Out in the Blac

This is a book-length work, so not every chapter will involve sex. If you're just looking for a quick wank, this probably isn't your story.

Thanks for reading!

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Fuck, I was bored. I had attended one of the most prestigious journalism schools on Earth, nurturing big dreams of covering stories that mattered, making a difference in our solar system and beyond. Instead, there I was, sitting at a table surrounded by other people famous for their pretty faces, in a room filled with more of the same. To my right was tonight's guest of honor. Her eyelashes sparkled in the light and I realized she had impossibly thin diamond chips embedded in the fine hairs. I thought of Rusty and the scars his body bore from being hired on to protect cargo ships heavy with similar products, luxury goods purpose made to flatter the vanity of the galaxy's richest few. I'd been doing a lot of that this time, comparing the life he, his friend Buchanan, and many others on my crew had led, with the way these people had been pampered from birth.

People are people and I had to admit I'd met many good ones in the cycles I'd been doing this work. However, no matter how nice they were or what types of philanthropy they performed, the fact that their entire lifestyle had been bought with the bodies of people like my engineer could not be erased. The young woman sitting next to me either didn't know or didn't care, and that made me hate her a little. That I had so recently worn similar blinders made me hate myself more than a little. The lights dimmed, signaling to those still mingling that it was time to take their seats. Perversely, the noise level in the ballroom increased as everyone had to get in that last comment before the show started.

The fine linen tablecloth brushed my hand as I shifted in my seat. It was pristine, the snowy white unmarked by food or wine. While I was sure the station boasted the best laundry facilities - after all, it claimed to be unparalleled in every aspect - it was more likely that the napkins and tablecloths were seeing their first use tonight. I wondered how many people had spent the last day or two pressing and draping and folding to make everything perfect for tonight in ways that would go unnoticed. Considering the attitude I had seen some of these people display at other events, having their work ignored was the best case scenario for event help. If someone from the upper decks paid attention, it meant something had gone wrong and there would be hell to pay.

Shuffling overtook conversation when the lights dimmed yet again, and the audience finally took their seats. Thankfully, my patron had been happy to be the center of attention at my table, so my reticence was less obvious than it otherwise might have been. The host made his way to the front of the room and was greeted with polite applause. Pasting a smile to my face, I joined in, knowing the spotlight would soon be focused my way.

Last time we talked, Li told me the crew was planning to watch together; I could picture them all lounging in the galley, talking and laughing. The scene conjured by my imagination was a strong contrast to the measured smiles and carefully calibrated chuckles here on the station. Even had they wanted to watch here, my crew would not have been welcome: Li was the only other person on the ship with the required pedigree to pass beyond the docks on

Shangri Las Vegas.

It was only since I'd been running my own ship that the more subtle types of discrimination had become apparent, but I couldn't fool myself into believing I hadn't known something was amiss long before. This neon hellhole may have been the worst offender, but the other pleasure palaces weren't much better. Unlike places such as the Ring station near Saturn or the Hermes cluster in the belt, these stations were basically giant status symbols devoted to the whims of the beautiful people. And by beautiful, they meant rich. Very rich.

The host, smiling with his million-credit teeth in a suit that likely cost more than my ship, called out my name and I stood, my expression a carefully calibrated blend of pride and humility as I waved, to all appearances happy to accept their accolades. Then it was my patron's turn and I offered her a hand up, bowing to brush my lips over her knuckles as she giggled and blushed prettily. Finally,

finally

, we were allowed to sit and the program was set to begin. My stomach twisted, the small amount of dinner I'd taken in threatening to make an unwelcome second appearance. What was I doing here? I had won the genetic lottery; that and a family with the resources to make sure I had the best education Earth could offer gave me a ticket to places like these. Sure, it was an economy ticket that came with additional fees, but that was still more than most were allowed. There had to be more to life than stroking the egos of the pampered class.

An excited squeal beside me brought me back to my current reality. Some version of these doubts had been plaguing me with increasing frequency over the last few cycles, but I could generally shake them off and do my part, socializing with the socialites and paying my dues in their bedrooms. This night, that seemed beyond me and I could not muster the will to pretend any longer. "Oh, look at us!" my patron cried, gripping my wrist tightly.

