Her Commanders, Page 4

  "Triz no longer has any say over who sits at the Owner's Booth because he is no longer the owner of The Brink."

  "What?!" Mae and Tay exclaimed in unison.

  "Come on, let's eat, and I'll explain."

  Walking up the stairs to the raised booth, Cali saw a plate filled with all her favorite foods. Tay's plate held much larger portions of his favorites and Mae's contained foods geared for a female needing extra nutrition.

  The Owner's Booth gave the perfect view of everything that went on in The Brink. The large, round table had three separate banquettes that curved around it. Each was luxuriously cushioned for the utmost comfort, no matter the occupant's size. A privacy dome could also be activated to not only block out as much noise as the occupant desired but made it so beings inside could see out, while beings outside couldn't see in.

  Cali took the banquette facing out, and Tay guided Mae to the banquette on the side where their plates sat. They seemed to realize that right now, Cali needed to eat more than to explain. It was another testament to how much they cared for her. Finally, knowing her stomach needed time to adjust to the sudden onslaught of food, she set her utensil aside and decided to jump right in.

  "The reason I went to Vavis Prime was to sign the necessary documents to make me the new owner of The Brink."

  "What?!!" Mae shrieked. "Cali, that's so great! I can't believe it. I didn't even know Triz wanted to sell. Not that I would, because, duh, why would he tell me anything. I'm just a waitress."

  "You are more than that, and you know it, Mae," Cali immediately informed her. "You're Lead Bartender. I've always depended on you to make sure things ran smoothly when I'm not here. But that is going to change."

  "Change?" Mae whispered, dropping a protective hand to her distended stomach. "What do you mean?"

  "I mean that as Manager, you are going to have to decide who you want to replace you as Lead Bartender. I still plan on bartending, especially once that little one comes." Cali pointed to Mae's belly. "You will take off as much time as you need, with pay, of course, when that happens."

  "I… What?" Mae's shocked gaze looked from Cali to Tay. "Cali, I never expected…"

  "I know, but you more than deserve the promotion. I'm not planning on making any major changes right now. We'll go over the differences in your duties, hours, and pay, which besides an increase in actual credits, includes living quarters if you choose to live there. If not, I increase your wages to cover what you currently pay."

  "Cali…" This time it was Tay's voice filled with disbelief.

  "I'll need to move some personal things out, and then the apartment will be all yours. Anything you don't want, or isn't your style, can be put in the storage room. Also, we can seal the door that connects it to The Brink if you have concerns with having it there with offspring."

  "I… I don't know what to say," Mae said as she grasped Tay's hand.

  "Say?" Cali frowned, her gaze traveling between the couple. "Is there something I'm missing here? I thought you'd be thrilled."

  "I am," Mae quickly told her. "It's just…" Her gaze shot to Tay.

  "Just what?"

  "Tell her, Mae," Tay encouraged, his arm going around her, pulling her close. "Cali will understand."

  "Tell me what?" Cali didn't understand what Mae thought was so bad she couldn't tell her.

  "I… I lied when I was hired," Mae told Cali, her eyes full of regret.

  "About what?"

  "I never finished my academic training like I said I did on my hiring form. My parents died, and…" Her quivering chin dropped to her chest. "Oh Gods, I'm so sorry, Cali."

  Cali reached out to capture one of Mae's trembling hands. "You have nothing to be sorry about, Mae. Triz has always been something of an ass about education. While I think it is important, experience and a person's willingness to learn are too. You have all those things."

  "But you do so much with the numbers and ordering and…"

  "And I'll teach you how to do it," Cali reassured her. "Just like Triz taught me. I'm not expecting you to know everything immediately, Mae, or not make any mistakes. I made more than my fair share when I first started. You are an awesome bartender that is always coming up with some amazing new drink. I want you to keep doing that."

  "I can do that."

  "Good, the rest will come and, Mae…"

  "Yes?"

