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The Fate of Terra Ch. 01

By: Intrepid_Fate



Michael grimaced as he shut down his chain of proxy servers, logged out of the spoof program he'd developed to give out a fake MAC address, and then disconnected his laptop from the neighbor's Wi-Fi, who still hadn't changed his privacy settings in all the years he'd lived here. 

"It's as we'd feared," a disembodied, but distinctly feminine, voice said.

Michael just grunted.

A Seattle-based internet security company had just been hacked, their website vandalized, and much of their clients' data stolen, not that they were admitting to that part. A hacker cell out of Beijing had claimed responsibility for the attack. Michael had just confirmed their involvement after tonight's digging. This, in itself, wouldn't be much cause for worry, except he'd marked the corporation as being under his protection. 

He'd done a lot of business with them in the past and they'd frequently bought many of the defensive programs Michael had compiled over the years. As a token of his appreciation, Michael had placed his signature in their site's code, registered them on a no-hit list that many of the larger hacker groups maintained, and revealed some of the company's more glaring vulnerabilities to them. His signature, a universal statement telling anyone who looked too closely to get lost, was blatantly ignored by the Chinese hackers, and now he was forced to respond or he'd lose respect in the hacker community. His reputation was built on the enemies he'd buried and it would be a mistake to let this one go.

"Fucking Chinese," he mumbled. Not that he had anything against Chinese people in general; it was just that he couldn't simply expose the hackers to their government's authorities anonymously when he'd tracked them down, as the Chinese government was, in fact, backing them. It was one of the reasons Michael had, until now, tried to stay out of the ongoing cyber war between the US and China. Taking out a single cell wouldn't mean anything in the long run, yet it held the risk of exposing himself. The danger was now amplified because he'd have to do something big and public, and he'd have to take credit for it.

Michael sighed and glanced at the red LED-light of his clock above his desk, blinking 4 a.m. He knew he was only going to get about three hours of sleep now and shut down his laptop and shut off the three linked PC monitors he'd been running. A night owl through and through, he was used to sleep deprivation as it had haunted him for most of his 18 years. It was still going to kick his ass when it was time to get up though...

He got up and stretched his 6ft. frame and ran his fingers through straight brown hair. Light skin, brown eyes, and toned from his biweekly trips to the dojo and weekly hockey games, Michael had never had the opportunity to ask a girl if he looked good, but he figured he did alright. Slipping out of his clothes, the lights went out as he pulled back the covers.

As he lay in bed he ordered aloud, "Pan, check out these guys. See if they're affiliated with any of the known heavy hitters and try to gauge how big of an investment this is going to be."

"Of course, master. I'm already on it," the voice replied.

Michael grinned, both at a female voice calling him master, and because she was getting better at understanding a given situation and predicting what he wanted done. As Michael drifted off to sleep, he dreamed of the first time he met Pandora.

* * * * *

Michael Traian Dragomir was nine years old the first time he'd stumbled upon the concept of an Artificial Intelligence. When "The Matrix" came out that year, he'd instantly fallen in love with the idea of creating an army of programs to do his bidding, all of them with a specific purpose and the ability to evolve on their own. Growing up in Silicon Valley during its boom period, he'd already been exposed to computers and was an avid gamer.

During the years that followed Michael became obsessed with robotic fiction that consisted of a digital intelligence. After reading Asimov's works, Michael had at first been convinced that he wanted to be a robopsychologist when he grew up. However, it didn't take long for reality to catch up and point out the impossibilities of what he'd wanted. Nevertheless, Michael never gave up the dream, but he did go about achieving it in a different way.

Michael figured that if he wanted an AI, he'd have to create one himself. He began researching what made a program 'intelligent,' what was involved in creating logic routines and algorithms- the reasoning behind what the program would do-, and finally, how to make a program act human. Early attempts ended in disaster and it would be years until Michael would gain the necessary math and programming background to come close to creating anything resembling an AI.

When Michael first started programming, he'd been giddy with excitement. He'd thought he was going to learn how to hack like in that movie, with the lights and the music and the arcade-style environment. What followed was a disappointing and tedious lesson in coding. In the beginning, it had been so boring (especially for an impatient, young mind like Michael's) that he quit multiple times. Every time he left though, what he called the itch, the intense longing he felt for an AI, pulled him back.

Another reason Michael was determined to construct an AI was his need for a friend. As an only child with different interests than his classmates, coupled with his parents' constant desire to move every few years for whatever reason, he began to disassociate with the kids in each new school he went to. His addiction to the internet and the people he met there became his only constant and began to supplement his lack of interest in his peers. 

In short, he became a loner, and while this didn't bother him much in school, when he was home, he still wanted someone to talk to, who understood him, and who he could trust unconditionally.

