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  CAT

  A science-fiction romance short-story.

  by Sandra R Neeley

  Table of Contents

  Cover Credit

  Copyright

  About This Book

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Story

  From the Author

  About the Author

  Cover Credit - Christopher Coyle

  darkandstormyknight.com

  Copyright © 2018 SANDRA R NEELEY

  All rights reserved.

  Thank you for purchasing and/or downloading this book. It is the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and/or distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes without express written permission from the author.

  Your support and respect for the property of this author is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales, is purely coincidental. The characters are creations of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademarked ownership of all trademarks and word marks mentioned in this book.

  About this Book

  CAT

  A science-fiction romance short-story.

  8439 words

  Orlgo was one of the last of a unique breed. He’d been exiled, for nothing more than existing. His species was feared and ostracized. He needed a host – required one in order to live, thrive. Because of that, most other species considered his people parasitic. He supposed in a way, maybe they were – but there was so much more to it than that. He’d given up hope – intentionally left on an abandoned space station near the outer reaches of the universe, there was no chance for him to find a host. No chance for him to survive. He’d wished day after day after day for just one chance to claim a host. Now he wasn’t so sure. Insanity had begun to rear its unavoidable head. He wasn’t sure he could survive a rejection from a host even if one was available. Then, a female crash lands on his space station. Could this be his chance? Would she fear him, or could he possibly win her over? Maybe show her that he was not what he was rumored to be. He needed to watch her, learn her likes and dislikes, find a way to present himself that would attract her to him, earn her trust so he could make her his host before she could run from him.

  Chloe had been alone her entire life, learning the hard way that you could only depend on yourself. “Learn to fight alone,” the nuns at the orphanage had told her. So, she had. She’d fought relationships, fought attachments, fought society and fought the “norm.” Which is how she ended up alone on the edges of the known universe far from any of the mining planets she routinely made supply runs for – in a damaged ship – without any choice but to maroon herself on an abandoned space station. This would be home until she could manage to repair her ship. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be any lifeforms lurking that had any desire to make her their dinner, or worse. There were some things worse than death. She looked back at her ship, knowing that a rescue was unlikely. She’d managed to activate the homing beacon, so that anyone searching for her would be able to locate the signal and come for her. But that was just the problem, there would be no one looking for her. She wished she’d taken the time to connect with anyone, at any time, so someone would know to look for her.

  Fate has a funny way of giving just what is needed, exactly when it’s needed and not an ounce more or a moment sooner. Whether it’s a blessing or a curse to all parties involved is in the eye of the beholder. One should always be careful what they wish for, they just might get it.

  Warning: Intended for mature audiences. This book contains some situations, sexual and otherwise that may be disturbing for some readers. If you are offended by these subjects, please do not buy this book.

  CAT

  A science-fiction romance short-story.

  by Sandra R Neeley

  For everyone everywhere who smiles when they read this story.

  CAT

  A science-fiction romance short-story.

  Somewhere on the outer-reaches of the known universe….

  Chloe kicked the side of her transport, shouting, “Stupid piece of crap! Couldn’t just make it another hundred clicks, could you? Nooooooo, that’d be far too much to ask!” She slapped the side of the battered, scarred silver aluminum-like skin of the outer hull, “Ouch!”

  Cradling her sore hand, she looked around herself at the dimly lit landing bay she stood in, at the accumulation of dirt and debris. She’d had no idea this station was even here. It had obviously been abandoned a very long time ago. When she’d seen its blip come up on her radar grid, she’d at first thought it a very large ship, and hoping to make contact and receive permission to come aboard, had set a course straight for it. All systems on her own ship had ceased to function. It was slowly beginning to give way, the metal creaking, the inner hull already starting to fold in on itself. Her air supply was diminishing quickly. She’d been lucky. If she’d been any farther out, closer to the mining planet she routinely delivered supplies to, she wouldn’t have made it to this station or any other. She looked at her ship, then back at the abandoned station she’d accidentally found and sighing, limped away, favoring the foot she’d just injured and the hand she’d bruised beating on her own ship.

  She headed toward the doors, not sure they’d open for her if this place was truly abandoned. But as the sensors picked up her presence, the doors slid apart, granting her immediate access. In retrospect she shouldn’t have been surprised. When her ship approached the station itself, the docking bay doors had opened for her, and once she was securely docked, they’d automatically closed, activated the airlocks, and pressurized the bay. It seemed whoever abandoned the station had left it automated throughout and if she was lucky, she’d be able to access all she needed — at least she hoped so. “Automation is good,” she mumbled. Automation was what she was hoping for. In her opinion, automation was much better than having it occupied by who knew what. The outer reaches of the universe harbored all manner of creature, some as of yet undetected. And not all were friendly. Regardless, she was stuck now. Best to go find out what her new situation entailed. She stepped through the doors and the whoosh as they closed behind her, startled her. “Hello?” she called out. “Anyone here?”

