A/N: There are no characters in this book that have anything to do with, well... anything! It's a piece I have been working on for some time and thought I might post it, see if it was coherent. And then I thought, 'Well crap. There are NO characters from either Games I play or Books I have read incorporated into this book. All the characters are my own!' So if you are reading this, beware. Neither Hans Solo, The Doctor nor Leslie Knoppe are in this book!
Chapter One
"Damn it, Guun, strap the nav computer down now!" O'Connell had to shout over the sound of buckling metal.
"I'm trying captain, but she's breakin' up!" Guun wielded his wrench like a man possessed. "The circuits are fried. The back up's are dieing and at this speed we won't last another hundred clicks."
O'Connell growled in response. He hastily adjusted his course control, pushing his ship faster than she had ever gone, all his energy bent on the small point of light speeding away from him. "She took it Guun and I am fraggin' getting it back!"
Guun groaned, his dark red hair clinging to the sweat on his brow. "Not if we disintegrate, you wont," he mumbled and then turned his wrench on another loose bolt.
O'Connell's hand raced across his control panel and then settled on the ship's throttle, his grip hard enough to crush the stick. His mind raced with the thought of wrapping those same hands around her traitorous throat. "I'm coming for you, Ashe. I'm on your ass and when I catch you…" his mind fought over the ways he would punish her. Shoot her? No, too quick and painless. Throttle her? Possibly, watch the breath slowly leave her body. Watch those dark chocolate eyes slowly empty of life? Watch those breasts, white, soft and round, heaving violently while she gasped for air, then watch them slowly still?
O'Connell shook his head as if to empty it of that thought. He focused on the point of light outside his ship, and tried to will it closer, his mind filled with thoughts of her eyes.
Ashe's hands flew over her controls, willing her ship to hold together. She didn't need to glance at her radar to know he was right behind her, had been right behind her for two days now. She also didn't need a sage to tell her he would not give up until he caught her. 'That's the problem with driven men,' she murmured to herself, 'they are so damn driven!'
She checked the distance read out. Ashram was still over a week away at this speed and the ship would not hold together at this velocity for that long. She had to find a place to lose him.
The laugh that burst from her throat was sharp and mocking. As if she could lose him! The man was insufferable, cocky and arrogant, self-absorbed and incredibly egotistical. But he was also good, damn good at what he did and what he did was hunt. And now he was hunting her.
"I am a dead woman, Veronica, if you don't hold together."
"I am aware of your predicament, darling. I am trying my best to please you." The ships AI had been modeled after her former captain's lover. Veronica's voice was silken and warm and Ashe felt very butch every time the ship spoke to her. She didn't think any real woman could be as seductive as V.
"Well thanks for the effort. Any chance we could lose him in the 'stroid field up ahead?" She held out a small amount of hope that Veronica's maneuvering abilities boarded on godlike.
The ship's sigh spoke volumes. "I am good, my darling Captain. However I lack that level of proficiency. Perhaps you would agree to a landing on Veronus 3? I could disappear quite easily in the dense forest; then we might continue on later after he has given up."
Ashe laughed. "We're talking about O'Connell, V. He will never give up."
"That assessment is correct. I have reviewed your files on him. He is most persistent."
"Yes." Ashe sighed. Unbidden, an image of the first time they made love flew across her vision. Under orders she had befriended Guun to gain access to their ship and had quickly set about making herself invaluable to the two of them. Her tech skills were on par with Guun's and her ability to, for lack of a better word, acquire valuable objects was an asset O'Connell made use of on every job they took. On board their focus was on the MorBui, on a job it was almost as if they could think as one. It has saved their lives on countless occasions. Then one day, she had been in the middle of a sentence, discussing propulsion issues on his ship when he had simply leaned in and kissed her. His lips had been warm and demanding. His tongue had played with her lips, her cheeks, her throat, before he had pressed his lips again on hers. It had been the most sensual, most passionate moment of her life. She remembered her body responding, her back arching towards him, her hands moving up his chest, over his shoulders and resting on the back of his neck, pulling him closer. His scent had been musky, male and had filled her senses. He had pulled open the fastening of her leather bodice before she could formulate a protest, but by that point she knew she had none. His hands traced the outline of her breasts, holding them, his thumbs teasing her body into life. He had pulled his mouth from hers, to run his tongue down her throat and over her body, biting, playing with her, taunting her, turning her to liquid fire.