"I apologize," I said, extricating my arm as gently as possible. "I must excuse myself." I put a hand to my stomach and grimaced apologetically. She gave me a knowing look and a wink before turning her attention back to the wall screen, enamored with her larger-than-life image. Trying to minimize the disruption, I slipped quickly out of the room, working to put her expression out of my mind. Of course eating the most expensive food possible and then vomiting it up later was accepted practice on this station. Humans had spread beyond our home planet only to infect the rest of the system with our neuroses.

Thankfully, I had sent the few possessions that I'd brought with me back to the

Marzi

before heading to dinner, so there was no need to revisit my temporary quarters on the station. I turned my feet toward the docks, tossing the Aphroditis hypo I'd stashed in my pocket in anticipation of spending the night in the starlet's bed into the first recycling port I passed. If any of the staff thought it odd that I was moving away from the ballroom hosting the viewing, they were too well trained to say anything. I hoped that none wanted to risk interrupting the show and thus my disappearance would go unnoticed for some time yet. Though it took some effort, I kept myself to a brisk walk to avoid raising more suspicion.

I spent more time than I would have liked working my way through the multiple retail levels that lay between the ballroom and the nearest access to the docking stations. Both to maintain the idea that the upper classes had no need to hurry anywhere and to encourage spending of credits, the path from one lift to the next meandered through shops tucked amongst flawlessly maintained gardens. It was no wonder two-thirds of the station was needed to house the staff; the landscaping alone must have taken a small army. I had considered the more direct route through the less public zones, but the disruption that would cause was not worth the reduction in travel time. And a plan had started forming as I worked my way through the station. It scared the hell out of me, so I used the time to consider all the angles, weigh the pros and cons, and try to talk myself out of doing something I would regret.

After finally letting myself onto the ship, I stopped briefly in my office before sliding down the ladder and emerging on the crew deck. Voices bubbled through an open door ahead as I stepped from my quarters. Smiling in anticipation, I followed the noise and stopped outside the doorway to the galley. Their backs to me, my crew was crowded together around the table. Dressed in a skimpy bikini, the woman I had spent the last two days flattering was taking us on a virtual tour of a water plant she had "founded" - in other words, she had thrown a lot of money at the scientists involved - that promised to revolutionize enviro systems throughout human-settled space. The claim was bold, but it became less exciting the fifth or sixth time you heard it. By now I was in the double digits. At least.

My arrival coincided with the tail end of a bawdy joke and the room filled with laughter. Shifting against the wall, I was considering announcing my presence before anyone said anything they might regret later when my eye was caught by a figure standing apart from the rest. Rusty. Of course. Despite how often I'd thought of him over the last couple of days, I still wasn't sure how I felt about whatever it was we were doing. Two days spent in close company with those he had deemed "my people" had both increased my irritation that he thought the worst of me and given me a greater understanding of how he could believe that. I had no idea what I'd said that day to set him off, but I must have been doing something very wrong to give him the impression that I preferred the company of those I'd been dining with before I had fled back to the ship.

The engineer wasn't watching the screen; instead he stared over the heads of his crewmates, eyes unfocused. I winced as I appeared onscreen next to the bikini-clad beauty, seeming to hang on her every word. Did he think my interest was genuine? I couldn't imagine he didn't know better, especially now, but perhaps he truly did believe me to be "slumming" with him, as he put it. Doubts twisted inside me and I thought to return to my quarters. I tried to convince myself I just wanted to let my crew have their night, that I wanted to slip away unnoticed to avoid interrupting them. That I wasn't considering hiding from my engineer. Then it was too late.

Rusty's attention shifted and suddenly those dark eyes burned into me so I could barely breathe. A wave of heat swept over me, collecting in my groin. I managed to tilt my head slightly toward his door and step away from the galley before anyone else knew I was there. Waiting near the end of the passageway, my heart was in my throat, unsure if he would accept my suggestion. Moments later, the engineer was in front of me and

how had I forgotten just how big he was

? The door slid open and I stepped into his quarters, biting my lip when I heard him thumb the latch. I turned to find him standing just inside the door, watching me with narrowed eyes. His face told me nothing about how he was feeling. It was possible he expected an argument and wanted privacy. But he had locked the door. That fact gave me the courage to move.

