spaceyLacey

    It was a tough job, but someone had to do it. Lacey was the comander of her ragged crew, but they were hard workers. It took her a long time to scrape together enough money to purchase her cargo ship. For five years now she had treked the circuits and delivered to all of the local space stations. She was respected as a fair trader. It was what she did, and she enjoyed it. Maureen brought her a new stack of purchase orders, bussiness was good. She lay them on her desk and Maureen hesitated.

   "What is it?" Lacey asked, knowing that if one of her crew was leary about asking a question or broaching a subject, then it had to be major.
   "The crew has been talking." Maureen started.
   "And...?" Lacey urged her to continue.
   "Well, there are some concerns..." The other woman stalled.
   "About?" Lacey was getting impatient and was about to snap. Maureen had worked for her since the beginning, she knew how moody Lacey could be. She now quickly came to the point so as not to rile her ire.
   "Thery're worried about the cargo orders for that government job you agreed to." She blurted, then bit her lip in worried anticipation, fearing Lacey's temper.

     Lacey's face tinged pink from her frusteration. She did not need her crew to back out on her now, not after all she'd been through just to get where she was in her life. She needed that government job to upgrade her ship. Inspections were comming up and she knew damned good and well that her hyper drive cylinder unit was nowhere near up to snuff. In fact, she wouldn't be at all surprized to find out that it was being held together with bubble gum and string. She huffed frusteratedly. Her dark green eyes flashing as they darted around the room. She locked gazes with the woman waiting for doom to fall on her head on the other side of her desk.
   "Tell the crew that there's a meeting, all staff members asap in the mess hall." Her quick mood stamped out the words in a clip and Maureen knew not to question her further. She turned on her heel and left the comanders quarters immediately.

     Lacey was not pleased, not at all. She chucked her work aside and rose from her desk. The crew needed to be adressed and set straight. She was the commander, that was the end of it. They did not question her athority or they could find themselves back at earth prime real fast. Pulling her long black hair back into a tightly wrapped bun, she strode from her quarters, slipping her stunner in it's holster on her way out the door. She marched down to the shuttle and hopped in with a twisted look on her face. Jabbing at the needed level button she stood and stewed as she was whisked down to the mess hall. She heard Maureens voice crackle over the ships speaker.
   "All crew members are to report to the mess hall asap. Comander Genettes orders."

   Lacey burst into the room, nearly empty of her crew as she hiked over to the other side, exactly opposite of the door to watch them all enter. Under her scrutinizing gaze the whole of her crew entered and sat in anticipation. They all saw the look on her face and knew not to piss her off by any means. They all sat stoicly and waited for the axe to fall. When Maureen came into the rom and scurried to Lacey's side, they all held their collective breath's. It was now time to find out what got Comander Genettes so riled as to call a meeting on such short notice. They all felt that twinge of guilt that maybe it was something they'd done to provoke her apparent bad mood. She cleared her throat and a hush fell over the stirring room.

   "It has come to my attention that some of you have concerns about the government job I've agreed to. First let me say, you have some valid concerns, but I can not and will not let this particular job slip through my fingers. To put it simply, inspections are comming up and I need that money to get us through inspections or else we are all going to have to go back to earth prime and lick our wounds when this ship is yanked from commission. Understood?"
     A quiet hush of 'yes ma'm' and nods fell over the room. She eyed them all, the steely green of her eyes flashing to let them know she was in total control. She took another breath and softened her demeanor a bit. It wasn't that she was inhuman, it was just that she needed to be a hard ass to run her ship.
   "Now, I know none of you are used to this kind of job. We will get through it and learn from it. Think of it as an educational experience. We needn't fear it. There will be plenty of security I'm told so we will be perfectly safe. As far as I'm concerned, it's just a quick trip to Thoric penal colony and we shake our asses back home with a pocket full of credit. What could be simpler?"
     She hoped she sounded convincing. Even she was a bit worried over this particular trip. After all, what kind of a man could warrent such treatment? One prisoner only? A trip all the way out to Thoric for one man? What the hell was so bad about him that he warrented that kind of excessive spending by the world government? She tried to shove it from her mind.
   "Ok, then... I just wanted to let you all know that if you have a problem with it... feel free to sit this dance out. Just don't expect to be asked to have another go on the floor with this ship, cause it just aint gonna happen. Loyalty is the one thing I've never asked for, I expect it. This is your home too. Respect it or leave it."
     She eyed them all, didn't see any protests and nodded curtly then left the room. Just like that. She'd said her peace, now it was up to them to deal with it. But they'd better do it soon, they had only three days until they were to meet for the transfer of the new cargo... one prisioner. One, Taylor Hanson.

