NationStates Jolt Archive

ASN New Dawn 03, Outer System Patrol, SR-2091, Associated Systems of Klonor

No, I shouldn't be here. This is wrong. I should leave, I should......oh my God........NO! There's an order to things, there are places I shouldn't be going, there is....there is.....that feels so......by Jove.....

A small moan escaped from Second Lieutenant Juliann Als mouth and her objections died unspoken, never even breaking out of the deepest interiors of her mind. She merely grinned and reached out, drawing her and her partner into an even tighter embrace.

By the Spirit, what am I doing? This isn't right. I could lose my command over this, be demoted to a garbage scow or worse. I need to control myself, I need to break this off. I must break this off. I will brea---in the name of the Spirit!

Captain Ribecca Unil barely restrained herself from screaming aloud and, as Lieutenant Als had done a bare few seconds previously, quickly banished from her mind any thoughts of ending the enconter. The two women slowly tumbled to the ground together, their minds quickly emptying of every thought except one another.

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"Captain on Deck!"

The few unoccupied bridge officers snapped to attention, the rest simply tossed off a quick salute before returning their attention to running the massive ship. There were so many demands to be met that very few people on duty had the time to actually snap to attention when they had to. The Captain knew this and easily let it slide. Afterall, the ship running more smoothly than an aged wine was a bit more important than than the crew saying "Ma'am!" whenever she walked past. Returning the various salutes, Captain Unil made her way to the Command Chair and turned to Commander Kiril, the New Dawn's Second in Command.

"Status, Commander Kiril?"

"All normal, ma'am. We've just swung past the seventh planet and are preparing for our return to to Dock over SR-Prime."

"Good. Any sensor anomolies?"

"No, ma'am. A few stray asteroids, one big enough to worry us if it hadn't been heading away from Prime, and that's it. Ma'am, may I ask why you're here? You're not scheduled for command for several hours."

"Just a little restlessness, that's all. I decided that it'd be better to check up on things than to spend the next two hours sitting in my cabin and worrying.

Or fighting the urge to find where Juliann is spending her time off.

"I trust I'm not disturbing you?"

"No, ma'am. Not at all."

"Very good, Commander. I'll leave you to your duties."

"Yes, ma'am."

With a quick salute the Captain turned and exited the bridge, followed by the gaze of nearly every member of the bridge crew. At 5'9'' tall, with a body that filled out her crimson Captains Uniform exquisitely and a mane of golden hair that fell nearly to her waist, she was a vision that drew the eyes of all but the most dedicated of crewmembers, and even those had to fight to keep their eyes on their controls. But looking was as far as they even dreamt of going, for involvement with a Captain, especially the Captain of the only Nexus vessel in the entire Klonor Space Corps, violated nearly every rule and regulation that the Corps had governing internal relationships. With nearly unanimous sighs of anguish, the crew turned their attention back to their consoles and returned to work.

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This can never happen again. Never. She's a Captain, I'm only a Lieutenant. It'd mean demotions for both of us, probably a court martial for me, the effective end of any possibility for advancement if we manage to hold on to our current positions. We have to keep this from happening again. We have to. We have to.

Lieutenant Als kept repeating that within her mind, kept repeating her pledge to never again meet with the Captain, kept swearing that it was a one time thing. Distracted, she didn't even notice the low tone that indicated there was a presence at the door. Only after the fourth time did she turn from her console and gather herself to speak to whoever was waiting for her outside.

Besides, she's probably disgusted with herself right now. Afterall, a Captain with a Lieutenant. She probably can't even stomach to remember it. I'd be surprised if she isn't working on getting me transfered away right now. Yes, she probably is. It's for the best, for both of us.

She glanced at the mirror, insuring that she was properly dressed to meet whoever was on the opposite side of the door.

It's better this way.

"Open."

At that word the door swooshed open, revealing Captain Unil in the process of signalling a fifth time. The Captain, unlike her usual self, seemed nervous and on the verge of breaking into a run and scampering away down the hallway. The skin was tight around her eyes and it was apparent that she hadn't slept. Still, she was beautiful and Juliann went weak in the knees just looking at her.

"Ah, Lieutenant Als, you're here. I was getting worried."

"Sorry, ma'am. I didn't hear the signal."

"Perfectly understandable, Lieutenant. Uh...may I come in?"

"Of course, ma'am."

Stepping aside, Juliann had to fight to keep quiet as the Captain passed and her perfume washed over her. Closing the door once her guest had come through, Juliann offered the rooms only chair to her guest and took a seat on the bed.

"Lieutenant....uh.....Juliann, I'm sure you've guessed why I'm here. What happened earlier today, what happened between us, it needs to stay between us. If word ever got out, if the Admiralty ever learned, it'd be catastrophic."

"I know, ma'am. I was thinking that myself before you got here."

Oh, by Jove, why must it be this hard?

"I thought you would be. You're superiors have always labelled you as intelligent and forward-thinking. But it's more than that. What happened before......it can never happen again. It needs to be a one time thing."

Spirit, give me strength.

"Of course, ma'am."

"Well, since we're in agreement, I'll take my leave. If you'll excuse me."

Neither moved.

"I really must be going, I'm due on the bridge in half an hour."

"I am as well, ma'am."

"Yes, we both have lives to lead."

They still remained as motionless as ever, staring at each other with wide eyes.

"I really do need to be going, Commander Kiril is used to seeing me there ten minutes early and will wonder about me."

Slowly, reluctantly, the Captain rose from her chair.

"Well, I'll see you on the bridge."

She seemed on the verge of saluting, but instead extended her hand to the Lieutenant. The junior officer grasped and began to shake, but on contact the two felt a spark. The same spark they'd felt hours before, on a brief passing in a corridor on Deck 26, that had stopped them both in their tracks and had dragged them into a small side office. The spark that coursed through their entire bodies and seemed to leave them empty.

"I'm the Captain, I'll show up on the bridge when I'm good and ready."

"Damn straight."

The two nearly lunged at one another and fell to the bed entangled.

OOC: For those who are reading this story in the hopes of me writing out, in detail, a sexy lesbian love scene between the two characters, I have this response: Don't hold your breath. When an author is writing about a character of his driving a car he doesn't need to describe every turn of the wheel, ever bit of pressure placed on the accelerator, or every time the turn signal is used, the reader already knows what's involved. The same with something like this, and if you don't already know then you shouldn't be reading a story like this anyway.

This story is going to be about a relationship between two people, it's going to be about people fighting outside pressure on their relationship, and it's going to be about love. What it is not going to be is a pornographic story that already has Jenna Jameson attached to star in the movie. Got it? Good.

Enjoy!

"Captain to the bridge."

The call came over the shipe-wide intercom, echoing throughout the massive vessel.

"No....don't stop.....don't stop......"

The near whisper came from the throat of a Lieutenant who was to preoccupied to even notice the announcement.

"Captain Unil, please report to the bridge."

Again the intercom rang, this time with a small hint of urgency underscoring the nervous Commanders words.

"........."

The Lieutenant couldn't even form a recognizeable word, only an obscure sound emerging.

"Captain Unil, this is Commander Kiril. Please report to the bridge at once."

The urgency was coming across in waves, in addition to a small amount of fear. It was obvious that the Commander was beginning to worry about where his commanding officer was, and the announcement was finally beginning to penetrate the fog surrounding both Lieutenant Als and Captain Unil. With a small gasp the two broke away from one another, shock and pleasure jockying for control in both of their expressions.

"That was...."

"We just....."

"But we......"

"You said....."

Neither seemed prepared for anything more than two-word statements, and probably would have continued on in that manner for quite a while, except that a fourth announcement from the bridge snapped them further into reality. Reaching over to the wall of Juliann's cabin, Ribecca flicked on the comm panel.

"Commander Kiril, this is Captain Unil. Ships situation?"

"Fine, ma'am, but you're over an hour overdue for your shift. The crew is getting worried. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Kiril, it is. You have the bridge until further notice."

"But, ma'am, what about--"

"Is there an emergency that you haven't informed me of?"

"No, ma'am, but--"

"Then follow my orders. Unil out."

Turning back to the cabins other occupant, Ribecca was almost afraid at what she'd find within the eyes of her partner.

"That was wonderful."

The words gushed forth from Juliann with such weight behind them that nobody could doubt their sincerity, and nobody could find even the tiniest hint of regret anywhere. Ribecca nearly melted at the words and, though she was silent, there was no mistaking that she felt the same way. Slowly, the two crossed the space between them, a mere foot that seemed like a mile, and simply held each other. Gone was the wild passion that had consumed them and left all logic and reason far behind; what they felt now was deeper and, in its own way, even more powerful.

