Galactic Odyssey Ch. 09

*

When they kicked me out after three days in that underground tomb, the sun was standing high in the sky and the midday heat almost took my breath away.

"Where are your clothes?" asked Terras when he picked me up outside the gate.

"There was an incident during booking, doesn't matter. I got the intel - Amara's current owner is one Norman Robertson, another farmer on the Plains. Gavin's cousin."

I waited patiently until he had sent the message to Mave. "Did you bring what I asked?"

He opened his daypack and pulled out an ice-cold beer and a chicken sandwich for which I had given very specific instructions. Making a good after-prison sandwich is an art that you cannot expect everyone to master.

I took a bite and a sip of beer and sighed. "That is so good. Exactly what I need right now."

Terras stood there as I wolfed down the sandwich, quickly recounting my prison experience between bites. He listened, but he had trouble keeping eye contact; it probably didn't help that I kept flicking breadcrumbs off my breasts.

I smiled at him and jiggled my tits. "Like what you see?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare, but they are gorgeous. All natural?"

I nodded. "One hundred percent original equipment. The only good thing I ever got from mom."

"Wait a sec, you can have my shirt. No need to give these yokels a show."

*

The Naridian government didn't keep didn't keep land ownership records, so tracking down Robertson wasn't a straightforward operation, but Mave promised results within twenty-four hours.

That left us with a bit of time to relax back at the ship and after three days in custody eating prison slop, I decided it was time for a home-cooked beef casserole and some after dinner entertainment.

*

After a shower to wash off the sweat and dirt and a rather long nap, I started dinner preparations. Terras sure knew how to use a knife, which made him useful for chopping vegetables, but other than that, his cooking skills were lacking. At least he was nice to look at and didn't stand in the way.

The meal turned out well and we enjoyed it with a good bottle of wine that Terras had found at a local shop. According to Mave, the wine was the only good thing on this godforsaken planet - however, having seen only the port and the prison so far, I had to reserve judgement.

"You're in a good mood," he said and I could feel his gaze linger on my boobs where my nipples poked hard against the fabric. "First time I see you in a dress, too."

I smiled. "Nora gave it to me. She says it highlights my assets."

"It sure does. Looks great on you."

Three days in a cell without being able to touch myself, two glasses of wine, and my handsome partner on the other side of the table - it all contributed to my current state. A guy like Terras probably had no shortage pussy and the smell of mine was hard to miss.

"I'm not wearing anything underneath, by the way."

Seduction has never been my strong suit, but it didn't look like Terras would take the initiative anytime soon. If I wanted anything to happen tonight, I needed a more direct approach.

"That is good to know," he said and took his last bite of dessert.

I watched him chew - slowly and deliberately - and I wondered if maybe he didn't find me attractive. Short of taking off my dress and begging him to fuck me, I couldn't think of much else that I could do. What's wrong with you, girl, I thought, you're embarrassing yourself. Get a grip!

Suddenly, he put his hand under my chin and gave me a soft kiss on my lips. Whoa. I felt the heat rising as I returned the kiss. Okay, maybe he did like me after all.

"I wanted to do that for a while," he said and stroked my hair out of the way.

"Gods, buddy. I was starting to think you're gay or didn't want me."

He chuckled. "Don't be stupid, you're smokin' hot. And now hop on the counter, I'll get you ready."

I reached under my skirt and held a juicy finger under his nose. "Oh, I'm ready."

He smiled and sucked on my finger. "Still, you cooked for me, you deserve a treat."

Who was I to argue with that? I sat on the kitchen counter, legs spread wide, and hiked up my dress. Gods, I hadn't been this worked up since I was tripping on Whore's Delight, back in flight school. But this was no drug, this was the real thing.

"My, you're dripping."

Terras buried his head between my legs and kissed the inside of my thighs, slowly making his way to my pussy. I purred in delight as I felt his breath and his tongue probing inside me.

"Good like that?"

"Yes, yes! Don't stop!"

He backed out and started again, I felt his tongue travel from my asshole to my swollen clit. He took his time and kept me on edge for a good while before I screamed out the first of multiple orgasms.

"You know," he said. "For someone who takes twenty-five whip lashes and barely makes a sound, you're quite vocal."

