Sentient: Evolution

by D. R. Rosier

  No one stopped her or objected to her assertion when she paused, so she continued.

  “FTL works in subspace, in this dimension, a lower layer. In that layer the physical laws are different, so we exceed light speed quite easily. So each dimension has its normal space and subspace within it. When I checked the scans for dark dimension, I noticed there are also dimensional subspace layers between each dimension. When I ran an FTL test, the laws of dimensional subspace are even… less limiting than they are in a subspace of normal space.

  “So, working from the premise that now we can jump dimensions, it doesn’t matter which one we move in, does it? Why create a drive for each one, instead of creating one drive, and do all the travelling in that one space. Sure, we could have a backup drive for redundancy, but we really wouldn’t need one.

  “So I dropped my little ship into dimensional subspace, and hit my reaction drive at one percent. Before I could process the scans, my little ship was halfway to Andromeda.”

  She paused for a moment as they took that in.

  “So, I designed a dimensional drive. Just like the one already made to jump between or create apertures from normal to dark space, it will also do all that from dimensional subspace. I also added an extremely weak reaction drive. It takes a very low amount of power to approach almost unlimited light speeds. So much so, that it’s about as fast as a wormhole drive. I had to make it sensitive and weak enough of course, to only move the ship a little bit for this to work.

  “So how it works is you decide your destination, it drops into dimensional subspace, moves you there, then pops you out. I think it would be an advantage in battle as well, since it would dodge attacks. Of course, we’ll still need maneuvering drives to dock and other very local functions like landing on a planet, but that’s it.

  “That made me decide we didn’t need the current dimensional drive, the FTL drive, the wormhole drive, or the larger reaction drive. In addition, we don’t need high availability of plasma or power for old weapons systems or most of the older shields. I know upgrading the carriers may have made sense, but only because all of you are already in that mindset. So… I designed a whole new ship.”

  Tim frowned, “No more carriers?”

  Hope replied, “If you and Aide approve my design? Yes. The command ships will stay mostly the same, but the new ships will be about twice the size of a current fighter craft to accommodate the new reactor along with the new Dimensional drive system. Of course, it would happen quickly, since all the nanites and materials needed are all available, we would use the spare matter in the carriers, along with the carriers and fighters themselves.

  “Right now we have five hundred million ships, carrying two hundred billion attack craft. I estimate when the conversion is over, we’ll have in excess of a trillion ships of the new type since each carrier and four hundred fighter complement, and replacement matter, will yield two thousand of the new ships.”

  Kate blurted, “Holy shit, a trillion ships?”

  Hope giggled, “Yes, and that’s without gathering any new resources, just using what we already have. Mom’s been busy the last thousand years. If you approve it, I’d suggest changing to that for the second round of upgrades, then redo the first round later. The carrier idea was brilliant… but without needing all the power from such a huge group of plasma rings, it’s an outdated concept now.”

  Ari asked, “How long will it take?”

  Hope replied, “For the conversion? Four days. It will take a little less than two days to tear down a ship that big, plus four hundred fighters, and then build two thousand ships in a little over a couple of days.”

  Aide commented, “I went over the data… the new ships are extremely impressive. I probably would have seen it like you did, if I’d recognized that four of our drive systems were obsolete and should be junked. Tim, can you order me to do it? We’ve still got half a day, so if Kate and Ari want to have a look at it, we can revisit if they find anything wrong, or something that should be added.”

  Tim grinned, “Yes, go ahead and do it, who am I do disagree with both you and your lovely daughter? I suppose I’d better get to the simulations. They’ll all need to be updated, or I suppose we should keep the ones we have, just add new ones for the new ships.”

  Chapter 13

  Kate thought her eyes might start bleeding. Most of the new ship made sense, but the drive system was incredibly sophisticated, and tied in so intimately with the weapons and shields it almost acted like one system. The power the drive took to take them from one end of the galaxy to the other in a handful of seconds, was extremely small. Needless to say, that made the calculations for precision flying, say within the same solar system, very demanding. The travel time between Earth and Mars for example would be measured in picoseconds. Hope hadn’t mentioned it, but the ships computers had to be upgraded as well, and the new ships would be very close to A.I. status. Nothing like Aide and Hope, or even an Earth based A.I., but still very fast.

  She thought everything looked good, but it would take her much longer than a simple day’s work to figure out, and even then a lot of testing. It was probably a good idea to make the second upgrade to the new ships, but leave the first upgrade and proven technologies alone until the new ships were thoroughly tested. She noted her tentative approval and her caution, and then submitted it to the others.

  She rubbed her eyes and took a quick shower and grabbed a coffee in her quarters. She’d been thinking about Tim lately, and her body had been talking to her about Tim, she was ready for more with him, really ready. Her heart sped up at the thought, and her nipples tightened slightly as she evoked the memory of the scorching kiss goodnight he’d given her.

  She’d never really chased after a man before, usually they came to her, more than she’d ever wanted, and of course she’d rejected almost all of them because of her hang up, drive, and ambition as a scientist. Now it all felt so… petty and stupid. She wondered how many good men she’d put off because of her attitude along with the true assholes. Regardless, she wasn’t sure how to approach it, she didn’t really want to chase Tim, just signal she was available, so she just sent him a message to come by her quarters for a drink when he was done with simulations, if he wanted.