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They remained in each others arms for what felt like a small eternity, merely enjoying the presence of the other. They were in no less trouble than they were before this encounter, their tryst was no less forbidden, but now they simply didn't care. Demotion, expulsion from the Corps, banishment from the Association; none of these thoughts so much as breached the very surface of their minds. They were consumed.

"I am definitely going to be demoted."

The words, though profoundly unfunny, brought a smile to Ribecca's lips as she heard Juliann utter them.

"No more than me, this is forbidden on both sides of the fence."

"Oh, no, not this. But I didn't show up for my shift today."

"Neither did I."

"Yeah, but you're the Captain. Kiril can't exactly confine you to quarters."

"True, but I think I recall issuing a set of confidential orders which required your personal attention and necessitated your absence from the bridge."

She smiled for a moment, but Juliann's face quickly froze and she sat bolt upright.

"No, ma'am."

A bit put off at the sudden formality, Ribecca also rose.

"Ma'am, I won't have you pulling strings to get me out of my duties. I am a Second Lieutenant and I have missed an assignment. You have a responsibility to notify the Commander and have a punishment drawn up."

"No rank, Juliann, no authority here. I won't."

"But....ma'am?"

"It's Ribecca. I think you can call me by my first name without reprisals."

"Ribecca, you must. Crew members musn't be allowed to shirk their duties, no matter what the cause."

Though deadly serious, Juliann couldn't help but smile slightly at the memory of the 'cause' of her negligence.

"I won't. Your absence was as much my responsibility as your own, and if there's one thing the Duke has frowned upon since he first achieved the throne it's subordinates being penalised for the faults of their superiors. I won't betray the Corps no matter how much you push, and I just might have do something about it if you push to hard."

The unstated 'something' was painfully obvious, and Julianne was more than a bit shocked at the speed with which her Captain had completely switched to that of a lover instead of a superior, a long-time confidant instead of a person who she had met face-to-face for the first time just a few hours earlier. But, shocked though she was, she was more than a tad bit happy.

"Well, who am I to argue with my Captain?"

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"Captain on deck!"

As before, only a few of the bridge officers stood at attention when the Captain appeared, the rest saluted and quickly returned to their duties. Moving towards the Command Chair she addressed an obviously nervous Commander Kiril.

"Ships status, Commander?"

"All normal, ma'am."

"Very good. You are relieved. Report back at 0800."

"Yes, ma'am. Ma'am?"

"Yes, Commander?"

"Are you all right?"

"Fine, Commander."

"Are you sure? You're....uh.....well.....you're vibrating, ma'am."

"That I am, Commander. You're dismissed."

"Yes....yes, ma'am."

Obviously a tad shaken, the Commander made his way to the exit at the rear.

What the bloody hell is going on? Two hours late for her shift? No explanation? Something has to have happened. What could have happened? Something wrong with the ship? No, no anomolies reported. News from the Association? No, we'd have detected any incoming transmissions. Then what?

He was still running through possible scenarios when he got back to his querters and perpared to go to sleep, his mind still racing as quickly as if he were still on the bridge.

OOC: WE WANT PORN!
seriously, I agree with you. Nicely written, focusing on the emotions and situations. Keep going, this is a good story.

OOC: Ah, gracias senor. I always appreciate feedback on my stories (hint, hint)

IC:

This isn't going to work. I'm going to walk in there and everybody is going to know. They're going to know right away. I can't hide this. They'll see, and they'll tell the Commander, and he'll report it to the Admiralty, and I'll end up drummed out of the Corps. She won't be reprimanded, not officially, but she'll end up working on some god-forsaken outpost on an airless rock in Ross128. Everybody will know.

Lieutenant Als stopped before the entrance to the bridge, preparing herself for her duty shift and wondering how the hell she would cover up what had happened.

Well, let them know. See if I care. If they can't handle this then I'll leave the Corps of my own free will.

A deep breath, pausing a few more moments to strengthen the impression that she and the Captain hadn't been together before reporting for duty, and she stepped through onto the bridge.

"Second Lieutenant Juliann Als, ships navigator, reporting for duty, ma'am."

"Ah, Lieutenant Als, welcome to the bridge."

A jolt of electricity ran through her entire body at the sound of the Captains voice and she had to fight to keep her face neutral, to keep from dancing in a small circle and whooping for joy.

"Thank you, ma'am. I apologise for being late."

"Perfectly understandable, Lieutenant. I'm well aware of what caused your delay. Man your station."

"Yes, ma'am."

Moving over to the navigation station, and giving a small apology to the Ensign who'd been force to stay several hours late when she hadn't shown up on time, she sat and ran her hands over the familiar console before her. This, at least, hadn't changed. This was the same as it had been the night before. This hadn't been turned into a bizarre reflection of itself as a result of a chance meeting in one of the anonymous hallways strewn throughout the ship.

"....ou there? I repeat, New Dawn to Juliann, are you there? Wake up!"

With a small start Juliann woke out of her little daze, suddenly aware that First Lieutenant Lorin Ver, the slightly older weapons officer stationed at the console next to her, had been trying to attract her attention for at least ten minutes.

"Jesus, J, where've you been? You were just staring into nothing like you were all stimmed up. You're lucky the Captain didn't see you."

"The Captain?"

"Yes, the Captain. It'd be a tad sour for your career if the Captain caught you daydreaming the first shift you pull with her in command. Just be glad you're not an important officer like the weapons officer, no Commander would ever let one of us let our mind wander like you just were."

Juliann couldn't help but give a brief snort of laughter, Lorin had a habit of giving his own position more importance than the Supreme General himself, and turned her attention back to her console. Fortunately, nothing had happened while she'd been dazed to put the ship in danger and she was easily able to re-enter the swing of things.

"Anyway, J, what's on your mind? I haven't seen you so out of it since the Duke woke up."

"Oh, it's nothing Lorin."

"Come on, J, you can tell me. I know when you've got something on your mind."

"Seriously, it's nothing. Just some personal things."

"Fine, but just know that I'm here if you want to talk."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Very deeply in my mind.

"Lieutenant Als?"

Again that burst of electricity.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Plot us a course back to Prime and transmit it to Engineering, initiate in ten minutes. Sensors, I want constant screening until we begin our acceleration. Once we're under way back to Prime give me a burst from the Massometers, Ergometers, and PED's every two minutes until we dock. I'd like us back in Dock within the hour so we can begin refueling and the crew can get some R&R."

A chorus of 'Yes ma'am's met her orders and the bridge was a bustle of acticivity. In minutes the massive New Dawn was under way, heading towards the inhabited planet at the interior of the system and the end of its weekly patrol.

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Okay, nobody knows. You're just imagining everything. Nobody knows a thing. You're in the clear. Nobody knows.

No matter how many times she repeated it to herself, Juliann couldn't shake the feeling that everybody around her could see right past her exterior and knew every sordid detail about what had happened earlier in the day. Even in the Officers Lounge, with only a bare few of her close friends in the same room, she felt naked and exposed.

"Juliann, in the name of the Spirit, get it off your chest!"

"We can see it's eating away at you. Just tell us."

"No, guys, it's personal. Don't worry about it."

"Lemme guess......promotion, right? In line for Commander? Maybe transfer to one of the Core systems? Something from your family? Sibling getting married? Come on, give us a hint!"

"Well.......I met someone."

Only a stunned silence met that line.

"Hey, it's not that unbelievable."

And it wasn't. Juliann Als looked more like a supermodel than a soldier, her curves filled out her uniform in a way that made mouths water and her beautiful red hair surrounded her angelic face like the frame of an exquisite portrait. Truth be told, she could have had anybody she wanted, but the rest of the crew was stunned because she'd never really shown any interest in having anyone at all. Many other crew on the New Dawn and many civilians had all made efforts to insert themselves into her private life, all without the tiniest indication that she'd even been aware that they were interested.

"Well, congratulations J. Anybody we know?"

"Uh....yeah, yeah I'd say you all know her."

"Well, who is it? That hunky new Ensign down in Engineering? Oh, I know, that buxom beauty over in Astro? The distinguished gentlemen who I always see in the observation lounge?"

"Wait.....did you actually just say 'buxom beauty'?"

"Yes, yes I did. Now answer the damn question."

"No, it's not the....ug...the buxom beauty. Or anybody else you mentioned."

"Then who?"

"I'm sorry, I just can't say. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have only a few hours until my next shift and I'd like to get some sleep."

"Juliann, we're docked. Except for some of the Engineering crew none of us are on duty for several days, and you know it. Stop trying to avoid us. You know we're going to get it out of you sooner or later, so you might as well tell us."

