| |
The next day, after moving her things into the more luxurious Owner's quarters, Cali went over the reports for the week she'd been gone. She showed Mae what information she looked for, where she put it, and what it meant. Then one number jumped out at her. Frowning, Cali clicked on the number, opening up its breakdown.
"How the ruk is that possible?" she muttered.
"What's wrong?" Mae asked.
"My worker chip was used while I was gone... a lot."
"Nox used it," Mae told her. "I questioned him about it, but he said you gave it to him to use, so I should shut up and do my job. Otherwise, he'd have me kicked off the Star Base."
"He threatened you?!!" Cali knew Nox was a loudmouth and liked to act like he was better than everyone else because he was a pilot, but she'd never seen him bully anyone. If she had, she never would have gotten involved with him.
Mae just shrugged. "He does it a lot, just not when you're around."
"You should have told me, Mae. You know I don't put up with that crap."
"You were involved with him, and..."
"Mae," Cali reached out and squeezed her hand. "You are my friend and have been for over two years. I'm always going to believe in and stand up for you, especially over somebody I'm only fucking because I'm bored."
Mae gave her a shaky smile, unbelievably touched at how caring Cali was. It was something that, besides Tay, she hadn't experienced since her parents’ life spans had ended.
"He came in every night while you were gone along with a large group of friends. He used your card to pay for everything delivered to his table, including the food."
"That rukking son of a bitch!" Cali swore. "I never gave him my chip. It either fell out of my pocket in his quarters, or he took it." She looked back at the details. "He didn't come in last night, did he?"
She'd only worked part of the dark shift because it had been so slow. The members of the Coalition received their credit allotment once every thirty days. The next disbursement wasn't for another two, and business always slowed down before it. Apparently, Nox's had run out long before that.
"No, I overheard someone say he was on patrol," Mae told her.
"Which means he should be back in his quarters by now." Cali surged to her feet. "I'll deal with this."
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Cali might be considered average in height by some, even short by the standards of others, but beings instinctually recognized her power and got out of her way as she stormed down the corridor that led to Nox's quarters.
She'd only been on this level twice. The upper half of a Star Base was always the military section. Coalition personnel housed there, behind the drab, grey doors lining the corridor. The only differences were the size of the quarters and the number of beings residing in them. Assigned by rank, the higher a being's rank, the more privacy they earned.
Still, she knew her way to Nox's quarters. Reaching his door, she pounded on it with more strength than someone her size should have and continued until she got a response.
"Yea, yea, yea," came the disgruntled voice from behind the closed door before it slid open, revealing a disheveled Nox. He looked as if he'd just rolled out of bed and pulled on the first thing he could find. In this case, a pair of boxers that he had on backward, something she'd thought impossible with his tail. Even the short pelt on his head somehow looked rumpled. "This had better be good. I'm..., Cali!"
"What the ruk is going on, Nox?!!" she demanded, shoving her way past him to enter his quarters.
"I... hmm..." Nox stuttered, his multi-colored eyes shooting across the room to the partial wall that blocked the view of his resting area from the remainder of the room.
"I want an explanation, Nox, and I want it now," she said, turning to face him.
"Look, Cali, what we had was fun, but..."
"What?"
"What he's saying is that he's moved on to someone that is sooo much better than you." A scantily clad female, wearing what looked to be a barely-there negligee, walked out from the resting area and pressed herself up against Nox's side.
Cali could do nothing but stare at the female. She was obviously Phoc, the same species as Nox, but she'd let her pelt grow long. The way her tail was caressing Nox's chest, they were intimately involved. Cali recognized her from The Brink. The last couple of weeks, she had been coming in, always on the arm of a different male. Cali couldn't remember her name.
"Now I know a being like you doesn't want to give up the best male she's ever going to get, but Nox has moved on, so you need to move that pathetic, Earthan ass of yours out of here and never come back."
