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"pool_id": "98283", "name": "Teasers", "description": "These chapters are pulled from works I'm not publishing yet, but intend to. They will be moved into the same folder as the full story whenever I start to publish it.", "count": "1" } ], "description": "Welcome aboard the Masked-Fox Mk II! We invite you to take a brief tour of the ship and meet our crew.\n\n-----\nThis is the first chapter of that knock-off Star Trek AU mentioned in my journal. Just a little something to whet your appetite (if you have an appetite for this genre, or these families of mine). I will be finishing the last book in the Three-Peaks setting before I post further chapters, and will create a new folder dedicated to the sci-fi setting when I begin.\n\n[url=http://www.postybirb.com]Posted using PostyBirb[/url]", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Welcome aboard the Masked-Fox Mk II!  We invite you to take a brief tour of the ship and meet our crew.

-----
This is the first chapter of that knock-off Star Trek AU mentioned in my journal.  Just a little something to whet your appetite (if you have an appetite for this genre, or these families of mine).  I will be finishing the last book in the Three-Peaks setting before I post further chapters, and will create a new folder dedicated to the sci-fi setting when I begin.

Posted using PostyBirb", "writing": "[b]Tour of the Crew[/b]\n\n“Captain,” came a gentle, velvety voice through the comm, “The lights went down nearly an hour ago. You should call it a night. It’s not good to take long shifts every day.”\n\n“Monitoring my bio-routines again?” Captain Swordbright chuckled, giving an appreciative smile to the face on the monitor in front of her.\t“Always,” Dr. Hope nodded with a warm smile in return, “Or at least every time I notice you slipping into bad habits again.”\n\n“Thank you. I’ll clock out as soon as my relief gets here,” the captain promised. After a hesitant moment, she added, “Join me for a drink before I retire to quarters?”\n\n“Oh, only if mine’s a coffee,” the doctor sighed, “I’ve got half a dozen cases of Lativan flu down here. It’s going to be a late night for me.”\n\nCaptain Swordbright gave the monitor a smug smile. “I’m told by a very trustworthy doctor that it’s not good to take long shifts every day,” she chided, and was answered with a giggle from the other side of the beam, “Sounds great. My treat.”\n\n“See you there,” the doctor promised before closing the feed.\n\n“Oo, good for you, captain!” giggled Comm-Spec Gritpaw, “Finally going to ask her?” The Doberman’s tail was wagging excitedly. She always seemed happy to see relationships developing among her crew-mates, and had been encouraging the captain for some time now.\n\n“Ehe... maybe,” Captain Swordbright smiled sheepishly, then added in a much more confident tone, “But I won’t get the chance if I’m stuck here for another hour. So go tell your husband to hurry his tail up! Dismissed!”\n\n“Yes sir, captain, sir!” the Doberman snapped to her feet in a crisp salute, though she failed to wipe the grin off her face. Once she’d received her salute in return, Gemini went practically skipping down the corridor... smirking with a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly what was keeping her husband... \n\n“I really need to go,” Dane chuckled, “She’s probably already wondering where I am.” Kissing the top of the spotted head beneath him, the first-mate carefully rolled off of the shapely body attached to it.\n\nJohanna, the ship’s Systems Engineer, nodded her understanding, however reluctantly. “It is heinously unfair that your shift begins right as mine ends,” the female Dalmatian sighed, “We never get time off together unless we’re at dock.”\n\n“Guess it’s a good thing you’re allowed to work from quarters, then,” the male Dalmatian chuckled as he pulled on his uniform quickly, “And most of your system monitoring is passive. Just imagine how rarely we’d see each other if you actually had to be at the keys for most of your shift.”\n\n“I just dread the inevitable day she calls for an emergency and catches us with your knot in my tail,” Johanna sighed, tapping a few keys on her data pad before officially punching out of her shift, then sitting up to stretch her arms, flashing her breasts at him shamelessly. “You [i]know[/i] it will happen right in the middle of wuffing.”\n\nHer brother chuckled as he finished straightening his uniform. “Uh-huh, and whose fault will that be?”\n\n“Mine,” she admitted without hesitation, “It’s just one hell of a way to get fired. I’ll confess to the blackmail. Maybe [i]one[/i] of us can manage to keep our job when it happens, at least.”\n\nRolling his eyes, Dane returned to the side of the bed and sat down beside her. “How about we pin it on me, instead? I’m only mediocre at my job, at best, while you could have a great future wi—”\n\n“If you finish that sentence,” his sister warned tiredly, “You’ll be reporting for duty with a black eye.”\n\nWith another chuckle, Dane leaned down over her. “I love you,” he said sincerely, stealing a goodbye kiss from her lips.\n\n“I love you, too,” the female Dalmatian answered, surrendering the kiss affectionately.\n\n“Be nice to Gemini for me,” Dane added as the door slid open with a soft hiss.\n\n“Tell that to her,” his sister replied, getting up at last to get dressed and pull some dinner from the recombinator.\n\nDane met Gemini at the end of the corridor, headed toward their quarters. He paused briefly to swap hugs and share a kiss with her. “Hi, sunshine. All quiet on the bridge?”\n\n“You’d better hurry,” Gemini grinned, giving his rump a playful swat, “She’s got a date with Dr. Hope, and [i]you’re[/i] holding her up!”\n\n“Oh wuff,” Dane groaned, taking off at a much brisker jog for the bridge. Making her late for a date like that was bound to put the captain in a bad mood, and that was the least of his worries. [i]Gemini[/i] would never forgive him if he caused a hiccup in that already-slowly budding relationship... \n\nGemini sauntered through the door to their quarters with a bright smile and swing in her hips. “Hey, sugarcube!” she greeted Johanna as she tossed off the hat to her uniform, just before grabbing the other girl around the hips and pulling her into a tight hug, followed by a warm kiss on the cheek. “Want to join me for dinner in the lounge? We could tease a few boys and break a few hearts. Maybe find you someone to keep you warm during Dane’s shift.”\n\n“I thought that was my job for you,” the Dalmatian answered absently, taking a long pull from the coffee in her hand and waving to the pair of plates she’d already set on the little table by the recombinator, “Am I not performing to satisfaction?”\n\nGemini paused in unbuttoning her blouse. “Oh wuff, don’t say it like [i]that[/i],” she groaned, pushing Johanna’s coffee down and claiming another, more passionate kiss, this time from her lips, “You’re the only one to ever make me feel bad about flirting.”