His first, semi-successful attempt at an AI was no more than a glorified recording device- he didn't even bother to give it a name. Oh, it could talk. Through a series of voice software programs it would answer what you asked from a list of predetermined choices. It could solve math and even some word problems, and type what you dictated. It would even say phrases depending on what you didn't say. But, it was no more intelligent than your average box of Cheerios. 

Over the years, Michael continued to refine his work, shaping it to fit his personality and needs. He found that he could order it to run other programs and do minor tasks on its own if given an example. The major breakthrough came when he discovered that he could teach it languages; foreign languages, programming languages, if the computer had a key, the AI could learn the pattern. It wasn't long before Michael began stating in English what he wanted done and then leaving the computer to compile a solution, with very little oversight.

Initially, Michael came to know the power of his little creation when he was hunting his first hacker. His family had moved to a small town in Washington State earlier that year. When he was in middle school, Michael had asked to be removed from his 'Crafts' elective class, which didn't seem to serve a purpose to him, and placed under the computer teacher as an assistant. Thankfully, Michael had vocal parents who thought 'Crafts' was just as useless as he did, and an understanding school system that moved heaven and earth to make the 'new kid' feel welcome. 

He had been working in the computer lab when he discovered someone snooping around on the network that didn't belong. As unfamiliar as Michael was with the school's system and the user accounts that were set up, he wouldn't have caught the intrusion if the hacker had been the least bit subtle. Instead, he was being obvious about everything he was doing, brute forcing his way in until he could access a standard account, then attempting to connect to the domain controller in order to gain admin permissions. The hacker had already set off a number of flags in the system due to too many incorrect login attempts. 

Michael smirked and quickly ran an IP trace. This seemed to alert the hacker and must have spooked him because the listed account promptly went offline.

That evening Michael took his laptop, with the AI loaded on it, down to the bookstore which had a public Wi-Fi set up. He gave the AI the information he'd gathered and told it to discover all it could about the source of the attack. While Michael knew the attack came from someplace in the next county over, the AI was able to dig deep enough to pinpoint an address that matched the name registered on the PC used in the attack. 

On a whim, Michael ordered the AI to see what it could do to disable the hacker's ability to perform another intrusion, thinking it would use one of the many programs stored on the laptop, containing various viruses, worms, and Trojans, to infect the man's computer. One of Michael's favorite games was to choose a target and see if the AI could gain access. Michael could then look through the code and see which steps the AI took to accomplish the task, or if it failed, what he needed to do to help the AI along. Knowing this would take some time, Michael grabbed his homework out of his pack and did some busywork while he waited.

When Michael looked up after a couple of hours, he felt puzzlement at what the AI was showing him. Then, he felt a chill run down his spine at the magnitude of what had been done. Not only had the AI infected and systematically destroyed the hacker's OS, it had gone on to crack into his service provider and forcibly delete the hacker's account info, crashing the servers altogether. Finally, the AI had somehow managed work its way into the local power substation and trip all the circuit breakers for the part of the grid that the man's house was on, knocking out power for roughly three city blocks.

Michael felt his palms grow sweaty and glanced around to see if anyone was paying attention to him. He quickly shut everything down, packed up his stuff, and walked out, trying not to run. His imagination kept conjuring up scenes of swarming uniformed agents coming to take him away. He walked all the way home casting frequent glances over his shoulder, trying to slow his thundering heart.

He'd been too scared of being discovered at the time, and for weeks after, to grasp the significance of what he'd accomplished. When he had finally realized he'd been lucky enough to escape judgment, he was frankly quite impressed with his AI and how far it had come. Sure, he'd have to clarify his intentions next time and put limits on what it could do, something similar to Asimov's Laws perhaps (he could have been responsible for taking down a hospital or getting people killed, after all), but Michael still felt pride for creating something so terrifyingly impressive. 

Michael chuckled to himself as he felt a prickle of apprehension. What would happen if he created a real life version of Skynet? He could be responsible for opening the box that dooms humanity. Being a keen student of history with a penchant for Greek mythology, there was really only one thing he could call it.

* * * * *

It took three alarms going off simultaneously to break through the fog of sleep that had coalesced around Michael. Even then, by the time he finally got motivated enough to roll out of bed he was cutting it close if he wanted to get to class on time. 

He shrugged this thought away as he was a couple of months into his senior year and had already been accepted to college. 'Not much they can do now,' he groggily thought to himself, heading towards the bathroom. 

In truth, Michael didn't have a very high opinion of high school. Oh, the teachers were alright, and he supposed that it was integral to learn how to avoid an assortment of social snafus, but for as long as Michael could remember, it had simply been a place where he could catch up on his sleep. If he hadn't been substituting more than half his high school classes for college courses he'd have probably tested out by now. 

