Planet of Pain by B. A. Bradbury Page B

men, trying to see them as individuals. It didn’t help that they all looked the same. Every man was stripped to the waist, wearing just black fatigue trousers and boots, and all had shaved heads and tattoos.
    â€˜I’m serious here,’ Vaughan said. ‘I don’t want to find so much as a single bruise on her. You hearing me, Kazarian? Snake?’
    â€˜Hey, sarge,’ one whined, ‘why pick on us?’
    Whoever it was, Kazarian or Snake, had the most tattoos. Across his chest was a bound, naked woman with huge breasts, being penetrated by a python. Snake, then.
    â€˜Because you’re a pair of lowlife scumbags, that’s why,’ Vaughan said. ‘Mundell, I’m looking to you to keep your guys in line. Any harm comes to her all four of you get proscribed. You won’t see another pussy till you’re wizened and grey and fucking is just a distant memory, you hearing me?’
    â€˜Loud and clear, sarge.’
    Mundell – possibly the squad leader. Just one tattoo, on his shoulder: some sort of bird of prey with a pulse rifle in its talons. A regimental emblem, probably. And with that thought her panic began to subside. She could do this. Some deep breaths, a little calmly applied logic, and she could get on top of this.
    But time had run out. Vaughan was leaving, and she wasn’t ready yet. The door closed and hands were already reaching for her, unzipping her coveralls. Rationalise . Snake was one of the two men stripping her, so presumably the other was Kazarian. He had gold studs in his ears, and under normal circumstances she would have considered him good-looking.
    â€˜Fuck, take a look at this,’ he said as they dragged the coveralls down. ‘Is this kid one fucking cute package, or what?’
    Snake wrapped his arms around her from behind and lifted her off her feet. The good-looking one tugged her slippers off, followed swiftly by her coveralls and pants. Snake set her down again, but didn’t let go of her. One hand went to her breasts and the other to her groin, squeezing and rubbing.
    â€˜Quit mauling her, Snake,’ Mundell said. ‘What’s the plan here, guys? We could take her together, or we could cut cards to see who goes first.’
    â€˜Shit, I can’t believe we’re even discussing this,’ the good-looking one said. ‘You can do what the fuck you want, but I ain’t cutting no fucking cards, and I ain’t waiting.’
    â€˜Me neither,’ Snake said. ‘Fuck the bitch now, I say.’
    Mundell turned to Jo. ‘How about it, kid? Reckon you can handle a gangbang?’
    â€˜What the fuck you asking her for?’ the good-looking one said.
    â€˜Yeah,’ Snake said, ‘the bitch does as she’s told or she gets a slapping.’
    Mundell ignored them. ‘How about it?’
    Jo nodded, though she felt far from certain she could.
    â€˜Good girl. What’s your name?’ She told him. ‘Okay, Jo, I’m Mundell, this here is my buddy Eran, the fucker with his hands all over you is Snake, and the motor-mouth with the bad attitude is Kaz.’
    She looked at the men in turn, repeating their names in her head to fix them. Mundell was the squad leader; Kaz, short for Kazarian, the good-looking one; Eran the big one who hadn’t said anything yet. As for Snake, sniggering as he poked his finger inside her – well, it wasn’t likely she would forget him anytime soon.
    â€˜You finished with the introductions?’ Kaz asked. ‘I say it’s time young Jo was fucked; and that cute mouth is all mine.’
    â€˜I get her ass, okay?’ Snake said belligerently.
    Mundell nodded and turned to the quiet one. ‘I guess that gives you her pussy, Eran.’
    â€˜Her pussy?’ the big man said, looking confused.
    â€˜Sure, retard,’ Snake said. ‘This little wet crack right here.’
    He leaned Jo back and spread her labia with his fingers,