Hekate's Call, Chapter 14

The pilot's gym had all sorts of specialized equipment, and access to the flash-fabricator in case you needed new specialized equipment. Fancy stuff with lots of lights and numbers. Manya used some of them, but it wasn't like she needed the additional information they offered with Orchid monitoring everything. Krystyn hated thinking about that thing.

Krystyn favored the old fashion things. Bodyweight exercises and weights. Movement drills and running. All the training she'd done in the military. No need for numbers when you had good form and knew your limits. Most of the numbers from the gizmos were useless to anyone but the doctor.

She wasn't in a good place to be working out though. She'd been horny like she hadn't been in years. Manya was spending more nights than not with the girls, and they were fucking when she wasn't.

You see, the biggest problem with the flash-fabricators is that they attached your ID to them when you used them so everyone could see if you decided to get yourself a mechanical fuck-buddy or even just a dildo. If she knew everything was going to go sideways she would have bought something while she was on leave, but now everyone would be able to see what she fabbed.

She was already hot and bothered and now she was sweating through her shirt on the pull-up bar thinking about biting the bullet and fabbing a strap to do Manya with so she wouldn't be so pissy. That almost certainly wouldn't fix anything.

Movement in the gym caught her eye. It took a moment to blink sweat out of her eyes and focus. It was gone? No. It was Velia. Her and Ilina had a weird, almost supernatural ability to blend into the background if they didn't want you to see them. A good quality for scouts, she supposed.

They made eye contact. Oh, Velia was probably here for physical therapy. She was still in her fatigues though. Maybe she was just enjoying a few minutes without her hangers-on. Wait, did that mean Manya and Ilina were alone together?

There was a sudden urge to go and check. Guilt. The urge was guilt. What the hell did Manya do to that girl? Drooling naked on the floor of that hotel room covered in herself. She couldn't let that happen again.

"Don't stop on my account," Velia said, wandering over.

What a woman, damn. Ilina sure knew how to pick em. It was best not to fuss over her features though, Krystyn thought as she pulled her eyes away and continued her set. She could already hear Ilina's hateful little voice uttering phrenologist or some shit at her. She didn't need to get any more heat from anyone, she'd had enough of it since she let those words slip.

Crater. The way Velia appraised her was like Crater. Those eyes pouring over details, drawing conclusions. A sexless, judgmental leer. Don't you have anything better to do than watch me sweat? Pervert. Queer.

"You frustrate me so much," Velia sighed, finishing her appraisal.

"What's that?"

"Unattractive mess," she sneered, "what shame, too."

She didn't ask her opinion. On her next rep she spun around on the pull-up bar, to signal that she was now ignoring the woman.

"Why dye your hair like that if you aren't going to take care of it? Why paint your nails if you aren't going to maintain them? Do you even have a basic skincare routine? There's so much wasted effort here."

Scouts ought to be able to read signals, right? This was sexual harassment. Crater wouldn't do anything. Velia was important to the necromancer and to Ilina, so she was basically untouchable. Whatever.

"Did you talk to the doctor like I suggested?"

"I did, yeah."

"That's good," Velia sat on one of the benches next to Krystyn's drink. She could see it in the mirror. The big one that covered the entire wall she was facing that made ignoring her very difficult.

There was an odd silence. Only another ten reps. And then she can just excuse herself.

"Do you start all your conversations with criticism?"

Velia was making some kind of face. Frustration? It was hard to tell in the mirror.

"Only when it's warranted. You'd make a better butch, by the way. Nothing wrong with hot, muscular femmes, but you just aren't putting in the right work."

Krystyn dropped off the bar and wheeled around to get her stuff and leave. "I ain't looking to attract dykes."

"That's too bad. Really. I think you'd be reeling them in by the dozens." Velia leaned to get a choice view down her dripping cleavage. Was that supposed to be a compliment? "But you do realize that you can be a straight butch, right? It's not a sexuality necessarily. It's more of a gender thing."

And you would know a lot about that, huh?

No, no. Comments like those make enemies, and there isn't enough space on the ship for enemies. Krystyn took a few deep, intentional breaths, and centered herself. It's fine. Maybe this is Velia trying to make nice.

"Okay, hit me."

Velia raised a fist just to watch Krystyn flinch, grinning. Anyone would after getting an organ burst. That wasn't even funny to joke about, actually.

"I won't waste time with stupid leading questions," Velia started, motioning for Krystyn to sit on the bench beside her. "Ilina's a tomboy, right?"

Okay, sure. That's what Krystyn would have said too. "But that's different than butch."

Velia laughed. It had a melody or something to it. It was a pleasant sound. No wonder Ilina was so head over heels for her. "Yes, yes. Exactly."

