The Beginning and the End

It's not the first time I've been woken in the middle of the fucking night by the proximity alarm screaming through the ship like an armada has come to call.

"Ada..." I groan, not even bothering to lift my head from my pillow. "That better be because something is half a system away and not because a certain someone has snuck through the airlock again."

The ship's A.I. doesn't have chance to respond before I hear a low chuckle that is way, way too close for comfort. Worse is how every hair stands on end, my breath catching because I know that laugh and instantly burning heat floods my chest.

"Lights!" I bark at the ship, ripping back my blankets as the cabin illuminates revealing my favourite nightmare in the doorway, pointing a goddamn plasma pistol at me.

I stare for a second before snapping at her. "What the fuck are you doing here Katya? I'm getting really sick of these late-night calls, isn't there someone else you can keep bothering?"

She has the nerve to give me that smug grin which makes me want to punch her. "Why would I bother someone else dear Eliss, when it's always such a delight to visit you?" Damn her and that rich, velvety voice that makes everything sound like innuendo. Damn me for missing it. Damn her for making me miss it.

"At least you're enjoying yourself eh?" I shove myself off the bed to grab some clothes. I'll feel slightly more in control of this mess if I'm wearing more than just a tank top & shorts. She doesn't deserve a chance to ogle me.

I yank a fresh jumpsuit from my dresser and put it on, keeping my back to Katya and her fucking gun. I zip it to just above my breasts and take a few calming breaths before I turn around again. I need my shit together to get through this. No mistakes now.

Assuming what I hope is a neutral expression, I fold my arms across my chest and face her, "What do you want this time Kat?" Shit. Great work going with the nickname there, that'll really give away how much you hate her. Or not.

Katya takes a second to holster her pistol, giving no sign she heard me slip up. Not that I'd be able to tell anyway. In all the years I've known her I've never been good at reading her expressions. I've met androids who emote more that Kat does. Which makes it doubly embarrassing for me as someone who telegraphs every facet of what's going through my head like a chump.

"I need a pilot for a job," she begins, her eyes flicking to mine before darting away. "I also need to borrow the ship..."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"It'd only be for a week at the most, and if you're piloting it then you don't have to worry about it being out your sight."

"Like that's any reassurance," I laugh. "You're more than capable of stealing from me while looking me right in the face, what's it matter if I'm there piloting the ship?" I look her dead in the eyes, daring her to feel even a shred of remorse.

She sighs, running those nimble fingers through her short, dark waves that are so deliciously rumpled from being inside her exo-suit helmet. I often consider disabling the external access panel to the airlock to keep Kat from sneaking in again but then some traitorous whisper talks me out of it. It probably wouldn't stop her in any case – even during our Academy days she could charm her way into any kind of tech with little more than a paperclip and a smile.

"I know you don't trust me El," she says. "Stars know, I've given you dozens of reasons not to. But I need a brilliant pilot and a quick ship – you're the only person I can trust for this. I promise I have no intention of taking the ship, once the job is done you'll get enough Unicreds to fund a one-way trip through the Centauri Portal to whichever sector you want, like you always talked about."