Chapter 3
Dayna watched nervously as Jack disappeared into the briefing room with the dark man and his seedy looking group. Glancing at Mara, she saw that the sergeant didn't look all that happy about it either. Dayna didn't blame her, seeing as how she was Jack's no. 2 and yet she was being kept out of this discussion as if she couldn't be trusted. Something was definitely fishy here, but as to what, Dayna could only guess.
Mara frowned in hurt confusion at her best friend's refusal to have her in on this briefing, but decided to keep it to herself. Turning, she went back to the other three and began to brief them on the little that Jack had told her so far.
" Okay everybody, gather 'round." She ordered.
Taking up a perch on the corner of the nearest desk, she began.
" Hold on questions for after. Here's our job. We've been ordered to a planet simply called T2. It's in the still not completely charted three star system located here."
She indicated the pulsing spot on the diagram that was displayed on the table before them.
"Five years ago, a commercial liner called the Hunter-Gratzner crash landed there after sideswiping an asteroid belt that was left behind by a rogue comet which we now know had passed the planet earlier that year. The planet has breathable air but very thin air at that. We will be adequately equipped for that problem. Intelligence say that the planet and the cargo could've been commandeered by pirates and renegades, so it will be our job to regain it by whatever means possible."
" Why all the fuss over some dead man's cargo?" interjected Reid, his heavy British accent coming through in his ire.
He was a big, almost hulking, black man, who had an often irritating fixation with cleanliness. His snobbish ways in a man as ungainly looking as he is only served as a constant source of amusement to the women in his troop. But he knew that they all loved him, so he never took it to heart their teasing of him on occasion. Although he was definitely not gay, he also never seemed to pay much attention to women outside of his team, so one of the women's favorite past-times was watching Sol teach some overzealous male suitors their manners.
" I mean, what is so doggone special about this cargo, eh?" he continued.
" Well," answered Mara. " it is said to be a museum's exhibit of ancient artifacts that are worth well over 5 million creds."
Dayna whistled in astonishment, while Sol choked on what he had been about to say. Finally swallowing some air, he turned to look back at the smirking Mara.
" 5 million creds!" he exclaimed. " What in the bloody hell was it doing on a second rate ship like the HG?"
" Yeah," agreed Dayna. " I was just thinking the same thing. If the stuff was as expensive as all that, why the fuck didn't they put it on some high security transport? And why use the ghost lanes? It doesn't make sense."
" Ya got me, man." Said Mara, continued in a sour, sarcastic tone. " But according to records. Ogilvie, he was the cargo's protector, had some innovative ideas about avoiding pirates and hijackers. It seems that he figured out all by his little self, that pirates don't run the ghost lanes, so it must be safe. He paid the captain of the HG a ridiculous fee to do it, the greedy fuck agreed without even telling his crew, and killed them all."
" All?" whispered Dayna, horrified at the waste of life.
" Well, no… not all." said Mara, glancing up at the closed door of the briefing room.
" Jack?" breathed Sol, understanding the look in Mara's eyes without having to be told. " She must've been what? Fifteen?"
" Yeah." Said Mara. " but there's more… Jack and a little over a half dozen others survived the crash, but it was the planet's inhabitants that were the real problem. The underlying crust of the desert planet is riddled with cave and tunnel systems that were made by these creatures. They are photosensitive so they pretty much live down there because of the 3 star suns. For some reason though the caves don't extend into the north where the blue sun rules. No one knows why, but planet scans show all tunnels and caves abruptly end at an almost precise point. It was debated that we would camp there while doing the job, but Jack quickly dissuaded them saying that if those savage creatures avoided it, there must be something there that's really bad."
Dayna and Sol nodded in instant agreement to their captain's smart deduction.
" We might be asked to explore it while there," stated Mara. " but that's not tops on their list and is not definite, so relax."
She then went on to tell them of the eclipse, the first deaths, and Jack and Iman's fight to survive, along with the ill-fated Carolyn Fry. By the time she finished, Dana was openly crying, Sol held her while he blinked back the moisture in his own eyes.
