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“No, in time a lot of the bad dreams will fade. I'll make sure of that, Mack. We need to get you out of here, get you strong again and then make some new, real memories with you – happy ones.”

  Mack smiled on hearing that.

  Then Jinx thought for a moment.

  “So...this nightmare you had, Jody said something about androids and a planet getting nuked, me going nuts...It must have been one hell of a bad dream!”

  “It was!”Mack exclaimed, “It was so real and horrible...we died together when the nuke went off.”

  Jinx looked at him intently.

  “How exactly did I go insane in your dream?”

  Mack felt almost too embarrassed to repeat all he had believed to be true in that vivid nightmare.

  “Oh, it's crazy... they were cannibals. So when they killed Tina and Jules -”

  “Who in reality died because of the crash, do you see the parallel there, Mack?”

  “Of course I do,” he replied, “I must have been confused and part of me took in stuff and turned it into something terrible, something much worse...”

  “So tell me about what I did.”

  He looked at Jinx, then gave his hand a fond squeeze.

  “The camp was run by two sisters. I got the queen, who wanted me because she thought my war wounds made me a warrior.”

  “I called you that.”

  Mack stared at him.

  ”What?”

  “I called you a warrior, when I was sitting beside you, I looked down at you, saw your scars from the war – by then Jody had told me about you and Unit 17 – you could have told me, I know you liked to keep it quiet but when I found that out, I looked down at you as you lay there with that head injury, and I said, Mack you have to hold on, you're a warrior. You can fight this.”

  It happened again.

  At the back of his mind, he recalled being on a blanket with another covering him, close by the campfire was burning and he turned his head away from the glare of it as his eyes ached, and then he looked up to see Rik had sat beside him, close to him, and he was carefully folding the blankets up to his shoulders.

  “You'll be okay,” he said tenderly as he gazed down at him, “I won't let anything happen to you...I love you, Mack.”

  “Love you too, stop worrying...” Mack murmured as tiredness covered him again. Then he looked down as Jinx briefly lifted the covers back, running his gaze over the scars on his body. As his hand ran gently over them, Mack felt confused...his scars were old, long healed, why was Rik doing this?

  “You're so brave,” Jinx added, folding the covers back to his shoulder, and then he gently swept his hand over a dressing at the back of his head, before pausing to shift the pillow and tidy the blankets once more, to be sure Mack was comfortable.

  “You will survive this,” Jinx vowed, “You're a warrior...Brave warrior.”

  Then he leant in and planted a gentle kiss on his lips, as mild shock registered in Mack's mind...Jinx had kissed his mouth?

  “You rest now,” his best friend had said in a voice filled with tenderness,” Just rest, Mack...”

  As he recalled that kiss, he looked up from his hospital bed to Jinx, who was still sitting there holding his hand and looking at him fondly.

  “You kissed me?”

  “You kissed me back. What's the big deal? Mack, it's like this: We went through an experience that changed us in all ways. Sometimes you have to adapt to survive, sometimes you have to find new ways and forget the old ones. We all decided right from the start, we would stay close. Say what we needed to say, do what we needed to do, be open with each other, be loving to each other. It kept us alive and our bonds are so strong... Anyway, tell me about this freaky dream...what was I like in it?”

  Suddenly he sounded like the Rik Jinx he had flown with for fifteen years once more, and Mack chuckled.

  “You got the sister. The queen's sister. The kinky one...she used a dildo on you...”

  Jinx threw his head back and laughed aloud, then looked to Mack with amusement sparkling in his eyes.

  ”Oh, trust me to get the kinky one! Dildo woman!”

  Then Mack laughed too.

  “I'm starting to see how crazy that bad dream was,” he said.

  “And you look tired,“ Jinx said softly, “Close your eyes, Mack. Have some rest I'll stay right here beside you. I'm not leaving you, I told you that enough times after the crash and I still mean it now. You're my best friend, I'm still taking care of you, as long as takes, forever, if need be.”

