Marcy's Nightmare Pt. 01 of 04

Important note: All characters in this story are over the age of 18. This story also contains explicit themes some readers my find upsetting. If you're not here for the Reluctance/Non-Consent, then you're in the wrong place. And two girls smooch at one point later on, I know some people don't like that. Check the tags for more detail.

For the rest of you, this story is a little dark, but also quirky and fun I hope. There is also Some Plot, you've been warned. It has a light sci-fi theming but don't worry about it too much if you're not into that. The curtains are nice and all but we're really just here for the view inside the bedroom window anyway. So to speak.

Also no sex in part 1. Like I said, Some Plot.

Don't do crimes. Respect consent. Don't be too weird. Enjoy.

Chapter 1

When they took the ship, I was on one of the damage control teams. Our engines had been hit, and I was down in Engineering helping to stop one of the miniature suns we kept down there from becoming a much larger, much more powerful, much briefer sun.

We were a scout vessel. Small and fast and insignificant enough to ignore unless you fly right into them. Or, if this hypothetical scout ship - who's only real defence is speed and relative unimportance - flies right into you. Which, I found out later, is pretty much what we did. Bad luck, mostly.

We'd barely contained the damage when we heard the proximity alert. Those nutjobs flew right alongside us when we had an unstable fusion reactor, just so they could board us. Just so they could take prisoners. But if there's one thing every spacer knew, it was that Free Pirates were fucking lunatics. And that they always tried to take prisoners.

And now the Dynastic Navy expected me - a mere Junior Archivist of twenty three with mousy glasses, severe anxiety and zero combat experience or training - to fight off boarders. To pose any challenge to the kind of people who lived out on the fringes of settled space, in the deep interstellar void between stars, and do stuff like boarding actions by choice!

I was terrified. And I barely knew how to hold my weapon right. And my superior had handed it to me anyway. I was just trying to figure my Charge Revolver out when it went off and nearly killed Sammy- Technician Samuels, sorry. We all called her Sammy.

I tried to apologise but my superior told me to go guard the auxiliary access corridor. And I went down there as I was told, and no one came that way. Then I started hearing shooting behind me, back where the others were.

I didn't even get much chance to wonder if I should stay or head back before it all went quiet again. Up until that point, my biggest worry was still the unstable Sun in the next compartment. But that silence after the shooting? I'd never been that scared before.

I stood there, hesitating in the narrow passageway that led off into the spine of the ship. Too scared to make my way over to the intercom, and check in. Too frightened to head in either direction. Petrified, unable to call out even. I just stood there frozen.

Then I heard a cry. And I recognised its owner.

Then I heard another shot.

I yelped then, unable to stop the small, pitiful, stupid, sound escaping my lips before I could cover my mouth in horror. Down the corridor, back the way I'd come, I saw at the far end, a hand lying on the ground. Still.

And then a shadow passed over it.

I threw myself into a depression in the wall, the gap between two cooling ducts. With one hand over my mouth to silence my terror, I tightened the grip of my other on the revolver.

I'd never used a directed energy weapon before. We'd heard about them in void basics, kind of like a heat gun that cooked a small hole through you at the speed of light. Charge Revolvers we called them, because of the rotating power cell.

Loud as hells too, my ears still hadn't stopped ringing from when I'd fired it by accident. But they weren't meant to be quiet, or non-lethal, they were meant to give us a way to shoot each other without blowing a hole through the hull and explosively decompressing the ship.

So, as I heard the awful sound of footsteps, carefully clinking along the deck towards where I'd hid, I raised my weapon, and steeled myself to take a life. I was hoping they would just stop, and turn back. I was hoping they would somehow be one of our crew.

They didn't. And it wasn't.

The guy was a Free Pirate, I knew the moment his face crossed into my sights. Short cropped hair, chestnut brown but with weird streaks of silver that didn't match his more youthful features. Like an early-thirties that'd gone grey before his time in well proportioned lines. They, along with the dark circles under his eyes, made him look world weary and even a little haunted.