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three days later...
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     She stood on the deck as she watched the crews transfer the crates of supplies and fool around like they usually did. They worked hard, she never berated them for taking the time for some enjoyment as they worked. It made her crew happy and she was content with that as long as they were. It was a status quo she accepted in her life to make things run smoothly. That was one of the main reasons why she was so good at what she did. She understood the people and ruled them with the needed restraint for a tight organization. They were happy, they worked better. But they never got close to her. Nobody did. Not even Maureen, and she had known her for years. No. Comander Genette was a solitary soul.

     She fingered the leather holster of her stunner, an old habit that she'd never been able to give up since her days in the military. She felt a presence behind her and smelled Maureens spicy perfume. Maureen was a very feminine woman as opposed to Lacey. It was odd really when Lacey thought about it. Maureen just didn't seem the type that would make a living in space cargo transfer, yet there she was. She was very different then most of the rest of the crew. But somehow she seemed to be able to fit into the band that dubbed themselves 'sailors.'
   "Yes Maureen?"
   "The crews are nearly done and they want to know if you want to leave the cargo transfer ambilical intact or if they should stow it. They didn't know if the prisoner was to be transfered via the cargo hold or if he was to be escorted by means of the civilian walk."
     Lacey thought it over for a bit. Her curiosity got the best of her, she knew it but let it slide.
   "Tell them to stow it and hail the transfer office for me."
   "Yes ma'm."
     Maureen sat at her station and contacted the hold captain.
   "Comander says stow it Cap'n."
   "Aye ma'm" A gruff voice crackled then snapped off.
   "Four four seven two eye bird, this is transfers, what can we do for you?" Came a new voice.
   "Comander Genette wishes to speak with the athorities that await her arrival, patch me through Gregg."
   "Sure thing doll, hang on." Static popped a while then a new voice cracked out.
   "This is Lt. Foret. What is it that you want?"
     Lacey plunked her ass hard into her chair and stared out off the deck as she leaned down to her panel.
   "This is Comander Lacey Genette of four four seven two eye bird. I'm requesting transfer of the cargo in your possession to be given permission of transfer via the civilian walk."
   "That's higly unusual. Is there a specific reason?"
   "This crew is a cargo only crew, in the interest of protecting my own assets I'd like to keep them seperated from this special cargo as much as possible. The civilian walk is barely ever used and basicly only a precaution."    "I see. You know we have plenty security, there is no need to worry. This is one prisoner that won't be causing any problems."
   "Just the same, I'd like to do it my way if you don't mind. The holding tank has been converted for your needs and is closer by civilian walk anyway."
   "Well, I don't see any real problems. Just be sure to clear the way so there is no contact from civilians. If your crew are jumpy, I suggest you clear them as well. You do realize you are running a risk letting this prisoner so close to your main deck?"
   "I know perfectly well the risks sir! I was willing to take them before I hailed you. Now if you would be so kind as to deliver your cargo promptly so we may get underway as soon as possible." She snapped.
   "Fine then, but off the record, I'm telling you this... if you fuck up this because you decided to be bitchy a lot of heads are going to roll... including yours cause I'll take you down with me if I have to go."
   "Fine! Now move your ass!" And she snapped off the line so she didn't have to hear anymore of it. She hated it when men thought they could tell her how to do her job.
   "Chauvinist!" She sputtered as she left her chair and the deck to see to the clearing of the civilian walk herself.
     She stood, legs spread wide and feet firmly planted with her hands clasped behind her back in respect of the millitary officials that were to escort the prisoner onboard. Her hair was pulled back tightly as always and her best uniform was creased to severe perfection. She wanted to show that just because she was a woman and it was a small ship, she still ran a tight ship. She was proud of her efforts to get as far as she had. She had worked hard for it all, and she deserved to be where she was. She basicly wanted to rub it into the asshole's face that had spoken so crassly to her that she was better then he was, she wouldn't stoop to his level.

