by T. J. Quinn
It took barely fifteen minutes to get from the starport to the clothing outlet. My friend Tahvoe Brintu and I accompanied the ten females that chose to remain with us, including the Commander’s mate. Commander Maktu was delivering Kyanna Guryon and her friend to her father and collecting our fee. He planned to catch up with us at the biochip clinic.
I went with Scarlet when she dressed in one of her new outfits. She chose a short-sleeved tunic and pants then flipped through the pile looking for something.
“There’s no underwear and no socks,” she said with a frown.
“Well, darlin’ you’ve helped me off with my clothes enough to know I don’t wear any,” I told her with a chuckle.
“I just thought that was by choice. What’s going to hold these up?” She cupped her ample breasts.
“These are made from ‘smart’ fabric, unlike the inner shirts we wear for leisure. The size and weight of your lovely breasts were programmed into the design of your tunics. You won’t require undergarments,” I explained to her. Granted the Uatu females were not as well-endowed as Scarlet, but it wouldn’t matter. “Put them on and see how they feel.”
She gave me a look. “Are you just going to stand there and watch me?”
“You are my mate. I’ve seen every inch of your beautiful, naked body. It gives me pleasure to see it.”
“You are lucky I like you,” she muttered. She crossed her arms and gripped the hem of her shirt and pulled it off over her head in one slick move. Then she flashed me a look that told me I should not say a word, so I looked her in the eyes and smiled at her. Just thinking about lower made my cock twitch.
She pulled the new tunic over her head and adjusted her breasts inside it. The tunic was the same length as the borrowed shirt she wore. Each one had an inner liner that adhered to her breasts and provided the support she desired.
“You’re right. What about the pants?”
“They have a self-cleaning inner liner for any secretions you might have,” I said matter-of-factly.
“Nicely put,” she winked at me and pulled them on. She turned in a circle and said, “what do you think?”
“I think you’re beautiful whatever you wear or don’t wear,” I told her. That got me a delightful hug with her body pressed tight against mine and a wickedly promising kiss. I suspected I would be helping her off with those new clothes soon after we got back to our cabin.
CHAPTER TEN
Scarlet
I don’t know why I felt self-conscious dressing in front of Pyrr. He was exactly right. He had already seen and touched every part of my naked body. That he thought I was beautiful warmed my soul, and the way he made love to me was nothing short of magnificent.
Watching him in training a couple days before we arrived at Halor, I saw him doing hand to hand combat exercises. He went a few rounds with Commander Maktu. Their fighting was so fierce, I almost thought they were really trying to kill each other. When it was over, they laughed and bumped their fists together like the friends that they were.
There was no comparing him to Jake. I loved Jake deeply, and we had great sex, but it was different. What’s more, it was past, in a different reality.
Pyrr was here and now, and I admitted to myself that I was falling in love with him. I didn’t know whether it was the solmatu phenomenon or just the normal attraction between a man and woman. I no longer wondered about how quickly I had taken him as my lover. Even though I wanted him almost from the minute I met him, I had come to care for him deeply. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I must have known I would when I agreed to become his mate for life.
Once we were all dressed, we took the tram to the medical clinic. I was a little nervous about getting the implants, but the entire process was smooth and painless. Since each implant was designed with our own DNA, we were assured there would be no side effects. Pyrr was with me the during implantation, I think because he had seen how nervous Harper was. After the experiences I’d had with Army medical treatment, this was a piece of cake.
Commander Maktu’s mission was successful. He had collected the reward from Evzen Guryon in cash no less and delivered it to the shuttle. Soon as we were finished, we went back to the shuttle and back to the ship. While we were on Halor, the ship was getting a makeover to remove all the markings that tied it to the Consortium. Farseek Dreadnaught One was now Dreadnaught Seeker, a mercenary ship. That would allow us to travel in the Sargus Empire and not be identified as an enemy even though we were.
From what Pyrr told me Commander Maktu and Admiral Degatu intended to wreak havoc in the Sargus Empire. These guys were badass! From all that I had learned about them, they were like the Marines, Army Rangers, and Navy Seals combined. There were only ten Farseek Dreadnaughts with about 100 crewing each, and they were taking on the Sargus Empire… Alone. This was going to be a wild ride.
The day after we left Halor, we started our warrior training since we finally had real clothes to wear. That’s when I got the chance to demonstrate my skills in mixed martial arts. Commander Maktu assigned Sergeant Alaric Namotu as our instructor. He had been a training instructor for young Farseek Warriors a decade before. He had agreed to train us as a favor to Commander Maktu. When Harper told me that, I wasn’t sure whether it was good or bad.
If he resented the duty, it might go hard on us, or he might be too easy on us because the Commander’s mate was one of his trainees. It turned out our regimen was not as grueling as my experience in basic training on Earth, but it was sufficiently challenging that we took it seriously. We trained hard physically and learned the use of basic weapons which were much more technical than anything I’d ever seen. We even got to train in the combat armor which I have to say was way cool.
The armor suits were surprisingly light and agile. Internal sensors synchronized movement in concert with the wearer almost as a second skin. The armor was nearly impenetrable to most weapons but carried nanites and medications to heal the wearer in case of injury. The same nanites were also used routinely in medical procedures to heal injuries, correct defects, and combat disease. It was fascinating.