Taking a step forward, I reached up and gripped the back of his neck. Our foreheads pressed together and the words flooded out of me without plan or thought: "I owe you an apology. I'm so sorry, and I know we need to talk, and I promise we will after, but right now I just need you inside me. Please." My cheeks burned as I heard what I was saying, but the words were out and, embarrassing or not, they were the truth. There was a breathless instant in which I was sure he was going to throw me out; then his lips were on mine, his tongue sweeping into my mouth, and I was all his.

Relief washed through me - I was back home where Rusty still wanted me - leaving giddiness in its wake. The jumpsuits we generally wore on board had their problems, but they were a hell of a lot easier to get out of than my formal wear, and my lack of focus did not help with the task at hand. We kissed and laughed and kissed more as our fingers fumbled with the knots in my tie and sash and the never-ending buttons on my coat and shirt. At least the pants were simple. When the last of my clothing hit the floor, Rusty swept me up and carried me to the bed. I was laughing so hard tears ran from my eyes by the time he dumped me on the bunk and stripped out of his own clothes.

Hilarity fled quickly when he climbed in with me and pulled me close. Everywhere he touched burned hot and cold together until I was entirely consumed. Pushing him over onto his back, I grabbed the lube from his cubby and set about preparing myself. Rusty watched avidly, his eyes fixed to where my fingers entered my body. At any other time, I might have slowed down, focused on putting on a show since my audience was so keen, but that night my need was too deep, the hunger too demanding. I slicked his cock and knelt above him, positioning his head at my entrance. We groaned in tandem as I sank down onto him.

Rusty lay beneath me, his hands resting on my thighs, and let me take my pleasure. As I moved, I could feel the tension rise in him, the desire to take control of the rhythm, but he remained still and allowed me to ride him to my satisfaction. "Oh fuck," I moaned, rocking my hips as I kept his length buried inside. "Oh yes. Oh, that's good." My own erection had deflated as my body stretched to accommodate him, but the pleasure radiating from our joining, the feeling of fullness, completeness, was almost more than I could take at that moment anyway. "Rusty.

Rusty

," I sighed his name, my head dropped back. I grabbed blindly at his hands and he twined his fingers through mine, holding tightly, keeping me stable as I raised and lowered my body.

I shifted my knees, changing the angle of my hips and allowing him to press against my prostate as I rode him slowly. My limbs trembled, breath catching with each shock of pleasure. It was good, so good. Somehow better than I remembered. I needed to catch my breath, to regain some sense of myself. Settling down onto his body, I straightened and opened my eyes. There was a sheen of sweat on his brow, but his eyes were clear as they gazed into mine. "Next time I go to one of those dinners, we have to do this first," I said conversationally. "Knowing I'm holding your load up my ass would make that whole scene so much more interesting." He laughed so hard he almost made me lose my seat.

~*~

Never would I have guessed this night would end with Matt saying those words as he sat on me, my dick buried to the hilt in his ass. I hadn't been sure we would see him at all before our departure time the following morning. Even if he was on the

Marzi

, I wouldn't have bet on me personally laying eyes on him. Catching him standing outside the galley had been a shock. Everything that had happened after felt like a dream and I was afraid to say anything in case I woke up.

Then he went and talked about fucking before dinner next time and the bubble popped. On top of convincing me all of this was really happening, the specifics of what he said did some funny stuff inside me. The "next time" part loosened something in my chest and twisted something else in my guts. The rest of it stoked the fire in my groin; believe me, that was already burning pretty hot from watching him finger himself, not to mention the way he moved on top of me. His dick may have gone soft, but there was no doubt in my mind that the man was having a damn good time.

When my laughter finally tapered off, the captain gave me a grin that I felt to my toes. Our hands were still joined and he pushed them up over my head as he leaned forward. He breathed my name again, so softly I barely heard him. Bending my knees, I planted my feet and lifted my hips to stay deep inside him. He moaned as our lips met in a kiss that was surprisingly gentle, almost hesitant. Matt's lips trailed along my jaw as he moved to lay his face next to mine. "Fuck me, Rusty," he whispered, his warm breath tickling my ear.

