An Unbroken Promise

Chapter 2: Contraband

Cassie arrived for orientation in the big open concrete space where they kept tanks and skiffs. The only instructions she had were to meet at the north end. She searched and saw Adria talking with a group of Squad Captains. Cassie slowed down, watching the interaction. Were they planning something? Adria didn’t look happy.

She forced herself to move past it. Adria wasn’t her problem for today. Her problem was the big woman with the tail. Selene.

“Over here!”

Cassie stopped cold when she heard Selene call and looked up to see the woman waving her pincer. Selene was sitting on a flowery blanket set out on the tarmac in the open area between two tanks.  She had a woven basket and a pair of mugs.

Cassie felt her whole soul leave her body. Someone, please just kill her right then and there.

“Cassie! Over here!” Selene yelled louder, waving her pincer wider. She had a pair of them in the place where her hands should be. Cassie speculated that that too must have been at the cost of the war.

Cassie rushed if only to make the woman stop drawing attention to herself. “What are you doing out here?”

“I made tea and brought snacks!”  She grabbed the basket and held it out unopened.

Cassie was about to protest when the smell of whatever was in the basket wafted out to her nose. Her mouth started to water, and she, reluctantly, sat down on the far end of the blanket with her tail tucked under her leg and her ears back.

Selene beamed. “I got contraband food for our orientation this morning.”  She set the basket down, opened the lid, and tried to pull something out, but the opening was too small for her pincers. She smiled apologetically. “Someone else packed it, so uh-”  She held out the basket to Cassie. “Can you?”

Cassie rolled her eyes but took the basket and opened the lid. Inside, the most amazing scent came wafting out. She reached in and found little off-white disks.

“They’re cookies,” Selene said with a look of anticipation.

Cassie turned the cookie around in her fingers. “So- you just eat it?”

“Like a ration bar, yeah.”

Cassie sniffed it, and her whole nervous system lit up. Her mouth started to water, and she bit into it almost on instinct. It was sweet and smooth.  She stuffed the rest of it in her mouth, then went for another.

“I could only get four,” Selene said with a faint smile.

Cassie, out of respect for the peace offering, stopped herself from eating the second. “Can I- have one for a friend of mine?”  She said, her voice almost cracking.

Selene’s face lit up. “Sure!”

Cassie forced herself to think of how Adria would look eating this for the first time instead of thinking how good it would be to have another. She put it away in one of the many hidden pockets in her uniform.

Cassie fished out the last two cookies to hand them to Selene.

Selene reached out to take the first one, which crumbled under her pincers. “Woopsie,” she said with a blush. “It’s hard to gauge how brittle things are.” 

Cassie felt an odd pang in her heart at the loss of something so precious and a sense of sadness on Selene’s part for missing out on half of her own snack.

Selene readjusted and got the second cookie with a little more effort. “There we go.”

Cassie watched, her ears pinning back.

Selene ate her cookie, had a moment of transcendence, and then picked up the mug of tea and held it out to Cassie.

Cassie took it and admitted to herself it was nice to have something warm on a morning this cold. That sent her mind back to how warm she was that morning tangled in bed with Adria. At that thought, she felt warm all over.  “So, where’s the rest of your squad?”

Selene had just picked up her tea and froze. “My squad?”

“Yeah. Where is everyone else?” Cassie started a cautious sip of the tea.

Selene blinked at her, then managed an awkward smile. “I hate to tell you this, but you’re it.”

The tea caught in Cassie’s throat, and she spat it out in a spray as the content of that statement hit her brain along with the implications.

Selene, covered in lukewarm tea spray, just continued to smile as if nothing had happened.

“Sorry, wrong pipe.” Cassie’s voice was hoarse.

Selene, still smiling, shook her head to get off the excess water. “No problem. It happens all the time.”

Cassie put down the tea. “I’m your only squad member?” The disbelief came through in her voice.

Selene shrugged. “It’s not much, but you’ve got to start somewhere, right?”

Cassie’s tail retreated further under her, and she sank lower. She started to wonder if Commander Shade had picked Selene to distract her or her to distract Selene.  Cassie frowned as she realized it was probably both. Leave it to Commander Shade to kill two birds with one re-assignment.

Selene wasn’t a total i***t. She saw Cassie’s reaction, and it deflated her too. “I know I’m not the best Squad Captain, but I am loyal, and I know we can make a great team.” She perked up instantly, her natural optimism taking over.