"Look, guys, I have to---"

Lieutenant Als, please report to the Captains briefing room. Repeat, Lieutenant Als, please report to the Captains briefing room.

"Well, saved by the bell I guess. I'll see you all later...."

And, practically dancing out the door, she made her way to the Captain.

OOC: Well written. I have a suggestion: some sudden event that might split the couple apart would really help with the angst factor. It was a good idea to include the thoughts the two women are having, it really helps in focusing on their emotions and make it a more touching story. This story, in my opinion, would be an interesting RP because you lay the foundation of the two contrasting opinions. (And because of the sex! JK) Put more angst to make it even better!
OOC2: Any chance of an opening?

OOC: Nah, no real chance for an opening. This is going to be a single author story until it's done. There might, however, be a spot open in the many RP's that will follow once I'm done with this particular story.

And I'd love to hear what other people think of this so far.

IC:

Calm down. Focus. Concentrate. Control yourself. Don't get yourself so worked up. All you've done is called her to your room, nothing more. Nothing has to happen here. This is just a meeting between two friends. She's a bright woman, she won't jump to the wrong conclusion. This doesn't have to lead anywhere. Stay in control.

Pacing back and forth within her private quarters, Captain Unil looked less like a self-controlled officer and more like a caged puma. Her gaze was frantically darting around the room and her hands were wringing each other into numbness.

All we're going to do is talk. That's it. We need to have an intellectual conversation, we need to decide what we're going to do. We can't begin every day with a frantic career-ending hormonal display. We have to set some rules, we need to keep this quiet. We need to control ourselves.

She was pacing faster now, practically running, and looked even more frantic. If one were to suddenly get a window into her room you'd think you were gazing at a woman facing a firing squad or about to be sentenced to death. For a woman who had personally seen more combat than most front-line Marines, she looked suspicously close to full-blown terror.

But what if we can't? What if she walks in here and before we know it.....No! No, we can't let this happen every time we see one another.

Still pacing, she almost didn't hear the door signal.

Oh, bloody hell. She's here.

Visibly bracing herself, the Captain walked over and opened the door.

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Lieutenant Als walked down the ships corridors with what was unmistakably a spring in her step. Her face was streteched by an ear-to-ear grin and her eyes were as wide as child on Saturnalia. A bit to wide, in fact; more than a few crew members who passed her were severely unnerved. She didn't care in the slightest.

This is it.

She stood before the Captains doors and paused to gather her thoughts.

Wow.....this is it.

This was the first time she and the Captain would be meeting with the intention of doing.....of completing....of watching....well, with some intention. Their first meeting had been a chance passing in the hallways, their second had been when the two were both slightly out of their minds and planning on slicing off all contact. This was the first time that they were getting together with the plan of doing something together and, surprisingly, the fact that it might not be sex didn't damper her spirits at all. She was practically glowing.

With a slightly shaking hand she reached out and keyed the signal.

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"Lieutenant."

"Ma'am."

"Thank you for coming so quickly."

"It was no problem, ma'am."

"I'm sure it wasn't."

The two stood there, one inside a cabin and the other in a hallway, and made no move to to further the conversation. A passerby would have easily been perturbed and curious, but thankfully the majority of the ships complement was off the ship on leave and they were undisturbed as of yet.

"Did you have any problems locating the briefing room?"

"No, ma'am."

Neither made any effort to move into the room and away from where a casual passerby could see them.

Attention, Attention, Decks 42 through 57 will be off-limits for the next three hours. Repeat, Decks 42 through 57 will be off-limits for the next three hours. That is all.

Both women visibly jumped at the sudden announcement, and it seemed to clear out the syrup clogging their minds.

"Please, come in."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Practically shaking with excitement, the two women turned and entered the Captains quarters. They hadn't taken four steps, with the door barely closed behind them, when they turned to each other and closed the distance without a word. With closed eyes and nervous hands they pulled one another together, parted their lips in anticipation, and....

"No."

It wasn't the screamed word that had repeatedly echoed within Ribecca's mind when she was waiting for her caller, it wasn't frantic and obviously against the speakers true wishes, and it wasn't ignored. It was calm and quiet, and it carried a strength within itself.

"We can't."

The same strength coming, not from the Captain as one would expect, but from the junior officer who was still aching to be with the women she had just taken a step back from.

"We have to talk. We need to talk."

Ribecca's expression was that of unbridled lust and she seemed on the verge of tackling Juliann to the ground, but she held herself back despite every urge in her body.

"Captain......Ribecca, this can't keep happening. We can't lose control whenever we're near each other, we can't just start shedding our clothing the second we're alone."

The very mention of a loss of clothing ran a visible jolt through the Captain, but she still managed to control herself.

"If we can't even get two sentences out of our mouths before our minds shut down, how long do you think it will be before we suddenly burst into action while on the bridge or in the middle of the Officers Lounge? How long before the entire crew is clued in on what's going on? How long before it gets back to the Admiralty and both our careers get shot out of a Cannon? Nothing would give me more joy than to be with you right now, but not if it's going to make both our lives nightmares for the next hundred years."

Finally managing to get herself under control, Ribecca slowly drew herself up into a proper military stance and nodded her agreement. The words made sense, and had penetrated the fog of passion and lust that were cloging her thoughts. Deliberately, she moved over to the long table dominating the room.

"Please, Juliann, have a seat. I think we have much to discuss."

Juliann's eyes twinkled.

"And perhaps more afterwards."

The room was charged with electricity and there was almost a visible arc between the two women, but so far they had managed to keep control of themselves. They were still fully clothed, neither was screaming at the top of their lungs, and both were still able to form a coherent thought. Progress, of a sort.

"Juliann, I'd like to apologise for the way I've acted. Every time we've met I've lost control and behaved in ways I shouldn't have, even if I wasn't a Captain. I......I'm sorry."

Relief that the silence had finally been broken was almost palpable.

"There's no need to apologise. Believe me, your 'erratic behavior' was in no way an inconvenience....

Both women let out light, nervous laughter.

"....and I didn't exactly try to stop you. I think we were both acting a bit odd. I don't have any regrets, and I don't think you do, either."

"Regrets? Not a one. I wouldn't give up what we had for an Admiral position."

"Neither would I."

Some more nervous laughter, followed by an uneasy silence, and it was apparent that if something didn't happen the two women would soon lose what little control they had left.

Nothing happened.

They resumed almost exactly where they'd left off, animalistic grunts as they lept into one anothers arms and a record-breaking loss of clothing. Within moments they were in lost in passion and were ready to....

The doorbell rung.

"Son of a bitch!"

They practically flew away from each other and tensed, wondering who had stumbled across them at this most inopportune moment.

"This is Private Weo, Ships Security. I've been hearing strange sounds emanating from this room, is everything all right?"

Neither woman moved, hoping that the nosy Private would be satisfied nothing was worth investigating and would just be on his way.

"I repeat, is everything all right? Do you require assistance?"

They slowly began to move away from the door, backing to the sides so that if the Private walked in he might not see them right away.

"If you do not respond in twenty seconds I will be required to force entry to ascertain your condition."

That simply would not do. He'd walk in, notice he was in the Captains quarters, see the two naked women, and the interrupted lovers would suddenly need to wonder what their next jobs would be. Twenty seconds wasn't nearly enough time to fully dress again, despite how quickly they'd lost the clothing to begin with, and there was no way to disguise what had been going on.

Turning to the superior officer, Juliann silently mouthed a question.

Distract him?

How?

You go out and order him to the bridge.

I'm still naked.

Oh. That was a kink in the Lieutenants plans, the Captain was still officially on duty, despite the fact that the New Dawn was docked and she had no responsibilites until it launched again, and it wasn't standard protocol to report to the bridge with only your rank insignia.

You go out.

These aren't my quarters.

He won't notice. Trust me.

A conspiritorial wink implying just why he wouldn't notice, and the fact that they were quickly running out of time, forced Julianns hand.

Damnit!

She lept to her feet, grabbed a nearby towel and her rank insignia, and turned to the door.

What do I say?

Be imposing and threatening.

I don't do threatening, that's why I'm a navigator and not a gunner.

Think Salm with better hair.

Oh. Got it.

Taking a deep breath, trying to imagine just how an angry and interrupted bridge officer would act, she keyed the doors motors and stepped out; hopefully with a face filled with rage.

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Okay, down hallway 4C of Deck 28 for thirteen blocks, turn left onto 6H, and keep going until I run into the city section. Then I go out the other end and......and......and I am completely lost. Where the hell am I?

Private, Second Class, Gatter Weo froze where he was and slowly spun in a circle in an attempt to get his bearings.

