Zorra flipped through the stack of bills that had been passed her way before shoving them in her back pocket.

“Pleasure doing business with you,” she said.

She didn’t care what anyone said about Wolf.  The man knew how to hook her up with jobs that paid, and paid well.  Before long, the idea of upgrading her ship might not be a fantasy anymore…  She just hoped the damn thing could last that long.  She went to take her leave, but Wolf barked her name.

“Lenoir.”

She froze, then cautiously looked over her shoulder.

“Not done with you yet,” he said.  “Get back here.”

When she turned around, he gestured at the chair across from the couch he had seated himself on.  She took the offer.  Maybe he had another job for her?  She hoped she hadn’t pissed him off.  She swore if Leon said something to try to get her out of Wolf’s good graces…

“Don’t get used hearing this from me,” he said, interrupting her from going through theories.  “I don’t give out compliments.  It takes a lot to impress me, but you’ve done good lately.  Real good.”

“Oh, uh… Thank you.”

Zorra wasn’t shy.  She wasn’t one to fluster easily, but the timbre of Wolf’s voice resonated in her chest, making it hard to breath.  That devilish grin he wore did no favors either.

“Can’t help but imagine how much better you’d be if you had something a little more reliable than that tin can you fly around in,” he added.

A light laugh was her initial response.

“Well, a few more paydays like that and I might can afford something.”

“That can be arranged,” said Wolf.  “I gotta ask though.  You seeking something a little more… permanent?”

“Permanent?” she repeated.

“I’ll cut to the chase,” he said, sitting up.  “You’ve caught my eye.  I wouldn’t mind making you a bona-fide member of Star Wolf.”

Zorra was floored.  That was the last thing she expected to come out of his mouth.

“I’m flattered,” she said, and she truly was.  She’d been around just long enough to know that Wolf’s respect wasn’t easy to earn.  She also knew Star Wolf had been through a few members.  Those who fell out of his favor got kicked to the curb.  It was tempting, really, but she had to be honest.  She wasn’t trying to share the sky with a bunch of assholes.  As fun as getting involved in dogfights sounded, she couldn’t see herself anywhere near Leon without hitting him with a little ‘friendly fire,’ and she was sure the feeling was mutual.  “Truth is, I’m just not much of a team player.  You won’t be so impressed if I have to look out for others.”

“Don’t have to be,” he said without a beat, as if he expected it.  “I’ll let you fly solo.”

“…  Really?”

Wolf nodded, stunning her.

“You’ve proven you don’t need supervision, unlike some of these other ruffians,” he said.  The disdain in his voice sounded like he had someone particular in mind when he spoke.  “No one wants to do the solo shit anyway.  Everyone wants to be a hot-shot showoff, but someone’s gotta do it.”

“So, what I’m hearing is I keep doing what I’m doing, but you come to me first?” she asked.

“You’re my girl for the one-person jobs.  The other mercs can get your leftovers.”

Zorra pretended to ponder it, but she knew what her answer would be.  It sounded like a steady source of income to her.  She certainly wouldn’t turn that down. 

“I’m in,” she said. 

“Smart girl.  Figured you’d say that,” he said.  He reached down on the floor by his feet and grabbed something to throw on the table between them.  “That’s why I got this.”

She looked at the package, then back up to Wolf.  With a nod, he encouraged her to take it.

“Go on.  It’s yours,” he said.  “Not gonna do me any good.”

She leaned forward and pulled it to her.  She was cautious as she opened it up, unsure of what it could have inside for her.  It was the smell of leather that hit her before she realized what she was looking at.

Oh, he had to be fucking kidding.

“Damn…”  She could help but crack a grin as she unfolded the leather uniform.  He’d really have her looking like a BDSM space pirate like the rest of the gang, huh?  She always wondered if it were a coincidence that everyone who flew with Wolf looked like they met at a leather bar or if that was on purpose.  “You guys have a dress code?”

