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  "description": "Welcome back, my lovely reader!\n\nIt’s a new horizon my lovelies! Time to boldly go where no fox has gone before! That’s not entirely true, plenty of my foxes have rolled around in the sheets… but not on ships! Okay well… not on SPACE ships!\n\nJokes aside, welcome to Starbounding Vixen, this is my first foray into science fiction in earnest. This tale will have plenty of fun romps with aliens, but also please remember that like all my tales, you’re going to get a lot more than sex in these!\n\nHatred, bigotry, regrets, love, loss, and I could go on! There’s plenty of drama in here, I might make you cry, I might get more than your cheeks wet, or I might piss you off! Regardless, we’ll hopefully have a good journey through the stars!\n\nLet’s jump right in! \n(I could really go for a cheese danish about right now…)",
  "description_bbcode_parsed": "<span style='word-wrap: break-word;'>Welcome back, my lovely reader!<br /><br />It&rsquo;s a new horizon my lovelies! Time to boldly go where no fox has gone before! That&rsquo;s not entirely true, plenty of my foxes have rolled around in the sheets&hellip; but not on ships! Okay well&hellip; not on SPACE ships!<br /><br />Jokes aside, welcome to Starbounding Vixen, this is my first foray into science fiction in earnest. This tale will have plenty of fun romps with aliens, but also please remember that like all my tales, you&rsquo;re going to get a lot more than sex in these!<br /><br />Hatred, bigotry, regrets, love, loss, and I could go on! There&rsquo;s plenty of drama in here, I might make you cry, I might get more than your cheeks wet, or I might piss you off! Regardless, we&rsquo;ll hopefully have a good journey through the stars!<br /><br />Let&rsquo;s jump right in! <br />(I could really go for a cheese danish about right now&hellip;)</span>",
  "writing": "[center]\nWelcome back, my lovely reader~\n\n\nBeing a writer is my dream job but it has full-time hours and doesn't pay the bills. I want to keep writing these stories for everyone to enjoy and your support on [url=https://ko-fi.com/gcstargazer]Ko-Fi[/url] helps make that happen. I also appreciate non-financial support like faving, voting, and following me here or on [url=https://bsky.app/profile/gcstargazer.bsky.social]BlueSky[/url]. Thank you so much for your continued support! Please enjoy the episode.\n\nAnd with that out of the way…\n\n[b]Welcome back, my lovely reader!\n\nIt’s a new horizon my lovelies! Time to boldly go where no fox has gone before! That’s not entirely true, plenty of my foxes have rolled around in the sheets… but not on ships! Okay well… not on SPACE ships!\n\nJokes aside, welcome to Starbounding Vixen, this is my first foray into science fiction in earnest. This tale will have plenty of fun romps with aliens, but also please remember that like all my tales, you’re going to get a lot more than sex in these!\n\nHatred, bigotry, regrets, love, loss, and I could go on! There’s plenty of drama in here, I might make you cry, I might get more than your cheeks wet, or I might piss you off! Regardless, we’ll hopefully have a good journey through the stars!\n\nLet’s jump right in! \n(I could really go for a cheese danish about right now…)[/b]\n\n[/center]\n[center]\n—♥—\n\nEpisode 1:\nReturning to Duty[/center]\n\nA simple glass door stood before the tabby cat with a logo for the business he had come grav-side to visit. Thick white text read, ‘Tarts and Tails,’ with two fox tails incorporated into the final flourish of the script. Beneath that were the hours of operation; the shop was due to close in about fifteen minutes.\n\nAs he stepped forward, the door slid open with a soft hiss of compressed air. His nose and whiskers instantly twitched to the tantalizing fragrance of baked goods in the air. His sharp, clean boots clapped against the polished tile that looked so sanitized, one could probably perform surgery in this place.\n\nThree luscious tails fanned out before him with a backside he’d never forget, even if it had been almost half a decade since he’d seen it. He was reminded of the more intimate view he’d had of it, long ago, as the vixen’s large, golden-white ears lifted from the small chime that filled the air.\n\n“Ey? Welcome in, but I’ll warn you, most of the stock is sold out or hardly fresh anymore, you are coming in right-” She turned, and her sharp eyes looked the newcomer over, a dazzling set he’d never forget seeing. Her left eye was blue as the seas of his homeworld, while the right one was golden, like sunlight shimmering through vast fields of wheat.\n\nShe took in every detail: his bluish, short fur, analytical yellow eyes, and a familiar scar across his muzzle. Recognition settled, drawing out a shocked bark from the fox who stammered out, “C-commander? Andy, is that you?!”\n\n“Junon, it’s been a while…” Andrew raised a gloved paw, throwing the side of his long coat out before making a formal military bow that was reserved for foreign dignitaries and those of very posh status. The vixen didn’t sound any different than he remembered; she didn’t even look a cycle past getting out of the officer academy. He, on the other hand, had begun sporting flecks of gray in his fur.\n\nJunon offered an annoyed growl, her large ears folding across her blonde hair, which was just one shade lighter than her golden fur. “Don’t you go bowing to me, cat! What are you doing here?!”\n\nHe rose back up slowly, his shorter ears perked, eyes conflicted. He felt a bit underdressed, speaking to her wearing just his long coat and standard off-duty attire.\n\n“Apologies, Junon. It’s been almost six years, I felt I should offer as much respect as was due,” he simply explained in that firm, familiar tone that sent her mind back to a more complicated but exciting time.\n\n“Apology accepted, now what are you doing here? Don’t get me wrong, Commander, I’m happy to see your tail, but… what’s up?” She came around the corner, brushing her paws against her apron, covered in flour and dried flecks of chocolate. Her large, ample breasts pushed against it nicely, even swaying a little, as she patted herself down and stepped before the taller feline she hadn’t seen in over ten years.\n\n“I see you’ve added a tail to your collection.” He offered her a relaxed grin, showing off his sharp teeth.\n\n“Yep, finished my first when I was eleven, second one came in when I was twenty on the dot, this one when I was thirty-three.” Junon pushed a paw along the new one in question. It looked identical in shape and size to the other two she sported, a thick well-brushed flow of golden fur, the tip blending to a blonde-white like her hair.\n\nShe then gave the larger male a snort, seeing he was deflecting from the question at hand. She rolled her blue-gold eyes. “Alright, Andrew… I’ll make us some tea and find you a somewhat fresh scone, we can sit down and catch up. Then you’ll explain why you came out here to this backwater urb-world in the middle of nowhere,” she puffed out, stomping over to the exit.\n\n“Computer, initiate end-of-cycle protocols,” she commanded, a tone Andrew instantly recognized. The auto-door quietly clicked, and the welcome sign’s display changed to say ‘Closed’.\n\nAfter cleaning off one of the few tables set up, she brought forth a small pot with some steeping tea. Andrew took a seat and watched her place out two teacups on matching saucers, followed by a small fruit-filled scone for him.\n\nHer mismatched eyes darted up to him as she heard the small rumble of a purr in his throat. “Reminiscing, Commander?” She flashed him a playful grin as she filled his cup. Without asking, she placed four sugar cubes within the steaming brew.\n\n“How in the cosmos could I not, Junon?” He took the small spoon and stirred his tea, making sure to go back and forth, not circle the cup, even being sure not to tap too hard on the sides of the teacup, before bringing the beverage to his muzzle.\n\n“Oh, this is nice! I didn’t expect Salvarian Grey. This is a personal stock you wouldn’t sell, isn’t it?” He mused as he cupped the hot ceramic in his large paws.\n\n“You’re damn right it’s personal, and you’re the only one I’ve shared it with! That stuff is expensive to import out here, but it reminds me of home, so…” Junon shrugged as she took her apron off and hung it on the coat rack near the door. Her button-down top struggled to contain her impressive set of breasts. Her hips sloped downward, drawing the cat’s gaze toward the slow, swaying movements of her tails.\n\n“I can’t get over you having a third tail but not looking a cycle over twenty!” Andrew chuckled.\n\n“I can’t get over seeing that gray in your muzzle fur, Andy,” Junon hummed as she walked over. “And your hair… Isn’t this all supposed to be black?,” She brazenly raked her paw through the larger cat's dark locks of hair. Her claws brushed along his scalp, sending a shiver of a memory up his spine before she took a seat.\n\n“Advantage of living in an advanced urb-world,” she continued, responding to his surprise. “I can get regular bio-regen treatments, but the internal clock doesn’t care about the outside. Unlike Earth foxes, we Salvarians are going to sprout those tails every decade or so, like it or not. Seeing as I’m thirty-six now, it makes sense I’d have three.” Junon gave Andrew a smile before filling her own teacup and sipping from it.\n\n“Ha! Maybe I should look into some bio-regen treatment on my next vacation!” The blue-furred cat grinned as he pushed a now glove-free paw through his disheveled hair, combing his claws through it after the vixen had mussed it slightly.\n\n“I mean if you want to spend a week or two floating around in a vat of fluids instead of on the beach, I guess that’s something you could do with your time off. Just remember if an emergency hits and they have to dump you early, you’re going to be sick for a week.” Junon shrugged, then flashed her teeth with a grin. “I dunno, Commander,” she cooed, “I like the salt and pepper look, makes you more handsome…” Her tone of voice made his long, wiry tail jerk back suddenly with a little shudder, and Junon offered a knowing smirk, her keen eyes catching the movement.\n\n“Still an insatiable flirt, I see,” Andrew purred.\n\n“Insatiable in a lot more than flirting, Andy, but again, you know me…” She pushed a paw to her ample chest before taking another sip of tea. Then, her eyes hardened. “Alright, Commander, let’s cut the crap, I know you didn’t come out here to go down memory lane and have me flirt with you.”\n\n“No, but it’s rather nice, you’ll forgive me if I wanted to enjoy it while I could?” He gave her a lazy grin, then shrugged. “It’s Admiral now.”\n\n“Oh? Well… I can’t say you don’t deserve it. Ships are like girls to you, ey? One wasn’t enough, had to have a whole fleet of them at your beck and call!” Junon giggled.\n\n“I don’t think I was that bad, Junon…” Andrew’s grin turned sheepish as he dunked the edge of his scone in the tea.\n\n“Uh-huh… I remember how you sorted the negotiation treaties with the Princess of Aldrone VI… I also remember how a month later we had to raise shields and fight off a bounty hunter from her jaded suitor!” She laughed and grinned at the memory.\n\n“That was all conjecture and unofficial, how was I to know she was betrothed and their species took chastity so seriously?” He gave her a nostalgic grin of his own before snapping up a bite of the scone.\n\n“That why I don’t see a ring on your finger, Andy? Never could get out of the game? You Earthlings wear rings when you find life-mates, yes?” Junon smirked down at his paws.\n\n“The Navy might as well be my wife at this point. Seriously though… I wasn’t sure what to expect coming in here, Junon. I half thought you might have those weird chain things on your ears and maybe a pup or two running around!” He mewed out with a grin.\n\n“Ugh… The chains of Nephylle are very important to our culture, Andrew. They aren’t just some ‘thing’ you wear,” Junon snarled, wagging her padded finger at him. “They enhance our psych powers to attune them in focus with our life-mate. We can share thoughts, perceive where our partner is, and even speak to them at any distance! Your silly rings do any of that, Earthling?”\n\n“Okay okay, sorry fluffy-butt!” The playful pet name rolled off his tongue as easily as it did well over a decade ago. Junon flinched and looked down, her heart fluttering as the memories washed back over her.\n\n“So, it’s an enhancement of what you already can do, huh?” he continued. “How long does the partial bond-”\n\n“It’s permanent, but only at very close proximity, say, within a few yards.” Junon didn’t part her maw. The words just came right into his mind, her mismatched eyes dialed on his own yellow ones, almost looking distant.\n\nAndrew thought to himself, “Can you still hear-”\n\n“Yes. Only if we’re both focused though, it’s not like I can rummage around in your memories or something.”\n\nHe nodded, his heart pounding now that they had re-established a mind-link. It came with other emotional responses too - he was awash with young feelings of adoration, carnal desire… love.\n\nJunon grinned and pushed a paw through her hair, then shut her eyes tight, letting out a shuddering sigh before speaking out loud, “Wow… Andy… You still holding that flame all these years later?”\n\n“What can I say?” He purred and gave a shrug.\n\n“Hm… I won’t lie… I’ve never wanted a life-mate, but if you were Salvarian…” She flashed her teeth again and mirrored his shrug. “You even put up with me being insatiable… what do you earthlings call it? Nymphomaniac?” She practically purred the last word.\n\nAndy pushed a paw through his salt-and-pepper hair. He felt rattled; his composure was gone, his heart was pounding, and he was even shivering a little. “Damn, Junon… Why’d you go and do that?”\n\n“Wanted to see how you still felt, Admiral Nelson…” She hummed the words, not looking the slightest bit put off by the whole thing. He wasn’t the first alien to fall in love with her, though he was one of the ones she held the most fondness for.\n\nHis yellow eyes focused after a moment. He rubbed his face with both paws before taking a long sip of tea, and ended up draining the small teacup. Junon quickly refilled it, placing exactly four sugar cubes in it with a loving grin.\n\n“Are you happy here on this urb-world, Junon?” He asked point blank.\n\n“Happy? Well, sure. I get to run a little bakery, be a little exotic whore. What’s not to like?” She grunted and rubbed her jaw. “In theory anyway… I’ve mostly just been taking care of it myself. The navy and… well, YOU… left me with some pretty high standards, and most urb’s aren’t going to match that.”\n\nAndy perked his large ears and offered a gentle smile. “I’m flattered, and don’t think I’ve not thought of you many-”\n\n“Enough, Andrew!” She barked out and glared at him. “I’ve let you dance around this long enough. Tell me, why, you, are, here!”\n\nHe let out a composed hiss through his teeth and met her steely gaze. “I wanted to offer you a position on a new ship.”\n\nJunon’s eye twitched as old memories flooded forth. Memories she didn’t want. She knew deep down that was why he was here, though a part of her had hoped it was just a social visit, maybe an itch he wanted scratched.\n\n“I left the Federation Navy for a reason, Andrew Nelson…” She growled the words, not bothering to hide the agitation building in her.\n\n“I realize that, Junon Topaz. However-”\n\n“Cresh cha rath!” the Salvarian barked, which Andrew knew effectively translated to, ‘go fuck yourself.’ “Get out!”\n\nHe rose from the table, paws resting on the surface, his tail flicking a few times, a position she recognized when he was about to keep arguing. “Junon, please hear me out before you-”\n\n“Hear what out? Captain Alwritter was one of the finest men I ever served under. I wasn’t just waxing poetics earlier, you damn cat! Only two males hold a place of fondness in my psyche, and the other one, I watched die before my very eyes! And I won’t do it again!” She already had tears flattening her cheek fur as she snarled and shouted.