  There was no answer, but still she continued on, announcing her arrival just in case, “Hello? I had an emergency and had to dock unexpectedly — hope you don’t mind!”

  Still, no answer. Following the signs on the corridor walls, she made her way to the control room, and just as she’d originally thought, it’d been abandoned. “Welcome, come on in, make yourself at home,” she snarked out loud, her hands on her hips, looking around. She quite often talked to herself. She was alone a lot, and if not for her own voice, she’d go weeks without hearing any words at all.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  He watched her. From the moment she’d exited her ship to this very instant, he’d watched. She was exquisite. He couldn’t really tell what she looked like beneath the flight suit she wore, but she breathed. And she was alive, and she spoke! That made her exquisite in his eyes. He’d been alone for so long, his exile nearly driving him insane, that any company at all was more than welcome. He’d not done anything wrong to be exiled — he’d just been discovered. And that, in itself, was enough to cause all the previous inhabitants to evacuate, leaving him behind. He couldn’t help his nature; it was what the Creator made him to be, and as far as he knew he was the last of his kind, or damn close to it. No one, no matter their species, trusted his kind. Which meant that no one would ever accept him. He’d never have a host. He was the last. But now he had company. He’d watch, figure out what she liked, and become her friend. Maybe she’d stay, and he wouldn’t b
e alone anymore.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Chloe, having poked around the control room enough to convince herself that she was alone on this station, decided to have a look around at her new temporary home. She’d managed to send an SOS just before she landed here, but the Creator only knew how long it would be until someone came for her — if they came for her. For now, she was on her own. She walked quickly out of the room, into the corridor, looking up, down, all around, getting a feel for the place. Looking for anything unexpected or in need of repair that could threaten her safety. She fingered the blaster on her hip — or in need of killing — she could handle that, too, if need be.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  As the female passed by him, he inhaled deeply, getting a strong sense of her own personal scent: vanilla, cinnamon, and female. He was entranced instantly. She’d passed so closely to him that he could reach out and touch her — but he didn’t. She had no idea he stood right there in the room with her. If he touched her, she’d be frightened. He didn’t want her frightened; he wanted her to be his friend.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Chloe investigated most of the common spaces of the station, poking her head in here and there. She decided that it must have been a refueling post at one time. It was so near the outlying edge of the galaxy that it made sense a refueling stop would be needed. But why abandon it? It wasn’t that large, could only accommodate three ships at once, house no more than a dozen people at one time, but it was in good working condition, and it seemed to have no problems at all. Further convinced that she was alone and safe for the moment, she made her way back to the control room. She was going to activate the surveillance programing she’d seen earlier, set the alarms so any approach to the station would alert her immediately, and activate the computer AI to respond to her if she needed to give commands should the station be approached. No one would be granted access without her express permission — she would not be surprised with an unexpected or unwelcome visitor. Afterward, she went to the galley to see if there were any rations at all left here. If not, she did have some on her vessel, but only a few weeks’ worth.

  She opened metal cabinets, looked inside storage bins, shouting, “Aha!” and “Yay!” over and over again at her discoveries. There were rations, so many rations that she could live the rest of her life here. She kept poking around, finding dishes, utensils, everything you’d need in a galley. Then, holding her breath, turning her face away and squinching up her eyes, she turned on the faucet. “Woohoo!” she shouted when fresh clean water poured from it. She dipped her hand into the water and brought her fingers to her nose sniffing. Smelled like water to her. She touched the tip of her tongue to the droplets clinging to her fingers — yep, tasted like water. Her brow wrinkled, how could there be a supply of fresh cool water if this place was deserted? And why the hell was she wasting it if it was not going to be replenished any time soon? Quickly, she reached out and shut off the faucet. She heard the groan of pipes come from behind the wall and immediately went to investigate the plumbing situation. “Of course!” she called out, doing a little happy dance — hydroponics. Whoever had inhabited this place had created a greenhouse of sorts, complete with plants, humidity, water and piping. The plants were edible, the carbon dioxide the plants gave off helped to regulate the atmosphere as well as supply condensation that was then channeled into piping that supplemented the water supply. From the looks of the ‘greenhouse’ she now stood in, it covered more than one third of the station. This place was amazing. She’d never have to worry about food or water.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Orlgo watched the female walking around his home, touching this, touching that, investigating. She was a delight, calling out in excitement, speaking animatedly to no one — he was very pleased. He followed only a few steps behind her all afternoon, becoming more and more familiar with her. She loved the garden that he’d maintained. He didn’t eat the plants, but thought them pretty, so when the others had left him here, he’d continued to keep them in good condition. And he opened the valves from time to time to allow the liquid that ran through the station to flush and circulate. He was happy that his new friend was pleased with his plants.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Chloe went back into the galley, selected rations, rehydrated them, and ate at a table in the dining hall as she considered her new predicament. She repeatedly looked over her shoulder, around the room, under the table. She just felt like she was being watched. Had felt like she was being watched for some time now. She’d pretend to become engrossed in her meal, then spin around quickly to catch whoever it was, but there was no one there. Eventually, she gave up — surely it was just her imagination.