The loud beeping of the engine alarm broke into her thoughts. A large red warning light blinked furiously. Ashe groaned.
"We are close to losing hull integrity, Captain and though I hesitate to inform you of this, it appears my hydro modulator has cracked. As you are aware, the engine's temperature will now rise with some alacrity. This will result in the imploding of my engines. Would you prefer for me to decrease speed before that occurs?" Veronica's voice was still silken and unperturbed at the thought of their imminent destruction and Ashe found that disturbing.
"Yes. Damn it! We don't have a choice. Head for Veronus 3. We'll see what we can do there." She adjusted her speed and course, her mind racing. 'He's the best there is. But he is a bit of a bull in a china shop. If I can't out race him, perhaps I can simply hide from him."
'But can you hide from yourself?' her mind taunted her. She focused on the controls, the readout of Veronus 3 and tried to push the thoughts of his naked chest against hers, his hands on her body, his mouth on hers … "Get out of my head," she groaned. "Damn you, O'Connell!"
"Damn you, Ashe," he echoed. "What the hell are you doing now?" He watched as her ship grew closer. He felt a momentary thrill when he thought her ship was finally failing and he was catching up. Then she banked starboard and darted behind a small moon.
"Where the hell are you going?" He plugged her vector into the nav computer.
"Possible projected course: Talus 2, Mandarin and Veronus 3." The computer droned.
"Life sustaining?"
"Veronus 3 only."
"Then Veronus 3 it is." He adjusted his course, but did not decrease his speed until Guun growled in pain.
"We're gonna die ya know!" Guun bellowed from inside the ship's port-com.
"Alright, alright." O'Connell decreased speed just enough to hold the ship together. "I'm comin' for you, Ashe." His tone was angry as he glared at the view screen. But for some reason instead of his hands around her throat, he had a vivid image of the first time he kissed her, the feel of her lips, the taste of her kiss and how good she had felt as he lifted her and she had wrapped her legs around him, her mouth pressed against his.
"I'm comin' for you, babe," he whispered softly, but this time mixed with his anger there was a trace of longing.
The landing on Veronus 3 was rocky at best and Ashe cursed herself for a fool. Slipping the craft into a dense copse of trees, she quickly initiated the distortion matrix. To the casual glance, or generic scan, her ship would be invisible. Her readings had indicated there was a settlement only a few clicks away and she could hopefully hide there for a while, until she was certain O'Connell was looking for her elsewhere.
"What would you have me do while you rest, captain?" Veronica sounded a little miffed at being left alone.
"This was your idea, V. Don't get angry with me."
"As you command, Captain. I will use the time to run a full diagnostic and affect what repairs I can. I could also vector a better route to your exchange point. After all, with this interruption you will be late meeting with Master Ling."
"I know, I know. Don't remind me." Ashe hated the thought of Ling not knowing the cause of her delay and his subsequent concern.
"Shall I send Master Ling a message?"
"No!" Ashe shook her head. "He'll trace it. He'll be looking for it. Hold all communications."
"Of course. Commander O'Connell is quite adept at locating and procuring what he seeks," Veronica's tone boarded on the complimentary.
"Don't remind me." Ashe grabbed her insulated leather jacket and zipped it closed. She strapped her favorite side arms, the double-pulse lasers, on the outside of each thigh. Adding her favorite black gloves, she glanced at her reflection. The leather covered her like a second skin, her blonde hair gleaming in the cabin light. But the eyes that stared back at her were empty, as dark and cold as the void of space. Their emptiness the only indication of what this act cost her. She took a deep breath to steady herself. "You are only doing what you must, girl. If it could have gone another way…"
'You mean if you could have simply asked O'Connell for the stone? If you could have told him what was going on? If you could have trusted him?' The voice in her head mocked her.