\n\n“Mmm, sorry, I never got the knack for it,” Johanna apologized, leaning into the Doberman’s kiss sincerely. “Anyway, no, I promised Lua I’d join her for a match after my shift. You go have fun. Just remember not to embarrass Dane, and that I’m waiting for you to wind me down when you get back.”\n\n“Oo, count on it,” Gemini promised, then went to finish changing into a more casual and provocative dress before heading for the lounge. She could hear the excited chanting before she even got in sight of the entry arch.\n\n“Chug! Chug! Chug!” the off-duty crew chanted in unison, circled around a pair at the bar. Gemini immediately recognized Tuli, still in her work overhauls and with her cymbiarms buckled around her hips, sitting on the stool beside a pudgy Pug. Each had two empty tankards in front of them, and were downing a third as quickly as artificial gravity could pull the amber liquid down their throats. The Lioness slammed hers down one gulp ahead of her challenger, with a satisfied gasp. “Sorry, fellas!” she giggled, waving over her shoulder, “Looks like I’m keeping my shirt on tonight!” A disappointed groan briefly filled the room, though it was quickly followed by good-natured chortles.\n\n“Started the party without me?” Gemini laughed as she sat down on Tuli’s other side, “I’m hurt.”\n\n“Never!” Tuli insisted, immediately pulling the other girl into a tight hug, “I was just winning some free drinks while I waited.”\n\n“Riiight,” Gemini arched a dubious brow, then leaned over close to Tuli in a conspiratorial manner, “You know, Nayeli’s on her way here to meet with the captain. So you might want to... you know... ” She glanced meaningfully at the empty tankards.\n\nTuli gasped, putting both hands over her mouth. “Oh my!” she smiled, taking a quick look around the room, “Thanks for the warning! Yes, I’ll mind myself. Let’s sit somewhere more discreet. I want to see this!” she giggled, grabbing Gemini’s hand as the pair scanned the room for a vacant table around the perimeter... \n\n“I swear, those two are going to work us into an early grave,” Kylan muttered, looking over the diagnostics displayed on his data pad, “Upping the reticle sensitivity another sixty percent is one thing, but doubling the rate of fire—”\n\nHe was interrupted by a brief squeal from the short Feline standing on his equally short shoulders, trying to pry a thin piece of warped metal off the tip of what looked like a satellite tower laid on its side in one of the ship’s forward bays. “Yep,” Diya hissed, sucking her blistered thumb as she gave the piece a last, firm thump with the wrench in her hand, knocking it off the end of its support and letting it fall to the ground, “They melted the focal surface. Tell Johanna to back it off to just a hundred and fifty percent... and Lua to stop being so trigger-happy! It’s a pulse-blaster, not a beam-cannon, for crying out loud!”\n\n“Yeah,” Kylan agreed, carefully handing a replacement part up to her while trying not to jostle her balance much, “Seems like they’re trying to make it one, though.” Kylan committed both hands to holding her steady for a moment while Diya pressed the new part into place and corrected the angle on it. “You about done up there, bro?” the little Feline chuckled as his shoulders began to ache.\n\n“So help me, if you say it one more time, I will lump you up with this gravity-wrench,” his sister growled, “[i]I’m[/i] the girl! I don’t [i]care[/i] which of us has the flatter chest!” Kylan snickered... and accepted the light kick to the back of his head that she gave him.\n\n“You guys need any help?” came an eager, energetic voice that immediately sent shudders through both of the small Felines’ spines.\n\n“Kitt,” Kylan sighed, staring at the broad nose suddenly crouching right in front of his, “You know you’re not supposed to be down here.”\n\n“Uh-huh,” the little Hound nodded honestly. She was barely a head taller than the twins, though they were half-again her age, and even better at squirming through the tight spaces between rails and wiring and panels than the tiny mechanics. “But I thought I heard voices, and then I thought it sounded like you were having a hard time with something, so... ?”\n\n“So you were already [i]way[/i] past the hatch marked ‘engineers only’,” Diya grunted, shaking her head, “Fine. [i]You[/i] get up here and tighten this down, and [i]we[/i] won’t report you to Marshal Fineclaw. Again.”\n\n“Sure!” the energetic Dog agreed, accepting the wrench from Diya and shimmying up the frame of the blaster as if artificial gravity was something that could be selectively ignored. Hanging upside down from her knees over one of the bars, she cheerfully tightened up all the bolts behind the focal surface while the twins took a breather... \n\nOn the command-bridge, First-Mate Gritpaw tried [i]not[/i] to look hurried as he marched through the door, though his pulse was pounding and his breath was heavy from the jog he’d made all the way up here. He’d like to think he did a good job hiding it, but Captain Swordbright flashed a knowing smirk as he reported for duty with a crisp salute. “Sorry to interrupt your date,” the captain chided as she returned his salute, handing off command of the ship to him, “But I’ve got one of my own to get to.”\n\nFirst-Mate Gritpaw thought his heart would stop, and nearly let his chin fall slack. Seeing his sudden alarm, Sarahi laughed and gestured for him to calm himself as she moved aside from her station. “I kid, I kid!” she promised, trotting for the door. Her first-mate quietly sighed in relief, and was just turning to take over the station when she paused at the door. “All joking aside, though, first-mate; I’m getting a little concerned at how often you’re starting late. I’m not [i]terribly[/i] strict about it, but try setting an alarm or something, okay? It’s a bad example for the rest of the crew.”\n\n“Yes, captain!” the first-mate answered a little more forcefully than he intended, still a little tense from his scare. But Sarahi was out the door before he’d even finished those two words, trotting down the dim corridors toward her own quarters for a quick change of clothes before she headed to the lounge. She was surprised to arrive first, though, carefully looking around the noisy room for the good doctor before deciding she would have to wait a little. Part of her hoped Dr. Hope would be able to get away from her duties long enough for them to have a talk... and a much bigger part of her hoped the doctor hadn’t gotten tired of waiting and already left.\n\nGemini tapped Tuli’s arm when she spotted the Sha’khari trotting over to the end of the bar. “Oo, look! She’s [i]serious[/i] tonight!” the Doberman grinned, noticing the lovely dress of sparkling red sequins the captain was wearing. It was exceedingly rare to see her in anything besides her uniform or work-out suit.\n\nTuli gave her an appraising look, but shook her head. “Dear, she didn’t have [i]time[/i] to get serious. No make-up, no accessories... not even gloves,” the Lioness noticed, taking a sip from her drink as she appreciated the view from across the room. “She’s just a natural eight-out-of-ten, with a change of clothes calling attention to it.”