     A long string of unknown faces traipsed in, milling about as if it were a party. She was not pleased. A few more important looking people came in, she kept her stiff upper lip. Then she saw the familiar uniforms of the military police and she straightened her spine a bit more. Now it was time to shine.
   "Requesting permission to board Comander."
   "Permission granted. Come aboard and transfer your cargo."

   She watched as four beefy military police officers crowded around a solitary figure clad in tell tale orange. She forgot all about the jerk she wanted to impress as her curiosity peaked as to the reason for the whole uproar. The prisoner. His shackles prevented him from much freedom of movement and they rattled as he shuffled in. They passed directly infront of her and she was rewarded with an instant of vision. A vision of pure divinity. She got a good look at the prisoner. A deity too beautiful to be a criminal for sure she thought. His eyes were ice as they connected to hers. She lost her breath at what she saw in them. Pure hungered lust. Surely she was mistaken, but as they passed by her and turned the corner towards the hold, his head swiveled and his steady eye was trained on her directly. A warmth rushed threw her and she took in a shuddering breath. He disappeared before she got her senses back.

     She curtly dismissed the rest of her duties and saw the big wigs out on their way after the prisoner had been settled. She gave her final orders on the bridge to Maureen and retired to her quarters. She felt strange. She felt like she needed time to get her head screwed back on straight. She took a long shower and settled in for the night with a good book as she curled up in bed.

     She must have fallen asleep she thought to herself when she woke with a start. She stretched and yawned, picking up her book from the floor. She stowed it and flipped off the light, settling back down into her bed. She drifted off soon enough after, her sleep disturbed by the most unsettling dreams. Visions of herself padding down the long corridors in her billowy white nightgown and bare feet, her long hair untied and unruely about her face and shoulders. She was searching, for what she didn't know but it was ellusive and she searched endlessly.

      She came to the hold, but it was unlocked, the door swinging on it's hinges easily. She was angered by the lack of attention to duties but was curious as to why the prisoner was still within the confines of the four walls. After all, he was a notorious criminal was he not? Hadn't he done something so ghastly as to warrent a single man to be tranported all the way out to Thoric? Surely he was a bloodcrazed fiend and would jump at any opportunity to escape and continue to wreck havoc upon the universe. Why then was he calmly staring up at the ceiling of the hold tank as he stretched out on his bunk? His serene gaze and placid demeaner un-nerved her. Tenatively she entered the small room, her breath held in check with the rush of adreneline. Her hand went to her hip instictively for her stunner, finding nothing, not even an empty holster. In frusteration she huffed and stepped further into the room.

     His voice was like honey, sweet, smooth and golden. 'I've been waiting for you love. What took you so long?' Startled she took a step back into safety. She did not know this man, what right did he have to call her love? She tried to speak, put the scoundrel into his place and assert her athority. She had no words. None, not so much as a sound would escape past her lips no matter how hard she tried. He rose from the bed and slowly walked toward her, the ice of his blue eyes making her shiver from the inside out. She backed away from him, wanting to keep her distance. She found the door now locked and she was traped with out a weapon. Admitedly she was no self defence expert, now she wished she'd taken those classes with Maureen.