My dick jumped inside its delicious prison. "I won't last," I gasped in a strangled voice.

"Then don't." His teeth closed on my earlobe. Oh. Fuck. My hips pistoned as I drove into him from below. I could feel the beginnings of my orgasm gathering like a bead of molten lead just behind my balls. The heat increased as it spread through my groin, the little grunts I was forcing out of Matt acting as bellows.

"Almost there," I panted. "So close - " Matt released my wrists and pushed himself away from my body, kneeling over my desperately thrusting pelvis. His dick was hard again and, as he began stroking it, I hit the tipping point, crying out and emptying myself into him.

"Fuck, yes. Fill me up," he moaned, his hand a blur. The liquid heat of his orgasm splattered my chest and stomach, the muscles of his ass milking a few last drops out of me.

Coming back to myself, I slid my hands down a bit from where he'd left them, tucking them under my head and looking up at him as I worked to catch my breath. Christ, he was beautiful. His skin was too dark to really look flushed; rather, he glowed. Sweat slicked his body and his eyes were closed, mouth open as he panted for air. The hair that had been so carefully styled on camera was mussed, no sign remaining of the put-together, upper deck socialite who had appeared in the corridor outside the galley. Matt looked like a man who had been thoroughly fucked.

"That," he said, not yet opening his eyes, "was exactly what I needed."

"Happy to serve." He cracked one eye and peered down at me. I gave him a grin.

"Oh, damn, I made quite a mess out of you."

I shrugged a shoulder. "Let the bots handle it." Left to their own devices, the nanites could break down most of what he'd shot all over my skin before it dried. I could shower off whatever was left in the morning. Mainly, I didn't want him to move from where he was, though I could feel my dick deflating and knew it was only a matter of time before something forced the issue. Matt tilted his head thoughtfully before climbing off of me, wincing a bit as we separated. Lowering his head to my belly, he ran his tongue up along my breastbone. When he kissed me, I moaned softly and sucked his tongue into my mouth, savoring his flavor. Thanks to the dentites that constantly scrubbed our teeth and gums, there was a noticeable minty undertone, but I wasn't complaining.

We parted and he ran his hands back through his hair, grimacing as they encountered the remains of whatever product had been holding it in place. Rather than cuddling up against me like he would have before our arrival at this shitass station, he stayed on his knees, putting some distance between us. An odd expression crossed his face and he kept his eyes down, avoiding looking at me while he plucked at a loose thread on the sheet, tension radiating from his body.

Watching him, I wondered what was going through his head. Now that lust had been satisfied, was the captain regretting finding himself back in my bed? Maybe he was wishing he'd stayed on the station after all. But he'd come to me, told me he wanted

me,

and fuck if I didn't want to believe him. And if he wasn't saying nothing, well, I wasn't either. It took two of us to keep this awkward silence going, after all. So, keeping my voice light, I broke it.

"On a scale from one to ten, just how annoying is that chick in person, anyway?"

Matt's head jerked up, eyes wide. I kept my face relaxed, allowing just a bit of a smile to show I was joking. Something like relief swept over his features and the corner of his mouth turned up as the tension drained from his shoulders. "Not as much as you'd think, really. I mean, she's impossibly perky, but really it's her handlers that make me want to commit murder."

"Oh yeah?" I rolled onto my side, propping myself up on an elbow. "How's that?" Taking the opening, Matt recounted the multiple times over the last few days that people had made ridiculous - and often conflicting - demands of him.

"She needs to come off as knowledgeable, but not wise. Wise makes people think old. We don't want her looking old, but not too young, either. Then people won't take her seriously." He rolled his eyes and gestured expansively as he talked. I imagined he was exaggerating things for my benefit, but it was still entertaining as hell. Much better than the official version we'd been watching in the galley. The weirdness between us faded away and things started to feel normal again. And by that, I mean this new normal where my captain was naked in my bed.