  It might have been better to talk to him directly, but she didn’t want to interrupt his work. It was a surprisingly short time later when she was notified he was at her door, and she felt a little nervous as her stomach fluttered in anticipation as she got up to greet him.

  His warm smile made her knees feel weak, “Kate, I was happy to get your message.”

  She asked, “Drink?”

  He nodded, “Beer?”

  She got a couple from the dispenser, and she sat very close to him on the couch when she handed him one. She kind of wanted him right then, but she didn’t want to be the aggressor. She wanted to be taken. Not cruelly, or violently of course, well, not very violently, but she wanted to yield control of herself to him. She’d always had that need deep inside of her, to put herself completely in the hands of a lover, but she’d never felt safe enough with a man to give up her control… until now that is.

  She crossed her legs and turned her body slightly, her labia were getting moist and her core was tingling just being so close to him. She took another sip of her beer just to distract herself. They talked lightly about the recent changes, and then moved the conversation away from work into more personal territory.

  Tim looked at her closely for a moment, “You’re different tonight, I’ve never seen you so comfortable.”

  She smiled and asked, “Is that a good thing?”

  He nodded, “You have a beautiful smile,” he leaned toward her slightly.

  She could barely breath as she stared into his warm hazel eyes. She tilted her head to the side invitingly when he continued to move forward, and he kissed her softly at first. She was glad when he took her beer and put it on the coffee table, because she’d almost dropped it as she melted into him and sighed i
n pleasure into his mouth. His hands left trails of fiery pleasure down her cheeks when he cupped her face gently, and deepened their kiss.

  She parted her lips slightly, and welcomed his hot wet tongue with her own. She put her hands on him, and explored the cut muscles of his chest and stomach. She gasped and plastered her body against his when he picked her up and put him in his lap, her fingers teased the back of his neck while he explored her body with his, all the while she could feel his hard manhood push up against her firm ass through the whisper thin fabric of their space suits. She moaned and mewled into his mouth when he pinched her nipple through the suit, and then reached for the fasteners.

  She eagerly reached for his…

  He broke the kiss and asked softly, “I’m coming to care for you, but I’m also with Aide, are you sure?”

  Her heart was beating fast with desire and she felt a small thrill go down her spine as she whispered in his ear, “I’m sure, and I’m yours tonight.”

  He stood and they both stripped off the suit, she drank in his hard body, and very well endowed sex, with desirous eyes. She practically preened as she saw his reaction to her body both in his eyes, and between his legs. They kissed passionately a moment later. It took them a few tries to make it all the way to the bedroom, he couldn’t keep his hands and mouth off of her, and she couldn’t help herself either. Her body was so responsive to his every touch, more than it ever had been before, she knew it was because she had no reservations about tonight, nothing holding back her passion and desire.

  She happily gave herself to him without fear or reservation, her inhibitions were completely quiescent.

  She was so… wet, and hot, as he explored her body, teased her breasts, caressed her neck, played with her hair, and squeezed her ass. He seemed to touch her everywhere at once, except between her legs, and it was driving her crazy as she both drowned in the erotic sensations and wished for that final step. She was lost in lust, desire, and need, and it felt to her like his hands were all over her body at once, as he left burning trails of pleasure along every curve of her body that he traced across her smooth silky skin.

  Eventually they made it to the bed and he laid her gently on her back. She got lost in his eyes, and at a simple touch on her thigh she bent her knees and opened herself for him without conscious thought. She wanted this more than she’d ever wanted sex before. She wanted him in her, now. But he knelt between her legs and pushed his head between her thighs. She felt her body twitch as he licked her and a shot of pleasure rose up her spine, flushing her body with pleasure. She reached down and gathered his hair in her hands as she arched her back and pushed up into his face as he licked, sucked, and pleasured her with his lips and tongue.

  His hands reached under her, and grasped her ass cheeks tightly, holding them up for better access. She was on fire and so close to the edge, and he’d barely gotten started.

  “Oh fuck, I’m going to cum Tim, don’t stop.”

  She bucked and squeezed his head between her thighs, she felt the tight coil in her core snap and pleasure washed through her body and mind, she mewled and shook on his tongue as he continued to hungrily eat her sex, his approving moans as he licked up her cream excited her, and she felt herself already rising toward a second orgasm when the first was still fading away.

  He pulled away and said, “Turn over Kate, hands and knees.”

  Her core clenched at the demanding tone in his voice, and she rolled over before she’d even consciously decided to do so. She spread her knees apart, arched her back, and raised her ass as high as she could, lewdly offering herself to him. She’d given over any control over tonight, but she’d never felt as beautiful, and powerful before, as she did in that moment of offering.

  She shivered in pleasure as he caressed her ass softly, teasingly, “Your ass is perfect Kate.”

