Captain Emrah Jackson Ch. 28

"You have nothing I want Vanya."

"I have the current location of the Siren's Kiss."

I stayed silent. It was a tempting offer, but so was getting away from her at the earliest opportunity.

Vanya's floating home came into view. I could only see the illuminated windows but as I had guessed it had been a lot bigger than I had previously thought. We landed safely in a small dock.

There was a high wind that whipped across my body as I disembarked.

"There is a shuttle over there, take it and go, Emrah. Or stay a night, your choice." Vanya said and disappeared with the guards into the building.

I couldn't believe it was so easy. Here I was on this windswept dock, and I was just handed my freedom, but as I looked at the door she had walked through, I thought of Roki. I had no idea where the Siren's Kiss was. My only option would have been to head to Ferrin and hope they came there. The need to explain to Roki and Berta what had happened to me was too strong and with some reluctance, I went into the warmth of the building.

Vanya and her entourage had disappeared through one of the doors that were now unavailable to me. I was alone again just like before. It was strange being in such a brightly lit and well-appointed place, only hours after being in the primitive village. I wondered what they made of it all. It was likely that they knew people were living above them, but what that mean to them I didn't know.

The first thing I did was go for a shower. I stood under the hot water for some time and washed the filth off me. I watched it circle the drain. Under the bright lights, I saw all the little cuts and scrapes I had on my skin. My feet felt calloused too. What I wouldn't give for a decent foot rub right about now.

I hadn't seen my reflection in some time and what I saw shocked me. I knew my belly was getting bigger, but in the mirror, I now saw the full extent of it. I had tried to put it in the back of my mind but it was clear as day now. Round and protruding, I even saw how my breasts were swelling. I knew I was going to have this baby.

On my comfy bed, I had a long and deep sleep.

************

Vanya was in the living area when I finally awoke. She was sitting on the couch with her legs underneath her. Her hair was long again, and I could only guess it was either a wig or a more permanent cosmetic alteration. I waited for a cutting comment, but it didn't come, and instead, she offered me some fruit from a bowl on the table.

"So what now? I asked.

"Always with the same questions, my dear, never satisfied to just sit back and relax."

"You promised me the location of the Siren's Kiss."

"As soon as you are ready to go, I will have it uploaded to your shuttle."

"I'm ready now."

She smiled and picked up a banana. "I still want you to consider staying with me. Think of the fun we could have."

"What fun, living in a hut with a group of ferals?"

"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it. Living by your wits, experiencing something you haven't before."

It was time to set her straight and be honest.

"You told me you were old and tired. Well, to be truthful so am I. All my experiences haven't been fun ones, far from it. I've watched people die, ones who I cared for deeply, lost my home and sometimes my sanity. You think I've lived a life of excitement, but for me, it's been one of degradation and humiliation. I don't want that anymore. If you keep me here Vanya, I can make you one promise. One day I will kill you, or die trying."

My words had the intended effect and for a moment I glimpsed the real woman behind the facade. She smiled thinly and told me that my shuttle was waiting on the landing pad.

There wasn't anything left to say and I made my way out.

***********

There had been a lot of truth to my speech that I mostly didn't want to admit to myself. How much more of this could I take? My journey in the free systems must soon draw to a close. The only thing keeping me here was Roki. Sadly I knew that my feelings for her might not even be reciprocated anymore, and as I made my trip to the shuttle I wondered if I even needed to the location of the Siren's Kiss anymore.

The ship I was given was the one Sakura had used to kidnap me. It came from the Siren's Kiss and was small. It would take a few weeks to get to UEN space. No one stopped me as I climbed aboard. As I did the preflight checks a strong numbing feeling washed over me. I loaded up the navigation computer and keyed in the coordinates for the UEN border.

Then something flashed on the screen. It was a waypoint. It was far out in deep space, on the other side of Ferrin. It was where the Siren's Kiss was. From what Vanya had told me they had taken serious damage in an attack orchestrated by Sakura. They had sought refuge to repair the ship. Roki could be dead for all I knew.

