GALACTIC MARSHAL
by Hilltopper

"A waitress? I can't be a waitress!"

CHAPTER 4

I entered the transportation center and found the transport to Basteria. Evidently, no ticket was needed as I just walked onto the transport and sat down near the back by a window. No one was sitting close by so I said to Mary,

“I’m on board.”

“OK, let me know if you need anything.”

“Right”

It was about 20 minutes before the transport lifted off. The pilot said the flight would take about an hour. I settled back in my seat and stared out the window. I muttered to myself,

“Holy shit! I can’t believe I am doing this.”

“Did you say something?” said Mary.

“No, just panicking out loud.”

“Relax, we are heading out to the command post and will be only minutes away from you at all times.”

“Thank you, that helps.”

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I could tell that Jonnie was about to lose it. My team and I hurried to reach the building we had set up outside Basteria. I just hope Jonnie can hold it together. This had to be an unreal experience. Maybe the hour flight will give her time to calm down. I will have to be careful what I say to her and give as much help as possible.

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I watched the scenery pass by below us. We couldn’t be more than a few thousand kilometers high. As we left the capital behind, the land became much more rugged. I could now understand what Mary meant about the lack of habitable land. I sure would hate to try to live on it. So much had happened the last few days that my mind was having trouble coping. This assignment has turned into a nightmare. My worst fears were coming back to haunt me. I haven’t had to try to fool anybody as yet but, when I reached Basteria, the real fun begins. I know I look the part. It was what was inside that would count. People usually see what they expect. It came down to whether I could project the proper image. Of course, I wasn’t even sure what that image was. I am supposed to be running away from an abusive spouse but, beyond that, it was up to me to figure out what I want people to see. I guess the job I get will kind of point the way. Maybe I can get on as a clean up person or dishwasher.

By this time, I could see what I presumed was Basteria in the distance. It was larger than I expected; maybe 10,000 population. The town was built on a park at the foothills of some very tall mountains. Just outside the town, the land became very rugged. It looked to me like the only easy way in was by transport. We landed on a small airport at the west edge of town. There were a few private jump jets setting around and several hangers. When we came to a stop, I grabbed my suitcase and awaited deboarding. When the call came, I deplaned and walked toward what looked like the main drag.

“Mary, are you there?”

“I’m here, Jonnie. We have set up shop and will monitor your progress.”

”Good! I am walking away from the airport down what looks like the main street.”

“Right, The Midnight End is about 2 kilometers down that street.”

“OK, I think I will walk it so I can get the lay of the land.”

“Just be careful. You’ll pass some pretty seedy bars but it should not be a problem at this time of the day.”

“Oh, I think I can take care of myself.”

“You haven’t seen those miners yet.”

“Hmmm! Well, anyway, I’ll contact you again when I leave the club.”

“Alright, we’ll be here.”

Mary was right. This area looked bad enough in the middle of the day. I could imagine it was a place to avoid after dark. As I walked on, there were more and more shops of various kinds. Suddenly, I saw what had to be The Midnight End. The building was larger than any of the others and was rather ornate. I walked up to the front and, sure enough, above the front door was a sign that said ‘Welcome to The Midnight End — Doors Open at 5 O’clock’. That was a couple of hours away but I took a chance and tried the door. It was unlocked, so I entered. To the right was an area of gaming tables and to the left a stage and dance floor. Many tables and chairs were in the middle portion of the room and along the back wall was a large bar. A woman was behind it washing glasses. As I walked up she stared a hole in me.

“What do YOU want?”

“Uh, I just got into town and I am looking for a job.”

She continued to stare but finally pointed to a door marked ‘private’.

“Just knock. Karen’s the one you need to see.”

“Thanks”

I did not like the way she stared at me. I started to wonder if she was seeing through my disguise. I hurried over to the door and knocked.

“Come on in.”

I went in and faced an awesome woman. She had to be 6 feet 2 and was built like Wonder Woman.

“Well?”

“Oh, uh, I just got here from the capital and I need a job.”

She looked me up and down.

“You’re not on the run are you?”

“Just from my partner; I got tired of the abuse.”