Why in the name of Mars did I ever accept this transfer? This ship is the size of a freaking city.

He slowly continued down the hallway he was in, without the tiniest idea which hallway it was, and continued to hurl mental curses at himself for ever moving off the Fenrir, a Fenris class Cruiser that was the size of a flea when compared with the New Dawn. He had absolutely no idea where he was in the mammoth vessel, and the odds of him getting to his quarters were steadily getting worse.

Maybe if I find a security checkpoint? No, with my luck every checkpoint I come across will be emptied when the crew was assigned to leave. Let's see, if this is 3K then that is.....what is that sound?

It had been there for several minutes, a low-level humming that was almost below the threshold of human hearing, but was steadily growing louder as he walked.

It sounds like sobbing....is somebody hurt?

His predicament was forgotten almost immediately, his KSMAR-1000 was suddenly in his hands and he was stealthily creeping down the hallway as if he expected a horde of enemy soldiers to stampede around the corner any second. He paused to make sure the area behind him was clear then dashed forward, pausing at each doorway he passed and listening.

It's definitely coming from further down and it's definitely a person.

He looked to his waist and checked the small comm clipped to his belt.

No alarms raised and no record of weapons fire. Probably somebody just slipped and banged their head.

He hesitated, almost slung his weapon back into his pack, but then began moving down the hallway again.

Just to be safe. I'll notify the Captain once I find something, but that doesn't quite sound like somebody in pai......ah HA!

Stopping before the door he felt the sound was originating from, more certain than ever that the noise was human but less certain that it was somebody in pain, he pondered what to say.

'I was evesdropping and decided to drop by?' Ha, I'd be lucky if they don't press charges.

A particularly loud moan from beyond the door reached his ears and made the decision for him, he couldn't just keep going if there was a chance that somebody beyond was hurt. Knocking loudly on the door he keyed the alert signal and took a step back.

"This is Private Weo, Ships Security. I've been hearing strange sounds emanating from this room, is everything all right?"

At the lack of a response he brought up his Rifle and raised his voice even louder.

"I repeat, is everything all right? Do you require assistance?"

He still didn't receive any response, but he definitely heard something move.

Blast it all to hell.

"If you do not respond in twenty seconds I will be required to force entry to ascertain your condition."

20.....19......18.....I did not want my first day on this ship to start with me breaking into somebody's room......13......12......11.....

Then, with a suddennes that would have startled a normal man, the rooms doors swung open to reveal a shockingly beautiful woman wearing nothing but a towel. A towel that covered only a bare fraction of what there was to cover.

Hot damn....oh, crap.

Belatedly, he saw that in her right hand, the one not holding the towel together, she held a Lieutenants rank insignia and the attachment identifying her as a bridge officer. Snapping to attention, Gatter wondered how his day could get any worse.

"Private, just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Ma'am, my apologies, ma'am! I'd heard a noise I thought originated from somebody in pain and moved to investigate. I was unaware of this cabins occupant! Please forgive my intrusion, ma'am!"

"Do you always investigate every single sound you hear?"

"No, ma'am!"

"Are you sure? How about when somebody in your division drops a quarter? Do you order a high alert? Or maybe when a cow glides by overhead when you're groundside, do you bring in the Dealers to deal with it?"

"No, ma'am!"

"So it's only when you're on ship then? When somebody turns on a light do you bring out an MBC? Does a Gate turning on prompt you to throw a grenade? Answer!"

"No, ma'am, it does not!"

"So why in the name of the Pantheon are you threatening to break into my quarters because you heard a noise?"

Only silence greeted her.

"Your name and operating number?"

"Private, Second Class, Gatter Weo. Operating Number 0484153239. Transferred from the Fenrir approximately seven hours ago."

"The Fenrir? I wasn't aware that Captain Helo had grown so lax with the men under his command. Should I inform him of what his former security officers do when they leave his ship? I'm sure he'd simply be delighted to learn what a good impression you're giving of him and his crew."

"Ma'am, please no, ma'am!"

"Return to your quarters at once, consider yourself relieved of duty until further notice. You will be notified by another of the Command Staff within the day. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Good. Move!"

"Ma'am, I'm lost, ma'am!"

At that remark Juliann almost let her mask slip and had to fight to keep from laughing out loud. It was hard enough acting with authority that she didn't have in a manner that went directly against her own personality, something like that almost made the entire facade disappear.

"What?"

"I don't know where I am, ma'am. I was attempting to get to my quarters and missed a turn somewhere, that's why I was passing through this hallway."

"Your quarters?"

"Cabin 31485."

Unbelievable, all this because he missed his room by one single hallway.

"You're one hallway over, Private. Turn left at the next intersection and you'll be right where you need to be."

"Thank you, ma'am!"

"Now get out of my sight!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Relieved at having gotten off so lightly, Gatter turned and practically sprinted away down the hallway. The second he rounded the corner Juliann stepped back into the room, let the door slide shut, and fell to the gound with a deep sigh.

OOC: Oh, come on people, give me some feedback! There've been two replies that weren't posted by me and over 70 views. Even if it's not good, tell me something. I really do want to know what people think.

Oh, also, I'd suggest re-reading the above post. I've edited it quite extensively.

IC:

"Well, that was a mood killer."

Unable to keep a smile off her face, Juliann turned to face the watching Captain.

"I must say, that was an impressive performance. I could practically hear him shaking in his boots, he probably thought you were about to get him demoted to washing the cadets boots in Gamma Draconis."

"Yeah, to bad I don't have the authority to get him transferred off the ship. In fact, to bad I don't have any authority at all. I can't even relieve him of duty, and he'll notice that the second he doesn't report for his duty shift and they send somebody looking for him. Five minutes after that this whole thing will fall apart."

"True, you don't have the authority to relieve him from duty, but I do. He won't even know it wasn't a Lieutenant that did it."

"Until he's called to the bridge one day and sees me at the Navigation station in a Second Lieutenant uniform. He'll see that I hold neither significantly high rank or a position of authority over the ships security detail, and then it will all fall apart."

"Oh, stop worrying so much. Trust me, you showed up at that door with nothing on but a towel and a grim expression. The last thing he's going to remember is your face, other parts of your anatomy will dominate his mind for quite a while."

Blushing at the flattery, Juliann still couldn't quite let go of her fears.

"We got lucky this time, if he'd been a regular crew member instead of a new transfer he'd have noticed that these were your quarters, much to big for a Lieutenant of any position, and he'd have known that I don't belong here in a towel. If it had even been a Bridge Officer they'd have recognized me in an instant. We need to be more careful."

"Agreed. Tomorrow I'll have some of the Engineering crew redo the sound-proofing and surveillance jamming equipment around my quarters, nobody will know what's going on in here unless we want them to. Nobody else will be attracted by 'strange noises', and if they are I'll see the entire Engineering staff tossed to a Corvette before my own demotion."

Finally convinced, Juliann visibly relaxed and walked over to the Captains bed.

"Tell you what. You keep everybody out of these quarters, and I'll give you a reason to stay in them."

Ribecca couldn't help but grin from ear-to-ear and slowly approach the horizontal Lieutenant.

"Agreed."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The two women, Ribecca and Juliann, Captain and Lieutenant, superior and subordinate, friend and lover, lay next to one another in the Captains bed and basked within the glow of the other. Their passions had been explored to the highest peak, their energy spent to the last erg, every limit of their bodies tested, and now they just rested and breathed, attemtping to work up the force of will to go again.

Oddly enough, they weren't working to hard. They both seemed content to simply lie there and hold each other. Staring into one anothers eyes, the same thought could be read in each of their faces.

That was Won-Der-Ful!

Grinning sheepishly, Juliann nodded her head forward and placed a small kiss on Ribecca's forehead.

"You look amazing."

With her hair in disarray, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes still darting from place to place in the aftermath, that was a very liberal interpretation of Ribecca's appearance. But she didn't doubt the sincerity in the least.

"Right back at you."

They both laughed and, for the first time, it wasn't the nervous and high-pitched laughter that had frequently burst from their throats when they were about to engage in something officially frowned upon. This was the calm, peaceful laughter that signified a person at peace, a person who had finally overcome the last mental barriers, and who was finally ready to accept that the current situation wasn't a one time thing. That this wasn't a purely physical attraction that, though bright and shining, would quickly burn itself out.

The two of them continued to lie together in bed, simply holding one another, and neither wanted anything more.

"This is nice."

"Pressure building.......ready.....release!"

Whoosh!

"Pressure building.......ready.....release!"

Whoooosh!

"Pressure building.......ready.....release!"

Whoooooosh!

"That'll do it, John. Seal off the containment chambers and retract the tubing, we can't hold one more atom. Any problems?"