\n\n“You couldn’t have known the Rashvia were testing a new transporter technology that bypassed our shield systems at the time. I’ve poured over the reports and it was your fast thinking and martial ability that saved the entire ship, Junon! Yes, Captain Alwritter fell in combat, but you saved over four hundred lives that cycle!”\n\nShe glared furiously at him, a snarl on her muzzle as he felt, more than he heard, ice-cold shards of words enter his mind. \"Need I remind you why I was discharged, Admiral? I may have saved over four hundred lives, but I took two-hundred, seventy-five others. I counted. I relished it. When my Radolf died, I wanted all of them dead.\"\n\n\"You couldn't have been sure they weren't planning-\"\n\n\"No, my racha.\" Andrew shuddered. He didn’t expect to be called such a deeply meaningful title. \"It wouldn't have mattered,\" Junon continued. \"I didn't care. They took him from me. And if someone took you from me, I would do it again. Don't be mistaken; I do not regret what I did, and I wouldn't regret it if I did it again.\"\n\nJunon sighed and closed her eyes, pushing her paws to the table as she stood. “I apologize for lashing out at you, Andy, but I am not Federation material anymore, the board also agreed, hence the honorable discharge.”\n\nHe opened his paws. “Junon, you held together a rattled crew and kept your mission going for another year because we were hurting for officers. You showed your abilities in spades and, well…”\n\n“Well, what? The war is over and the Rashvia are our ‘allies’ now, so what need is there of me?” She air-quoted with her paws, the disdain in her voice obvious.\n\n“I’m not asking you to be my first, I want you to captain one of the ships in my fleet. It’s for exploration and scouting. It’s a newer ship… Fast, armed with some of our best new tech, a pretty modest crew too at around one hundred and twenty.”\n\n“One-twenty? What am I supposed to do with a skeleton crew like that? I’d barely have enough for logistics and maintenance!” She folded her arms. Andrew’s eyes shone as he saw her talking details with him, not outright saying no.\n\n“It’s one of the more sophisticated ships in my new fleet, only falling short of my personal Capital ship in terms of tech,” he explained simply.\n\n“C-Capital ship?! Cresh cha!” she barked out. “Is the Federation planning another war?!”\n\n“No, we are at peace with all known space-faring species in the collective, but a show of arms is still needed as a form of… deterrent?” He gave a small grin and shrugged.\n\n“Deterrent my tail… showing off your tech just to keep everyone in line… Typical Earthling tactics…” She sighed and rolled her eyes, then sat back down with a bounce of her chest, glaring forward at the cat. “Why me?”\n\n“You’re smart, competent, experienced, and tough,” he explained, taking his seat again. “You’ll make the wisest choices on the frontier, but you’ve got the background to keep yourself and the ship running at top efficiency. You’re also not afraid to get your paws dirty if it comes to it.”\n\n“Almost sounds like you’re describing me as some kind of pirate…” She pushed a paw through her blonde hair, rubbing at one ear before snarling as she met his eyes. “Andy, I have enough blood on my paws. I don’t regret what I did, but I am not some… bloodthirsty mercenary. I’m not going to kill for the Federation if this whole exploration thing is just fancy dressing.”\n\n“Junon, our scientists recently found a new pocket of spacial fatigue near Aldebaran… Its proximity is close to Earth so its destination is of great interest. High Command wants to open a temporary lane through it and see where it leads, they told me I could paw-pick a Captain for it or do it myself.”\n\n“A new star lane?” Junon rubbed her jaw, then snorted as her ears perked. “Maybe it’s best to leave the damn thing be. What if it opens up into a sector of space that has an even more hostile species than the Rashvia? What if we can’t communicate with them or they’re just a big hornet's nest waiting to be poked with a stick? You really want me being the one wielding that stick, Andy?”\n\n“Exploration is always risky, but…” He pushed his paws into his lap and tilted his head. “I remember those cycles back in the Officer’s Academy. I remember you used to cling to my chest in bed, talking about how you got into the Federation to see the cosmos, to explore the great unknown.”\n\n“Yes, then I got shoved on a warship and sent off to war! We both did…” She growled and folded her arms, glaring off to the side as she crossed her legs. “I was young and stupid… I wanted to be with you and explore the stars, not bloody my fucking paws over a war that had nothing to do with Salvaria.”\n\n“And I’m offering you that now… Well, in a way…” He opened a pleading paw. “Junon… please. I can’t undo what has happened, but we have a window of peace, and I… You know how I feel about you, I want to make that dream happen, even if it’s late.”\n\nHer mismatched eyes flicked from his paw to his eyes. Trepidation dulled their color, before they closed and she rubbed uncomfortably at her snout. “Andy… Cresh cha… I don’t even know…”\n\nHe continued to push, feeling himself making progress. “Look, we’ll punch a hole through the fatigue to form a temporary lane. Once we’ve navigated to wherever it ends up, we’ll establish a holding position with the rest of the fleet. You will have a whole fleet to return to for supplies. I even have repair freighters, we’re entirely self-sufficient for up to five years of travel, and if we can find base mineral components along the way, indefinitely!”\n\n“I have a life here, Andy.” Junon gave him a small glare. “Even if it’s a quiet one of baking and masturbating, it’s peaceful, it’s comfortable.”\n\n\tThe cat looked a little frazzled at such a casual mention of pleasing herself, but he straightened his posture and collected himself quickly. “The Junon I know would have relished the unknown of the void,” Andy said simply.\n\n“The Junon you knew wouldn’t have summarily executed an entire crew in deep space over the loss of two crew members. Be honest with me,” Junon said with a tilt of her head, opening her paw towards him. “When you heard I opened fire on them while defenseless, all over the Captain and Security officer, you thought me a wretched vixen, yes?”\n\n“No,” he said, flatly.\n\n“Explain,” Junon said, clearly a little shocked at his answer. \n\nAndrew sighed as he pushed a paw through his own hair, looking down at the table as he continued. “Because, if something happened to you like that… and given the psychic bond we have, and assuming you had something similar with, Radolf? I’d have likely done something similar in my grief and rage…” He grunted and looked up at her, clicking his tongue, “No, if it were over you? I’d have likely done much worse.”\n\nA grin gradually formed on her face. “Interesting… I’ll assume that was said off the record, Mr. Fleet Admiral…” She combed her paw through her long hair once more, her shoulders easing slightly as she leaned back in the chair. “So… you’ll be around?”\n\n“I’ll ensure your vessel is never more than a week's travel from the main fleet’s location while we do various proximity searches. You can come back to resupply or let your crew have-”\n\n“So I can come back to see you?” Junon lifted her muzzle, her eyes shining.\n\n“Y-yes… I mean… Are you saying..?” He stammered, unable to complete the statement.\n\nJunon shrugged. “As you know, we Salvarians are very free with our love, for obvious reasons, but…” She lifted her ears and tilted her head. “I’m interested, but I’ve conditions.”\n\n“Name them…” He felt an excited shiver roll down his spine.\n\nShe lifted a paw, sticking a finger out. “First, and foremost… If the Federation goes to war, me and my crew are staying out of it!”\n\n“Understood, and accepted.” He nodded.\n\n“Two… I don’t give a wag who it is in the brass, I only will take orders from your command. I don’t care if the United Space Federation’s president asks me to do something. If it doesn’t come through you, Cresh cha ‘em!”\n\nAndy chuckled and nodded. “Aye, what else?”\n\n“During our resupplies or leave for the crew with the main fleet…” Junon’s eyes grew sharp as she gave him a smug grin. “You share your personal chambers with me…”\n\nThe Admiral let out an undignified mew. “S-share?! I mean… Are you certain, Junon?”\n\n“Salvarian’s can always harmonize with a bonded partner’s emotions… You came waltzing into my little bakery full of jitters, and I could feel your… ‘love’ as it were, for me.” She raised her paws to quote the word, as her kind didn’t have a word for it.\n\nAndy frowned and looked down at his paws in his lap, seeing his claws had pushed out into his pants. “Damn… forgot how perceptive you were… Yeah, I never stopped thinking about you and, I guess… I’ve always loved you, Junon. Maybe that’s really why I’ve never married,” he admitted with a mirthless chuckle.\n\n“Aye… As I said prior, the psychic bond I share with you is a potent one… I’m not sure how to express it in Salarian terms, but I believe I also… love you? Granted, if I find something that strikes my wile and is willing…” She tilted her head for confirmation.\n\n“I understand how Salvarians work, even back at the Academy that didn’t deter me from wanting to date you, now did it?” Andy offered a surprisingly fragile smile, his heart pounding at the terms she’d presented.\n\nHe then blinked, clearing his throat and shifting in his seat. Once he’d composed himself, he added with a tilt of his head, “Were there uh… any other terms?”\n\nShe slid from her chair as her trio of tails fluffed out, and she stretched. The position made her breasts push out in a lovely, inviting display. Then, she offered a paw. “I will have final arbitration of who does and does not join my crew, is that clear?” Her arm straightened expectantly.\n\n“Of course!” he mewed out as he stood and reached out in return. The small fox gripped his paw with surprising strength. It was a stark reminder that Salvarians were known for their martial prowess. Despite their smaller size, they could easily overpower aliens twice as large - sometimes more. He keenly remembered the footage of the boarding battle, watching her deftly fighting off the Rashvian boarding party.\n\n“I will need to see this ship, also I will need the crew to be ready to move the majority of my baking equipment into a modified hold so I can establish my bakery there!” She barked out as she pulled him along while wagging a finger.\n\nAndy chuckled, “Junon, the ship has a nutrient synthesizer system that can reproduce-”\n\n“There’s a huge difference, and I will not give up my baking! If it can synthesize raw ingredients, that’s good enough.” The vixen suddenly stopped, yanking Andrew close to bark in his face, “But I will have my bakery, or you will find another to Captain the damn thing!” While he stammered out his response, Junon simply resumed pulling him along.\n\n“Okay, okay, bakery, got it! Where are we going anyway?” he finally asked as she pushed open a small door. It opened up into a small living space big enough for a sofa, a small bed, and various bookshelves, illuminated by a soft, ambient, white light.\n\n“Computer! Set lighting to black number twelve, then play the album ‘Collie Mellon and the Endless Forlorn’!” The lights darkened, making her golden fur and toothy grin look an unnatural purple, as urb-world progressive rock started playing.\n\n“Damn… Dragging me kicking and screaming back to the Academy huh?” Andy purred, remembering the cycles when they would make out as young lovers and experiment with recreational Earth drugs. He was jarred by the memories as she shoved him onto her bed, climbing right into his lap with a paw pushed to his muzzle. Junon didn’t say a word, her tongue poking out between her lips, before she pulled her paw away and sealed her lips to his own, tilting her head to kiss him for the first time in far too long.\n\nThe blue fur on his body now looked jet black, his yellow eyes glowing in the dark light of the room before they drifted closed. His tongue met her own, and his paws shifted to grasp her hips, almost desperately so, as he pulled her closer.\n\nHer growls mingled with his deep purrs as their tongues rolled against one another. Her claws slid along his neck, up into his hair to scratch at one ear, and then she parted from the kiss to offer nibbles along his throat.\n\n“Junon… I never dreamed my visit would lead to this,” he purred as he felt her sharp teeth along his throat, his tail shuddering gently to feel his long lost love pushing into his body, her scent familiar and laced with the aroma of sugar and chocolate.\n\n“Don’t let it go to your head, but rest assured… You have haunted my dreams many nights. I will confess I have touched and pleased myself thinking of you occasionally throughout the years, my racha…” Her whispers tickled his attentive ears, as her paws pushed his overcoat off his shoulders, then stroked his strong, broad shoulders through his formal shirt.\n\n“Likewise… my…” He hesitated, then mewed as she pushed her paws to his chest, claws gently flicking at the buttons of his shirt.\n\n“Say it, my racha,” she cooed. “I want to hear it, and for now, it is true…” She undid a few of his buttons, staring at the strong toned muscles coming into view, now speckled with gray fur that looked almost white under the lighting of the room.\n\n“My racha,” he whispered, like a prayer, “my fox…” His paws touched her hips, rubbing at the urb-world style pants she wore that simulated denim jeans but were soft like silk.\n\nJunon sighed, her mismatched eyes seeming to glow in the light as she flicked another button clear. She leaned in to kiss his muscular chest, dragging her tongue out to taste him. “Again… say it again…”\n\n“My racha… Gods, I’ve never been able to get over you…” He groaned the words as she nibbled and kissed at his chest, peeling his shirt fully open to finally get the older cat topless. She then slid down his body, paws grasping the pants he wore, her teeth flashing in a predatory grin.\n\n“You never lost me,” she growled. “Our paths just deviated, but I never pushed you out of my psyche… I never forgot your… love…” She started to unbuckle his pants, licking her chops as her trio of tails tangled against each other. “Shall I call you… Professor, like I did back then?”\n\n“Ha ha… let’s just stick to our names and be one another’s racha… yes? Save the formal titles for the stuffy business!” He gave her an excited grin as she parted his uniform slacks.\n\n“I kind of thought it’d be fun and kinky to call you Professor like the old cycles, but alright, my racha… my love…” She blended the words, both similar enough, even if ‘racha’ didn’t quite mean the same thing.\n\nShe let out an excited yip as she parted his pants and his length sprang forth, and the distinctive musk of an Earthling feline hit her nose. Though she hadn’t experienced that smell in a very long time, it was still just as familiar. “Cresh cha… you’re dripping for me…” Junon groaned happily as she wrapped a small dainty paw on the jumping eager length, giving it a few pumps as she drank in his heady scent. Prelove bubbled from the head of his length, rolling down her fingers into the fur at his base.\n\n“Gods… this is like a dream…” Andrew moved a paw to rake through the blonde locks glowing in the room’s ambiance, then shuddered as the vixen dragged her tongue up along his length, lapping up his prelove before rising and parting her jaws to take several inches right into her waiting mouth.\n\n“Ngh!” He grunted, then mewled, as her hot mouth enveloped him, welcoming and oh-so-familiar, as she began to work against his length, his paw gently rubbing one of her large ears.\n\n“Just like old times… You’re thinking about me under your desk back at the Academy, aren’t you?” She blinked her mismatched eyes up at him while playfully bobbing her head, now speaking into his mind. Andrew just let out a groan of a laugh at her words, practically confirming the accusation.