“Good for you! OK, I am a sucker for sad stories. I’ll give you a job. Be here tomorrow around 4 and we can sort you out.”

“What should I wear?”

“Doesn’t matter. I supply the uniforms.”

I picked up my suitcase and started to turn towards the door.

“Wait a minute. Have you got a place to stay?”

“No, I just arrived on the transport.”

“I own a rooming house and most of my girls stay there. It’s two blocks down the street; a 3 story blue house. Just tell Mona I sent you and she will set you up with a room.”

“Thanks, that’s a big help.”

I left the room and headed for the front door. I waved at the bartender. Why dose everybody smirk at me lately? Outside, I contacted Mary.

“Well, so far, so good.”

“Yeah, I heard.”

“You know, I just realized the owner never told me what job I would be doing.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it. At least you have an in now to search for Sandra.”

“True. I am going on up to the rooming house. I’ll talk to you after I settle in.”

“Fine”

The rooming house was easy to find. I walked in and was met by a very large woman.

“Karen called and said to expect you. What’s your name?”

“Gina Coleman”

“OK, Gina, here’s your key. Your room is the second door on the right up those stairs. Welcome to the club.”

I climbed the stairs and started to put the key in the lock. I dropped the key, kicked it as I bent down, and then tripped over my suitcase landing on my butt.

“Good show!”

I looked up. A nice looking woman was standing in the doorway across the hall grinning.

“You must be our new boarder. I’m Linda Sanders.”

“Gina Coleman”

I stood up and walked over to her.

“You haven’t caught me at my best.”

“Oh, I don’t know. That was pretty impressive. Are you hungry?”

“Famished”

“Great! Get settled in and I’ll come back over in about 30 minutes. There’s a good restaurant across the street that lets Karen’s people eat for free.”

“OK”

I managed to unlock my door this time. Once inside, I plopped down on the bed.

“Well, Mary, it looks like I’m in.”

“Good job. I told you things would be fine.”

“I guess. When I think about this later, I may throw up.”

Mary laughed.

“Just hang in there. You’re doing fine. I’m signing off but there will be someone monitoring you at all times.”

“Thanks. Talk to you tomorrow.”

I opened my suitcase and put things away. I did not see any need to change clothes. I just washed my face and waited for Linda. When she arrived, we went to the restaurant. The food was pretty good. I gave Linda my cover story and she seemed to buy it.

“Yeah, we’ve all had our troubles.”

“Do you work at the club?”

“No, Karen is just letting me stay here for a while until I can sort some things out.”

We went back to our rooms in deep thought. I wondered what Linda’s problems were.

“Well, I’ll see you in the morning, Gina. Breakfast is served downstairs. It’s not bad.”

“OK, I’ll see you there.”

I entered my room without incident and crashed. It had been a very trying day. I did not know how long I could keep this up. At least I did not register on any one’s radar. It wasn’t long until I passed out. The next morning, I put another denim skirt on with a yellow blouse. I sure wish I had some trousers!

“Jonnie, we checked on your Linda Sanders. We have nothing on her.”

She caught me by surprise. I forget I’m live all the time.

“Thanks, I guess she’s OK then. I’ll try to be friendly. Maybe she will lead us to Sandra.”

“I doubt it but it doesn’t hurt to have a friend.”

I went down to breakfast. About 10 people were already eating. Linda looked up.

“Hey gang, meet Gina. She’s Karen’s new toy.”

I guess I looked shocked.

“Just kidding, we are a bit crazy.”

I laughed and dove into breakfast. As we finished, Linda looked out the window.

“Gina, it looks like a great day. You want me to show you the area?”

“That would be great. Yesterday, I just walked here straight from the airport.”

“Oooooh! Well, you’ve seen the worst part anyway.”

We both laughed and headed outside. We walked along looking in the various stores.

“So, when do you start at the club?”

“The owner said for me to come in around 4 and she would get me started.”

“You don’t seem real excited. Most girls would give anything to work for Karen.”

“Why’s that?”

“She takes good care of her girls and nobody messes with them either. Karen carry’s a lot of weight around here. Where did you hear about the club?”

“I just saw it as I was walking through town and decided to give it a try. I knew I could not last long without a job.”