Cali couldn't believe either of them thought that was why she was here. After all, Nox was probably the most selfish lover Cali had ever had, and she'd had a few. Suddenly, Cali remembered the female's name and, tipping her head back, began to laugh.
"What are you laughing about?" the female demanded.
"Your name is Vaine," Cali said, continuing to laugh.
"So?" Her thin eyebrows drew together over confused multi-colored eyes.
"So, on Earth, when a female is called 'vain,' it means she's conceited and self-absorbed. Which both of you seem to be."
"Why, you little," Vaine started to growl, but Cali cut her off.
"But that's not why I'm here. I'm here because of the bill you ran up in my name, Nox." She held up the sheet she had printed out before leaving The Brink.
Nox's eyes widened when he saw the total at the bottom of the page. "You bought me drinks before."
"One. Maybe two. When I was there," Cali stressed.
Nox just shrugged. "You left the chip. I assumed it was for me to use."
"I left it? Where?" Cali demanded.
"Well... I found it on the floor," Nox mumbled a blatant lie as he glanced away.
"So, I didn't leave it. It fell out of my pocket, and you just decided to use it."
His face hardened as he glared at her. "Look, Cali..."
"It's the word of a respected pilot over that of some Earthan drink slinger," Vaine spoke up as she ran a disgusted gaze over Cali. "Who do you think anyone is going to believe?"
"They'll believe the visual recordings of Nox using the chip." Cali's attention returned to Nox. "The bill will be settled, Nox. I'll give you three days. By then, you'll have your next credit allotment. Settle this; otherwise, I'll file a complaint against you for thievery."
"Thievery?!!" Nox shrieked. "That would ruin my career."
"Then you'd better pay up." With that, she left.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Cali smiled at Mae as they worked side-by-side behind the bar. The Brink was filling up fast as the military personnel began receiving their credit allotment. It was always a rowdy, profitable time in the bar. That's why she made sure to double up security on the door and had Tay keeping an eye on the crowds inside. If trouble broke out, his presence alone was usually enough to squash it, but if not, then either Lin or Wafa, the other Protectors on duty, would assist him. It also allowed Tay to keep an eye on Mae, which Cali knew he needed.
Finishing up the drink she was working on, she placed it on the counter, then swiped the male's credit chip and handed it back to him. Drinks served at the bar had to be paid for immediately. Once someone at a table initially scanned their chip, a table could run a tab. That was how Nox was able to run hers up so high.
Thoughts of Nox had her smile fading. She hadn't heard from him yet, and that worried her. Two days had already passed. He only had one more. If he thought she was bluffing about filing that complaint, he didn't know her at all. The harshest taskmaster in the universe taught her not to be soft when it came to business or anywhere else, for that matter. She could see the benefits of the first, and to a point, followed it, but not the second. She'd experienced firsthand the pain that type of unbending attitude caused. It's why she distanced herself from her family as much as possible.
Shouts from across the room pulled Cali from her dark thoughts, and she watched as Tay quickly broke up a fight and dragged the two combatants out of the bar. Just another night at The Brink.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Taarig entered Jamis’s office an hour before the light shift began, unsurprised to find his friend and Commander already there and staring out one of the few private viewports on the station. It wasn't large, only about the size of Jamis’s desk, but it was something Taarig much appreciated, as he loved the openness and freedom viewing the stars gave him.
"Reports," was all he said as he slid the tablet across the oversized metal desk that was strong enough to handle the pounding an angry Apre Commander sometimes gave it, then took one of the chairs in front of it.
Jamis spun around in his seat and gave the tablet a disgruntled look. Gods, he hated the endless reports that came with having this position, but he hated taking orders even more. "Already?"