"That's because you did good," I said, out of breath and still trembling all over.

"Just 'good,' you say?"

I laughed and wiped some pussy juice from his lips. "Yes, for a guy you did really good. Decent technique, and I did come if you haven't noticed. Want me to write you a letter of recommendation?"

"So it's better with a woman?"

"Why does everything have to be a competition with you guys? Women have a bit of an advantage, we know better how our stuff works, that's just nature. And some of us are particularly good."

"Like the queen?"

"Wait a minute! How do you ...?"

"George jokes about it. He keeps close tabs on his wife."

Why was I even surprised? It didn't matter, George didn't mind as long as Nora was happy and I didn't care about most people's opinions anyway.

"Enough conversation," I said. "You got me ready, now it's your turn."

*

We did make it to my cabin eventually after I had spent sufficient time on my knees, working on his hardening cock. He let me take the lead and I made him lie on the bed and climbed on top of him - I couldn't wait to get him inside me.

With a gasp I guided him into my pussy and enjoyed how he was filling me out completely. Getting my loose holes fixed had been a great investment; the feeling was nothing short of amazing. With my hands on his breast I settled into a steady rhythm, moving my hips and squeezing his dick with everything I had.

"Gods, you're tight. You sure you've had sex before?"

"I told you I was a whore, I fucked thousands of guys." I said and moaned in ecstasy as he played with my nipples, sending shock waves of pleasure through my body. "Or let's say thousands of guys fucked me, that's more accurate. Oh gods, keep going!"

"You could have told me you're a virgin and I would have almost believed it."

"Almost, huh. I just took you balls deep without puking my guts out. That's some major-league cock sucking, buddy. Could any of your other conquests do that?"

"No," he admitted. "And not for a lack of trying. That really was impressive."

I grimaced as another orgasm was building. "That's how a pro does it. It's good you didn't cum, I would have charged you ten credits."

*

The sex was epic, almost two hours we played through every position that I was physically capable of. I could tell he was experienced - he must have had a lot of girls, few men I had lasted longer than twenty minutes with me, not even when they tried.

Another orgasm was rippling through me when he finally came in my pussy.

"Wow," he said as he rolled off of me, thoroughly spent. "You're good."

"You're not so bad either," I said, trying to catch my breath. "And you're lucky, you're the first guy who fucked me since I had my holes tightened last week."

"Both?" he asked with a mischievous smile.

I nodded. "But unless you brought lube, my ass is off limits."

He chuckled. "I'm sure there's something in the medical cabinet that works. Give me half an hour and I'm ready again."

Right. I had never met a guy who didn't go for anal sex when I gave him the choice. And to be honest, with a partner who treated me like a human being and not like a set of holes to stick their dick into, I enjoyed a good assfuck. That didn't mean I'd do it for free, of course.

"Buddy, first you do the dishes and then you can fuck my ass."

*

Half an hour had been too optimistic an estimate, but an hour and a little snack later we were at it again. My newly fixed ass required a fair amount of warm-up, but Terras was gentle, making it a nice experience for both of us. He rubbed my clit, giving me my fifth or sixth orgasm that night, before he finally shot his load up my rectum.

"Hey, you don't have to do that," he said and gently pushed my head away from his crotch.

"It's fine, no worries."

He was reasonably clean despite an hour of anal sex and I would have been happy to suck the remaining lube and jizz off his dick, but he didn't allow it and used a wet wipe instead. He wanted to be a gentleman and I sincerely appreciated the gesture.

"So how did you decide to ... you know, get into this job in the first place?" he asked.

"Prostitution? It wasn't on my career plan. But when you haven't eaten in a week and some guy offers you a sandwich, you make a snap decision. From there on out, it's a slippery slope, you trade sex for this and that and before you know it, it's your main source of income."

"I see."

"Let's not talk about it," I said. "I'm retired, at least for now. What are your plans after this?"

"I thought I'd give this job a couple more years. I'm gonna buy an old freighter, fix it up, and haul some cargo. Go and see places where people don't shoot at me. I'm not getting any younger."

"You're thirty-five at most," I said and snuggled up to him, something I normally didn't do. "That's not old."