Over his almost wolfish features, a side of his face was covered in the red and white paint they wore to distinguish one another from their opposition. I saw no fear or even much concern on him. He seemed more curious than anything as he peered past, not spotting me yet.

My hand shook as I turned, tracking him in my sights. I carefully took the hand from my mouth, too hopped up on adrenaline then to do anything other than focus on the threat in front of me. I steadied my aim.

He stopped, sensing a space to his right maybe. Or sensing me. He started to turn. I could hear the sound of my heart racing.

His eyes fell on me. Recognition. I pulled the trigger.

And then, absolute terror followed.

Click.

A normal shot from shipboard issued weapons were - as has been mentioned - loud. Think, lightening bolt breaking the sound barrier loud. Click was not loud. Click, meant that I was pretty much fucked.

"Huh," the pirate smirked, "what are the odds?"

~

I just stared at him, paralysed by terror. Hells, he could've pointed his own weapon back at me and fired. I wouldn't have even flinched. But he didn't, instead he stepped over, partially into the small alcove I cowered in and focused on my still raised revolver.

"Well," he observed casually, "your safety's not on. Looks loaded too, so at least this isn't too awkward for you."

"Wha...?" I breathed, terrified eyes locking onto him.

He glanced over at me, and smiled a wolfish grin. His eyes were the colour of moss, under the pale light of a cold mist.

"Here," he said, glancing back and flipping a switch on the side, "try it now."

I just stared at him. He glanced back again.

"Pull the trigger," he prompted.

I blinked, and attempted to fire the Charge Revolver into the wall where it would dissipate harmlessly.

Click. Crackle.

"That was new..." I observed dazedly, in a small, slightly surprised voice.

"Hmm." He seemed almost thoughtful now. "No, the cycler is fused. Who gave you this? We have better gear and we're pirates."

"Chief Engineer Deja." I replied, taking his question too literally in my fugue.

"Well if he was back there then he's dead now so it's probably a moot point."

My hands had started to shake again, I still hadn't lowered my now useless hunk of plasteel and ceremite. The pirate took the weapon carefully out of my hand. His skin felt rough against mine. I let my arms fall to my sides, and waited for whatever came next.

"Kaz'!" The shout came from back the way he'd come..

"Down here!" He called back. "Got a prisoner!"

Then, he wrapped a hand around my wrist, and pulled me out of the small depression bodily.

Chapter 2

I'd frozen up. Oh I still moved and stared around me in terror and went where the pirate was dragging me. But I wasn't fighting him or trying to get away. I was one of those people, I learned then, who just get's petrified into inaction. Scared stiff. Too afraid of taking any action because of my abject horror at every possible outcomes.

Like if I just went wherever this bloodthirsty sociopath told me to go, I'd be okay. And hey, it was working. I mean, I'd tried to kill him, and hadn't been hurt or killed in response. He didn't even seem that bothered about it.

But I did notice the way he'd glanced at me a couple of times. His eyes, heavy with intent, made my stomach churn. A horrible knot of anxiety began to tighten away at my core, as I became suddenly aware at how at this man's mercy I really was then.

And it was this new, primal fear, that allowed me to think clearly. I tried desperately to ignore the cooling bodies we passed in the Engine room, and the smell of cooked meat and electrical fires. Instead, I focused on the people currently holding me prisoner.

Being a Junior Archivist didn't exactly lend itself to the situation. Or pretty much any situation that didn't necessitate historical context. But what it did give me were large, round glasses. Which - due to the settled system ban of augmentation - was the only way to get a half decent heads-up-display you could practically wear around.

So, as I was being dragged to an unknown fate, I began pulling up archive documents relating to Free Pirates taking prisoners. The war was still early on back then, so no one really knew what happened to the people they took.

