Adrift in Space

"Of courshe," the Queen said simply and quickly.

"Then I promise to be a good boy."

The Queen glanced at Laurel, something about her face shifted but Peter couldn't read it. The tight jaw and eye muscles at the side of Laurel's face he could. But she strode quickly out of the room and the Queen slid the door closed, then stepped to the coffee service and quickly poured herself a mug with a splash of milk in it. She stepped around to the second chair and sat and adjusted the fall of her garment around her waist to allow her to sit comfortably.

"Haelp yourshelf," she said to Peter, he topped off his mug, held it under his nose and inhaled slowly, his eyes closed.

"Is this like, real coffee? From down below? Or something your magic machines did? The one in our room doesn't, um, make anything this good."

He sipped slowly.

"From a small farm in Kaenya," her answer, he opened his eyes as she took her own sip, "we have buyersh who acquire it. Oh, and before I forget."

She reached into a hidden pocket and pulled out something green, unfolded a ten dollar bill and set it on the table. Peter's eyes went wide for a moment.

"What I owe you," Anna said, "but that sstuff wash laeme."

He set his mug on the table, kept hold of the handle and used his other hand to retrieve the bill but kept it on the table,

"I warned you Wolfie wouldn't take the good stuff to a party full of college students too stupid to know the difference. But, I take it, that we're being recorded? For my trial and summary execution after?"

Her mismatched eyes glittered and her throat made a quick series of coughs, the brightness of her eyes indicated it wasn't distress but amusement. The barely-there paisley pattern beneath her visible skin seemed to ripple once.

"We are, Paetor," she offered lightly, "but if you behave no one other than mae will shee it, but if of ushe, I will include a couple of close advishaersh."

"Ok, then, Anna," he said after a long sip, "how close was I to getting you into bed back at that Halloween party? It is Anna, right?"

"Anna, I am. Two daysh ago," she said after what was a short and clear laugh, "you were forshed into an invishible ship. And brought into shpace and locked up. And your firsht queshtiaon of your captor ish if you could've fucked her?"

He smiled, shrugged, drank more of his coffee before he reached for the carafe. He tipped it toward hers and she nudged her mug toward it and he topped off her mug, then he filled his mug and returned the carafe.

"Dave was all into that brunette cat woman with you," Peter said, "but well, I was tired of earth women at that point. Everybody complimented you on the awesome makeup job but, well, I knew that port wine stain on your face is real. And the heterochromia. You found the only dude at the University who'd already had a rejected crush on a girl with both. I did wonder what an older woman like you was doing at a college party, but hell. Every young guy dreams of an older woman. That's as much charm as I've ever managed."

"A Madama Robinshong," she said as she tilted her head at him, "a shared draeam. But you got your older woman that night."

"Uh, yeah," he wasn't sure of her precise wording with the accent, but she clearly knew the reference, "things went a bit weird at the Church..."

"Be not sad," she said brightly, her voice was reasonably human in timbre. Her tongue was squarer in front but her teeth not dissimilar to his, her lips were very thin and not much darker than most of her skin, "you may have had raesaon to regret shukshesh. Our chemishtriesh do not mesh."

He raised his eyebrows as he sipped, that was not the answer he expected.

"But with a condom," she said slowly, "what you would find baetwain my legsh, you would raecognishe. And what I have seen, you'd fit nicely. When Carole is ready for another thraee-way. But if you want the anal probe, I can arrange that."

He gaped, too shocked to even retreat into his usual smart-assery. But his mind dwelt not just on the words, but another sub-vocal sound she'd made along with the words. It was like a growl.

Anna smiled at him and sipped her coffee. He let the thought go. Later. Other things now.

"I'll, uh, pass on the probe. But, Carole," Peter said slowly, "needs help, or something. I'm... well, being kind but... I don't know how to handle..."

"Wae have someone shae knows," Anna said, "with her now. I will let her tell you."

"Ok," he said slowly, "good. Now, let's start over."

"Pleashe do," her enigmatic response.

"Why did you bring us here? I know I blew a load up Jayne's ass, a couple of them, but that story you gave Carole about that being a 'signal', that's gotta be total bullshit. Although, I guess, if Jayne is what Carole was, or is, or—-"

"You knew her as 'Cat,'" Anna said, "before that day."

Peter squinted, stayed silent for a count of five.

"So you just told your driver and apparent friend Cat to 'let him ass fuck you so we can kidnap him'? She'd do that for you?"

