Page 58 of No Strings Attached

“No,” Acken was saying, “the metal needed to contain my cock would be much too heavy for the belt. But I should like a belt and pair of daggers to wear. My cock can swing freely.” He raised an eyebrow and grinned at Vi, then said, “If it’s naked they want, it’s naked they’ll get!”

Vi burst out laughing.

Acken said, seriously this time, “In fact, I would like every member of the party with hands to have those blades, at least until we can buy some energy weapons. So, me, Mister Beastly, Trak, and you. Is there time for that work, Bobby, if we want to leave tomorrow? Do you need an assistant?”

Vi jumped in, “We also need clothing for our arrival and meeting with the space station manager. We can’t walk around like this the whole time. Do you have something designed for all of us in your mind, Bobby?”

He nodded, “Yes, and I can work on it in transit, we just need to get the fabric and a few machines loaded in the cargo hold. I’ll take care of that.” He turned back to Acken, “I’ll make the beltsand show someone else how to make the daggers. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

Acken nodded, then bellowed, “Listen up! Who wants to assist Bobby in making 8 more daggers before tomorrow?”

Vi watched as all 20 or so Trallians raised their hands, then she turned to watch Bobby register the fact that every Trallian in the room had just volunteered to assist him. She felt a rush of emotion for him as the slow, happy grin spread across his face.

Acken and Vi sat across from each other up in her sitting area, Vi finally back into a coverall and feeling a new appreciation for being clothed.

“Tell me about Blue Rift Station,” she said, “and why you think the Ophidians picked that location to meet. Steve tells me it’s nowhere near Serpentia.” Vi sat cross-legged, while Acken had his legs stretched out all the way across the gap between the arms of the sofa to her side.

Acken said, “Blue Rift is between systems, but itisone of the few outfitted to host a royal reception. It caters to the rich and powerful. The main level is domed, full of gardens, and offers many high-end boutiques and restaurants, luxury suites. Of course, the lower levels contain all of the crime, nastiness, and squalor any other station has, but the people who can afford the main level never see that. It has separate hangar bays for the main level and the others.”

“So, the station manager is like a crime boss?”

“No, the station manager is a corporate man and is responsible for profits. The crime bosses are on the lower levels, and thestation manager makes them be responsible for running their levels.”

“Meaning what?”

“Like keeping the crime off the main level, overseeing routine maintenance of the lower levels, policing their own. Things of that nature. If they don’t, the station manager can cut off their gasses and water. He can even open those levels up to space. The crime bosses below do everything possible to keep the station manager happy, including cutting him in to a portion of their profits.”

“So, he’s the guy we need to convince, huh?”

“Indeed, Queen Violet, he’s the guyyouneed to convince.”

“And we need to have him set us up with a broker who can do direct credit transmissions. Are we decided that we’re going to go with the smallest of each type of gemstone for our first run?” She glanced over at the safe that had been installed in the corner of the room. “Will that be enough money to start? Let’s see, we need to supply the asteroid, buy weapons, buy royal accoutrements, and start having our ship built, as well as pay all of our employees. What else am I forgetting?”

“Fuel all the ships, augment our asteroid’s point defenses, acquire equipment and explosives to excavate a new hangar for our gunship…”

“Royal yacht,” she reminded him. “Yeah, so, do we think one of each gem will be enough?”

“Maybe not with direct purchases, but I’d rather travel with only that amount to start with. I think we’ll fare better once we are able to hold auctions, but we must create a name for ourselves first as offering superior gems. The pink and blue diamonds are so rare in the galaxy that I think we will be pleasantly surprised at the final purchase price for those at auction, but we must start somewhere.”

“OK, so Steve said that the Ophidians will have done all the necessary planning and communication for the reception on the station. All we have to do is show up. But we’re showing up in Qlu’s creepy little orgy ship without any money to our names. How do we think that’s going to go?”

Just then, Bobby walked in and flopped down on the sofa next to Vi. He looked exhausted. She pulled one of his hands into her lap and started massaging it. He gave her a startled look, then leaned his head against the back of the sofa and sighed in pleasure, starting to purr.

“I think it’s going to be iffy,” Acken said, eyes fixated on the movement of her fingers across Bobby’s hand. “Everyone is going to wonder why we don’t have quarters aboard the station but are instead sleeping in the ship. We can explain the use of the ship as a loner from our dear friend, Qlu, while we have some minor maintenance done on our yacht, but I’m not sure how to explain the fact that we’re sleeping aboard the ship.”

Someone grunted from the doorway, and they all turned. It was Mister Beastly. He pointed to himself. Acken shook his head, not understanding. But Vi thought she might.

“Mister Beastly, you think we should explain our sleeping on the ship on something having to do with you?”

“Yes.”

“But what? Why would we sleep on the ship because of you?” Vi didn’t get it.

Bobby said, “Maybe you don’t explain it. Garoxians are mysterious and terrifying to everyone in the galaxy. Everyone will be glad to know that we’re returning to the ship to sleep instead of staying on the station.”

“Yes,” Mister Beastly said.

Vi and Acken shared a look, then slowly nodded at each other. He said, “It could work.”

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