     He closed in on her, slowly and deliberately. Her breath was heaving, her mind racing as he neared her. He leaned to her, his breath washing over her face as she turned away and cringed with her eyes closed like the coward she felt she was. He touched her, not roughly though. He touched her with a caress that made her moan uncontroallably. She didn't know where it came from or that she was even the one that had done it. With tender fingers he turned her head, yet her eys stayed clamped shut. He pressed to her, the whole length of his long sinewous body. An unquenchable flame lit within her and she was surprized by her reaction to his touch. She could feel every hard inch of his muscles. He ground his hips into hers making his desire known to her. Again she moaned and then she wondered why it was that that was the only sound she could make. He took her lips, but really, she gave them to him. His passioned kiss was a blaze from purgutory, it melted her stoney facade and left the dewy glow of the real woman beneath to shine in it's stead. He slipped his knee between hers, grasping her hips roughly to drag her sex over his firm thigh. She cried out with want... and sat up in bed panting... what? She looked around wildly then realized it was nothing more then a dream. She berated herself for letting her thoughts get so cloudy and muddled and tried to go back to sleep.

     She tossed and turned, not able to get anymore sleep as her thoughts plagued her. She rose from the bed and decided to do the thing that she did most nights when she couldn't sleep. Walk the decks. She dressed in her usual crisp uniform, hair pulled back tightly and stunner holsterd at her side. She was a proud sight. As she paced the decks, she went about looking on to things that she normally did not have time for. Checking the stocks for the kitchen, it interested her. Clearing space on the manifold circuits, she did that so rarely, it needed it. She would speak cordially to her crew as she passed them on the late shift. She strode through the cargo bay, looking over the manifest. She stopped. Her brow furrowing. Why wasn't the prisoner listed on the cargo manifest? Wasn't he still connsidered cargo? It was intriguing to her. She decided to take a trip up to her office and look over the main manifests.

     When she got there it was apparent that Maureen had already cleaned her office and had put things away for the day before she herself had turned in. She allowed herself a small smile. Maureen was the best right hand man... woman... first mate ever. She dug out the main manifest with her signiture scrawled below the long list of items. Her eyes flicked over it as she scanned for what she was looking for. When she found it it startled her. It didn't say; cargo, 1, prisoner, T Hanson, male, enroute Thoric from Delta quad substation major. Not like she thought it would, not like it was supposed to say. No, what it said was; cargo, 1, prisoner, male, enroute Thoric from Delta quad substation major. Did he not even keep the right to a name or even at the very least a number? Somehow that just did not set well with her.

     She got to wondering how he would feel about that and longed to know the answer. Wanted to hear it from him herself. Then she realized that she'd never even heard him speak, and found it odd that she was longing to hear his voice. Curiosity got the better of her and she blamed it on her lack of sleep. But not long after she found herself treking down to the hold tank. She dismissed the scruffy looking guard, he didn't question the Commandeers orders once. She was after all in charge of them all until they reached a destination where a higher ranking person would have jurisdiction over her. He blindly followed orders and traipsed off toward the mess hall for a little late night chow. He was grateful for the break intthe monotony of guarding a solitary prisoner.

   "Hey, hey you!" He stirred on the bunk and rolled over to face her, his blue eyes piercing her soul.
   "I got some things I want to ask you." She said gruffly.    He just blinked at her and waited.
   "I want to know just what the hell is so special about you that you cost a fortune to transport by yourself to the tightest maximum security penal colony. What's got the world government's panties tied in such a big knot over getting you there and why the hell it's so important thht you're not even named on my cargo manifest.