The hair on Cassie’s back went up as she heard Megan’s voice in her head, making fun of her for being reassigned to the only Squad Captain without a proper squad. She was leaking credit by the second. She looked around to take stock of who could see her, and her eyes landed on Adria.

Adria had stepped out from the tanks with the other Squad Captains, but she had stopped when her eyes fell on Cassie, then Selene. Adria had that look on her face where she didn’t know what to make of what she was seeing, and she quickly looked away. 

Cassie’s face was burning. She would have to explain this to Adria later.

Selene scooted closer to her and tapped her shoulder with her pincer. “Hey, we’ll make the best of it, OK?”

Cassie took a deep breath. “I’m going to get back at Commander Shade someday for all this,” she muttered under her breath.

Selene shuddered. “Oh yeah, that woman scares the living daylights out of me.”

“She’s not scary. She’s evil.” Cassie pulled her knees in, wrapping her arms around them. She was trying to come up with a plan to fix all this. Get back in Adria’s squad. Get in a real squad. Something.

Selene watched Cassie’s body language and could tell this was someone in need of something. Selene didn’t know what, but she was there to try. She scooted closer, nudging Cassie’s shoulder with hers. “Hey, if you need a buddy against that crazy evil woman, I’ll be there for you.”

Cassie rolled her eyes and scooted away.

Selene moved closer. “I’m not lying. She may scare me, but I won’t let a friend down.”

“You don’t know what you're offering,” Cassie said as she buried her head further in her arms.

Selene was careful not to crowd Cassie, but she leaned over her with a smile. “Hey, we’re part of the same squad, so we’ve got to watch each other's backs.”

Cassie looked up at Selene and kicked herself for how those words made her feel. They reminded her of someone who was probably trying to figure out what the hell she was feeling on the other side of the tarmac. 

Cassie tore her eyes away from the stupidly genuine woman beside her and looked for Adria. Adria was gone. A frantic look around, and she saw Adria leaving with the other Squad Captains. Every hair on Cassie’s body stood up as she saw one of them put a hand on the small of Adria’s back, and Adria flinched.

Cassie got on her feet and nearly ran to take care of it right there and then. Adria was uncomfortable, but her stupid people-pleasing brain wouldn’t let her stand up for herself. “Where are they going?” She asked.

Selene looked back and around until she landed on the group of people leaving.”Oh, they’re going to the gym before lunch.”

Cassie looked at Selene, her eyes burning. “Do you go to the gym before lunch?”

Selene scrambled to her feet and looked down at Cassie. “I can.”

“Can I go with you?”

“Absolutely!”

***

The Squad Captain Gym was a place Cassie was aware of but had never actually seen in person. Once Selene let her in, it seemed magical. Weights, machines, water bottles, and clean, dry towels. Lots of open space for sparring mats and a running track that went around the outside of the room.

Cassie forced herself not to gush over the accommodations, and instead, she looked for the blonde with the hair poof that needed saving. She found her on the lower end of a squat with a barbell on her shoulders. Cassie’s legs felt weak at the sight.

Selene gently got Cassie’s shoulder and started dragging her toward a corner. “Let me show you how much I can deadlift. I’m the record holder here.”

Cassie looked up at her in shock. “You’re kidding me.”

Selene beamed at that look. “I’ll show you.”

Cassie was, honestly, genuinely interested in that but found herself looking over her shoulder at Adria across the room.

Adria stood up, shuffled over to set the weight back on the bar, and stood back so someone else could have a turn. She went for her water bottle.

Selene pulled Cassie to the deadlift station, where a massive barbell with what looked to be too much weight sat ready. She grabbed a weight belt, started to put it on carefully, and had some difficulty with her pincers. “Just watch. It’s my specialty move.”

Cassie positioned herself to be in front of Selene. It was a perfect spot because she could look over her shoulder and see Adria. 

While Selene got ready, Cassie watched Adria start to take a drink of her water bottle, tilt her head back. One of the people around her moved forward, dumping their own water bottle on purpose over Adria’s chest while her head was tilted back. Cassie’s claws were out without her even willing them.

Selene got in place and knelt. “This is nothing. I could do this amount in my sleep.”

Cassie was breathing fast and shallow as she watched Adria flinch at the sudden cold, and then the asshole that dumped the water moved in with a towel and put his hands on her. Adria froze in a way that made Cassie think of murder. It was Adria’s automatic reaction when things were happening too fast, and she was uncomfortable. Cassie knew that look by heart, and it made her blood boil to see it. She nearly lost herself to rage.

