Chapter 15

After Rayz left my cabin I spent a few hours working out in the main gym. There weren't many people present. I stretched and ran through various wolf forms, the mixed martial arts that we used on Haven as weights just didn't interest me. I felt antsy and needed to clear my head. The track seemed to call my name, so I ran. Half-way through my workout Ensign Abhati from the communications and sensors center, joined me on the track. She gave me a warm smile and just fell into my easy pace. Sweat trickled into my eyes as I ran with her, and Abhati's eyes roamed the gym. Like most-women would, she checked out who was in the facility. My first impression of her, when she'd launched the message torpedo to my mother, still held true; she remained interested in me. Our few kisses and dances in the nightclub had only reinforced her curiosity.

She alternated between running slightly ahead of me and slightly behind. Since she was just warming up I didn't think much about it. "Just loosening up her muscles," I thought. However, after a lap, she kept doing it. One minute her fat nose, full brows, and black hair were rising and falling next to me on her short frame, and then, it was her tight butt bouncing up and down before my eyes. Finally, she stopped the silly game.

"The least you could do is tell me I have a nice ass. Guys tell me it's my best feature; it sure isn't my flat chest," Abhati said, measuring me with her slanted eyes.

"Personally, I like your black eyes and non-regulation hair length," I answered. "Not discounting your tight behind in that fine mix of attributes. Of course, I'm naturally attracted to short women."

She smirked and noticeably leaned in to smell me. "For a sweaty guy, you have a pleasant aroma."

"She raised my concern about people noticing the odd attraction of my sweat," I thought.

My disappointment must have been obvious, she immediately added, "I'm just saying, you must have found a really strong deodorant to use."

She went silent. I slowly picked up the pace around the track, which she had no trouble matching. I was never really fast; my strength was my endurance, an endurance that had expanded considerably since my arrival on Haven. My body had filled out in a number of ways whilst there, and when I got really sweaty some sort of male pheromone poured out. Abhati was just commenting on that inconvenient truth. There are times I wished I could turn my pheromones off.

I sprinted to the finish line by the showers. She burst ahead and won.

"I like winning," Abhati said, bending over gasping for breath, "and getting what I want. I worked hard to get posted to this ship."

"A passionate woman," I mumbled, half-turned away from her, but she must have heard me.

"See, you're getting to know me already." She grinned, which turned into an impish smile.

Shaking my head at myself for flirting, I walked directly for the showers. The shower room only had a couple of guys in the locker area. One of the men was the chiseled-faced, hulk of a security guard who had greeted me on the flight deck when I first arrived on the ship. He gave me a friendly wave and went back to talking with his buddy. I found a bench and took off my deck shoes and clothes, turning my thoughts to seeing my ladies at the nightclub. Alone in the shower, I went back to clearing my mind, before shifting gears and spending a little time at the gun range.

Time passed quickly on the gun range, as I successfully sighted my carbine and fired off a power pack worth of shots before I drained the weapon. My training and confidence with the weapon seemed to please the range officer. The carbine was an important tool and I treated it with respect. The range official marked proficient on my range record, which seemed a grade lower than I expected. However, fleet tradition was your permanent score was best out of three sessions. It might be this ship's culture was to mark a new guy down as passing until all three gun trials were recorded. I scheduled the rest of my testing and left.

Back in my cabin, I decided to wear my Ensign uniform over my skinsuit for the night, adding my clan knife to the outfit. While running alone in the gym, it had become clear to me that the sabotage warranted I fall back on clan tradition, and wear the knife that my mother had sent me. Given my heritage, the captain couldn't deny my right to wear the knife. In most circles of society and in ships under Fleet discipline, a clan noble could display his affiliation. It was a badge of honor, in addition to a minor measure of protection. A few eastern empire societies that detested clans might make a stink about the knife; however, no one here would dare try to take it away from me. It was a deadly insult to the clan as much as to the person. Planetary conflicts had been fought over such insults, with the rest of the empire standing aside lest a more inflamed set of clan wars develop. Generally, the offending person or family didn't survive the offense. Sometimes the offended party didn't live either, but clan honor would be upheld, and a measured price was collected. Idiots in the universe often dusted up trouble for their planets and family. Nevertheless, it wasn't a lack of understanding of clan custom when it involved the clan knife.