"Yes. That's what I mean," she sighed. But a year in his company had convinced her of one thing. O'Connell was not a man who worried about the big picture. He worried about O'Connell. The rest of the universe could go hang for all he cared. It was not his job to look after it.
"But it is mine." She grabbed a flask of water from the overhead bin. "I'll be gone a day or so. Hopefully not more. I suppose it depends upon finding a damn hydro seal. Lock up and don't let anyone in."
"Certainly, my darling Captain. I shall await your return." Ashe had the vague sensation of being caressed by the AI's voice. She made a mental note to look into altering its programming.
The door opened with an almost imperceptible whoosh. Ashe glanced around the cabin and then stepped out into the dense forest undergrowth.
The MorBui landed with an ungraceful thud. O'Connell turned to find Guun scowling at him.
"How could you do that to her? How could you abuse her like that? Have you no heart?" Guun growled and then reached across the cockpit and pressed a series of buttons.
It took a moment before O'Connell realized he was talking about the MorBui and not Ashe. "She's fine, Guun. Don't get hysterical on me."
"Hysterical? I'll give you fraggin' hysterical! The nav's shot, the com's close to shot, the propulsers need hours of TLC and recharging, and oh yeah… the bathroom light is out!"
O'Connell grinned evilly, his blue eyes sparkling. "Well, I suggest your first priority is the bathroom. After that, work your way through the other repairs."
Guun shrugged his massive shoulders. "Why not? What the hell? What does it matter what I do, you'll just take us back into orbit and kill us anyway."
"Are you dead now?"
Guun grunted. "Might as well be. What the hell are we doing chasing after her anyway? What's the big deal? She took that stupid little rock. She made more upgrades to this ship and its propulsion system than that rock is worth and you know it."
"That's not the point." O'Connell's blue eyes grew cold.
"Then what is the point, mate? If I'm gonna die chasing after that skirt, I have a right to know." Guun dropped his massive form into the co-pilot's seat with a thud and waited for his friend's response.
O'Connell stood, grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and pulled it on with more violence than was necessary. He zipped it half way, the black and red leather hugging his body, sculpting his muscular shoulders. The collar stood half way to his check bones, designed to protect him from the elements, but served at the moment to increase the look of hunger that played with his features. "She played me, Guun. I'm not fond of that."
Guun shook his head. "She never appeared to be a playa' to me, boss."
"She stole from me," O'Connell said, his tone cold.
Guun grinned. "Might I remind you that you steal from everyone?"
O'Connell strapped his M-9 to his waist, the weight of the firearm comforting and familiar. He turned to Guun and said softly, "But she… stole… from… me." Each word was punctuated by a violent thrust of his fist.
Guun sighed and turned back to the instrument panel. "I'll fix everything you broke while you're gone."
"Good. Let me know if you need anything specific in town."
"And you know she's there because?" Guun asked, though he knew the answer.
"Her particle discharge had her landing within ten clicks of here. This is the only settlement with sufficient foliage cover for her ship and adequate tech in town to ensure she doesn't stand out like a sore thumb. She's here, Guun." He turned and stared coldly at his friend. "Remember, that's what I do."
Guun raised his large hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. You win. I'll let you know if I need anything. Though the gods only know if they have anything on this backwater planet."
"They have her." O'Connell opened the hatch and stepped out into the dense foliage.
Guun shut the hatch behind him, rubbing the tension between his eyes. "I think she stole more than your damn rock, Captain," he muttered to himself. "Women," he sighed and then shook his head and added with a laugh, "I gotta get me one."