  "If you do want to finish your academic training, then I'll help you with that too, but know it won’t affect your job here."

  "Th… thank you, Cali."

  "Also, I want you to know how sorry I am about your parents. How long have they been gone?"

  "Ten years. It happened during a temblor on Gala. The multi-being building we lived in collapsed. I was in the open, public space playing with friends. We all lost our parents."

  "How old were you?"

  "Twelve," she admitted quietly.

  "That's so young, Mae," Cali whispered. She'd known Mae was Galaian, a species similar to Earthans but with a much longer life span. While Galaian young matured at the same rate Earthans did, they usually remained with their parents until they reached thirty years of age. "I can't believe you survived."

  "Many of my friends did not," she admitted. "I wouldn't have either if it hadn't been for Duco Tumo."

  "Duco Tumo didn't save you," Tay bit out angrily. "He nearly worked you to death."

  "That's not true, Tay. He gave me a place to live and food."

  "And in return, you worked sixteen hours a day for little or no credits, in that dirty bar of his, surrounded by the worst kind of scum."

  Mae couldn't argue with that because there had been times she'd feared for her life, especially after Duco died. She and Tay had only met a few weeks prior when running 'errands' for Duco. She'd never known what was in those packages she delivered and didn't want to. One of those deliveries had been at a bar a few blocks over. Tay was the muscle at the door.

  She'd immediately found him attractive and was not at all intimidated by his markings and piercings. Honestly, they turned her on because they revealed his massive strength and power even though he'd always been so kind and gentle with her.

  When he'd heard Duco had died, he'd immediately come running and found her cornered by three of Duco's regulars. He'd beaten those three males nearly to death before she'd been able to stop him. After that, they'd taken everything of value they had, sold it, and gotten off Gala. That had been five years ago. Since then, they'd traveled from place to place, getting whatever kind of work they could. They'd never stayed in any one place long, at least not until they arrived on Star Base Twelve and gotten jobs at The Brink.

  "Well, that won't happen to you here," Cali told her. "The Brink might not attract high-class clientele, but it's safe thanks to Tay and clean, and together we'll make it the place to be on Star Base Twelve."

  Chapter Four

  The next day, after moving her things into the more luxurious Owner's quarters, Cali went over the reports for the week she'd been gone. She showed Mae what information she looked for, where she put it, and what it meant. Then one number jumped out at her. Frowning, Cali clicked on the number, opening up its breakdown.

  "How the ruk is that possible?" she muttered.

  "What's wrong?" Mae asked.

  "My worker chip was used while I was gone… a lot."

  "Nox used it," Mae told her. "I questioned him about it, but he said you gave it to him to use, so I should shut up and do my job. Otherwise, he'd have me kicked off the Star Base."

  "He threatened you?!!" Cali knew Nox was a loudmouth and liked to act like he was better than everyone else because he was a pilot, but she'd never seen him bully anyone. If she had, she never would have gotten involved with him.

  Mae just shrugged. "He does it a lot, just not when you're around."

  "You should have told me, Mae. You know I don't put up with that crap."

  "You were involved with him, and…"

  "Mae," Cali reached out and squeezed her han
d. "You are my friend and have been for over two years. I'm always going to believe in and stand up for you, especially over somebody I'm only fucking because I'm bored."

  Mae gave her a shaky smile, unbelievably touched at how caring Cali was. It was something that, besides Tay, she hadn't experienced since her parents’ life spans had ended.

  "He came in every night while you were gone along with a large group of friends. He used your card to pay for everything delivered to his table, including the food."

  "That rukking son of a bitch!" Cali swore. "I never gave him my chip. It either fell out of my pocket in his quarters, or he took it." She looked back at the details. "He didn't come in last night, did he?"

  She'd only worked part of the dark shift because it had been so slow. The members of the Coalition received their credit allotment once every thirty days. The next disbursement wasn't for another two, and business always slowed down before it. Apparently, Nox's had run out long before that.