Merritt and Julie came to my cabin together to escort me to our venue. Merritt was a chatter box, full of energy and particularly excited about going to the Happy Hour at the nightclub. Julie smirked at my clan knife attachment but didn't say anything about it. She offered me her silver prosthetic as we walked arm in arm down the corridors, both women wearing lovely dresses. It surprised me that the dresses were the same color red and that both were ankle length. Neither dress looked like formal attire, except for the length of the gown. Yet, the free flowing look of the gowns was festive, showcasing their beauty. I hadn't suggested what to wear, but these two had coordinated between themselves and selected something you'd wear for a special occasion. The footwear was the same, as were the rose gold earrings that looked like a wolf's head. The only difference I could see was Merritt's dress fitted her short, thin frame much more tightly, popping her breasts out in a more pronounced manner.

Crew members looked at us twice, clearly impressed with the company I was keeping. The men would make comments like "dazzling" or "tantalizing." The women would offer "adorable," "stylish," or "a splendid look." My lovers would say "thank you," and I would say "they are inspiring." It didn't take long for us to arrive at our destination.

Outside Shore Leave, my pretty yeoman said, "Ulla can't come. She has a priority security issue and can't be distracted."

While most of the crew didn't know about the seriousness of my incident in the alcove, all the yeomen did.

"Don't say another word," I responded, covering her lips with mine. "I understand."

To show equal treatment, I pulled Merritt in, savoring her unusually thin lips for a moment.

The nightclub wasn't busy and the music was relaxing and optimistic, with long sequences of sounds featuring flutes. The tone of things was dreamy rather than rousing. Most of the patrons were hanging around the bar in duty uniforms, probably having just come off their shift. I recognized the bartenders, Private Nehring and a couple of engineers who worked outside of main engineering. One of the engineers was Duncan Altman, a portly guy that Rayz and I often ran into when in the maintenance tunnels. All the same, he was more an outer-hull guy. How his belly stayed so rounded in the heat of the outer-hull compartments still got me every time I saw him; perhaps it was the beer. Private Nehring waved at me. I hadn't seen him in the security office the last time I stopped by. Someone else was monitoring my residential floor when Julie slapped my bottom and the old yeoman Rogers had sneaked up on me.

Julie was just suggesting we get a drink when laughter exploded behind us. We turned and saw Wendy, Dorothy, Abigail and Tina, having a laugh with the security guys at the door, all four nurses having rushed to us when they saw the three of us. Wendy wore the same flaming red dress and accessories that my other lovers had on. The other three nurses had similar black netted, one-shoulder gowns that almost swept the floor. The black dress showed off a fair amount of flesh with the netted material, yet the gowns were still tasteful and impressed Merritt and my yeoman. I still preferred the open collarbone look of the red gowns, but I wasn't going to tell the other nurses that. The more I looked at us, the more we looked like a wedding party.

A rushing Nonie Cina, caught up with the nurses in her own black dress, which added to my surprise. Her tiny almond-shaped eyes sparkled as she saw me. The petite-framed petty officer was a catch and I loved her piano music.

Merritt and Julie went on and on about how wonderful the black dresses were as they guided all of us to a table. One of the bartenders immediately made a beeline to serve us. I'd never seen that happen before. I tried to kiss the new arrivals politely on the cheek, but none of them were having it. They each gave me a passionate kiss and said, "Congratulations on your bridge assignment." I thanked each and made sure to hold their hand letting my nanos soothe them. Dorothy seemed a little nervous, so I took Rayz's words to heart about making sure she felt special. Unlike the other kisses, I cupped Dorothy's face lightly with both hands and gave her a lingering kiss. Her eyes twinkled in surprise and pleasure.