" So young," whispered Dana. " so young to have witnessed so much death."
" I feel I know her better somehow." Said Sol.
" Yeah well," said Mara, her eyes shining with unshed moisture. "don't tell her that!"
" God forbid, luv!" said Sol, in mock horror. " she would kick my bloody arse!"
They were all still laughing so hard they never noticed when Jack and Wolff came out of the briefing room followed by the Pack. They stood there watching the three until Jack cleared her throat to get their attention. The Pack burst into laughter too as Jack's Troop stumbled over each other to get off the floor and into formation. Despite her best efforts, Jack too began laughing as she caught sight of the twinkle in Wolff's eyes.
Getting a hold of herself, she turned to Mara and held her hand out to beckon her forward.
" Mare," said Jack. " I'd like you to meet James Wolff, and his Pack. I'll let him do the intros for his people."
As Wolff's chocolate brown eyes ran over her from head to foot, his smile of appreciation made Mara's toes want to curl in her Fleet issue boots… and she found herself hard put to even let go of his hand after the handshake, but she did. Wolff's smile deepened as he sensed her interest in him, he winked at her and saw her eyes flare with acceptance before he turned to introduce his team.
As he was leaving, he paused by Jack and leaned down to whisper softly in her ear.
" You're safe, little girl. I'll amuse myself with this one for now. But don't think I won't be back to taste what you have to offer."
" You come anywhere near me," she whispered back fiercely. " and you'll be getting a shiv in your belly."
" You really want to challenge me at shivs little girl? Well, you can try… but when I come for you, the only shiv you'll be seeing is the one that I'll slip between those luscious little thighs of yours."
Her face flamed with color at his graphic promise, and she clenched her fists in impotent anger as he walked slowly away.
Chapter 4
Spinning, Jack followed up with a high kick in one blurring motion, connecting solidly with the droid's chest, sending it staggering backwards. It quickly recovered and came back at her with some blurring moves of it's own. Jack found herself hard put to keep up, yet she was grinning even as the droid pulled a quick step around, hooked a foot on her ankle and swept her off her feet. She found it hard to find practice partner's who were at a level that she was at when it came to hand to hand combat and she thrilled at the challenge the android provided. She had purchased it almost six months ago, and despite the scoffing remarks of her colleagues she had named it, and sometimes she felt that the droid actually enjoyed having the luxury of being named. She didn't know why she did it at the time, but she had named it William. Finding it easier to kick it's ass when it had that name… but as she came to be fond of the thing she had shortened the name to Willy, and no longer thought of it as a stand in for Johns. Riddick had informed her of the plan to use her as bait back on T2, and she had gotten a cheap thrill out of pretending the droid was Johns as it let her pound on it. It still surprised her how much she could hate a dead man, but she did nevertheless.
Blocking his blows, Jack then retaliated with a flurry of punches, chops, and kicks… the droid managing to deflect most of it but not all. Right as she was closing in to throw another blow, she spotted Wolff standing at the door to the room watching her. Her spinning kick faltered, and the droid's block caught her on the chest, sending her stumbling. Getting to her feet, Jack turned to see that Willy had Wolff in a bear hug and that Wolff was now gasping for air as the droid applied pressure to the much bigger man.
" Release him, Willy." She said. The droid instantly complied, Wolff staggered, as he struggled to breathe and stay on his feet. He then drew his shiv and turned back to the droid, fury contorting his face.
" Wolff, stop!" she called as she rushed to his side to grab his arm.
" You're gonna die for that little man." He growled, still glaring at the droid. " I don't know how you did that, but you're gonna die for it."
" Wolff, please!" Pleaded Jack, as he tried to push her off him. " He's just a droid. He was just reacting to programming!"
" A what?!!" exclaimed Wolff.
" A droid." She repeated.
" What the fuck are you doing fighting with a droid, Jack!?" he said, turning his glare on her.