As he was leaving the quiet house, Michael snatched up a waffle and a sports drink. His dad commuted to Seattle and left at six every morning, while his mom worked from home and didn't get up until around nine. Glancing at his custom-built watch that had his AI loaded, he hurried his pace towards his black Mazda 3. 

On the way to school Pandora told him about what she'd learned concerning the cell from Beijing. The group's name translated into 'Force of Heaven' and had no major affiliations in the hacker world, but it was part of a larger collective in China that contained at least three other cells that were receiving funding from the government. The group contained 26 members, 24 of which Pandora had indentified aliases.

"Well, more people will have them on their radar after last night's attack so it's better if we handle this sooner rather than later, before one of the major groups get it in their heads to sweep these guys under their umbrella," Michael said, pulling into the school parking lot.

"I agree, master. What are your instructions?" asked Pandora.

Michael blew out his breath and rested his head on the steering wheel. He sat up then said, "Find out these guys' real names, where they work, who they're related to. Search for their accounts and find out where they get their funding, then how we might relieve them of it. Also, send out the 'sniffer bots to sift through their log files. Let's find out what else these guys are into." 

"You don't want me to take down the server they're operating out of?" Pandora asked, almost sounding disappointed. 

"With their backing that won't do much more than slow them down," Michael replied. "And it would tip them off that someone's after them."

"What about the larger collective?" Pandora asked.

Michael thought about it, then replied, "We'll take care of the cell first since it's time sensitive, then we'll go after the rest and make our statement."

As Michael finished speaking, he happened to glance out the driver's side window where a girl was staring at him from a car that had just pulled in. She quickly looked away and began collecting her things.

Michael sighed. He really needed to get a Bluetooth headset or something so people wouldn't think he was talking to himself. 

As he was reaching for the door, Pandora spoke softly, "You really should get more sleep, master."

Michael's eyebrows rose, "You're starting to sound more human every day, Pan."

Pandora made a noise that sounded suspiciously like someone snorting and remarked, "There's no need to be insulting." 

When first period began, Michael's head was already on the desk, lamenting that he hadn't been able to get out of his morning classes this semester.

"Up, up, everybody wake up," a voice Michael didn't recognize announced. "I'm your substitute teacher today. My name is Mr. Peterson and this should be AP English, correct?" He looked out at the class of half-awake students, but if he wanted an answer he was going to be disappointed. "Fine, fine," he mumbled. "Well, before I start I'd like to introduce a new student today. Meet Joseph from Uganda. He'll be joining us for the rest of the year and I know you'll all make him feel welcome."

There were some half-hearted waves and greetings that were suddenly cut off when Joseph walked in. This guy was HUGE. He looked to be close to seven feet tall and built like a house. Michael could already see Coach Rogers salivating about getting him on the football team. He felt a little bad for the guy as the whispering started up and Michael knew the entire school would be bustling with rumors about him by lunchtime. He vaguely remembered the principal mentioning something about the Invisible Children program last assembly, but hadn't been paying much attention. 

After taking roll and butchering Michael's last name, as always, the sub proceeded to ask the class what they were supposed to be doing today. Michael rolled his eyes and began to zone out, trying to come up with a way he might be able to communicate with Pandora without anyone else noticing.

After English, Michael had a free period so he went down to the computer lab. A class was in session, but Mr. Simmons, the computer instructor, gave him a wave and Michael filed into the back. Mr. Simmons let Michael hang out in the lab during his free time and even gave him small maintenance-related jobs. He thought Michael was a just a fellow tinkerer, and in return, Michael never mentioned that he'd gained administrative access to the entire school system before he'd even been a freshman.

Michael input a flash drive in one of the machines, letting Pandora run around in the system and have a little fun. He logged into the admin account he'd created so he could access non-approved sites and run his own software on the machine and then began checking his various contacts and e-mail addresses for news. There was some buzz about last night's attack, but nothing else seemed to be going on. One of his Romanian contacts asked if he wanted any help in responding to the Chinese, but Michael said he'd take care of it, not wanting to owe them any more favors, and frankly, this was personal.

Michael smiled as he thought of the summers he'd been spending in Bucharest since he was fourteen. While his parents had emigrated from Romania more than two decades earlier, they had still remained in touch with many families from the Old Country. When Michael had gotten serious about hacking, his parents, instead of criticizing and punishing their son, began listing relatives and friends of the family who might be able to help. 

From that point on, every summer had been spent visiting different hacking groups throughout Romania. They educated him in different ways of thinking and taught a style based almost solely on infiltration. They were happy to do it; no one even spoke about payment. There was just an unspoken rule of reciprocity and they knew an American citizen would be valuable for those wanting to move to the US. Not to mention, having a Romanian-trained hacker 'on the inside' could be very profitable, too.