The numbing feeling began to fade and my heart began to race again. I scrolled away from UEN space and set the location to Ferrin. I had been kidding myself thinking I was going to make any other decision.

**************

When I was a suitable distance from where Vanya had been holding me I did a proper inventory of the shuttle. Thankfully I found a pair of old grey coveralls that I changed into. They were loose enough to hide the bulge in my stomach, at least for the time being. Sakura had a few cases stored in one of the supply lockers. They contained her clothes, and a few other bits and pieces. I was about to close one of the cases when something caught my eye. Tucked down into the side was a credit pass. I fished it out and had a look at it. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was for five million credits. That must have been my bounty or the money she had received when she sold out the Siren's Kiss. It was more than enough to start a new life on a planet very far away and live comfortably for the rest of my life. I wondered if Vanya had known it was here all along. It was too much for one person though, and I promised myself that I would give a healthy portion to Berta not at least to go towards the repair of her vessel.

At maximum speed, it was going to take me two weeks to get to Ferrin. I had enough supplies to last me, although boredom was going to become a problem. I wondered why no one ever thought to add books to the list of emergency supplies on these types of ships.

I spent most of my time eating and sleeping. Oddly I was missing my life in the jungle. At least there I had jobs to complete and people to be around.

Then one particularly dull day an alarm sounded in the cockpit. It was a distress call. I checked the navigation computer and saw it was a good amount of light-years away. I was deep into a lawless space where pirates operated. It could easily be a trap and it would mean a detour for me. Still, though, it could be genuine. I should at least check it out.

I turned the shuttle and set the course. Once I got a decent bit of speed up I cut the engine and killed all the electronics apart from the sensors. I was going to drift in, get a look at who they were and hopefully remain undetected.

After an hour of silent running, I heard little dings on the outside hull. It was like I was flying through a debris field which made me think this was the real deal. As I got closer I could see now that it wasn't a ship but a space station. It was like many that occupied this area of space. They acted as refuelling ports for pirates and other less desirable vessels. Most people left them alone as they provided a valuable service in this dead area of the galaxy.

I opened my comms channel and received a harrowing message. They were running out of oxygen. My shuttle was small and could accommodate only twelve, but they told me there were about a hundred people still onboard. I told them the truth about how many people I could rescue. The person who I was speaking didn't sound excited anymore but said that it would have to do. I told him I could take any women and children, which he agreed with.

As I closed in, I saw that there had been a vessel docked at the station. Whoever had attacked them had destroyed the ship as well. It was in two parts and drifted close to the station.

The man I was speaking to told me where to dock, and I carefully backed the shuttle up to the airlock. As a precaution, I strapped a mauler pistol to my thigh. The shuttle was rated to carry twelve, but I was thinking that more could be taken with not much trouble.

With some trepidation, I opened the shuttle's hatch and then manually opened the door to the station. It was dark inside and some lights flickered weakly. I could immediately tell that the air was thin. Then I saw that there were bodies littered around the small dock area. They must have been killed in the attack.

"Hello," I called out as I stepped out into the darkness. I had told the man to ready a small group for my arrival, but I saw no sight of them.

"I need help." A voice called out from the gloom.

Something didn't seem right and I called back and asked them to show themselves.

"I am trapped." That was the answer.

I carefully approached and when I had only taken ten steps a blinding flash of light whizzed passed my head. I was being fired upon. Another streaked passed my head, only missing me by inches. Instinctively I dived behind a crate and fumbled to draw my pistol.

"I think I got her," a deeper voice shouted out, and then I heard footsteps, lots of them.

Leveling my pistol on top of the crate I aimed where the voice had come from. A group of about twenty men were racing towards me. Quickly I glanced back at the safety of the shuttle and knew I would be cut down if I made a run for it.