They'd mostly used to just ransom them. Though some prisoners were given something called the Right of Choice which involved the prisoner joining the Free Pirates. And I had no idea why anyone in their right mind would do that. There was something at the bottom about first hand accounts of prisoners - mostly, though not exclusively, women - being take as pirate courtes-

The glasses were knocked from my head then, falling to the ground and cracking. I managed to grab them before I was dragged on but they were broken. Just useless lenses that I hadn't the will to bother taking off. Then I really had nothing that could help me, I realised. Just scattered smatterings of rumour and fractured memories.

"Who's the girl?" a deep voiced woman hissed, drawing me from my despair.

We'd just stepped into the ship's small cargo bay. There was about a dozen of them, including the wolfish one who still held me by the arm. Most seemed busy rifling through our supplies. A few stood guard around a pair of prisoners taken from my crew. I didn't really know one, a guy named Timmins from Navigation. The other though was Doc Paz, sweet woman, our ship's only doctor.

Towering over them, was a tall, intimidating woman. She was the source of the husky feminine voice I'd heard. She looked vicious, from her smile to the sharpness of her eyes to the wiry spaceborn thinness of her black hair. The moment her dark eyes focused on me I felt instinctual terror. Like prey, when they know their predator has spotted them.

"Found her under the Engine Room," the wolfish one explained, "nearly shot me."

The one I'd nearly shot shoved me down to my knees, next to the other two prisoners. I glanced at the Doc, and we shared a look of unbearable solidarity before the topic of conversation rapidly drew my attention.

"Nearly?" The intimidating woman queried. "And you let her live?"

"Weapon jammed," he tossed something to the woman, "she would've killed me too. Aimed for the head."

The intimidating woman inspected what I now saw was my useless weapon. Then she snorted and tossed it aside.

"Worthless Dynastic Navy surplus." the woman observed, "They don't even fly at us with valuable ships to steal. Still, you shoulder consider yourself lucky girl, few who try to kill a Free Pirate are allowed to live after."

I felt eyes on me then, and glanced over to see him - the wolfish grin - looking down at me. Looking at my face as I turned. Smiling slightly on one side of his face. Then he let me see his eyes fall, and linger on my form. And I began to form an opinion of what it might take to survive as their prisoner.

"Commander Elise?" Another of the pirates caught her attention.

"Mm?"

"They refused."

"Well," the strangely serpentine woman, as I was beginning to see her, clapped her hands together once, "how unfortunate. But not unexpected."

She motioned to two of the guards

They readied their weapons.

"W-What's happening?" Doc Paz stuttered.

"When the war started," their Commander began, "we offered your Dynasty - just like we offered the Coalition before them - to abide by the rules of war. And your leaders refused.

"That said," she went on, "we still ask them every time we take prisoners. Agree to treat our own people well and we will do the same to theirs. And every time, they refuse."

The air grew cold, a chill running down my spine as though the room had just bled off a couple degrees of heat. My heart began to race.

"So!" She hissed, smiling wide with what seemed to be a serpent's unhinging jaw. "Which of you, would like to die first?"

I felt panic rise, rabid and insatiable. Willing me to do something. Anything.

"Come now," the nakedly gleeful monster went on, "or would you all prefer I choose for you?"

Right of Choice.

The recent memory flashed back into my mind, I floundered about trying to grasp at anything useful. And even if I could figure out how to use it, that awful woman with the snake smile would never-

"How about the mousy one," the woman hissed in hateful suggestion, "in the round glasses?"

I launched myself at the man next to me, the one I'd tried to kill. He started, but wasn't expecting me to bolt into him, so the first thing he did was close his arms around me so I couldn't get away. But I was already right where I'd intended to be.

He was taller than, easily stronger I feel as my fingers wrapped around the muscles under his jumpsuit. In a few seconds he could pull me off of him and they would shoot me. So I spoke quickly.

"Give me the Right of Choice!" I begged, desperately throwing the words out quietly enough that only he could hear me fully, "Please! Please I don't-" my words caught as he struggled against me but I held on "-I don't want to die! I'll do whatever it takes!"

He stopped. Stared at me. I held his gaze. Entreating. Pleading

"Kaz'!" A voice shouted. "Stop playing with her." We ignored it.

"Do you have any idea what you're asking for?" he asked, through that wolfish grin.