"No, sir. By the book every step of the way, it went without a hitch."

"Huh......well, there's a first time for everything. Prepare your report and submit it through the proper channels, I'll notify the Captain."

"Yes, sir."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You snore in your sleep."

"Hmm?"

"You, Madame Captain, snore."

"I do, do I? I'm surprised you could hear it over the rumbling coming from your abdomen. When's the last time you ate, before SR was settled?"

Giggling slightly, as a teenage girl might if a cute boy had winked at her, Juliann couldn't help but again be amazed at how quickly she and Ribecca, who had met only the previous day, had so completely, quickly, and easily switched into the roles of a couple that had been together for years. She still half expected her partner to suddenly stand bolt upright and begin shouting commands left and right.

"The last time I ate was only a few hours ago, just before your vital and important summons. However, I think we've since burned off whatever nutrients I might have absorbed."

"I think you're right. Care to join me for breakfast?"

"I'd love to, but I don't see a cafe in here and people might begin to talk if we show up in one of the cafeterias arm in arm."

"True, but nobody'll say anything if I have one of the maintenance robots carry an order to one of the kitchens and have it brought back here. I've done it before, when I'm having a meeting with the other officers or just don't feel like leaving my cabin, it won't raise any alarms."

"In that case, I accept."

Unfortunately, before the meal could even be ordered, the ships intercom rang to life.

"Engineers Mate Vula to Captain Unil, Captain Unil please respond. Engineers Mate Vula to Captain Unil, Captain Unil please respond."

Groaning, the Captain reached over and activated the wall comm panel.

"This is the Captain, go ahead."

"Captain, I'd like to report that the refueling process has been completed ahead of schedule. We've got a full load of hydrogen locked away, we've got enough to keep the MiniStars powered for years. The minor hull damage is nearly fully repaired and our store of perishables has been completely restocked. We should be able to leave dock within the hour."

Damnit!

"Good work, Engineer. Contact the bridge, have them begin to recall the crew from the station. I'd like to leave dock within two hours, so nobody has to rush."

"Understood, ma'am. Engineers Mate Vula out."

With a small flick of her wrist the Captain turned off the intercom and turned to face her neighbor.

"Two hours? Why so long?"

"I believe we have a date, and I never like to rush a meal."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

This isn't going to work. I'm going to walk in there and everybody is going to know. They're going to know right away. I can't hide this. They'll see, and they'll tell the Commander, and he'll report it to the Admiralty, and I'll end up drummed out of the Corps. She won't be reprimanded, not officially, but she'll end up working on some god-forsaken outpost on an airless rock in Ross128. Everybody will know.

Lieutenant Als stopped before the entrance to the bridge, preparing herself for her duty shift and wondering how the hell she would cover up what had happened. It was odd, she'd had these exact same thoughts before her last shift, but she still couldn't shut them out. Even when she'd spent hours with her fellow officers they hadn't known, but she still couldn't silence that nagging voice in her mind.

Well, let them know. See if I care. If they can't handle this then I'll leave the Corps of my own free will.

Taking a deep breath, and unsuccessfully trying to kill the smile that had been plastered in the middle of her face for quite some time, she stepped through into the bridge.

"Second Lieutenant Juliann Als, ships navigator, reporting for duty, ma'am."

"Right on time, Lieutenant. Man your station."

That same little thrill ran through her body at the sound of the Captains voice and she had to struggle to keep a new smile from blossoming over the old one, but she managed to succeed and tossed off a quick salute before moving over to her console.

Just a few more hours. Just a few short hours and we'll be together again.

"Lieutenant, plot us a course to the TLMDG. We've got an appointment in Deneb and I'd like to keep it."

"Yes, ma'am.....course plotted."

"Move us out."

"Yes, ma'a--"

"Captain! Priority message incoming from Corps Command in Gamma Draconis! Red flagged: Urgent!"

"Helm, all stop. Play the message, Rico."

"Yes, ma'am."

And the Bridge Crew listened as the world fell to its knees.

OOC 0.5: Ok, I'll be your 3rd outside critique post...sort of.
---
OOC1: Ahhh...Where are you? What happens next? "The world fell on its knees," then what?
The part with the lost Private was funny. That added a break to the seriousness, but I'm not saying that the seriousness is bad.
Put in some conflict where some long lost love comes aboard the ship and one of the women feels that it's best for their predicament that someone else ends their relationship. Then the whole almost cliche plot where this and that happens then some crying and hugging at the end and everyone lives happily ever after.
---
OOC2: (I wanted a reprieve from reading all those other basic war and political RPs and stuff...I can't find any good RP with some deep meaning and complex plot that will actually make you think. Not like those, "my fleet will attack yours etc..." Even though this story is closed, it's a good supplemental read. Try to focus less on fighting, that'll help. Make sure to emphasize character development and how they express themselves over everything else.
Then to my surprise, the next part turn out to be some technical battle...)
---
OOC3: too lazy to spell-check...

It Is Coming

http://67.18.37.17/595/43/upload/p1245760.jpg

Expected In August

OOC: Okay, I wanted to keep all my RP's down until I revealed my magical surprise in August, but I just couldn't wait so long before I added another chapter. I hope you like!

IC:

ASCv Victoria, Convoy Escort, Sub-Space, En-Route to Gamma Draconis, Associated Systems of Klonor

"Helm, time to transition?"

"Approximately three minutes, sir."

"Good. Status of the convoy?"

"All freighters report normal, sir. The Xanthal reported some minor glitches in their power systems, but it's all been taken care of."

"Good. Lieutenant Drogen?"

"Sir?"

"Bring the Beam Cannons on-line and charge the Laser Turrets. I'd like to enter Real-Space with all weapons hot."

"Readying weapon programs now, sir. Ion-rod insertion will be complete in.....one minute. Are you expecting trouble, sir? Something you haven't told us?"

"No, I just want us to be on our toes. This is the first shipment of MiniStar IV's stable enough to be used aboard a mobile ship, they'll damn near double our Fleets power and they're only going into a few dozen ships. They're also a prime target, if one of these falls into a pirates hands they could buy a stellar system off the profits and live like a King. I just want to be sure that we're prepared for anything."

"Understood, sir. Weaponry programs on-line. We should be at full combat readiness just as we're exiting Sub-Space."

"Very good, Lieutenant. Carry on."

"Yes, sir."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

ASI Florence, Military Installation, Klonor Space Corps Central Command, Gamma Draconis, Associated Systems of Klonor

"Contact! Sensor contact! Twenty-four Sub-Space Nodes opening at the Jump-Node!"

"Identification?"

"Coming through now, sir. They're tagged as convoy 096, nineteen Poseidon class Freighters and five Mercury class Corvette escorts. The Victoria commanding."

"Any errors?"

"No, sir. It all checks out."

"Good. Signal the Victoria, have her bring them to the Florence and unload their cargo. Bring the station up to Tactical Alert Beta and dispatch two Destroyers for additional escort."

"Destroyers, sir? For a standard convoy?"

"This convoy has something....special, Lieutenant."

"Special, sir?"

"We wanted it kept off the computer records, understand?"

"Understood, sir. Destroyers dispatched, the Bastion and the Galatea will be there momentarily."

"Good. Inform me if there are any problems."

"Yes, sir."

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ASCv Victoria, Convoy Escort, Gamma Draconis, Associated Systems of Klonor

"Sir, we have incoming. Two Orion class Destroyers, tagged as the Bastion and the Galatea."

"Good, I assume that means the Admiral has noticed our arrival. Move into standard escort formation with the Destroyers, Lieutenant, and command the rest of the convoy to do likewise."

"Yes, sir."

The numerous ships of the convoy swam through space like a school of fish, darting towards the massive vessels approaching them and swarming around like minnows circling a pair of whales. As one, the cluster began to move towards the interior of the system and the military base orbiting the inner-most planet. The escorting ships, enough firepower to decimate a planet from orbit, were obviously expecting some sort of interference. Their weaponry was fully charged, their sensors inspecting every speck of dust, and the gunners didn't move their fingers one millimeter off the firing studs. Any assault would undoubtedly have been suicide.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The assault came without warning. Within seconds the five Corvettes were floating wrecks, no more than a few melted tons of metal remained of the original combat ships. The two Destroyers, exponentially larger and tougher than the already eliminated craft, weathered the first onslaught. Missiles detonated and lasers burned, but thankfully nothing managed to penetrate the shields covering the massive battle wagons. Their return fire, seemingly fueled by the anger within the very hearts of the gunner, burned brightly but pointlessly. The attacking vessels, over a dozen craft smaller even than a Cruiser, were already gone as if never there in the first place.

