Tarik: Entry Level Warfare (5 page)

“Has he interfered with the examination pod?” The man asked in a high pitched voice to Tilla.

“No doctor, he has been not acted in an illicit manner.” Tilla answered.

“You were given instructions to have him strip. Why is only his shirt off?”

“He is only wounded in the shoulder doctor. I did not wish to cause him more anxiety.”

The doctor scowled at Tilla “When I give instructions I expect them to be followed. Remove his clothes.”

Tarik made a move for his belt to
start taking off
 his pants. The doctor placed a hand over his stopping him. “I gave her an instruction, not you.” The doctor moved
Tarik
’s hand from his belt and placed it back on the armrest.

Tilla placed her
hands on
 
Tarik
’s belt and began to undress him. Tarik, not wishing to anger the doctor further, allowed Tilla to remove his clothes. After removing his pants and
boots
, Tilla stopped and glanced at the doctor before reaching for his underwear. The doctor seemed to be enjoying this while Tilla seemed to be nervous. Tarik was uncomfortable, wanting to say something but unsure of his place here since he had only arrived a few hours ago. Tarik didn’t want to enable this pervert but he also didn’t know if that was what transpired here. Was this doctor some creep? Or was the doctor just trying to get his assistant to do as she was told. Because of the Flarr anatomy, with shorter arms and an elongated snout, Tilla’s nose brushed against his penis repeatedly as she removed his underwear. The warm wet feeling was different and not at all unpleasant. Under different circumstances
Tarik
 would have welcomed this type of attention from the Flarr. With the doctor so close it quickly turned
Tarik
 off. Tilla’s shoulders puffed up during the process, with her nose into
Tarik
’s crotch she picked up on his sexual pheromones, an instinctual reflex but noticeable to everyone in the room.

“Very good. I expect that next time I order this to be done it be completed before I enter the room.” The doctor said to Tilla. The doctor turned his face to
Tarik
 “Sit back while I finish the examination and mend your shoulder.”

“May I be excused doctor?” Tilla asked.

“No you will complete your duties as instructed, push your shoulders back you are making the patient nervous.” The doctor snapped at Tilla.

A grid pattern of lights covered
Tarik
’s body; Tarik felt the chair move away from him as anti-gravity kept him in place. His body levitating, a scanner
disc
 moved underneath of him and sent a probe into his anus. A quick pinch and it exited without even offering to buy him a drink. He felt the chair form beneath him again.

“Everything looks in order with your biography. Your right leg was crushed once; does it give you any trouble?” The doctor asked.

“No, I was told it healed properly.” Tarik answered.

“Very good sit back while I mend the shoulder and do not move.” The doctor instructed.

Restraining straps
came across
 
Tarik
’s wrist, elbow and chest. A spray of local
anesthesia
 came down onto his shoulder. The doctor leaned in close over the wound, motors whining in his goggles as he adjusted the magnification. The doctor wiped the gash with sterilizing pads removing the sealant. Blood began to ooze from the open wound as the torn veins were exposed. The doctor then pulled an apparatus from the bottom of the pod; a circular object with multiple holes and sharp pointed thorns was placed over his shoulder. He didn't see but heard and felt the blood being suctioned away. Tarik began to feel light headed when he felt pin pricks. The flow of blood slowed as the injections began pumping him full of regenerative cells and chemicals. A few minutes passed and the doctor appeared pleased with the work. Lifting the apparatus away and placing it back in its hold, the doctor examined the new skin.

“That should be healed in time for your military assessment. If it tears open during the testing we can close it up and try again.” The doctor ordered. “You are free to go. Unless of course you wish to have my assistant dress you.” The doctor gave a smirk.

“I think I can handle it doc.”
Tarik
 said.

The doctor and Tilla left the room allowing
Tarik
 some privacy. “Again, this is not strange at all.” Tarik said to the empty room as he put on his assessment jumpsuit.

As
Tarik
 left the room, he searched the medical offices for Tilla. He wanted to ask about the strange dynamic and to see if she possibly needed help. While looking through medical he saw no other patients, Tilla and the doctor also appeared to have left. With entire medical section empty, and no one else to ask, he decided he should just stay in his quarters until he knew more.

Tarik took a horizontal pathway to the downward corkscrew according to his overlay. As he neared the doorway to the corkscrew he noticed a wall panel removed and a pair of feet sticking out of the wall. The feet dangling and the sounds of the unseen owner banging metal together within. As he got closer the body started to remove itself from the recess, a steady stream of curses flowing the entire time.

“Come on you stupid piece of shit. Get the
fuck
 in there.” The voice belonged to a female. “Got ya! Ha! That’s right you dumb cocksucker, you won’t
beat me
!
”

The body wiggled the rest of the way from the hole until a smallish
human
 female stood before him. She had a tool belt around her waist, containing several devices
Tarik
 had no idea what purpose they could serve. She had auburn hair that had been pulled into a bun with the exception of a single strand that curved around her almond face, the tip of the strand touching her chin. A grease stain on her cheek helped to hide a patch of freckles. She wore dark coveralls and simple brown
boots
 that looked as if they had been drug through gravel. If she was surprised to see
Tarik
 standing there she did not show it.

“Hey,
give me a hand
 with this panel will ya?” She grabbed one end of the wall panel and prepared to lift.

Tarik grabbed the other and lifted his end off the floor. They swung around and put the bottom lip of the panel into a groove. Tarik held the panel steady as the woman removed a tool from her belt and secured the panel to the wall.