I felt my blood run cold. Tears, that I'd until that point held back, finally flowed.

"Whatever it takes." I whispered, my voice shaking.

He tore me free of him and threw me back to the ground.

"Ah," the terrible woman went on merrily, "good. Now we have a volunteer."

She drew her weapon, aimed it at me.

"Join or die." The wolfish grin asked me, loud enough for all to hear.

"Join!"

I blurted the word without hesitation, almost before he'd finished asking.

There was a beat of silence.

Then, the snake-adjacent woman lowered her firearm.

"Really Kaz'?" she demanded, sounding almost aghast, "the mousy librarian girl?"

Chapter 3

Another beat of silence passed, through which I saw the one she'd called Kaz' - the one I'd pinned all my hopes for survival on - shrug.

"We could join too!" One of my fellow prisoners cried, in similar throes of desperation.

"Yes! Please we can-"

"Another word out of you two," the horrible serpentine Commander snapped, pointing at them scornfully, "and you'll jump to the front of the queue.

"And you!" she went on, hissing at me now, "I'm not done with you yet. Kaspian! I know you didn't just unilaterally claim the girl as yours with consulting your superior officer." She theatrically indicated herself as she enunciated the words.

... claim?

"Do you intend to dispute?" Kaspian asked her, "we could take it to the Captain-"

"Bah!" She spat, "we both know he's a sucker for the watery-eyed ones. What I'd really like," she went on thoughtfully, "is for you to give me a good reason not to shoot you both. I was expecting an execution for three, but I'll settle for four instead."

I felt the sea of dread still simmering within, my very survival hanging upon the arbitrary whims of a snake-adjacent monster. At least though, my would-be saviour didn't look concerned. Not too much, at least.

"Actually," he said then, glancing at me for a moment, "I do have an idea you might like."

He drifted closer to the Commander, while she glared daggers at him. Which was impressive as, from what little I'd seen of her, she was always staring daggers. That was just her resting face. She stopped though - glaring hatefully, I mean - when he began muttering something I didn't catch. She started grinning again then, her almost unhinging jaw spreading wide in glee.

"Permission granted." She told him flatly.

Then, Kaspian stepped back over, until he was standing before me.

"Stand up." He ordered.

I hesitated a moment, then rose unsteadily. It wasn't fast enough for his liking apparently as he grabbed me by my hair halfway up and yanked me the rest of the way.

"Please-" I began, terror making me tremble.

"Shut up." He cut me off, his voice flat and level. "Face them."

He indicated my fellow prisoners. I obeyed quickly this time, afraid he'd hurt me more if I hesitated.

"Take this," he told me, offering me his weapon.

I just stared at him uncomprehending.

He stepped closer, and spoke under his breath. "Make me wait again," he said softly, "and I'll kill you myself."

I scrunched my eyes shut tight, and closed my fingers around the handle, accepting the weapon.

"There should be enough charge left for two shots," he explained coolly.

My eyes shot back open at his meaning. I glanced from my fellow prisoners, to the weapon in my hand, and then back to him.

"No..." I breathed in quiet horror.

He merely watched me, expectant and unsympathetic.

"I can't-"

"Yes you can," Kaspian replied, eyeing me coldly, "you already did it once, it just didn't fire."

My face scrunched up, as I began to weep. "Please," I begged in between heaves and sobs, "please don't make me..."

"Move it along Kaspian," their Commander snapped impatiently, "you can play with her later. I have things to do."

My breath caught as he quickly reached out and wrapped a hand around the back of my neck. I jerked away instinctively but his grip tightened, pulling me so close I could feel his breath upon me as he spoke.

"Whatever it takes, you said," he warned, low and threatening. "Don't disappoint me now."

"Whatever it takes..." I echoed. An agreement. A resolution.

I looked at them, the pair of innocents about to die by my hand. Their eyes nearly broke me. That pleading, hopeless desperation. A mirror of my own turmoil, staring back at me in silent terror. Timmins, the one I didn't really know, nearly sent me over the edge when he started to beg. I'd have collapsed completely into hysterics if another pirate hadn't beaten him back into silence.