Then they were back.

This time, each of the smaller ships hovered in space and simply absorbed the massive energy poured into them by the Beam Cannons on the Bastion and the Galatea. Though they were practically engulfed in deadly flame nothing touched their hulls, a barrage that would have damaged the great Colossus didn’t even so much as pierce their protective shields. The same was not true of the reverse. The second barrage from the attacking ships left the two Destroyers dead in space, with nothing to indicate that they had ever been anything more than a loose collection of elements floating through the Void.

In the blink of any eye the attacking ships were gone again, leaving seven dead hulks and nineteen untouched freighters behind.

Thirty-seven seconds had passed since their first appearance.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

ASN New Dawn 03, En-Route to TLMDG, SR-2091, Associated Systems of Klonor

Taking a deep breath, and unsuccessfully trying to kill the smile that had been plastered in the middle of her face for quite some time, Second Lieutenant Juliann Als stepped through into the bridge.

"Second Lieutenant Juliann Als, ships navigator, reporting for duty, ma'am."

"Right on time, Lieutenant. Man your station."

That same little thrill ran through her body at the sound of the Captains voice and she had to struggle to keep a new smile from blossoming over the old one, but she managed to succeed and tossed off a quick salute before moving over to her console.

Just a few more hours. Just a few short hours and we'll be together again.

"Lieutenant, plot us a course to the TLMDG. We've got an appointment in Deneb and I'd like to keep it."

"Yes, ma'am.....course plotted."

"Move us out."

"Yes, ma'a--"

"Captain! Priority message incoming from Corps Command in Gamma Draconis! Red flagged: Urgent!"

"Helm, all stop. Play the message, Rico."

"Yes, ma'am."

Broad Beam Transmission
Transmission Origin: Supreme General Richard Ihm, Commander of the Klonor Space Corps, ASI Florence, Klonor Space Corps Central Command, Gamma Draconis, Associated Systems of Klonor

"To all vessels of the Klonor Space Corps, this is Supreme General Richard Ihm."

Pain was plainly detectable in his voice, muted sirens were heard in the background, and the fact that the message was in the clear instead of heavily encoded all pointed to a severe problem.

"Approximately three minutes ago the Corps vessels in the Gamma Draconis system came under attack from unidentified aggressors. There was no warning, threat, or demand. So far we have lost 97% of our combat ability within this system, only the Florence's defences and two Fenris class Cruisers remain intact. By our estimate we have damaged two of the attacking vessels, but this is unconfirmed."

There was a collective gasp of horror from the bridge crew. The Gamma Draconis base was the staging point for more than a third of the entire Corps complement of warships, it was the most secure system in the entire Association and was meant to be the location from which efforts to reclaim other system would be launched from. To have been overtaken in three minutes was supposed to have been impossible. To have been overtaken in three years was supposed to be impossible.

"I am hereby ordering Gamma Draconis quarantined, we must contain this invasion to this system.. The 4'th, 5'th, and 6'th Fleets are to embark immediately to the Capella system. Destroy anything emerging from the Node the second it hits Real-Space. I want all TLMDG's within the Association to be deactivated until the Gamma Draconis Gate is locked out of the system. Hopefully, with luck, we will---"

Transmission Closed

"It cuts off there, ma'am."

Captain Ribecca Unil was silent for the barest of moments, then immediately burst into action.

"Communications, transmit a burst signal to the Viceroy on Prime. Send the entire transmission and inform him that the New Dawn is leaving the system. Once that's sent I want you to link to the TLMDG. Shut it down."

"Ma'am? That'll leave SR completely cut off from the rest of the Association."

"I know. They've survived it before. Do it."

"Yes, ma'am........done."

"Good. Helm?"

For once, the sound of the Captains voice didn't send Lieutenant Als into a small fit.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Plot a course to Cappella, Nexus Flight. I want us on-station in no more than half an hour."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Weapons, charge the Nexus Cannon and all BFGreen Beams. I want the supplemental MiniStars burning hot."

"Working, ma'am."

"Course plotted, ma'am."

"Good. Move us out, and may the Spirit assure us that we're not to late."

In the Void of Space, in front of the massive bulk of the New Dawn 03, there was a slightly distorted flash of blue and bizarre ripple of space, and the Klonor Space Corps only Nexus capable ship was en-route to the Milky Way galaxy.

OOC: Come on guys, I'm sure that more than just two people have read this story. Tell me something!

IC:

ASN New Dawn 03, En-Route to Capella, Nexus Sub-Space, Associated Systems of Klonor

"Helm, ETA to Capella?"

"Approximately twelve minutes, ma'am."

"Weapons?"

"The Nexus Cannon is fully charged and operational, the supplemental MiniStars are set to re-charge it once it's been fired. All four BFGreens are primed and ready, as are our conventional defences. Pilots are already mounted and are standing by."

"Good. Any further contact from Gamma Draconis?"

"No, ma'am. We've gotten confirmation from 4'th Fleet, it's on station and deploying around the Capella Node. The 5'th and 6'th Fleets expect to be there within ten minutes."

"That's barely 2/3 the the size of the forces that were stationed in Gamma Draconis. Can't any more ships be spared?"

"The 9'th Fleet is being dispatched from Tau Ceti, but it'll take them quite some time to get to a Sub-Space Node. Until then it's going to be on our shoulders."

"Very well. Notify me one minute to reversion."

"Yes, ma'am."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

With a flash of blue and a distorted ripple of space the New Dawn dropped out of Nexus Flight and into the Capella system, expecting a pitched battle and ready to thrust themselves right into the middle of it. To their surprise (and joy), the system was empty except for the Corps ships sent to guard the Node.

"Ma'am, we are being queried by four ships. The ASD Vulcan, the ASD Juno, the ASB Patroclus, and the ASJ Constantine."

"The Constantine is here? How?"

"Unknown, ma'am. Perhaps we should ask them."

"Very well. Open a broad beam channel."

"Open, ma'am."

"Attention vessels of the Klonor Space Corps, this is Captain Unil aboard the ASN New Dawn 03. We are here to assist in the blockade of the Capella/Gamma Draconis Jump-Node. Please advise us of the current situation."

"Captain Unil? This is Admiral Rogriss aboard the Constantine. Welcome to the party, we're glad to have you here."

"I'm glad to be here, sir, but I'm more than a bit confused by your presence. I was under the impression that the Constantine had been dispatched on long-range patrols and was unavailable for action."

"We were, but we stumbled upon a lucky break in one of the distant Arms. Another Knossos, all big and round and just waiting for us to arrive. We Jumped back to Deneb the secound we found it and arrived just in time to hear the Generals transmission."

"Praise the Spirit, sir. With you here we just might have a chance."

Indeed, they might. With both the New Dawn and the Constantine present, two of the most powerful ships in the Klonor Fleet, and three System Fleets on station with a fourth on the way, it just might be possible to contain the Invasion. Then again, the Gamma Draconis system had an equally powerful Fleet and additional stationary defences, all to no avail.

"Admiral, your orders?"

"I'd like you operating just shy of 180 degrees opposite the Constantine, have the Nexus keyed up and ready for a direct shot. If we're lucky you'll be able to cut right through them the second they appear. If not....well, if not then you'd better start blazing with every other gun you've got."

"Understood, sir."

"Constantine out."

"Lieutenant Als, get us moving. Hold us at ten kilometers outside the Jump-Node and orient us inwards. Lieutenant Ver, tie in the Nexus to the IFF and Ergometers, I want it to fire the very second that we detect a non-Corps ship coming through."

"Yes, ma'am."

Moving with grace unbecoming a ship of its size, the New Dawn swam through space and took up position almost directly opposite the larger Constantine. The two were prepared to catch enemy exiting ships in a crossfire to slice them to pieces, but if the attackers had truly only suffered damage to two ships then even this awesome concentration of firepower might prove ineffective.

"Now we wait."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

A minute passed. Then five. Then ten. Then half an hour. Then an hour. Then another. A day passed, the shifts on the various vessels rotated, fighters roared in and out of docking bays, and still nothing emerged from the Node.

"Any contact with Gamma Draconis?"

"No, ma'am. We've gotten no response to any Beamed transmissions or Sub-Space communiques. Even personal transmitters haven't gotten a response. I don't think there's anybody left to answer."

"Still no Ergometric detection?"

"No, ma'am. There's nothing en-route to this Node."

"How long until the 9'th Fleet is expected to arrive?"

"Still several hours at least, ma'am."

This same conversation had been repeated numerous times in the past day, each time the hope that the crew had for the Corpsmen in Gamma Draconis sank a little lower and their impatience with the 9'th Fleet rose even higher.

