Chapter 7

Kayden sat in the captain’s chair of the Stardust Drifter, the leather cool and molding perfectly to his form. The bridge was a symphony of dark, responsive surfaces and soft, ambient lighting. Before him, the main window was a panoramic view of the bustling hangar, ships of all shapes and sizes coming and going. The control panel was a sleek, intuitive array of holographic displays and touch-sensitive controls, each one pulsing with a soft, inviting light. He could feel the power of the ship humming beneath him, a low, thrumming vibration that resonated deep in his bones.

“I’ve set up 2 interviews.” Alexa said, walking onto the bridge. “Both were on the discreet job boards. The applicants’ names are Zynphoria and Vexx’lith. Their avatars indicate they are both young, and by human standards, attractive. Zynphoria is a Phanso female, and Vexx’lith is a Kryllian female. Both are waiting outside the ship, shall I invite them inside one at a time, or simultaneously for comparison purposes?”

“Let’s do them one at a time,” Kayden said, a thoughtful smile on his face. “I want to give them my full attention. Send the first one in. The ... what was she? a Phanso?” he asked, trying to remember the name and species.

“Affirmative,” Alexa said. “Zynphoria. I shall invite her aboard now.” A few moments later, the bridge door slid open with a soft hiss.

“Come in.” Kayden said, “Welcome to the Stardust Drifter, Zynphoria. Please stand before me.” Kayden heard no foot steps, causing him to look up from his console.

“Wait ... You’re literally just a ghost.” He said, looking at the shimmering, translucent figure that had floated into the room. Zynphoria was a creature of pure light and energy, a being that seemed to be made of stardust and nebula. Her form was humanoid, but it was constantly shifting, her features dissolving and reforming in a slow, mesmerizing dance. She was beautiful, in a way that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring, a living constellation in the shape of a woman.

“I am a Phanso, yes.” Her voice was a chorus of whispers, a symphony of sounds that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. “I can appear as anything you like. I noticed your existing crew has a certain ... aesthetic. Perhaps you would find this form more suitable?” The light of her form solidified, the cosmic dust coalescing into the shape of a young woman. She was tall and slender, with skin the color of polished silver and large, almond-shaped eyes that shimmered with the light of a thousand stars. Her hair was a cascade of flowing, silver light, her lips a soft, inviting light blue. She was naked, her body a masterpiece of sculpted light, her breasts small and perfect, her hips narrow, her legs long and toned. She was a vision of ethereal beauty, a goddess made flesh.

“What do you think?” she asked, her voice now a soft, melodic purr, her lips curving into a seductive smile. “Is this more to your liking?”

“I can work with this,” Kayden said, an appreciative smile on his face. “Uh ... Right. Let’s get to the interview. I have your resume here. You’re a Phanso, with extensive experience in long-haul cargo transport. You’re an expert in navigating asteroid fields and uncharted territories. You’re also proficient in a variety of energy weapons and have a basic understanding of ship mechanics. Impressive.” Zynphoria’s form flickered, the silver of her skin shimmering with a soft, internal light.

“I am a being of light and energy,” she said, her voice a soft, melodic purr. “I am one with the ship, one with the stars. I can feel the flow of energy, the pulse of the engines, the hum of the systems. I can fly a ship through the eye of a storm, through the heart of a nebula, through the chaos of a battle. I am not just a pilot. I am an artist, and the ship is my brush and the void is my canvas.” Her words were poetry, a symphony of seduction and skill. Kayden could feel himself being drawn in, his mind captivated by her beauty, her grace, her confidence. He could feel the attraction, a magnetic pull that was both physical and intellectual.

“Poetry is all well and good, Zynphoria,” Kayden said, leaning forward in his captain’s chair, his eyes locked on hers. “But I’m not hiring a poet. I’m hiring a pilot for a dangerous mission. I need someone who can handle pressure, someone who can think on their feet, someone who can get us out of a tight spot when the SGC is breathing down our necks. Can you do that? Can you be more than just a pretty face?”

“I can be whatever you need me to be, Kayden,” she said, her voice a soft, seductive whisper. “I can sense there is a true question you want to ask me. One you do not wish to vocalize. So please, do not. The answer is yes. All the yes’s.” She glided closer, her body a swirl of silver light, her form shimmering with a seductive energy. She stopped in front of him, her naked body a tantalizing display of otherworldly beauty. He could see the faint, blue glow of her heart, a pulsating star in the center of her chest. He could feel the heat radiating from her, a warmth that was both comforting and arousing.

