The freighter ignited hull thrusters as it passed through the transparent barrier of Nifan’s stealth ship. A gentle thump brought it to a rest inside the service bay. A flurry of activity surrounded the ship as Boobyborks, Durflocks, and several other curious races prepped for something important. Or at least, something that required a lot of fussing about.
Perra shifted her lips as she studied the bay through the viewport. She eyed a purple-suited humanoid as it scurried around the ship with an armful of hoses. “Hmm,” she said, breaking a nervous silence.
Without a word, Henry unlatched his bulky frame and squeezed down the narrow passage to prep Lord Essien for delivery. Ross leapt down from Max’s lap and followed the brute. Max, having held back a burning need to pee, sprung to her feet and disappeared into the guest cabin. Zoey and Perra powered down the vessel and unbuckled themselves from the pilot seats. Perra glanced down the passage, then turned a wary gaze to Zoey.
“Given that we fulfilled our end of the agreement, what do you think are the chances that Nifan will let us go on our merry way?”
“Depends. Nifan is many things, but a ransomer she is not.”
“Depends on what?”
“Our value. She views us as a commodity, not a threat. Even if we report all of this, nothing will come of it. Hell, I bet the Council of Loken would laugh in our faces. She is already wanted pretty much everywhere. Adding a twig to the log pile won’t matter in the slightest.”
“So she just keeps us as errand bitches?”
“Possibly, but I doubt it. Remember that we are prized couriers of the PCDS. Nifan traffics intel and they’re a large supplier. Ruffling the feathers of bureaucratic governments is one thing, but pissing off a powerful conglomerate would be straight up stupid.”
“Quite right,” the disembodied voice of Nifan said from behind.
They whipped startled gazes to an empty passage.
Moments later, the hologram image of Nifan assembled inside the cockpit, clad in her silken robes. A matching scarf around her head and neck accented her cobalt eyes. “Hello, ladies.”
Perra gawked at the image. “Holographic projection and incorporeal presence? I could start religions with that level of technology.”
Nifan smirked. “You did well, my lovelies. And Zoey is right. Once Lord Essien is in my custody, you may consider our arrangement fulfilled.”
“Arrangement?” Zoey said with a mocking tone. “That’s a polite way of saying ‘forced undertaking under the threat of death.’”
Perra eyed Zoey with a silent helping or hurting, dear?
Nifan narrowed her eyes. “Do not mistake my amenity for gratitude. Your little escapade at Hollow Hold placed you in my debt. You are repaying that debt, be it forced or voluntary. Call it what you wish, but that is how it works out here in the abyss.”
Zoey softened her disdain.
“And so, if you are finished waving your dick around, follow me.” Nifan turned and sauntered down the narrow passage.
Max emerged from the guest cabin while buckling her pants. “Having to squat every time would definitely prod my patience. That’s the first time I have missed my dangle since—” She flinched and froze at the sight of Nifan, now standing face to face.
Nifan gave her a once over and resumed her stride. She floated through Max with the ghostly equivalent of ignoring a homeless person.
Zoey, Perra, and Max slipped through the corridor and into the cargo bay where Henry had detached Lord Essien from the pipe. He re-cuffed her hands in front like a proper prisoner. Ross watched from a crate stack before losing any and all interest. He yawned and started grooming his chest with a ridiculous neck-down stroke. Nifan moseyed over to Essien and faced her like a steely drill sergeant. Henry stood tall beside the captive, maintaining a firm grip on her upper arm. Nifan glanced at the brute and offered a slight nod. He pinched the bag on Essien’s head and yanked it free.
Essien’s miffed expression morphed into pure disdain at the sight of her nemesis. She reared back and spat at Nifan. The lugie sailed through Nifan’s cheek and struck the crate where Ross sat. He poofed with fright, then glared around the group before returning to his tongue bath. Essien heaved with rage, popping the leather across her chest.
“Kidnapping is a coward’s weapon.”