" I was practicing with it, not fighting it, Wolff." She explained. " And what is it to you? I always practice with Willy."
" Willy?!"
" Yes, Willy!" she snapped. " And why did you attack him to begin with? Were you trying to prove something?"
" Never mind that." Now snapped Wolff. " Why don't you practice with normal people Jack? You know droids have ten times the strength of normal men… it could really hurt you one day."
" Because I happen to like sparring with someone who can give me a real challenge, and that is what Willy does. Plus, I don't have to take it easy on him, he can take whatever I dish out."
" So can I, sweetheart, but I don't see you asking me to spar."
Jack rolled her eyes at him and turned to the treadmill machine nearby, setting it for her speed… and then stepped on and began walking.
Coming to stand at the console at the front of the treadmill, Wolff rested his forearms on the edge, leaning in to watch her eyes.
" Why don't you want to spar with me, Jack?" he asked, a seductive twinkle in his eyes.
" Afraid of what might happen, of what you feel?"
" What?!" she exclaimed. " I'm not afraid of you, Wolff! And I sure as hell don't feel anything for you!"
" Really?" he said, his gravelly voice deepening in intrigue.
He then ran his hand over the bars of the machine until he came to her hand. She clamped her hand tight, refusing to pull away. Not wanting to show any sign of fear, she just clenched her jaw and tried to ignore the slow caress of his fingers over the back of her hand. He then pried her hand off the handle, and forced it to his mouth. Taking her index finger, he inserted it in his mouth and began to suck on it slowly. Her eyes flew to his as he pulled her finger in for another suck. She could feel his tongue caressing it in his mouth, and a hot rush centered between her thighs, making her face redden with the sudden wanting. As her mouth slightly opened to gasp in need, he suddenly let go and stepped back leaving her flushed and embarrassed.
Glancing from Jack and Willy, then back to Jack. Wolff burst into laughter and headed back to the door. Jack struggled to regain her composure, then looked up as he spoke.
" Excuse me for interrupting your session, Miss Jacklyn." Said Wolff, a mirthful smirk on his face as he stopped and turned at the door to look back at her.
" I'll let ya get back to playing with your Willy." He finished, breaking into loud laughter at his innuendo.
" Ha ha ha!" called Jack. " Veeerrrryy funny, Wolff, very funny."
" Is something wrong, Jacklyn Smith?" asked Willy, in his pitch perfect, mellifluous voice.
" No Willy." She said. " Just pick up the mats and I'll call on you when I need you."
" Yes ma'am." Said Willy, who began collecting the mats they had scattered around the room to break their falls.
Curious as to why he asked, Jack halted Willy and called him over to her.
" Willy, why did you ask if I was alright?"
" Was I in error, ma'am?"
" No, Willy. It's just that in the two years since I've had you, you have never asked me that before. I did not know you were programmed to sense problems."
" Miss, your adoptive father, most revered Iman of New Mecca programmed me to always be attuned to your feelings. And just now when the Wolff was here, your heart rate was at an alarming high, your body temp had shot up and your hormona…."
" Okay, okay!" she snapped. " I get it, so you sensed that Wolff had upset me."
" Actually Miss," said Willy. " your reactions were symptoms of heightened arousal. The Wolff would make a good mate, yes?"
" No… he… wouldn't!!" she said incredulously, flustered at the android's deductions.
" Why not, Miss?" asked the perplexed synthetic. " My programming shows that in all probability, joining with him would be very pleasurable for you."
A bout of heady shudders shook Jack, as a vision of Wolff parting her legs popped into her mind.
" Shut up, Willy!" she now shouted. " I say he wouldn't, that's why not!"
Grabbing her towel, Jack left the room, in a black and strangely frustrated mood. Right as she spoke to herself, the droid also spoke aloud.
" Droids!" she spat.
" Humans!" said Willy.
He then dutifully went back to straightening the workout room.
