Asteroid 6969: Tiger Gold Read online

  “Yeah, and if you believe in that, you have to believe in the tooth fairy.” Heidi rolled her eyes.

  “What? The tooth fairy doesn’t exist?” He laughed.

  “So you’re Captain Lance,” said Heidi, changing the subject. The word “captain” had a funny effect on her. It made her want to obey his every command—as long as he was ordering her to lie down and spread her legs open. She cleared her throat. “I mean, Captain Rocket.”

  “That’s my name.” His smile lit up the room. By Hades he was sexy! And a captain to boot, with his own ship!

  Heidi stared at him. A plan was taking form in her mind, but it was nebulous as yet. But Lance had a ship. His own ship! “How much would you charge to take someone to a Federation planet?”

  He gave a dry laugh. “Well, it would be a short trip. The Federation would blast me out of space the second I got in range.”

  “You’re not registered.” It wasn’t a question. Heidi’s heart sank. He was as good as a pirate. Damn.

  He shook his head. “Sorry to disappoint you. You’ll have to find another space captain, sugar.”

  “My name is Heidi.” She could hardly keep the disappointment out of her voice.

  The door opened, and Fanny stuck her head inside. “Ivan just left.”

  Heidi’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry Fanny, I made a right mess of things.”

  “Don’t worry about things you can’t change. It’s been taken care of. I docked your pay. You don’t owe him anything.” Fanny looked at Lance. “He’s mighty riled at you, spacer. I’d stay out of his way for a while.”

  Lance cleared his throat. “Well, I’ll try my best, ma’am. Thank you for the warning.”

  There was a little silence. Then Fanny said, “At any rate, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. I just got bad news. Jock died.”

  Heidi felt as if someone had just punched her in the stomach. “What?”

  “Who’s Jock?” Lance asked.

  “Nobody,” said Fanny quickly.

  “Just a guy we knew,” said Heidi. She rubbed her shoulders. The future was looking bleaker every minute.

  “I can tell this has shaken you. Does he have something to do with safe passage?” said Lance, his voice soft.

  “What did you tell him?” Fanny said to Heidi, her expression worried.

  “She didn’t tell me anything that matters,” said Lance. He looked from one woman to the other, and Heidi wondered what he was thinking. Finally he took a deep breath and said, “I have a ship. I’m not registered, but I can go to middle grounds, places where registered ships drop in on a regular basis. I’d like to help out, if I can.”

  Both women looked at him. Heidi saw traces of tears on Fanny’s cheeks. She said, “Jock forged our papers for us. Without him, nobody can get into a Federation planet.”

  “Can someone else do his work?” Lance looked from Heidi to Fanny.

  “I don’t know.” Fanny sounded tired. “I have to get back to the club. Don’t worry about it. We’ll try to work something out. See you tomorrow, Heidi.”

  “Sure.” Heidi gave a little wave and then, when the door closed, she lay back on her bed. Jock was dead! Bad things always happened in pairs, her mother used to say. Her head had started to ache. She closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples.

  “Can I do anything for you?” The bed dipped as Lance sat next to her.

  She didn’t open her eyes. “Yeah, you can go finish your bath and get back to your ship in one piece. Turn out the light on the way out, will you? My head hurts.”

  There was silence, and then cool fingers found her neck and began to massage it. She sighed in contentment. The ache in her head started to ebb—if only the ache in her sex would abate. But the massage remained chaste, much to her disappointment. She sighed and shifted over, moving her body until she felt Lance’s firm thigh against her side. She eased closer, the feel of silk rubbing against silk making her stomach clench with raw desire.

  A burning, tickling feeling was making her dizzy. In about a minute, she was going to orgasm whether Lance took possession of her body or not. With a deep groan, almost a growl, his hand suddenly dipped down her back, tracing the line of her spine, until he reached her buttocks.

