaaa.” Vanessa hisses. “You’ve finally come.”
“Vanessa, what’s going on? Are you okay?”
“I’m fiiinnne.” Vanessa’s eyes linger in the darkness. “It issss yoouuu who are siiick...”
“What are you talking about?”
“The voiiicees have spoookeen.” Vanessa continues to guide the dildo into her. “And they want youuu to atone for your sinssss.”
“Sins?” Anna blinks.
The hissing voice sounds nothing like the sweet, cheery woman she was talking to earlier in the morning. Anna wonders if it is an hallucination brought on by the fever or some psychotic episode the ship’s crew were unaware of. Whatever Vanessa’s malady the circumstances behind it—and the reference to Anna’s sister—it’s more than a little odd. There’s something more going on than a little hypersexual psychosis. Maybe Caitlin has a point about keeping Vanessa on board—she is sick after all.
Anna immediately feels a pang of regret.
Vanessa’s iridescent irises pulse with a yellow glow. They actually look like slits—not unlike a reptile’s. Memories of Dana’s disappearance flash in Anna’s mind. Her stomach tightens. If this is some form of a practical joke, it is a sick one. Caitlin must have put Vanessa up to this—it wouldn’t be the first time she’s had fun at Anna’s expense.
“Whoever put you up to this, it’s not funny.” Anna’s voice quivers. “Put your clothes back on before I call Nikki to haul you out.”
“’Tiss no jokke,” Vanessa’s eyes blaze. “the voicesss spoke to me in the showeer this morrnniing. They want you to payyy your bride price for what your fathers and forefathers have done. Your sissster’s debt is already paid, and noww it is youur tuuurn.”
“Debt? What debt? Who are these creatures? What do they sound like?”
“Theyyy calll themselllves Vanggg...anciiient warriors from farr away. Theeyy sayy your fatheerr and youurr fatheerr’s fatheerr transgressed miightilly against them long ago. Theyy’ve been seeking justice ever since...butt youu can breeak the cycle.”
Anna does a double take. Vang? Where has she heard that name before?
“Whatever’s going on.” She steps into the light. “We can help.”
Vanessa removes the phallis and offers it to Anna, who stares at her roommate’s gleaming juices dripping towards the floor. This is not what Anna had in mind when she decided to rescue the young woman from the ghost ship days earlier. Now there is no question that Vanessa truly off. The buyer’s remorse only intensifies as she looks on in shock. “Kneeell and givve offerrings.” Vanessa presses the vibrator to her roommate’s lips.
All she gets in return is a high-pitched scream as Nikki and Caitlin rush in moments later.