"In this job, it's a good time to retire. But what about you? Most girls your age are looking for a husband. You know, settle down, have a bunch of kids."

"I'm not like most girls."

"So I noticed," he said and traced a circle around my left nipple. "But you're smart and fun to hang out with, surely there must be candidates standing in line."

"Look, I need my freedom and let's just say my experiences with men haven't been great. And besides, I'm a former slave, a convicted criminal, and a whore - from Thoria no less. That's the textbook definition of damaged goods, no respectable guy would want me."

"And I'm a merc. Not exactly what most people consider a respectable guy."

"Whoa, buddy, slow down," I said and grinned. "I let you fuck my ass and you're basically proposing?"

He laughed. "I'm not proposing. But when I buy that freighter, I'll need a partner. You're tough as nails, you know how to fly a ship, and you can cook."

I rolled my eyes. "Most of the time I'm too lazy to cook. Let's work on your pussy eating skills and then, maybe, I'll consider taking you out on a date. But first I have to find Amara."

*

Mave came through for us, like she had promised. Norm Robertson's property was located in the fertile Eastern Plains sixty kilometers away from the next settlement - a small town of less than two thousand inhabitants. High altitude reconnaissance showed a large farmhouse with a few sheds and barns and a couple hundred people working in the fields nearby - presumably slaves.

I set down the ship out of sight near an almost dry riverbed outside Richerdson's property and we walked the last two kilometers towards the farm. Even though it was early morning, temperatures had already climbed above thirty degrees celsius and I felt sorry for anyone who had to work in this climate.

Terras would have preferred a more direct approach that included a dozen mercs and air support, but I decided it was safer to try and negotiate before resorting to violence. If anything went wrong in such an operation, I would never be able to forgive myself.

It was my decision to make, but it turned out I should have listened to him.

*

We walked down the dusty public road towards the gate of Richardson's farm and my shirt was soaked from sweat after just ten minutes under Naridia's sun. The farmhouse was still more than a kilometer away when Terras suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Quiet."

He looked around and took the rifle from his shoulder. "When I tell you, you run to that group of trees and take cover, understood?"

I nodded and pulled out my blaster as well, even though I couldn't see or hear anything. But when a merc at his pay grade told me to run, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Now!"

It was no second too soon. Blaster fire hit the road, close to where we had been standing just a couple of seconds earlier and we barely made it behind the trees. We were safe for now, but we were pinned down from two sides while our opponents advanced towards our position.

"Hey!" I shouted. "Shop shooting, we only want to talk! We've got a business proposal."

"Doesn't look like they're interested," said Terras when the shooting intensified. "See, that's why I want to retire. People I don't even know want to kill me."

As he stood behind the tree, he switched the rifle from his right to his left shoulder and returned fire. Two shots, two hits.

"That'll teach 'em."

For a moment, the shooting stopped and I heard people screaming in the distance. Their ambush had not gone according to plan, the ones still alive were now taking cover.

"Where the hell did they come from?" I asked, trying to stop my hands from shaking. I wasn't used to people shooting at me.

"Don't know, don't care right now. All that matters is that they've got a good position over there, we can't get back to the ship."

Gavin had warned me that his cousin didn't like strangers. Still, trying to shoot them on sight before they even entered your property - this I hadn't expected.

"Wait a minute," I said. "I'll request reinforcements."

"Our guys are thirty minutes out, Cass, that's too late. See that ridge over there? They can use it as cover and flank us."

"Right. When they get there, we're fucked."

Terras peeked from behind his cover and pulled his head back immediately when the tree next to him was hit.

"We can't stay here," he said and pulled a grenade from his daypack. "I'll throw some smoke and you lay down cover fire. I can probably make it over there and take out the guys at ten o'clock."

I looked over to the ridge about fifty meters from our position. Even with a smoke grenade and me shooting at at the top of my game, that was a big risk.

"Are you crazy? That's never gonna work."

"Let me do my job, Cass, that's what I'm paid for. If I don't make it, you hold them off as long as you can and then you surrender, okay? A tactical team is en route, they will get you out."

"No way," I said and reached for my comlink. "You stay put, I got this."

