One
The noise was almost always unbearable. The constant vibrating hum of a vehicle the size of a city moving through space, the echo of footsteps through the never-ending corridors, and the chatter of hundreds of thousands of voices all blended into a relentless cacophony of noise that pounded inside Kiki's head. She found solace in the neglected corners of C-deck, the ones that were seldom visited and even more seldom maintained. Here, in the derelict areas awaiting refurbishment, there was a loud calm in the slow decay.
The Codex VI had been traveling across the vast expanse of space for generations. Branches of family tress had split and then died out since the Codex left earth. Kiki had been born on the Codex, as was everyone she had ever known. Lower level crew were given limited information on most things, including how long the ship had been in space and where it was going. Her life revolved around work shifts and sleep and... more recently Scott. She had very little freedom, even the senior crew on the lower decks had very little freedom. Even the guards had very little freedom. How she hated the guards.
She leaned against the cold, grey synthetic wall, her baggy overalls shifting slightly to reveal the slim, agile body underneath. Her short, dark hair was tucked under a worn-out cap, a small attempt to blend in with the crowd that flowed past her. She collected herself before she reached the guard post, she was only walking past but it still sent her heart rate sky rocketing.
Kiki watched as Peck, a hulking figure in his pristine black security uniform, barked orders at a group of workers from Lower D deck. Their worn-out clothes and tired faces a stark contrast to Peck's immaculate appearance.
"Come on, move it!" Peck growled, in a gravelly rumble. "You're blocking the passage."
Kiki winced as one of the workers, an older man with shoulders hunched from years of fear, shrank back at the guard's harsh tone. She knew that look, resignation and complete defeat. He was a burnt out shell waiting for the next blow, maybe hoping for the final blow. He had lost all hope from living in the shadow of terror. That was the fate that awaited all the lower deck crew. Hard work, fear, and death.
Hall, another guard stationed nearby, watched the scene with a smirk. Her broad shoulders and thick arms were bulging under her uniform, and her small, piggish eyes seemed to gleam with malice. She was about as tall as he was wide and build like a bulkhead. Hall looked like she had been bread for violence. She was born to be cruel as others were born to suffer. Hall leaned against the wall, her massive frame taking up more than its fair share of space, and flicked her gaze over to Kiki.
For a moment, their eyes met, and Kiki's stomach dropped. She quickly looked away, her face flushing beneath her cap. Hall was a sadist who delighted in controlling and humiliating people but Peck was the real threat. Peck took no pleasure in cruelty and humiliation but he was known to be quick to kill. Kiki was all too aware of the rumours that swirled around the lower decks. People who crossed his path never seemed to be seen again. Kiki took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure.
She knew she needed to keep moving and not draw attention to herself. She pushed off the wall and began to walk, her boots echoing softly against the metal floor. Just a few more steps, and she'd be past the guards. Kiki could feel the sweat prickling at the back of her neck. Don't run, she told herself. Don't act suspicious. Just keep walking.
"Hey, you!" Peck's voice boomed behind her, sending a shiver down her spine. She froze mid-step, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure they could hear it.
"Yeah, you in the overalls," Peck continued, his voice a low growl. "Come back here."
Everyone stopped, there were around 80 people in the corridor and well over half were dressed in overalls. Peck seemed frustrated by the crowd having no idea which specific set of overalls he was referring too. Kiki's heart hammered so loudly she swore she could feel the vibrations in her chest. She didn't dare turn around, didn't dare draw any more attention to herself. The corridor was never silent but now it was just the relentless hum of the ship and echoes from movement further away and the pounding footsteps of Peck as he stomped through the statue still crowed towards Kiki. Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, she could see sweat patches appear on the man in front of her. Peck grabbed a man in green overalls not ten meters from Kiki and smashed him into the ground.
"When I tell you to come back you come back!" Peck bellowed, his spit flying as he shook the man in green overalls like a ragdoll. "You will respect my commands!"
Kiki swallowed hard, her mouth was dry as the recycled air of the ship. She inched forward, trying to blend into the crowd that had started to disperse, their faces pale and eyes wide. Hall seemed to smirk, although her face was hard to read, and Peck dragged the unlucky man back to the guard post. Kiki rounded the first corner she could and started to shake uncontrollably as the adrenalin worked its way out of her system. She felt like she was about to wet herself.
Her legs were shaking, her hands trembling. She leaned against the wall, her breathing coming in shallow gasps. What was she doing? She knew better than this. She knew the risks. She'd seen what happened to those who dared draw the attention of the guards, or tried to sneak past them, or disobeyed even the smallest of rules. She knew that even if they didn't break any rules the guards might still pick on them.