“And I can be so, so much more,” she continued, her voice a low, seductive murmur. “I can be your confidante, your partner, your lover. I can be the one you turn to when the weight of the world is too much to bear, the one who can ease your burdens with a touch, a kiss, a promise of pleasure beyond your wildest dreams.” Kayden played with the belt on his pants, a silent invitation. “Alright. So far so good.” Zynphoria smiled, a slow, seductive smile that seemed to light up the entire bridge. She gracefully lowered herself to her knees before him, her movements fluid and effortless. Her silver hair cascaded around her shoulders, a shimmering waterfall of light. She looked up at him, her large, almond-shaped eyes filled with a mixture of adoration and desire.

“I can see the weight of your quest pressing down on you,” she whispered, her fingers gently tracing the outline of his hardening cock through the fabric of his pants. “Let me help you. Let me ease your burden. Let me show you what a true partner can be.”

“Okay...” He said softly, pulling down his pants to reveal his stiff cock.

“Let me take care of that for you.” She said, her hand reaching forward to stroke the base of his cock as she leaned in. “Shit.” she said.

“What’s wrong?” Kayden asked, a little concerned, looking down from her eyes, to where her small, slender, silver hand. She was waving her hand back and forth through his cock, unable to make contact. Her ethereal form passed through his erection, which stood as erect and as solid as ever.

“I can’t touch you.” She said, a little frustrated. “Shit...”

“Wait? Your whole plan was to use seduction to get the job, and you didn’t even know if you could interact with me physically?” He asked, an amused smile on his face.

“Shut up!” She snapped, her form flickering with a mixture of embarrassment and frustration. “I ... Yes ... To be honest, I don’t even know how I passed the flight academy tests ... I can’t touch any of the controls unless they are made for a Phanso. Which this ship is clearly not equip with. The ad said young and cute, and I am those things. It didn’t say young and cute and able to physically touch the ship.”

“So you’re not able to physically touch anything, at all?” He asked, a little surprised.

“Yep.” She sighed. “Sorry to have wasted your time. I just really need a job. And you are kind of hot.”

“You’re not entirely useless.” Kayden said, a thoughtful expression on his face. “You could be a ... ghost sensor. You could float through the ship, check for structural damage, monitor energy flows, that sort of thing.” He paused, a smile playing on his lips. “And you could also be my personal ... advisor. A ghost in my ear, so to speak. A confidante. What do you say, Zynphoria? Are you interested in a job that pays no money, but gets you off this rock, and offers a chance at adventure and ... other benefits, intangible as they may be?”

“Are you asking me to join your crew?” She asked, her form flickering with a mixture of surprise and excitement.

“I am,” he said, a confident smile on his face. “You’re a strange one, Zynphoria. But you might just be what we need. A little bit of ... otherworldly insight. And, to be honest, I’m intrigued. I’ve never worked with a ghost before. It could be ... fun.”

“Then I accept,” she said, her form shimmering with a newfound energy. “I’ll be your ghost sensor, your confidante, your ... advisor. I’ll be whatever you need me to be, Kayden. I’m yours.” She floated up, her form dissolving into a swirl of silver light, a constellation of stars that danced in the air before dissipating.

“I’ll find a place on the ship to make my home.” Her voice echoed as she vanished.

The bridge door slid open with a soft hiss, and the second applicant stepped inside. Vexx’lith. She was a stark contrast to Zynphoria’s ethereal beauty. She was a creature of sharp angles and hard lines, a predator in human form. Her skin was a dark, glossy obsidian, crisscrossed with faint, glowing blue lines that pulsed with a slow, steady rhythm. Her hair was a mass of thick, black tendrils that writhed and twisted like a nest of snakes, each one tipped with a small venomous barb. Her eyes were a burning, molten gold, and they seemed to see right through him, stripping him bare, laying his soul open for her to see. She was wearing a suit of black, form-fitting armor that left little to the imagination, her curves hard and muscular, her body a weapon in its own right. She carried a pair of wicked-looking daggers on her hips, and a blaster was strapped to her thigh. She was a warrior, a killer, a woman who was not afraid to get her hands dirty.

“Nope. Sorry.” Kayden said, shaking his head. “You’re not what I’m looking for.”