“Rye told me we got a new military guy; I’m Daze by the way, what’s your name?” She asked.

Shocked that Daze didn’t just call him Jimmy like everyone else he actually had to think what his name was “I’m Ji- I’m
Tarik
, nice to meet you.”

Daze finished securing the panel and stood up to look
Tarik
 in the eyes. ”Yeah those military guys are weird calling new people Jimmy, like they expect you to
blow yourself
 up; they never give anyone the benefit of the doubt.” She smiled. “I guess they don’t want to be disappointed, some strange military trick or something, but what do I know, I’m just a grease monkey. Thanks for the help.”

“Not a problem.” Tarik said.

She stepped in close. “You're cute, don’t get killed and we’ll catch up later.” She kissed his cheek and started walking down the hallway. “You better get to your room soon; we’ll be making for orbit shortly.”

Tarik admired the sway of her hips as she walked away. “Nope, nothing about this place is strange at all.” Tarik said to no one. “Why am I talking to myself again?” Tarik shrugged and entered the down corkscrew.

As
Tarik
 entered his room, it seemed like the only familiar thing. Normally a loner he could see himself spending most of his time here. Because of the way the room had been set up it was hard to
gauge
 the size. The walkway looked to be three feet wide and eleven feet deep. To the right was a recess only a foot deep,
Tarik
 guessed this was to stock his gear on pop out hangers. A small closet at the end of the recess about two feet by two feet; had a biometric lock intended for personal effects. The bed measured eight feet long by four feet deep, situated in the middle of the left wall, raised about eighteen inches from the floor it had an overhang that started at
Tarik
’s shoulders. Tarik rested his
hand on
 the overhang and the wall changed from the eggshell color it had been to an asteroid field.
Tarik
 fearing he had been jettisoned exhaled all his breath and headed for the doorway.
Realizing
 the door was still open and there was still atmosphere, he calmed himself and came to the conclusion that this entire room was a smart wall. He’d seen smart screens before but an entire room constructed of smart walls had to be expensive. Why would they waste the money making a bunch of contractors comfortable? He touched the same spot of the overhang and wished the asteroid field to be denser. The rocks came in on him, again almost to the point of panic, he wished them to stop and they did. A yellow warning streamed across the walls telling him to prepare for undocking and orbital insertion.
Tarik
 laid down in his bunk as the ship started to rock. Tarik started to relax but dealing with his instincts after the long and strange day had left him drained, he decided to skip end of day meal hoping for a few hours of rest and no more strange encounters.

Tarik woke up on his stomach, a bit of drool coming out of the corner of his lip. He felt warmth on his check, opening his eyes he was greeted with a view of a red giant. Tarik turned over and sat up. He was just a bit too fast; he bumped his head on the overhang which had been camouflaged with the view of a floating asteroid. As he lay back rubbing his head he received an alert that he was due for assessment in an hour. He swung his feet out onto the floor and stood up, greeted by a lighter than average gravity, he had slept in his assessment jumpsuit but still felt funky from yesterday. He pulled up his map to the showers and made his way there.

When
Tarik
 entered the showers
Mange
 was walking out, looking no more wet than normal he gave
Tarik
 a sneer, wrapping his hairless tail around his waist. Tarik undressed and folded his jumpsuit laying it on an empty shelf. He grabbed a towel, wrapped it around himself and walked to an open stall. As he was about to enter the stall
Goddess
 walked out of the stall next to him. Treated to a full view of her perfect body, he came to the conclusion that she deserved the nickname. Tarik froze in place; the full view of
Goddess
's body holding him there, his eyes locked onto her full and perfect breasts and refused to move no matter how much he willed them to. He knew he was being impolite and immature but his eyes refused to look away, her hourglass figure, full breasts with small purple nipples were just too much for him, much to his own embarrassment he felt himself becoming aroused.

“You should do better at hiding your emotions.” Goddess said in a sultry voice. She turned and walked towards the shelves covering herself with a towel. “There is no such thing as a free look, be prepared to pay for it later.” She said as she walked around the corner.

“Join a corp, meet new people; it won’t be strange at all.” Tarik said to another empty room.

Tarik showered and dressed, his hair still dyed in places but not smelling nearly as bad. As
Tarik
 made his way to the gymnasium; he wondered what
Goddess
 meant by paying for it later. He had hoped she meant with sexual
favors
 but he seriously doubted that was the case, so he started to think about what his role may be on the ship. Every time he started to imagine what punishment would await him the thoughts of what pleasures her body could hold took
control
. He entered the gym an excited and confused boy, completely unprepared for an assessment.

The gym took up an entire level on the ship. His first assignment was in medical which took up the same dimensions of the
Dome
; indeed it was directly above the
dome
 and in the
center
 of the ship. The room had the cold metal feeling of the
Dome
 with strength equipment on the outer edges, an examination pod and vacuum pod in the
center
. Arriving a few minutes early
Tarik
 stood next to the examination pod waiting for someone to come in and give him instructions. After ten minutes past his scheduled start time the Doctor finally walked in with Tilla in tow.

“Ah. You're here already that’s good. Go ahead and strip.” The doctor said. ”Ha, I’m just kidding, I’m going to feed instructions to your implant and you follow along with the exercise as best you can.”

Tarik saw a series of stretches overlaid to his retinal implants. As he began each stretch a countdown began for how long he was to hold the stretch. When he completed the instructions Tilla entered a series of numbers which the doctor reviewed.