Anna nodded slowly, Peter thought her expression was actually apologetic, her voice was not as assured as it had been.

"More or less, shae'd liked you on Halloweaen, but shae is not a shuccubush, ash you call them, like Carole."

Peter looked at her and sipped his coffee as she went silent.

"I asked Jayne to, look closhely," Anna finally said, "shae agraed you two together were a threat. Carole knew... too much. Jayne wash willing but Carole, shae put on... conditionsh to your time together."

"A threat to what?"

"Our planet wash murdered," Peter's eyes went wide and his mouth formed an 'O' as he stared at Anna, "may paeple need your help."

Medical Towers Brekkie

[November 1, 1980]

Dave Simpson cast a bloodshot eye at the clock when the phone rang outside his open bedroom door. 7:30 a.m. Seven fucking thirty AM on a Saturday. After the wildest and weirdest Halloween he'd ever had. Or hopefully would ever have. Maybe Freddy would get it. No. He'd left on a Halloween long weekend road-trip with some friends. Maybe it'll stop then.

The machine picked it up on the sixth ring.

"Dave," he thought he heard through the tinny speaker, "pick up the fucking phone you lazy ass."

The line clicked dead. A few seconds later it rang again. He stood up, still had on the t-shirt that smelled of smoke and his underwear. Damn. He'd need to change the sheets. He made it to the phone just before the machine picked up again.

"Yeah?"

"Half hour, Medical Towers, breakfast. You left me behind so you're buying."

The line went dead.

Thirty five minutes later his car screeched to a stop next to a Boss 351 Mustang at the Medical Towers building. His still wet hair was uncomfortable in the cold morning air but it was only thirty feet to the door. He took the stairs down two at a time and turned past the blocked-open glass door with 'Cafe' written across it. He saw an empty stool next to his target.

"You're late," Peter Miller said to him, a half-full mug of coffee in front of him, heavy, dark bags under each eye but he had a half-smile.

"Well, you are alive," Dave said, "although you look like shit..."

"You got the phone message, I take it. Good. Saw Hardy shoving you out." Peter's voice was hoarse, Dave's throat tickled from the smoke and assumed Peter had gotten even more of it.

Dave sat down next to his friend, the hostess caught his eye as she held the coffee pot, he nodded and she brought a mug, filled it, refilled Peter's. Two soft 'thank yous.'

"Orders?"

"Two grand slams, scrambled, no cheese, both sourdough," Peter said, Dave started to object then shrugged. She smiled and stuck the ticket in the queue above the large flattop grill. The owner/chef turned, nodded at Dave and Peter, smiled with a hint of recognition of a regular, then turned back to his collections of eggs, hash browns and every breakfast meat known to man.

"Yeah," Dave said, "Anna promised me over and over that you were fine, said she knew you'd gotten out and were safe. Just said she'd seen you..."

"I was with Joyce, you know, that teacher, I mean, ex-teacher?"

Dave nodded, confirmed he remembered.

"Had to dodge that tower that fell, then, bit of trouble because had to help that skinny Bonnie in the red dress pain in the ass, we got out the side door. What'd Anna say she saw? I saw her and Laurel near the front door, then saw you and Hardy and that Cat."

"Hardy found us," Dave said, "I yelled about you but Cat told me you were with 'his teacher.' Hardy. Shit. Dude was strong. Forced us out, just shoved people out of the way, that's when we found Anna, she swore she saw you get out."

"Did you see Cat or Anna talk into their watches?"

"Huh? I thought I heard Cat say something, she was behind me, thought she was just talking to Hardy. You sure you didn't bump your head?"

Peter smiled, shrugged.

"They claim they saw anything else?"

"Oh, hell," Dave snorted, "it was a horror show in there. I've never seen anything like that, we weren't close to that tower but saw it... shit... people... but we got out, place was coming down. Cat wanted to get scarce, knew police, firemen coming, didn't want to get caught up with that. I wasn't overly happy but well, figured leaving was better. Saw enough people taking drugs in there, well..."

"They just drop you off?"

"Yeah, took me to my place, left. Anna, I don't know, seemed to think it was, hell, something of a lark, I don't know, but if it was all gangbangers and crooks and dealers in there..."

"It was," Peter said, "might've been a few stupid poseurs, but well, now you know why I don't talk about my past..."

"I got the message from the cop," Dave smiled wanly, "but he promised you weren't arrested. What was with that?"

