by D. R. Rosier
Vik asked, “Shuttle?”
“Well, I noticed there were no probes, but wouldn’t it be cheaper energy wise to put an impulse field around a small shuttle? With Jill driving the thing and quantum communications, we’ll get immediate sensor readings like we were there in the ship. I just don’t know what the range of a shuttle is, can it make it five A.U., turn around and come back? If we have to leave it behind, we can always come back and pick it up later, although that would certainly blow the money saved.”
It was hard to think in those terms for me, I never worried about money, and all the science fiction books I read it wasn’t really an issue. The drive just worked and provided power for years, or they had to scoop hydrogen or something, free gas.
Jillintara said, “It would be a lot less energy intensive of course. The field necessary would be much smaller to cover a shuttle, than a quarter mile long space ship, thousands of times less. It should also have the range. It’s more than a viable idea for a mission where we don’t have to go into a star system, though I don’t imagine that comes up much. We don’t do many system analyses in a cruiser, the scout class ships usually do those.”
Right, because they were probably cheaper to fly, and evaluating a star system had no immediate return in monetary gain.
Vik asked, “Alright, let’s use a shuttle, but Jillintara, make sure you can get it back to the ship within twelve hours at any time.”
Jillintara replied, “Yes sir.”
Vik asked, “Any other ideas?”
“Not any easy ones. I’ll let you know if I think of anything else.”
Vik said, “But you have hard ones?”
I laughed, “Think how much easier it would be, if the empire had a sensor net to track all the enemy and neutral ships, I’m assuming there’s a way to track our own. Of course, who would want to pay for building or deploying it? You’d need thousands of them.”
Jillintara nodded, “All Isyth ships report their location to the data net, only the military ships can track other military ships, and not always. We can only be tracked by central command for example, because of our mission profile, unless we put out a call for assistance.”
Vik nodded, “Maintenance would be a killer on that one too.”
I shrugged, “Maybe not with older technology, I assume fusion is still a known science? The power requirements for sensors and FTL comms is very small, and fusion reactors can run for a very long time before they need more fuel. Not that it isn’t still a pie in the sky idea.”
Rilok said dismissively, “Then why even mention it.”
I frowned, “Because the captain asked.”
Vik glared at Rilok, who backed down, but he’d managed to derail the mood and the bridge went back to silence. I used the rest of my shift time to go over the two simulations and try and identify places where I should have done something different…
Chapter Fifteen
Telidur’s quarters weren’t any bigger than mine, I guess the one rank distinction didn’t make a difference for that. Only the captain and first officer got a bigger place. Although, I wasn’t looking forward to my evening tomorrow with Rilok, I’d rather get a root canal.
I smiled, with the nanites on the job, I didn’t have to worry about that type of thing at all either.
Point was, I was on the way toward the dining area, we were going to eat there instead, if I was lucky Rilok would want to do the same thing. I wasn’t afraid of him exactly, mostly because I could probably kick his ass, but I didn’t want to be in his private space anyway. Nothing good could come of that.
I pushed thoughts of the ass wipe out of my head, and smiled as I walked in the mess hall, dining area, whatever they called it on a space ship. I brought up the map in my head from the download, it was labeled as a galley, or at least that’s the word Anna used when translating to English for me.
Telidur was waiting on me, and he had a number of dishes on the table. I smiled a little wider at his grin, and sat down across from him.
“Hi Telidur.”
He smiled, “Lori, I chose a small sampling of many of my favorite meals. I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted to introduce you to them.”
I nodded, “On Earth we call them sampler platters. Sure, it all smells good, if diverse.”
He chuckled, “So are you enjoying the new job?”
I said, “Mostly. It still seems a bit of a dream. Taken from my world, made a slave, and then rescued and hired, all in a few days.”
Telidur shook his head, “You weren’t rescued, you rescued us. I can also guess what the mostly is about, and Rilok will come around. He’s usually not… like that. He’s just protective of the captain.”
I shrugged, “But why does he think I’m a danger?”
Telidur laughed, “Think of it from our point of view. A slave technician just happens to come along, when none should have been let in our jail from the Stolavii regulations. She just happens to be a deadly fighter, and pulled our bacon out of the pan, and knew enough about the systems to sabotage them. It stretches the bounds of coincidence.”
“Then why do you trust me?”
Telidur shrugged, “I’m a good judge of character, and those circumstances are just unlikely, not impossible.”
I frowned, “Why though, I mean why would they sacrifice their ship and all those soldiers for a setup? That doesn’t make sense to me at all.”
Telidur smiled, “The Scythe is somewhat of a well-known ship, even among our enemies. The captain is also an important man. Many would do anything to serve aboard her, it would be a coup, and worth the sacrifice to put a spy aboard her. But never mind, I don’t want to talk about that.”
I was curious why the captain was so important, but knew better than to ask while with another man.
“What did you want to talk about?”
He winked, “Us, not others. Let’s start with those gorgeously wide and expressive brown eyes.”