  "No, I overheard someone say he was on patrol," Mae told her.

  "Which means he should be back in his quarters by now." Cali surged to her feet. "I'll deal with this."

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Cali might be considered average in height by some, even short by the standards of others, but beings instinctually recognized her power and got out of her way as she stormed down the corridor that led to Nox's quarters.

  She'd only been on this level twice. The upper half of a Star Base was always the military section. Coalition personnel housed there, behind the drab, grey doors lining the corridor. The only differences were the size of the quarters and the number of beings residing in them. Assigned by rank, the higher a being's rank, the more privacy they earned.

  Still, she knew her way to Nox's quarters. Reaching his door, she pounded on it with more strength than someone her size should have and continued until she got a response.

  "Yea, yea, yea," came the disgruntled voice from behind the closed door before it slid open, revealing a disheveled Nox. He looked as if he'd just rolled out of bed and pulled on the first thing he could find. In this case, a pair of boxers that he had on backward, something she'd thought impossible with his tail. Even the short pelt on his head somehow looked rumpled. "This had better be good. I'm…, Cali!"

  "What the ruk is going on, Nox?!!" she demanded, shoving her way past him to enter his quarters.

  "I… hmm…" Nox stuttered, his multi-colored eyes shooting across the room to the partial wall that blocked the view of his resting area from the remainder of the room.

  "I want an explanation, Nox, and I want it now," she said, turning to face him.

  "Look, Cali, what we had was fun, but…"

  "What?"

  "What he's saying is that he's moved on to someone that is sooo much better than you." A scantily clad female, wearing what looked to be a barely-there negligee, walked out from the resting area and pressed herself up against Nox's side.

  Cali could do nothing but stare at the female. She was obviously Phoc, the same species as Nox, but she'd let her pelt grow long. The way her tail was caressing Nox's chest, they were intimately involved. Cali recognized her from The Brink. The last couple of weeks, she had been coming in, always on the arm of a different male. Cali couldn't remember her name.

  "Now I know a being like you doesn't want to give up the best male she's ever going to get, but Nox has moved on, so you need to move that pathetic, Earthan ass of yours out of here and never come back."

  Cali couldn't believe either of them thought that was why she was here. After all, Nox was probably the most selfish lover Cali had ever had, and she'd had a few. Suddenly, Cali remembered the female's name and, tipping her head back, began to laugh.

  "What are you laughing about?" the female demanded.

  "Your name is Vaine," Cali said, continuing to laugh.

  "So?" Her thin eyebrows drew together over confused multi-colored eyes.

  "So, on Earth, when a female is called 'vain,' it means she's conceited and self-absorbed. Which both of you seem to be."

  "Why, you little," Vaine started to growl, but Cali cut her off.

  "But that's not why I'm here. I'm here because of the bill you ran up in my name, Nox." She held up the sheet she had printed out before leaving The Brink.

  Nox's eyes widened when he saw the total at the bottom of the page. "You bought me drinks before."

  "One. Maybe two. When I was there," Cali stressed.

  Nox just shrugged. "You left the chip. I assumed it was for me to use."

  "I left it? Where?" Cali demanded.

  "Well… I found it on the floor," Nox mumbled a blatant lie as he glanced away.

  "So, I didn't leave it. It fell out of my pocket, and you just decided to use it."

  His face hardened as he glared at her. "Look, Cali…"

  "It's the word of a respected pilot over that of some Earthan drink slinger," Vaine spoke up as she ran a disgusted gaze over Cali. "Who do you think anyone is going to believe?"

  "They'll believe the visual recordings of Nox using the chip." Cali's attention returned to Nox. "The bill will be settled, Nox. I'll give you three days. By then, you'll have your next credit allotment. Settle this; otherwise, I'll file a complaint against you for thievery."

  "Thievery?!!" Nox shrieked. "That would ruin my career."