  Mack suddenly felt a surge of emotion he could not fight as he looked into the eyes of his friend, the man who had landed the ship single handed and saved so many lives, including his own.

  “Where would I be without you?” he whispered as tears choked his voice.

  “You'll never be without me,” Jinx vowed, and then he leant over him and kissed his cheek.

  “Get some rest, Mack. You need plenty of that - I want you better as soon as possible! I'm not taking the Princess up again until you're on board with me, where you belong.”

  Mack smiled as he closed his eyes.

  “I'll be ready for that flight as soon as I get out of this bed! I can't wait!”

  Then he slid into a light sleep, as Jinx continued to watch over him, and did not let go of his hand.

  But even as Mack slept, something lurked at the back of his mind as dark and strange as the shadowy figure of Jinx on the alien planet, facing the fire as kindling cracked, a long blade clutched in his hand...Something wasn't right. Maybe it was just his head, maybe that would never be right again, but Mack knew something was out of place, even as he slept...

  Chapter 12

  Mack recovered quickly. It was partly due to the excellent care he had received, and partly due to the devotion of Jinx and Jody. Three months later, he waited by the docking bay that held the black, sleek impressive Galaxy Princess, not in his flight suit because he was no longer captain of the Pharaoh, which, compared to this amazing ship, was an old rust bucket long before it crashed on a far off planet...

  Now Mack stood there in a dark blue suit, his white shirt was open at the neck and as he caught sight of his refection in the mirrored doors, it was only the elegant cane he needed to lean on slightly that gave a hint of the terrible injuries he had overcome, caused by the crash a year before.

  Then the doors opened up, and as he saw the faces of his friends, Mack smiled warmly. Jody and Cora were dressed in light summer clothing and Zeke was in a shirt and light blue jeans. Then the pilot joined them. As he strolled out to the dock ahead of the others with pride written all over his face, Jinx looked great. He moved with the energy of a dancer, turning in his tight black jeans and dark leather jacket as he gestured to the gleaming ship, its lines as sleek and firm as he was.

  “All mine!” he bragged, and then he and Mack laughed together, exchanging a look that said they had made it – more than that, life had just got so much better with the ship and the private planet...

  “It's so good to see you again!” Cora said warmly, and she reached up and hugged Mack, who felt a brief flicker of regret that surprised him as he recalled the nightmare, and wondered why he felt sad that whatever they had shared had never happened.

  “You're looking well,” Zeke said, “Welcome back, Mack.”

  Then he hugged him too, which came as a surprise because he had barely known him, and expected a handshake, but Zeke gave him a warm, tight hug before letting go again.

  “My turn!” joked Rik, and he wrapped his arms around him tightly, kissing his cheek and then hugging him again, before letting go as his eyes sparkled.

  “This,” he promised Mack,”Will be the trip of a lifetime! I'm so glad you could make it...I couldn't have left earth without you. I'm never leaving you behind.”

  And then they boarded the flight, as once again Mack recalled his nightmare, the one that had faded, but he was sure he could never forget – in the bad dream it had been the other way around, with him vowing not to
leave Jinx...

  But this was reality, there would be no debris field, no crash, just a luxury cruise to a private planet, where they would spend much needed time together. Mack had missed his friends, most of all he had missed Jinx and the time they used to spend together off world. It was going to be a good trip...

  After take off, once the ship was locked on course at a top speed that would be the envy of most lesser vessels, as they cruised through inky, star-scattered space, Jinx got up from his seat, gesturing to Mack.

  “It's on auto. Just sit down and let it fly itself. Sit there and be a captain for a while, Mack.”

  He got up from his seat, leaning lightly on his cane and made his way over the flight deck, then sat down, sinking into a luxurious, comfortable padded seat, looked down at the controls and then to the view of space, and smiled.

  “Oh yeah,” he said fondly, “I like this...thanks, Rik.”