“You’re right there. Come on, I want to show you one of my favorite spots.”

She led me out of the shopping district and toward a hillside. I could here water running. We came out of some trees and before me was a gorgeous waterfall.

“I like to come here and think. It’s also a great place to swim.”

She took off her clothes and looked back at me.

“Well, are you going to join me?”

I just stood there dumbfounded.

“Jonnie, take off your clothes or she will suspect something.”, said Mary in my ear.

That brought me back. I quickly removed my skirt and blouse. Linda was already in the water, so I joined her.

“You seem a little bashful. That’s unusual here.”

“It just caught me by surprise. My partner did not like other women seeing me naked.”

“Oh, I guess some are like that.”

Whew! That was a close one. I have got to get better in character. We swam for a bit and then lie on the bank watching the waterfall. We did not say much but it felt nice. At least for a moment I was at ease. Of course, it couldn’t last.

“Well, if you are going to be on time for your new job, we better head back.”

We dressed and walked towards town. I stepped on what looked like a board lying in the grass. As I put my weight on it, the board gave way. I felt myself start to drop down when Linda suddenly grabbed me by the shoulders. I landed on the grass as the boards fell away. I looked over the edge and could not see the bottom.

“You have got to watch where you step around here. There are old mine shafts every where.”

“God, you just saved my life!”

I guess every thing that had happened over the last few days caught up with me. I lost it! I had not cried this much since I was a child. I could not stop. Linda held me in a sisterly way; just trying to comfort me. Finally, I calmed down.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“Hey, it’s OK. From what little you have told me, you have had a hard time. Once in a while you just have to let it out. I am glad I could help. Come on, we must get you back. Karen does not like her girls to be late.”

I heard Mary talking in my ear.

“Jonnie, I know you can’t talk but just know that we are with you. Please hang on. Everything will work out but, if you need to be pulled out, say the word. Talk to me when you can”

Mary saying that really helped. I know I am not alone but it sure seems like it at times. Linda and I headed back to the rooming house.

“Thank you for being there, Linda. I don’t know, I guess everything just crashed down on me.”

“I know how you feel. My life has been hell lately. If it wasn’t for Karen, I would probably not be here. You may not always like what she does, but she cares.”

We didn’t talk much the rest of the way.

“Well, I guess I’ll get ready to head over to the club. It was nice of you to show me around and, of course, for saving my life.”

“You’re making too much of it. What are friends for? See you tomorrow.”

I went into my room to change clothes. I had originally planned to just wear what I had on but my near death experience ruined my skirt and top. I washed up and put on a yellow sundress. Looking in the mirror, I had to shake my head.

“Mary, are you still on duty?”

“Yes, Jonnie, I was waiting to hear from you.”

“I’m sorry for back there. Hopefully, it won’t happen again.”

“Don’t worry about it. You just do what you need to. I’m going to sign off. I’ll talk to you in the morning. Good luck on your job.”

“Thanks”

It was almost four, so I hurried over to the club. When I walked in, the same bartender looked up, smiled, and waved.

“Just go on in. Karen is waiting for you.”

“Thanks”

Well, that greeting was a far cry from yesterday. I went to Karen’s door, knocked, and walked in.

“Hey, I am glad you came back. Sorry about yesterday, I had things on my mind. I did not even ask for your name.”

“It’s Gina Coleman.”

“I know, Mona told me. OK, let’s get you started.”

She walked out of the office and I followed. We went through another door into a fancy locker room.

“This is your locker. I have already put your things in it. I guessed at your sizes but I’m pretty good at it so they should fit OK. You will work with Molly tonight. Just do what she says and you will be fine. The number one thing to remember is ‘be nice to the customers’.”

“Uh, you haven’t said what my job is?”

“Oh, silly me. I just thought you knew. You wait on the customers. Molly will fill you in. She is one of my best.”

“You mean a waitress? I can’t be a waitress!”

“Of course you can. You have the looks. You’ll be a pro in no time. Get ready and come back to my office.”

