Kept by Luna Voss

Chapter Thirteen

Melyta

The next day, Jenyta won’t stop talking about what she learned at the planetarium.

“I can’t believe the Rangasta pilot training program is only a year long,” she exclaims to me at breakfast, her eyes shining as she looks up from her communicator in the hotel restaurant. “That seems so short! A year, and you’re qualified to fly spaceships? The Imperial Academy would be two years minimum, and I’d have to enlist.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Are you thinking of becoming a pilot?”

My friend looks almost guilty, as though she doesn’t think she’s allowed to have such aspirations. “Yeah, maybe,” she admits. “It’s… it’s what I’d like to do more than anything.”

“Better than dressing up as a cartoon princess at Rangasta World,” grunts Barion next to me.

“If I got a job with Rangasta right out of the flight program, the training would pay for itself in less than two years,” Jenyta continues excitedly. “I’ve been crunching the numbers. Even first-year pilots make pretty good money.”

“I think that sounds awesome,” I encourage her. “Maybe you should do it.”

“I want to. I would just… need a loan, or something. Just to pay for the program at first.”

“How much is it?” asks Barion.

She hesitates. “It’s about 50,000 credits. Well, technically, 49,000…”

He gives a little shrug. “I’ll take care of it.”

Jenyta’s jaw drops. “No, I couldn’t… You’ve already done so much.”

Barion shakes his head. “You’re in this situation because of Melyta and me. And look, we may not be rolling in Butarza Family money, but Dalax City has been good to me over the years. Good enough for this. Mel considers you family, and that means you’re my family, too. You’re not taking out a loan.”

“You’re serious?”

“I’m serious. Besides, it can’t hurt to have a connection inside one of the biggest corporations in the whole galaxy. No telling when that could prove useful.”

For a moment Jenyta is quiet, as though she’s processing the fact that her dream could actually become a reality. Then she gets up from her seat and throws her arms around Barion in a big hug. He accepts it awkwardly, patting her on the back, and I do my best not to chuckle. I don’t think Barion gets a lot of hugs, other than from me.

“Thank you,” says my friend, before turning and hugging me as well. “Thank you so much. You guys are my family, too. And if there’s ever a favor I can do in return, all you need to do is ask.”

My best friend is as excited as I’ve ever seen her at the prospect of joining the pilot training program.

“Now I don’t even have to deal with finding an apartment!” she tells me happily as we explore downtown Zog together. “I’ll be starting at the Rangasta flight facility here on Gerbbbexai IX, then staying at different places all across the galaxy once I start doing flights!” She finishes with an excited wriggle.

“That’s awesome,” I say patiently, even though it’s the third time she’s mentioned it today. “I’m super happy for you. You’re going to have to stay in touch and tell me all about it.”

“I will! I’ll be talking your ear off about every new planet I visit. Can you believe that six months from now, I’ll actually be flying solo runs?”

I can believe it. The part about her talking my ear off, I mean. But I make a mental promise to be excited for her every time we talk. She deserves to be thrilled about this.

“Do you want to take a taxi to the mall?” Jenyta asks. “I should really get a new communicator before I leave.”

We’re shopping for any last things Jenyta needs before she starts training next week. I had hoped to be able to spend a little more time with her here, but apparently she signed up right before Rangasta took on a new batch of cadets.

“Sure,” I say. “Let’s go.”

The first thing we do at the mall is stop for funnel cake again, obviously. Those Dajorkans really know how to make a dessert. Then we find a tech store and Jenyta picks out a new communicator. I insist on her getting a top-of-the-line model from an upscale brand, even though she hesitates. We never had nice things growing up, but we’re allowed to now.

We spend the rest of the day browsing, people watching, and taking in the new environment. I don’t know that it’s necessarily nicer than the Dalax City Mall, but it’s different. When you’ve been on the same planet your entire life, different is exciting.

“Do you know what system you’re going to first?” I ask Jenyta as we sit on a bench together sipping drinks.

She shakes her head. “No idea. I don’t think I’ll be assigned a schedule until the program starts.”

“Are you going to get to visit a lot of planets? You know, to just stop and visit like this?”

“I certainly hope so! But I really don’t know. It’s not like it’s a military program, so I’m hoping it isn’t too restrictive.”

I glance outside one of the big, ornate windows on the wall to our left and see that it’s getting dark. I check my communicator.

“Barion wanted us back at the hotel in like half an hour,” I sigh. “We should probably get moving.”

Her face falls. “What? I wanted to catch a movie while we’re here.”

I hold up my communicator and show her the clock. “I mean, look. We really don’t have time.”

“Dick-whipped,” she mutters.

“What’s that?”

“You heard me. Have you ever disobeyed Barion?”

I snort. “If you only knew. You’re the one who got me spanked at the Dalax City Mall.”

“I got you spanked? Yeah, I’m pretty sure you did that to yourself without any help from me. And wait. Wait wait wait. Right there at the mall?”

I blush. “I can’t believe I just told you that.”

She leans forward. “Details, please.”

“Why, so you can make fun of me?”

“I promise I won’t.”

“Fine. I, uh, got pretty sassy with him after you left. He ended up pulling me into the unisex bathroom.”

“For a spanking.”

My cheeks burn. “Yes.”

“Damn, am I weird for thinking that’s kind of hot?”

I don’t say anything. Next topic, please.

She shakes her head, amused. “I guess Vostra guys really take no shit. But you two are cute together.”

“Thanks. Hey, maybe you’ll meet someone in the pilot program. That would be cool.”

“I doubt it. I think it’s going to be a lot of humans. So, are we gonna catch a movie?”

I had meant to send Barion a quick message before the movie to let him know we were going to be late, but somehow, it just slipped my mind by the time the opening previews started. Now, as the movie ends and Jenyta and I walk outside the theater, my heart sinks. It’s definitely dark outside. And I definitely forgot to send the text.

“Shit,” I say as I spy the dark windows. “I’m going to be in trouble.”

“Didn’t you send him a text?”

“I forgot.”

She grins mischievously. “Well, good luck with that.”

I grimace as we hail a cab and ride it back to the hotel. Getting punished by Barion isn’t the worst thing in the world, but I wasn’t exactly planning on it tonight. And I know Jenyta is going to make fun of me for this.

We get to the hotel, and I can barely look her in the eye as we ride the elevator up to our level. If we were both getting disciplined, maybe I wouldn’t feel so embarrassed. But the fact that I’m the only one out of the two of us who’s getting spanked is definitely enough to warm my cheeks.

I give her a little wave as I stand outside the door to the room I share with Barion, trying to pluck up the nerve to enter. “Have a nice night! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“What, don’t you want to keep hanging out?” she replies with a big smile. “Maybe go swim down at the pool or something?”

I blush, even though I know she’s teasing me. “I, uh, think I’ll probably be spending time with Barion tonight.”

She winks before disappearing into her room. “Yeah, I bet you will. Stay out of trouble, now.”