Kiki headed back to her quarters. She had three hours until her next shift and she needed rest. She couldn't shake the image of the man Peck had dragged away. His face was pale, eyes dead with fear as Peck's tossed him around like a toy. The guards had the power of life and death over the lower grades. Everyone had the power of life and death of the lower grades. Things had been getting worse on C-deck for the last few years, since Lieutenant Plumber had taken command, it was no longer enough to just keep your head down. You had to live like a ghost, barely visible, barely making any sound. Kiki knew that if she was going to survive, she had to find a way to become of no interest and no importance.
Two
As Kiki unlocked the door to her quarters the heat and humidity of the room hit her like a physical blow. The air was and heavy and dry, it felt thick, like moving through something thin but solid that clung to her skin and made it difficult to breathe. The room was barely five meters by five meters, a cramped box that served as their home, their sanctuary, and their prison. The triple bunk beds loomed in the corner, their thin mattresses sagging under the weight of age. Nothing on C-deck was new.
Kiki pulled off her overalls, tossing them into the corner with a sigh of relief. The thin fabric of her undershirt clung to her skin, leaving her feeling sticky and uncomfortable. She sat down heavily on the bottom bunk, her body aching from the day's work.
Sophia looked up from her magazine, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Tough day?" she asked.
Kiki grunted in response, running a hand through her short hair. "You have no idea," she muttered, leaning back against the wall and closing her eyes.
She could still see the terrified face of the man from the corridor, and she could still hear Peck's voice echoing through the hallways. She shuddered.
Sophia put down her e-magazine, the digital pages flickering like a broken radio, she climbed down from the top bunk, her bare feet padding softly on the cool metal floor. She was dressed in similar shorts to Kiki but she was topless, her blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun. She sat down next to Kiki, her shoulder pressing gently against hers. "Want to talk about it?" she asked.
Kiki shook her head, her eyes still closed. "Not really."
Sophia nodded, understanding. She knew better than to push. They'd been sharing this tiny room for years and had become closer than sisters. She knew when to talk, and when to just be there. Kiki let out a slow breath, her body relaxing incrementally as Sophia's presence offered a comforting softness.
"You know," Sophia began, "sometimes talking about it helps."
Kiki opened her eyes, turning her head to look at her friend. Sophia's blue eyes held a kindness that belied the harsh realities of their lives.
"You're right," Kiki agreed, "But not tonight. Tonight, I just want to... forget." Kiki smiled and hugged Sophia. "Sorry I've got to pee." Kiki muttered, before standing up and pushing her shorts and underwear down to her ankles, standing bottomless in the middle of the room for a split second before sitting on the toilet.
Kiki leaned back against the cold plastic. The room was too small for separate cubical, there wasn't even the space for a privacy curtain. The girls had seen each other naked many, many, times so she didn't bother trying to cover herself. She felt the air against her bare skin, Sophia stared at her. "Spread your legs, you know I like to watch you pee."
Kiki chuckled, shaking her head, but obliged, spreading her legs wide and leaning back against the toilet. She let out a sigh of relief as her stream started, the sound filling the small room.
Sophia's eyes locked onto the sight of Kiki's pink labia, her lips parting slightly. "Your pussy looks so yummy, spread it."
Kiki grinned, her eyes meeting Sophia's. "You're a freak, you know that?" She took her small top off so she sat there completely naked, then used both hands to grip the skin near her pussy and pull the lips apart. She spread herself wide, exposing her most intimate parts to Sophia's hungry gaze.
"Fuck, Kiki," she whispered, her voice light with amusement. "You're so fucking hot."
Kiki shuddered, a wave of heat washing over her. She knew Sophia could see everything -- her clit, swollen and peeking out from its hood, her pussy, glistening with arousal. The young women had often teased each other with their bodies and watched each other masturbate but it had never gone much further than that.
Kiki always liked the way Sophia looked at her, like she was a treat that she hasn't had in a long time. Sophia pushed her shorts off and sat on the edge of the bed naked with her legs spread wide apart. her pink pussy lips glistened and stuck together with her wetness. "I want to lick your pussy so much" She started to gently her rub clit.
"Stop it Sophia," Kiki closed her eyes, "We shouldn't, you know that."
Sophia chuckled, "who says we shouldn't? It's not like anyone's going to know, right? Just us and the surveillance cameras"
Kiki could feel the heat growing between her legs, she knew Sophia was right, they were surrounded by constant surveillance and constant rules. Even in this tiny room, they weren't invisible. "let's just watch each other." Kiki suggested, her voice tight with desire.
Sophia nodded, she kept rubbing her clit, her fingers moving in slow, deliberate circles, her breathing growing shorter and sharper. Kiki spread her legs wider, her pussy was dripping with arousal, her clit throbbing in time with her heartbeat.
"Tell me what you want, Kiki," Sophia. "I want to hear you say it."
Kiki bit her lip, her eyes locked onto Sophia's fingers as they danced over her own pussy. "I want... I want you to fuck me with your fingers," Kiki finally admitted, "I want you to make me come."