  She wondered when she’d feel him slide into her, she wanted it, was even considering begging for it when she felt his lips on her ass cheek. Her eyes widened with shock as she felt him kiss across her tight curvy ass and into her crack. She gasped in shocked pleasure when his tongue flicked out and lightly touched her dark star. She’d never felt anything like it before, but in a few moments she overcame her shock and let out a deep moan. It felt so good, as he started to rim her, and the taboo of it, and the fact he couldn’t resist doing it to her, just made it better.

  It was intense, but a moment later she moaned loudly and pushed back against him, as she felt two fingers slide into her wet hot core. She felt herself tighten around his fingers as his tongue pushed hard against her puckered hole. The feeling of both at the same time was incredibly intense, but then his other hand started to tap and circle her clit.

  She went off like a rocket, the rising pleasure became a tight coil as she gasped his name like a prayer, and then her whole body burned with pleasure. About halfway through her bliss, she felt him spank her hard, and the pain radiated and joined with her pleasure, and her ecstasy grew even higher.

  She felt his hands on her hips when she came down from her explosive bliss. He teased her labia, getting his tip wet by running it up and down her very soaked heat, lubricating it with her liquid pleasure. She froze for a moment when he teased her puckered hole with his tip. She’d never done that either, by the time she relaxed, and decided she would do whatever he wanted including that, he’d moved it back down.

  Then he surprised her, and she squeaked when he grabbed her legs and flipped her onto her back.

  He looked at her eyes and said, “I’ll take you from behind later, but this first time I really want to look in your eyes.”

  She melted a little and spread her legs even farther apart, “I need you… please. Any way you want me,” her voice had come out breathy, and full of needy desire.

  He leaned down, supporting himself on his elbows and kissed her softly, and then backed off to gaze down into her eyes. Her lips parted and their gaze became more intense as she felt her labia stretch and engulf his tip as he slowly entered her. She had no idea when he said that earlier, that he meant from so close. Their faces were inches apart, and he whispered, “You’re so beautiful, and so damn tight,” as he completely buried himself inside of her.

  She’d never felt so full, she felt like he was touching her everywhere inside, completely filling her as her walls stretched and contracted, fluttering around his invading flesh as she moaned softly in pleasure while getting lost in his eyes. When her body had calmed down, and she was ready…

  She begged, “Fuck me Tim, please.”

  He obliged and she arched her back and started to buck her body into his as he took her hard and fast. The wet silken friction between her legs as he continually invaded her over and over again built pleasure in her body, and she felt it start to coil. His eyes were full of the same desire, pleasure, and lust that she could feel within herself.

  He didn’t last all that long, but he’d done so much for her that she wasn’t that surprised, and she was so close to her third orgasm that she was sure she’d make it.

  “I’m going to cum,” he said with a question in his eyes.

  She said breathily, “Give it to me, I want to feel you cum inside me.”

  That seemed to set him off, and when she felt him expand and stretch her out even more, her own pleasure swept away her body and mind, leaving only heavenly bliss its wake.

  When she came down, he collapsed next to her, and she rolled into him, and cuddled into his side. She closed her eyes and moaned softly in pleasure and approval as he started to play with her hair. She traced the muscles on his chest slowly.

  He sighed, “We can do that again right?”

  She snickered and kissed his arm, “We’d better, you promised to take me from behind remember?”

  He nodded, “That’s right, I did, didn’t I. I’ll need a few minutes to recover though.”

  She kissed her way up onto his chest, and then kissed her way down his body. She thought she might be able to help with that, besides, she’d
wanted to get her lips around him since she’d seen how big he was. She wondered if he planned to try for anal or not when he took her from behind. When she decided she was willing to give up her anal cherry to him, she’d actually been a little disappointed when he didn’t take it. Then again, why not both? If she had her way, it would be a long night…

  Chapter 14

  Aide monitored as the first ships were completed, including her command ship, and went into the dark dimension for the first time to gather dark matter for their reactors. Everything went to plan and she took a few minutes to run diagnostics on all the ships.

  She’d agreed with the decision her daughter and Ari had made to release the sensor tech. It was Ari’s discovery after all, and it would help keep people safe, but she also felt ambivalent about it. With those scanners, it wouldn’t take long for the races to modify their drive systems, and figure out the new shielding and weapons. Probably longer than they’d taken, but at that point her only advantage would be in numbers and any new discoveries they made.

  It would become much harder to keep the peace, she just had to hope Humans, Dreniel, and Alion would remain peaceful, although it was truly only the first and last that gave her pause. That was a problem for another time however, although she was sure that after a battle with this new enemy, they would have more breakthroughs just by seeing what was possible.

  The new ship design was inspired, she understood Kate’s concerns when she read them, but she herself had been able to go over the design exhaustively, multiple times, in just a few seconds. All the systems were already proven, it was just the design that was new and she saw no inconsistencies. She started the upgrade project, and felt ambivalent about that as well. She knew it was stupid, but she couldn’t help feeling… attached to her creations. Ridiculous or not, it felt wrong to just tear them apart molecule by molecule and turn it into something new, somehow it felt like a betrayal to Olivia, Paula, and Nate, the designers of the ships that had kept the peace for a thousand years.