\n\n“Hey, at least she bothered with the [i]clothes[/i],” Gemi chided, tugging a sleeve of Tuli’s work overhauls. “You could be eight-out-of-ten in pants and a tee-shirt! But noooo, [i]you[/i] have to be first to the bar,” the Doberman giggled. Tuli bit her tongue on whatever retort she was about to make when her daughter walked through the archway.\n\n“Hi,” Dr. Hope greeted the off-duty captain as she carefully seated herself on the stool next to her, “Sorry if I kept you waiting. Doling out the medicines took a while.”\n\n“Not at all,” Sarahi promised, sliding a glass she’d already ordered in front of the Lioness. The creamy, pink liquid inside smelled like strawberries and poured like honey. It wasn’t coffee, but the kick would be similar, and the drink itself sweeter. “Besides, your work is arguably even more important than mine. Or at least more urgent, most of the time.”\n\nDr. Hope took a long, necessarily slow sip of her drink before answering. “Oh, I wouldn’t go so far as saying [i]that[/i],” she smiled, but was content not to argue further. Suffice to say the health and safety of the crew rested on both of their shoulders, and they were well aware of it.\n\nLooking up and down the captain’s shapely (if unusual) figure, she changed the subject: “You look lovely. What’s the occasion?” The doctor herself was still in the medical coat she wore over a traditional amice, with her chaplain’s stole draped across her shoulders.\n\nSarahi giggled, trying hard not to blush. “Ah, I’m just trying to be a little more casual. Gemini tells me I’m all business and no fun, and that I’ll never get a man like that,” she shrugged, stirring the cloudy contents of her own glass with an embarrassed smile. “It’s just a change of clothes... but it somehow feels odd. I’m still getting used to it.”\n\nDr. Hope grinned, and leaned in to bump shoulders with her with an encouraging smile. “I don’t know if ‘casual’ is how I’d describe that, but it looks good on you. [i]Are[/i] you trying to get a man? Any specific one, or just attention in general?”\n\nIt was no use trying to hide the blush now, and Sarahi just hoped the other woman would put it down to the general embarrassment that usually went with discussing relationships. “Actually, I might be trying to catch the eye of... a woman,” she confessed, briefly meeting Dr. Hope’s eyes before taking a long pull from her own drink.\n\nDr. Hope looked faintly surprised, but her smile never faltered. “Oooh. The dress might be the wrong approach for that, then,” the doctor grinned, “I’m told most girls are already attracted to a uniform.”\n\n“Yeah, I’m told the same,” Sarahi chuckled, “Are you? Attracted to uniforms, I mean?”\n\nThe other woman shrugged as she sipped more of her drink. “I think they look very handsome, just as pretty dresses look very pretty. And I like a man who looks suited to their work. But personally, I think the best look is unpretentious,” she chuckled, waving one wing of the stole, “Nothing against formal clothes, but whatever a person wears to the breakfast table will be more honest. That’s where you’ll see who you’d be waking up beside most clearly. If [i]that[/i] looks handsome—or pretty,” she winked, “Then I think you can be confident in the physical side of the attraction, at least.”\n\nSarahi had to giggle at that. “Well, I can’t wear my pajamas to the lounge. Not if I still want to maintain any respect as a captain, anyway.”\n\nDr. Hope agreed with a laugh. “That’s true, and I’m sorry; I’m probably about the worst person to come to for this kind of advice. Gemini will serve you better, or even M—er, no, don’t take any advice from Mom seriously, actually. She could definitely help get you a man, but not for keeps, if that’s what you’re looking for,” the Lioness rolled her eyes, then shook her head, “I mean woman. Sorry. It’s just habit to—”\n\nSarahi patted her hand understandingly. “It’s fine. I know what you mean. I’ve got a few hurdles to jump going either way, actually,” she smiled sheepishly, reaching back to make a small, circular gesture over her hindquarters, seated on the floor as there were no stools built to handle her unique body. The doctor was, naturally, already well aware of her mixed anatomy, as she was familiar with the physiology of every body on the ship. “Not many guys are going to want [i]that[/i] waving at them, I imagine, and not many more women are going to find these fun,” she made a similar gesture over her pleasingly plump breasts, “And any of either that do will have the opposite struggle,” she sighed, having talked this all out with herself many times over the years as she tried to resign herself to being forever single.\n\nThey were interrupted briefly by the announcement welcoming Kita to the stage behind them, built into the back wall of the lounge, and the immediate round of cheers that followed in response. The Fox took the stage with a glowing smile, in five carefully measured paces that brought her within a meter or so of the edge, and stretched out her arms in greeting to the room before launching into her first song of the night. As usual, it was a love song, of the kind that made old couples remember their first dates and new couples start thinking about vows.\n\nSarahi blushed at the sudden atmosphere, while Dr. Hope quietly finished her drink. “Mmm, it’s a big galaxy,” the Lioness mused, returning to their conversation, “And it’s full of all kinds of people. I’m certain there’s more than one who could accept [i]who [/i]you are, regardless of [i]what[/i] you are,” she smiled reassuringly, “Though it [i]is[/i] likely to be a shock when they find out. Don’t let that stop you, and don’t give up when it happens. Shocks can be gotten over, especially with love.” Her smile turned more embarrassed at that moment. “I know that sounds a little cliche, and probably too optimistic, but it’s what I believe. Again, I may be the worst person to talk to about this.”\n\nSarahi shook her head firmly, staring down into her own empty glass. “Actually, I think your advice is the very best I could get... if I’m trying to attract... you... ” The Sha’khari’s cheeks were obviously and deeply red now, and she seemed to find something in the grain of the wood beneath her empty glass absolutely riveting, such that she couldn’t take her eyes off of it to meet Dr. Hope’s again.\n\nAcross the room, unnoticed by either woman, Gemini and Tuli were watching with their cheeks practically pressed together. “Ooo, it seems to be going well, don’t you think?” the Doberman grinned, “They’ve talked for more than a minute. They’re laughing. The captain is blushing like crazy, so she’s obviously working up the nerve... ”\n\nTuli nodded agreement on all points, “Yeah, I just wish we could hear what was actually being [i]said[/i]. Small talk is nice to warm up, but she’s got to make a [i]move[/i] if she’s going to get anywhere. Flirt a little, at least.”