J McKenna - Slave Planet

“Jesus. You don’t think—“

Beth waited. She could imagine the worries that were flickering through the engineer’s mind. She dared not tell her what had happened while both women were unconscious. When the humanoids stripped off Beth’s clothes, he appeared to be fascinated with her hairless body. He touched her all over, letting his big hands roam her breasts and cunt. Despite her fear, Beth became aroused.

Lumpy had touched her wetness, then smelled it on his fingers. His large tongue licked them and his eyes widened. He reached down again and Beth had tried to pull away, but the slender native stood right behind her. She felt so small, so helpless sandwiched between these giant-like creatures. She also felt incredibly turned on for some reason. She looked down to see Lumpy’s animal skin stretching into a tent.

They spoke to each other in a strange language over her head. Beth felt like an object they were determining the value of. Skinny reached around and touched her heavy breasts. His fingers danced over her nipples, causing her knees to weaken. She could feel his erection as well, poking through his loincloth into her back.

Oddly, instead of being terrified, she sensed that they considered her to be quite a prize and should be handled carefully. She no longer feared for her life—now it was a question of, would they rape her? And if they did, would it be so bad? And they do look a lot like humans…she mumbled to herself..

“You don’t think they, uh, mate the same way humans do, do you?” Jorja’s voice interrupted Beth’s thoughts. “That would be an impossible coincidence.”

Beth nodded, thinking how close she had come to finding out. “Yes, it would be. Let’s hope we’re not here long enough to be their guinea pigs in that regard.”

“Did they speak to you?”

“Yes, but I can’t understand a word. Too bad one of the Utes isn’t switched on. It could be gleaning some valuable data.”

Beth leaned in and checked the lump on the side of Jorja’s face. “How’s your head?”

“It’s OK. Just a headache. How’s the commander?”

Beth shook her head. “Bad headache. The rocking of the cart is making her nauseous.”

Greta opened her eyes and tried to smile. “I’m O-OK, Smith.” She grimaced and closed her eyes again.

Beth caught Jorja’s eye and gave a silent shake of her head. The doctor was clearly worried about the commander.

“Where are they taking us?”

“I don’t know, but I’d guess it was the little village we’re supposed to be spying on.”

“God, NASA’s going to skin us alive for this.”

“It’s not like it’s our fault,” pointed out Beth.

“It will be by the time Hunter gets through with us. Do we have a weapon? A radio?”

“Nothing. Lumpy here,” she indicated the giant driving the cart, “took whatever he could carry—including the Utes, the phasers and my medical kit. We have nothing but the clothes on our—well, never mind.”

Jorja knew Beth’s attempt at black humor was aimed at keeping their morale up. It wasn’t working. Fear gripped her like a physical presence. She also had to pee. Jorja didn’t want to relieve herself in front of her peers, even if they were naked.

She looked around. The man Beth called Lumpy rode up front, his broad, hairy back to them. The tall, slender man walked behind, keeping a steady eye on their prizes. “So if that one’s Lumpy, what do we call the other man? Skinny?”

Beth gave a short laugh. “Sure, he can be your date.”

They fell silent. They were rising slowly into the mountainside on a narrow, switchback trail that was well hidden in the forest.

“So what do you think the captain and the commander will do about this?”

Beth held up her arm and nodded her chin toward the transponder. “They know where we are. And I’m hoping they know we’re not wandering off on our own accord. So right now, I’d guess they’re trying to decide just how much they can violate the Prime Directive and live with themselves.”

“I know what I’d do if the situation was reversed.”

“Really? What?”

“I’d come in here like the wrath of god and zap anyone who got in my way. Round up the hostages and blast our way out.”

“Don’t forget there’s only room for two on the pod—if the commander comes alone, as expected. Whoever stays behind could get captured all over again.”

“Hell, just give me a couple of fully charged phasers and I’ll hold them off for hours. Piece of cake.” She did not feel as confident as her words indicated.

“NASA may not let them, you know.”

“NASA is a hell of a long way away.”

“Well, if they’re coming, I’d bet they’ll strike before we reach the village.”

Jorja nodded. They lapsed into silence again, thinking about what awaited them. Jorja could no longer ignore her bladder. “Shit.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I have to pee. And I don’t think these guys are going to allow a rest stop.”

Beth shook her head. “No need. There’s a hole at the end of the cart. You can go through there.”

Sure enough, Jorja spotted an oval cut out of the floor where the cage overhung the end of the cart. Embarrassed, she slunk down to the end. She had a choice—face Skinny, the leering giant walking behind the cart, or turn and face her peers. Narrowing her eyes, Jorja pretended her piss was acid and sprayed it toward the man behind. He laughed at her as she debased herself, legs spread wide, hanging onto the bars with bound hands, and peed.

For a big woman, Jorja never felt so small.

The pod was packed and ready to go. Ally and the captain had two phasers to bring along, fully charged. While waiting for NASA’s reply, the officers had mapped out their strategy. Once the kidnappers and the away team came down from the mountain ridge, they had to cross a level plain on their way to the village.

They planned to land on the plain, close enough to scare the bejesus out of the humanoids, then both she and the captain would jump out, stunning anyone who dared try to stop them. Free the crew, get Greta and the doc into the bobsled, leaving the captain and Jorja behind with the C4 and the blasting caps.

After the pod left, the two astronauts would pack up any gear that had been left behind, sneak back up the mountain ridge and return to the damaged shuttle. They’d fill the pod with enough C4 to blow it into little pieces—they couldn’t leave it to be discovered later. Then they’d walk out onto the dry riverbed and wait.

When Ally returned for them, they’d blow the pod and fly back to the ship. Simple, yet elegant. Now, if only NASA would approve the plan.

The incoming signal light flashed. “Here we go,” Kate said.

Hunter got right to the point. “We’ve reviewed your plan and reluctantly agree that a well-executed rescue mission is preferable to leaving Americans behind on the planet to influence the native population. It is unfortunate that your away team has already violated the Prime Directive. Perhaps a more experienced crew could have avoided the humanoids.” Kate seethed.

“However, under no circumstances can Captain Dyson leave the Letanya ,” he intoned from two-million light years away. “That ship represents billions of taxpayers’ dollars and you’re not going to leave it up there alone for some salvage crew to come along.”

What salvage crew this might be in the middle of the Andromeda Galaxy, he didn’t say.

“This order comes from the highest level,” he continued. To Kate, that meant he came up with it himself. “Commander Egerton is to go down alone and attempt a rescue. Captain Dyson will monitor the operation from orbit. Lt. Commander Smith will return to the damaged shuttle alone to destroy it and await pickup. Report as soon as you have successfully completed your mission. Over and out.”