Taarig just shrugged. "The final credit disbursement report needs your verification along with the fuel usage report. A notification came in from The Wik Corp, informing us that there has been a change in the ownership of The Brink." They both knew it was only a courtesy. While Star Bases were designed as military facilities and protected Coalition territory, the massive conglomerate, Wik Corp, actually owned them. Wik Corp administered the upkeep and maintenance on the Star Base, including the Star Base’s lower-half shops and businesses. "Also, a complaint has been filed against one of our pilots."
Jamis had just grunted when Taarig had talked about the allotment report because he knew his second-in-command wouldn't have brought it to him if everything weren't in perfect order.
When Taarig mentioned The Brink, his thoughts immediately went to a certain dark-haired, brown-eyed Earthan and wondered how this would affect her. He could admit to himself that he found himself thinking about her at the oddest times. Like every time he cleansed, and his cock got so hard, he had to use his hand to find release. He'd even found himself in a lift about to press The Brink's level before he realized what he was doing. Now he would have a valid excuse to seek her out.
But Jamis’s focus completely changed when Taarig commented someone filed a complaint. While complaints weren't unheard of, Jamis took each one personally.
"What's the complaint?" Jamis demanded, reaching for the tablet.
"Thievery. The accusation is the pilot used another's credit chip without permission."
"How is that possible? Credit chips require identification."
"I don't know, but the complainant will be here in an hour. I notified the pilot and ordered him to be here, too."
"Who's the pilot?"
"Ah," Taarig pulled out his tablet and looked up the name and file. "Pilot First Class Nox Trudo. He's been on the base just over half a standard-year. He hasn't had any other complaints filed against him here, but it looks like there were a few at his last post. All from females with whom he was involved. The claims were either dropped or unsubstantiated."
Jamis nodded understandingly. It happened. Many females wanted to latch onto a male with a steady credit flow. It's why he and Taarig were so selective with the females they got involved with and made sure she knew it would be a temporary relationship.
"Who filed the complaint?"
"A waitress at The Brink." Taarig frowned as he looked at his tablet. "California Baker. Isn't that the name of the female you saved from the transport incident?"
"Yes," Jamis said shortly.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Cali ignored the stares she received walking down the wide, immaculately-clean corridor of the Command Level on the Star Base. It was vastly different from the wear-and-tear on the lower levels.
It had been a long, hectic, dark shift, and the crowd in The Brink had been rowdier than usual. Mae had stayed past her scheduled time and then protested when Cali sent her home, but the pregnant female's exhaustion had been apparent. Mae had only agreed when Tay promised he would stay until Cali left.
That had Tay working a double shift, too, because Cali hadn't come out from behind the bar except to take a short break. She'd waited until long after the last credit disbursement. When Nox still hadn't made an appearance by the third day, as she'd warned, she'd filed her complaint.
Now she was running on no sleep, still dressed in her 'work' attire, and the stares she was receiving were starting to piss her off. Yes, she knew she was showing a lot of skin, but that was what her entire 'outfit' was supposed to do; from the black-heeled boots that went halfway up her thighs to her silver skirt that didn't even reach the top of them. Then there was the matching midriff-length, sheer shirt that drew the eye to the black bra that gave her more cleavage than she actually had. If that weren't enough to distract beings from wondering about her heritage, her facial cosmetics would. She'd heavily outlined her eyes with kohl and enhanced her full lips with a deep, dark red that males and even some females couldn't stop staring at. As a final touch, she'd spiked her hair with energy rods to distract from the excess power that still glowed through some of the strands. It also had the added benefit of keeping it out of her way as she worked.
Coming up to the door with the plaque Star Base Commander Jamis Dexxirs imprinted on it, she pressed a finger against the access pad. When the door silently slid open, she stepped inside and was surprised at what she found.
She'd braced herself to face Jamis again. After all, he had final authority on complaints against those under his command. Her thoughts repeatedly returned to him over the last few days, especially when lying alone in her bed during the night. It was because of more than the suggestive comments he'd made in the shelter, although they'd made her wonder. It was the way he'd held and cared for her and how right it had felt being in his arms. Still, she refused to be another one of his many, many females, especially after what happened with Nox. Although that didn't mean she hadn't pleasured herself fantasizing about him fucking her, well, him and Taarig. Now that had been an incredible orgasm, and why she momentarily paused when she saw Sub Commander Ynn standing behind Jamis.