Chapters 5 - 6
Back
Dayna watched nervously as Jack disappeared into the briefing room with the dark man and his seedy looking group. Glancing at Mara, she saw that the sergeant didn't look all that happy about it either. Dayna didn't blame her, seeing as how she was Jack's no. 2 and yet she was being kept out of this discussion as if she couldn't be trusted. Something was definitely fishy here, but as to what, Dayna could only guess.
Mara frowned in hurt confusion at her best friend's refusal to have her in on this briefing, but decided to keep it to herself. Turning, she went back to the other three and began to brief them on the little that Jack had told her so far.
" Okay everybody, gather 'round." She ordered.
Taking up a perch on the corner of the nearest desk, she began.
" Hold on questions for after. Here's our job. We've been ordered to a planet simply called T2. It's in the still not completely charted three star system located here."
She indicated the pulsing spot on the diagram that was displayed on the table before them.
"Five years ago, a commercial liner called the Hunter-Gratzner crash landed there after sideswiping an asteroid belt that was left behind by a rogue comet which we now know had passed the planet earlier that year. The planet has breathable air but very thin air at that. We will be adequately equipped for that problem. Intelligence say that the planet and the cargo could've been commandeered by pirates and renegades, so it will be our job to regain it by whatever means possible."
" Why all the fuss over some dead man's cargo?" interjected Reid, his heavy British accent coming through in his ire.
He was a big, almost hulking, black man, who had an often irritating fixation with cleanliness. His snobbish ways in a man as ungainly looking as he is only served as a constant source of amusement to the women in his troop. But he knew that they all loved him, so he never took it to heart their teasing of him on occasion. Although he was definitely not gay, he also never seemed to pay much attention to women outside of his team, so one of the women's favorite past-times was watching Sol teach some overzealous male suitors their manners.
" I mean, what is so doggone special about this cargo, eh?" he continued.
" Well," answered Mara. " it is said to be a museum's exhibit of ancient artifacts that are worth well over 5 million creds."
Dayna whistled in astonishment, while Sol choked on what he had been about to say. Finally swallowing some air, he turned to look back at the smirking Mara.
" 5 million creds!" he exclaimed. " What in the bloody hell was it doing on a second rate ship like the HG?"
" Yeah," agreed Dayna. " I was just thinking the same thing. If the stuff was as expensive as all that, why the fuck didn't they put it on some high security transport? And why use the ghost lanes? It doesn't make sense."
" Ya got me, man." Said Mara, continued in a sour, sarcastic tone. " But according to records. Ogilvie, he was the cargo's protector, had some innovative ideas about avoiding pirates and hijackers. It seems that he figured out all by his little self, that pirates don't run the ghost lanes, so it must be safe. He paid the captain of the HG a ridiculous fee to do it, the greedy fuck agreed without even telling his crew, and killed them all."
" All?" whispered Dayna, horrified at the waste of life.
" Well, no… not all." said Mara, glancing up at the closed door of the briefing room.
" Jack?" breathed Sol, understanding the look in Mara's eyes without having to be told. " She must've been what? Fifteen?"
" Yeah." Said Mara. " but there's more… Jack and a little over a half dozen others survived the crash, but it was the planet's inhabitants that were the real problem. The underlying crust of the desert planet is riddled with cave and tunnel systems that were made by these creatures. They are photosensitive so they pretty much live down there because of the 3 star suns. For some reason though the caves don't extend into the north where the blue sun rules. No one knows why, but planet scans show all tunnels and caves abruptly end at an almost precise point. It was debated that we would camp there while doing the job, but Jack quickly dissuaded them saying that if those savage creatures avoided it, there must be something there that's really bad."
Dayna and Sol nodded in instant agreement to their captain's smart deduction.
" We might be asked to explore it while there," stated Mara. " but that's not tops on their list and is not definite, so relax."
She then went on to tell them of the eclipse, the first deaths, and Jack and Iman's fight to survive, along with the ill-fated Carolyn Fry. By the time she finished, Dana was openly crying, Sol held her while he blinked back the moisture in his own eyes.