     He just looked at her, a placid expression fixed on his fair face. He rose from the bunk and walked toward her. She had all she could do not to moan for it was so very like her dream. He leaned on the bars, his long slender fingers curling around the cold grey steel and his hip cocked to the side as if he were a lifer on his last days. His eyes were intense on hers and she could see the flame of lust burning there. He licked his lips and she felt weak in the knees.
   "I dunno." His voice was exactly the same as in the dream! I made her heart quiver.
   "Well what did you do?" She asked as she was still trying to figure it all out.
   "Not much really, I was arested on charges of piracy." He shrugged. She felt queasy then, sick to her stomach of the offense he'd admitted was his downfall into the state of disgrace he was in now.

     Piracy was a heinous crime to her, it hit hard to home. She couldn't count the number of her piers that were driven out of the business because of piracy. She swallowed thickly, still wanting to know more answers. Even if it did seem to be an excuse   just to be near him. She didn't care, she wanted to know.

   "So, did you do it?" She asked casually. Still wanting to give him the benifit of the doubt. He shrugged.
   "Does it matter?"
   "Well of cousre it matters! It matters a lot." She snapped. That got his attention. He studied her with his penetrating eyes.
   "And if I did. Does that make me a horrible person?" She couldn't answer that one.
   "I don't know she confessed."
   "Well why don't we talk for a while and then you can decide if I'm such a horrible person. Ok?"
     Her curiosity got the better of her and for the next few hours that is just what they did. Talk. She'd never been so entertained, or excited either. She'd never lusted after a man the way she did him. There was just something special about him. She would ask him questions but he would never answer them directly. She was clever though and from what she pieced together, he was the prince of pirates. The notorious criminal pirate that seduced women to bed them while his crew quietly relieved the ship of it's cargo, clearing out the entire hold. She had to admire his ingenuity though. She wondered how he'd ever gotten caught. She just couldn't force herself to ask that particular question though. Somehow, it would tarnish the mystique he'd been polished with. She didn't want to let that image she'd conjured go. His words spilled like honey over her, drizzling her thoughts with lust for him. She felt as if she was under some sort of spell he was so persuasive. She could very much understand how all of those women had fallen prey to him. With nothing more then words he could coax her to do the unthinkable, and not even bat and eye. But, if he were to brandish that body language along with it, she believed he would get away with murder.
     She could not tear herself away form him, not even long enough to retire back to bed, though she was bone weary and eye lids heavy as lead. Her back ached from the endless hours she sat leaning against the unforgiving steel hull wall. The seat was not meant for comfort. She rubbed at the back of her neck, the stiffness jabbing at her. He watched her with blazing blue eyes. She could almost see the itch he felt just to touch her. And she throbbed with want of tha act.
   "Why don't you come over here and let me rub that for you." He offered in the sweetest of tones.
   "Should I trust you?" She said half jokingly. He smiled and his dulcet voice lured her in.
   "I thought you knew me better then that by now."
     He had her. She was baited, and hooked, and she was surprized that she didn't even seem to mind. She unholstered her stunner, laying it on the hard bench as she rose. He smiled at her, it was almost innocent save for the lust and that certain touch of something else she could not lay her finger on. She turned and lifted her long arm up to release her hair. He actually groaned as he watched it fall. That brought a smile to her as she turned around all the way with her back to him. She knew it was a foolish thing to do. But she wanted him, even if she had to be satisfied with only a touch, it was worth the risk. The moment he lay his hands on hr a moan escaped her parted lips. She'd never felt anything more stimulating before in her life. His hands were majic. She dreamed about just how much more magical his other body parts were in comparison to his hands. She could not stop the grin.
   "Feel good?" He whispered in her ear with husky voice as she moaned and wimpered quietly. She nodded.