  Then as Mack looked out to space, as he stood behind his chair, Jinx smiled as he exchanged a glance with Jody, and she smiled too, knowing what was coming next.

  Rik stood up close to the chair, surprising Mack with a hug.

  “Oh, I've missed you!” he said fondly, “It's so good to have you back!”

  And he kissed his cheek as Mack laughed. Rik kept his arms around him for a moment, his cheek against his as he held him.

  “It's my turn to be captain now,” he said, “My turn to look after you, Mack. We all love you, I don't think you know how much...it's so good to have you back with us, where you belong.”

  And he hugged him again as Mack laughed some more. Then Jinx let go and stepped back.

  “I'm going to help Cora in the kitchen...We should be landed by six pm earth time and I want to have dinner ready...” Jinx glanced to Zeke.

  “Oi,” he said with amusement in his tone, “Chicken for dinner – go and stuff a dead bird, you're good at that!”

  And Zeke gave a half smile, shooting him a look that said much banter had passed between the two of them, and then as Zeke turned for the exit to the flight deck, Jinx looked to Jody.

  “Take good care of him for me,” he said, and he gave her a wink, then he followed Zeke, leaving Mack and Jody alone on the flight deck.

  As Mack watched the ship gliding through space, he gave a sigh, relaxing in the pilot's seat.

  “I'll miss flying,” he said.

  Jody stood beside him, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and he looked up at her.

  “I'm glad we're all back together. I can't believe how close we all feel!”

  “You'll remember more soon,” she promised him, “You just need a bit more time...” her hand gently rubbed at his shoulder, and then she leant over and gave him a soft kiss.

  “Jody...I know a lot of time has been lost and I want to make up for that, but since the accident I've really not had much in the way of those kind of feelings...it scares me to death, maybe I never will feel the urge again.”

  “I know, I saw it in your medical notes,” she replied, “Actually, me and Rik were talking about that...”

  He shot her a look of surprise.

  “You told my best friend?”

  “We don't have secrets, Mack,” she reminded him, “Living together stranded on that planet...it changed us. We are very open with each other, you'll learn to be open, too, it just takes a while... Now, I think we should go to the med centre, I've got something that might be useful to you.”

  Mack rose from his seat, leaning on his cane as he left the smart controls to fly on the programmed flight, and looked to her with interest.

  “Why are you trying to get me alone, Jody?”

  She caught warmth in his eyes and she smiled.

  “You'll see,” she promised him, and then they left the flight deck together.

  “Are you sure this is necessary?” Mack asked as he lay under cool sheets in a comfortable bed in the medical centre – this place was much larger than the old med centre on the Pharaoh, and so much more luxurious, she had taken him through glass doors into a private room, where he had undressed and got into a very comfortable bed, as he wondered if she was about to join him...maybe she had called him in here to ensure privacy...

  “I know what I'm doing,” Jody said softly, and he smiled as she encouraged him to turn on his side, then she folded back the sheets and began to massage his lower back.

  “Just come here and kiss me, I've thought about kissing you for so long,” Mack murmured, relaxing as her touch put him at ease.

  “Not yet...I need to know you can get hard...don't worry if it's difficult, there are ways...”

  Mack opened his eyes again, all sense of erotic relaxation gone in an instant.

  “What's this about?”

  “Helping you,” she replied, and then she adjusted the sheets, baring his lower body completely and pausing to stroke his backside.

  “There's ways to get your feelings back,” she told him, “We did try this a few times when we were stranded...I think you enjoyed it...We want to have a lot of fun together, don't we? I mean, when we land this ship it's going be a very different way of life... Very open, very honest with each other.”

  “I think we need to talk about this -”

  Mack gave gasp as she rubbed in some lube then gently worked two fingers in and out of him.

  “I think you're ready,” she said, and as he looked around and saw a smooth, phallic object being lubed up.

  “No...I'm really not into this...” he said, feeling a flicker of alarm as suddenly, all he could recall was how this detail, in his dream, had been about his best friend, not him...