\n\n“Yeah,” Gemini sighed wistfully, glancing at the Lioness beside her, “I don’t suppose there’s any chance Nayeli would initiate, is there? I mean, she’s [i]your[/i] daughter, so she must have at least a little talent... ?”\n\nTuli winced through her smile, just a little. “I wouldn’t lay money down on that. I actually didn’t get to spend much time with her while she was growing up, and certainly never around boys, so whatever she learned about [i]that[/i] wasn’t from me. And that’s probably for the best,” the busty Lioness admitted, rocking her head thoughtfully, “Nayeli’s a sweet girl, and respectful. I don’t doubt she’d respond well to flirting, probably with a little of her own... but I don’t think she’d be the one to start it.”\n\nGemini rolled her eyes with a sigh and a smile. “We’re going to have to do something about these two personally, aren’t we?”\n\nTuli winced sincerely then, directing the Doberman’s attention back to the ladies in question just as Nayeli got up from her seat and headed for the door, leaving Sarahi huddled with head low over her empty glass. “Er, maybe more than we know... ”\n\n“... Is that... okay?” Sarahi prompted when Dr. Hope didn’t say anything for several long seconds.\n\n“I think it’s okay to pursue anyone you find appealing,” the doctor answered slowly, now nearly as fixated on her own glass as Sarahi was, “I think... I might be... flattered, actually.” The Lioness started to say something else, swallowed those words, and chose a few more. “But... my drink is empty... and my break-time is almost done... and... I... don’t think I’m ready to talk about... this... here.”\n\nThe captain tried hard not to let the clench of her heart show on her face. “Yeah,” she said softly, forcing the words through a tightening throat, “Your work is important. We’ll talk later.”\n\n“We will,” Dr. Hope agreed with a subtle nod, “Please excuse me.” Sliding off the stool, she made her way out through the archway without another word.\n\nSarahi spent a long moment continuing to stare into her glass, letting the emotional ride settle out through her long body. “It was bound to be a shock. Don’t let it stop you, and don’t give up. Shocks can be gotten over,” she quietly repeated the advice she’d received mere seconds ago. Finally breathing a long sigh into the wood of the bar, she got to her paws and retreated to her own quarters to think and rest.\n\nAs soon as she was through the archway, Gemini ran over to the seat Dr. Hope had just left, slamming her palm flat on the bar to get the bartender’s attention. “Terrance! Did you hear any of that?!”\n\nThe broad-horned Ram looked more annoyed than startled, sliding a couple more drinks to the starmen at the other end of the bar. “Not a thing that was any business of mine, and you should mind yours.”\n\n“Terrance!” Gemini repeated with a stern look. Not many people on the ship would believe she was capable of such a face.\n\nRolling his eyes, the Ram came over and leaned down close to keep it quiet. “The captain admitted she’s got an eye for the doctor. The doctor said they’d talk about it later. The end. Now don’t [i]you[/i] go mucking it up,” he warned, knowing the Doberman’s antics around the lounge almost as well as the woman herself, “Some folks are more sensitive than you, and hardly any as confident. They’ll break if they’re touched,” he warned, collecting the empty glasses from in front of her.\n\n“... Shoot!” Gemini hissed, snapping her fingers as Tuli caught up to her.\n\n“Is it bad?” the Lioness asked in genuine sympathy.\n\n“Eh, sounds like it could be worse, but Sarahi’s probably going to be gun-shy for a while now,” the Doberman sighed, “I wanted to ask how it went, but I’ll have to wait a few days, or it’ll feel like I’m poking a wound.”\n\nTuli giggled at that, patting her friend’s shoulder. “Nayeli’s not the type to be harsh, even in the worst case. Maybe tell her you noticed them sitting together tonight, and ask [i]her[/i] how it went,” the Lioness suggested, then turned to the bartender, “Terrance, how many would it take tonight?” The Ram glanced at her like she’d lost her mind... \n\nA chime announced someone requesting permission to enter, even though the lock on the door hadn’t been activated. Johanna turned sideways on the couch to press a button on her data pad with her foot, opening the door without ever taking her eyes out of the little VR band encircling them, or ceasing the steady click of the two control wands in her hands. When she heard the soft hiss of the door sliding shut again, though, she did tilt the headset up enough to see who it was. “Oh. Hey, Lua, I’m gonna mute a minute. Looks like I have a visitor. ... No, I can manage. Just keep the left quadrant covered,” she warned her team-mate quickly before tapping an icon on the side of the headset. The little button flashed from blue to red. “What can I do for you, Marshal?”\n\nThe large, muscle-bound Doberman in a security uniform shrugged as he stood patiently just inside the door, though Johanna couldn’t see the gesture from inside the game. “Let me visit with my girlfriend?” he chuckled, unbuckling his belt and the attached holster and laying both on the entry table, “I just came by to see if you and Gemi were busy.”\n\n“Just because your sister married my brother, and both of them are banging me, doesn’t make [i]us[/i] an item,” the Dalmatian remarked distractedly, “That doesn’t happen until you kiss me yourself.”\n\nRolling his eyes, Ares crossed the room, cupped a hand against each of her cheeks to hold her twitching head steady, and kissed her warmly on the lips for several seconds. “How about now?”\n\n“We are absolutely an item,” Johanna answered quietly, lifting one side of the band to actually look at him for a second, “How was that? I’m trying to practice for Gemini, but I don’t really have a way to gauge improvement.”\n\nAres shrugged with a smile. “Tolerable. A little on the hostile side. It’d hurt if I didn‘t know you were playing. How long do you think you’ll be?” he asked, waving a finger at the headset before she put it back down over her eyes.\n\n“About fifteen minutes,” the female Dalmatian answered, laying her head back and letting the VR band fall back over both eyes, “We’re pretty good, but this game’s played in waves, and they have their own pacing. Make yourself at home,” she offered, tapping the button on the side of the visor again, “Flank-breakers inc at 3-9. I’m back.”\n\nAres grinned mischievously, getting down on his knees in front of hers. Johanna was wearing her favorite lounging outfit: a loose, extra-long shirt over nothing but panties. She might even have skipped the panties. He ran his hands up the sides of her thighs to check, and found a thin band of the stretchy fabric hugging her hips.\n\nJohanna tapped the button to mute herself again as he hooked his fingers into that fabric. “What are you doing?” she asked curiously, as if she’d heard him punching new settings into the recombinator.\n\n“Playing a game of my own, while I wait,” Ares chuckled... ", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Tour of the Crew