     His hands skimmed down her body, fingers dancing on her and making her quiver. When she felt the pads of his thumbs bush against the sides of her breasts she felt that familiar dampening of her panties. He was just too much of a temptation. When she did not protest, he was emboldened to go further. As she leaned against the bars his large hands cupped her heavy breasts, thumbs passing over her nipples to instantly make them stiffen. Her head lolled as she arched her back and he knew that she wanted more. He let one hand travel over her firm belly and play on her thigh. She reached a hand above her to hold the bars and steader her weakened knees. When his hand slyly slid between her slightly parted legs to soak in her heat, she cried out as he pressed a finger to her aching clit. She quickly grabbed for the bars above her head with both hands to keep steady on her feet. Her mind was spinning out of control. Then he reached above her head, taking her hand and shoving it toward his crotch, the throbbing hardness she lay her fingers on making her moan. She rubbed at him, drinking his warmth in and making him groan painfully.
   "Please...?" He begged.
     She didn't know up from down as she turned, wanting nothing more then to feel his lips on her, touch his skin with her own. She met the hard bars, the obsticle was infuriating. With wild fire spreading through her blood she hurridly punched in the security code of the door and flung it open. He descended upon her like the sweetest of plagues. He ravaged her starving body with every sensory exceeding her imagination. It was a fury of mouths and hands as they groped at one another, tearing away the nuisence of clothes.
     His lips were blazing trails up and down her neck as her fingers dove through his hair. He stimulated her nipples to near pain as he rolled the hard nubs in his expert fingers. She dragged his mouth back up to hers, kissing him deeply and stroking his tongue with her own. He moaned.
   "Ohhh Lacey... "
     He shoved her up against the bars roughly as he tore at her last reminents of clothing. She was panting and so ready for him, she was sopping wet in readyment. She watched with wide eyes as he pushed away the fabric and gripped his jutting erection. He stroked it, his eyes forceing hers to look up into his face.
   "Are you ready for this?" He growled as he pressed near her aching hole.
     She wimpered, nodding. He lifted her leg by the back of her thigh and wraped it around his hip then slipped into her hot body, they both cried out from the sensation. His eyes held hers as he began to move within her, his sweet breath hitting her in the face with his every thrust. She clung to him, her hands tight around his neck as he worked her body into a frenzy. He gripped at her hip tightly, keeping her leg on his hip as he pumped into her. His other hand holding tight to the bars above her head to hold them steady. He bent his knees, driving his hot hard cock up into her harder. Her eyes rolled back into her head as every thrust jolted her clit with electric bursts. She felt herself tumbling and grabbed at the bars too, her other hand gripping tightly in his hair at the back of his head. He grunted from her stimulating moans shoving him closer to the edge of bliss. He slammed into her hard and fast his voice breaking like shattered glass as he released his joy into her. He spilled his seed and she spilled her soul. Together they slumped, tumbling backwards and falling onto the hard bunk. She lay atop him, his softening member still embedded in her slick folds. He kissed at her neck, nipping gently. She chuckled wearily.
   "I definately think that was worth it." She sighed dreamily.
     He rolled them over and slipped from her as he lay beside her and flitted small kisses over her face.
   "Worth what?" He asked beeetween kisses. She smiled up at him, her hand smoothing up his firm chest.
   "My cargo." She said off handedly. He was stunned. Surprized that she had suspected even, let alone known.
   "How did you know?" He asked, just wondering how this one woman had caught his eye and detained his mind.
   "I think I knew when they brought you on board. Too many extra people and not all of them left." She shrugged.
     He had to chuckle. She was amazing and intriguing. He almost felt sorry for pirateing away her livelyhood.
   "Then why didn't you stop me?" His voice soft as he lapped at her lower lip between words. She shrugged.
   "I knew if I kept you around, I'd get what I wanted, you'd get what you wanted, we'd all be happy."
     He tossed back his head in laughter genuine.It pleased him to find a woman that went after what she wanted.
     "You know, I have to go now, I don't want to, I'd like nothing more then to stay here with you, but my crew is waiting." She nodded, reaching up for his kiss as he lay it softly on her lips.
      His eyes were sad as he got up and dressed. She gave him a smile to help him on his way. He blew her a kiss from the door and was gone. In her mind, he would always be her prince of pirates. And to him, she would always be the one that got away.