"Stop," I shouted and fired into the group. One of the men fell but the others didn't stop. A hail of laser blasts hit the crate and I ducked as the men overwhelmed my position. They weren't trying to kill me though and practically ignored me as they ran past. I knew where they were going and I felt a wave of panic and some were running into the shuttle. I aimed my gun again and managed to hit a few in the back as they fought to get through the small opening. It was useless. I was too late to stop them. With a feeling of frustration, I watched as the door to the airlock was sealed.

I swore to myself, I should have trusted my instinct. I was alone now in this ruined station, and my only hope of escape was now lost.

**********

I pulled myself together and decided I wasn't just going to curl up and die here. I put my pistol back in its holster and decide that I must search the station. There could be a chance that an escape pod had been overlooked. I set off in the direction the men had come from.

Everything was broken and smashed. Electric panels sparked and lights flicked off and on. There was debris everywhere, and I came across bodies laying in heaps in the corridors.

Oddly though I could hear faint noises of music. As I journeyed further it got louder and louder. It must have been on during the attack. As I squeezed myself through a gap in a seized door, I saw that this wasn't the case.

I was on the upper level of some sort of main concourse area. It was from down below that the music was originating. As I peered over the edge I saw people. A lot of people. Some were sitting in groups while others were dancing. It looked like some post-apocalyptic nightclub. Lots of booze and laughter. Although a lot of them looked injured and some were dead. If their air was running out they were certainly going out on a high.

Then my eyes were drawn to the centre of the madness. a dozen or so supply crates and been used to create a sort of stage area. On top of them was a young blonde woman who was naked and on all fours. Behind her was a man with his pants around his ankles fucking her. Another was in front with his dick in her mouth. Others were crowded around with bottles in their hands enjoying the show.

I couldn't help but think back to my time in the jungle. Those so-called primitive humans acted a lot more civilized than the group before me.

I looked around trying to see if I could see anyone who might have been in charge, but they all looked like they were drunk or too injured to be of any help. The sex show seemed to have ended as I saw one of the men pulling his trousers back up. The blonde girl had collapsed on the stage and looked completely wasted. A large man with an equally impressive beard stepped forward and picked up her naked body with ease. With loud whoops from the crowd, he tossed her towards the waiting men. A brief scuffle broke out as she was dragged to the floor.

With some disgust, I saw another girl brought up on the stage. This one didn't look drunk though, and was struggling against her captors. The music was so loud that I couldn't tell what was being said, but from my vantage point, I got a good idea. The large man took a handful of her hair and dragged her around the stage in a grotesque manner. Hands from the audience were trying to grab her. She looked to be about eighteen and looked petrified. From her clothes, I guessed she was some sort of maintenance worker.

I knew what was going to happen next and had no intention of sitting and watching. I drew my pistol and aimed over the balcony. It was a hard shot to make, but if I hit the big guy, the others might scatter.

As I prepared to pull the trigger the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I wasn't alone up here. Reacting quickly I twisted my body around, but I wasn't fast enough. The first thing that happened was that my gun was knocked from my hand, and then the next was something striking me on the back of my head. It didn't knock me out, but it left me seriously dazed. All I was aware of were hands on me, picking me up. For a brief moment, I thought I was about to be thrown off the balcony. I wasn't and instead, I was thrown over someone's shoulder. My head was on fire and my vision was blurred. The music was getting louder as I fought to stay awake. I knew where I was going, but was in no fit state to prevent it.

My body was dumped onto the stage, and I was hoisted onto my feet by the bearded man. My hair was too short for him to grab hold of, and he pulled my arms painfully behind my back instead. The young maintenance worker was still on the stage. She was on her back with her top removed and her bare chest exposed. Hands from the crowd had hold of her ankles while a man on the stage was desperately holding onto her wrists. he fought to keep her from being dragged away, but it was futile, and she slipped out of his grasp into the throng of lustful men.

The music was deafening, but I heard the roar of the crowd as I was presented to them. Hands immediately tried to grab me, as I vainly tried to kick them away. It was a nightmarish scene and I could only hope that the bearded man kept a good hold on me. If it hadn't been for the head wound I would have been panicking now, but it was all I could do from not passing out.