“Captain,” came a gentle, velvety voice through the comm, “The lights went down nearly an hour ago.  You should call it a night.  It’s not good to take long shifts every day.”

“Monitoring my bio-routines again?” Captain Swordbright chuckled, giving an appreciative smile to the face on the monitor in front of her.\t“Always,” Dr. Hope nodded with a warm smile in return, “Or at least every time I notice you slipping into bad habits again.”

“Thank you.  I’ll clock out as soon as my relief gets here,” the captain promised.  After a hesitant moment, she added, “Join me for a drink before I retire to quarters?”

“Oh, only if mine’s a coffee,” the doctor sighed, “I’ve got half a dozen cases of Lativan flu down here.  It’s going to be a late night for me.”

Captain Swordbright gave the monitor a smug smile.  “I’m told by a very trustworthy doctor that it’s not good to take long shifts every day,” she chided, and was answered with a giggle from the other side of the beam, “Sounds great.  My treat.”

“See you there,” the doctor promised before closing the feed.

“Oo, good for you, captain!” giggled Comm-Spec Gritpaw, “Finally going to ask her?”  The Doberman’s tail was wagging excitedly.  She always seemed happy to see relationships developing among her crew-mates, and had been encouraging the captain for some time now.

“Ehe... maybe,” Captain Swordbright smiled sheepishly, then added in a much more confident tone, “But I won’t get the chance if I’m stuck here for another hour.  So go tell your husband to hurry his tail up!  Dismissed!”

“Yes sir, captain, sir!” the Doberman snapped to her feet in a crisp salute, though she failed to wipe the grin off her face.  Once she’d received her salute in return, Gemini went practically skipping down the corridor... smirking with a sneaking suspicion she knew exactly what was keeping her husband...

“I really need to go,” Dane chuckled, “She’s probably already wondering where I am.”  Kissing the top of the spotted head beneath him, the first-mate carefully rolled off of the shapely body attached to it.

Johanna, the ship’s Systems Engineer, nodded her understanding, however reluctantly.  “It is heinously unfair that your shift begins right as mine ends,” the female Dalmatian sighed, “We never get time off together unless we’re at dock.”

“Guess it’s a good thing you’re allowed to work from quarters, then,” the male Dalmatian chuckled as he pulled on his uniform quickly, “And most of your system monitoring is passive.  Just imagine how rarely we’d see each other if you actually had to be at the keys for most of your shift.”

“I just dread the inevitable day she calls for an emergency and catches us with your knot in my tail,” Johanna sighed, tapping a few keys on her data pad before officially punching out of her shift, then sitting up to stretch her arms, flashing her breasts at him shamelessly.  “You know it will happen right in the middle of wuffing.”

Her brother chuckled as he finished straightening his uniform.  “Uh-huh, and whose fault will that be?”

“Mine,” she admitted without hesitation, “It’s just one hell of a way to get fired.  I’ll confess to the blackmail.  Maybe one of us can manage to keep our job when it happens, at least.”

Rolling his eyes, Dane returned to the side of the bed and sat down beside her.  “How about we pin it on me, instead?  I’m only mediocre at my job, at best, while you could have a great future wi—”

“If you finish that sentence,” his sister warned tiredly, “You’ll be reporting for duty with a black eye.”

With another chuckle, Dane leaned down over her.  “I love you,” he said sincerely, stealing a goodbye kiss from her lips.

“I love you, too,” the female Dalmatian answered, surrendering the kiss affectionately.

“Be nice to Gemini for me,” Dane added as the door slid open with a soft hiss.

“Tell that to her,” his sister replied, getting up at last to get dressed and pull some dinner from the recombinator.

Dane met Gemini at the end of the corridor, headed toward their quarters.  He paused briefly to swap hugs and share a kiss with her.  “Hi, sunshine.  All quiet on the bridge?”

“You’d better hurry,” Gemini grinned, giving his rump a playful swat, “She’s got a date with Dr. Hope, and you’re holding her up!”

“Oh wuff,” Dane groaned, taking off at a much brisker jog for the bridge.  Making her late for a date like that was bound to put the captain in a bad mood, and that was the least of his worries.  Gemini would never forgive him if he caused a hiccup in that already-slowly budding relationship...

Gemini sauntered through the door to their quarters with a bright smile and swing in her hips.  “Hey, sugarcube!” she greeted Johanna as she tossed off the hat to her uniform, just before grabbing the other girl around the hips and pulling her into a tight hug, followed by a warm kiss on the cheek.  “Want to join me for dinner in the lounge?  We could tease a few boys and break a few hearts.  Maybe find you someone to keep you warm during Dane’s shift.”

“I thought that was my job for you,” the Dalmatian answered absently, taking a long pull from the coffee in her hand and waving to the pair of plates she’d already set on the little table by the recombinator, “Am I not performing to satisfaction?”

Gemini paused in unbuttoning her blouse.  “Oh wuff, don’t say it like that,” she groaned, pushing Johanna’s coffee down and claiming another, more passionate kiss, this time from her lips, “You’re the only one to ever make me feel bad about flirting.”

“Mmm, sorry, I never got the knack for it,” Johanna apologized, leaning into the Doberman’s kiss sincerely.  “Anyway, no, I promised Lua I’d join her for a match after my shift.  You go have fun.  Just remember not to embarrass Dane, and that I’m waiting for you to wind me down when you get back.”