She'd only ever caught glimpses of him before but could see her fantasy hadn't done him justice. While he was similar to Jamis in looks, with the same black hair and dark grey eyes swirled with silver, Taarig was slightly shorter and leaner, with sharper cheekbones and lips that appeared to smile more than the Commander’s. She knew those lips would be playing a feature role in her next fantasy.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Jamis knew his expression didn't change, but he felt his breath catch at his first sight of Cali in nearly five days. She appeared to be a completely different creature than the one he'd held in his arms in that shelter. Yet, he found this version of her just as attractive. Maybe it was because she looked so different. It made him want to discover who she really was.
Taarig let his gaze travel over the little female that had his friend's breath catching. Yes, he'd caught that subtle change, but only because he knew Jamis so well. He hadn't gotten a good look at her on the flight deck, but he knew her hair hadn't looked like this. She also hadn't radiated so much power. It was incredibly arousing.
"Sit," Jamis motioned to the chair in front of his desk. "We'll begin as soon as Pilot First Class Trudo arrives."
Cali looked to the lone chair, then back to where Jamis sat behind a desk perfectly proportioned for his massive size, and raised an eyebrow. "Nox won't be sitting?"
"When I read a complaint, the Coalition member always stands."
"Then I'll stand also."
"Please, Khatun Baker. That is the correct way to address a single, Earthan female?" the friendly way Taarig asked the question told Cali he was used to soothing ruffled feathers.
"It is, but I prefer Cali."
"Cali it is then." The smile he gave her had her thinking about his lips again. "Please, would you sit? It is customary for nonmilitary personnel."
Cali's eyes narrowed slightly, letting Taarig know she didn't entirely believe him, but she moved to the chair and, after carefully sitting down, tucked her legs beneath it.
A low tone filled the room, indicating that someone was at the door. Jamis touched a spot on his desk, and the door slid open, admitting Nox with his jacket secured improperly, and his cheeks flushed as if he had rushed to get there.
"Star Base Commander," Nox thumped his fist against his chest then repeated it as he looked at Taarig, "Sub Commander."
"You are late," Jamis said in a stern, cold tone.
"Sir, sorry, sir. I was asleep when the message came in and didn't immediately notice it when I woke. If I may ask, sir, why am I here?"
"A complaint has been filed against you, Pilot First Class Trudo. The charge is thievery."
"What?" Nox finally looked at Cali. If she hadn't known better, she might have believed the shock in his voice was real. "Oh, Cali, I can't believe you'd take it this far."
"Really? Even after I told you, I would give you three days, or I'd file the complaint?"
"Did you think this little stunt would get me to give up Vaine and take you back?" He shook his head in disappointment. "I'm sorry if you thought you might mean something to me, that you could buy my attention, but that was never going to happen."
"Buy your attention?" she bit out, her eyes beginning to turn topaz.
"By letting me use your credit chip while you were gone. If you had told me where you were going, I would have notified you I moved on. After all, it's the civilized thing to do. I never wanted you to find out the way you did."
"And how was that?" Jamis asked quietly.
"Cali came to my quarters and found my current lover, Vaine, with me. We were both barely dressed." Nox looked back to Jamis. "To say Cali was enraged would be an understatement."
"I see," Jamis said.
"I was enraged because you used my chip without my permission. I was enraged because you threatened Mae when she questioned you about it. You fucking someone else had nothing to do with it. You weren't that good, Nox."
That had Nox's orange skin turning red and his expression ugly. "You kept coming back, though, didn't you?"
