Craving the Truth and Yearning for some Sugar

((The previous evening))

Jacy moved a box out of the shuttle’s operator seat and sat down at the controls. She rested an elbow on the console and cupped her chin, one of her boney fingers tapping against her bottom lip. A decision was playing out across her face - it wasn't that she didn't want to pry; she made it her point to do so at every turn. She was convinced it was one of her more endearing qualities. Jacy just didn't like bringing others in on it and didn’t want there to be such a clear trail if it should come to that. But like many young people, once she had her mind set on something it was not easily swayed. She fired up a channel on the cortex and sat back, waiting for it to connect. A woman came on, older than Jacy, but no less attractive for the years.

“Jacerelyn? As I live and breath, it’s good to see your face again.”

“Mistress Lucretia,” Jacy answered with a dip of her head. “I’m sorry I did not have the time to pay you a visit while I was here on Valentine, but my ship was preparing for upthrust and the time slipped away from me again."

“Your ship?” Lucretia asked. “Have you become such the business woman that you now own a ship?”

“Not exactly, Mistress.”

“As well it should be. You are much too young to go grey worrying over the operations of an entire ship. Although I daresay we’d never see the silver in that pearly hair of yours.”

“I rent a meager shuttle, but it and the ship belong to another.”

“Ah yes, I see that. The Cortex seal indicates it’s owned by a Lieutenant Riley Thorne. Is he treating you well?”

“Riley? Interesting. Honestly Mistress? Riley and I don’t see eye to eye - on anything - but we happily avoid one another and that seems to work. However, the ship, legal purposes aside, belongs to Captain Colton Keller.”

“Colton! Now *that* is a good man. Hook your claws in deep with that one, because he *will* try to get away.”

“You know Daddy Keller?”

“Still with the nicknames? I suppose in our - in your area of expertise - too many names can become a difficulty to retain. Daddy Keller - I like that. Yes I know him, all the girls here in the bordello know him. He is kind, even if he drinks more than is good for him. Is he the reason for your contact?”

“No Mistress, though I will have ongoing need of him as things develop.”

"Still, I gather you are calling about a man. Stop fidgeting with your hair, Jacy.”

“You know me too well, Mistress. Yes I have found myself meeting the true love of my life. He works here on the ship. I think he’s the one. But I’m calling in regards to a different man. I wondered if you could do me a favor. Have you ever heard of a man named Dorian Adler? I'm sending a visual now. You’d probably know him as a dentist or doctor.”

((Now))

*"Attention, crew and passengers; this is your Captain speaking. It appears that one of our esteemed guests, the Drog-Kryi, has gone missing. If anyone has the Drog-Kryi outside of the designated Drog-Kryi area, he needs to be returnedimmediately. Crew Chief, with the rooster cut! This is on you! Find that Ruttin' Drog-Kryi!"*

Jacerelyn listened to the Captain’s announcement as she stretched the pink and white fabric over her perfectly cultivated ass and smoothed the elastic band around her waist. Poor Sugarbear; he always seemed to be on the receiving end of someone’s temper or commands. She vowed to make him feel better, to feel masculine and powerful. Every man deserved to know he was in charge of someone other than himself, even if it was rarely true. It was not difficult to imagine what she had in mind and the impish smile on her face settled it. Sugarbear was going to sleep *very* well tonight and chances were she’d be even more exhausted. She readjusted her bust in the hardly-there top that bore the same color scheme and a matching *Up Thrust*brand logo to the one stamped across her bottom. She was particularly proud of the label and didn’t find it boastful or vainglorious to promote her own clothing line; it was just good business. But even she had to admit that any such modeling was unlikely to generate sales on this ship. No one seemed to have two credits to rub against each other and the women in particular struck her as the sort to be adamantly opposed to being caught dead in form-fitting clothing. But the Nun had surprised Jacy once, perhaps she had more shock in store. And as it was exercise wear and Jacy was planning on exercising, romping around the ship in yoga spandex was entirely appropriate. Entirely.

She quickly pulled her hair into twin tails and slipped on a pair of furry slippers before heading down to the infirmary. Today was finally the day Doc Adler would be able to fix her teeth and it was with a bit of conceit this time that she thought of having a mouthful of perfect chompers. Not that she really needed them as she hardly ever ate solid food, but vanity was no place for logic. When she entered the infirmary with a gentle knock on the hatch she saw Dorian enjoying a cup of coffee. He looked every bit the dentist, complete with a white jacket that she’d seen worn by so many dentists in the past. Well, probably not this very same smock, but one just like it.

“Doctor Adler,” Jacy greeted the man with a friendly smile as if they had not talked in ages. “Are you as excited as I am to get my mouth opened wide and finally have those teeth sorted? I hope not, because I could hardly sleep last night, such was my eager anticipation.”