\n\n“Junon… Gods, you’re so good to me, even after all this time you’re the best…” He thought the praise as his tongue lolled, panting and fully letting his defenses down for the vixen that had claimed his heart years ago.\n\nShe hummed and suckled on his length happily, tasting his prelove dribble down her throat before sinking deeper, skillfully taking several inches down before slowly withdrawing with a wet messy pop. Her tongue lolled, saliva dripping all over his length. “Mwa!” She smacked her lips, licking them before reaching down to unfasten her own pants. \n\n“You taste desperate… tell me you’ve at least gotten some affection in the last few years, Andy…” She gave him a smug grin as she dragged her pants off along with her panties, revealing her soft-toned legs before climbing over him.\n\n“M-maybe a few conquests here and there,” he whispered, “but it’s been a few years…” She climbed over him, pushing her crotch against his jumping length, feeling the hot touch of those fox petals kissing at his twitching spire.\n\n“My my… you know it’s been years for me too… So let’s both be therapy for one another, yes my racha?” She pushed her paws to his shoulders as he purred and brought his own paws to her hips, pulling her closer, adjusting to her own raising hips to line himself up with her dripping petals.\n\n“Gods yes… please, my racha… my love…” He hissed the words, pushing his forehead to her own, the vixen lolling her tongue as she felt him pushing forward. Her own hips eagerly repositioned and adjusted to allow him to sink into her at last.\n\nInch by inch he pushed into her until her rear slapped down hard into his lap, a small yipping moan escaping her throat as he bottomed out inside the alien fox he’d not been with in nearly ten years.\n\n“Cresh cha… so deep…” She giggled and looked down, unbuttoning the lower portion of her top to show off her belly, a smug grin showing at the slight bulge in her tummy fur. “You still push so deep it shows, Andy… ngh!” Her walls spasmed as he mewed out, panting as he felt her give in to him, her walls milking and squeezing, seeming to have molded around him like they always did.\n\n“Fuck… I can die happy knowing I’m in you again, Junon, and you’ve given in for me…” He mewled out as his own paws moved to unbutton the remaining buttons on her work shirt.\n\n“Dumb cat… you better not think of dying until I get at least six… at least!” She growled and leaned back, rolling her hips, feeling him pushing deep inside while he undid her top, shrugging it off to show off her large, ample breasts in a snug bra. A small chain peeked out from the fabric.\n\n“Holy shit… you’ve still got it?!” He mewed out as she smirked and lifted her arms, rolling her hips, making him dig nice and deep while she moved.\n\n“Why don’t you take the bra off and find out?” She growled as his trembling paws moved right over to unclasp it at the front, remembering she hated wearing ones that hooked in the back. As soon as the central clasp failed, her breasts bounced into view, her peaks tight, hard, and pierced with rings. However, just like at the academy, she had a thin slender chain that moved to connect between her two nipple rings.\n\nAndy didn’t even think and just moved a paw right up, giving the center of the chain a small eager tug. His vixen didn’t disappoint as a throaty yip followed, her tongue lolling and eyes looking distant for a moment, her walls just crushing as she shattered on his length, her honey drenching his lap fur.\n\n“Oh fuck yesss… I loved playing with this thing…” He snarled and intertwined his forefinger in the chain, his other paw resting on her hip. Junon just gave a needy little whine, her tails wagging frantically as he gave it a little tug, applying pressure constantly as she moaned out, her tongue lolled again as he rocked under her.\n\n“Cresh cha… cresh chaaa…” She slurred out, her own hips rolling back, her breasts swaying against the taut chain as he rocked up against her own movements, hearts forming in her mismatched eyes for him.\n\n“I love playing with your tits… amongst other things…” He hissed as he brought his paws up to cup her large jiggling breasts, his thumb claws catching each ring. Junon bit her lower lip, offering another whine as she ground her hips eagerly.\n\n“Gyah!” She yipped out in a gasping moan as he flexed his paws, pulling on each ring individually, her walls again spasming wildly, alien fox lust gushing all over his lap, her tongue lolling once more, hearts now clearly in her eyes as she fell to his chest, hugging him tightly.\n\n“Please… I can’t take any more of that… just fuck me, my racha!” She whined out, her tails rolling as her hips kept grinding fervently to his own movements.\n\nWith a hiss of disapproval at having his toys pushed up against his chest, he composed himself and nodded, paws wrapped around her. Junon pushed forward and crushed her muzzle against his own, desperately kissing the cat she’d locked away into her psyche, her body attuned to his touch.\n\nHis deep purrs rolled down her throat, her own growls rolling down his as their tongues moved frantically. Feeling his tongue pierced in euphoric pain, the cat responded with a nip of his own, their blood mingling as they kissed passionately. They tasted each other’s sanguine life force while grinding against one another, desperate for affection, starved for one another.\n\n“Cresh cha… fuck!” She blended the two slurs together, her claws digging hard into his shoulders, gasping out and looking stunned as her bloody tongue lolled, pink saliva rolling from it as he drove her over yet again, the Earth cat quickly starting to meet his quota she had insisted upon.\n\n“Damn it!” He mewed out, looking stunned as that last orgasm was a bit harder than he expected. Then again it had been years since he’d been in a woman, and this wasn’t just any girl; this was THE girl, his apex, better than any other.\n\n“Damn… I don’t… ngh!” He winced and gave her an apologetic look, but Junon just snarled and wrapped her arms around his neck.\n\n“I’ll cut it down, make it five!” She snarled and started frantically riding against him, not letting the cat try to compose himself. Her tongue lolled and hearts grew in her eyes for him again, desperate to feel his heat once again.\n\n“Yes! Yes… F-five… five… just…” He dug his claws into her bouncing rear, barely able to return the movements; her riding desperate and frantic as her wet fur slapped against his own, feeling her walls drawing tighter.\n\n“My racha, my love!” Junon snarled and dug her claws into his chest so hard she broke skin through his fur, slapping her hips down hard with a final drop. A throaty cute howl escaped her throat as she felt him jump and send his alien love deep into her waiting body, his own claws piercing her backside as they dug in.\n\nAndrew mewled out in his own defeated moan, his length jumping hard, sending thick streams into this alien fox that had completely claimed his heart, her eyes glowing in the dark light of the room, finishing their lusty reunion to the sound of one of their favorite makeout albums.\n\n“Fuck…ing… goddsss…” he slurred, lightheaded, falling back with his tongue lolled, feeling the inevitable crash of making love with a Salvarian. Junon’s thick tails fluffed out, hearts in her eyes as her tongue lolled, her paws pushing to his bloodied chest. The scent of their love was so thick in the air, she could practically taste it, as her alien womb struggled to hold it all, a small bulge showing in her tummy fur.\n\nFinally, the last gush erupted from his defeated length, and the vixen released a relieved, blissful sigh. Her eyes were bright as her hips ground a little longer to ride out her last orgasm. “Oh yesss… Andrew my racha… my caaatt… so good to have you back…” She licked her chops, looking down upon him with hearts in her eyes. The older tabby cat looked ready for a nap, but his eyes were clearly showing their own hearts.\n\n“Cresh cha… did I over-do it? Ha ha, you gonna pass out on me, my racha?” Junon giggled as she looked down and tilted her head, the older cat cupping her jaw lovingly before his paw went limp and unconsciousness finally took him. The last thing he remembered that night as his perception faded to darkness was the sound of urb-world prog-rock and his lover saying, “Oops.”\n\n[center]-*United Space Federation Data Archives*-\n-*Species Dosier #215*-\n\nSalarians:\n\nNatives of the planet Salaria, in the Ozm system. Salarians are an intelligent humanoid race that displays vulpine characteristics. Their bodies are covered in a layer of fur, with coloration differing greatly across the species, elongated snouts, clawed extremities, and large tails. Approximately every decade, they produce an additional tail. This is not unlike the legends of Kitsune in the Sol system. Salarians are genetically similar to the Vulpus genus of Earth, not unlike Rashvia which favors Canis Lupus, and the Denlazi which favors Cervidae.\n\nSalarians form a psychic bond with anyone that copulates with them. This psychic bond allows for telepathic communication between the Salarian and any former or current sexual partner within close proximity, up to 5 yards away. While the bond is benign, having zero noted side effects, it is permanent. During coitus or mental exchange, Salarians have reported an ability to feel or ‘taste’ their partner's emotions through this bond.\n\nSalarians sport a highly aggressive immune system that leaves them seemingly invulnerable to all known sexually transmitted diseases throughout the galaxy. Additionally, they can only reproduce with other Salaraians, once both partners have undergone the ritual of Nephylle, meaning that they are left with zero risk of unwanted impregnation. As a result, this species is notorious for exploring multiple casual inter-species relationships. \n\nThe ritual of Nephylle is a life-bonding ritual that enables a Salarian couple to produce offspring. Given the effort and conditions required for the ritual, it has led to a remarkably low gestation rate among the population. At the time of the species’ discovery by the United Space Federation in SD:172, they had only colonized their local solar system, a notably small expansion compared to their impressive level of technological advancements, which even then far surpassed the capabilities of the USF at the time.\n\nNon-Salarians seeking sexual relations with this species should exercise caution. While there is no evidence to support risk of sexually-transmitted infections or unwanted pregnancies as noted above, any partner who engages with a Salarian may risk psychic feedback from the establishment of the permanent mental bond. Emotional and physical sensations are transferred directly into the Salarian’s mind, which may cause them significant mental and emotional strain. The intensity of the Salarian partner’s response may vary depending on how long the Salarian has gone without coitus and the intensity of their emotional attachment to their partner. A Non-Salarian partner can expect fatigue, lightheadedness, and intense sensations of euphoria. The latter may be so intense as to cause a risk of psychic dependence on the Salarian partner, resulting in a form of addiction, though more study is required in this area. Avoid operating vehicles or heavy machinery if you are experiencing these symptoms. \n\n-*End Archive*-[/center]\n\n“You alright over there?” Andrew asked with a smile as the vixen beside him leaned back in her seat, eyes closed in focus.\n\n“Yeah, it’s just been a few years since I left a gravity well,” Junon grumbled. “Transitioning into zero-g always gives me a headache.” She was glad she decided to skip breakfast; this was also making her stomach do barrel rolls.\n\nHer large ears perked as she felt that audible ‘pop’ of the pressure as the shuttle crossed the threshold of atmosphere. The restraint of her seatbelt felt a little looser, and her bra not quite as restrictive, before the grav-units of the shuttle kicked on to compensate.\n\n“Phew… Not a sensation I ever missed… There’s a reason I always preferred transporting compared to an actual shuttle ride.” She opened her eyes, grinning over at her lover who offered a sympathetic smile.\n\n“How’s it feel to be in the void again?” he asked as he looked out the window of the shuttle. A large flotilla of ships waited in orbit around the small world. Most of them, he recognized, as they were part of his fleet.\n\n“Surreal…” She looked over the expanse of starships and scoffed. “Andy… Did you have to bring your whole fleet just to get me?!”\n\n“Ha ha… Well, the fleet goes where the Admiral goes, I guess… I tried to talk my First into holding the reins and giving me a small ship, but he wouldn’t have it.” The tabby gave the fox a lazy shrug.\n\n“Hmph… red tape… gotta love it,” Junon snarled, then looked out the small window at the expanse of starships. “How many are under your command?”\n\nAndrew perked his ears. “Well, first I’ve got The Astral, which is my Flagship. It’s a retrofitted carrier with one hundred and fifty bays for fighters, it sports a dual laser excelsior cannon that can-”\n\n“Yeah my panties are dripping over all the schematic talk, but why don’t you give me the abridged version? How many of what?” Junon cut him off, knowing he’d take all cycle talking specs.\n\nHe mewed awkwardly, looking a little disappointed he couldn’t continue, “Oh, sorry… heh… The flagship, two carriers, four destroyers, then two more support vessels, one for repair and another for refinement.”\n\n“So a fleet of nine ships? Pretty impressive. You’ve come a long way from Academy instructor to command such a large spread of ships.” Junon looked him in the eyes with a proud smile.\n\n“Thanks, it’s ten actually, counting your ship,” he mewed playfully.\n\n“Well, that’s still yet to be decided, I’ll make my decision when I see him and what crew I’m possibly working with.” She snorted and gave him a hungry look. “You sure I can’t talk you into making your First take it, then let me just live in your quarters?”\n\n“Sorry, I’m stuck with his fussy tail, but I’ll make sure we get quality time as much as I can?” He gave her a hopeful smile.\n\n“You better, or the deal's off!” she barked back with a teasing grin.\n\n“By the way… ‘when you see him?’ Aren’t most starships referenced in a feminine tense?” he challenged.\n\n“It’s a bunch of plasteel and nano-carbon, does the bow of the ship look like a set of tits to you? If it’s a ship under my command, I’ll refer to HIM as I please!” The fussy fox snorted and folded her arms.\n\n“I’ll be sure to tell Engineering to set your computer up with a male voice then,” he chuckled.\n\n“I’m just yanking at your tail, Andy. I really don’t care one way or another, it’s just a hunk of metal floating around in the void at the end of the cycle.” She shrugged, and shifted as she felt the thrusters adjust on the shuttle. “So… your place or mine?”\n\n“Mine, I need to have a little meeting with High Command for this to be official, and that has to be on my bridge.” He frowned as her playful grin instantly fell to a scowl.\n\n“Oh boy, I can’t wait… Are they going to put me through another tribunal? Play twenty questions with me?” Junon barked out, snarling.\n\n“Junon, all of this has been approved already pending your decision. It’s just a formal meet and greet, nothing more.” Andrew raised his paws in a hopefully placating gesture.\n\n“It better be, Andrew… I’m not going to deal with any Cresh cha!” she snarled again.\n\n“I love how adaptable that term is!” he laughed, settling his paws into his lap once more.\n\n“If you want another, how about this, I’m not in the mood to deal with their ‘toth’!” She smirked.\n\n“And what’s that mean, racha?” he asked with a grin.\n\n“It’s a slang term for bodily excrement,” she said simply.\n\n“That’s what I thought, heh… Anyway, it’s just a formal send-off, Junon. If anyone starts prodding at you, I’ll step in.” He waved a paw.\n\n“Okay, I’ll give you three-point-five earth seconds to do that before I fly off on them!” She shoved her nose up stubbornly, glaring ahead as the shuttle settled into the docking bay of the hangar.