" So young," whispered Dana. " so young to have witnessed so much death."
" I feel I know her better somehow." Said Sol.
" Yeah well," said Mara, her eyes shining with unshed moisture. "don't tell her that!"
" God forbid, luv!" said Sol, in mock horror. " she would kick my bloody arse!"
They were all still laughing so hard they never noticed when Jack and Wolff came out of the briefing room followed by the Pack. They stood there watching the three until Jack cleared her throat to get their attention. The Pack burst into laughter too as Jack's Troop stumbled over each other to get off the floor and into formation. Despite her best efforts, Jack too began laughing as she caught sight of the twinkle in Wolff's eyes.
Getting a hold of herself, she turned to Mara and held her hand out to beckon her forward.
" Mare," said Jack. " I'd like you to meet James Wolff, and his Pack. I'll let him do the intros for his people."
As Wolff's chocolate brown eyes ran over her from head to foot, his smile of appreciation made Mara's toes want to curl in her Fleet issue boots… and she found herself hard put to even let go of his hand after the handshake, but she did. Wolff's smile deepened as he sensed her interest in him, he winked at her and saw her eyes flare with acceptance before he turned to introduce his team.
As he was leaving, he paused by Jack and leaned down to whisper softly in her ear.
" You're safe, little girl. I'll amuse myself with this one for now. But don't think I won't be back to taste what you have to offer."
" You come anywhere near me," she whispered back fiercely. " and you'll be getting a shiv in your belly."
" You really want to challenge me at shivs little girl? Well, you can try… but when I come for you, the only shiv you'll be seeing is the one that I'll slip between those luscious little thighs of yours."
Her face flamed with color at his graphic promise, and she clenched her fists in impotent anger as he walked slowly away.
Chapter 4
Spinning, Jack followed up with a high kick in one blurring motion, connecting solidly with the droid's chest, sending it staggering backwards. It quickly recovered and came back at her with some blurring moves of it's own. Jack found herself hard put to keep up, yet she was grinning even as the droid pulled a quick step around, hooked a foot on her ankle and swept her off her feet. She found it hard to find practice partner's who were at a level that she was at when it came to hand to hand combat and she thrilled at the challenge the android provided. She had purchased it almost six months ago, and despite the scoffing remarks of her colleagues she had named it, and sometimes she felt that the droid actually enjoyed having the luxury of being named. She didn't know why she did it at the time, but she had named it William. Finding it easier to kick it's ass when it had that name… but as she came to be fond of the thing she had shortened the name to Willy, and no longer thought of it as a stand in for Johns. Riddick had informed her of the plan to use her as bait back on T2, and she had gotten a cheap thrill out of pretending the droid was Johns as it let her pound on it. It still surprised her how much she could hate a dead man, but she did nevertheless.
Blocking his blows, Jack then retaliated with a flurry of punches, chops, and kicks… the droid managing to deflect most of it but not all. Right as she was closing in to throw another blow, she spotted Wolff standing at the door to the room watching her. Her spinning kick faltered, and the droid's block caught her on the chest, sending her stumbling. Getting to her feet, Jack turned to see that Willy had Wolff in a bear hug and that Wolff was now gasping for air as the droid applied pressure to the much bigger man.
" Release him, Willy." She said. The droid instantly complied, Wolff staggered, as he struggled to breathe and stay on his feet. He then drew his shiv and turned back to the droid, fury contorting his face.
" Wolff, stop!" she called as she rushed to his side to grab his arm.
" You're gonna die for that little man." He growled, still glaring at the droid. " I don't know how you did that, but you're gonna die for it."
" Wolff, please!" Pleaded Jack, as he tried to push her off him. " He's just a droid. He was just reacting to programming!"
" A what?!!" exclaimed Wolff.
" A droid." She repeated.
" What the fuck are you doing fighting with a droid, Jack!?" he said, turning his glare on her.