"Very well. This watch is relieved. Report back to duty at 0900 tomorrow."

There was a chours of "Yes, ma'am's" and the various officers relinquished their stations to the rested men and women just now entering the room.

"Commander Kiril, you have the bridge."

OOC: Please, respond! I am starved for information here!

ASN New Dawn 03, Capella/Gamma Draconis Jump-Node, Capella

"Don't stop now, Jim, I've got three more hours before my shift and I don't want to remember a single one of them."

Grinning slightly, Jim reached beneath the bar and brought out another small little glass already filled to the brim and slid it across to Juliann. Mirroring his smile, she picked up the small object and knocked back its contents in a single gulp.

"Jesus, J, go easy! If you go into shock who'll pilot this baby?"

"Oh, grow up Lorin. There's a dozen other navigators in this room alone."

"True, but not all of them are willing to cover for me while I slip off the bridge for ten minutes to do.....uh.....stuff."

Julianns' smile grew even wider and she nodded to Jim again, getting another drink on the table for her newly arrived bridge comrade as she gestured to the seat next to her.

"Have a seat Lorin, and keep me company. Right now isn't the best time to be drinking alone."

Nodding to himself, the weapons officer lowered himself and reached out for the drink that seemed to be calling to him.

"I know what you mean, this complete communications blackout is killing me. Our just sitting here and waiting isn't helping, either. We need to know what's going on over in Gamma, we need to be planning a counter-offensive, we need to know if there are any survivors, we need to know if.....oh, shit, I'm sorry J. I'm sure Brian will be alright."

The sobs that suddenly began to wrack her body at her brothers name kept Juliann from giving any real responce, but her thoughts were plain enough.

"Listen, you heard Ihm just like the rest of us, there were two Fenris's still going out there, and I'd bet my next months drink ration that one of those was the Fenrir. She's a good ship and Captain Helo knows how to use her. Besides, even if the Fenrir was knocked out the crew would just Gate to a safe location. Right now Brian's probably sitting in the guest quarters of somebody elses ship and knocking back Elarian Ale while he worries over you. Your brother's going to be just fine."

"Yeah....yeah, you're probably right. But still....three minutes? Lorin, this is big. This isn't some pissant dictator trying to make himself a rep by taking down a Cruiser or two, this is big. Whatever could do that could do....well, anything. The entire Association is wide open. I mean seriously, what can we possibly do?"

"J, I think you've had enough."

Even as he spoke, Lorin was edging the newest filled glass away from her and slowly motioned away the bartender.

"We've still got 2/3 of the Corps out here and all the planetary defences. I've yet to meet the Fleet that could stand up to a Harbinger Barrage, and I doubt we're going to do so any time in the near future. Add in all the reserves, the personal troups, and our allies, and I don't see any force in the Universe that could do much. We're going to be fine, we'll weather this storm just like we weathered the Takians and Lil miss and Salm and everybody else. Now I think you should get back to your quarters, you're on duty in a few hours and I think you need some time to straighten up."

Grunting her assent, Juliann slowly began to hobble out of the room.

"Jim, there's something more there. Something's bothering her. Something....different."

Giving the usual noncommital bartender reply, Jim refilled the officers glass continued mixing drinks.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three minutes.......three minutes......three minutes......three minutes.....

The words kept repeating within her mind, running through her thoughts over and over again. They circled constantly, never ending.

.......three minutes......three minutes......three minutes.....

She was nearly to her quarters now and still her mind was circling.

.......three minutes......three minutes......three minutes.....

Even within her quarters, in what was the closest thing she'd had to a home for the past several years, her mind wouldn't stop. Those two words, and all they implied, wouldn't stop pounding within her mind.

Because if these invaders could destroy the Gamma Draconis base within three minutes, possibly kill her only remaining family within three minutes, and threaten all of Klonor in three minutes, what else could they take away? What would they rip from the Universe in the next three minutes?

Slowly, her mind drifted to the Captain.

(OOC: Focus less on the technical and battle stuff and more on character development. But it seems to be ok...I just got a little bored with the technical stuff in the past few posts. Probably stick more descriptive adjectives into the mix. Like spend a paragraph describing important things. All I see are ships or objects moving through space getting ready to blast anything that comes out of a black hole. Not really much for shape or color.)

OOC: Klonor, you are a genius god. A geniusios god. Well, to put it more simply, WE NEEDZ TEH PR0N. (Damn, this is good. Touches of humour, excellent description... When does the "Amalgated Book of Everything Klonor Wrote come out?)

OOC: As soon as I get more people saying the same things you are. Hot damn, talk about an ego boost. It's like steroids for the mental self-image.

IC:

The Captain left the bridge in what was obviously a rush, barely waiting for the Commander to take his position before she dashed for the exit. In most officers it wouldn't be that unusual, even Captains need time to rest and relax, but Captain Unil had always made a point of staying a few minutes to make sure that there were no issues during the watch change. Not much, she had as much of a need for sleep as anyone else, but always enough for her presence to be felt. This time she left as if fleeing for her life.

Fortunately, only Commander Kiril noticed her absence and he had more pressing issues to attend to, which left Ribecca free to move about as she pleased.

Quickly entering her quarters, and just as quickly determining Juliann's exact position, she began to debate whether she should risk making contact. Juliann was alone in her quarters, that was for sure, but the situation aboard the ship was not normal. This wasn't a standard patrol or docked repairs, this was an Alpha Alert with combat imminent. They both needed to be prepared for what was surely coming, and she doubted that the aliens would be patient and wait for them to get dressed. No, now more than ever they needed to stay in control. After this ended would be time enough.

But the least I can do is tell her in person.

Determined to remain in control, Ribecca made her way to Juliann's cabin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Please, Captain, come in."

Stepping aside so the doorway was clear, Juliann gestured for her superior to enter. However, unlike the slightly vibrating woman who entered at the invitation, her expression was cloudy and her eyes had clearly been recently dried. Ribecca didn't miss that.

Something's wrong.

"Lieutenant, are you alright?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm fine."

Once the door was shut the decorum was dropped.

"Juliann, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about the Corps ships in Gamma Draconis. We haven't heard a peep and it's been more than a day. When I think about everybody we might have lost....."

"Juliann, don't try to brush me off like that. Everybod who enlisted in the Corps knew exactly what they were signing up for, and everybody who perishes does so in the service of Klonor. Simple concern for your fellow servicemen doesn't explain this. What aren't you telling me?"

"Really, it's nothing."

"Lieutenant Als, answer the question. Now."

The sudden steel in Ribecca's voice seemed to snap Juliann out of her funk.

"My brother was stationed aboard the Fenrir in Gamma Draconis, he's the only family I have left. After this attack.....with no contact in over a day......the last remnants of my life are being torn away. And then I think of what would happen if they came through the Node, if they attacked the New Dawn...."

She turned tearful eyes on her partner.

"....if you were taken away, too."

Touched, Ribecca was speechless for almost a minute. Then she walked over a pulled Juliann into a tight embrace and held her close.

"Juliann, I love you and I always will...."

Neither noticed the first use of the word "love".

"....and I'm not going to leave you. We're aboard one of the most powerful vessels in the Universe, we're supported by the most advanced Fleet in the Milky Way, and we have dozens of the same all around us. It would take the Spirit itself to take me from you, and even then I'd give it a good beating. I'm staying right here."

"Captain Unil report to the bridge. Repeat, Captain Unil report to the bridge."

"Oh, bloody hell."

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"Commander Kiril, this had better be good."

"Trust me Captain, it is."

The bridge was a riot of activity, every officer seemed to have been given an adrenaline burst and every screen was flashing rapidly. Ensigns and Lieutenants dashed hither and thither while the intercom squaked for whoever would hear. It was pandemonium. Well, at least as close to pandemonium as you can get in the military.

"Give me an update, Commander."

"We received a message from Gamma Draconis ma'am. It was tiny, a fragment of a sentence, but it was definitely human and probably from Klonor. We've nailed it down to a 78% probability."

"Let me hear it."

"Yes, ma'am."

"----is is the Ca----"

"That's it?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's not much, but it signifies that there may be survivors still in Gamma Draconis, Klonor citizens who are waiting for rescue."

"Commander, we have our orders to stay right where we are."

"Yes, ma'am, I understand that. But we can't just sit back and let more people die. Not when we have a chance to put a stop to it."

"What are you proposing, Commander?"

"A single recon flight, nothing big. One Perseus jumps in, takes a quick scan, and jumps out. The rest of the Fleet stays right here ready to blow the hell out of anybody who tries to follow it back. It might give us the intel we need on this enemy, and it might show us if there's anybody left alive over there. Ma'am, I think it's worth the risk."