After the second week of physical training, we started self-defense. Knowing that I’d had training in hand to hand Namotu chose me as his sparring partner for his initial demonstration. I’m not sure what he expected, but I don’t think he expected that I would knock him on his ass. Although, he was back up in seconds ready to go again. Then he called a halt, and I bowed in the martial arts tradition. Namotu sort of cocked his head to the side and made the same bow.
I think Harper was as glad as I was to have the training program to occupy our time leading up to the Breskaa mission. We were deep into the Sargus Empire though remote from any major military installation. Although they had ways if locating Sargan ships, none had been discovered lurking in our path so far.
We didn’t see a lot of Harper in the weeks after we left Halor except in training. Although I wasn’t exactly hiding my relationship with Pyrr, I felt embarrassed to tell her we had mated after the way I jumped on her about fucking the Commander. Anyone who saw them together could see they were falling completely in love---just as Pyrr and I were falling in love.
Neither of us said the words yet, but there was no doubt in my mind that Pyrr loved me. It was in his eyes whenever I caught him looking at me. Nora and Zoey knew that Pyrr and I were mated, but I swore them to secrecy before we started training for joining up with the Farseek Mercenaries.
“You can train all you want,” Pyrr said, “but it will be a long time before we consider putting any of you in a combat situation.”
“That’s okay with me. I drove a truck in the Army back on Earth. Almost got blown up more than once,” I told him. “I am just as happy to work behind the scenes. I just want to be here with you.”
We were in our cabin at the time. I went to stand in front of him and put my arms around his neck, caressing the back of his head with my fingers, looking up at him and silently urging him to kiss me. He was quick to
wrap his arms around me and do just that, pulling me tight against him. It was a deep, slow, and thorough plundering of my mouth. A riotous surge of desire went straight to my core, but I knew we had no time to pursue it. It was a delightful moment that I thoroughly enjoyed before we parted for his duties and my training.
Each day started with a grueling physical workout then included hand to hand combat training and weapons instruction. Even though we wouldn’t be in direct combat, we could still need to defend our stations, whatever they might be. I had thought I was in good physical condition, but I was really sore after the first day.
When I got back to our cabin after first meal, I thought I was too tired to make love to Pyrr, but he gave the best massage I ever had and ended with a slow, tender fucking. Afterwards, I drifted into blissful sleep spooned against him with his arms folded around me. Feeling safe and loved was a wonderful thing.
The next day at lunch, I finally admitted to Harper that Pyrr and I were mated.
“I thought you were crazy, falling for that hot commander,” I remarked to Harper as we were eating lunch in the mess hall. “But then I met Pyrr, and he said I am solmatu… We are solmatu.”
“Oh, yeah,” Harper said, “he’s got his eyes on you all right. Did you cut him a break or will you keep him dangling?”
I was feeling guilty that I still hadn’t told her I mated with him. But I still hesitated. “After listening to you worrying about your commander, I wasn’t so sure I want to pair up with any of these guys. I’ve seen way too many soldiers come back in body bags.”
“So, you’d rather be alone than risk falling for somebody because you might lose them?” I asked.
I didn’t answer right away I never said much about Jake to them either. Finally, I said, “Been there, done that. We were in Afghanistan, and his truck got it from a roadside bomb. We were getting married when we got back to the states in a few months. And he was gone.” I snapped her fingers. “Just like that.” I couldn’t stop the tears that welled in my eyes. Even then I was sure the memory would be painful the rest of my life.
Hell, yes, I was scared! The closer we got to Breskaa, the more I worried about what could happen to Pyrr. I could hardly believe I felt this much for him in the short time we’d spent together.
“You’re scared. Believe me, I get that. Anytime you care for someone and let them into your life, you risk losing them for whatever reason.” Harper said gently. “They say some women don’t want to commit. The guys are even worse.
“You practically have to be a mind reader. Almost from the first day, they are after you for sex. So finally, you say ok. You have sex, and it’s not half bad, so you think it’s going to be a relationship. Days go by, and they don’t call, they don’t message, nothing. The next thing you know they’re going out with Mary whats-her-name like nothing ever happened between you.”
“I hear you,” she said. “I’ve been there, too. What do you think, Zoe?”
“They’re all pretty exotic looking, but those muscles. They all are so gorgeous and sexy. I don’t know if I can pick just one.
“So take, two.” I giggled. “Some men like to share.”
“What about you, Nora?”
“They’ve all been pretty nice. But there isn’t really one I like better than the others,” she said. “It’s been months, and I’m still trying to wrap my mind around being kidnapped by aliens. I don’t even like sci-fi.” She grumbled, and we laughed.
“Well, if this were sci-fi,” Harper said, “we could be watching it, not living it.”
Harper was looking at me speculatively. Our eyes met, and I looked away guiltly for several moments. I sighed and said, “Pyrr and I are mated, and I am scared. I don’t know what they will be getting into on Breskaa.”
“I know,” she said. “He’s Zared’s best friend. Do you really think he wouldn’t tell Zared?”