\n\nOnce the hanger pressurized, the shuttle door slid open. She watched Andrew instantly shift out of his laidback persona with her, his face taking on a steely gaze and his muzzle clenching in a tight but neutral display. She gave him a snort but straightened up herself. She hadn’t been in a position of command in years, but she remembered the gist of it.\n\n“Admiral! Welcome back, sir!” The two were greeted by a short lithe male with puffy fur, some sort of small canine earthling breed Junon wasn’t familiar with, remarkably shorter than even her. His fluffy fur was surprisingly well-groomed, contained neatly in a crisp Federation Command uniform, small stars on his collar showing he was the First Mate and second in command. It was a uniform Junon knew well, as she was a First of her own ship before being forced into the Captain’s position, though her uniform had been altered slightly when she served.\n\nAfter the cursory salute, Andrew flourished a paw towards the small dog before her. “This is Chief Officer Brox, my second in command. Chief Officer, this is Junon Topaz, retired Federation Captain and hero of-”\n\n“Let’s skip the war titles, Admiral,” she sharply cut him off, meeting the smaller male's brown eyes and offering a crisp formal salute, even though she was dressed in civilian attire of leggings, a skirt, and a button-down top she’d wear at the bakery. The swift movement of her paw made her plump breasts bounce. “Chief Officer, civilian requesting permission to come aboard, sir.”\n\nThe pomeranian growled out a tone of approval at her etiquette. “Granted. Welcome to the USF Astral, Miss Topaz!” He shot a glance toward his Captain, as if saying he wouldn’t mind seeing more of that from him.\n\n“I assume everything is green, given I received no communication from you while grav-side?” Andrew asked as he started walking, Junon falling into line behind the two officers.\n\n“You estimated your leave to take no more than three earth hours, not an entire cycle. I did attempt to reach you, but imagine my surprise when your communicator was answered by… someone else.” The dog’s brown eyes drifted back, and the fox behind them responded with a smug, unapologetic grin.\n\nAndrew let out an awkward mew as they walked, “Ah… I didn’t realize-”\n\n“Regardless,” Brox continued, “I was informed you would not awaken short of a shot of adrenaline from the medical team, and it was just best to let you… recover. A cursory study of Salvarian culture gleaned all the information I needed to know from there. I maintained a holding position with the fleet until you contacted me.”\n\nAndrew offered an awkward grunt but said nothing as they walked through the landing bay area towards the elevator. Junon just gave a smug growl but kept her own maw shut, her tails wagging proudly.\n\nAs they strode by, any crew member they passed would offer a salute to the pair of officers, then do a double take at the multi-tailed fox with them. Salvarians were a fairly rare sight within the Federation, given their population could be contained on a few planets, whereas most spacefaring species had colonies in multiple solar systems. Couple that with their general passivity and ‘paws off’ approach towards galactic politics, and some could go their whole lives without seeing one.\n\nOnce they were in the lift, Andrew eased his stance slightly and sighed. Brox gave him a snort but kept his paws clasped behind him at attention. Junon smiled and gave a shrug as she spoke up, “Is High Command already prepared to receive me, Chief Officer?”\n\n“Yes ma’am. We’re going straight to the bridge, I’m to present you with your Captain’s Star upon… If you agree…” Brox explained simply as he looked over at her.\n\n“I was planning to see the ship and meet the crew before these formalities, Admiral Nelson…” She lifted her jaw, cutting a side glance towards Andrew.\n\n“My apologies, Junon, I wasn’t expecting High Command to be- That is, the extra time I spent-” He grunted and lifted his ears. “It’ll be fine, I swear it! One way or another I’ll make it work, okay?”\n\nShe noted the desperation in his voice, a smile playing on her muzzle. Andrew was eager to make this work, for more than just her own dreams now. He wanted her. She could sense it, and she couldn’t resist confirming it as she spoke directly into his mind. “You just want me nearby… You got a taste and don’t want to lose it again, yes?” She flashed her teeth in a smug grin, noticing the way his tail just fluffed out.\n\n“Junon! I- Y-yes… I’ll figure it out, but last night just reinforced everything, so please agree, I’ll do whatever I can to make it acceptable to your standards!” His pleading eyes locked with hers as they stood there silently, Brox none the wiser to their conversation, before the lift made a small ding and the doors slid open.\n\n“Captain on the bridge!” Brox bellowed out as the entire present bridge crew stood from their seats to face him in a salute.\n\nAndrew quickly raised his own salute and called out, “At ease! Well, as at ease as you can be with High Command on hold. Miss Shale, is Communications ready?”\n\n“Aye sir, awaiting your order,” a dark-furred earthling fox called out, trying to not stare at the multi-tailed alien one before her.\n\n“Patch them through,” Andrew said as he straightened up. Junon found herself doing the same, her own training and memories coming to mind, as ingrained as an old habit.\n\nThe view screen blinked into existence before the entire bridge, showing the three members of the High Command seated at a long table - as well as, to Junon’s surprise, a fourth individual, given his own separate section of the communication interface. Regardless, when Andrew, Brox, and the entire bridge saluted, so did she, her tails fluffed behind her at attention.\n\n“At ease all,” an older, grizzled avian spoke out from the center of the table. A large chip was missing from the side of his beak that made his gruff words carry a faint hiss of a whistle as he spoke.\n\nEveryone lowered their salute but stayed at attention. It was at this point Junon realized who the fourth was, her ears perking in surprise. It was the United Space Federation’s President. She quickly snapped into Andrew’s headspace, “Cresh cha! The President is in on this?!”\n\n“I’m just as surprised as you are!” His thoughts sounded just as exasperated as his voice would have as they managed to remain composed at attention.\n\n“Junon Topaz, hero of the Ralstan III defensive,” the avian continued. “A Salarian officer who took command in an emergency situation of her vessel, then not only stopped an offensive sabotage but went on to assist in three more notable victories… You earned several accolades for your service and even in your homeworld are-”\n\n“With all due respect, High Admiral. It was my well-trained crew and exceptional teaching I received under Captain Alwritter that saw those victories, that and…” She flashed her eyes at him, clicking her tongue as her voice turned icy. “My venomous thirst for vengeance at his murder. I was no hero, simply a jaded lover ready to fill the void with a fine mist of Rashvian blood.”\n\nThe oxen next to the bird spoke up. “We all saw the discharge report, Miss Topaz.”\n\nShe folded her arms now, defiantly lifting her muzzle. “And you’d readily welcome a psychopath back into your ranks… sir? That’s what the military therapist called me, a telepathic psychopath.”\n\nThe third member addressed her, a female Denlazi with an elegant voice and a full rack of tall, glittering antlers. “That particular therapist was discharged for his lack of professionalism; your military record has been adjusted accordingly, and your discharge has been withdrawn, pending your agreement to this mission. You will even receive full benefits for the last six years as if you had been in full service.”\n\n“Quite the generous offer I must say! And you even have the President on the call?” Junon snapped her teeth and flicked her tails. Andrew winced at her brazen display, and the entire bridge crew began to let their nerves show. “Something stinks… You’re not telling me everything!”\n\nThe High Admiral hissed and made a chirping snarl, “Miss Topaz, that is hardly a way to address-”\n\n“Now now,” said the president, finally speaking up from his own display. The High Command quickly hushed. “She’s still a civilian at present, she owes none of us any more due respect than any other member of the USF, am I wrong?” The canine, clearly a dalmatian with a spotted white muzzle, a dark patch over his left eye, and neatly combed gray hair that draped over his right eye, was instantly charismatic. Junon could see how he would have easily swayed votes in his favor.\n\nAfter a moment of silence, Junon took her opportunity to speak. “You’ll beg my pardon if I don’t know your name, Mr. President, but you weren’t around during my tenure and I’ve not kept up with USF politics since my departure. I’d not even know it was you were it not for the seal and flag behind you.”\n\n“No need for formalities, Miss Topaz. Just call me Mikhal. Let's cut to the chase: I asked for you specifically, and for good reason, I might add.” He offered a paw as he flashed his teeth.\n\nJunon just snorted and put her paws on her hips, as if she were already done with this exchange. “Okay, Mikhal, why?” While her stance was defensive, her perked ears betrayed genuine curiosity.\n\n“I was a close friend of Captain Alwritter. He spoke highly of you.”\n\nJunon’s tails flicked.\n\nThe president continued, ”He spoke of your desires to see the unknown, but how you were tough as nails and could handle the fringes of the void.” The older dog offered a sad chuckle and continued, “And… how much he loved you. How he wished he’d been born a Salarian for you…”\n\nJunon flinched, hissed, and looked away, her paws balling into fists. “Is… that so?”\n\n“This could be dangerous, and it most likely will be, but Alwritter was my dear friend. We went to the Academy together. I would have dropped out had it not been for him. I can think of no better way that I can honor his memory and life, than to ensure the fox he loved gets her chance to do what he always wanted her to do.” The dalmatian folded his paws on the desk, nodding his head to allow the commanders to continue.\n\n“What say you, Junon Topaz? Have you had enough of the grav-life? Ready to get back to the void where you belong?” The central officer asked with a click of his beak.\n\nShe hissed, trying to not cry at the intense memories and emotions welling up within her. In her mind, she began to relive an internal cycle of the good times, the arguments, the battles, and his death, all in vivid detail. She didn’t even get to hold him as he went; one well-placed phaser blast destroyed his chest cavity. At the very least, his death was instant. At least her racha did not suffer. She can practically feel the weight of his body in her arms…\n\nAndrew spoke up, worry evident even in his deferent tone, “High Admiral, with all due respect, as Junon is a-”\n\n“I am well aware of how Salarians process memories, Admiral Nelson. We will wait,” he responded simply.\n\nHer mouth felt dry as she took a small gulp, tears clearly showing as she looked up. “Cresh cha,” she whispered. “What choice do I have after hearing that, Mikhal?”\n\nClearing her throat, she wiped her cheek fur, then stiffened her tails and offered a sharp salute. Her eyes focused upon the display, glistening intently. “Captain Junon Topaz, ready to return to active duty, sirs and ma’am!”\n\n\n\n[center]If you enjoyed this, don’t forget to support me! 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  "writing_bbcode_parsed": "<span style='word-wrap: break-word;'><div class='align_center'><br />Welcome back, my lovely reader~<br /><br /><br />Being a writer is my dream job but it has full-time hours and doesn&#039;t pay the bills. I want to keep writing these stories for everyone to enjoy and your support on <a href=\"https://ko-fi.com/gcstargazer\" rel=\"nofollow\">Ko-Fi</a> helps make that happen. I also appreciate non-financial support like faving, voting, and following me here or on <a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/gcstargazer.bsky.social\" rel=\"nofollow\">BlueSky</a>. Thank you so much for your continued support! Please enjoy the episode.<br /><br />And with that out of the way&hellip;<br /><br /><strong>Welcome back, my lovely reader!<br /><br />It&rsquo;s a new horizon my lovelies! Time to boldly go where no fox has gone before! That&rsquo;s not entirely true, plenty of my foxes have rolled around in the sheets&hellip; but not on ships! Okay well&hellip; not on SPACE ships!<br /><br />Jokes aside, welcome to Starbounding Vixen, this is my first foray into science fiction in earnest. This tale will have plenty of fun romps with aliens, but also please remember that like all my tales, you&rsquo;re going to get a lot more than sex in these!<br /><br />Hatred, bigotry, regrets, love, loss, and I could go on! There&rsquo;s plenty of drama in here, I might make you cry, I might get more than your cheeks wet, or I might piss you off! Regardless, we&rsquo;ll hopefully have a good journey through the stars!<br /><br />Let&rsquo;s jump right in! <br />(I could really go for a cheese danish about right now&hellip;)</strong><br /><br /></div><br /><div class='align_center'><br />&mdash;&hearts;&mdash;<br /><br />Episode 1:<br />Returning to Duty</div><br /><br />A simple glass door stood before the tabby cat with a logo for the business he had come grav-side to visit. Thick white text read, &lsquo;Tarts and Tails,&rsquo; with two fox tails incorporated into the final flourish of the script. Beneath that were the hours of operation; the shop was due to close in about fifteen minutes.<br /><br />As he stepped forward, the door slid open with a soft hiss of compressed air. His nose and whiskers instantly twitched to the tantalizing fragrance of baked goods in the air. His sharp, clean boots clapped against the polished tile that looked so sanitized, one could probably perform surgery in this place.<br /><br />Three luscious tails fanned out before him with a backside he&rsquo;d never forget, even if it had been almost half a decade since he&rsquo;d seen it. He was reminded of the more intimate view he&rsquo;d had of it, long ago, as the vixen&rsquo;s large, golden-white ears lifted from the small chime that filled the air.<br /><br />&ldquo;Ey? Welcome in, but I&rsquo;ll warn you, most of the stock is sold out or hardly fresh anymore, you are coming in right-&rdquo; She turned, and her sharp eyes looked the newcomer over, a dazzling set he&rsquo;d never forget seeing. Her left eye was blue as the seas of his homeworld, while the right one was golden, like sunlight shimmering through vast fields of wheat.<br /><br />She took in every detail: his bluish, short fur, analytical yellow eyes, and a familiar scar across his muzzle. Recognition settled, drawing out a shocked bark from the fox who stammered out, &ldquo;C-commander? Andy, is that you?!&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Junon, it&rsquo;s been a while&hellip;&rdquo; Andrew raised a gloved paw, throwing the side of his long coat out before making a formal military bow that was reserved for foreign dignitaries and those of very posh status. The vixen didn&rsquo;t sound any different than he remembered; she didn&rsquo;t even look a cycle past getting out of the officer academy. He, on the other hand, had begun sporting flecks of gray in his fur.<br /><br />Junon offered an annoyed growl, her large ears folding across her blonde hair, which was just one shade lighter than her golden fur. &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t you go bowing to me, cat! What are you doing here?!&rdquo;<br /><br />He rose back up slowly, his shorter ears perked, eyes conflicted. He felt a bit underdressed, speaking to her wearing just his long coat and standard off-duty attire.<br /><br />&ldquo;Apologies, Junon. It&rsquo;s been almost six years, I felt I should offer as much respect as was due,&rdquo; he simply explained in that firm, familiar tone that sent her mind back to a more complicated but exciting time.