Page 2 of Trove’s Purpose

Well, technically, Goldie wasn’t mated, but he knew that Alred, despite being a computer, right now reduced to nothing but a speaker, his core stuck in a backpack, had laid claim over her. Goldie was the one always carrying that backpack with him in it, so he knew the devotion went both ways.

No, Trove had no one to pleasure, no one to focus on, and that meant the memories, and the dreams, were getting worse.

Giving up the idea of sleep, Trove got to his feet and grabbed the old, ugly orange jumpsuit off the small chair he had shoved in one corner. The suit was part of the uniform of whatever old crew ran this place. Theirs now. They had nothing else as all their own belongings had been destroyed when their starship blew up.

He missed his room on that starship. He missed his collection of liquors. The alcohol didn't do quite as well as drowning himself in feminine pleasure, but it was better than nothing, and right now he would have started brewing his own spirits if he had access to anything that would ferment. Or drugs. He’d take drugs if they were available. They weren’t typically his thing, but it had to be better than what he was going through now.

But no. He had nothing. And he definitely wasn’t going back to sleep. Even if he could, he didn't want the dreams to return. At least, not this soon. Maybe he’d ask Goldie if any of the sedatives in the abandoned medbay were still viable when it was a more reasonable time, but he knew from the light overhead that it was still night. This planet had very long days, so a more reasonable day/night cycle was simulated by the lights overhead. And right now, it appeared to still be the middle of the artificial night.

No, he wouldn’t disturb Goldie yet. He’d just deal with it, as he had done his whole life.

It was Rok’s turn to stay on watch. Though they knew this planet was lifeless and they were the only ones here, they weren’t going to let that make them complacent. They all took turns – the males did anyway – to keep watch at night. It was supposed to be Vytln and Rok tonight, with Vytln taking the first half and Rok taking the second. But with the way he was feeling, Trove didn't want to just stay here and lie in bed. He needed to get up and move. If he couldn’t make a female scream or get drunk off his ass right now, he at least wanted to stay busy.

Stepping from his room, he went to find Rok so he could take over his watch. At least one of them should get some sleep.

Chapter 2

Chee

“I really don’t think this will work.”

“So doubtful.” Hyde chuckled. “Relax a little. It will be fine.”

Chee made a noise in her throat, pursing her lips. Though the man – male – on the other end of the call couldn’t see her face, the sound was enough to portray her disbelief.

She was curled up into a ball, arms around her legs, ginger red hair loose and trailing in front of her face as her body spun in lazy circles. Zero gravity was super fun at times and super comforting at others. It was the closest, she imagined, to being back in the womb an adult could possibly feel. When she wasn’t bouncing around, laughing and enjoying the lack of gravity, she was just floating in it, meditating, relaxing in the weightlessness.

She was coming up on Yenfir-5. The fifth planet of the Yenfir system. A totally lifeless star system that held nearly nothing of value on any of the planets and was not yet claimed by any corporation for mining, harvesting, or terraforming purposes. Not that rare of a situation. There were thousands, hundreds of thousands, of star systems that were exactly like that. And more than enough that were rich in resources. More than enough for even the greediest of conglomerates. Too many to claim.

Because this one was currently unclaimed, unowned, and previously abandoned by the ones who did once have a stake here, it was completely empty. The planets weren’t even named, just numbered. Chee was alone in a lifeless solar system. It was a very hollow sort of feeling. And as she got closer to the planet, that feeling only worsened.

There was still time before her little starship started its descent, so she was just floating, waiting, trying to get more comfort out of the lack of gravity. And getting in one last conversation with her… boss? Client? She wasn’t exactly sure what to call Hyde.

Two weeks ago, Chee had been going through just another ordinary day. She didn't love her job, nor did she hate it. She didn't find any purpose in being an event coordinator for the town’s event center, but it paid enough to take care of her bills, and she had a good work/life balance. She was planning out her weekly trip to see her father. Her mother had invited her out to get their nails done just as a fun little splurge. Her friends were all plotting with her to throw a going away party for Dororthy – the old lady who worked the front of the building who was finally retiring to live out her golden years with her grandbabies. Chee’s almost-boyfriend had taken a job in another city, but she couldn’t move away from her father, so they’d ended what hadn’t even had a chance to start on amicable terms. She truly wished him well. She had a class reunion in a few months planned, and no one would be there that she felt any animosity towards. She had a few close friends and a dog that she loved.

Sweet, simple; nothing special, nothing unusual. She wouldn’t call it an exciting life, but she was content with what she had. Mostly.

And now she was floating in space, wearing a fancy but uncomfortably skintight space suit, talking to the guy who had brought her all the way out here after being given a job that, frankly, she believed was completely impossible.

She knew how she got here. She didn't regret being here. She missed her dog. She missed her parents. She even missed the easy, familiar routine of her job.

But…

“What if this doesn’t work?” She asked, looking at the console of the spaceship.

It was small, big enough for just herself, but was comfortable for its size. She didn't have to fly it. The flight path and landing protocols – or whatever they were called – had been programmed for her. All she had to do was get to the seat and buckle up when the computers told her it was time.

And then try to do something she was pretty sure was a waste of time.

“Our deal is not dependent on your failure or success. All I ask is that you genuinely try.”

“Right…” She mumbled.

She didn't really know much about Hyde. She’d met him briefly on the stopover from Earth to here. She had already accepted his deal at that point. Even then, she’d doubted its possibility, but this close to it, she felt even more that it wasn’t going to work.

But she had to give it her all anyway. She had too much riding on this. If it made Hyde keep his end of the deal, she’d do whatever he wanted. The prize was far too great for her to decline.

However, the doubts plaguing her were getting louder and more reasonable the closer she got to this nameless planet. The nerves were twisting up and eating at her belly. She knew what she had to do, Hyde had planned all this out for her, but that didn't make it easy to actually complete.