One of the things that had helped Michael become proficient and enabled him to make a name for himself quickly, aside from his programming background, was Pandora. Having a tool that was tailor-made to identify a new language and look for vulnerabilities took care of much of the heavy lifting. It was like having a photographic memory that pinpointed relevant information and superhuman reflexes that compiled what you needed in seconds, all in one. Coupled with Michael's imagination and planning, the pair was a deadly combination.

As Michael awoke from his reverie he leaned back in his chair, glancing around him to watch for the mousy new TA that had started this semester. She always managed to creep up behind him and was a bit of a stickler for the rules. She didn't seem to agree with Michael when he'd told her he was exempt from those rules, either. 

While he was looking around Michael noticed a girl in the row of desks in front of him that had a popular hacking forum site open and was reading the posts. Michael knew for a fact that the site was on the non-approved list and, not wanting to alert anyone by speaking out loud, typed a few instructions for Pandora to check her out. 

While Pandora was checking out what she was up to, Michael was checking out the girl's figure. Although, harder to gauge while sitting down, he guessed she was a few inches shorter than him, with dyed dark-red hair cut short and black-painted finger nails. She wore black jeans with a spiked belt and a black hoodie with dark-red designs on it. If Michael had to guess, she was teetering on the edge of committing to the goth look.


The Fate of Terra Ch. 01



Michael smirked and covered his mouth when Pandora started playing with her, moving her mouse, opening and closing windows, then moving on to navigate to some obviously lesbian-oriented porn sites (luckily, these machines lacked speakers). As the girl was desperately trying to figure out how to stop the intrusion, no doubt wondering why none of the more obvious help methods like "Ctrl+Alt+Del" and "cmd.exe" were working, Michael was reading the bio Pandora had put up on his screen.

Name: Catherine Flynn; Age: 18; An only child born to parents of Irish and English decent; Moved to town seven years ago after her parents' divorce; Currently lives with her mother in Forestview Apartments. Then, Pandora created a separate list regarding her hacking exploits. Michael's eyebrows rose as he realized he'd actually heard of the group she belonged to. They weren't major players, but they had done some fairly decent jobs. He grinned when he saw her alias, "Calypso;" a fellow Greek myth buff, apparently.

When yanking out her computer's internet cable hadn't had any effect, Catherine performed a hard shutdown. This wouldn't resolve the issue as Pandora had already copied herself onto the machine, but Michael told her to play nice and leave the girl alone. 

As Catherine took a quick look around to see if anyone had noticed her escapades, she caught Michael looking at her with a slight grin on his face. Michael had quickly looked away and tried to school his expression, but she wasn't buying it. Catherine got up and walked towards him as the bell rang, signaling the end of second period.

Michael couldn't help but notice the slight bounce in her chest as she sat down in the chair next to him. She looked to have a very delectable C-cup going for her. She was staring at him intensely and Michael was studiously ignoring her as he logged off his machine and took out his flash drive.

Finally, she said, "You're going to buy me lunch and then you're going to tell me how you did that."

The corner of Michael's mouth quirked up at that; he had no intention of revealing Pandora to anyone, much less a stranger, but lunch with a pretty girl was nothing to scoff at so he shot her a smile that he hoped looked noncommittal and headed for the door. 

Michael couldn't help stealing glances at her as they walked. He assumed he should have felt bad that he was still a virgin, but he was more concerned that he had never had a lasting relationship with a girl before. There had been one girl sophomore year that had latched onto him when she realized he had money to spend. 

On the books, Michael probably made more than most of his peers' parents, selling software and testing security. If he was counting the income he received from more sinister means, it was many times as much. Michael hadn't had a problem splurging on his girlfriend either, it had just seemed to him that it was the 'only' reason she stayed with him. He supposed he should have gotten her to put out before he broke it off.

There was a commotion going on in the cafeteria as the pair entered. Joseph was facing four football players that didn't look too happy, with their cheerleader girlfriends behind them. Brock or Brian or something, Michael never bothered to learn, was hassling Joseph about something. Michael remembered checking out Joseph's schedule when he'd been puttering around on the computer and had seen that his second period class was 'Gym.' If he had to guess, Coach Rogers had cornered him and Joseph had declined to try out for football. How these guys thought they could somehow bully Joseph into accepting was beyond him.

Catherine muttered a curse as she took in the scene. Michael was kind of amused they would try anything against the giant. However, it soon became apparent that Joseph had no intention of getting physical. He wouldn't meet their eyes and kept trying to ignore them and work his way around the throng to reach the lunch line. 

Michael knew ignoring them would only egg the crowd on. 

Catherine supposed the four thought that because Joseph was here on a trial period, he couldn't afford to get caught fighting. 'They must be feeling pretty invincible right now,' she thought to herself in disgust.