Selene huffed, and lifted the massive weight to standing, breathed out. Her pincers held tight to the bar. Her biceps bulged, and she smiled at Cassie.

Cassie allowed herself a moment of distraction to watch, if only as a favor for the contraband food. Still, she was processing the complex set of emotions boiling in her about what was going on on the other end of the room. She had to slow down. She had to look for an opening to do something.

Selene put the weight down, threw her hair back, and adjusted her broad shoulders. “What do you think of that?”

Cassie’s lip twitched. “It was majestic.” Her tone was flat. She glanced past Selene to see Adria quickly making an excuse to exit- which was about the only thing she’d allowed herself to do when she felt uncomfortable. Cassie’s brain rushed. “Do they have something to drink here?” She said, half-aware of the words as she focused her entire being on the group laughing at the other end of the room.

Selene blinked. “Uh- sure. Do you want something?”

“Yeah. Anything but water.” There was water everywhere. It would take Selene some time to get something else.

Selene was all smiles and a slight blush that was either from the request or the massive amount of weight she had just pulled off the ground. She was also a little dizzy and sweaty, but all that could be chalked up to the lift as well. “Sure thing. Give me a moment.” She rushed off, staggering a bit.

The moment Selene was out of sight, Cassie moved. She was fast on her feet. She could move like lightning through any terrain. The weights and machines of a gym were nothing but perches and well-weighted places to jump off. Her claws came out as she reached the group, still laughing behind Adria’s back. Her eyes blazed with anger as the asshole turned to see her.

***

Adria went to the sink to get some paper towels to dry herself off and stopped when she heard laughter through the bathroom walls. Her stomach twisted in knots at the sound. She knew enough to assume they were laughing at her. The thought of it made her feel sick, and she grabbed some paper towels to start getting the water out of her shirt when the laughter suddenly stopped.

Adria came out to find the group of Squad Captains she had been talking to gone. Her shoulders fell in a relief that surprised her. She looked up to see Cassie across the room, and her spirits lifted. She waved.

Cassie gave her a big smile that made her eyes close and she waved back.

Adria started walking over to talk, glad to have someone else there she knew, then the big woman she had seen Cassie with earlier showed up holding glasses. Adria watched Cassie turn to her with a big smile that made Adria’s stomach turn over. 

Cassie took the drink, and they started talking. A moment later, Cassie was laughing.

Adria turned away from that and headed to the cafeteria for lunch. She decided the painful feeling in her core was hunger- just hunger.

***

Adria spent the day doing what she was told. She said yes ma’am or yes sir when she was instructed to do something, and she avoided the group that had crowded around her in the gym. That was easy. They seemed to be avoiding her too. That was a relief.  She ate her two ration bar dinner when she was told, and she went back to her room when she was dismissed. 

She got to her room and laid down on her bed, unable to do anything but stare at the ceiling and think of the look of happiness on Cassie’s face as she looked up at- what was her name? Adria knew of her, recognized her from Squad Captain morning meetings.  Her brain got stuck thinking about trying to place this scorpion woman and trying to add up Cassie’s reaction and why it made her stomach feel so bad.

The only thing that dragged her out of it was the sound of nails gently tapping at her door. Her eyes closed. Cassie had come. She couldn’t express why she was so relieved, but she was. 

Adria forced herself up and went to the door. She touched the door panel as her body started to relax. As the door slid up, she began to say “Ca-” and then saw who it was, and her brain did a hard reset. “Commander Shade!”  She stepped back and threw her hand into a salute on autopilot while her brain reeled at what was happening.

Commander Shade hovered into the room. “I wanted to stop by and check how you were adjusting to your new position.”

Every word made Adria’s spine stiffen so she was standing straighter and straighter. “I can report I am adjusting well.” Her brain had not quite caught up with the situation, but her autopilot was working perfectly.

Commander Shade turned her attention to the area, her eyes landing on the unkempt bed and the socks on the floor. “I see you are getting comfortable in your new room.”

Without waiting for orders, Adria flew into action, picking up the socks and hastily trying to make the bed.

Commander Shade watched the frantic action quietly before instructing, “Just because you have a room of your own does not mean you can give up on cleanliness and order, Adria.”

Adria finished up her bed and stood at attention again. “Understood.”