Ashe worked her way through the streets of the village, intent on procuring supplies and finding a decent place to disappear for a day. The streets were stone laid and worn; the buildings wood and mud structures. One main drag ran through the village, smaller, dirty side streets disappeared to her left and right. The people wandering the streets wore older, classic tunics, woolen garments. If not for the fairly sophisticated side arms that some carried she would have thought the planet tech-less. She moved around a small herd of sheep and the debris they left behind. She noticed horses, cattle, and a long necked animal she could not place. The smell of smoked meat hit her senses and she realized she was hungry.
It would probably be best if she grabbed some supplies and returned to V. The only problem with that was if he had tracked her ion trail and knew approximately where she landed, he might already have found V.
V would have alerted her, if she was aware of his presence. Stay in the village or return to the ship, both were crap shoots. Ashley sighed in frustration. Damn the man! Why couldn't he just let the rock go?
'And what if it's not the rock he cares about?' the voice in her head speculated.
Ashe grunted. "Yeah. Like he could ever care for me. Not now. Not after what I've done. What he wants is to kill me, or throttle me… or skewer me with a Talisian spike." She stopped abruptly as a small child darted in front of her. She felt the familiar tug at her thigh strap and snagged the offending hand before it could move.
"Hey!" a young voice squealed.
She twisted the hand behind the child's back and grinned wickedly. "Not bad. A little slow on the release. Haven't done this much, have you?"
The small blonde head shook back and forth in denial. Ashe couldn't tell if the child was male or female. "You're clumsy. Slow and distracted."
The child's eyes filled with tears.
"That's good though. Tears always work." Ashe sighed as images of her own childhood filled her head. She had been clumsy too, at first. They had made fun of her. It's amazing how quickly you learn to fend for yourself when your stomach is empty. "Listen to me now." She lifted the child to her eye level. It put a little extra pressure on the kid's arm which was only slightly for affect. "I have a contract for you."
The tears halted with a suddenness she found comical and the dark eyes staring into hers grew curious.
"I need information and surveillance."
"How much?" The question was direct and she recognized the professionalism.
"I pay well. When the job is complete."
The child gave her a skeptical look.
"I'll throw in the added bonus of not snapping your wrist," Ashe added angrily, twisting her hand just enough to remind the child what was at stake.
"Okay," the kid winced. "What's to know?"
She lowered the kid to the ground. Once a contract was accepted, mutual respect, if not trust, was expected.
"Name?"
The child sighed. "Mira."
Ashe nodded. Probably a fake, but it would do. "Where do you work from?"
She saw Mira's eyes widen for a moment. "Tafrin's."
The response was too quick and she knew it for a lie. But at least it eliminated Tafrin's as their home base. "I need four of you. Two on each end of town. You will watch for a man. He'll be two spans tall, brown hair, blue eyes. Probably wearing red and black leather. Carries an M-9. And he'll be looking for me." She released the kid's wrist and staring into the child's eyes she knew him for a boy, no matter what the name. "He will not find me, but I do want to know when he arrives."
The boy nodded. "Anything else?"
"If you do this, I have a trick or two to show you. I can guarantee you'll never be caught again." Ashe jangled the boy's coin sac, having swiped it from him while she held him. His eyes grew wide in surprise and then he grinned in respect.
"Deal." He held out his small hand and she placed the coin sac in it. "Where do I find you?"
Ashe laughed. "You'll know or I really should have done business with someone else."
The boy's grinned widened. "I'll know or my name isn't Maluk." He pounded himself on the chest.
"Go, Maluk. Don't piss me off." Ashe's hand rested on the butt of her laser.
"No worries, lady!" Maluk dashed into the crowd and was swallowed whole.
She glanced up the street. It appeared to widen ahead, probably emptying into the village square. Ashe sighed, the knot in her stomach tightening painfully. She knew he was here, on the planet and she knew he was coming for her. But for the moment, she needed to push the thought of his rage out of her mind. She needed to find Tafrin's, she needed food, supplies, that damn hyro seal and above all she needed some sleep. For the moment, O'Connell, Master Ling and the fate of the universe would have to wait.