With that, she breezed out. Shit! What have I gotten myself into now? I wish Mary was online. I opened the locker and my worst fears were realized. The outfit stunned me. The black skirt would barely cover anything and the top? I didn’t even know what to do with it. I put the skirt on and picked up the top. Once over my head, it settled under my breasts exposing a lot more than I was comfortable with. There was a tie thing on the bottom. I wasn’t sure what to do with it, so I just tied it in a knot. This caused my breasts to rise even higher. The shoes were black pumps with a heel about as high as the boots I wore to the council. Looking in the mirror, I about fainted. Well, maybe Sandra will show up tonight and it will be all over. Wishful thinking was all that allowed me to walk back to Karen’s office.

“You look great! I knew you would be perfect when I saw you yesterday.”

She pointed to a girl I had not noticed.

“This is Molly. Just follow her around tonight and smile.”

She ushered us out of her office before I could say a word.

“It’s nice to meet you, Gina. You’ll do fine. Try to relax.”

“OK, I’m sorry. This is just so new to me.”

She laughed.

“First time for everything. Let’s get things set up. Customers will be coming in at 5.”

The night was a blur. We went back and forth from tables to the kitchen. Molly told me to smile even when some one was rude or touching me. So, I did. By eleven, I must have looked as bad as I felt. Karen came over to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

“Go on home. You’ve had enough for the first night. You did fine. Be here at 4:30 tomorrow.”

I didn’t have the energy to say anything. I just nodded and went to my locker. I changed, went home, and passed out. I awoke the next morning to someone knocking on my door. I started to get up but my head was splitting and every muscle in my body was screaming. I grunted something and Linda came in.

“Rough night, huh? Here, take these. You’ll feel better in no time.”

“Thanks. What is it?”

“Don’t ask; just swallow.”

I know I shouldn’t do it but I did anyway.

“I’ll see you at breakfast. Don’t take too long.”

She left and I flopped back down.

“Hey, Jonnie, how are you doing?”

“Don’t ask, Mary. This is not going to work. I didn’t have time to think about Sandra much less look for her. There has to be a better way.”

“I don’t think so. The club is the best place to search for her. She will certainly show up sooner or later. Things will get easier after a bit.”

“OK, I’ll try.”

I got up, dressed, and went down to breakfast.

“Here’s Gina!”

I had to smile. Linda is so up beat. I ate and went back to my room. I figured I would just lie around today.

“Mary, I have a couple of concerns.”

“Sure Jonnie, fire away.”

“OK, about this vagina thing. I know it’s fake but I am having a lot of feeling down there and it gets wet sometimes.”

“Well, it is only fake in the sense that males don’t have one and it can be easily removed. I was told by medical that you had some extenuating circumstances that made things easier.”

“Easier to put in or remove?”

“Both I imagine. What’s your other concern?”

“Hmmmm. Alright, everybody seemed to have bought my cover story but, at the same time, no one has asked any questions either. I don’t know anything about relationships here. I will certainly get tripped up under questioning.”

“Yeah, you have a valid point.”

“For instance, do you get married and have kids and what about men for procreation?”

“There are no men involved, thank goodness. Only an egotistical male would think that they are necessary to have children these days.”

“You’ve got me hooked. How then?”

“OK, short version. Couples are considered partners until and if they decide to have a child and the council approves. Then an egg is taken from each individual and fused to form a zygote. It is then either grown in the lab or implanted in one of the partners. At this point, the couple is considered to be married.”

“Wow! So some kids are born while others are hatched.”

“Well, that’s a simple minded way of expressing it.”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“I don’t believe that for a second. While we are playing 20 questions, there is one thing that has been bothering me. You have easily become a very natural acting woman.”

I blushed quite red at this point.

“No, No! It’s a good thing. You said that you were more girl than boy until puberty. What happened to change things?”

“Yeah, I was very small and girlish growing up. I have to be honest and say that I liked it. When I reached 13 years old, I suddenly grew 13 inches in one year and reached my current height of 6 feet. Up to this point, my dad had been very disappointed in me. After the growth spurt, he was ecstatic. He told me that I was finally becoming the boy he wanted and he was proud of me. I loved my dad, so I vowed to be the best boy I could be for him.”

“Did you find out what caused the growth spurt?”

“I just figured it was the vitamins my dad had started giving me. I must have been deficient in something.”

“Vitamins? Did you see a doctor?”