“Oo, count on it,” Gemini promised, then went to finish changing into a more casual and provocative dress before heading for the lounge.  She could hear the excited chanting before she even got in sight of the entry arch.

“Chug! Chug! Chug!” the off-duty crew chanted in unison, circled around a pair at the bar.  Gemini immediately recognized Tuli, still in her work overhauls and with her cymbiarms buckled around her hips, sitting on the stool beside a pudgy Pug.  Each had two empty tankards in front of them, and were downing a third as quickly as artificial gravity could pull the amber liquid down their throats.  The Lioness slammed hers down one gulp ahead of her challenger, with a satisfied gasp.  “Sorry, fellas!” she giggled, waving over her shoulder, “Looks like I’m keeping my shirt on tonight!”  A disappointed groan briefly filled the room, though it was quickly followed by good-natured chortles.

“Started the party without me?” Gemini laughed as she sat down on Tuli’s other side, “I’m hurt.”

“Never!” Tuli insisted, immediately pulling the other girl into a tight hug, “I was just winning some free drinks while I waited.”

“Riiight,” Gemini arched a dubious brow, then leaned over close to Tuli in a conspiratorial manner, “You know, Nayeli’s on her way here to meet with the captain.  So you might want to... you know... ”  She glanced meaningfully at the empty tankards.

Tuli gasped, putting both hands over her mouth.  “Oh my!” she smiled, taking a quick look around the room, “Thanks for the warning!  Yes, I’ll mind myself.  Let’s sit somewhere more discreet.  I want to see this!” she giggled, grabbing Gemini’s hand as the pair scanned the room for a vacant table around the perimeter...

“I swear, those two are going to work us into an early grave,” Kylan muttered, looking over the diagnostics displayed on his data pad, “Upping the reticle sensitivity another sixty percent is one thing, but doubling the rate of fire—”

He was interrupted by a brief squeal from the short Feline standing on his equally short shoulders, trying to pry a thin piece of warped metal off the tip of what looked like a satellite tower laid on its side in one of the ship’s forward bays.  “Yep,” Diya hissed, sucking her blistered thumb as she gave the piece a last, firm thump with the wrench in her hand, knocking it off the end of its support and letting it fall to the ground, “They melted the focal surface.  Tell Johanna to back it off to just a hundred and fifty percent... and Lua to stop being so trigger-happy!  It’s a pulse-blaster, not a beam-cannon, for crying out loud!”

“Yeah,” Kylan agreed, carefully handing a replacement part up to her while trying not to jostle her balance much, “Seems like they’re trying to make it one, though.”  Kylan committed both hands to holding her steady for a moment while Diya pressed the new part into place and corrected the angle on it.  “You about done up there, bro?” the little Feline chuckled as his shoulders began to ache.

“So help me, if you say it one more time, I will lump you up with this gravity-wrench,” his sister growled, “I’m the girl!  I don’t care which of us has the flatter chest!”  Kylan snickered... and accepted the light kick to the back of his head that she gave him.

“You guys need any help?” came an eager, energetic voice that immediately sent shudders through both of the small Felines’ spines.

“Kitt,” Kylan sighed, staring at the broad nose suddenly crouching right in front of his, “You know you’re not supposed to be down here.”

“Uh-huh,” the little Hound nodded honestly.  She was barely a head taller than the twins, though they were half-again her age, and even better at squirming through the tight spaces between rails and wiring and panels than the tiny mechanics.  “But I thought I heard voices, and then I thought it sounded like you were having a hard time with something, so... ?”

“So you were already way past the hatch marked ‘engineers only’,” Diya grunted, shaking her head, “Fine.  You get up here and tighten this down, and we won’t report you to Marshal Fineclaw.  Again.”

“Sure!” the energetic Dog agreed, accepting the wrench from Diya and shimmying up the frame of the blaster as if artificial gravity was something that could be selectively ignored.  Hanging upside down from her knees over one of the bars, she cheerfully tightened up all the bolts behind the focal surface while the twins took a breather...

On the command-bridge, First-Mate Gritpaw tried not to look hurried as he marched through the door, though his pulse was pounding and his breath was heavy from the jog he’d made all the way up here.  He’d like to think he did a good job hiding it, but Captain Swordbright flashed a knowing smirk as he reported for duty with a crisp salute.  “Sorry to interrupt your date,” the captain chided as she returned his salute, handing off command of the ship to him, “But I’ve got one of my own to get to.”

First-Mate Gritpaw thought his heart would stop, and nearly let his chin fall slack.  Seeing his sudden alarm, Sarahi laughed and gestured for him to calm himself as she moved aside from her station.  “I kid, I kid!” she promised, trotting for the door.  Her first-mate quietly sighed in relief, and was just turning to take over the station when she paused at the door.  “All joking aside, though, first-mate; I’m getting a little concerned at how often you’re starting late.  I’m not terribly strict about it, but try setting an alarm or something, okay?  It’s a bad example for the rest of the crew.”

“Yes, captain!” the first-mate answered a little more forcefully than he intended, still a little tense from his scare.  But Sarahi was out the door before he’d even finished those two words, trotting down the dim corridors toward her own quarters for a quick change of clothes before she headed to the lounge.  She was surprised to arrive first, though, carefully looking around the noisy room for the good doctor before deciding she would have to wait a little.  Part of her hoped Dr. Hope would be able to get away from her duties long enough for them to have a talk... and a much bigger part of her hoped the doctor hadn’t gotten tired of waiting and already left.

Gemini tapped Tuli’s arm when she spotted the Sha’khari trotting over to the end of the bar.  “Oo, look!  She’s serious tonight!” the Doberman grinned, noticing the lovely dress of sparkling red sequins the captain was wearing.  It was exceedingly rare to see her in anything besides her uniform or work-out suit.

Tuli gave her an appraising look, but shook her head.  “Dear, she didn’t have time to get serious.  No make-up, no accessories... not even gloves,” the Lioness noticed, taking a sip from her drink as she appreciated the view from across the room.  “She’s just a natural eight-out-of-ten, with a change of clothes calling attention to it.”

“Hey, at least she bothered with the clothes,” Gemi chided, tugging a sleeve of Tuli’s work overhauls.  “You could be eight-out-of-ten in pants and a tee-shirt!  But noooo, you have to be first to the bar,” the Doberman giggled.  Tuli bit her tongue on whatever retort she was about to make when her daughter walked through the archway.