The conversation was fast, and enlightening. Velia obviously cared deeply about gender. Though, so many of the specifics didn't quite make sense to her. Wasn't butch specifically a lesbian thing? Velia was omitting a lot of historical context, probably to try to separate it from the inherent queerness of what she was describing. A small attempt to placate Krystyn.

"You would never call Ilina handsome. She's very pretty, and absolutely adorable. But she doesn't have the masculine charm to be handsome or rugged," Velia lifted a finger and brought it dangerously close to one of Krystyn's glistening biceps, "but you could be very handsome. You would barely have to change anything, really."

"Nah," Krystyn decided, "also you can like, just touch it if you want."

Velia giggled and pulled her hand back like she was about to get burned. "Oh, I just couldn't. I have a girlfriend after all."

"I thought you weren't dating."

"We made up." She turned away, hiding a childish blush.

What the fuck was going on with lesbians. It was adorable, but all those jokes about living together and fucking for years and never having a conversation about where they were at? True, apparently. Borderline psychopath behavior.

Krystyn got up to go take a shower after a few more minutes of Velia's gender workshop. It actually didn't sound that bad. But there was something uncomfortable about the whole situation. Something untoward about the way Velia's eyes followed the trailing sweat that made her suddenly so self-conscious.

"So soon? I was hoping you were doing to do more," Velia joked with something unwholesome creeping in. She'd been rubbing at her thigh with a hand for a bit, and was getting a bit too close. "Maybe lift some weights or something."

The gym door slid open and a frantic looking Ilina stepped in. The kind of frantic that would have triggered the Level One Battlestations kind of immediate action from Krystyn. But she calmed down significantly when she spotted Velia, who had perked up and run over, practically throwing the girl into the wall.

Alright, shower time. For real. No need to get mixed up in all of that.

Except she couldn't help but overhear Velia's breathy, desperate whining.

"Ilina, baby. Oh you have such perfect timing. I'm so hard right now. C'mon, c'mon. Locker room or medbay? I can't wait. I need it so bad."

Despite absolutely not looking directly at them, she could hear the whimpering protests of Ilina and that unforgettable sound of uniform grinding on uniform. There was something dangerous about the room that made that sound so powerful and unique. It sounded exactly like when she'd grab one of the newer boys by the belt and pocket and force a leg between theirs. Their little whines as they grinded against her leg, begging for more. Begging for release.

She could have had the world's longest cold shower and it would have been useless.

How was she supposed to proposition Velia after hearing they were dating? That felt wrong. Like an intrusion. Not that Manya cared about intruding in anything. I guess things were more open. What if she says no? Krystyn would have to space herself immediately if that happened. But she seemed interested? Maybe too interested.

Wait. Why the hell was she thinking of propositioning Velia?

Gods below, she needed a good fuck more than she needed oxygen so she could snap out of all of this.

It got worse when she went to the cafeteria for lunch only to see Velia and Ilina sitting together at the pilot's table. Shoulder to shoulder, giggling and flirting. The ship was too small to avoid anyone. No doubt Manya would show up at the worst possible moment. Which of course was always planned.

Orchid in Bloom Beneath the Stars had access to all the camera systems on the Gestalt. It at least had access to all the cameras on base planet side. Or, she did? She never spoke to Orchid. Did it have a gender? She'd never thought about it and shouldn't have to think about it. Either way any system that Orchid had access to, Manya had access to. And Manya used it to be annoying more often than anything.

Krystyn picked up her food and sat at the table across from Velia and a squirming Falke. Velia was practically glowing, especially after locking eyes on Krystyn.

"I'm finished," Ilina immediately attempted to flee but was pinned in place by a hand lightly massaging the back of her neck.

"Clean your plate," Velia chided.

It was Krystyn's job to be smart. To tactically assess situations and get a vibe of what is really going on in any engagement, so as to make the best decision possible. Between Velia's afterglow and Ilina's red faced squirming, her assessment was that they had just finished fucking. That were was... fluid pooling between Ilina's thighs.

Best not to think about it.

They ate in silence. Ilina shoveled down her food as fast as possible to try to leave, while Velia ate painfully slowly, with one hand on Ilina at all times to keep her in place, while making no effort to hide her lustful eyes. The way she chewed her lip. Gods below, was she in fucking heat or something? What was her problem?

Krystyn jerked, suddenly motioning at Velia like she was trying to ward off the tension with her fork. "Vigil is butch, right?"

The woman thrust forwards towards her with a truly wild look in her eye. "Yes! Exactly! The wolf cut and those tight-fitting tanks that show off her incredible form. Her shoulders are so broad the way she holds herself. She's so hot."

"The Scandal's starter is on a carabiner in her belt hoop," Ilina chimed in.

"So she's a proper butch, too," Velia swooned. "I need to figure out her schedule. I have nothing to do around here except watch you girls. Maybe we'll hit it off."