*

Less than a minute later we heard a roaring sound in the distance. The shooting stopped immediately - everyone turned their heads, trying to figure out what was going on. It was a sight to behold as our ship approached, kicking up sand and dust as it levitated twenty meters above us - threatening and deadly like a bird of prey.

Terras whistled through his teeth. "Nice. I didn't know it could do that."

"You should read the manual, buddy. Now let's negotiate."

I accessed the weapons array through my comlink and triggered a barrage of blaster fire, aimed at the empty field between us and the larger group of attackers. The gun batteries screamed as they turned the area into a wasteland of large, smoking craters, each several meters deep.

Another touch of my comlink amplified my voice a thousandfold by modulating the energy shield's frequency, sending soundwaves through the air. The ship's designers must have had a sense for theatrics - I sounded like a vengeful goddess.

"Drop your weapons and surrender, morons!"

Our opponents - nine people in total - didn't need a second invitation; they dropped their guns and emerged from cover, hands raised high above their heads. They were well-armed for a bunch of farmers, but no match for this kind of firepower.

Terras looked at me and grinned. "Wanna marry me?"

"Oh shut up!"

*

We kept the prisoners in check for about twenty minutes until reinforcements arrived. Mave's people squashed what little resistance was left and secured the area, rounding up the Richardson family and the farm staff.

"On your knees, everyone!" I ordered. "Who of you is Norman Richardson?"

Norm was a scrawny older guy in a dirty blue overall. He was sweating like a pig and that had nothing to do with the heat. Dozens of mercenaries in combat gear, intra-atmosphere fighters in the sky, and his entire family captured - his day had taken a turn for the worse since he had decided to attack us.

I aimed my blaster at his head. "We just came to negotiate," I said. "I'm looking for one slave in particular and I would have paid any price. Any price at all. But you tried to kill us, so now we're taking everyone."

"What about my harvest? You're ruining me," he whined.

Terras scoffed. "You better hope we find the girl and she's alright. Otherwise the harvest is the least of your problems."

*

It took our teams almost half an hour to bring in all the slaves from the fields. I nervously paced up and down and inspected everyone as they arrived. There were a lot more males than females - lifers, most likely - collared and shackled and exhausted from work. Many had straw hats, some of them were wearing rags, but the majority didn't have clothes at all. We made them sit down in the shade and gave them water while a couple of mercs were searching the sheds for tools to free them of their chains.

Finally, in the second to last group, I saw her. I wasn't sure at first, she looked different now, tanned and with only a hat to protect her from the sun. Unlike the other slaves who seemed scared, she looked indifferent as she shuffled along, dragging the chain of her leg irons on the ground.

It is impossible to describe the relief I felt - finding her here against all odds, among millions of slaves on this planet, at the end of the universe.

"Amara! It's me!"

But when I rushed towards her and gave her a hug, I realized that something was wrong, very wrong. She just stood there and didn't hug me back - it was as if she didn't recognize me at all.

I lifted her chin and looked her in the face and there was no doubt, it was my sister - or what was left of her. My heart sank as she stared at me with dead eyes. She didn't know who I was - they had broken her, this wasn't my sister anymore, this was just a shell of her former self.

It had all been for nothing, I had come too late.

"What did you do to her?" I shouted and drew my blaster while Terras flicked the safety switch of his rifle. "I swear to god, I will kill every last one of you!"

I felt rage like never before in my life. These slave drivers - everyone who ever hurt Amara, who raped her, who put her in cages, who chained her up like an animal - I would make it my life's work to track them down and eradicate them like vermin. Nobody would be safe, no matter how long it would take, they would all meet justice.

Norm raised his hands high above his head. "We c-c-couldn't," he stuttered, "we ... we just couldn't tame her, w-we had no choice! Wait a minute, w-wait! Please don't kill me!"

With trembling fingers, he typed something on his comlink while Terras pointed the rifle at him, ready to shoot at my command.

"What the hell did you do to her?" I screamed. "Gods, what the hell did you do?"

"Please! It's just a damper! It's just a fucking damper. Please!"

Finally, with my last bit of rational thought, I understood what he meant. They had used the control implant to manipulate her brain and with what remained of her once bright mind, she was able to work the fields, but I doubted that she was even able to speak.