Chapter 52

The distinct click-whrrrr of a voltaic pistol didn’t even stir him. Galton was beyond fear, beyond anger. He was all the way to contemplative. A truly dangerous state. He didn’t turn.

“I didn’t expect you to surrender,” Dain said.

“Your disregard for safety is truly astounding,” he replied. “You had a mass-cannon pointed at my ship at close range. You’d have killed us both if you fired. What else was I supposed to do?”

“Go down with the ship, sir,” she said. She leaned close, the business end of her pistol brushing against his hair. “Or perhaps surrendering to me did not fill you with such dismay as might have been imagined. It’s been a long chase. Too long.”

“You’ve been remarkable quarry.” Again.

Dain clicked the collar around his throat. She was close enough that he smelled her soap; she was recently come from the ‘fresher, which indicated more luxurious accommodations aboard her vessel, the Hevelius, than were indicated from the hull.

“The ‘pod was ejected. What’d you put planetside?”

“My first mate. She’s got a long-distance com. It shouldn’t take her but another ten minutes to get local backup. And here you are, on my ship. If you hurry, you might be able to warm up your GTL engines before they get here.”

Dain spun the chair around, forced him to face her. The servitude collar itched, but Galton didn’t touch it. Tampering with the collar had uncomfortable consequences.

Every time he saw her, it was like the first time. So incredibly desirable, but fey and strange. Alien. She had the deep, blue-purple complexion of all her race, her white and black facial tattoos masking any emotions. Her long, white hair hung in dozens of braids, adorned with stolen gold, shimmersilk, and abthi beads. The odd pigment came from consuming the native vegetables on Magellan; aside from her strange coloring, she was human enough. Glitterstim sparkled from her lips and her deep green eyes were limned with red cosmet.

Galton couldn’t tell if her features were beautiful or not; her face was too at odds with Earther ideals of beauty to make much of her cheek structure or the shape of her chin. But she was fascinating to look upon.

Three years, they had played this game, chasing each other from one end of the galaxy to the other. She was the bounty he sought most often, although he’d never claim the reward.

“You’re bluffing. There’s no space-goers on this rock, just lizard-monkeys and sub-humans barely out of their caves. Don’t worry for your mate, bounty-hunter. I’ll be sure to mount a rescue, after I’m done with you.”

Galton smiled, spreading his hands. “As you will.”

“Bet your air I will it,” she said. “Come along, Captain. You, this ship, and your cargo are all my property now. And I have a little job for you, before I tow this scrap-heap to the stacks.”

“That’s just rude,” Galton said. He stood up. He wasn’t that much taller than the Magellanic pirate, maybe ten or twelve centimeters. “Valley Witchmight need an overhaul, but she’s a good ship. No need to sell her for parts.”

“Do you have any idea how much chinga you’ve cost, over these years?” She looked him over. “Strip. Now.”

Galton rolled his eyes, but did as she commanded. The ship’s air was still warm—power-down had only been an hour ago—but if she planned to keep him naked for long, he was going to be exaltedly cold. Space was the ultimate heat sink.

Dain looked him over, her eyes critical, mouth pursed. “Well, you’ll do, I expect. Muscle tone is good, not too scarred up. You’ve kept yourself fit.” She touched his gut where a Situlian rock worm had stung him, leaving a lacy patterned scar. “That’s a new decoration.”

He shivered under her hand. Space was a big place, with planetsides few and far between. Even a hospitable world might not have a species designed for mating with humans. It had been him and his hand aboard the Valley Witch.Suns and moons! He gritted his teeth and filled his mind with images unsexy: the Valley Witchblasted out of the sky, years as a slave in an Altair mining camp, his long-dead and distantly buried mother. It was no use. He stiffened.

There was no way she could fail to notice his rising cock. “How interesting,” Dain purred. “You find me appealing? Me? A pirate and brigand, your bounty?”

“I find you entirely too near,” he spat.

The pirate snuggled up to him, pressing her thigh against his, rubbing sensually. He nearly jumped half a meter straight up, banging his head against the low ceiling, when she slapped his ass.