"She's not much of a talker," Krystyn went back to her food, now that Velia's interest had been redirected.

"Neither was my darling hunter, here," Velia massaged Ilina's shoulder. "That's okay, though."

"Can I go now? I'm finished."

"Oh, of course." Velia smiled, refusing to take her eyes off Krystyn. Creep. What was wrong with her. "But I didn't think you would want to leave me alone with her."

The swirling mist in Krystyn's head began to form vague patterns. It was fine that people thought she was dumb, really. It didn't bother her. Velia was really smooth, but she really underestimated how much of her behavior she recognized.

Velia swept an arm around Ilina as she sat back down, pulling her close. Leaning on the girl's jealousy over Velia's attention. Trying to keep the squirming, uncomfortable mess of Ilina in sight to bring focus to what Velia's cock was capable of. Manya's constant praise for Velia's aptitude in bed and denying Krystyn a sexual outlet of her own.

These bitches thought they were so smart, didn't they?

Krystyn ignored them as she finished her meal. Why was Velia in such a rush to bed her? They were going to be in close proximity for almost a year, maybe more with the how long the Gestalt's been delayed. If it was just a desire to get her in bed, then she could have just taken her time with it.

"Falke," Kyrstyn interrupted something Velia was saying. "Can we talk after you get cleaned up? Alone, if possible."

Ilina looked to Velia. Glassy-eyed. Dead at the wheel.

"Why would I let you be alone with her after what you did to her?" Velia's lip curled in a new expression of frustration she hadn't shown yet. She was possessive then, and her control over Ilina mattered more than whatever game she was trying to play on Krystyn.

"Fine, the three of us can talk together."

Falke's room was livelier than she expected. It was a raven's nest, full of little baubles and shiny treasures nestled into various places. Someone had rigged a string of lights above the bed and then covered it in a dark, loose cloth to diffuse it, like soft little stars in the dark. A few of those canvas tool bags Ilina had bought had been hastily shoved in drawers to be out of the way.

Krystyn had never felt more like she was intruding in a space than she felt stepping into the room after the two of them.

"Morian says decorating makes it feel more like home," Velia said with a weak smile, so perfectly vulnerable. "We weren't allowed to do that in the barracks."

"Not even posters?"

"She had a poster of Aritimis tucked under her mattress," Ilina jabbed as she rolled onto the bed, curling around a pillow.

"Who is that?"

"Nobody," Velia snapped. Ilina had a little smirk on her face, obviously proud of whatever that was about.

Ilina spoke first, muffled by the pillow. "What did you want to talk about?"

There was no way to have the conversation without being rude. But she hadn't wanted to talk to Falke at all. Let's start there, no need to hold back really.

"I have a good idea of what you've been doing," Krystyn said, facing Velia. How much more information could she scoop out before having to reveal her hand?

The mask evaporated, so fast it was like she'd only ever imagined it. That sweet talking, aggressively horny thing gave way to something far more dangerous. She beckoned Ilina with a hand, to which Ilina quickly scampered to for pets and attention.

"I remember when she told me that too," Velia reminisced. "It doesn't matter what you know. It couldn't save her either."

What? Wait. No denial? That was barely a taunt. The barefacedness of it all just Krystyn spiraling. And Ilina's empty little smile, practically purring with each little pet, sent chills down her spine. Oh, she hated seeing Ilina being anywhere near Velia already, but now there was an urge deep in her chest to rip the poor thing away and take it somewhere else.

That monster, for her part, just waited to see what Krystyn would do. Psychopaths, the both of them.

"You said you only had a good idea of what's going on. Why don't you share what you know and I can fill in the gaps."

It wasn't that much. She'd put together that she was being drugged. There was a very light haze that was only apparent when she tried to probe at it, and she'd never been this horny before. She might have overlooked it if it hadn't peaked whenever Velia showed up. The way it made feel self-conscious about the way that a dyke looked at her, hoping at some level she was scoring highly in those lustful eyes. It started shortly after they'd gotten back, so it wasn't like it was long enough for that kind of need to build up in her, she knew how her head worked for the most part after all.

"Oh, goddess!" Velia cackled and turned her attention to Ilina, rubbing the girl's cheeks and talking down to her like a dog, "she's so much smarter than you! You never caught onto the aphrodisiacs, even for a second! Oh, Ilina, you're going to have to work real hard if you're going to prove you're better than her, aren't you?"

She turned back to Krystyn, a newfound excitement bubbling forth. It reminded her of Kyrnn of all things, babbling excitedly about whatever morbid new obsession she'd come up with.

"With her, we were able to go really slowly. Small doses now and then throughout the day, and I would make sure to give her lots of touches when I knew they would be peaking. Larger doses before we showered together or went to bed, when she'd be super focused on me. I'd have liked to work it the same way with you, but Crater and Manya have been rushing me so hard, of course it would fall apart like this."