"I came back once because I figured it had to get better, but it didn't. I planned on letting you know it was over when I got back, but my trip took longer than expected. When I finally returned, I had more important things to deal with than you. That is until I discovered what you'd done."
"Did you threaten a female, Pilot First Class Trudo?" Jamis demanded.
"Certainly not!" Nox immediately denied it.
"Khatun Baker, have you ever used your chip to buy drinks for Pilot First Class Trudo before?" Jamis turned his attention to her.
"What? What does that have to do with anything?"
"Have you ever..."
Cali gave a disbelieving snort. "I heard what you said. I just don't know why that would matter."
"It would explain why Pilot First Class Trudo would feel comfortable using your credit chip when you were gone."
Her jaw dropped. "Aren't you listening? I never gave it to him. It fell out of my pocket, and he just used it."
"An owner is required to verify a credit chip before use. So, you must have given Pilot First Class Trudo your code."
"I didn't, because worker chips in The Brink don't need verification. At least they didn't. Since I discovered Nox's illegal use of mine, I changed that."
"I didn't use it illegally," Nox continued to deny, "that would be cause for my expulsion from the Coalition. Why would I risk that?"
"Because you're an arrogant prick who thinks he can talk his way out of anything."
"Enough!" Jamis roared. "Khatun Banks, did anyone notify you that your chip was used?"
"No," she admitted.
"Then I must conclude that no one in The Brink thought Pilot First Class Trudo's use of your chip to be unusual," Jamis’s voice was calm again.
"I told you that Mae did."
"But she did not contact you," Jamis repeated.
"No, she couldn't."
"Then it's your word against that of a pilot in the Coalition."
"And, of course, you're going to take his word over mine."
"Without evidence to directly contradict it, then I must." Was there a flicker of regret in his eyes as Jamis spoke? It was gone too fast for Cali to know.
"Because the Coalition always protects its own." She should have known this was a waste of time, but for some reason, she'd thought better of Jamis. She rose to leave. "I don't know why I even bothered."
"Wix Corp notified us there is a new owner of The Brink," Jamis said and saw her pause.
"There is?" Nox questioned, then snapped his mouth closed when Jamis glared at him.
Next, he addressed Cali, "I will speak to him and explain the situation. Your job should be secure."
"Oh, I know my job is secure," Cali couldn’t help her self-satisfied smile, "Because I'm the new owner of The Brink."
"What?!" all three males said in unison.
"I believe you heard me, and since the Coalition won't take action against Nox, I will."
"You can’t garnish my allotment, Cali," Nox told her, a smug smile breaking across his face.
"You are right. However, The Brink’s owner can ban you until you settle your debt. I will, of course, be notifying Wik Corp as to why I am doing this. They will pass that information on to every other owner of a Wik Corp establishment. Who will, in turn, also ban you."
"You can't do that!" Nox turned frantic eyes to Jamis. "Star Base Commander!"
"I have no authority over the private business practices of Wik Corp or those who work for them, Pilot First Class Trudo. So, I suggest you either settle your debt with Khatun Baker or stay out of Wik Corp controlled businesses."
"But that's nearly impossible," Nox whined. "They own most of the known universe."
"Those are your choices."
"I'll leave you to notify all those 'friends' who were with you when you used my credit chip. I am sure they'll be happy to know while I'm not banning them, they will be required to pay for all their drinks upfront themselves until you settle your debt. Wik Corp will also receive their names. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've been working all night and would like to get some sleep." With that, she turned and left the room.
"Sir..." Nox began.
"It's done, Trudo. Dismissed."
"Yes, sir." Spinning on his heel, Nox headed for the door.
"And, Trudo," Jamis waited until he had turned back around. "I advise you to do as Khatun Banks said. Advise your friends and be aware that you have now drawn my attention."
Nox swallowed hard, nodded, then quickly left the room.
"Gods, Jamis," Taarig moved to take the seat Cali had vacated. "That female has a mean streak. I think I'm in love."