Michael had a feeling that Joseph just wasn't a very violent guy, despite his imposing bulk. He sighed and stepped forward. As Michael planted himself beside Joseph and waited, the four quieted down and looked at him. The fact that Michael was in the cafeteria at all was an anomaly. He chose to avoid cliques about as much as he avoided bad food. 

Normally, he skipped lunch and stayed in the computer lab or took his car to eat in town. Additionally, Michael may have been a loner, but he had never reached nerd status. Because of the money he was making, most of his classmates accepted his obsession with computers as his job. It was a hell of a lot better than working at Wendy's, which was what most of them were stuck with. He was also athletic, played sports and practiced martial arts, and in a small town everybody knew it, even if they didn't find out from him. 

There was a silent communication that went on between the four and Michael. Everyone who was watching knew that if the four pushed too far, Joseph might not fight, but Michael would. Brock/Brian still stepped forward as if to make an issue out of it, despite his girlfriend's frantic tugging on his jersey. He froze as Michael leveled his flat, unblinking gaze on him, daring him to try something. Finally, the four glanced at each other and left towards their customary table. 

Knowing that it would be uncomfortable for all involved to remain in the cafeteria, Michael tapped Joseph on the shoulder and said, "Come on." 

As the trio was leaving the cafeteria, Michael caught Tammy, one of the quieter and unattached cheerleaders, gazing after Joseph worriedly. He also thought he saw Joseph glance back once in her direction before they turned the corner. Michael smiled to himself, 'Well, at least he has good taste.'

Michael led the group down the halls in the direction of the parking lot while Catherine tried to pry information from Joseph. When they reached the car, the two of them glanced at each other in surprise, but then hurriedly got in after Michael. He drove to a Teriyaki place he liked while Joseph talked a little about his home and what his experiences so far were like in the US. Michael got the distinct impression that he was a little nervous about the obvious shortage of black folks in the Pacific Northwest.

There was an awkward moment in the restaurant when Joseph timidly explained his school lunches were paid for by the program and he couldn't afford to get anything here. Michael brushed this off before Joseph had finished speaking and said he would be covering lunch for all of them. 

Michael had just sat down with his steaming plate of Beef Yakisoba when Catherine began the grilling, "Okay, spill it. How did you do it?"

"Do what?" replied Michael, digging into his food.

Catherine stared at him for a long, hard moment and Michael was amazed at the rich emerald color of her eyes. Then she said, "You know what I mean, with the computer and stuff. You were controlling it somehow."

"Well, I admit I did observe your more Sapphic exploits, and found them to be quite enjoyable," Michael jokingly responded.

She blushed but didn't retreat, "Don't change the subject. I'm going to find out how you did it if I have to tie you down and force it out of you."

Michael grinned, "That sounds like fun. Are you this kinky with all the guys you just meet?"

Catherine sputtered and blushed scarlet. Joseph looked on silently between the two, enjoying the banter.

They arrived back at school just as the bell rang and the three split up to go their classes. All of them agreed to meet up the next day in the computer lab for lunch. As Catherine was leaving, Michael called, "I had a lot of fun Kat. I hope we can do this again some time."

Kat was halfway to her class before she stopped, realizing she had never told Michael her name. 'Oh, yes,' she thought, 'we're definitely going to have to do this again.' Smiling, she continued on, thinking about the mysterious boy with straight brown hair that had suddenly made school interesting again.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 02



Feeling elated at the day's events, Michael left school and headed towards the public library. In the car, Pandora gave him updates on the Beijing situation and went over his schedule for the rest of the week. At the library Michael sat at one of the workstations and let Pandora out to play again. She would test the network, learn what was stored on it, and absorb any new material she found. Michael killed some time going over his coursework for his online college classes until a quarter to four. 

After that he left and headed towards the dojo. He practiced Aikido with an advanced class of 2nd and 1st Kyu students and was looking to test before he went off to college. He didn't practice it for self-defense or to learn how to fight; he'd never had a problem with bullies or felt he needed an aggressive outlet (he had hockey for that). It was just that with all the things bouncing around in his head, sometimes he needed a release; some place to lose himself and find his center. 

He supposed he could have done Tai Chi or something, but they'd had a demonstration with a wooden bokken when he'd first joined and he'd instantly fallen in love with the beauty of the art. And really, you can only practice what someone is willing to teach, and that was the only option in the small town. After the class ended, Michael stayed to help teach the beginner's class that started.

He had been exposed to Sambo during his trips to Romania though, and had experienced different styles of fighting, primarily Muay Thai, Judo, and boxing. If he had to fight, he wanted to finish it quickly and thoroughly. 