The Doc just stared at me, silent and accepting. She'd been so friendly when I'd first come aboard. I briefly consider turning the weapon on myself as she gave me the smallest nod.

It's okay, her harrowed eyes seemed to say.

My breathing stilled.

Just like before, I told myself, aim, and pull the trigger.

It's you or them, now.

I raised the weapon and fired. Once. Twice. And both of their bodies crumpled to the deck.

"Very good!" The horrid woman seemed satisfied then, clapping her hands together another time, "very well Kaz, you may-"

Doc Paz jerked, wracking out a horrid gurgle. Then a single arm raised and clutched at her head. I stared in numb horror as she began writhing and retching. As she turned her head I saw that I'd not hit her dead centre, instead taking out a chunk along the side of her skull.

"Amateur." I heard one of them mutter.

I ignored it, ignored them all. She was suffering, the woman I held warmth towards, even affection for, screaming in wet howls of agony. I raised the weapon again, pulled the trigger once, twice.

Click. Click.

"I warned you," Kaspian explained idly next to me, "power cell only really had enough for two shots."

I glanced at him, trembling in guilt and terror, and he just stared at me impassively. Expectantly.

I dropped the weapon, letting it slip from my grasp as I crossed the space between me and the half-dead wretch that was once a person. I whimpered audibly as I swatted her hands away and took hold of her hair. Then, as the poor woman struggled uselessly, I placed my foot against her neck, and pulled her head in one sharp jerk.

Crack.

She went limp, and I watched as I released her head, the way the liquefied part of her skull slopped and leaked. Then I stumbled back, finally breaking down completely. But not before I'd dashed away several paces to throw up violently.

I didn't hear what they said next. A joke, probably, as they all laughed in response. I finally stopped gagging and slumped to one side, slipping into a sort of catatonic shock as I came to terms with my actions.

There I remained for a short time, until a shadow loomed over me, rousing me from my tumult.

~

Kaspian knelt down beside me, and I hadn't even the energy left to tremble then, as he reached down and brushed the mess of curls away from my face.

"You did well," he told me. His voice gentle, almost, "the Commander was entertained enough to let me have you."

I said nothing to this, not even really looking at him.

"The neck snap was a nice touch," he observed casually, "I think she actually doesn't despise you compeltely now."

My eyes snapped to him then, the numbing cold of shock withering beneath the burning glare of hatred's flame. I summoned enough strength for a single act of bitter defiance. Pushing myself I swung at him, attempting to catch him unawares and strike his smirking face. He caught my arm with little apparent effort, quickly snatching hold of the other before I could swipe at him with that.

He chuckled, that awful wolfish smile on his face. I spat at him. He flinched back, and around him a laugh rang out of the few pirates still around us.

I regretted my actions immediately. Foolish and petulant. And pointless. Only serving to anger the one who'd, it seemed, had to convince his superior to spare my life. The one who'd claimed me, whatever upsetting connotations that word held.

Kaspian glared for a moment, setting his jaw. Then he released one of my wrists, and hit me. Hard. I fell back, reeling. He immediately grabbed me by the hair and dragged my face close to his.

"I was trying to be nice," he hissed, "it's not often someone as desirable as you offers herself for her life. I'd have preferred if you made it easier on yourself but if you insist-" he yanked on my hair, hard enough to tear some from the root. I screamed, "-on making this hard. Then hard is what you'll will get."

He stood, making me yelp as he dragged me up to my feet as well, still gripping my hair. I was pulled, half-bent double as he brought me along out of the cargo bay with him. The cruel laughter of his remaining comrades following after.

"Please!" I begged as we went, "You're hurting me!"

"Good." He intoned, coldly.

He pulled around and released me, the momentum causing me to crash into the compartment wall hard enough that I fell to the ground again.

"Get up." He ordered.

"I'm sorry!" I blubbered through tears, desperately scrambling up, my back to the wall, "Please don't hurt me I won't do it again I promise!"