I blushed, and scooped something that looked like spaghetti onto my plate. Damn, now Telidur was giving me butterflies, and thank god that he couldn’t see my nipples tighten under his gaze through the ship suit. It would be so easy to let him take me, or to take him for that matter, but I needed time to come to terms with this society’s mores and ways before we hopped into the sack.
I said teasingly, “I’m kind of partial to blue.”
He snickered, “I admit, I haven’t been around many humans, and you are rather impressive, as well as exotically attractive.”
I blushed harder, and took a bite of the food to give myself time to think. I was used to compliments, and even pickup lines, but not the intense desire and true interest he and Vik showed. He wasn’t looking at me as if I was a piece of ass to either tap or own, he was looking at me with a desire to know all of me. Call it… intuition.
I decided it was better to be blunt, even if it made me blush down to my toes. The Isyth seemed blunt and straightforward about sex, it was just a part of life here.
“On Earth we do things differently, as a rule we stick to one partner, even while dating. That doesn’t mean I intend to do that though. I very much want to get to know you, on all levels including the physical, but, I need time to process and internalize all this.”
He winked, “I understand, I can’t imagine the culture shock you must be going through. I can give you time to come to terms with all of this. There is no pressure here, just friendship and honesty. I won’t lie and say I’m not disappointed, but we can certainly pause that aspect of our friendship.”
Why did I say what I just said? There was no doubt that my body, and my mind, wanted to fully explore him in the Isyth friendship style, what was holding me back was fear of societal judgement on a world that was a hundred and fifty light years away from here. Words like slut entered my mind, at the idea of sleeping with two men at once, not to mention my random thoughts and desires toward Jillintara.
Still, I didn’t really believe it would make me a slut, I was just human, wit
h natural inclinations. Inclinations that the Isyth shared with Earth, but without all the bad baggage.
“Thanks ,Telidur.”
Telidur waved that off, “Let’s eat. Tell me, why do you call Jillintara, Jill?”
“We do that on Earth sometimes, it’s a sign of friendship, to us a shortened form of a person’s name.”
He nodded, “So, would you call me Tel, or Teli?”
I giggled, “The first one I think. The second one is a slang term for television.”
He sighed, “Poor Vik, he’s already got a one syllable name.”
I laughed, “I could always call him V, or shorten his title instead and call him Cap.”
He chuckled.
“So how did you wind up getting taken. I know the Stolavii usually focus on the undesirables, to keep the panic down.”
It was sad that it worked so well, no one cared about the homeless, or at least, not enough people.
“I was giving away free jackets to the homeless. I was in a bad area of town, and bad timing took it from there. There was a bright light, and I was knocked out by a sonic weapon of some kind. Next thing I knew, Anna was in my head and waking me up in a metal box with a cot. So how did you get on this illustrious and infamous ship?”
He replied, “I was a bodyguard for Vik’s family. When he chose to join the military, instead of simply letting his parents buy him a merchant vessel to get him started, I volunteered to join with him. Rilok too. We’ve served together ever since, and are now more friends than anything else.”
“He could have just been a merchant?”
Telidur shrugged, “He wanted to serve a bigger purpose, not just line his pockets with more money.”
Now I was really curious, but changed the subject to keep it more about Telidur.
“What do you do in your spare time, hobbies?”
Telidur winked, “Besides planning your seduction?” He laughed, “Let me think. Crap, I’m a total workaholic. I keep apprised of weapons development. There’s a new palm weapon coming out soon, that will do both plasma as well as less deadly functions, both an electrical and a directed sonic attack. I’m planning to upgrade soon. I do watch and read entertainment from the public data net, but you wouldn’t recognize any of it.”
I nodded, “You should send me some suggestions.”
He said, “I will, what did you do?”
I shrugged, “A lot of reading and television between jobs, I also helped the homeless and worked at shelters on occasion. I also liked to lay out by the ocean, on the beach.”
Never mind what I read, trashy romance novels were my guilty pleasure. I did read sci-fi too though, which was actually where most of my ideas earlier came from, not that I’d ever admit it. Most of the ideas were crap though, in real life there was a budget. Maybe if energy ever really became easily accessible without high monetary cost that would change. When ships can travel around and not worry about a budget, but I wasn’t going to hold my breath.
He frowned, “Humans lay out in the sun as a hobby?”
I laughed, “Not a hobby, more a relaxing time. Sun, wind, relaxation, swimming in the water.”
He nodded dubiously.
I giggled. We talked for another two hours that night, and I had a really good time getting to know Telidur. He hardly took anything seriously, outside of the ship and keeping the captain safe that is. He also kept his flirting to a minimum, but there was no doubt in my mind he wanted me as badly as I wanted him.
So, why was it I went to bed alone that night?
Right, I’m an idiot that listened to her societal programming. I needed to embrace my new life and that included the culture. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever go back to Earth, there was nothing back there for me except possibly revenge, and I wasn’t a petty person. But… making credits, earning enough to learn the three sciences, fabrication and design, and the AI and security stuff, so I could understand and maybe even improve and contribute to the technology, and kicking some Stolavii ass, all sounded like worthy goals to me.