The Captain was silent for a long while.

"Contact the flight deck, get a Perseus into the void."

(OOC: Awesome. Amazing.... I flicked through it quickly to see if I could be bothered reading it, decided to read one post, then ended up reading it all. And I'm really lazy. personally I don't hold -noir-s opinion, I thought it was pretty damn finely tuned.
Write more. Now.)

"Time until Jump?"

"One minute, twenty-three seconds, ma'am."

The Captains mind was a roiling ball of confliction. She was worried about the pilot she was almost certainly sending to death, she was worried about what that pilot would bring back if he survived, she was worried about what might follow him back, and (since her discussion with Juliann) she was worried about the fate of of the service men and women still in Gamma Draconis. Her face, on the other hand, was perfectly calm. Her voice carried not a hint of any anxiety. She was, in essence, showing the Bridge Officers exactly what they needed to see in their Captain.

"Open a channel to Flight Officer Hanlon."

"Yes ma'am.....the channel is open, ma'am."

"Flight Officer Hanlon, this is Captain Unil."

"I read you loud and clear, ma'am. I am preparing to initiate the Jump to Gamma Draconis."

"Very good, officer. Are you clear on your objectives?"

"Yes, ma'am. Reconnaissance, observation, and silence."

"Correct. You are to Jump back here the second you get wind of any hostiles. You will not attempt to contact any Klonor forces within the system. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Then may the Spirit give you strength. You're expected back in ten minutes, we'll be waiting. Godspeed Hanlon, and good luck."

Outside the New Dawn, in the black of space, there was a flash of blue and a ripple of space as the small Perseus fighter made the Jump to Gamma Draconis.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How long is the fighter overdue?"

"We're approaching fifteen minutes, ma'am."

"Has there been any contact?"

"No, ma'am."

Son of a.....how many more people should I just throw to the wind like this?

"Ma'am, I think we should launch another recon. It could simply be a malfunction, the newest Inter-System Jump-Drives are still glitchy in the fighters."

"No, Commander, we shouldn't have even sent this one."

"Ma'am, he could just be on the other side of that Node, wai--"

"Commander, we will not risk more lives when we've already sent another man to his death. The crew of this ship are not loose change to be tossed away at whim."

"Yes, ma'am."

His expression glum, Commander Kiril slowly drifted away from the Captain and left her to her thoughts. Once again she displayed none of her inner turmoil, but merely hiding it didn't eliminate it.

"Commander, I believe it's still your shift. Notify me if we receive any communication from Gamma Draconis or if Officer Hanlon returns. Until then, you have the bridge."

Several quick salutes and then Captain Unil was off the bridge.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally she'd intended to return to her cabin and rest for her own shift, which was rapidly approaching, but her feet seemed to have a mind of their own and Ribecca soon found herself outside one of the many bars scattered across the ship. Unfortunately, it was a long standing personal policy of hers that she didn't drink with the crew. Oh, there was no official barrier, no Corps orders forbidding getting to know one another in the off-duty hours, but she always felt that if her subordinates saw her downing Collostomizers by the bucketful and then collapsing on the floor, she might have a tad of trouble maintaing the proper discipline at a later date. After all, it's not easy to respect someone who you once saw try very hard to hold a diplomatic negotiation with an unactivated lamp, regardless of how eloquent her arument might have been. Still, she needed a drink and wasn't looking forward to sitting alone in her cabin while she pondered the deaths on her conscience.

Sighing heavily, she entered and dropped into one of the many padded seats.

"Collostomizer, two of them, and go heavy on the vodka."

The waiter, knowing better than to pry into Ribecca's reasons for breaking her long exile from the public drinking areas, merely nodded her head and submitted the order.

That man hadn't even flown a combat mission before. He was seen as a low risk. Expendable. We might as well have tossed him into the sun ourselves.

There was a brief flash of light and her drinks appeared on the table before her.

Do we risk more lives for his sake?

Most military commanders, at least those who realise the necessity of what they do, are able to deal with the deaths of their subordinates. They know that their orders are a requirement, that the soldiers sent to their death die for the safety and freedom of billions more back at home, and that all you can do is hope that you make the right decisions so more of your soldiers live than die. Ribecca herself could usually rationalize away her anxiety with that same argument, she knew that the pilots and gunners that died under her command died fighting for what they believed in and that she did her best to make sure it didn't happen. They died under assault from enemy warships, reconnaissance in hostile territory, or even in simple accidents. They died, however, when they needed to die. When it couldn't be avoided. She didn't send men to their deaths pointlessly or when their fate was a certainty.

But I just did.

Sighing, she picked up one of the glasses and emptied it in one gulp.

OOC: Hot damn, do you know that this story is over 35 pages long when it's copied into Word?

IC:

"Excuse me, ma'am, would you mind if I joined you?"

The question, formal though it was, had an undercurrent of nervousness and was spoken so lightly that it was a miracle Ribecca heard it at all. Perfectly understandable considering that a ships Captain was unapproachable if she didn't want to be bothered. Lifting her head, prepared to politely usher off whatever Junior Lieutenant or Ensign had summoned the courage to approach her, her breath caught in her throat when she saw Juliann standing before her; eyes dry and expression clear of the dread that had covered it the previous time that Ribecca had seen her

"No, Lieutenant, I wouldn't mind. Have a seat."

"Thank you, ma'am."

Moving a tad akwardly, and making sure to keep the necessary space between the two of them, Juliann brought another chair over from a seperate table and sat down across from Ribecca. Both obviously aware of the eyes upon them, a Lieutenant didn't dine with a Captain without it attracting attention, they attempted to appear at ease and made a concious point not to insert anything to familiar into their conversation. At least, they made the point until Ribecca activated the air cushion that surrounded the small corner table. Then, though they still needed to maintain their distance and try to hold on to their hormones, they could at least speak freely.

"Juliann, you look better than you did a while ago."

"Yeah, and you look quite a bit worse."

"Well, you know what they say, pressure of command and all that."

Ribecca tried on a small smile, but all that showed up was a light twitch of the corners of her mouth.

"In my quarters you told me not brush you off, don't do it to me now. Something happened when you were called away. What was it?"

"Juliann, I.....I can't."

"Don't shut me out."

"No, I really can't. Need-to-know, and you don't need to know. This isn't a personal issue."

"Oh.....I see."

"Look, you said it yourself. Captain in the Corps, with all that that implies. I can't divulge every little thing the minute something twinges inside. I just....can't."

Silence. Unpleasant, akward silence.

"How 'bout you? You're noticeably brighter than before. Tell me what happened. Maybe it'll help lift my own spirits."

"It's nothing. I just thought over what you told me, and applied some common sense. You know, it's strange, but common sense really isn't that common."

There was small, nervous laughter at the old joke before Juliann continued.

"I don't know what happened in Gamma Draconis, and I won't know for a while. I don't know what happened to Brian, either, and for all I know he's drinking Elarian Ale right now and laughing at how worried he knows I am. I have nothing to suggest that he's hurt in any way, and he'd give me a good knock on the head if he saw me crying when I didn't even have something to cry about yet. After all, who sells a ship before it's even broken down?"

"And your other cause?"

Ribecca was to much of a lady to say it outright, but she was a tad hurt that Juliann seemed to have completely gotten past her fears of losing her.

"Well.....that was just me getting drunk and getting slapped with a brief moment of clarity. You're here now, and we're both in the Corps, and if I'm so preoccupied with you possibly being hurt I'll be sobbing 24/7 and then you won't even want to spend this time with me."

"Juliann, I'd want to be with you if lept onto this table and started singing Salms praises."

"I doubt that, but let's not put it to the test. I figure it's best for me keep control of my wits, and thus be able to actually perform my duties, and to then be able to actually prevent anything from happening, rather than to worry about Minerva knows how many 'what-ifs'."

"Well, it sounds like you've had a bit of a mental spurt."

"Yeah...maybe we could figure out how exactly it happened and then we can make it part of standard Corps training."

"Until then, I'd tip my hat to you, if I had one, and raise my drink to you, which I do, and wish you well until your shift. Until then, I believe I need to get ready for my own shift."

A small twist of a nob and the air cushion dissolved.

"Lieutenant, I shall see you on the bridge."

"Thank you, Captain."

The two slowly seperated, neither exactly glowing with happiness but Ribecca was slightly brighter than when she'd sat down.

if I wallow to much in self pity I'll just send more men to their graves. Snap it up and make sure you don't make any more mistakes.

She slowly made her way to her cabin. She had duty in a little while and needed to take her scrubbers (FYI: Alcohol removing pills, make you dead sober in a fraction of a second).