Dorothy pressed herself into me. "You know Nonie Cina did more than play with your hair on that healing bed, right?"

My eyelids felt like they were sticking while rapidly blinking. "What?"

"Just saying," Dorothy answered, raising her brows a few times as if saying 'you know what I mean.' "As a lady in waiting that petite thing is farther up the ladder than me. Strangely, I don't feel jealous. But, I expect a turn."

She pulled away and my head spun as I considered the uncontrolled access she had to me, while I was sedated and sweaty in that remote medical center.

The bartender flirted with each woman as he took their order, which obviously was the real reason he came over. When I spoke up to claim the tab, he waved me off and announced this round was on Commander Tarry. The old engineer wasn't in the room, so I wondered what was going on. I didn't get to ask because Kate and her lover came into view, shouting they'd have two beers. Both women wore the same flaming red dresses as Merritt and Julie, but Julia Fitz lacked the wolf earrings.

Kate giggled when she saw my stunned, questioning look. Behind Kate, Julia giggled as well, though I wasn't sure she knew why. It was the nervous laugh that followed, which betrayed her unease. Kate's lover stood erect and raised her chin, tight-lipped, but looked surprisingly meek. Her eyes dutifully tried to look anywhere but at me. Helplessness spiked my stomach and a taste of bile burned the back of my throat. Julia Fitz's dress was a message. Red represented the inner circle of my lovers and black dresses were potential lovers. I didn't like Julia.

Kate flourished one hand and grasped the hem of her dress with the other hand, slightly bowing like a noble lady. My woman had an attractive set of features, delicate bones, a long neck and long legs that fit the gown perfectly.

"Well met, my husband to be." Kate said with a confident intensity. She put her arms out to the side at shoulder height and made a 360 degree turn. "Do you like my gown?"

"It's fit for a princess," I quipped, holding her gaze.

Kate was pleased and closed to kiss me. "Of course, I am a princess," she whispered, and then added, "I picked out all the dresses for your women on this special occasion."

"Definitely a hidden message," I thought, "she is prepping me."

When she lingered on my lips, I expected a long-winded tirade from her roommate. Still, not a sound was uttered by Julia, who kept her distance from me. As to reinforce the point, Kate initiated a second round of little kisses that triggered my nanomites to pool, which inflamed my pleasure. Julia maintained her silence, but watched as the sounds of Kate's hunger washed out of her covered mouth. I was at a loss, looking at the flight engineer. Even in her forties, Julia was attractive with copper-red hair contrasting her pale skin. Given the current situation, it was ridiculous to become interested in the vile roommate.

Kate deflected my attention from Julia by stepping back and preening her gown, so I'd look at my fiancée's****dress.

"We are so proud of you, Von," Merritt said, her voice so thick with emotion I turned her way.

"I can't say how glad I am to be in your company too," I said sweetly.

The chatter around us grew appreciably after my comment. In uniform, Ensign Abhati and some of her communication and sensor tech friends surrounded us. The group mumbled something to Kate about having less time than expected.

"The captain gave us permission to duck in and pay our respects," Abhati announced. "Congratulations on your new bridge certification."

Abhati kissed me and then dropped away to let another sensor tech "pay her respects." Each woman lingered on my lips, taking her time. I felt like I was back in the common room on Haven. There was no getting out of it, so I enjoyed the five minute distraction, letting the warm feelings wash over me. Once Abhati's group was done, they immediately departed, waving at us from the nightclub entrance. The crew members at the bar looked as perplexed at my situation as I felt.

Handing out our drinks, the barman yelled over, "The next round, at your table, is on Captain Bank."

"How much stranger can things get?" I thought.