"My old teacher," Peter's slight smile, "she joined the force! My high school, was, well, it was a shithole. Said she got tired of seeing us delinquents coming through and getting nothing out of what she was teaching us. She'd taken some law enforcement courses and did double Psychology and English BAs, so they took her pretty readily. Was there undercover. They had a few, all got out. Bartenders too."

"You were right," Dave's smile truer now, "about your mutual, um, desire? That why you look like you haven't slept all night?"

"Yeah, kinda busy once we got to her place... me being a Uni student put me over the top on that... felt she had at least one win with me... but well, one time only deal. I won't be seeing her again. Threatened me that if she ever sees me in a professional capacity it'll be bad for me... Didn't, um, Cat offer you, a..."

"Shit," Dave snorted loudly as Peter chuckled, "she laid rubber leaving my place... And that Anna talked about you on the way back to my place..."

"Huh? She say anything where she's from? Joyce, my ex-teacher, thinks she's some sort of criminal, looking to move into town... But I told her Anna was only there because Jake and Tommy crashed our boring ass party for lame university students. Had no clue about the Church or the Mongrels so she hadn't planned to be there... But."

"Oh?"

"Anna. Her face... it wasn't a mask, or a disguise. I don't think even the eyes were makeup or the nose. Or those ears. I think... that's what she is. And her tits... Wow."

"Those were... yeah. Amazing. But, what is she, an elf? From Middle Earth?"

"Maybe...," Peter's eyes went unfocused, but it wasn't clear it was from thinking or from fatigue, "she's definitely not a local. All we need to do is figure out who the hell Cat is. She'd heard about the Church, it wasn't the kind of place good and decent people know about."

"Well," Dave said, "I hadn't."

"Like I said," Peter's voice low, "you're good and decent. Cat's... got some connections, bit of knowledge of that world. But. Hell, we never crossed paths in my old life. At the least I'm certain she's a local like me. Or been here since a child. Not an import like you. But she knew where to find the first party, I'd guess she's a student. Or staff, gotta be connected to the Uni too."

"What about talking to your old teacher, she'll be investigating?"

"Not directly, she's undercover, just another party animal for the night. But yeah, they'll look. But you're not talking to her. I told her you're a nobody—-"

"Oh, hey! A no—-"

"Don't take it wrong. There's nothing useful you can add about anyone who was there and there's no need for you to get involved. I showed Anna to Joyce, she saw her, but if they're going to chase people down they've got a few hundred others ahead of her. But Cat's the connection."

"I'll keep my eyes open."

"I'm sure you will," Peter's smile was broad before he turned as the chef plated up their breakfasts and didn't wait for the waitress to return from her deliveries to the little dining room beyond the kitchen.

"Two grand slams," he said, his English excellent if clearly accented by his native Greek, "enjoy, gentlemen!"

"Thank you," Dave was first, the chef smiled and went back to his grill. Dave shook his head as he looked at a foundation of hash browns that covered the entirety of the large oval plate, topped by an equally large pile of scrambled eggs with three pieces of bacon, a large slice of ham and two sausages laid across the foundation and a third plate with four thick slices of toasted sourdough to share.

"Shit," Dave said, "almost objected to the full on, but suddenly I'm starving."

"Yup," Peter's comment just before his first forkful, "lots of booze last night, not much food."

"And speaking of food, you going to Colorado for Thanksgiving?"

Dave swallowed, stayed silent for a moment.

"Not if I get a better offer."

"Good. I'm cooking. You bring the beer."

They both chewed, swallowed.

"And if you can find her, feel free to bring that Cat and tell her to bring Anna. But ask her to leave Laurel and Hardy home. I only know how to cook for multitudes but those two are a bit much. Two of my housemates will be there but there'll be plenty."

Carole

[May, 1981]

He didn't know if it was intentional or not that Anna dropped a bombshell on him and almost immediately ended their discussion. Or, had it ended. Was it a plan that some 'urgent issue' would've come up just as she claimed her home planet, wherever, whatever it was, had been 'murdered?' What the hell did that mean? How do you murder a planet?

And how the fuck was he supposed to help?

His mood was lightened by a degree with her assurance that not only would Carole still be in their room but that she'd have had her own chance at some sort of explanation. Had Carole met Anna? Did she know for whom, or what, she'd worked? Cat, Jayne, whatever she went by at any moment, clearly had been hooked up with Anna for years. And knew who and what Anna was. His memory of Halloween had them with an easy but clear relationship, Anna was the boss but unlike Laurel and Hardy Cat wasn't just a driver but also some sort of advisor. And she'd ingratiated herself with Carole to lure them into the trap.