<br /><br />&ldquo;Apology accepted, now what are you doing here? Don&rsquo;t get me wrong, Commander, I&rsquo;m happy to see your tail, but&hellip; what&rsquo;s up?&rdquo; She came around the corner, brushing her paws against her apron, covered in flour and dried flecks of chocolate. Her large, ample breasts pushed against it nicely, even swaying a little, as she patted herself down and stepped before the taller feline she hadn&rsquo;t seen in over ten years.<br /><br />&ldquo;I see you&rsquo;ve added a tail to your collection.&rdquo; He offered her a relaxed grin, showing off his sharp teeth.<br /><br />&ldquo;Yep, finished my first when I was eleven, second one came in when I was twenty on the dot, this one when I was thirty-three.&rdquo; Junon pushed a paw along the new one in question. It looked identical in shape and size to the other two she sported, a thick well-brushed flow of golden fur, the tip blending to a blonde-white like her hair.<br /><br />She then gave the larger male a snort, seeing he was deflecting from the question at hand. She rolled her blue-gold eyes. &ldquo;Alright, Andrew&hellip; I&rsquo;ll make us some tea and find you a somewhat fresh scone, we can sit down and catch up. Then you&rsquo;ll explain why you came out here to this backwater urb-world in the middle of nowhere,&rdquo; she puffed out, stomping over to the exit.<br /><br />&ldquo;Computer, initiate end-of-cycle protocols,&rdquo; she commanded, a tone Andrew instantly recognized. The auto-door quietly clicked, and the welcome sign&rsquo;s display changed to say &lsquo;Closed&rsquo;.<br /><br />After cleaning off one of the few tables set up, she brought forth a small pot with some steeping tea. Andrew took a seat and watched her place out two teacups on matching saucers, followed by a small fruit-filled scone for him.<br /><br />Her mismatched eyes darted up to him as she heard the small rumble of a purr in his throat. &ldquo;Reminiscing, Commander?&rdquo; She flashed him a playful grin as she filled his cup. Without asking, she placed four sugar cubes within the steaming brew.<br /><br />&ldquo;How in the cosmos could I not, Junon?&rdquo; He took the small spoon and stirred his tea, making sure to go back and forth, not circle the cup, even being sure not to tap too hard on the sides of the teacup, before bringing the beverage to his muzzle.<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh, this is nice! I didn&rsquo;t expect Salvarian Grey. This is a personal stock you wouldn&rsquo;t sell, isn&rsquo;t it?&rdquo; He mused as he cupped the hot ceramic in his large paws.<br /><br />&ldquo;You&rsquo;re damn right it&rsquo;s personal, and you&rsquo;re the only one I&rsquo;ve shared it with! That stuff is expensive to import out here, but it reminds me of home, so&hellip;&rdquo; Junon shrugged as she took her apron off and hung it on the coat rack near the door. Her button-down top struggled to contain her impressive set of breasts. Her hips sloped downward, drawing the cat&rsquo;s gaze toward the slow, swaying movements of her tails.<br /><br />&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t get over you having a third tail but not looking a cycle over twenty!&rdquo; Andrew chuckled.<br /><br />&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t get over seeing that gray in your muzzle fur, Andy,&rdquo; Junon hummed as she walked over. &ldquo;And your hair&hellip; Isn&rsquo;t this all supposed to be black?,&rdquo; She brazenly raked her paw through the larger cat&#039;s dark locks of hair. Her claws brushed along his scalp, sending a shiver of a memory up his spine before she took a seat.<br /><br />&ldquo;Advantage of living in an advanced urb-world,&rdquo; she continued, responding to his surprise. &ldquo;I can get regular bio-regen treatments, but the internal clock doesn&rsquo;t care about the outside. Unlike Earth foxes, we Salvarians are going to sprout those tails every decade or so, like it or not. Seeing as I&rsquo;m thirty-six now, it makes sense I&rsquo;d have three.&rdquo; Junon gave Andrew a smile before filling her own teacup and sipping from it.<br /><br />&ldquo;Ha! Maybe I should look into some bio-regen treatment on my next vacation!&rdquo; The blue-furred cat grinned as he pushed a now glove-free paw through his disheveled hair, combing his claws through it after the vixen had mussed it slightly.<br /><br />&ldquo;I mean if you want to spend a week or two floating around in a vat of fluids instead of on the beach, I guess that&rsquo;s something you could do with your time off. Just remember if an emergency hits and they have to dump you early, you&rsquo;re going to be sick for a week.&rdquo; Junon shrugged, then flashed her teeth with a grin. &ldquo;I dunno, Commander,&rdquo; she cooed, &ldquo;I like the salt and pepper look, makes you more handsome&hellip;&rdquo; Her tone of voice made his long, wiry tail jerk back suddenly with a little shudder, and Junon offered a knowing smirk, her keen eyes catching the movement.<br /><br />&ldquo;Still an insatiable flirt, I see,&rdquo; Andrew purred.<br /><br />&ldquo;Insatiable in a lot more than flirting, Andy, but again, you know me&hellip;&rdquo; She pushed a paw to her ample chest before taking another sip of tea. Then, her eyes hardened. &ldquo;Alright, Commander, let&rsquo;s cut the crap, I know you didn&rsquo;t come out here to go down memory lane and have me flirt with you.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;No, but it&rsquo;s rather nice, you&rsquo;ll forgive me if I wanted to enjoy it while I could?&rdquo; He gave her a lazy grin, then shrugged. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s Admiral now.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh? Well&hellip; I can&rsquo;t say you don&rsquo;t deserve it. Ships are like girls to you, ey? One wasn&rsquo;t enough, had to have a whole fleet of them at your beck and call!&rdquo; Junon giggled.<br /><br />&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think I was that bad, Junon&hellip;&rdquo; Andrew&rsquo;s grin turned sheepish as he dunked the edge of his scone in the tea.<br /><br />&ldquo;Uh-huh&hellip; I remember how you sorted the negotiation treaties with the Princess of Aldrone VI&hellip; I also remember how a month later we had to raise shields and fight off a bounty hunter from her jaded suitor!&rdquo; She laughed and grinned at the memory.<br /><br />&ldquo;That was all conjecture and unofficial, how was I to know she was betrothed and their species took chastity so seriously?&rdquo; He gave her a nostalgic grin of his own before snapping up a bite of the scone.<br /><br />&ldquo;That why I don&rsquo;t see a ring on your finger, Andy? Never could get out of the game? You Earthlings wear rings when you find life-mates, yes?&rdquo; Junon smirked down at his paws.<br /><br />&ldquo;The Navy might as well be my wife at this point. Seriously though&hellip; I wasn&rsquo;t sure what to expect coming in here, Junon. I half thought you might have those weird chain things on your ears and maybe a pup or two running around!&rdquo; He mewed out with a grin.<br /><br />&ldquo;Ugh&hellip; The chains of Nephylle are very important to our culture, Andrew. They aren&rsquo;t just some &lsquo;thing&rsquo; you wear,&rdquo; Junon snarled, wagging her padded finger at him. &ldquo;They enhance our psych powers to attune them in focus with our life-mate. We can share thoughts, perceive where our partner is, and even speak to them at any distance! Your silly rings do any of that, Earthling?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Okay okay, sorry fluffy-butt!&rdquo; The playful pet name rolled off his tongue as easily as it did well over a decade ago. Junon flinched and looked down, her heart fluttering as the memories washed back over her.<br /><br />&ldquo;So, it&rsquo;s an enhancement of what you already can do, huh?&rdquo; he continued. &ldquo;How long does the partial bond-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;It&rsquo;s permanent, but only at very close proximity, say, within a few yards.&rdquo; Junon didn&rsquo;t part her maw. The words just came right into his mind, her mismatched eyes dialed on his own yellow ones, almost looking distant.<br /><br />Andrew thought to himself, &ldquo;Can you still hear-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Yes. Only if we&rsquo;re both focused though, it&rsquo;s not like I can rummage around in your memories or something.&rdquo;<br /><br />He nodded, his heart pounding now that they had re-established a mind-link. It came with other emotional responses too - he was awash with young feelings of adoration, carnal desire&hellip; love.<br /><br />Junon grinned and pushed a paw through her hair, then shut her eyes tight, letting out a shuddering sigh before speaking out loud, &ldquo;Wow&hellip; Andy&hellip; You still holding that flame all these years later?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;What can I say?&rdquo; He purred and gave a shrug.<br /><br />&ldquo;Hm&hellip; I won&rsquo;t lie&hellip; I&rsquo;ve never wanted a life-mate, but if you were Salvarian&hellip;&rdquo; She flashed her teeth again and mirrored his shrug. &ldquo;You even put up with me being insatiable&hellip; what do you earthlings call it? Nymphomaniac?&rdquo; She practically purred the last word.<br /><br />Andy pushed a paw through his salt-and-pepper hair. He felt rattled; his composure was gone, his heart was pounding, and he was even shivering a little. &ldquo;Damn, Junon&hellip; Why&rsquo;d you go and do that?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Wanted to see how you still felt, Admiral Nelson&hellip;&rdquo; She hummed the words, not looking the slightest bit put off by the whole thing. He wasn&rsquo;t the first alien to fall in love with her, though he was one of the ones she held the most fondness for.<br /><br />His yellow eyes focused after a moment. He rubbed his face with both paws before taking a long sip of tea, and ended up draining the small teacup. Junon quickly refilled it, placing exactly four sugar cubes in it with a loving grin.<br /><br />&ldquo;Are you happy here on this urb-world, Junon?&rdquo; He asked point blank.<br /><br />&ldquo;Happy? Well, sure. I get to run a little bakery, be a little exotic whore. What&rsquo;s not to like?&rdquo; She grunted and rubbed her jaw. &ldquo;In theory anyway&hellip; I&rsquo;ve mostly just been taking care of it myself. The navy and&hellip; well, YOU&hellip; left me with some pretty high standards, and most urb&rsquo;s aren&rsquo;t going to match that.&rdquo;<br /><br />Andy perked his large ears and offered a gentle smile. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m flattered, and don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;ve not thought of you many-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Enough, Andrew!&rdquo; She barked out and glared at him. &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve let you dance around this long enough. Tell me, why, you, are, here!&rdquo;<br /><br />He let out a composed hiss through his teeth and met her steely gaze. &ldquo;I wanted to offer you a position on a new ship.&rdquo;<br /><br />Junon&rsquo;s eye twitched as old memories flooded forth. Memories she didn&rsquo;t want. She knew deep down that was why he was here, though a part of her had hoped it was just a social visit, maybe an itch he wanted scratched.<br /><br />&ldquo;I left the Federation Navy for a reason, Andrew Nelson&hellip;&rdquo; She growled the words, not bothering to hide the agitation building in her.<br /><br />&ldquo;I realize that, Junon Topaz. However-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Cresh cha rath!&rdquo; the Salvarian barked, which Andrew knew effectively translated to, &lsquo;go fuck yourself.&rsquo; &ldquo;Get out!&rdquo;<br /><br />He rose from the table, paws resting on the surface, his tail flicking a few times, a position she recognized when he was about to keep arguing. &ldquo;Junon, please hear me out before you-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Hear what out? Captain Alwritter was one of the finest men I ever served under. I wasn&rsquo;t just waxing poetics earlier, you damn cat! Only two males hold a place of fondness in my psyche, and the other one, I watched die before my very eyes! And I won&rsquo;t do it again!&rdquo; She already had tears flattening her cheek fur as she snarled and shouted.<br /><br />&ldquo;You couldn&rsquo;t have known the Rashvia were testing a new transporter technology that bypassed our shield systems at the time. I&rsquo;ve poured over the reports and it was your fast thinking and martial ability that saved the entire ship, Junon! Yes, Captain Alwritter fell in combat, but you saved over four hundred lives that cycle!&rdquo;<br /><br />She glared furiously at him, a snarl on her muzzle as he felt, more than he heard, ice-cold shards of words enter his mind. &quot;Need I remind you why I was discharged, Admiral? I may have saved over four hundred lives, but I took two-hundred, seventy-five others. I counted. I relished it. When my Radolf died, I wanted all of them dead.&quot;<br /><br />&quot;You couldn&#039;t have been sure they weren&#039;t planning-&quot;<br /><br />&quot;No, my racha.&quot; Andrew shuddered. He didn&rsquo;t expect to be called such a deeply meaningful title. &quot;It wouldn&#039;t have mattered,&quot; Junon continued. &quot;I didn&#039;t care. They took him from me. And if someone took you from me, I would do it again. Don&#039;t be mistaken; I do not regret what I did, and I wouldn&#039;t regret it if I did it again.&quot;<br /><br />Junon sighed and closed her eyes, pushing her paws to the table as she stood. &ldquo;I apologize for lashing out at you, Andy, but I am not Federation material anymore, the board also agreed, hence the honorable discharge.&rdquo;<br /><br />He opened his paws. &ldquo;Junon, you held together a rattled crew and kept your mission going for another year because we were hurting for officers. You showed your abilities in spades and, well&hellip;&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Well, what? The war is over and the Rashvia are our &lsquo;allies&rsquo; now, so what need is there of me?&rdquo; She air-quoted with her paws, the disdain in her voice obvious.<br /><br />&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not asking you to be my first, I want you to captain one of the ships in my fleet. It&rsquo;s for exploration and scouting. It&rsquo;s a newer ship&hellip; Fast, armed with some of our best new tech, a pretty modest crew too at around one hundred and twenty.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;One-twenty? What am I supposed to do with a skeleton crew like that? I&rsquo;d barely have enough for logistics and maintenance!&rdquo; She folded her arms. Andrew&rsquo;s eyes shone as he saw her talking details with him, not outright saying no.<br /><br />&ldquo;It&rsquo;s one of the more sophisticated ships in my new fleet, only falling short of my personal Capital ship in terms of tech,&rdquo; he explained simply.<br /><br />&ldquo;C-Capital ship?! Cresh cha!&rdquo; she barked out. &ldquo;Is the Federation planning another war?!&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;No, we are at peace with all known space-faring species in the collective, but a show of arms is still needed as a form of&hellip; deterrent?&rdquo; He gave a small grin and shrugged.<br /><br />&ldquo;Deterrent my tail&hellip; showing off your tech just to keep everyone in line&hellip; Typical Earthling tactics&hellip;&rdquo; She sighed and rolled her eyes, then sat back down with a bounce of her chest, glaring forward at the cat. &ldquo;Why me?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;You&rsquo;re smart, competent, experienced, and tough,&rdquo; he explained, taking his seat again. &ldquo;You&rsquo;ll make the wisest choices on the frontier, but you&rsquo;ve got the background to keep yourself and the ship running at top efficiency. You&rsquo;re also not afraid to get your paws dirty if it comes to it.