“Kidnapping implies a ransom, dear. My intentions are far more specific.”
“With all due respect, I would rather be skinned alive by the Dread Jacks.”
“Your respect is not required.”
Lord Essien walked her gaze up a meaty arm to Henry, who glared back at her through a stony face. She grimaced and glanced around the cargo bay before returning her eyes to Nifan. “Get on with it, then.”
“Get on with what?”
Essien narrowed her gaze. “Don’t play games with me, faux posh. Snatching me off Jarovy takes steel-plated balls. You need me badly for something, so get on with it.”
Nifan replied with a half-grin, then nodded at Henry.
The brute re-bagged Lord Essien and jerked her towards the airlock. He thumped the wall panel, opening the door to a bustling service bay. After a quick scan, he grabbed Essien by the waist and flung her over a shoulder, drawing a yelp and curse. He dropped to the ground with a heavy thud and started tromping towards the service doors on the far wall, paying no mind to the crew.
“Follow him to my chambers,” Nifan said to the group, then crackled away.
Zoey sighed and turned to Perra, who mirrored a glum expression. They gathered Max and Ross and led them out of the vessel, dropping one by one to a polished floor. The airlock slid closed, leaving them to the roar of a swarming bay. Rusted shuttles arrived and departed with the aid of a meticulous choreography. The green energy barrier pulsed with each puncture, a goading reminder that a thin curtain protected everyone from the vacuum of space.
Max studied the familiar shuttles and recognized them as the same fleet from the Grondon outpost. She grunted to herself and eyed the hover droids overhead as they hauled tools and supplies to the hands that needed them.
Migg’s Ripper sat parked on a nearby platform with its tendrils in stirrups. A team of Durflocks hustled around the ship, tending to repairs and giving it a much-needed shine. Migg stood beside it with a clipboard in hand, checking off a lengthy to-do list. His big yellow eyes followed Henry as he passed. They gave each other firm salutes.
The sexual tension was palpable.
The group squeezed into an elevator car and enjoyed a tense yet uneventful ride up to Nifan’s condo. Henry filled most of one side with Lord Essien draped over his shoulder. Zoey, Perra, and Max filled the other side with Ross seated at the center. Everyone stared at the doors in silence as the elevator climbed to the top floor. A pleasant melody served as a backdrop to the collective discomfort. Essien squirmed atop Henry’s beefy frame, then grunted with frustration.
“Could someone, um, scratch my backside?”
Silence responded.
Perra cleared her throat.
“Fine, fuck all of you then.”
Max, feeling a tug of sympathy, reached up and cupped Essien’s leather-clad buttocks. “Here?”
“Lower.”
Max slid her hand down. “Here?”
“Closer to the crack.”
“Here?”
“Yes, yes, that’s the spot.”
Max dug her fingernails into the soft leather, drawing a moan from Essien.
Zoey shook her head.
Perra closed her eyes and imagined herself anywhere but there.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Essien said.
Max removed her hand and resumed a forward stare.
Essien shivered with relief and paused before forcing a pair of vile words from her throat. “Thank you.”
“Welcome.”
“I will take that kindness into consideration once I free myself and murder you all.”
“Uh ... thanks.”
The elevator dinged and the doors slid open, revealing Nifan’s opulent abode. Henry tromped onto the floor pelts with little regard for decorum. He dropped Lord Essien into a waiting chair, then clasped his hands behind his back and stood guard over her shoulder. The energy shackles around her wrists hummed and crackled, needling the dead air.
The rest of the crew crept inside and settled around the lime green couch. Max leaned back into the plush cushions and expelled a sigh of contentment. She glanced around the pad and nodded like a redneck in a lavish castle. Platters of refreshments adorned the table, creating an inviting spread that pleased the eye as much as the stomach. Zoey studied the morsels with a skeptical glare as Max proceeded to stuff her mouth with reckless abandon. Perra, satisfied with the unintentional poison test, plucked a handful of noms from the heap to quiet a rumbling stomach. Zoey grimaced, then followed her lead.