Wolf shrugged.  “Figured people might take you more seriously if they know you’re one of mine.”

Zorra held it up to look it over.  It did have the team’s emblem embroidered on the back, so people would know her affiliation.  Too bad she never took her jacket off so no one would ever see it.  She had to say though, she did dig the belt buckle, and at least she looked good in red.  The studs and spikes were a nice touch, too.

“Well?  You gonna stare at it or you gonna put it on?”

“Oh.  Uh, yeah.”

“Go on, then.”

Zorra hesitated, but could tell from his tone and the way he settled back against the couch and kicked his feet up that he wanted her to get dressed right there.

Shit.

She couldn’t believe he was going to make her squeeze herself into this getup in front of him.  As embarrassed as she was, he was the boss now.  She was in no mood to lose her job before she even properly got it.  So, she kicked off her boots before rising to her feet, then she shrugged her bomber jacket off and let it fall onto the chair she had been sitting in. 

She wasn’t a stranger to dressing out in front of others.  It was nothing back at the academy, but having that one eye of his staring her down while she stripped made things more… intimate.  It felt like he had already undressed her with his stare before she even pulled her shirt over her head.  She didn’t try to be coy when she removed her pants, but she wasn’t trying to give him a show either.  She aimed to be as nonchalant as possible, feeling like this was probably Wolf attempting to see if he could intimidate her.  She just hoped he couldn’t tell that her fur was standing on edge.

One foot at a time, she stepped into the suit, then pulled it over her hips to stick her tail through before bringing it up and sliding her arms through the sleeves.  It zipped up without a hitch, and she realized when her zipper reached the top of the track how low-cut the damn thing was.  Oh well, she thought.  It wasn’t like she had been dressing particularly modest in the first place.  It probably wasn’t a gender thing, anyway.  Wolf seemed to be proud of having his own chest on display.  She picked the other pieces of the uniform off the table and put them on to complete the look. 

The uniform fit like a glove, and the gloves fit perfectly too.  She didn’t know how he got her size, and figured it’d be best if it stayed that way.  A lot of shady shit went on in Sargasso that she’d be better off ignorant about.

Once she got her boots back on, she looked to Wolf for approval.  The tight suit left little to the imagination, and he wasn’t subtle as he followed the curves of her body down.  If Zorra were a betting woman, she’d wager he had a thing for leather.  Not that anyone would gamble against that fact…  She couldn’t blame him, though.  She had to admit that she did feel more badass the moment she put it all on.  She needed to find a mirror to confirm if she looked as cool as she felt.  What was it about leather that just felt so… powerful?  She was already rowdy; she just knew she was going to get herself in trouble with this ego boost.

“Not bad,” he finally said.  “You look tougher already.”

She grabbed her belongings out of the pocket of the pants she had been wearing to stuff into the pockets of this suit.  As she went to stick her hands in one, she found something inside and pulled it out.  When she opened her hand, she saw a set of keys that she could only assume belonged to a Wolfen…

Her Wolfen?!

She beamed and looked up from her hand to Wolf.

“Really?” she gasped.

He rolled his eye and reached into his jacket to grab a cigarette.

“Don’t get all soft on me, Lenoir,” he said as he went to light it.  “I can’t have you smugglin’ shit all over the system in that beater you call a starfighter.”

“My bad,” she said, clutching the keys and shoving her hand back in her pocket.  “Thanks, Wolf.”

He waved her off.

“It’s in the hangar if you wanna take to the skies for a joy ride.  I expect to see you tomorrow.  Don’t run off with my shit.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she replied as she slipped her jacket back on and scooped up her old clothes.  “Later.”

He gave her a nod as she stepped out.

Wolf was right.  Immediately, others did take her more seriously when they recognized her as a member of Star Wolf.  The rough crowd of Sargasso that she previously got lost in parted for her as she strutted in the direction of the hangar.

This is nice, she thought to herself as she twirled the keys to her new ship around one of her claws.  Who said crime didn’t pay?