He stepped in close, enough to feel his breath on me again. I shrank left instinctively, fear forcing me away from him.

"Come back." He commanded, stern but patient all of a sudden.

Trembling, tears flowing freely, I shifted back along the wall. Until I was back, pressed between him and solid plasteel. Nowhere to run.

And when I looked into his eyes, and saw unconcealed want lurking within, I knew exactly what I had just agreed to, what I'd murdered my own comrades to volunteer for.

To become a toy, for this monster to use.

Chapter 4

"Whatever it takes," he echoed once more, "that right?"

His hand found my body then, and I instinctively brought up my own and grabbed his wrist, trying to push him away.

"Hands." He warned, stern but still patient.

I reluctantly release my grip, not letting go of his arm but no longer resisting as he groped my chest. I mumbled a terrified, unintelligible plea as his thumb grazed over my nipple, making them immediately harden under his touch.

Then his hand searched down, over my belly. I whimpered audibly when he moved it between my legs, and pulled up sharply, cupping me with his hand through my crew jumpsuit.

"Please..." I finally managed to articulate through the living nightmare of my new existence.

"What was that?" He asked innocently, pressing his palm against my clit and making me jolt at the pressure.

"Please," my voice cracked. "Don't."

He just chuckled, and grinned. Gods I hated him.

"I'll do with you as I please," he outlined, as though I hadn't already intuited what my fate held. "You. Your body," he pressed again for emphasis, making me whimper once more, "belongs to me now."

"Please just..." I entreated, desperate and pathetic, "just not here."

It was a plea for a stay of execution, not a full pardon. An implicit acknowledgement of the reality that he could simply force me, if and when he desired. The dreaded realisation that even if I were able to somehow overpower him, or get my hands on a weapon, what then?

Where would I go? His crew would either pass me along to someone else, or, more likely, kill me for taking the life of one of theirs. And I would only die quickly if I was lucky.

So I begged him. Eyes red from crying and mucus below my nose. Ugly, and wretched. I was already broken by terror and guilt - making me a murderer had seen to that - and all that was left was to submit myself to the torment of the endless hells my life was about to become.

My only request then, my final piteous plea to the cruel grin of the wolf that would tear out my throat, was privacy. That I could at least be spared the humiliation of being taken there, in the open corridor where any could walk by and see.

"I'll d-do whatever you say," I stuttered out between sobs, "I'll b-behave. Just, please..."

I shut my eyes as he suddenly moved in close, taking his hand out from between my legs, wrapping an arm around my waist and pressing himself against me. I could sense all of him, the denting of equipment from his harness. The tense, firm muscle beneath. The stubble on his chin tickling the crook of my neck. His scent, musky like sweat but with a hint of... almonds? Coconut, perhaps? The throb, of the firmness between his legs, pressed to my stomach.

"If you're good," he whispered, close and deep, "then I won't hurt you."

I felt myself grow still, and my sobbing cease. My grip upon him loosened as well, and I gradually curled my fingers into his clothes. I calmed finally, to exhausted to do anything then but be held by him, his grip firm but gentle, and accept this basic human comfort.

"At least," he added, "not too much."

I only whimpered slightly then. This was, I had to admit, progress.

"Only as much as I have to," I could hear the grin in his voice then, "Little Mouse."

~

I followed along without protest as he took my hand and led me to the airlock. They had a shuttle, I found then, obviously sent from a larger ship. There was no way their small, unarmed passenger shuttle could've disabled our vessel, so that meant at least one other. And the shuttle was short range only, so that meant one large enough to fit an entire shuttle inside it. A Cruiser at least, maybe even a Strike Carrier.

The shuttle was basically a long aisle, leading from the tail mounted airlock down the spine to all the way to the two-seater cockpit. Along this aisle, there were seats down the length, backs to the wall, facing inward. And along the centre, a strip about five arm lengths wide already half filled with looted equipment from our ship.