“No, I wasn’t sick. Anyway, I’m tired. I think I will take a nap. Tonight will be another trying one. Wake me around 4.”

“Sure thing.”

I was asleep in seconds and four arrived much too quickly. I dressed in my venerable denim skirt and a yellow top. What does this place have against trousers? I hurried to the club and started dressing. Half way through, Karen poked here head in.

“You did real well last night, Gina. I am proud of you.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

“Karen”

“Thank you, Karen.”

“That’s better. One of the girls called in sick. You will need to work a section by yourself tonight. Now, before you panic, this is our slow night and, if you have any problems, Molly knows to help you. You’ll do fine.”

She went out the door before I could say anything. I think she does that on purpose. Great! Well, nothing but to do it. I went into the dining area and got things ready. Karen was right. It was much slower tonight. This allowed me to stay pretty well ahead of things but not slow enough for me to think too much about the fact I was waitressing in a sexy outfit. About 3 hours into my shift, I spotted Linda coming through the front door. She waved and walked over to me.

“Hey, girl! Are you on break soon?”

“Yeah, I’m due one.”

“Good, meet me over at that far table.”

I announced to Molly that I was taking a break and sat down with Linda.

“I didn’t see much of you today.”

“I was real tired from yesterday and just chilled in my room.”

“So, how is the job going?”

“OK, I guess. I just wasn’t expecting this.”

“Oh, what were you expecting?”

“Something less public.”

Linda laughed.

“Hey, you’re a good looker. Don’t be afraid to show it off.”

I saw her look toward the front door and frown.

“See those three miners coming in?”

I looked over and saw the biggest women I had ever seen. Each one was over 6 feet 6 inches tall.

“Watch out for them. They like to pick on the help. The one on the right is Thelma. She is an especially nasty piece of work.”

Fortunately, they sat down in Molly’s section.

“Don’t worry, I will avoid them.”

“Sorry to be all sisterly but you seem vulnerable to me. I like you. Just be careful with them.”

“Yes, mother.”

She laughed and shook her head.

“You! Hey, do you want to go for a walk after breakfast tomorrow?”

“That would be great.”

“OK, see you in the morning.”

She left and I went back to work. I noticed Thelma eyeing me a lot. It sent chills down my spine. The rest of the shift went fine and I had no trouble sleeping that night. The next morning after breakfast, Linda and I went to her favorite spot again. The day was a little cool so we did not swim. It was nice to have a friend separate from the situation I was in. I found myself being comforted by Linda’s presence.

“You’re not saying much.”

“Sorry, just thinking about the last few days.”

“I guess this is a lot different from what you are used to. I don’t suppose your former partner let you work.”

“No, it was a very controlled relationship.”

“Well, you’re here now and things will be better. Remember, I am your friend and will help in any way I can.”

“Thank you, that really helps.”

We hugged and started back to town. I changed and hurried to the club. I was feeling better than I had for a long time. It was almost like I was living another life. Well, except for Mary talking in my ear about our assignment. After tonight, I was going to have to figure out a way to search for Sandra. The day was going well and, half way through my shift, I felt like I was getting the hang of it. I went into the kitchen to fetch an order. Upon reentering the dining area, I saw them. The three miners Linda had warned me about were now sitting at a table in my section. Thelma leered at me as I delivered the order I was carrying. I sighed and went to their table.

“What can I get you to drink?”

I felt Thelma’s hand on my thigh. I tried to keep smiling.

“Well, let me think a minute”, said Thelma.

The hand was creeping up my leg.

“I can come back in a few minutes?”

I was starting to panic. Her hand was way too close to my privates.

“No, stay here.”

Her fingers suddenly entered my wet vagina. The shock was too much. Instincts took over and I hit her in the face as hard as I could. She stood up and said,

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

She then hit me in the midsection. It took my breathe away. I felt the other two miners grab my arms. Thelma hit me above my left eye with her fist. My legs gave way and they let me crumple to the floor.

“You need to learn your place.”

Thelma then kicked me in the ribs and one of the other women kicked me in my right ear. Things were graying out but I thought I saw Linda approaching from behind. Thelma kicked me in the head and blackness fell over me.