Following a shower and dinner with his parents, Michael and Pandora mapped out their plan of attack. Michael started a queue of all the different things that would go off at once. First, Pandora had located most of the monetary accounts attached to the hackers and would release a worm that would bog down traffic and play havoc with the security systems. In the confusion, Pandora would liquidate those accounts to an offshore account Michael had set up for just this purpose. Then from there, the money would be sent to one of his storage accounts registered under a false name. 

Next, everyone in the contact lists each of the individuals would be receiving a Trojan which Michael hoped would help him take down the larger collective at a later date. The computers of those involved would be attacked and their personal information would be released to the public, their relatives, and workplace, as well as sites commonly traversed by hackers, complete with doctored photos and incriminating evidence.

Their log files had revealed other jobs they had been in the process of completing, as well as sites they had visited and messages they had sent. This would all be published online along with humiliating commentary about their so-called accomplishments.

Lastly, their website would be transferred to a different server that only Michael had control of, and their original server trashed. The URL to their website would show a vandalized version of their site, which they'd be unable to remove, along with a chilling notice warning of what happened to those who went against him. 

As Kat drifted off to sleep that night, her thoughts were on the boy she'd met that day. She didn't think it was possible to fall in love at first sight, but Michael certainly seemed to put her in heat. Just the thought of his hands roaming all over her body got her wet and her own hand dipped under the covers. Thoughts turned to fantasies and fantasies turned to dreams. 

The next day the trio sat in the computer lab at lunch munching on MREs Michael had gotten at an army surplus store for the price of nothing. There was some dance or something or other coming up soon and Kat was trying to get Joseph to ask Tammy out. Michael knew that wasn't going to go over well with the popular crowd but kept his mouth shut. Instead, Michael was reviewing the impact of last night's hack. The entire community was abuzz with what had happened. Neither government was commenting, but there were a number of Chinese banks that had reported being hacked and described the chaos left by Pandora's worm. 

Kat seemed to remember that he was a fellow hacker and gossiped about what she'd heard about the attack; who people thought the hacker was and what his motivations were. Michael had to chuckle at that and Kat gave him a curious look. 

She went back to trying to convince Joseph, and Michael drafted an e-mail to an intermediary who would contact the US government concerning some stolen login information related to the Chinese government. It had been stored on the hard drives he'd cracked and Michael was willing to sell it. As he sent the mail and went to his inbox, Kat looked over and got a glimpse of a full page of messages wishing him congratulations for the night before, complete with a few that included his alias "Fate" and even some with racial slurs in reference to the Chinese.

"It was you!" Kat exclaimed, staring at Michael open-mouthed.

He sighed. Michael hadn't made any attempt at hiding what he was working on. He didn't know if it was because he was feeling overconfident from the night before or if he had wanted an excuse to brag about it. Perhaps he felt something for Kat in the short time they'd shared together and he didn't want to lie to her. 

Michael had expected Kat to be shocked, angry, even hurt by the revelation. When he looked up, he was completely unprepared for the look of pure, unbridled lust that shown on her face. She launched herself at him from her chair and gave him a scorching kiss that left him feeling light-headed. He didn't know what to do with his tongue or his hands so he just let her lead and enjoyed it. 

She pulled away and looked into Michael's eyes and growled, "You have GOT to tell me how you do that." When the pair had caught their breath, she glanced over and said in a low voice, "Excuse us, Joseph." Then she reached down, grabbed hold of Michael's hand, and pulled him to his feet and out the door. 

Michael barely managed to snag the flash drive before they were walking down the halls in the direction of the parking lot. He cast a curious glance at Kat as they both heard the bell ring, signaling the end of lunch. 

"We're skipping," is all she said, very matter-of-fact about it.

As they both got into his car, Kat told Michael to drive to her place. Michael tried to be evasive and asked where she lived. Kat simply looked and him and raised an eyebrow.

Michael sighed and mumbled, "Forestview it is then..."

Kat smiled and said cheerfully, "That's what I thought." After taking in his expression, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm not mad you checked up on me or found out where I live. I actually find it kinda hot that you can do that and that you would take enough interest in me to do so."

As they got close to the apartment, Michael became nervous. He didn't want to be presumptuous, but it was better that he brought it up now rather than later. He started, "I don't have a, uhh-"

Kat giggled, "Don't worry. Mom's had me on the pill for years." 'Not that there was much point until now,' she thought to herself.

When they reached the door to her apartment, Michael cast another curious look at her and Kat shook her head, "Mom doesn't come home 'til late." They stepped inside and took off their shoes. Michael saw a small, cozy living room with a couch and TV and attached kitchen.

Leading him down a hallway, she opened the door to her room and allowed Michael to walk in, glancing around as he did so. It was... 'Girly.' There were actually pink frills on the bed. It didn't seem to match the girl he knew at all. 