  “It's okay,” she told him, and then she gently slid the object lower, he drew in a slow breath as she penetrated him, and he closed his eyes, thinking again about his nightmare, but then it had been Jinx and the alien queen's sister...but not here, in the real world...Jody was doing this to him?

  “You...tried this before!” he said, catching his breath as she moved it in slowly, and a bolt of pleasure seemed to reverberate inside and travel to his groin. This was not what he would have asked for, and he wasn't easy with it at all, but yes, it was pleasurable and it was even working, too... he was starting to get hard.

  “Oh my god...” he breathed out slowly, closing his eyes, letting her kinky idea do its work as his cock started to become solid, “I never thought I'd get turned on again...Oh ...gently...please...!”

  Suddenly he was lost in the moment, enjoying the feel of her down there, invading his body gently but firmly as his erection felt solid for the first time since the crash.

  Then the doors opened and Jinx walked in.

  “Not now...”Mack said breathlessly, “I'm...busy...”

  And to his horror, Jinx sat down beside him, ignoring what Jody was doing, and began to casually chat.

  “Yeah, she said she could help you...she tried it a couple of times on your better days when we were stranded... you did manage to come, but you were still quite weak then...” He lifted the covers, took a look between his legs and then let go of the covers again.

  “I think he's ready,” he said, “Well done, Jody.”

  “What the fuck is wrong with you, Rik?” he demanded.

  His best friend shifted closer, pulling Mack's head on to his lap as he stroked his hair. Jody was still working the object in and out as she leant over and started to suck Mack's hardness.

  “That's right,” Jinx said soothingly, stroking his hair as he looked down at his face and taking no interest in what was going on below the covers, “Let it happen...I can't have my best friend missing out on all the fun...Yes, I think you're nearly there...”

  Mack didn't know if it was Jody's attention to his cock and his arse or the fact that Jinx was watching, but on hearing his best friend say that, he caught his breath, gave a gasp and trembled as he came hard.

  “That's better,” Jinx said kindly, “You've needed that for a long time, Mack.”

  Then he got up, as Jody straightened up and took so
me wet wipes and started to clean up Mack, as he lay there recovering his breath.

  “Nothing wrong with a bit of kinky!” she said.

  “We're landing soon,” Jinx told him, looking to his face and seeming totally unconcerned that his best friend was naked, “Get dressed and meet me on the flight deck – we land in twenty minutes – and dinner is ready in one hour.”

  He smiled to Mack and Jody, and then walked out of the room.

  Mack turned over, not bothering to cover his body now Jody had done her worst, which had very intensely felt like the best, and his face flushed as he met her gaze.

  “Since when did Jinx lose his inhibitions like that? Or you?”

  “Since the crash,” she replied, “There was a lake of pure water near where we landed, it was a natural hot spring we used to bathe there, together – naked.”

  He raised an eyebrow.

  “All of you?”

  She laughed.

  “Yes! Why not?”

  Mack got off the bed and reached for his clothing.

  “This is going to take a lot of getting used to,” he told her, and as she left the room and he began to put his clothing back on, he was still getting that feeling that something was very much amiss here... Maybe it was the fact that the people he had not seen for a year, who had been through so much he could barely recall had simply grown too close in that intense situation...but it still lingered, that sensation of unease.

  Of course an event like the crash would change them all.

  Even his best friend had changed.

  Jinx had always been a horny guy, but only behind closed doors...

  Maybe it did make sense, how they had all changed, but he had missed it because of his injuries at the time...

  Mack finished getting dressed, slipped on his shoes and then put on his jacket, and as he turned for the door he blinked, seeing the med centre back in the Pharaoh 2.

  “Please!” a woman sobbed, “No....don't... please...”

  He blinked, saw Jinx with his back turned, standing over a blazing campfire with a long bladed knife clutched at his side. Then he raised it, turned around and looked at him.