  That did it. She flipped over, parted her silk robe and grabbed his hand, pressing it to her hot pussy. Her flesh was so swollen, so sensitive that the merest touch of his hand sent ripples of delight washing through her. She’d been horny for so long…

  “Are you sure you want to make love to me? You’re not going to regret it, are you? Because I won’t lie. I told you I speak my mind, and you’ve got me harder than a titanium shaft.” His voice was no longer honey-smooth—it had a rough edge to it, as if he held onto it with all the force of his control. The muted passion in his words stunned her.

  She raised herself on her elbows and said, “I want you to make love to me. I’ll be honest—I’ve been wanting to fuck you since you stepped into the room.”

  He leaned closer to her, and then, holding her by the chin, he pressed his lips to hers. His mouth, hot, hard and hungry, roamed from her lips, down her chin, and to her breasts. With what sounded like a strangled sob, he tore off her robe and pushed her back onto the bed. His hands slid down her waist and he knelt between her thighs.

  She parted her legs and arched her back, giving him access to her body. When he slipped a finger between her labia, her juices coated his finger and he slid into her easily.

  She reached up and grabbed him by the waist, intent on pulling him closer.

  “Not so fast,” he said, as he balanced on his knees over her, his robe slipping off his shoulders and falling to the floor. Heidi groaned. What a body he had. Flat, hard chest, trim stomach, and strong thighs. And his cock was gorgeous, stiff, and too far away from her!

  “Please, I can’t wait another second, I’m about to explode,” Heidi cried.

  “All right.” He opened her sex with his fingers, then, slowly, he lowered his hips and sheathed himself within her. She was so tight, he couldn’t penetrate at first, and he had to thrust several times. It hurt, but at the same time, it felt so good she thought she would die of pleasure. As the large, round head of his erect cock pushed past her outer lips she uttered a satisfied moan. As his cock slid deeper she grasped his waist tightly and pulled him in further. Ridges and bumps delighted the muscles inside her vagina as she moved slowly beneath him, writhing with pleasure.

  Her nipples lengthened and tingled and waves of heat surged through her as Lance’s cock parted her flesh and penetrated deeply. Her thighs began to tremble and she strained towards her orgasm. Her breath tore from her throat in time to his thrusts, and his chest rubbed against her nipples. Then he rose slightly, and one of his hands found her breasts and he fondled them one after the other, pinching her nipples, going back and forth until Heidi groaned with pleasure. He wasn’t heavy, he held himself up on one arm while his hips flexed, driving his cock into her in a steady rhythm. His body pressed against her belly, hips, knees and shoulders… She reveled in the new sensations. Just the feel of his skin on hers made her head spin with delight.

  Heidi tried to concentrate on everything, but her senses were focused on the hot, tickling feeling growing in her belly. Lance thrust a few more times, then, with a groan he shuddered against her.

  The waves of her orgasm rocked them together. His mouth fastened on hers, devouring her cries. She raked her nails down his back, gripping him with her legs until the wild pounding had stopped. Afterwards, all that she felt was her heart, thumping as if she’d run a race.

  They didn’t speak for a while. Then Lance rose up on one elbow and looked down at her. In the darkness, his eyes were like glittering black obsidian.

  “Are you all right?” he whispered.

  Heidi felt a smile tug at her lips. “Better than all right.”

  He paused. “Good.”

  “Damn, it was better than good!” Heidi grabbed him and pulled him to her in a hard embrace. “Wh
y didn’t I do that before?”

  He chuckled. “Because you weren’t ready. Besides, it’s not when you start, it’s how you start.”

  “Hell of a start,” she said.

  “You have a mouth on you, gal,” said Lance. He traced the outline of her face with his thumb. “Stop swearing so much. You sound like a spacer.”

  “It’s what I’ve always dreamed of becoming.” Heidi yawned and closed her eyes. Lance kissed her, or at least she thought he did.

  When she woke up the next morning, she turned, hoping against hope he’d still be lying next to her, but her bed was empty, Lance was gone. A sharp pain stabbed her in the heart and she recognized it as sorrow—she’d felt it so often it was familiar.