Right, and lots of good sex, can’t forget that part, if I could get past the human taboo of it. No one here cared about it, in fact they found the concept weird and absurd, so if I did give in who would know? I would of course, which is why I needed to get over it.
Chapter Sixteen
My guess was right about Vik choosing half acceleration. It would take just over thirteen hours at a hundred gravities to make it to our destination, including flip ship and deceleration.
I was working on more simulations, I had more to learn, but I could look at the shows and books to learn some of more of their culture on my own time, I didn’t think Vik would appreciate me using bridge time for it.
It was about an hour later when Rilok said, “Incoming transmission sir, from the governor of Vehiri.”
Vik said, “Hologram it.”
Rilok looked right at me, “Would you rather use an overlay, sir?”
Vik growled, “Do it commander, now.”
A hologram of an Isyth woman came on screen. She was attractive, but not nearly as much as Jillintara was. She was also a bit older, looked to be in her thirties, which probably meant the lady was a few thousand for all I knew.
“Governor Natalya, it’s a pleasure to speak to you. We’re in route with a few deliveries.”
Apparently, the resources in the hold were split up and sold to three separate companies, they were expecting us. No one told me, it was in the daily log which I now knew to read at the start of every shift, and before the end of shift.
Natalya replied, “Your highness, you are looking well. I have sensitive news, perhaps you will consent to join me for a quick conversation on the surface? It’s rather urgent.”
My eyes widened, and I stared at Vik. Your highness? Who the fuck was he? Rilok stared at me like I was a snake, and I resisted the urge to give him the finger. What? I was mature for my age of nineteen given my life and upbringing, but I was still nineteen, and completely done with Rilok’s attitude.
Maybe I’d ask him if he wanted to spar tonight, compare techniques.
I shot a genuine smile across the bridge at him, as I pictured hip throwing him into a wall, and he narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“I’d be pleased to join you Aunt Natalya. We’ll be there in… call it twelve hours. Or should I increase our speed?”
Natalya shook her head, “It’s serious, but I don’t think three hours will make a difference. I’ll be expecting you then.”
The hologram winked out.
“Rilok, stop being an ass, and Lori, stop baiting the ass.”
I blushed, “Yes, your highness.”
Vik rolled his eyes, “I’m eighteenth in line, forget that shit. It doesn’t matter, I’m a captain, and a merchant, I’ll never rule, and I wouldn’t want to.”
Rule? Fuck, was he the emperor’s son? I also got why he didn’t want to rule, far too many of his family would have to die for that to happen. He was also far prouder of his own accomplishments, than the family he was born into by chance, it was easy enough to see.
Wow, I totally fucked the shit out of an alien prince. A hot blue alien prince that was a god in bed. This wasn’t helping me believe this was reality, if I’d read that in one of my torrid romances I’d have rolled my eyes and called bullshit.
“Okay Vik, forgotten.”
I sighed, when I got to the galley. Rilok was not only already eating, but he only got food for himself. I walked over to the food synthesizer, and put together a quick meal of my favorite foods from my meals with Vik and Telidur, and then walked over to join the asshole.
“The only reason I even sat down is because it seems like Vik wanted us to talk. So, talk.”
He grunted, “You don’t belong here, you’re a security risk, and unknown. A threat. If we needed a weapons officer, which we don’t, any of the top ones in fleet would have jumped at the chance to serve on this ship. What does that tell you?”
I smirked, and said sarcast
ically, “He hired me for my wit, and my body of course, he just had to get his dick in my exotically beautiful body, what does it tell you?”
He shrugged, “I didn’t think you’d believe me, but can you possibly think it will go anywhere?”
I’d be angry if I hadn’t already had similar thoughts, it wasn’t like we’d be able to cross-pollenate so to speak. But there would be friendship, there was no way Vik and Telidur were faking interest. They were alien, but they were also people. It was impossible to fake that level of genuine interest, or at least, I’d like to believe I was wise enough to catch someone trying. Plus, I was a little guilty of that as well, hot blue aliens good in bed, sign me up. Just because I had those thoughts didn’t mean my interest was skin deep, and the same applied to them.
“It goes where it goes. I’ve also reviewed the last battle, and you do need a weapons officer. Efficiency dropped once the fighter squadrons were launched. I get that you don’t trust me, I’m just not entirely sure why.”
He snorted, “You’re naïve, and your only here so Vik can get his dick wet.”
Wow. That was harsh. He was also trying to provoke me, and it almost worked. I imagined taking him down and stomping on his face, that calmed me a little.
“Doesn’t he have Jillintara for that?”
His eyes widened, and he looked disgusted, “The Artificial? No, we don’t sleep with machines.”
I frowned, I’d gotten the impression they did, though Jillintara had never said that. She’d expressed interest in me though, and I’d been considering the idea. She felt as real as I was, and had an incredibly voluptuous and sexy body. I started to eat so he wouldn’t pick up just how disturbed I was by how they saw their artificial assistants.