The man who had lost the girl to the crowd approached me now. He was dead drunk and had a sloppy smile on his face. My body was presented to him, and he immediately squeezed my breasts hard. The man behind me pulled my arms down, making my back arch. Fingers were now at the zip of my coveralls and were yanking it down.

I had to mentally prepare for what was going to happen next. It was inevitable. I knew if I tried to fight I was only going to make things worse for myself. They were going to fuck me if I was alive or dead.

As soon as my breasts were exposed a face was buried in between them. I felt a tongue slurping and licking my skin. The man behind me released my now limp arms. He would need to do that to strip me properly. Both men were now pulling my coveralls from my shoulders and down my body. It pooled at my feet as my naked body was pressed between these two men. If my pregnancy was noticed it wasn't taken into consideration as their hands groped and touched me all over. A mouth tried to find mine, but I was successful in dodging it. That was little comfort as that just signalled to the man that the foreplay was now at an end. Without much effort, I was pushed to the ground onto my hands and knees. As the man before me started to pull his cock out ready for my mouth, I turned to the crowd in the vain hope that there was going to be some rescue there. All I saw was the blonde woman's body being raised into the air. Something had been wrapped around her throat and her body was limp and lifeless.

With a slap to my face, I was brought back to my senses. The thought of these two men fucking me was all too real. The sides of my face were held firmly and a semi-hard cock was pressed against my lips. I could feel the other man behind me spreading my ass cheeks. Then just as I was about to accept my fate the cock in front of me fell away and I saw the man collapse. The music was so loud that I couldn't tell what was going on. I looked up and saw a bolt of light shoot across the stage.

The bigger man behind me knocked me over and as I fell I saw a laser blast hit him in the head. Suddenly hands were on me again. They were picking me up. As they did the back of my head hit the floor and my eyes again were full of light. Not from a weapon but due to the wound on the back of my head. I couldn't save myself from unconsciousness this time.

**********

"How are you feeling?" someone asked. It was a woman's voice, and to my relief, I could hear no music.

As my eyes adjusted I saw that she was about my age and had a bandage around her head.

"Where am I?" I asked, groggily.

"You are on the station. We saved you from those men."

I was laying on a cot. My coveralls were back on, and there were a dozen people in the room. She introduced herself as Mary. The pain in the back of my head was still there, and I was given an ice pack to soothe the feeling.

"You came on the shuttle, didn't you?" a man now asked.

I nodded.

Mary told me his name was Wickram. He was the controller of this station, and whose voice I had spoken to when I answered this distress call.

"Did you know those men would rush me?" I asked as I sat up.

"I did," he said and lowered his head. He was in his fifties and had a head of white hair. He explained that he had a gun to his head and couldn't warn me of the danger.

"But you came from a ship, didn't you? You can contact them can't you?" Mary asked, hopefully.

I shook my head and told them I was on my way to Ferrin. I could see the faces all around me drop at that revelation. It was a mixed bunch. Some looked like pirates and some looked like workers from here. A few of them were injured and all of them looks scared.

"We lost two people saving her," one of them muttered.

"Can someone fill me in?" I asked.

"About eight days ago," Wickram started, "a ship attacked us. It didn't show up on our long-range sensors. It was some sort of stealth technology." He went on to tell me that there was no raiding party and that they had just destroyed the docked ship and then fired on the station. "A few people got out on escape pods and shuttles, but that ship whoever they were, just picked them off."

"We've been here ever since," Mary said. "The men who jumped your shuttle were from the pirate ship that was docked with us. The Hawk."

"The rest of their crew are on the concourse now, they got into the booze once they realised they weren't getting out." It seemed that the group that had stolen my shuttle where the command crew who had stayed sober and taken advantage of the distress call.

I asked how much air was left and was told they had two days' worth. It seemed our only hope was another passing ship coming by, which didn't seem likely.

"I should have warned you to stay away," Wickram said sadly. He seemed genuinely sad about bringing me into this situation.