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Almost sounds like you&rsquo;re describing me as some kind of pirate&hellip;&rdquo; She pushed a paw through her blonde hair, rubbing at one ear before snarling as she met his eyes. &ldquo;Andy, I have enough blood on my paws. I don&rsquo;t regret what I did, but I am not some&hellip; bloodthirsty mercenary. I&rsquo;m not going to kill for the Federation if this whole exploration thing is just fancy dressing.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Junon, our scientists recently found a new pocket of spacial fatigue near Aldebaran&hellip; Its proximity is close to Earth so its destination is of great interest. High Command wants to open a temporary lane through it and see where it leads, they told me I could paw-pick a Captain for it or do it myself.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;A new star lane?&rdquo; Junon rubbed her jaw, then snorted as her ears perked. &ldquo;Maybe it&rsquo;s best to leave the damn thing be. What if it opens up into a sector of space that has an even more hostile species than the Rashvia? What if we can&rsquo;t communicate with them or they&rsquo;re just a big hornet&#039;s nest waiting to be poked with a stick? You really want me being the one wielding that stick, Andy?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Exploration is always risky, but&hellip;&rdquo; He pushed his paws into his lap and tilted his head. &ldquo;I remember those cycles back in the Officer&rsquo;s Academy. I remember you used to cling to my chest in bed, talking about how you got into the Federation to see the cosmos, to explore the great unknown.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Yes, then I got shoved on a warship and sent off to war! We both did&hellip;&rdquo; She growled and folded her arms, glaring off to the side as she crossed her legs. &ldquo;I was young and stupid&hellip; I wanted to be with you and explore the stars, not bloody my fucking paws over a war that had nothing to do with Salvaria.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;And I&rsquo;m offering you that now&hellip; Well, in a way&hellip;&rdquo; He opened a pleading paw. &ldquo;Junon&hellip; please. I can&rsquo;t undo what has happened, but we have a window of peace, and I&hellip; You know how I feel about you, I want to make that dream happen, even if it&rsquo;s late.&rdquo;<br /><br />Her mismatched eyes flicked from his paw to his eyes. Trepidation dulled their color, before they closed and she rubbed uncomfortably at her snout. &ldquo;Andy&hellip; Cresh cha&hellip; I don&rsquo;t even know&hellip;&rdquo;<br /><br />He continued to push, feeling himself making progress. &ldquo;Look, we&rsquo;ll punch a hole through the fatigue to form a temporary lane. Once we&rsquo;ve navigated to wherever it ends up, we&rsquo;ll establish a holding position with the rest of the fleet. You will have a whole fleet to return to for supplies. I even have repair freighters, we&rsquo;re entirely self-sufficient for up to five years of travel, and if we can find base mineral components along the way, indefinitely!&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;I have a life here, Andy.&rdquo; Junon gave him a small glare. &ldquo;Even if it&rsquo;s a quiet one of baking and masturbating, it&rsquo;s peaceful, it&rsquo;s comfortable.&rdquo;<br /><br />\tThe cat looked a little frazzled at such a casual mention of pleasing herself, but he straightened his posture and collected himself quickly. &ldquo;The Junon I know would have relished the unknown of the void,&rdquo; Andy said simply.<br /><br />&ldquo;The Junon you knew wouldn&rsquo;t have summarily executed an entire crew in deep space over the loss of two crew members. Be honest with me,&rdquo; Junon said with a tilt of her head, opening her paw towards him. &ldquo;When you heard I opened fire on them while defenseless, all over the Captain and Security officer, you thought me a wretched vixen, yes?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;No,&rdquo; he said, flatly.<br /><br />&ldquo;Explain,&rdquo; Junon said, clearly a little shocked at his answer. <br /><br />Andrew sighed as he pushed a paw through his own hair, looking down at the table as he continued. &ldquo;Because, if something happened to you like that&hellip; and given the psychic bond we have, and assuming you had something similar with, Radolf? I&rsquo;d have likely done something similar in my grief and rage&hellip;&rdquo; He grunted and looked up at her, clicking his tongue, &ldquo;No, if it were over you? I&rsquo;d have likely done much worse.&rdquo;<br /><br />A grin gradually formed on her face. &ldquo;Interesting&hellip; I&rsquo;ll assume that was said off the record, Mr. Fleet Admiral&hellip;&rdquo; She combed her paw through her long hair once more, her shoulders easing slightly as she leaned back in the chair. &ldquo;So&hellip; you&rsquo;ll be around?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll ensure your vessel is never more than a week&#039;s travel from the main fleet&rsquo;s location while we do various proximity searches. You can come back to resupply or let your crew have-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;So I can come back to see you?&rdquo; Junon lifted her muzzle, her eyes shining.<br /><br />&ldquo;Y-yes&hellip; I mean&hellip; Are you saying..?&rdquo; He stammered, unable to complete the statement.<br /><br />Junon shrugged. &ldquo;As you know, we Salvarians are very free with our love, for obvious reasons, but&hellip;&rdquo; She lifted her ears and tilted her head. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m interested, but I&rsquo;ve conditions.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Name them&hellip;&rdquo; He felt an excited shiver roll down his spine.<br /><br />She lifted a paw, sticking a finger out. &ldquo;First, and foremost&hellip; If the Federation goes to war, me and my crew are staying out of it!&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Understood, and accepted.&rdquo; He nodded.<br /><br />&ldquo;Two&hellip; I don&rsquo;t give a wag who it is in the brass, I only will take orders from your command. I don&rsquo;t care if the United Space Federation&rsquo;s president asks me to do something. If it doesn&rsquo;t come through you, Cresh cha &lsquo;em!&rdquo;<br /><br />Andy chuckled and nodded. &ldquo;Aye, what else?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;During our resupplies or leave for the crew with the main fleet&hellip;&rdquo; Junon&rsquo;s eyes grew sharp as she gave him a smug grin. &ldquo;You share your personal chambers with me&hellip;&rdquo;<br /><br />The Admiral let out an undignified mew. &ldquo;S-share?! I mean&hellip; Are you certain, Junon?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Salvarian&rsquo;s can always harmonize with a bonded partner&rsquo;s emotions&hellip; You came waltzing into my little bakery full of jitters, and I could feel your&hellip; &lsquo;love&rsquo; as it were, for me.&rdquo; She raised her paws to quote the word, as her kind didn&rsquo;t have a word for it.<br /><br />Andy frowned and looked down at his paws in his lap, seeing his claws had pushed out into his pants. &ldquo;Damn&hellip; forgot how perceptive you were&hellip; Yeah, I never stopped thinking about you and, I guess&hellip; I&rsquo;ve always loved you, Junon. Maybe that&rsquo;s really why I&rsquo;ve never married,&rdquo; he admitted with a mirthless chuckle.<br /><br />&ldquo;Aye&hellip; As I said prior, the psychic bond I share with you is a potent one&hellip; I&rsquo;m not sure how to express it in Salarian terms, but I believe I also&hellip; love you? Granted, if I find something that strikes my wile and is willing&hellip;&rdquo; She tilted her head for confirmation.<br /><br />&ldquo;I understand how Salvarians work, even back at the Academy that didn&rsquo;t deter me from wanting to date you, now did it?&rdquo; Andy offered a surprisingly fragile smile, his heart pounding at the terms she&rsquo;d presented.<br /><br />He then blinked, clearing his throat and shifting in his seat. Once he&rsquo;d composed himself, he added with a tilt of his head, &ldquo;Were there uh&hellip; any other terms?&rdquo;<br /><br />She slid from her chair as her trio of tails fluffed out, and she stretched. The position made her breasts push out in a lovely, inviting display. Then, she offered a paw. &ldquo;I will have final arbitration of who does and does not join my crew, is that clear?&rdquo; Her arm straightened expectantly.<br /><br />&ldquo;Of course!&rdquo; he mewed out as he stood and reached out in return. The small fox gripped his paw with surprising strength. It was a stark reminder that Salvarians were known for their martial prowess. Despite their smaller size, they could easily overpower aliens twice as large - sometimes more. He keenly remembered the footage of the boarding battle, watching her deftly fighting off the Rashvian boarding party.<br /><br />&ldquo;I will need to see this ship, also I will need the crew to be ready to move the majority of my baking equipment into a modified hold so I can establish my bakery there!&rdquo; She barked out as she pulled him along while wagging a finger.<br /><br />Andy chuckled, &ldquo;Junon, the ship has a nutrient synthesizer system that can reproduce-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a huge difference, and I will not give up my baking! If it can synthesize raw ingredients, that&rsquo;s good enough.&rdquo; The vixen suddenly stopped, yanking Andrew close to bark in his face, &ldquo;But I will have my bakery, or you will find another to Captain the damn thing!&rdquo; While he stammered out his response, Junon simply resumed pulling him along.<br /><br />&ldquo;Okay, okay, bakery, got it! Where are we going anyway?&rdquo; he finally asked as she pushed open a small door. It opened up into a small living space big enough for a sofa, a small bed, and various bookshelves, illuminated by a soft, ambient, white light.<br /><br />&ldquo;Computer! Set lighting to black number twelve, then play the album &lsquo;Collie Mellon and the Endless Forlorn&rsquo;!&rdquo; The lights darkened, making her golden fur and toothy grin look an unnatural purple, as urb-world progressive rock started playing.<br /><br />&ldquo;Damn&hellip; Dragging me kicking and screaming back to the Academy huh?&rdquo; Andy purred, remembering the cycles when they would make out as young lovers and experiment with recreational Earth drugs. He was jarred by the memories as she shoved him onto her bed, climbing right into his lap with a paw pushed to his muzzle. Junon didn&rsquo;t say a word, her tongue poking out between her lips, before she pulled her paw away and sealed her lips to his own, tilting her head to kiss him for the first time in far too long.<br /><br />The blue fur on his body now looked jet black, his yellow eyes glowing in the dark light of the room before they drifted closed. His tongue met her own, and his paws shifted to grasp her hips, almost desperately so, as he pulled her closer.<br /><br />Her growls mingled with his deep purrs as their tongues rolled against one another. Her claws slid along his neck, up into his hair to scratch at one ear, and then she parted from the kiss to offer nibbles along his throat.<br /><br />&ldquo;Junon&hellip; I never dreamed my visit would lead to this,&rdquo; he purred as he felt her sharp teeth along his throat, his tail shuddering gently to feel his long lost love pushing into his body, her scent familiar and laced with the aroma of sugar and chocolate.<br /><br />&ldquo;Don&rsquo;t let it go to your head, but rest assured&hellip; You have haunted my dreams many nights. I will confess I have touched and pleased myself thinking of you occasionally throughout the years, my racha&hellip;&rdquo; Her whispers tickled his attentive ears, as her paws pushed his overcoat off his shoulders, then stroked his strong, broad shoulders through his formal shirt.<br /><br />&ldquo;Likewise&hellip; my&hellip;&rdquo; He hesitated, then mewed as she pushed her paws to his chest, claws gently flicking at the buttons of his shirt.<br /><br />&ldquo;Say it, my racha,&rdquo; she cooed. &ldquo;I want to hear it, and for now, it is true&hellip;&rdquo; She undid a few of his buttons, staring at the strong toned muscles coming into view, now speckled with gray fur that looked almost white under the lighting of the room.<br /><br />&ldquo;My racha,&rdquo; he whispered, like a prayer, &ldquo;my fox&hellip;&rdquo; His paws touched her hips, rubbing at the urb-world style pants she wore that simulated denim jeans but were soft like silk.<br /><br />Junon sighed, her mismatched eyes seeming to glow in the light as she flicked another button clear. She leaned in to kiss his muscular chest, dragging her tongue out to taste him. &ldquo;Again&hellip; say it again&hellip;&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;My racha&hellip; Gods, I&rsquo;ve never been able to get over you&hellip;&rdquo; He groaned the words as she nibbled and kissed at his chest, peeling his shirt fully open to finally get the older cat topless. She then slid down his body, paws grasping the pants he wore, her teeth flashing in a predatory grin.<br /><br />&ldquo;You never lost me,&rdquo; she growled. &ldquo;Our paths just deviated, but I never pushed you out of my psyche&hellip; I never forgot your&hellip; love&hellip;&rdquo; She started to unbuckle his pants, licking her chops as her trio of tails tangled against each other. &ldquo;Shall I call you&hellip; Professor, like I did back then?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Ha ha&hellip; let&rsquo;s just stick to our names and be one another&rsquo;s racha&hellip; yes? Save the formal titles for the stuffy business!&rdquo; He gave her an excited grin as she parted his uniform slacks.<br /><br />&ldquo;I kind of thought it&rsquo;d be fun and kinky to call you Professor like the old cycles, but alright, my racha&hellip; my love&hellip;&rdquo; She blended the words, both similar enough, even if &lsquo;racha&rsquo; didn&rsquo;t quite mean the same thing.<br /><br />She let out an excited yip as she parted his pants and his length sprang forth, and the distinctive musk of an Earthling feline hit her nose. Though she hadn&rsquo;t experienced that smell in a very long time, it was still just as familiar. &ldquo;Cresh cha&hellip; you&rsquo;re dripping for me&hellip;&rdquo; Junon groaned happily as she wrapped a small dainty paw on the jumping eager length, giving it a few pumps as she drank in his heady scent. Prelove bubbled from the head of his length, rolling down her fingers into the fur at his base.<br /><br />&ldquo;Gods&hellip; this is like a dream&hellip;&rdquo; Andrew moved a paw to rake through the blonde locks glowing in the room&rsquo;s ambiance, then shuddered as the vixen dragged her tongue up along his length, lapping up his prelove before rising and parting her jaws to take several inches right into her waiting mouth.<br /><br />&ldquo;Ngh!&rdquo; He grunted, then mewled, as her hot mouth enveloped him, welcoming and oh-so-familiar, as she began to work against his length, his paw gently rubbing one of her large ears.<br /><br />&ldquo;Just like old times&hellip; You&rsquo;re thinking about me under your desk back at the Academy, aren&rsquo;t you?&rdquo; She blinked her mismatched eyes up at him while playfully bobbing her head, now speaking into his mind. Andrew just let out a groan of a laugh at her words, practically confirming the accusation.<br /><br />&ldquo;Junon&hellip; Gods, you&rsquo;re so good to me, even after all this time you&rsquo;re the best&hellip;&rdquo; He thought the praise as his tongue lolled, panting and fully letting his defenses down for the vixen that had claimed his heart years ago.<br /><br />She hummed and suckled on his length happily, tasting his prelove dribble down her throat before sinking deeper, skillfully taking several inches down before slowly withdrawing with a wet messy pop. Her tongue lolled, saliva dripping all over his length. &ldquo;Mwa!