Anna's advisor about all things human.

Laurel and Hardy, the pair at Halloween, Anna had joked about genetic changes. That suddenly seemed like a comment that had hidden in plain sight. But, were they human first? Or, whatever Anna's 'paeple' were? They were just taller than him which gave them a few inches on Anna but they were much broader than him. Heavier. If they'd been bred it was for strength.

And Kim? Her English was accented but nothing like Anna. She'd be noticed but most people would accept her as human, especially with that accent. What was she?

He stood outside the room he shared with Carole, the door was closed. He had the carafe which felt like it still had a full mug of that incredible coffee. Carole liked coffee but was way more particular than he was and had refused the crap their machine produced. He knocked softly.

"Carole, I'm back..."

The door slid open, Carole stood there in the smaller of the two short robes they'd been provided and bare feet. She reached out and grabbed his waistband and pulled him in, leaned her head up and he responded by leaning down to kiss her softly and quickly. She pushed her body tightly against his as she tapped the button and the door quietly slid closed with a soft click.

She broke the kiss, her eyes still closed and inhaled deeply.

"What the..." she opened her eyes and smiled, "is that real coffee?"

"From Queen Anna," Peter said, "our captor."

"Queen Anna?" Carole's expression offered clear confusion.

"C'mon, get your mug," Peter nudged her, his cock offered a firm bulge in his thin pants but that would wait, "this is incredible stuff."

She squeezed his cock and pulled him to the little counter where their drinks 'machine' was. She set up two mugs and used the buttons to dispense a dash of milk for hers. The machine's milk was far superior to its coffee.

"Not sure how much in here," he said, "you first."

He filled her mug, had enough to half fill a second mug. They took them through to the bedroom although their 'suite' offered this second room with two comfortable chairs similar to the ones in the shuttle and a small table. Peter sat on the bed with his feet on the floor, she slid onto the bed and sat cross legged sideways to face him with her pussy and her closely-cropped pubic hair exposed and visible. She purred as she sipped her coffee.

"This is better than La Caille's," she said after a moment, Peter had left the silence alone, wanted to let Carole control the moment, "how is it on a fucking space ship?"

Carole's casual use of such language was unusual, but what was usual now?

"They buy it directly from the farmers in Kenya, Anna told me."

"And this Anna," Carole paused to take another sip, "you believe her?"

"Sure," Peter shrugged, "of all of the things to lie about, why that? Anyway, I've met her before. And I take it she's been your boss..."

Carole's face went hard but then she winced and nodded softly.

"Ok, point taken," she said softly, "but I've never met an Anna."

"And hadn't met that Jayne, before a few weeks ago, right?"

Carole nodded.

"They're in this together," Peter said, "Jayne, I'd met her too, but she was in a costume, a cat mask. Didn't know it until Anna admitted it, but thinking back, yeah. Her voice."

"I might kill her," Carole's face was hard again for a moment, "but it's not just her fault. I got myself into this deal. But well... I was a teenager, orphaned, alone, I'd already, well..."

"Hey," Peter said softly, "no blame from me."

"I saw her, the woman who 'recruited' me, this morning, her name's Sheryl," Carole said, "right after they took you away. I punched her in the face, she let me, more or less, let me yell at her. But she said it's for the best and you'll explain more to me. Said we'll need to 'make the best of it' but we'll be treated very well. But, you said you'd met this Anna before? How?"

Peter laughed dryly, finished his mug.

"Hey," he nodded to Carole's mug, "don't let that get cold. Anyway, remember last Halloween?"

"Right after you dumped me for that Delta Gamma slut, right?" Peter was happy at the glint in Carole's eyes at that.

"Yeah," Peter smiled broadly, "went to a Halloween party with Dave, you met him, and couple of others. Anna showed up, she had Jayne driving her, who was dressed as a cat, and two of those 'guards.' Whatever the fuck they are..."

"They're nasty," Carole said harshly, "well, they can be, you don't do what they want."

"It was Halloween, but, well, Anna's not human. I know that for sure now."

"Huh," Carole said, "what do you mean, 'not human'?"

"Alien. She, um, looks like... an elf, but kind of like a cat too, overlaid on a human. So everyone thought she was just in the world's best costume at Halloween. I guess... I guess that's what her 'paeple' are naturally. But she's tall, not much shorter than me. Don't know if all of them are like that or not. You've only ever seen humans?"