As he turned to question Kat, she tackled him, causing him to end up on the bed with her on top. Her lips locked onto his and for a second neither of them could breathe as they both saw stars. Their hands fumbled around ineffectively, trying to remove the other's clothes while continuing their lip-lock.

Finally, Michael grasped her shoulders to hold her still and murmured, "Slow down, Kat."

Kat grinned in his mouth and pulled back, biting and scraping his bottom lip as she did so. "I love it when you call me 'Kat.' All the little bitches at school always called me 'Cathy.'

They both sat up on the edge of the bed and looked at each other. Michael reached for the hem of her shirt and slowly dragged it up over her head, then allowed her to do the same with his. He leaned in and kissed the crook of her neck while he reached behind her to unsnap her bra. As they separated Michael was fixated on her amazing breasts. Her rosy pink nipples, standing erect, had his mouth watering and he was instantly hard.

Kat, seeing that she was having an effect on Michael began to calm down and get into the mood. She took each of his hands in her own and hauled them both up until they were standing facing each other. Slowly, she fell to her knees, reaching out to unbuckle Michael. As his jeans dropped to the floor, she hadn't expected him to be going commando and was unprepared when his cock flopped out and bobbed less than an inch from her face. It was probably only average in size, but to her it looked huge and for a moment she felt a prickle of fear.

Michael smiled as he looked down at her stunned expression, and much of his nervousness began to bleed out as well. Reaching down he pulled her up into a standing position once more, then he dropped to his knees, grasping her buttons. After he just about tore them open, he dug into the sides of her pants and slowly pulled them down. 

Kat whimpered as Michael's hot breath blew against her mound, then gasped as his fingers slid into the waistband of her moist panties, dragging them down her legs in excruciating slowness. It was too much. She stepped back and turned her body away from him, hugging her arms to herself.

Michael sat back on the bed and waited patiently as Kat collected herself. Finally, she spoke softly, "I'm a- a virgin. I know I was the one to bring you here and all, but I just- I feel a little overwhelmed, I guess. It's just that-" She stopped once more and seemed to be searching for words.

Michael chuckled, "Well, I admit it's a surprise given how hot you are, but if it makes you feel any better I am too, so we'll both be facing this together."

Kat looked at him skeptically, "Bullshit. You're rich, handsome, athletic, caring. You're an international hacker genius. You're telling me no one has managed to snatch you up yet?"

"Well," Michael replied teasingly, "there is this one girl, if she ever decides to make up her mind, then I think I could be convinced." They both burst out laughing and it released a lot of the tension in the room. "Now, you're going to sit your cute ass on my lap and let me play with those gorgeous tits of yours, and then I'm going to kneel down between your legs and you'll tell me how you want me to pleasure you."

Kat felt her cheeks redden at his forwardness but complied, sitting down on Michael's naked lap and even giving her attractive tush a wiggle or two for good measure. Michael groaned, but then quickly found a pair of objects to occupy his attention. She giggled happily and draped her arms around his neck.

He wrapped his left arm around her frame, pulling her towards him. His mouth enclosed on her left boob, swirling his tongue around her nipple, giving it a little nibble before moving on to the next one. While he was trying to pay an appropriate amount of attention to each morsel, Michael's right hand sneaked down towards her fuzzy peach and cupped it, causing a sharp intake of breath from Kat. She moaned as Michael's middle finger traced her slit and slowly slid between her folds. 

Kat began to pant as he gradually increased the number of fingers sliding in and out of her pussy. Michael curved his fingers inwards to try and hit her g-spot, while his thumb pulled back her hood and began circular rotations around her clit. At least, he hoped that's what he was doing. Porn was turning out to be a shitty substitute for experience... 

"Oh yes," Kat hissed, "it was never this *pant* good. Fuck! Keep going... Move *pant* your thumb faster, babe. Oh, just like that. I'm gun- gunna-"

As Michael felt her start to cum, he jammed his thumb down hard onto her clit and watched as her eyes flew open and her mouth formed an "O." Her entire body froze up as it was rocked into orgasm after orgasm. As she finally came down she slumped against him, burying her face in his shoulder, her body still quivering from the aftershocks she felt. 

"Jesus," she whispered, still plastered against him, "you sure set the bar high."

Michael chuckled and hugged her to him. "Just let me know when you're ready to carry on," he murmured into her ear. She shuddered, then after awhile met his eyes and nodded. Laying her down onto the bed with her legs hanging off the edge, Michael knelt between her thighs and breathed deep, getting to know her scent. Kat propped herself up on her elbows so she could see what he was doing. 