She was beside herself. It didn't make any sense. She had so many questions, but the first to exit her mouth was, "Why are you telling me this?"

Velia smiled so tenderly and gave her head a little tilt, so calculated and cute. Nonthreatening to an uncanny degree.

"Because knowing the name of the poison won't save you when nobody will give you the antidote."

Crater and Manya. It would have to be Kyrnn too. Krystyn looked to Ilina.

"You might find it surprising," Velia followed her eyes, "I certainly did. Ilina's the only one who tried to stand up for you. But she knows better than to act on that silly idea."

Gods below. Everyone on the Gestalt was conspiring then? Oh yeah, that'll go over great trying to explain that to anyone. Hey Crater, I think everyone on the ship is drugging and gaslighting me. Sure thing, I'll head right on over the Corpse Eater's office for a psych eval, I'm sure that isn't completely rigged to screw me even worse.

Fuck this.

"Even though you've given away the plan, you're going to just keep going?"

"Of course. What could be more crushing than inevitability?"

Every thought she chased ended abruptly. She couldn't fight her way out of it. Ilina was too far gone to suddenly come to her aide. She was limited in where she could go on the ship. Crater could revoke any access she had to the outside world. What the fuck was she supposed to do here?

"What do you want?" Krystyn cracked. She didn't want to give in. At least tell me why this is happening to me.

Velia hummed and sat down next to Ilina, running fingers through her hair. "Morian allegedly has a plan to increase our little hunter's performance. Vigil's growing rapidly. Manya's already the best of the best. You, on the other hand, have plateaued as a pilot. Mediocre. A dead end."

You're doing this for performance metrics? No, no. That's insanity. What happened to physical encouragement and back room co-ed training?

"How about I just kill myself then?"

"Please do it outside," Velia glanced around the room, "it needs a few more touches but this is home now."

Warding off the crushing inevitability was already proving to be too much. The longer she spent in the room the dizzier she was getting. That haze in her head swirling around and round.

Wait.

Scent. Something faintly sweet, just barely. Candy sweet like Manya's perfumes. Not flowery sweet, like Velia's.

Krystyn glanced around the room and spotted a diffuser on the desk. She really wasn't messing around when she said that there was nowhere to go to get away from it. Friendly fire? But Velia looked absolutely fine.

"How come you aren't affected by the drugs?"

Velia grinned over a dazed Ilina, like a little snake. "Necromancer's blessings."

Falke used the phrase a lot. For better and worse, the association with Kyrnn has changed the two of them. How could the woman not irreversibly alter everything she came into contact with? Every time Krystyn had to watch that woman smoke she could taste ash in her mouth. At least neither of these two have started putting people in jars yet.

Probably.

She sat down on the bed next to them, massaging her temples. What was she going to do about this?

"So, do I just give up then?"

Velia shifted strangely at that. What emotion was on her face?

"I thought you were stronger than that. I wonder if all heroes break so easy."

"I ain't nobody's fucking hero."

Ilina made some kind of noise. A wordless mumble. Oh. Oh, she was just fast asleep, huh? She looked at peace in Velia's arms. A cute little half-smile on her face.

"You could be my hero," Velia offered. "My paperwork's almost in, but I have no money. I was hoping to get my own contract with Hekate if I could improve your performance. I don't want to live under Ilina and Morian's thumbs like this."

Krystyn squirmed at the idea of those two lording over her life. Ilina had no qualms about putting people down, and the Corpse Eater didn't need anyone. Financial abuse, huh? Even though she's terrifying like this?

The commander had warned her at one point to be extremely wary of those three. FN-4-06 was hell itself. An old penal colony world working to rape a planet rich with prime reactor materials, now sucked dry after centuries of strip mining. The people who lived there were unreasonable and dangerous. Experts in conflict with nothing to lose. Every single one of them would slaughter hundreds just to see another day under the sun.

"I'm scared, you know? I didn't expect Ilina to be so good at making friends. What's going to happen to me if she decides she doesn't need me after all?"

Everyone from that planet were monsters. Vicious and ruthless. Never give them a moment of vulnerability or they'll eat you alive. That's all well and good Crater, but you never had to look one of these women in the eyes and see how deep their desperation runs.

Another day under the sun.

One more grasp at freedom.

Goddess save me.

"How can I help?"

Velia kissed Ilina's head so gentle and carefully. Deep in thought for a moment, deciding how she would take advantage of Krystyn's stupid bleeding heart, no doubt.

"Play along for a bit. Struggle. Let's not let on to the others that we have an arrangement."

Sit tight and die, then. Let the poison run its course. Any other metaphors for a slow suicide then.

Fine. That's fine.

She was never very good at being a hero, but she'd made an excellent martyr the first time. Maybe she'll do better this time.