Cyber Witch

Chapter 6.2 - Hard-Arse High-Level Corporate Executive

[Avia]

The shuttle was a boxy white interstellar transport with the Omni-Corp logo stenciled prominently on two sides. After hacking the ship identification beacon and the corporate registry, I renamed it the Sable. The flight controls were fully automated, run by an AI, but there was a pilot seat up front with an auxiliary control panel and view screen that provided exterior views. The passenger area comprised five rows of four seats, separated by a center aisle. Other than the head and a rear cargo area behind a small galley, there was no privacy. Fortunately, the seats were comfortable and reclined for sleeping.

As we took our seats, Greta, wearing another in a long line of form-fitting jumpsuits, pushed past me and slinked into the seat beside Zach, leaving me alone in the row behind. Turning, she placed a hand on his shoulder and launched into some inane erotic laced drivel about how much she thought about him. I fumed. That shouldn't have irked me — Zach can associate with any bimbo he wanted — but it did.

Greta tried to make every moment of the two-day journey excruciating, watching me with suspicious eyes when she wasn't fawning over Zach. Every time I got close to him, she would insert herself between us. It would have been humorous, if not so annoying. The Red Caste men — Grange, Stone, and Rico — were not any more friendly, but at least not openly contemptuous.

Zach seemed to enjoy the attention, but eventually, even he became annoyed. Greta's eyes shot hate-fire, much to my guilty pleasure, when he sat beside me. Might regret this later, but just to twist the emotional knife a bit, I leaned in, grasping his arm while laying my head on his muscular shoulder. I didn't realize Greta's face could turn that fiery red. Zach turned to me and wrinkled his forehead.

After Greta huffed off to the head, Zach explained, "Ex-girlfriend. She got excessively possessive, so I dumped her." He grinned. "I think she wants me back."

"Ya' think? What was your first clue?" I scoffed.

A half-grin sprouted on his face. "Why? Are you jealous, Avia? Do you want me all to yourself?"

"Who? Me? Oh, no..." I stammered, sucking in a breath while pulling away. "Why would I be jealous?"

Zach leaned over, well into my personal space, and put on that bad-boy smirk. "Yes. Why would you be jealous?"

I clamped my mouth shut, yet warmth again filled my cheeks. God, he was infuriating.

*****

The Coronis Station was as much art as technology. Above a sterile proto-planet, it gleamed in the light of an unnamed star. With interconnected globes and long pointed spires at top and bottom, it resembled an old-fashioned gothic finial. The docks were located along a flat ring that circled the station equator, connected with four circular spokes to the main station. No doubt, the station was the best that corporate money could buy.

Menacing robotic weapon drones patrolled an outer perimeter like vicious guard dogs. If this didn't work... Best not to dwell on that.

"Coronis Station, this is shuttle Sable," said Rico over the coms from the pilot seat. "Request permission to dock."

"Transmit authorization code," a monotone voice replied.

"Transmitting now."

I gritted my teeth, and for good measure, crossed my fingers that I correctly inserted the code. For an agonizing moment, we all waited in silence.

Then it came. "Sable, power down for the docking tug. Welcome to Coronis."

We all let out a collective breath. So far, so good. The robotic tug latched on to the Sable and delivered us to an open docking port.