“You haven’t even interviewed me,” she said, her voice a low, gravelly growl that was both sensual and dangerous. “And what is it, exactly, that you’re looking for? A pretty face? A tight body? A warm hole to stick your dick in? Because if that’s what you want, I can accommodate you. But I’m also the best pilot in the underlevels. I can fly anything, from a junk freighter to a battleship. I can get you out of any tight spot, no matter how hopeless it may seem.”

“I honestly think that if we had sex, I’d die.” Kayden said. “I think if I passed by you in the hall and a little space turbulence hit us and I bumped into you, I would die.” Vexx’lith laughed, a low, throaty sound that was both sexy and a little bit terrifying.

“I’m a Kryllian, Kayden,” she said, her lips curving into a predatory smile. “You would 100% die if we had sex. So you are correct. But I’m not here to fuck you. I’m here for a job. And I’m the best there is. So, are you going to give me a chance? Or are you going to let your fear get the better of you?”

“It’s not fear. It’s a simple biological instinct to not have my dick melted off by acid.” Kayden said, leaning back in his chair. “Or basic survival that if I get to close to you, those poisoned tips in your hair could kill me. And you are clearly a professional. But you’re not young and cute. And this is my ship. My crew. My rules. So, no.”

“Very well,” Vexx’lith said, a disappointed sigh escaping her lips. “But you’re making a mistake. A big one. You’re letting your dick do the thinking, and that’s a dangerous game to play, especially in your line of work.” She turned and walked out of the bridge, her hips swaying with a practiced, predatory rhythm. He watched her go, a thoughtful smile on his face. She was a dangerous one, a woman who was not to be trifled with. But she was also right. He was letting his dick do the thinking, and that could be a problem.

“You’re shit at this.” A voice came from in front of him. He turned forward and saw Rina leaning against the console, her arms crossed under her breasts, her golden eyes boring into him. She was a stark contrast to the other women who had come and gone from the bridge. There was no pretense, no seduction, no game playing. She was just there, a quiet, confident presence that seemed to fill the room with a cool, detached energy.

“How did you get on my ship?” Kayden asked, a little surprised.

“Jelicia is a good friend of mine,” she said. “She let me in, but only if I agreed to suck your cock ... So let’s get that part over with so we can talk.” Rina pushed herself off the console and sauntered towards him, her movements fluid and confident. She dropped to her knees in front of him, her long black hair falling in a curtain around her face. Her eyes, a piercing yellow, never left his.

“You can stop right there, Rina.” He said, holding up a hand. “You don’t have to do that. You’re here. So you’re interested. So what changed your mind?”

“Nothing. I still think your plan is stupid and you’re going to get yourself and everyone else on this ship killed.” She said, staying on her knees. “But I’m also bored. I’ve been laying low for too long. And you, Kayden, are a man who attracts trouble. And I ... I miss the thrill. The danger. The chance to fly a ship like the Stardust Drifter, to push her to her limits, to feel the power of the engines humming beneath me. I miss it. So, I’m in. But on one condition.”

“What’s that?” He asked, a little surprised.

“I’m in charge of the ship,” she said, her voice a low, firm whisper. “The bridge is my domain. When we’re in the air, in space, whatever ... My word is law. I’m the pilot. I’m the one who makes the calls. You can be the captain, you can be the leader, you can be the man with the plan. But when it comes to flying this ship, you listen to me. No questions asked. Can you agree to that?” Kayden looked at her, at the fierce, determined look in her eyes. He could see the passion, the fire, the unbridled joy she took in her work. He could see the respect she had for the ship, for the art of flying, for the thrill of the chase. He could see the connection they shared, a bond that went beyond the physical, a shared understanding of what it meant to be truly alive, to be truly passionate about something.

“I can agree to that,” he said, a confident smile on his face. “The bridge is yours. The ship is in your capable hands. Welcome aboard, Rina.”

“Good,” she said with a satisfied smile on her face. “Now, about that other condition...”

“What other condition?” He asked, a little confused. She reached for his pants, a smile on her face.

“You’re still going to suck my dick?” He asked, a little surprised. “I thought you said that was just a way to get on the ship.”

“I did say that,” she said, her fingers working on the button of his pants. “But I’m also a woman of my word. And I promised Jelicia I’d suck your dick. And I always keep my promises. Plus, I’m curious what all the fuss is about.” She pulled out his cock, her fingers wrapping around the shaft, her touch cool and confident. She looked at it for a long moment, her golden eyes appraising, thoughtful expression on her face.