“I treat my guests very well,” Nifan said as she floated out from a nearby nook. A fresh martini swirled between her fingers, garnished with olives and a splash of ostentation. A silken train flowed behind her, showcasing a pleasant blend of greens and blues. The fabric draped across her chest and up over her shoulders, leaving her head and neck exposed. Various rings and a simple necklace completed the swanky ensemble. Her ashen skin seemed smooth and vital, almost innocent. Prominent cheekbones painted shadows beneath her eyes. Locks of white hair twisted into a lavish hairstyle befit for royalty. The Dossier, embodiment of mystery, had preened for this occasion.
“These are incredible,” Max said through a mouthful of munchies. She forced a large swallow down her throat and licked her fingers afterwards.
“And expensive,” Nifan said. “Few can afford Yucaran penises these days.”
Max had the next noodle inside her mouth when the info smacked her brain. A horrified pause turned into a reluctant chew and finished with a strained swallow. She studied the plate of phallic snacks while chewing on her lip.
“That’s new,” Ross said. “They’re usually attached to something when she puts them in her mouth.”
Zoey and Perra snort-laughed.
Henry cracked a rare smile.
Nifan grinned as she sauntered over to the chair across from Lord Essien. The seats were arranged in an interview setting, complete with a small table for Nifan’s ever-present cocktail. Waves of thin fabric slithered across the opposing chair as Nifan lowered into the cushions. Her eyes crawled over her adversary, studying her breaths and posture. She savored every tense moment. With a final sip, she lowered the glass onto the table and nodded at Henry, who pinched the bag and yanked it free.
Lord Essien recoiled at the rush of light. Her squinting eyes surveyed the immediate area before landing on Nifan. Teeth gnashed as she reared back and spat again, but this time into Henry’s hand as he snapped it between them. He used the wet palm to smack her across the cheek, silencing the snarls with her own spittle. She lobbed a glare over her shoulder and returned to a smirking Nifan.
Zoey and Perra watched from the nearby couch, riveted by the unfolding drama. Max continued to munch away on the penile treats while Ross snickered between each one.
“You look well,” Nifan said.
“Says the smirking whore who destroyed my fleet.”
“Well, considering your—”
“You tried to fucking murder me. Pardon my insolence, but we are well beyond pleasantries. What the fuck do you want?”
“We didn’t used to be.”
“Be what?”
“Beyond pleasantries.”
Essien leaned forward, causing Henry to stiffen.
Nifan waved him off with a subtle gesture.
“The last time I checked,” Essien said, “it was you who disappeared.”
Nifan grinned, but this time through a fog of guilt. “You knew very well that I had to—”
“Had to what? Build an empire based on bullshit? You leveraged a juicy piece of intel to become a glorified leaker. That’s all you are. You flushed our entire relationship down the toilet to become a weaponized gasbag.”
“Awwww snap!” Ross said.
Everyone turned to the kitty on the couch, now wearing a cheeky smile.
Ross shrugged. “What? Big reveal, just playing my part as the audience. This shit is better than Springer.”
“Are you kidding?” Max said. “Springer was trash TV at its finest. This is more like, um, Dr. Phil or something. There was this one time when a nudist couple wanted to adopt a donkey and—”
“Dude, uncool. You’re being rude.”
“Huh?”
“Another show is already in progress.”
Max glanced around the group, only to realize that all eyes were hate-locked on her like a movie talker. “Ah, now I’m the asshole. That is some ninja-like buck-passing.”
Zoey cleared her throat.
“Forgive my ill-mannered associate,” Ross said. “Please continue.”
Nifan raked a stink eye over the audience and returned her attention to an irate Lord Essien. She studied her former lover with a mix of sympathy and restraint. A delicate hand plucked the martini from the side table. She took a light sip and shifted in her seat. “And what about you?”
Essien shrugged. “What about me?”
“You funneled your rage into one of the most nefarious criminal factions the universe has ever seen.”