Commander Shade moved in. “Lord Herman is impressed with your performance so far. At my request, he has assigned you to draw up the plains to invade Ralo.”

Adria’s attention faltered for a movement as her brain processed those words. Ralo was a nation led by a witch. A real witch. Her heart rate spiked at the possibility. “I would be honored.”

“Of course, you would.”

Adria’s eyes were caught by a motion in the hall, through the open door, past Commander Shade’s shoulder.  Cassie had just stepped into the doorway when her eyes fell on Commander Shade’s back.

Adria’s eyes went wide. Commander Shade noted the reaction and started to turn.

Cassie was a blur of motion as Commander Shade looked behind her shoulder to see nothing in the hall. She turned back to Adria. “He wants the job done quickly. The region has resources the camp needs to increase weapon production.”

“No problem. I’ll get right on it.”

Commander Shade hesitated but nodded. “Good. I expect the plans by noon tomorrow.”

Adria saluted again.

Commander Shade looked Adria over and took a slow breath. “ I’ve put my name and reputation on the line for you. Do not disappoint me.” She turned sharply and out into the hallway.

Cassie’s limbs shook as she dug her front claws into the ceiling, and her back claws into the wall, to ledge herself in the space above Adria’s door. Her jaw clenched as she watched Commander Shade float out of the door.

Cassie’s muscles screamed at her, but she kept it up with the thought of waking up with her legs entwined in Adria’s. Any amount of pain was worth it. Her limbs started to tremble at the effort.

Commander Shade sulked down the hall slowly, then turned the corner, and Cassie let all her muscles go at once.

Adria chose that moment to step out into the hall to find her friend.

Cassie landed on Adria’s shoulders, and Adria yelped. Cassie launched off Adria even with her legs burning. She threw herself back into the room with a flip.

Commander Shade poked her head around the corner. “Is everything alright?”

Adria smiled back a little dazed as she righted herself. “Yeah. I just- I stubbed my toe.” To try to sell the lie, she grabbed her foot and hopped back into her room, shutting the door behind her.  

Commander Shade turned away, sure that Adria was acting strangely but unable to discern why. She convinced herself it didn’t matter, as long as Adria was playing her part and not getting distracted, nothing else mattered.

Adria leaned against the closed door, breathing heavily. “Wow. That was- that was really dangerous.”  She stepped forward and locked eyes with Cassie who was perched on her bed.

Cassie was hyped up. Adria could tell that from her dilated eyes and the way her legs shifted. Cassie lowered her head and raised her haunches without breaking eye contact. 

Adria knew what was coming, and didn’t even brace against it.  Cassie launched at her, knocking her shoulders and sending her to the ground flat on her back. Adria giggled as the weight of Cassie’s body settled on her and made a mocking attempt at swatting Cassie away. “Stop it. You’re being ridiculous.”

“Me? I’m not the one who nearly got us in trouble.” Cassie extended her claws, and playfully poked at Adria’s face in a way that she was sure she’d get a response.

Adria flinched at the poking and grabbed Cassie’s wrists. “Cut it out. I didn’t do anything. She just stopped by.”

Adria didn’t let go of Cassie’s wrists, and Cassie’s tail flipped back and forth, hitting Adria’s thighs.  She had to take a breath at the feeling before she pushed Cassie up and let go. She sat up. “Maybe we need to come up with some kind of system.”

Cassie practically swayed back and forth, a growing smile. “Oh, so you want to make this a regular thing, do you?”

“You’re the one who came back.”

“Poor Adria, so desperate-”

At that, Adria swatted at Cassie, and Cassie giggled and launched back toward the bed.

The smile on Cassie’s face wouldn’t go away as she started gathering up the blanket and rubbing herself on it. “Is it the warmth or the purring you like better?”

Adria got up, dusted herself off, and smiled as she approached the bed. “Certainly not the attitude.” Adria was expecting Cassie to quip off at her, but that didn’t happen. Instead, Cassie’s eyes went wide, and her smile was gone.  

“Wait. We can do the whole banter thing later. I have something important for you.” Cassie dug into her pocket.

Adria stopped in her tracks at the seriousness in Cassie’s voice.

Cassie pulled out the cookie from her pocket and held it out to Adria.

Adria stared at it. “What is it?”

“It’s contraband food. I got it from-” Cassie stopped, her ears going flat and her tail flicking the bed. “-Selene,” Cassie offered quietly.