  "Then you'd better pay up." With that, she left.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Cali smiled at Mae as they worked side-by-side behind the bar. The Brink was filling up fast as the military personnel began receiving their credit allotment. It was always a rowdy, profitable time in the bar. That's why she made sure to double up security on the door and had Tay keeping an eye on the crowds inside. If trouble broke out, his presence alone was usually enough to squash it, but if not, then either Lin or Wafa, the other Protectors on duty, would assist him. It also allowed Tay to keep an eye on Mae, which Cali knew he needed.

  Finishing up the drink she was working on, she placed it on the counter, then swiped the male's credit chip and handed it back to him. Drinks served at the bar had to be paid for immediately. Once someone at a table initially scanned their chip, a table could run a tab. That was how Nox was able to run hers up so high.

  Thoughts of Nox had her smile fading. She hadn't heard from him yet, and that worried her. Two days had already passed. He only had one more. If he thought she was bluffing about filing that complaint, he didn't know her at all. The harshest taskmaster in the universe taught her not to be soft when it came to business or anywhere else, for that matter. She could see the benefits of the first, and to a point, followed it, but not the second. She'd experienced firsthand the pain that type of unbending attitude caused. It's why she distanced herself from her family as much as possible.

  Shouts from across the room pulled Cali from her dark thoughts, and she watched as Tay quickly broke up a fight and dragged the two combatants out of the bar. Just another night at The Brink.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Taarig entered Jamis’s office an hour before the light shift began, unsurprised to find his friend and Commander already there and staring out one of the few private viewports on the station. It wasn't large, only about the size of Jamis’s desk, but it was something Taarig much appreciated, as he loved the openness and freedom viewing the stars gave him.

  "Reports," was all he said as he slid the tablet across the oversized metal desk that was strong enough to handle the pounding an angry Apre Commander sometimes gave it, then took one of the chairs in front of it.

  Jamis spun around in his seat and gave the tablet a disgruntled look. Gods, he hated the endless reports that came with having this position, but he hated taking orders even more. "Already?"

  Taarig just shrugged. "The final credit disbursement report needs your verification along with the fuel usage report. A notification came in from The Wik Corp, informing us that there has been a change in the ownership of The Brink." They both knew it was only a courtesy. While Sta
r Bases were designed as military facilities and protected Coalition territory, the massive conglomerate, Wik Corp, actually owned them. Wik Corp administered the upkeep and maintenance on the Star Base, including the Star Base’s lower-half shops and businesses. "Also, a complaint has been filed against one of our pilots."

  Jamis had just grunted when Taarig had talked about the allotment report because he knew his second-in-command wouldn't have brought it to him if everything weren't in perfect order.

  When Taarig mentioned The Brink, his thoughts immediately went to a certain dark-haired, brown-eyed Earthan and wondered how this would affect her. He could admit to himself that he found himself thinking about her at the oddest times. Like every time he cleansed, and his cock got so hard, he had to use his hand to find release. He'd even found himself in a lift about to press The Brink's level before he realized what he was doing. Now he would have a valid excuse to seek her out.

  But Jamis’s focus completely changed when Taarig commented someone filed a complaint. While complaints weren't unheard of, Jamis took each one personally.

  "What's the complaint?" Jamis demanded, reaching for the tablet.

  "Thievery. The accusation is the pilot used another's credit chip without permission."

  "How is that possible? Credit chips require identification."

  "I don't know, but the complainant will be here in an hour. I notified the pilot and ordered him to be here, too."

  "Who's the pilot?"

  "Ah," Taarig pulled out his tablet and looked up the name and file. "Pilot First Class Nox Trudo. He's been on the base just over half a standard-year. He hasn't had any other complaints filed against him here, but it looks like there were a few at his last post. All from females with whom he was involved. The claims were either dropped or unsubstantiated."

  Jamis nodded understandingly. It happened. Many females wanted to latch onto a male with a steady credit flow. It's why he and Taarig were so selective with the females they got involved with and made sure she knew it would be a temporary relationship.