“It seems we have both enjoyed success.”
“Success?” Nifan chuckled. “You ran riot over any fleet, family, or faction you pleased. If sheer brutality is your unit of measurement, then yes, you have been quite successful.”
“And how many innocent beings have lost their lives to your crooked affairs? Not to point out the obvious, but the consequences of shady dealings are the dealer’s to bear.”
Nifan smiled. “Always a clever girl.”
“Clever bitch, you mean.”
The tone softened a bit.
“I have a gift for you.”
Essien huffed. “And what could you possibly offer that I would actually want?”
Nifan tossed back a final sip, stood from her plush seat, and strolled towards the rear bar. “Rojan pyek.”
The shackles around Lord Essien’s wrists crackled and vanished. A sudden tension ensnared the chamber. Essien opened and closed her freed hands, as if to inspect a shiny new weapon. With a slow and steady pace, she gripped the armrests and climbed to her feet. Her purple skull twisted above a taut bust as silver eyes scanned the room. Black lips remained puckered and primed for combat. She eyed each mortal before settling on Henry. His sunken eyes and rigid frame responded loud and clear with try anything and I’ll rip your head from your body.
“Come, join me,” Nifan said.
Essien took a weighted breath and stepped towards the rear wall with Henry in tow. Nifan plucked another martini glass from a nearby tray and started shaking a drink mixer. She refilled her own glass and poured another. A skewer of olives dropped into each beverage as Essien took her final steps. Henry veered off to the side and resumed a guarded position. Nifan lifted the glass from the counter and offered it to her esteemed guest. Essien accepted it with a wary hand and glared at Nifan without taking a sip.
“Relax,” Nifan said. “Poison is a boring dispatch.”
“So is blackmail.”
Nifan grinned and offered a gentle toast before taking a healthy swig.
Essien sighed and returned the gesture, then took a wary sip while maintaining eye contact.
Nifan bit her lower lip and awaited a response.
The group held their collective breath.
After a long and restive silence, Essien smacked her lips and moaned with delight. “Goddamn, you do make a great martini.”
“Qarakish gin with zorium mist, none of that vermouth crap.”
“You never were a fan of Earth.”
“Still not, irrespective of Maxine’s notable talents.” She glanced at Max and winked.
Max scrunched her brow.
“You don’t want to know,” Ross said to Max.
Nifan turned to the rear wall. “Gracomas.”
The wall flickered and faded into an expansive view of the Terramesh. Jaws slacked open with the reveal, creating an enormous panorama of the bonded worlds. The distant supergiant bathed the cluster with a golden sheen. Sunlight reflected off the mangled web, glimmering in the black like glitter dust. Nifan and Lord Essien studied the mighty mesh while sipping on their expensive cocktails.
“Do you remember our first romantic getaway?”
Essien closed her eyes and nodded. “That delightful bed and breakfast on Xonora.”
“That’s right. And, we had a lovely conversation over a candlelit dinner. Do you remember it?”
“I will never forget it. That was when we confessed our deepest and darkest desires. It was the first time I told you about my longing for—” Her gaze widened and snapped to Nifan. “You didn’t.”
Nifan replied with a loving smile. “I did.”
Henry stepped forward and placed a jewelry box on the counter, drawing a slack-jawed response from Lord Essien. She stared at the tiny box and covered her mouth with both hands. Her eyes began to water with a rush of elation.
“Go on, open it.”
Essien lifted the box with a trembling hand. She expelled a fluttering breath and flipped the lid, revealing a shiny red button attached to a transmitter. “I ... I can’t believe you did this for me.”
“Call it a long-overdue apology.”
Essien locked eyes with her former lover.
Nifan nodded. “Go ahead, you deserve it.”
Essien smiled and turned a tearful gaze to the mesh. Her thumb traced the edge of the red button as she drank in the magnificent vista. A warm blanket of peace and contentment cradled her being, ridding her mind of fury.
She pushed the button.