“Oh, so that’s her name.” It was almost a relief since she had been trying to remember that name all day. Adria looked back at the food. “I shouldn’t. It’s against the rules.” Even as she said it, the smell of it hit her nose and made her mouth water.

Cassie pushed it forward. “Screw the rules. Try it.”

Adria slowly reached forward to take the offer.

Cassie’s whole body felt like it had to move as she held back her anticipation.

Adria held the food and looked up at Cassie. “So, what were you doing with Selene?”

Cassie moved back, unsure of herself and the tone in Adria’s voice. It sounded almost sad. “Commander Shade moved me to her squad.”

Adria turned the food over in her fingers, still considering the consequences of eating it. “She seems nice to give you something like this.”  Adria held the cookie back out to Cassie. “So you should have it.”

Cassie pushed it back. “I had one already. This one's for you, idiot.”

“She let you have two? Wow.”  Adria pulled the cookie back and held it under her nose for a good sniff before taking a small bite off the side. As she chewed, and it coated her mouth, her eyes fluttered.

Cassie never felt so enraptured by anything in her whole life.

Adria took a bigger bite and made a noise that embarrassed her and made Cassie feel some things she could not have put into words.

Cassie watched in utter reverence.

Adria managed to swallow and tried to regain herself. “That might have been the best thing I’ve ever eaten.” She took a breath.

“Thank you and thank Selene too.” She wasn’t sure how she really felt about the woman, but if she was being nice to Cassie, that was something.

Cassie felt small at that genuine sentiment and she moved to make room for Adria on the bed. “I’ll bring you more if she gives me more.” She tried to act cool by laying back down on the bed on her back. She chose the exact center just to be a nuisance. She watched Adria expecting her to laugh and make a comment about what a jerk Cassie was being, but instead, Adria just watched her.

Without taking her eyes off Cassie, Adria took off her boots and undid her jacket.

Cassie’s heart thumped hard at the way she was being watched. She realized with a start that she was vulnerable. Defense mechanisms kicked in. Time to deflect. She grabbed one of the pillows behind her head and tossed it toward Adria’s stupid face. 

Adria grunted but caught the pillow before it hit her. She giggled.

Cassie could have died at that smile.

They both heard a click, and the lights shut off. Their moods plummeted. They had lost track of time.

Adria had to stand there a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dark.

Cassie took a moment to drink the sight of Adria in the dark. This was becoming her favorite time of the day- when she had unfettered looking time. Still, Cassie moved back to what could be called her side of the bed.

Adria put down the pillow and reached forward to feel the bed to see where there was room for her.

Cassie watched, sorely wishing she hadn’t moved because if she hadn’t, then Adria’s hands would be exploring her at the moment. That thought set her whole body alight with a feeling which was bad before bedtime. She tried to squash it as Adria climbed into bed.

Just like the night before, Adria curled in to face Cassie, and Cassie turned to do the same.

For a moment, they lay there in the dark and neither would have guessed that they were both thinking the same thing. Both wanted to start the night where their last night had ended, entangled in every way. They both couldn’t stop thinking about how comfortable and warm it had been. Neither wanted to be the loser who asked for it, though. Neither wanted to be the weak one that needed comfort.

They both waited for the other to ask for it.

The emotional standoff was too much, and both just closed their eyes in defeat.

Adria waited till she was sure Cassie had to be asleep. Cassie did the same.

Nearly simultaneously, the two of them acted like they were shifting in their sleep. Adria moved to lay on her back but scooted closer to Cassie, sticking her leg out a little further than was necessary. 

Simultaneously, Cassie moved in like she was just shifting in her sleep, putting her head on Adria’s shoulder like it was just another pillow. Her arm landed on Adria’s stomach, just like it was just a blanket.  Her leg ended up on top of Adria’s leg because- well- that leg was too close anyway.

They both relaxed into the position, happy to be able to blame the other one for it in the morning.

They both slipped into good dreams full of unlimited cookies and soft morning cuddling.

The alarm went off with unrelenting regularity, and Adria only half woke up. In a morning daze, she tore her arm away from the warm space it had found itself. She hit the button to turn the alarm off. 

Cassie’s chest erupted in a purr and they shifted back into a comfortable position together. The soft rumble tugged at the sleepy part of Adria’s brain and the part of her that craved comfort and warmth in an environment where she had been denied both.  

With Cassie’s head still on her shoulder, and their limbs entangled, Adria drifted off to get back to where she had left off in her dream.