I shook my head.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. So, what if you didn’t wait until the third date?” Harper went on. “I didn’t either. We’re in a different culture and different circumstances where the old rules don’t apply. Solmatu changes everything. The pheromones these guys give off when they recognize their soul mates are irresistible. All you can think about is getting them to fuck you senseless.”
I laughed when she said that---especially because she used the f-word.
“If you are solmatu, resistance is futile,” Harper laughed. “And why should we? From the moment they recognize you, they treat you like you’re their queen or something. It’s like they love you because you’re solmatu.”
“Sometimes it’s sweet and tender, and others it’s hard and primitive. If Pyrr goes down on that planet and gets himself killed, I will never forgive him,” I said vehemently, then laughed. But it was a fear that lingered in the back of my mind because of his job.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
As it turned out, it was Harper’s commander that got hurt. That poor woman had a full-blown panic attack, gasping for breath when she heard Zared grunt in pain and Pyrr asking him if he were all right. He was after his nanites repaired the damage.
After that, we were very busy with the influx of rescues in the cargo bay. That was the only place in the ship to house eighty extra people. The other dreadnaught took the rest of the one-hundred-eighty people. Harper and I, armed with AI tablets took names and information from the former slaves as they came off the shuttle.
They were a bedraggled lot that reminded me of the refugees I’d seen during my deployments on Earth. They were weak and tired from long hours of work, too little food and not enough sleep. We only took them out a few at a time because there weren’t enough chairs to go around. Then there weren’t enough seats in the shuttle either. Many of us had sat on the floor in the cargo hold of the shuttles when we were rescued from Ursaga. Each one had seating for twenty-five.
Once the colony was secured, they would send in teams to scavenge whatever they thought we could use in addition to the bunks from the slave barracks.
Most but not all of the rescued slaves were from Farseek. We used the tablets to record their images, name, origin, age, and occupation before their capture. One young man drew special attention from my friends and me because he spoke to us in mildly accented English.
“Are you from Earth?” he asked Harper.
“How did you know?” she asked slipping from the Farseek into English automatically.
He was one big handsome guy with light skin and pale blue hair, amber cat eyes, and pointed ears. The ears weren’t really elfin or Vulcan. They closely resembled ours but were pointed on the top.
As soon as I heard him speak, I went over to Harper's line to hear more. Even in all the noise in that cargo bay Nora and Zoey also heard him speak and came to find out more.
“How do you know our language?” Harper asked.
“I was stationed at our base there for three years,” he explained. “I was kidnapped from there.”
“Do you know where Earth is?” Harper asked urgently.
“Yes, but not how to get there from here,” he said. “We are still in our galaxy, but far from Alliance territory which includes Earth. From the star maps I’ve seen, we are a few arms away from our sector. I only know Earth coordinates in relation to Narova, my homeworld.”
“What is your name?” I asked.
“Sahvin Kazza,” he said. Then he looked up at Nora and sniffed, then gasped in wonder. He stood abruptly and backed away.
“Is something wrong,” Harper asked he as looked at Nora and sniffed.
“Nora from Earth, you are meomee! My soul mate,” he said, looking directly at her.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
He looked at her, his feline eyes filled with longing. “Can’t you feel it? It means you are my fated mate.
“It sounds like solmatu,” Harper said. His eyes took a little getting used to, but he was otherwise gorgeous with a muscular build and pale golden skin.
“Oh, my!?”
Nora gasped.
Harper and I had a pretty good idea what was happening, but from the look on her face, it seemed a bit more intense.
“How can this be happening?” she murmured uncertainly. “I just met him for ten minutes, and I feel like I want to push him down and have my way with him.”
I chuckled as I stole a glance at our new feline acquaintance. “He’s kind of looking at you the same way,” Harper whispered.
“I have a feeling you aren’t going to have much choice in the matter. You might as well go talk to him. He seems very nice,” Harper encouraged her. “This fated mate thing hasn’t turned out so bad for Scarlet and me.”
She glanced briefly at Sahvin, and sighed. “He is pretty, isn’t he?” Nora smiled wryly.
“He is.” I laughed softly.
Nora went closer, and Sahvin stood, offering his hand to her. We didn’t know at the time that when she took his offered hand, that basically sealed the deal. They left the cargo bay almost immediately, we guessed to get better acquainted. We didn’t stop too long to ponder it because we still have about thirty people left to check in.
Zoey and I ended up doing the rest of the work because Commander Zared showed up finally and Harper slipped away with him soon afterward. Zoey and I didn’t blame her. She had been so scared when he got hit, but he looked fine as ever as he strode into the bay. I’m surprised that she didn’t run and jump into his arms, but she kept her cool.
I went back to what I was doing, not knowing when Pyrr would be back. He had commed that he was helping with the loading of the shuttles on Breskaa so we could get out of the system soon as possible. They didn’t know how long before the Sargus Empire would send a destroyer looking for those ships our Dreads destroyed but we needed whatever they could salvage to take care of these people we had rescued.
I would sure be glad to hold him in my arms again, but I was no longer worried about his safety. Somewhere along the way, this space stuff had started to become routine. Who’d have thought?
