Curvaceous Kevlar and other inspired tales

One Night At Luna's - Part 3

The line outside Luna's was long and we were forced to line up along with the rest of the crew. Luna had two bouncers on tonight – Pluto and a big bloke I'd never seen before. I hoped she didn't expect trouble. Half my crew were scientists with limited combat training – in a bar brawl, I had more liabilities than assets.

Each time the automatic doors opened, I heard strains of a live band singing The House Rules, before they switched to another song. I wondered whether the girls were performing yet or not.

It took three more songs before we reached the unfamiliar bouncer. He looked at Kitty and I in shock for a full ten seconds before he managed to grasp my ID. It took him even longer to alternate between squinting at the card and scrutinising my face. After at least a minute, he turned his deep scowl to Pluto. He kept shooting suspicious glances at me as he spoke with Pluto.

Pluto took my ID card from him and led him back to us. "We don't see many mining women in Luna's. You girls know the house rules, don't you?"

I stretched up to kiss Pluto on the cheek. "Sure do," I murmured in his ear. "Rule seven would stop even Hades from touching me in Luna's."

"Persephone?" Pluto's face lit up as he laughed. "Damn, you're the last woman I expected to see back here. Are you working with us again?"

I shook my head. "No, I came in with the crew of the starship. Just one night at Luna's and it's on to the great unknown." I jerked my chin at the new bouncer. "Since when did Luna need two bouncers?"

"You mean Jupiter? He's new. We got him helping out tonight because Luna heard rumours about the starship and its captain." He dropped his voice lower. "Story I heard, the captain paid for strippers and whores for his crew to keep 'em happy and that's how he got the command. She won't change her house rules for some jumped-up ship captain when the miners make more money. It's always ladies' choice at Luna's, so she's expecting trouble when the idiot tries to buy girls. Which one is he?" Pluto peered down the line of people behind us.

Kitty snorted with laughter beside me.

"Look closely at my ID, Pluto," I said gently. The new card had been waiting for me in my quarters, along with the letter about my promotion.

He stared at it, much as I had the first time I'd seen it. "No, you're making fun of me, Persephone. We heard the captain was a real prick and you're not."

I plucked the card from his hands and stuck it back in my purse. "Just before launch, the previous captain was arrested for exploitation – something to do with bringing prostitutes on the base. I'm his replacement." I raised my voice to a more normal volume. "Can we go in, Pluto?"

He waved the doors open and ushered us in. "You're always welcome in Luna's, Persephone. I don't suppose there's any chance that later we might…"

I winked. "See if you can book one of the zero G rooms. I haven't done any gymnastics without gravity since I was last up here."

"Yes, ma'am," Pluto said with a smart salute and a grin.

As Kitty and I stepped inside, the band started playing The House Rules once more.

Behind me, I heard Pluto growl, "SpaceCorps boys, do you know the house rules?"