  * * * * *

  Pain, why did she have to think about pain? She found herself back in the present, and back in the dark, damp, cold dungeon. Why was life so unfair? She twisted around, trying to find a comfortable position, but her shoulders and back hurt too much and she couldn’t stop her tears this time.

  “Lance,” she whispered, misery wrapped around her like a cloak. She rubbed her eyes, trying to make the tears go away. Thinking about Lance was like cutting herself with a knife. The pain was so sharp she could hardly bear it, but that was all right. She had to hang onto dreams in this place, or she’d be lost.

  Dreams of when she and Lance made love. And the best dream of all was when he’d asked her to be his wife.

  They’d decided to become partners and somehow get the ship registered. Heidi would save her meager paycheck, and Lance would put all his funds together and pool them with his crew. Then they would devote their time to getting people off Asteroid 6969 and off other places like it. The crew had been all for it, and had even offered their hard-earned savings. A registered ship could get higher-paying jobs. It had been such fun making plans.

  While the ship was getting the furzbas cleaned out, the crew hung out at Fanny’s and they devised schemes—some of them outrageous—for getting the money for registration. The more Heidi got to know Lance, the more she loved him. He cared for other people, and next to Fanny, was the most generous person she’d ever met. Heidi knew she had someone rare and precious, and for the first time in her life she knew what it was like to be terrified of losing something.

  She could picture Lance and her in the spaceship’s galley the night he’d proposed to her. She had gotten up and taken two steps around the table. Then she stooped down and took Lance’s face in her hands. She leaned over and kissed him.

  He kissed her back, and she slid onto his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck, hanging onto him like a drowning victim.

  “So, will you marry me?” he’d asked, when they came up for air.

  “Yes,” was all she said.

  “Are you sure?” he asked.

  She nodded, then got up and pulled him to his feet. They kissed again, and she led him, a smile playing on her lips, to their cabin. The room was tiny, but the bed was wide and the sheets were smooth and inviting. She grinned, thinking how much fun it was going to be to rumple those sheets, then she pushed him onto the bed. Kneeling, she undid the fastenings on his captain’s shirt, pausing after each one. Then she pushed it off his shoulders. For a minute all she did was run her hands over his chest.

  He let her unbutton his trousers, and then she stopped. She straddled him. “I have you at my mercy,” she said.

  “You do indeed,” he gasped, as she eased his pants and boxer shorts over his hips. He couldn’t conceal his desire. His cock reared up out of a dark blond tangle of soft curls. Heidi caught her breath when she saw it, and her eyes widened.

  “Get undressed,” Lance ordered, his voice masterful.

  She did, pausing briefly as she got to her underwear.

  “Don’t stop now,” Lance breathed.

  “Who’s stopping?” Heidi made a soft, mewing sound and her hips moved towards Lance of their own accord. Between her legs a heat was building up that only one thing could quench. She felt as if her bones were melting, and she fell forward, pulled into Lance’s strong embrace. He pulled her to him until her thighs were inches from his face. Then he spread her legs with his hands and pressed his mouth to her pussy.

  She gasped as his tongue darted into her, plunging deep. Then his fingers were spreading her tender flesh apart, and he was licking her clit, twirling his tongue around it until she felt it standing as stiffly as her nipples. Her hips thrust towards his face and she braced herself against the back of the bed so she wouldn’t fall. Between her legs a terrific heat was starting to build. He slid his fingers into her, first one, then another. His tongue never stopped rubbing her clit, and in a minute, she was sure she was going to come right into his mouth.

  “Lance!” she cried.

  He kicked his pants off the rest of the way and pulled Heidi down on top of him, pressing his body tightly against the whole length of hers. His skin was stretched over his taut stomach and flanks, a soft swirl of blond curls reached up towards his navel. Heidi arched her back, wanting him.