" I was practicing with it, not fighting it, Wolff." She explained. " And what is it to you? I always practice with Willy."
" Willy?!"
" Yes, Willy!" she snapped. " And why did you attack him to begin with? Were you trying to prove something?"
" Never mind that." Now snapped Wolff. " Why don't you practice with normal people Jack? You know droids have ten times the strength of normal men… it could really hurt you one day."
" Because I happen to like sparring with someone who can give me a real challenge, and that is what Willy does. Plus, I don't have to take it easy on him, he can take whatever I dish out."
" So can I, sweetheart, but I don't see you asking me to spar."
Jack rolled her eyes at him and turned to the treadmill machine nearby, setting it for her speed… and then stepped on and began walking.
Coming to stand at the console at the front of the treadmill, Wolff rested his forearms on the edge, leaning in to watch her eyes.
" Why don't you want to spar with me, Jack?" he asked, a seductive twinkle in his eyes.
" Afraid of what might happen, of what you feel?"
" What?!" she exclaimed. " I'm not afraid of you, Wolff! And I sure as hell don't feel anything for you!"
" Really?" he said, his gravelly voice deepening in intrigue.
He then ran his hand over the bars of the machine until he came to her hand. She clamped her hand tight, refusing to pull away. Not wanting to show any sign of fear, she just clenched her jaw and tried to ignore the slow caress of his fingers over the back of her hand. He then pried her hand off the handle, and forced it to his mouth. Taking her index finger, he inserted it in his mouth and began to suck on it slowly. Her eyes flew to his as he pulled her finger in for another suck. She could feel his tongue caressing it in his mouth, and a hot rush centered between her thighs, making her face redden with the sudden wanting. As her mouth slightly opened to gasp in need, he suddenly let go and stepped back leaving her flushed and embarrassed.
Glancing from Jack and Willy, then back to Jack. Wolff burst into laughter and headed back to the door. Jack struggled to regain her composure, then looked up as he spoke.
" Excuse me for interrupting your session, Miss Jacklyn." Said Wolff, a mirthful smirk on his face as he stopped and turned at the door to look back at her.
" I'll let ya get back to playing with your Willy." He finished, breaking into loud laughter at his innuendo.
" Ha ha ha!" called Jack. " Veeerrrryy funny, Wolff, very funny."
" Is something wrong, Jacklyn Smith?" asked Willy, in his pitch perfect, mellifluous voice.
" No Willy." She said. " Just pick up the mats and I'll call on you when I need you."
" Yes ma'am." Said Willy, who began collecting the mats they had scattered around the room to break their falls.
Curious as to why he asked, Jack halted Willy and called him over to her.
" Willy, why did you ask if I was alright?"
" Was I in error, ma'am?"
" No, Willy. It's just that in the two years since I've had you, you have never asked me that before. I did not know you were programmed to sense problems."
" Miss, your adoptive father, most revered Iman of New Mecca programmed me to always be attuned to your feelings. And just now when the Wolff was here, your heart rate was at an alarming high, your body temp had shot up and your hormona…."
" Okay, okay!" she snapped. " I get it, so you sensed that Wolff had upset me."
" Actually Miss," said Willy. " your reactions were symptoms of heightened arousal. The Wolff would make a good mate, yes?"
" No… he… wouldn't!!" she said incredulously, flustered at the android's deductions.
" Why not, Miss?" asked the perplexed synthetic. " My programming shows that in all probability, joining with him would be very pleasurable for you."
A bout of heady shudders shook Jack, as a vision of Wolff parting her legs popped into her mind.
" Shut up, Willy!" she now shouted. " I say he wouldn't, that's why not!"
Grabbing her towel, Jack left the room, in a black and strangely frustrated mood. Right as she spoke to herself, the droid also spoke aloud.
" Droids!" she spat.
" Humans!" said Willy.
He then dutifully went back to straightening the workout room.
Chapters 5 - 6
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