The shuttle - I'd realised dully as Kaspian took me to far end, to a seat near the cockpit, and sat me down lightly - was only large enough for maybe twenty people, pilots included.

Twenty people, I thought, distantly, we had a crew of forty three, and they took our ship with twenty people.

We never stood a chance. We were dead the moment our ship jumped into local space. Or, well, I guess most of us were dead. I apparently, was not so lucky.

I pulled my feet up onto the seat, and hugged my knees to my chest, not really having the energy to cry any more even. Kaspian loitered and chatted to the pilots while the rest of their crew filed in, placed a few more supplies down the centre, secured it, and took their own seats.

Finally, after another minute or two of numbness, their commander arrived with the last of their party. This brought back the fear in me. As she came close, I saw she was wiping blood from her hands.

"Sorry about delay," she explained, "found a survivor hiding on our final sweep. Needed to punish him for almost evading us and you know how these things drag on sometimes."

"We commend your dedication to duty," Kaspian quipped wryly, "Commander."

A light chuckle emerged from those around, until the single snap of fingers silenced it.

"You're funny, Vanguard." The Commander said to Kaspian then, "but you should let someone else crack a joke once in a while. Being noticed by me too often isn't good for your health."

My eyes darted from the horrible serpentine woman to Kaspian. His face was tight, not necessarily fearful, but certainly serious.

"Apologies," he offered, "Commander."

"Forgotten," she waved dismissively, sounding almost bored of a sudden, "and besides, I thought you'd be the last one aboard."

Her pseudo-reptillian turned her terrible attention onto me then, and I looked down sharply.

"She promised to be a good Little Mouse," he practically purred as he humiliated me before them all, "and I promised not to take her right there in the hallway."

My cheeks burned and eyes stung with mortified tears as a laugh passed around the shuttle interior. I buried my face in my knees, willing myself away from this place, these monsters, who joked openly about my misery. How I were little more than an object, to be used until I was spent. Then discarded like a broken toy.

Then he took the seat next to mine and followed his comrades in strapping themselves in. And, after he'd bid me to put my knees back down for the flight and I'd begrudgingly acquiesced, he helped me with my belt harness as well.

Then, as the door sealed and the craft's engines spun up, a sudden jolt ran through me at the sound of the airlock undocking. And I grabbed hold of Kaspian's wrist, just to hold onto something. He then brought his hand up to meet mine, and we interlaced our fingers tight. And I gripped so hard my knuckles turn white for the rest of the flight.

Chapter 5

After a few long minutes of noise and jostling, the shuttle touched down and soon we were filing out. It was a hangar bay by the look of the place, I saw as I glanced about blearily. At least, judging by the fact that the shuttle was currently parked in it. That and the big letters on the wall that said Hangar Bay 4.

Three other hangar bays huh? I thought, gloomily, We really were just fucked. Right from the start.

As I stepped out into the bay, trailing behind Kaspian and trying not to start crying again, my attention was drawn to a bored looking pirate I'd not seen before. What drew my gaze most in the first place, was the way the horrible snake woman cried his name, sprinted up, and jumped into his arms like they were long lost lovers.

"Sebastian!" She chirped - hissed, chirp-hissed - as she dove at him.

"Elise." The man I now took to be their captain complained, wearily.

He had the rank insignia that marked him out, and a pair of what I assumed were personal guards loitering behind him. They, as well as everyone else I noticed, were conspicuously ignoring this display of affection.

"We're on duty Elise." He enunciated.

She finally stopped kissing his neck and cheek and uncoiled herself from his body.

"I can't help it dear brother mine," she purred as she unwound, "we've been apart for so long."

Brother...?

"It's been less than three hours."

"An eternity when I'm away from you Seb'." She ran a finger under his chin as she spoke.

I decided to join the others, and began pretending to ignore them as well. It was actually surprisingly comforting, I found.

"Well save it for when we're off duty," he chided harmlessly, "I can't be seen giving you special treatment just because we're siblings."

Of course, I mused, a little madly, they're insane monsters on the fringes of civilisation. Why wouldn't they openly be fucking their siblings? It'd make less sense if they didn't.