  Lance’s cock seemed to grow even harder as she smoothed her hands and mouth down the thick shaft. She held onto his cock, loving the feel and taste of it. It was so big it almost frightened her, but her cunt was aching, begging her to hurry. Her breath coming fast, she sat up and straddled him, sliding slowly onto him. It had been too long. She was so tight it was like the first time all over again. She sat down and could feel his cock plunging into her, stretching her. She had to stop, then raise her hips and let his cock slide almost all the way out, then slide back down again. Once, twice, three times, then he entered her fully. For a minute she knelt without moving, feeling his pulse beat in her belly. Then he raised his hands and grasped her breasts. He rubbed his palms against her nipples and she felt a tingling all the way down to her cunt. With his thumb and his forefingers, he pinched both her nipples hard, sending sharp, tingling stabs of pain mixed with pleasure straight to her womb. Gasping, she lifted up and slid down his shaft again, harder and harder.

  A storm seemed to build in the room as they grappled together. Lance arched his back and Heidi rode him, bucking against him, driving him as deeply as she could into her body. She cried out as his cock slammed against her cervix. She felt herself coming. She let herself go, opening her legs and sitting down on his cock hard. But Lance wasn’t finished with her.

  While she sat on him, he lifted her up and turned her around, so she was facing backwards. Then, taking hold of her buttocks, he lowered her onto his erect penis. Slowly at first, then faster and faster. Heidi leaned forward and grasped his ankles for leverage. Now, the sensations changed. Now his cock was massaging a different part inside her cunt, and she reared up and slid forward as fast as she could on the brink of another orgasm. She was so slick she was bouncing up and down his thick cock now, and she was so wet, she slid right off it. Lance grabbed her buttocks and pulled her down on to him. His cock brushed against her cunt, and she didn’t hesitate. She pushed down and sheathed his cock into her to her womb. As soon as she did, she started coming again. Her whole body was pulsing with pleasure. Lance uttered a strangled cry and pumped into her, his hands clenched on her hips. When he came, she could feel him jerking against her.

  Exhausted, she rolled off him and lay by his side, her breath coming in gasps. Her cunt and her ass were throbbing, and when she put her hand between her legs, she felt another, mini-orgasm shake her.

  The ruby light coming in the portholes played across their bodies as they lay together in the tiny room. Heidi’s hair brushed Lance’s cheek and her arm lay on his chest. He was on his back, gazing up at the ceiling, but Heidi had fallen asleep. A sweet smile tugged the corners of her wide mouth. Her long eyelashes swept her cheeks.

  Chapter Five

  The Federation

  The Federation is a tightly knit alliance of planets, all of whom share a central government, rules, and money. The Federation’s central government is located on Planet Aria, in the Taurus system. The govern
ors of all the planets go to Aria four times a year for a council that is held on everything but concentrates especially on trade, transportation, and taxes. The money is a credit system. The credits are ephemeral and accessed through each person’s COK (Credit Output Keeper), usually a handheld device. On some renegade planets and asteroids, credits have been minted in order to escape taxation. Most credits, however, are stored in a COK and are accessible by Federation accountants. The Federation is a democracy in which all Federation planets elect their governors. Settler planets and mining asteroids, however, are assigned a mayor chosen by the Federation.

  Trade is essential to the Federation. Settler planets and mining asteroids bring in considerable profits. Settlers and miners, however, are not usually protected by Federation law or share in the profits.

  Transportation is broken down in three categories: Intergalactic ships capable of traveling long distances in space including trade ships, spaceships, and cruise-liners, short distance spaceships including shuttles and spy ships, and ground transportation which ranges from ancient, wheeled vehicles (sometimes pulled by life-forms on the most primitive planets) to hovercrafts, rail transports, scoots and other homemade personal carriers. Scoots are the most widely used form of transport in the Federation, and can be found on any Federation planet, Settler planet, and mining asteroid.

  - From The Revised Galactic Dictionary, – “A short introduction of the Federation”

  Heidi replayed that evening over and over in her head. She was afraid that if she didn’t remember every second of it, it would prove to be just another dream, or a hallucination brought on by her torture.

  But it wasn’t. She knew that she and Lance had loved each other, and even though she’d lost him, she still had the memories.