&rdquo; She smacked her lips, licking them before reaching down to unfasten her own pants. <br /><br />&ldquo;You taste desperate&hellip; tell me you&rsquo;ve at least gotten some affection in the last few years, Andy&hellip;&rdquo; She gave him a smug grin as she dragged her pants off along with her panties, revealing her soft-toned legs before climbing over him.<br /><br />&ldquo;M-maybe a few conquests here and there,&rdquo; he whispered, &ldquo;but it&rsquo;s been a few years&hellip;&rdquo; She climbed over him, pushing her crotch against his jumping length, feeling the hot touch of those fox petals kissing at his twitching spire.<br /><br />&ldquo;My my&hellip; you know it&rsquo;s been years for me too&hellip; So let&rsquo;s both be therapy for one another, yes my racha?&rdquo; She pushed her paws to his shoulders as he purred and brought his own paws to her hips, pulling her closer, adjusting to her own raising hips to line himself up with her dripping petals.<br /><br />&ldquo;Gods yes&hellip; please, my racha&hellip; my love&hellip;&rdquo; He hissed the words, pushing his forehead to her own, the vixen lolling her tongue as she felt him pushing forward. Her own hips eagerly repositioned and adjusted to allow him to sink into her at last.<br /><br />Inch by inch he pushed into her until her rear slapped down hard into his lap, a small yipping moan escaping her throat as he bottomed out inside the alien fox he&rsquo;d not been with in nearly ten years.<br /><br />&ldquo;Cresh cha&hellip; so deep&hellip;&rdquo; She giggled and looked down, unbuttoning the lower portion of her top to show off her belly, a smug grin showing at the slight bulge in her tummy fur. &ldquo;You still push so deep it shows, Andy&hellip; ngh!&rdquo; Her walls spasmed as he mewed out, panting as he felt her give in to him, her walls milking and squeezing, seeming to have molded around him like they always did.<br /><br />&ldquo;Fuck&hellip; I can die happy knowing I&rsquo;m in you again, Junon, and you&rsquo;ve given in for me&hellip;&rdquo; He mewled out as his own paws moved to unbutton the remaining buttons on her work shirt.<br /><br />&ldquo;Dumb cat&hellip; you better not think of dying until I get at least six&hellip; at least!&rdquo; She growled and leaned back, rolling her hips, feeling him pushing deep inside while he undid her top, shrugging it off to show off her large, ample breasts in a snug bra. A small chain peeked out from the fabric.<br /><br />&ldquo;Holy shit&hellip; you&rsquo;ve still got it?!&rdquo; He mewed out as she smirked and lifted her arms, rolling her hips, making him dig nice and deep while she moved.<br /><br />&ldquo;Why don&rsquo;t you take the bra off and find out?&rdquo; She growled as his trembling paws moved right over to unclasp it at the front, remembering she hated wearing ones that hooked in the back. As soon as the central clasp failed, her breasts bounced into view, her peaks tight, hard, and pierced with rings. However, just like at the academy, she had a thin slender chain that moved to connect between her two nipple rings.<br /><br />Andy didn&rsquo;t even think and just moved a paw right up, giving the center of the chain a small eager tug. His vixen didn&rsquo;t disappoint as a throaty yip followed, her tongue lolling and eyes looking distant for a moment, her walls just crushing as she shattered on his length, her honey drenching his lap fur.<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh fuck yesss&hellip; I loved playing with this thing&hellip;&rdquo; He snarled and intertwined his forefinger in the chain, his other paw resting on her hip. Junon just gave a needy little whine, her tails wagging frantically as he gave it a little tug, applying pressure constantly as she moaned out, her tongue lolled again as he rocked under her.<br /><br />&ldquo;Cresh cha&hellip; cresh chaaa&hellip;&rdquo; She slurred out, her own hips rolling back, her breasts swaying against the taut chain as he rocked up against her own movements, hearts forming in her mismatched eyes for him.<br /><br />&ldquo;I love playing with your tits&hellip; amongst other things&hellip;&rdquo; He hissed as he brought his paws up to cup her large jiggling breasts, his thumb claws catching each ring. Junon bit her lower lip, offering another whine as she ground her hips eagerly.<br /><br />&ldquo;Gyah!&rdquo; She yipped out in a gasping moan as he flexed his paws, pulling on each ring individually, her walls again spasming wildly, alien fox lust gushing all over his lap, her tongue lolling once more, hearts now clearly in her eyes as she fell to his chest, hugging him tightly.<br /><br />&ldquo;Please&hellip; I can&rsquo;t take any more of that&hellip; just fuck me, my racha!&rdquo; She whined out, her tails rolling as her hips kept grinding fervently to his own movements.<br /><br />With a hiss of disapproval at having his toys pushed up against his chest, he composed himself and nodded, paws wrapped around her. Junon pushed forward and crushed her muzzle against his own, desperately kissing the cat she&rsquo;d locked away into her psyche, her body attuned to his touch.<br /><br />His deep purrs rolled down her throat, her own growls rolling down his as their tongues moved frantically. Feeling his tongue pierced in euphoric pain, the cat responded with a nip of his own, their blood mingling as they kissed passionately. They tasted each other&rsquo;s sanguine life force while grinding against one another, desperate for affection, starved for one another.<br /><br />&ldquo;Cresh cha&hellip; fuck!&rdquo; She blended the two slurs together, her claws digging hard into his shoulders, gasping out and looking stunned as her bloody tongue lolled, pink saliva rolling from it as he drove her over yet again, the Earth cat quickly starting to meet his quota she had insisted upon.<br /><br />&ldquo;Damn it!&rdquo; He mewed out, looking stunned as that last orgasm was a bit harder than he expected. Then again it had been years since he&rsquo;d been in a woman, and this wasn&rsquo;t just any girl; this was THE girl, his apex, better than any other.<br /><br />&ldquo;Damn&hellip; I don&rsquo;t&hellip; ngh!&rdquo; He winced and gave her an apologetic look, but Junon just snarled and wrapped her arms around his neck.<br /><br />&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll cut it down, make it five!&rdquo; She snarled and started frantically riding against him, not letting the cat try to compose himself. Her tongue lolled and hearts grew in her eyes for him again, desperate to feel his heat once again.<br /><br />&ldquo;Yes! Yes&hellip; F-five&hellip; five&hellip; just&hellip;&rdquo; He dug his claws into her bouncing rear, barely able to return the movements; her riding desperate and frantic as her wet fur slapped against his own, feeling her walls drawing tighter.<br /><br />&ldquo;My racha, my love!&rdquo; Junon snarled and dug her claws into his chest so hard she broke skin through his fur, slapping her hips down hard with a final drop. A throaty cute howl escaped her throat as she felt him jump and send his alien love deep into her waiting body, his own claws piercing her backside as they dug in.<br /><br />Andrew mewled out in his own defeated moan, his length jumping hard, sending thick streams into this alien fox that had completely claimed his heart, her eyes glowing in the dark light of the room, finishing their lusty reunion to the sound of one of their favorite makeout albums.<br /><br />&ldquo;Fuck&hellip;ing&hellip; goddsss&hellip;&rdquo; he slurred, lightheaded, falling back with his tongue lolled, feeling the inevitable crash of making love with a Salvarian. Junon&rsquo;s thick tails fluffed out, hearts in her eyes as her tongue lolled, her paws pushing to his bloodied chest. The scent of their love was so thick in the air, she could practically taste it, as her alien womb struggled to hold it all, a small bulge showing in her tummy fur.<br /><br />Finally, the last gush erupted from his defeated length, and the vixen released a relieved, blissful sigh. Her eyes were bright as her hips ground a little longer to ride out her last orgasm. &ldquo;Oh yesss&hellip; Andrew my racha&hellip; my caaatt&hellip; so good to have you back&hellip;&rdquo; She licked her chops, looking down upon him with hearts in her eyes. The older tabby cat looked ready for a nap, but his eyes were clearly showing their own hearts.<br /><br />&ldquo;Cresh cha&hellip; did I over-do it? Ha ha, you gonna pass out on me, my racha?&rdquo; Junon giggled as she looked down and tilted her head, the older cat cupping her jaw lovingly before his paw went limp and unconsciousness finally took him. The last thing he remembered that night as his perception faded to darkness was the sound of urb-world prog-rock and his lover saying, &ldquo;Oops.&rdquo;<br /><br /><div class='align_center'>-*United Space Federation Data Archives*-<br />-*Species Dosier #215*-<br /><br />Salarians:<br /><br />Natives of the planet Salaria, in the Ozm system. Salarians are an intelligent humanoid race that displays vulpine characteristics. Their bodies are covered in a layer of fur, with coloration differing greatly across the species, elongated snouts, clawed extremities, and large tails. Approximately every decade, they produce an additional tail. This is not unlike the legends of Kitsune in the Sol system. Salarians are genetically similar to the Vulpus genus of Earth, not unlike Rashvia which favors Canis Lupus, and the Denlazi which favors Cervidae.<br /><br />Salarians form a psychic bond with anyone that copulates with them. This psychic bond allows for telepathic communication between the Salarian and any former or current sexual partner within close proximity, up to 5 yards away. While the bond is benign, having zero noted side effects, it is permanent. During coitus or mental exchange, Salarians have reported an ability to feel or &lsquo;taste&rsquo; their partner&#039;s emotions through this bond.<br /><br />Salarians sport a highly aggressive immune system that leaves them seemingly invulnerable to all known sexually transmitted diseases throughout the galaxy. Additionally, they can only reproduce with other Salaraians, once both partners have undergone the ritual of Nephylle, meaning that they are left with zero risk of unwanted impregnation. As a result, this species is notorious for exploring multiple casual inter-species relationships. <br /><br />The ritual of Nephylle is a life-bonding ritual that enables a Salarian couple to produce offspring. Given the effort and conditions required for the ritual, it has led to a remarkably low gestation rate among the population. At the time of the species&rsquo; discovery by the United Space Federation in SD:172, they had only colonized their local solar system, a notably small expansion compared to their impressive level of technological advancements, which even then far surpassed the capabilities of the USF at the time.<br /><br />Non-Salarians seeking sexual relations with this species should exercise caution. While there is no evidence to support risk of sexually-transmitted infections or unwanted pregnancies as noted above, any partner who engages with a Salarian may risk psychic feedback from the establishment of the permanent mental bond. Emotional and physical sensations are transferred directly into the Salarian&rsquo;s mind, which may cause them significant mental and emotional strain. The intensity of the Salarian partner&rsquo;s response may vary depending on how long the Salarian has gone without coitus and the intensity of their emotional attachment to their partner. A Non-Salarian partner can expect fatigue, lightheadedness, and intense sensations of euphoria. The latter may be so intense as to cause a risk of psychic dependence on the Salarian partner, resulting in a form of addiction, though more study is required in this area. Avoid operating vehicles or heavy machinery if you are experiencing these symptoms. <br /><br />-*End Archive*-</div><br /><br />&ldquo;You alright over there?&rdquo; Andrew asked with a smile as the vixen beside him leaned back in her seat, eyes closed in focus.<br /><br />&ldquo;Yeah, it&rsquo;s just been a few years since I left a gravity well,&rdquo; Junon grumbled. &ldquo;Transitioning into zero-g always gives me a headache.&rdquo; She was glad she decided to skip breakfast; this was also making her stomach do barrel rolls.<br /><br />Her large ears perked as she felt that audible &lsquo;pop&rsquo; of the pressure as the shuttle crossed the threshold of atmosphere. The restraint of her seatbelt felt a little looser, and her bra not quite as restrictive, before the grav-units of the shuttle kicked on to compensate.<br /><br />&ldquo;Phew&hellip; Not a sensation I ever missed&hellip; There&rsquo;s a reason I always preferred transporting compared to an actual shuttle ride.&rdquo; She opened her eyes, grinning over at her lover who offered a sympathetic smile.<br /><br />&ldquo;How&rsquo;s it feel to be in the void again?&rdquo; he asked as he looked out the window of the shuttle. A large flotilla of ships waited in orbit around the small world. Most of them, he recognized, as they were part of his fleet.<br /><br />&ldquo;Surreal&hellip;&rdquo; She looked over the expanse of starships and scoffed. &ldquo;Andy&hellip; Did you have to bring your whole fleet just to get me?!&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Ha ha&hellip; Well, the fleet goes where the Admiral goes, I guess&hellip; I tried to talk my First into holding the reins and giving me a small ship, but he wouldn&rsquo;t have it.&rdquo; The tabby gave the fox a lazy shrug.<br /><br />&ldquo;Hmph&hellip; red tape&hellip; gotta love it,&rdquo; Junon snarled, then looked out the small window at the expanse of starships. &ldquo;How many are under your command?&rdquo;<br /><br />Andrew perked his ears. &ldquo;Well, first I&rsquo;ve got The Astral, which is my Flagship. It&rsquo;s a retrofitted carrier with one hundred and fifty bays for fighters, it sports a dual laser excelsior cannon that can-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Yeah my panties are dripping over all the schematic talk, but why don&rsquo;t you give me the abridged version? How many of what?&rdquo; Junon cut him off, knowing he&rsquo;d take all cycle talking specs.<br /><br />He mewed awkwardly, looking a little disappointed he couldn&rsquo;t continue, &ldquo;Oh, sorry&hellip; heh&hellip; The flagship, two carriers, four destroyers, then two more support vessels, one for repair and another for refinement.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;So a fleet of nine ships? Pretty impressive. You&rsquo;ve come a long way from Academy instructor to command such a large spread of ships.&rdquo; Junon looked him in the eyes with a proud smile.<br /><br />&ldquo;Thanks, it&rsquo;s ten actually, counting your ship,&rdquo; he mewed playfully.<br /><br />&ldquo;Well, that&rsquo;s still yet to be decided, I&rsquo;ll make my decision when I see him and what crew I&rsquo;m possibly working with.&rdquo; She snorted and gave him a hungry look. &ldquo;You sure I can&rsquo;t talk you into making your First take it, then let me just live in your quarters?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Sorry, I&rsquo;m stuck with his fussy tail, but I&rsquo;ll make sure we get quality time as much as I can?&rdquo; He gave her a hopeful smile.<br /><br />&ldquo;You better, or the deal&#039;s off!&rdquo; she barked back with a teasing grin.<br /><br />&ldquo;By the way&hellip; &lsquo;when you see him?&rsquo; Aren&rsquo;t most starships referenced in a feminine tense?&rdquo; he challenged.<br /><br />&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a bunch of plasteel and nano-carbon, does the bow of the ship look like a set of tits to you? If it&rsquo;s a ship under my command, I&rsquo;ll refer to HIM as I please!&rdquo; The fussy fox snorted and folded her arms.<br /><br />&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be sure to tell Engineering to set your computer up with a male voice then,&rdquo; he chuckled.