"Now then," the Captain went on, "if you could control yourself Commander then everyone else can stop pretending they didn't see you tonguing my ear a moment ago."

He clapped once, to draw our eyes. The way his... ugh... sister had done before.

"So," the Captain continued, "what the fuck is this?"

He'd gestured towards me without even looking.

"It wasn't me," the serpentine Commander snapped, sounding immediately defensive.

"Obviously not," he muttered over his shoulder, "you hate mousy librarians."

"She is right? That's what I said-"

"Elise," he dragged the word out, exasperated.

"It's Commander when we're on duty," she sneered back, "remember?"

The Captain disregarded his... ahem, his second in command and turned his attention back to me. As he ground his teeth in annoyance, I saw the man had horrible sharp, carnivorous looking tooth augments. And - what I personally thought was a little much - a captain's cape over the shoulders of his ranked crew jumpsuit.

Despite their purported relation, Sebastian did not, in fact, look like he'd been sired by an evil snake person. He still came across as cruel and callous and casually violent, but in a more controlled way. Proportional outbursts of hate, rather than the constant flow of Elise's malevolence. Like a cat, rather than a snake. More likely to tow with his prey out of boredom, then kill them quickly. As opposed to slow resolving alive his... blegh, sister likely craved.

"So which one of you thinks," the Captain began then, "they can find bring a new pet aboard without consulting me?"

I really wished they'd stop calling me-

"She's mine," Kaspian threw him a salute as he answered, "Captain."

"Oho," the Captain smirked, his teeth were abhorrent when he did. "So you've already claimed her for yourself have you?"

"I don't share." Came Kaspian's level answer.

I had the horrible realisation then, that sharing was even on the table to begin with.

"No, you never did play with others well," the Captain reminisced, "even had to give you your own quarters. The former Captain always was a soft touch."

"I feel like I've earned the privilege," Kaspian observed, then quickly added, "Respectfully, Captain, of course."

The Captain barked a single laugh and tiled his head in mock consideration. "That you have," he agreed, "but that doesn't mean I agree with the original decision."

The captain wheeled around suddenly, in a way that made his cape spin about him with intentional flourish.

"Just don't play with her in the halls," he said over he shoulder as he wandered off, "the rest of the crew will get jealous. And then everyone will want one and we're not running a brothel."

I was really beginning to struggle then, to see how our intelligence surrounding the Right of Choice, had settled on the word Recruitment as the summary description.

The sibling officers slipped an arm around each other's waist, and walked off together with the personal guards trailing behind, and everyone pretended to ignore the grossness and went about their work.

~

"Where are we going?" I finally had the courage to ask Kaspian, as I followed him out of the hangar bay.

"To my quarters," he answered casually. "Well," he added thoughtfully, "our quarters."

I felt myself slow at his words, then come to a stop. All I could hear for several awful moments, was the sound my heart pounding in my ears. Then his words cut through.

"Do I need to come back," he warned, calmly, but with stern eyes, "and get you, Little Mouse?"

I felt the tears finally overflow, and streak down my cheeks once more.

"I d-" I stumbled, my voice small, and shattered, "I don't think I can do it- go on my own, I mean."

Kaspian's eyes softened then. He'd likely been preparing to stomp over to me, and drag me by the wrist. Or perhaps just pick me up and carry me bodily. Instead, he walked slowly, and I didn't flinch back as he held out his hand. And when I took it, he began to pull, only gently, leading me the rest of the way.

It was better that way, I found, just allowing myself to be led. Not walking to my fate under my own power, but letting the currents of the universe help me along. It was almost like I were falling, down the corridors of the ship.

The gravity of him, pulling me into his orbit. A cosmic force, inexorable and unknowable. Something one shouldn't comprehend, shouldn't even try to. Just a fact of the universe.

It felt as though all I did was blink, before we turned into a dead end corridor, and he'd opened one the side doors. He stepped in, and pulled me after.

And then we were alone, in his quarters.