The music shifted to lyrics that floated around the room from hidden speakers. "I felt lost in a dream while in your arms, " sang the female vocalist, "your gentle hands and kisses were intoxicatingly intimate."

"Ravishing you, is a very conscious consideration," Kate announced.

"Control yourself sister," Merritt hissed, "we only have time for a few slow dances and the discussion."

Merritt's ardent demand snapped Kate out of her nanomite-heightened feelings. Kate tactfully let the rebuke drop.

Julia Fitz stared absently into her glass, both hands clutching it, still keeping her distance. The other women around my table were carrying their own conversations in tones conveying contentment and happiness. I clearly felt their nanomite resonance in one degree or another and as a group, the resonance was like feeling a comfortable breeze of emotion from their general direction.

Merritt joked, "I know whose uterus rules in this family. I'm like an event coordinator not the headmistress—or is that the lead mother?" She laughed and then turned serious. "But it's time to include Julia in all this."

Kate rubbed Merritt's back reassuringly. "Yes, I got caught up in that special compulsion he has over me."

Kate was interrupted as a familiar face wormed between Wendy and Nonie to get closer to Kate and me. The eyes that seem to sit too close together, locked on us. Nora, the junior-grade engineer who constantly bumped into me and perhaps was Lt. Boorman's girlfriend, put her hands on the hips of her orange uniform.

"What's going on? Why the evening gowns?" Nora asked. Her tight facial muscles made the woman's scowl look unattractive.

"You're Lt. Boorman's girlfriend, right?" Julie asked, resting her silver arm under her own chin, thinking.

"Cousin," the engineer snapped.

"Hum," I expressed, surprised about her blood bond to the pilot.

"Sorry, this is a private function," Kate said, amazing me with her bluntness.

"It's a public place," Nora answered combatively.

"Nonetheless, a private table," Kate insisted.

The woman was too curious for my liking, given her association with Boorman. He was still trying to get close to Kate for some reason, so I wasn't going to encourage her curiosity by giving friendly answers. "Just hold your tongue," I thought.

Kate's hand made a dismissive gesture. Not getting anywhere and being ignored by everyone, but Kate, Nora rolled her eyes and walked off.

The bartender delivered our second round of drinks without being asked. Kate and I sat together to drink and Kate put her hand on my arm. I felt the pleasant tension between us; our nanomites resonated because my body had a need that we both felt. Kate's other hand took liberties under the table, which couldn't be seen by others. She stroked the outside of my uniform, running her fingers along my extended length.

Not knowing what Kate was really thinking, I felt uncomfortable. They'd made a big deal about my additional duties, but the women were up to something else too and Julia Fitz was acting weird. Kate passed me my new drink and I tipped it down my throat. It burned my throat immediately and if it hadn't tasted so good, I'd have thought it was fast-acting poison. I involuntarily coughed a few times, which made the table look at me. After a minute, the discomfort subsided, and a coolness expanded around my mouth.

"Freezer Burn," Dorothy said. "I can tell by the shape of the glass. Someone I happen to know in engineering makes it, supposedly in a secret compartment in the outer hull. It's the Captain's favorite drink, so he turns a blind-eye."

"Scandalous," my yeoman said, with a cavalier tone, waving her silver arm as if surprised.

Kate dabbed the sudden perspiration from my face with a drink napkin. One of her caramel hands tugged at my chin, as if to say 'what am I going to do with you.'

I forced myself to focus on my question.

With only my ladies in earshot, I asked, "Okay, what is up with Julia Fitz in a red dress? I have a feeling I'm not going to like your answer."

Kate's roommate still remained standing on the other side of the oversized round table, about as far as she could be from me and still be socially connected to our party. Julia was making small talk with Tina and Nonie but heard my question; braving a glance at me, her brows furrowed in concern. I could see the rippling effect of goosebumps running over her body. "Fear?" I thought, not believing. Not long ago, Fitz's long arm of jealousy conjured wretched troubles for me.