Pirate (LGBT - Sci-Fi - Romantic)

Chapter Four

Chapter Four 

If he ever found out who was controlling that tractor beam, thought Connell, he'd give him hell. Clumsy idiot! His angry irritation helped him through the next few minutes, allowed him to go on the attack instead of feeling anxious about his cover as one of the crew searched him, both electronically and physically, while two others scanned the shuttle itself. 

"You've got a lot of complaints for someone who wants our help," commented the man who had just searched him. Before Connell could protest, he pulled his arms behind his back and clasped plasfoam bracelets around both wrists, anchoring them together.  

"Just a precaution," the pirate told him. "Let's go and see what the Cap'n has to say about you." Grabbing one of Connell's arms he led him along the corridor. Connell felt a twinge of anxiety as he realised he was being led away from the bridge and towards the cargo hold. He made an effort to remember he was William Conn, trying to immerse himself in the role. Normally he had no problems slipping into another character but there was something about this mission that had him struggling to stay focussed. He took a couple of deep, steadying breaths. He was about to meet the notorious Nicholas Mars, he would either pass the test in the next few minutes and be taken on board, or fail and be thrown back out into space. He refused absolutely to consider the third alternative. 

All too soon for Connell, they reached their goal. His companion pushed him forward into the hold, keeping a grip on his upper arm. "Here he is Cap'n," he announced in a satisfied tone.  

Connell stared at the group of men in front of him. Four of them were dressed in what looked like Patrol uniforms, off duty greys certainly, but uniforms for all that. He found his eyes drawn uncontrollably to the fifth man, who was dressed like a pirate from a holovid, black trousers and a white full sleeved shirt, with a purple sash around his waist. His shiny, wavy black hair hung down to his shoulders and ... Connell couldn't believe it, he actually had a gold hoop hanging from each ear. 

'Expecting someone taller', the cliché slipped into his mind as he stared at the slight, trim figure of the man who was so obviously the pirate leader, despite being surrounded by four larger men. 

All the stories he had heard about Mars had lead him to expect a giant evil monster of a man, not this flamboyant shrimp of a poser. He could almost feel his lip curling in contempt before he registered the piercing intelligence in the eyes, watching to see if he would make the same mistake no doubt others had made before him. No matter what he thought about his style and morals, he reminded himself, a man who had led the Patrol a merry dance for two years was certainly no fool. 

"Captain Mars, thank you for picking me up, sir," he said as coolly as he could. He stood still, waiting for the pirate's next move.  

Mars advanced towards him, examining him thoroughly from head to toe. The large, angry looking man at his shoulder followed closely, ready to intervene if Connell even looked like threatening his leader.  

"Mmm! Mmmm!" Mars smiled predatorily at his prisoner, licking his lips in an alarming fashion. "Look what we have here," he said over his shoulder to the large man. He trailed his forefinger lightly down the side of Connell's face, smiling more broadly as he flinched away. 

"I- I've come to join your crew, if you'll have me," Connell said quickly, trying to put the encounter onto a more professional footing, his heart beating fast. Why on Earth had he let Rice talk him into this? 

"I'm a good shot and I can navigate a ship, I can be useful." 

"I'm sure those aren't your only talents, are they?" Mars murmured, getting uncomfortably close. Connell tried to step back but another man had come up unnoticed on his other side and now he was held in a tight grip between two men. He thought he could probably free himself if he was willing to fight but that wouldn't do him much good. All the men he could see in front of him were armed.  

"I'm not an om!" Connell announced defiantly. "I haven't come here for anything else, except to join your crew." 

Mars' brain was busy thinking behind his smile. True, all the details had checked out for Conn but he was still suspicious. He looked a little too much like a tempting morsel, planted by the Patrol, but ... Only one way to find out. 

Before the other man could blink, he grabbed his chin firmly with one hand and crashed his lips down hard on his, his tongue trying to force its way into his mouth. Instantly, Conn wrenched his head away, pulling the two men holding him back a step with the force of his reaction, a look of horrified disgust on his face. Mars didn't think he had faked that flinch of revulsion, he was actually trembling. Hmm, so, likely not a plant then, he thought more than half regretfully. Surely not even the Patrol would be idiotic enough to send him a homophobe as a lure! 

He looked consideringly at the man in front of him, saw the fear lurking in the back of his eyes as he stared back defiantly. He made up his mind, hoping he wasn't making a mistake. 

"Nowak, take charge of him would you?" he tossed the order to the large man at his side. "See what he can do, but don't let him out of your sight." 

"Yes sir," growled his henchman. 

Captain Mars turned back to Connell, his eyes narrowed. "Alright then, I'll give you one chance. Go with Nowak and do what he tells you. If you're any good, I'll take you on, but at the first sign of any trouble, you'll be on your own, back in that broken shuttle before you know what hit you. Am I clear?" 

"Yessir!" Connell felt relieved his voice wasn't shaking. He could hardly believe it, he was in! For a long terrifying moment there he'd thought Mars was going to keep him as his prisoner, he obviously liked the look of him, but something had made him change his mind, thank you god!  

At least he found his henchman Nowak easy to understand. He was staring at him with grim dislike, waiting no doubt for him to make his first mistake so he could toss him back into space. 

It seemed he might have passed the first test, but he couldn't start celebrating yet.