  She made her way back to the corridor and deciphered the signage there. Luckily, it was mostly pictographs, which was common because so many different species traveled the galaxy now, that pictographs were easier to install for all to read than trying to print numerous languages on the walls. She’d only briefly looked around the living quarters before but decided to give them a little more attention — because cleansing chambers were that way, too. And since this place had water, that might mean a real shower!

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Orlgo followed Chloe down the corridor, vibrating every time she’d peak into a room and smile, or remark on what was inside. Vibrating was how his kind showed pleasure, happiness. The equivalent of a human chuckling or laughing.

  Chloe continued on, opening doors, looking into closets, oblivious to the fact that she had a companion, had had a companion since she’d exited her ship. “Ah! There you are you wonderful little piece of heaven!” she greeted the shower she’d found affectionately. “Bet you just can’t wait for me to climb inside and wet you down,” she said seductively.

  Orlgo wasn’t sure if the shower was sentient enough to be enticed by Chloe’s words, but he sure was. Was it possible? Could this female be more than a companion, could she be his host?

  Chloe wasted no time stripping off her flight suit, unzipping it at the chest and legs making it loose enough to drop easily to the ground at her feet. She stepped out of it and bent over to remove her boots.

  Orlgo’s eyes almost bulged out of his head when Chloe bent over, displaying her mating stance to him. She had a mating stance to be envied, her legs tight and toned, her bottom rounded, soft and supple, just waiting for him to attach to. Her rounded bottom only enhanced her mating channel. It peeked out at him from between her legs, just beneath her bottom, practically winking at him as she moved back and forth. It was pink, plump, and had the softest of curls framing it perfectly. Her scent, as she exposed herself to him, was pushing him to act. He couldn’t help it — it was instinct. He’d taken two steps toward her, ready to implant himself inside her mating channel, when suddenly she spun to face him. He froze.

  “Who’s there?” she demanded.

  He didn’t answer, just continued to stand frozen.

  “I can hear you breathing! You’d better show yourself,” she warned.

  She advanced on him, stepping quickly in his direction, but not even looking toward him. He moved at the same speed she did, out of her way, so she didn’t make contact with him. He stood aside and watched her as she made sure she was alone.

  “Damn, I’d have sworn someone was there,” she mumbled as she went back into the bathroom. “Thank you, imagination, for scaring the bejeezus out of me!” she said as she cranked the shower full blast, watched as steam began to gather and stepped under the shower-head.

  The moan she let out at the sensation of hot, steamy water pouring over her head and shoulders had Orlgo in such a state that he almost joined her. But common sense told him, especially after her outburst, that she’d not welcome him. So instead, he sat back and watched her washing her body. He didn’t know what the two rounded things on her chest were, but they held his fascination. He
decided they must be soft from the way they moved when she ran her hand over them. And the darker skin on their tips drew up into hard little peaks as she pinched them. She moaned again, using her fingernails to scratch lightly down her body and slip one hand between her legs to sink her fingers into her mating channel. Chloe dropped her head back and pushed her fingers into herself again and again. Then she used one hand to hold the outer folds apart while rubbing a little place right at the top of those folds in tiny, tight circles. He knew all this because he’d moved so close to her that he could see every move she made, up face-to-face and personal with her mating channel as she moved her hands over her own flesh. Orlgo was inches away, reaching his body toward her, almost, almost able to taste her. She suddenly cried out, her head dropped forward, and she slid down the wall to sit beneath the hot water now pelting her head.