“Hi,” Dr. Hope greeted the off-duty captain as she carefully seated herself on the stool next to her, “Sorry if I kept you waiting.  Doling out the medicines took a while.”

“Not at all,” Sarahi promised, sliding a glass she’d already ordered in front of the Lioness.  The creamy, pink liquid inside smelled like strawberries and poured like honey.  It wasn’t coffee, but the kick would be similar, and the drink itself sweeter.  “Besides, your work is arguably even more important than mine.  Or at least more urgent, most of the time.”

Dr. Hope took a long, necessarily slow sip of her drink before answering.  “Oh, I wouldn’t go so far as saying that,” she smiled, but was content not to argue further.  Suffice to say the health and safety of the crew rested on both of their shoulders, and they were well aware of it.

Looking up and down the captain’s shapely (if unusual) figure, she changed the subject: “You look lovely.  What’s the occasion?”  The doctor herself was still in the medical coat she wore over a traditional amice, with her chaplain’s stole draped across her shoulders.

Sarahi giggled, trying hard not to blush.  “Ah, I’m just trying to be a little more casual.  Gemini tells me I’m all business and no fun, and that I’ll never get a man like that,” she shrugged, stirring the cloudy contents of her own glass with an embarrassed smile.  “It’s just a change of clothes... but it somehow feels odd.  I’m still getting used to it.”

Dr. Hope grinned, and leaned in to bump shoulders with her with an encouraging smile.  “I don’t know if ‘casual’ is how I’d describe that, but it looks good on you.  Are you trying to get a man?  Any specific one, or just attention in general?”

It was no use trying to hide the blush now, and Sarahi just hoped the other woman would put it down to the general embarrassment that usually went with discussing relationships.  “Actually, I might be trying to catch the eye of... a woman,” she confessed, briefly meeting Dr. Hope’s eyes before taking a long pull from her own drink.

Dr. Hope looked faintly surprised, but her smile never faltered.  “Oooh.  The dress might be the wrong approach for that, then,” the doctor grinned, “I’m told most girls are already attracted to a uniform.”

“Yeah, I’m told the same,” Sarahi chuckled, “Are you?  Attracted to uniforms, I mean?”

The other woman shrugged as she sipped more of her drink.  “I think they look very handsome, just as pretty dresses look very pretty.  And I like a man who looks suited to their work.  But personally, I think the best look is unpretentious,” she chuckled, waving one wing of the stole, “Nothing against formal clothes, but whatever a person wears to the breakfast table will be more honest.  That’s where you’ll see who you’d be waking up beside most clearly.  If that looks handsome—or pretty,” she winked, “Then I think you can be confident in the physical side of the attraction, at least.”

Sarahi had to giggle at that.  “Well, I can’t wear my pajamas to the lounge.  Not if I still want to maintain any respect as a captain, anyway.”

Dr. Hope agreed with a laugh.  “That’s true, and I’m sorry; I’m probably about the worst person to come to for this kind of advice.  Gemini will serve you better, or even M—er, no, don’t take any advice from Mom seriously, actually.  She could definitely help get you a man, but not for keeps, if that’s what you’re looking for,” the Lioness rolled her eyes, then shook her head, “I mean woman.  Sorry.  It’s just habit to—”

Sarahi patted her hand understandingly.  “It’s fine.  I know what you mean.  I’ve got a few hurdles to jump going either way, actually,” she smiled sheepishly, reaching back to make a small, circular gesture over her hindquarters, seated on the floor as there were no stools built to handle her unique body.  The doctor was, naturally, already well aware of her mixed anatomy, as she was familiar with the physiology of every body on the ship.  “Not many guys are going to want that waving at them, I imagine, and not many more women are going to find these fun,” she made a similar gesture over her pleasingly plump breasts, “And any of either that do will have the opposite struggle,” she sighed, having talked this all out with herself many times over the years as she tried to resign herself to being forever single.

They were interrupted briefly by the announcement welcoming Kita to the stage behind them, built into the back wall of the lounge, and the immediate round of cheers that followed in response.  The Fox took the stage with a glowing smile, in five carefully measured paces that brought her within a meter or so of the edge, and stretched out her arms in greeting to the room before launching into her first song of the night.  As usual, it was a love song, of the kind that made old couples remember their first dates and new couples start thinking about vows.

Sarahi blushed at the sudden atmosphere, while Dr. Hope quietly finished her drink.  “Mmm, it’s a big galaxy,” the Lioness mused, returning to their conversation, “And it’s full of all kinds of people.  I’m certain there’s more than one who could accept who you are, regardless of what you are,” she smiled reassuringly, “Though it is likely to be a shock when they find out.  Don’t let that stop you, and don’t give up when it happens.  Shocks can be gotten over, especially with love.”  Her smile turned more embarrassed at that moment.  “I know that sounds a little cliche, and probably too optimistic, but it’s what I believe.  Again, I may be the worst person to talk to about this.”

Sarahi shook her head firmly, staring down into her own empty glass.  “Actually, I think your advice is the very best I could get... if I’m trying to attract... you... ”  The Sha’khari’s cheeks were obviously and deeply red now, and she seemed to find something in the grain of the wood beneath her empty glass absolutely riveting, such that she couldn’t take her eyes off of it to meet Dr. Hope’s again.

Across the room, unnoticed by either woman, Gemini and Tuli were watching with their cheeks practically pressed together.  “Ooo, it seems to be going well, don’t you think?” the Doberman grinned, “They’ve talked for more than a minute.  They’re laughing.  The captain is blushing like crazy, so she’s obviously working up the nerve... ”

Tuli nodded agreement on all points, “Yeah, I just wish we could hear what was actually being said.  Small talk is nice to warm up, but she’s got to make a move if she’s going to get anywhere.  Flirt a little, at least.”

“Yeah,” Gemini sighed wistfully, glancing at the Lioness beside her, “I don’t suppose there’s any chance Nayeli would initiate, is there?  I mean, she’s your daughter, so she must have at least a little talent... ?”