<br /><br />&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just yanking at your tail, Andy. I really don&rsquo;t care one way or another, it&rsquo;s just a hunk of metal floating around in the void at the end of the cycle.&rdquo; She shrugged, and shifted as she felt the thrusters adjust on the shuttle. &ldquo;So&hellip; your place or mine?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Mine, I need to have a little meeting with High Command for this to be official, and that has to be on my bridge.&rdquo; He frowned as her playful grin instantly fell to a scowl.<br /><br />&ldquo;Oh boy, I can&rsquo;t wait&hellip; Are they going to put me through another tribunal? Play twenty questions with me?&rdquo; Junon barked out, snarling.<br /><br />&ldquo;Junon, all of this has been approved already pending your decision. It&rsquo;s just a formal meet and greet, nothing more.&rdquo; Andrew raised his paws in a hopefully placating gesture.<br /><br />&ldquo;It better be, Andrew&hellip; I&rsquo;m not going to deal with any Cresh cha!&rdquo; she snarled again.<br /><br />&ldquo;I love how adaptable that term is!&rdquo; he laughed, settling his paws into his lap once more.<br /><br />&ldquo;If you want another, how about this, I&rsquo;m not in the mood to deal with their &lsquo;toth&rsquo;!&rdquo; She smirked.<br /><br />&ldquo;And what&rsquo;s that mean, racha?&rdquo; he asked with a grin.<br /><br />&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a slang term for bodily excrement,&rdquo; she said simply.<br /><br />&ldquo;That&rsquo;s what I thought, heh&hellip; Anyway, it&rsquo;s just a formal send-off, Junon. If anyone starts prodding at you, I&rsquo;ll step in.&rdquo; He waved a paw.<br /><br />&ldquo;Okay, I&rsquo;ll give you three-point-five earth seconds to do that before I fly off on them!&rdquo; She shoved her nose up stubbornly, glaring ahead as the shuttle settled into the docking bay of the hangar.<br /><br />Once the hanger pressurized, the shuttle door slid open. She watched Andrew instantly shift out of his laidback persona with her, his face taking on a steely gaze and his muzzle clenching in a tight but neutral display. She gave him a snort but straightened up herself. She hadn&rsquo;t been in a position of command in years, but she remembered the gist of it.<br /><br />&ldquo;Admiral! Welcome back, sir!&rdquo; The two were greeted by a short lithe male with puffy fur, some sort of small canine earthling breed Junon wasn&rsquo;t familiar with, remarkably shorter than even her. His fluffy fur was surprisingly well-groomed, contained neatly in a crisp Federation Command uniform, small stars on his collar showing he was the First Mate and second in command. It was a uniform Junon knew well, as she was a First of her own ship before being forced into the Captain&rsquo;s position, though her uniform had been altered slightly when she served.<br /><br />After the cursory salute, Andrew flourished a paw towards the small dog before her. &ldquo;This is Chief Officer Brox, my second in command. Chief Officer, this is Junon Topaz, retired Federation Captain and hero of-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s skip the war titles, Admiral,&rdquo; she sharply cut him off, meeting the smaller male&#039;s brown eyes and offering a crisp formal salute, even though she was dressed in civilian attire of leggings, a skirt, and a button-down top she&rsquo;d wear at the bakery. The swift movement of her paw made her plump breasts bounce. &ldquo;Chief Officer, civilian requesting permission to come aboard, sir.&rdquo;<br /><br />The pomeranian growled out a tone of approval at her etiquette. &ldquo;Granted. Welcome to the USF Astral, Miss Topaz!&rdquo; He shot a glance toward his Captain, as if saying he wouldn&rsquo;t mind seeing more of that from him.<br /><br />&ldquo;I assume everything is green, given I received no communication from you while grav-side?&rdquo; Andrew asked as he started walking, Junon falling into line behind the two officers.<br /><br />&ldquo;You estimated your leave to take no more than three earth hours, not an entire cycle. I did attempt to reach you, but imagine my surprise when your communicator was answered by&hellip; someone else.&rdquo; The dog&rsquo;s brown eyes drifted back, and the fox behind them responded with a smug, unapologetic grin.<br /><br />Andrew let out an awkward mew as they walked, &ldquo;Ah&hellip; I didn&rsquo;t realize-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Regardless,&rdquo; Brox continued, &ldquo;I was informed you would not awaken short of a shot of adrenaline from the medical team, and it was just best to let you&hellip; recover. A cursory study of Salvarian culture gleaned all the information I needed to know from there. I maintained a holding position with the fleet until you contacted me.&rdquo;<br /><br />Andrew offered an awkward grunt but said nothing as they walked through the landing bay area towards the elevator. Junon just gave a smug growl but kept her own maw shut, her tails wagging proudly.<br /><br />As they strode by, any crew member they passed would offer a salute to the pair of officers, then do a double take at the multi-tailed fox with them. Salvarians were a fairly rare sight within the Federation, given their population could be contained on a few planets, whereas most spacefaring species had colonies in multiple solar systems. Couple that with their general passivity and &lsquo;paws off&rsquo; approach towards galactic politics, and some could go their whole lives without seeing one.<br /><br />Once they were in the lift, Andrew eased his stance slightly and sighed. Brox gave him a snort but kept his paws clasped behind him at attention. Junon smiled and gave a shrug as she spoke up, &ldquo;Is High Command already prepared to receive me, Chief Officer?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Yes ma&rsquo;am. We&rsquo;re going straight to the bridge, I&rsquo;m to present you with your Captain&rsquo;s Star upon&hellip; If you agree&hellip;&rdquo; Brox explained simply as he looked over at her.<br /><br />&ldquo;I was planning to see the ship and meet the crew before these formalities, Admiral Nelson&hellip;&rdquo; She lifted her jaw, cutting a side glance towards Andrew.<br /><br />&ldquo;My apologies, Junon, I wasn&rsquo;t expecting High Command to be- That is, the extra time I spent-&rdquo; He grunted and lifted his ears. &ldquo;It&rsquo;ll be fine, I swear it! One way or another I&rsquo;ll make it work, okay?&rdquo;<br /><br />She noted the desperation in his voice, a smile playing on her muzzle. Andrew was eager to make this work, for more than just her own dreams now. He wanted her. She could sense it, and she couldn&rsquo;t resist confirming it as she spoke directly into his mind. &ldquo;You just want me nearby&hellip; You got a taste and don&rsquo;t want to lose it again, yes?&rdquo; She flashed her teeth in a smug grin, noticing the way his tail just fluffed out.<br /><br />&ldquo;Junon! I- Y-yes&hellip; I&rsquo;ll figure it out, but last night just reinforced everything, so please agree, I&rsquo;ll do whatever I can to make it acceptable to your standards!&rdquo; His pleading eyes locked with hers as they stood there silently, Brox none the wiser to their conversation, before the lift made a small ding and the doors slid open.<br /><br />&ldquo;Captain on the bridge!&rdquo; Brox bellowed out as the entire present bridge crew stood from their seats to face him in a salute.<br /><br />Andrew quickly raised his own salute and called out, &ldquo;At ease! Well, as at ease as you can be with High Command on hold. Miss Shale, is Communications ready?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Aye sir, awaiting your order,&rdquo; a dark-furred earthling fox called out, trying to not stare at the multi-tailed alien one before her.<br /><br />&ldquo;Patch them through,&rdquo; Andrew said as he straightened up. Junon found herself doing the same, her own training and memories coming to mind, as ingrained as an old habit.<br /><br />The view screen blinked into existence before the entire bridge, showing the three members of the High Command seated at a long table - as well as, to Junon&rsquo;s surprise, a fourth individual, given his own separate section of the communication interface. Regardless, when Andrew, Brox, and the entire bridge saluted, so did she, her tails fluffed behind her at attention.<br /><br />&ldquo;At ease all,&rdquo; an older, grizzled avian spoke out from the center of the table. A large chip was missing from the side of his beak that made his gruff words carry a faint hiss of a whistle as he spoke.<br /><br />Everyone lowered their salute but stayed at attention. It was at this point Junon realized who the fourth was, her ears perking in surprise. It was the United Space Federation&rsquo;s President. She quickly snapped into Andrew&rsquo;s headspace, &ldquo;Cresh cha! The President is in on this?!&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;I&rsquo;m just as surprised as you are!&rdquo; His thoughts sounded just as exasperated as his voice would have as they managed to remain composed at attention.<br /><br />&ldquo;Junon Topaz, hero of the Ralstan III defensive,&rdquo; the avian continued. &ldquo;A Salarian officer who took command in an emergency situation of her vessel, then not only stopped an offensive sabotage but went on to assist in three more notable victories&hellip; You earned several accolades for your service and even in your homeworld are-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;With all due respect, High Admiral. It was my well-trained crew and exceptional teaching I received under Captain Alwritter that saw those victories, that and&hellip;&rdquo; She flashed her eyes at him, clicking her tongue as her voice turned icy. &ldquo;My venomous thirst for vengeance at his murder. I was no hero, simply a jaded lover ready to fill the void with a fine mist of Rashvian blood.&rdquo;<br /><br />The oxen next to the bird spoke up. &ldquo;We all saw the discharge report, Miss Topaz.&rdquo;<br /><br />She folded her arms now, defiantly lifting her muzzle. &ldquo;And you&rsquo;d readily welcome a psychopath back into your ranks&hellip; sir? That&rsquo;s what the military therapist called me, a telepathic psychopath.&rdquo;<br /><br />The third member addressed her, a female Denlazi with an elegant voice and a full rack of tall, glittering antlers. &ldquo;That particular therapist was discharged for his lack of professionalism; your military record has been adjusted accordingly, and your discharge has been withdrawn, pending your agreement to this mission. You will even receive full benefits for the last six years as if you had been in full service.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Quite the generous offer I must say! And you even have the President on the call?&rdquo; Junon snapped her teeth and flicked her tails. Andrew winced at her brazen display, and the entire bridge crew began to let their nerves show. &ldquo;Something stinks&hellip; You&rsquo;re not telling me everything!&rdquo;<br /><br />The High Admiral hissed and made a chirping snarl, &ldquo;Miss Topaz, that is hardly a way to address-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;Now now,&rdquo; said the president, finally speaking up from his own display. The High Command quickly hushed. &ldquo;She&rsquo;s still a civilian at present, she owes none of us any more due respect than any other member of the USF, am I wrong?&rdquo; The canine, clearly a dalmatian with a spotted white muzzle, a dark patch over his left eye, and neatly combed gray hair that draped over his right eye, was instantly charismatic. Junon could see how he would have easily swayed votes in his favor.<br /><br />After a moment of silence, Junon took her opportunity to speak. &ldquo;You&rsquo;ll beg my pardon if I don&rsquo;t know your name, Mr. President, but you weren&rsquo;t around during my tenure and I&rsquo;ve not kept up with USF politics since my departure. I&rsquo;d not even know it was you were it not for the seal and flag behind you.&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;No need for formalities, Miss Topaz. Just call me Mikhal. Let&#039;s cut to the chase: I asked for you specifically, and for good reason, I might add.&rdquo; He offered a paw as he flashed his teeth.<br /><br />Junon just snorted and put her paws on her hips, as if she were already done with this exchange. &ldquo;Okay, Mikhal, why?&rdquo; While her stance was defensive, her perked ears betrayed genuine curiosity.<br /><br />&ldquo;I was a close friend of Captain Alwritter. He spoke highly of you.&rdquo;<br /><br />Junon&rsquo;s tails flicked.<br /><br />The president continued, &rdquo;He spoke of your desires to see the unknown, but how you were tough as nails and could handle the fringes of the void.&rdquo; The older dog offered a sad chuckle and continued, &ldquo;And&hellip; how much he loved you. How he wished he&rsquo;d been born a Salarian for you&hellip;&rdquo;<br /><br />Junon flinched, hissed, and looked away, her paws balling into fists. &ldquo;Is&hellip; that so?&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;This could be dangerous, and it most likely will be, but Alwritter was my dear friend. We went to the Academy together. I would have dropped out had it not been for him. I can think of no better way that I can honor his memory and life, than to ensure the fox he loved gets her chance to do what he always wanted her to do.&rdquo; The dalmatian folded his paws on the desk, nodding his head to allow the commanders to continue.<br /><br />&ldquo;What say you, Junon Topaz? Have you had enough of the grav-life? Ready to get back to the void where you belong?&rdquo; The central officer asked with a click of his beak.<br /><br />She hissed, trying to not cry at the intense memories and emotions welling up within her. In her mind, she began to relive an internal cycle of the good times, the arguments, the battles, and his death, all in vivid detail. She didn&rsquo;t even get to hold him as he went; one well-placed phaser blast destroyed his chest cavity. At the very least, his death was instant. At least her racha did not suffer. She can practically feel the weight of his body in her arms&hellip;<br /><br />Andrew spoke up, worry evident even in his deferent tone, &ldquo;High Admiral, with all due respect, as Junon is a-&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;I am well aware of how Salarians process memories, Admiral Nelson. We will wait,&rdquo; he responded simply.<br /><br />Her mouth felt dry as she took a small gulp, tears clearly showing as she looked up. &ldquo;Cresh cha,&rdquo; she whispered. &ldquo;What choice do I have after hearing that, Mikhal?&rdquo;<br /><br />Clearing her throat, she wiped her cheek fur, then stiffened her tails and offered a sharp salute. Her eyes focused upon the display, glistening intently. &ldquo;Captain Junon Topaz, ready to return to active duty, sirs and ma&rsquo;am!&rdquo;<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class='align_center'>If you enjoyed this, don&rsquo;t forget to support me! It doesn&rsquo;t have to be financial either, just share my stuff and get my name out there. Vote, Fave, Comment, offer feedback, anything. Thank you and as always, I&rsquo;m nothing without your support.</div><strong></strong><br /><br /><div class='align_center'>If you enjoyed the tale, consider tossing a coin to your writer <a href=\"https://ko-fi.com/gcstargazer\" rel=\"nofollow\">Ko-Fi</a>.<br />Want to talk about my work with me or others who like it? I&#039;ve got a <a href=\"https://discord.gg/9rAqvSPP\" rel=\"nofollow\">Discord </a>for that!<br />If you enjoyed this and want to keep up with me, you can find me on <a href=\"https://bsky.app/profile/gcstargazer.bsky.social\" rel=\"nofollow\">BlueSky </a>social!<br /></div><strong></strong><br /></span>",
  "pools_count": 1,
  "title": "Starbounding Vixen - Episode 1",
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