Tuli winced through her smile, just a little.  “I wouldn’t lay money down on that.  I actually didn’t get to spend much time with her while she was growing up, and certainly never around boys, so whatever she learned about that wasn’t from me.  And that’s probably for the best,” the busty Lioness admitted, rocking her head thoughtfully, “Nayeli’s a sweet girl, and respectful.  I don’t doubt she’d respond well to flirting, probably with a little of her own... but I don’t think she’d be the one to start it.”

Gemini rolled her eyes with a sigh and a smile.  “We’re going to have to do something about these two personally, aren’t we?”

Tuli winced sincerely then, directing the Doberman’s attention back to the ladies in question just as Nayeli got up from her seat and headed for the door, leaving Sarahi huddled with head low over her empty glass.  “Er, maybe more than we know... ”

“... Is that... okay?” Sarahi prompted when Dr. Hope didn’t say anything for several long seconds.

“I think it’s okay to pursue anyone you find appealing,” the doctor answered slowly, now nearly as fixated on her own glass as Sarahi was, “I think... I might be... flattered, actually.”  The Lioness started to say something else, swallowed those words, and chose a few more.  “But... my drink is empty... and my break-time is almost done... and... I... don’t think I’m ready to talk about... this... here.”

The captain tried hard not to let the clench of her heart show on her face.  “Yeah,” she said softly, forcing the words through a tightening throat, “Your work is important.  We’ll talk later.”

“We will,” Dr. Hope agreed with a subtle nod, “Please excuse me.”  Sliding off the stool, she made her way out through the archway without another word.

Sarahi spent a long moment continuing to stare into her glass, letting the emotional ride settle out through her long body.  “It was bound to be a shock.  Don’t let it stop you, and don’t give up.  Shocks can be gotten over,” she quietly repeated the advice she’d received mere seconds ago.  Finally breathing a long sigh into the wood of the bar, she got to her paws and retreated to her own quarters to think and rest.

As soon as she was through the archway, Gemini ran over to the seat Dr. Hope had just left, slamming her palm flat on the bar to get the bartender’s attention.  “Terrance!  Did you hear any of that?!”

The broad-horned Ram looked more annoyed than startled, sliding a couple more drinks to the starmen at the other end of the bar.  “Not a thing that was any business of mine, and you should mind yours.”

“Terrance!” Gemini repeated with a stern look.  Not many people on the ship would believe she was capable of such a face.

Rolling his eyes, the Ram came over and leaned down close to keep it quiet.  “The captain admitted she’s got an eye for the doctor.  The doctor said they’d talk about it later.  The end.  Now don’t you go mucking it up,” he warned, knowing the Doberman’s antics around the lounge almost as well as the woman herself, “Some folks are more sensitive than you, and hardly any as confident.  They’ll break if they’re touched,” he warned, collecting the empty glasses from in front of her.

“... Shoot!” Gemini hissed, snapping her fingers as Tuli caught up to her.

“Is it bad?” the Lioness asked in genuine sympathy.

“Eh, sounds like it could be worse, but Sarahi’s probably going to be gun-shy for a while now,” the Doberman sighed, “I wanted to ask how it went, but I’ll have to wait a few days, or it’ll feel like I’m poking a wound.”

Tuli giggled at that, patting her friend’s shoulder.  “Nayeli’s not the type to be harsh, even in the worst case.  Maybe tell her you noticed them sitting together tonight, and ask her how it went,” the Lioness suggested, then turned to the bartender, “Terrance, how many would it take tonight?”  The Ram glanced at her like she’d lost her mind...

A chime announced someone requesting permission to enter, even though the lock on the door hadn’t been activated.  Johanna turned sideways on the couch to press a button on her data pad with her foot, opening the door without ever taking her eyes out of the little VR band encircling them, or ceasing the steady click of the two control wands in her hands.  When she heard the soft hiss of the door sliding shut again, though, she did tilt the headset up enough to see who it was.  “Oh.  Hey, Lua, I’m gonna mute a minute.  Looks like I have a visitor. ...  No, I can manage.  Just keep the left quadrant covered,” she warned her team-mate quickly before tapping an icon on the side of the headset.  The little button flashed from blue to red.  “What can I do for you, Marshal?”

The large, muscle-bound Doberman in a security uniform shrugged as he stood patiently just inside the door, though Johanna couldn’t see the gesture from inside the game.  “Let me visit with my girlfriend?” he chuckled, unbuckling his belt and the attached holster and laying both on the entry table, “I just came by to see if you and Gemi were busy.”

“Just because your sister married my brother, and both of them are banging me, doesn’t make us an item,” the Dalmatian remarked distractedly, “That doesn’t happen until you kiss me yourself.”

Rolling his eyes, Ares crossed the room, cupped a hand against each of her cheeks to hold her twitching head steady, and kissed her warmly on the lips for several seconds.  “How about now?”

“We are absolutely an item,” Johanna answered quietly, lifting one side of the band to actually look at him for a second, “How was that?  I’m trying to practice for Gemini, but I don’t really have a way to gauge improvement.”

Ares shrugged with a smile.  “Tolerable.  A little on the hostile side.  It’d hurt if I didn‘t know you were playing.  How long do you think you’ll be?” he asked, waving a finger at the headset before she put it back down over her eyes.

“About fifteen minutes,” the female Dalmatian answered, laying her head back and letting the VR band fall back over both eyes, “We’re pretty good, but this game’s played in waves, and they have their own pacing.  Make yourself at home,” she offered, tapping the button on the side of the visor again, “Flank-breakers inc at 3-9.  I’m back.”

Ares grinned mischievously, getting down on his knees in front of hers.  Johanna was wearing her favorite lounging outfit: a loose, extra-long shirt over nothing but panties.  She might even have skipped the panties.  He ran his hands up the sides of her thighs to check, and found a thin band of the stretchy fabric hugging her hips.

Johanna tapped the button to mute herself again as he hooked his fingers into that fabric.  “What are you doing?” she asked curiously, as if she’d heard him punching new settings into the recombinator.

“Playing a game of my own, while I wait,” Ares chuckled... ", "pools_count": 1, "title": "Voyages of the Masked-Fox 1 - Tour of the Crew", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "text/plain", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "1", "rating_name": "Mature", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "2", "name": "Nudity", "description": "Nonsexual nudity exposing breasts or genitals (must not show arousal)", "rating_id": "1" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "0", "views": "61" }