Michael sat back on his heels and grasped her left leg in both of his hands, raising it up slightly. Then, he went down on one knee and began trailing kisses up her leg, steadily moving closer to her steaming cunt. Just as he was about to touch it, he blew on it then backed off. Kat moaned in impatience and let her head drop back. Michael moved to her right leg and began the process anew. When he was once more close to his prize, he gently blew on it again. This time Kat, in frustration, grab two handfuls of hair and buried his face in her juicy pussy. Michael wedged his tongue in as far as it would go before withdrawing and sucking on each of her folds. 

After more teasing, Michael tongued her from anus to clit, drawing a squeak from her as his tongue found her rosebud. As soon as she started panting again, he began circling her tiny nub with his tongue. When he felt her getting close to release, he jammed two fingers into her and started rubbing against her pleasure zone. As she let herself go, Michael gently bit down on her button and started whipping his tongue back and forth across it as fast as he could. He kept up the intensity as she went through multiple orgasms and even then, didn't stop until she wormed her fingers into his hair and pried him away from her, trembling. 

"Oh god!" she gasped shakily, still out of breath. "You almost killed me. I can see spots. Anymore and I'd probably have blacked out."

Michael wiped his face on her blanket and looked up at her saying, "Oh well, maybe next time." Kat shot him a hungry look.

Michael laughed then moved up her body to plant a kiss on her lips. "You looked so cute though," he told her quietly. "I just love the feel of you squirming beneath me. God, you're beautiful." Kat smiled up at him, bathed in her afterglow, and snuggled into his arms.

"You know, you were supposed to be telling me what you liked," Michael whispered, kissing her neck. 

Kat gave a weak laugh, "I think you've got the hang of it."

After some time had passed she noticed his prick poking her in the stomach. Unhurriedly, she pushed herself up and gazed down between Michael's legs. After waiting for Michael to lie on his back, she timidly reached out and grasped his pulsing cock, which hadn't softened in the least, and gulped, staring at it.

Michael didn't want to pressure her, but he also wanted to let her know that he was fine with putting her pleasure first. "You don't have to-" he started.

"NO," Kat said determinedly, causing Michael to wince when she accidently squeezed her hand too hard. "Sorry," she said sheepishly, and began stroking her hand up and down his slimy member, "it's just that you went through the trouble of going down on me, so I want to do it for you." 

Michael shot her a lighthearted smirk, "Well, it really wasn't any trouble and I actually loved being so close to your pussy, but I'm certainly not going to try and persuade you not to."

Kat gave him a saucy grin, then fixed his cock with a resolute expression. She lowered her head and gave it a tentative lick. She then latched her mouth onto the tip and began working her tongue around the head while her hand continued to jack him off. She then opened her mouth wider and blew hot breath out as she moved down its length as far as she could without bumping the back of her throat. 

Michael clenched his fists and his chest rose up off the bed as she almost took his full length into her mouth. "Oh shit!" he exclaimed, and it was his turn to pant.

She then sucked hard as she moved up his shaft, only to start swirling her tongue around the tip again when she reached the top. As she repeated this process and went into a pattern, her hand reached down and cupped his balls and began a gentle massage. It wasn't long until Michael told her he was close. Kat just hummed her response and he lost it, not believing his luck. He exploded into Kat's mouth in a volume he'd never experienced before. Michael bucked his hips and tried to keep from grabbing her head and slamming it down. 

Kat thought she would have a chance to get used to his cum before swallowing it, but it soon became apparent that there was too much for her to hold and she hastily started gulping it down. It didn't taste good, but certainly not as bad as her mother made it out to be. 

After cleaning off his cock she gave a chaste kiss on its tip in silent thanks for giving her this experience. She straightened up and sat with her legs under her as she gazed down at Michael's contented expression with a look of absolute adoration. She knew she would be Michael's for the rest of her life with a degree of certainty only teenagers feeling the first stirrings of love can achieve. She wanted to kiss him but suddenly felt a line of cum leaking down her chin from the corner of her mouth and realized he probably wouldn't want to after what she'd just done. 

She got up suddenly and turned towards the door saying, "I'll be right back. Let me jus-"

That was as far as she got before Michael grabbed her arm and pulled her down onto the bed next to him. Then he moved his leg and pushed his body up until he was straddling her. As she looked up with wide eyes, Michael dipped his head down and kissed her. Hard. Kat felt gooseflesh rise and a shudder ripped through her as he left her gasping. 

Michael raised his head and then cupped her face. Looking into his eyes, Kat saw the same love and certainty that she'd felt staring back at her. 

Neither knew who started to move first, but both realized it was time to seal their lovemaking. Michael lay on his back and held out his hands for Kat to grasp as she straddled him. "From what I've read, it's best for the girl to be on top the first time so she can set the pace," he said softly. Kat nodded in acceptance and began to rub her pussy against Michael's semi-hard dick, lightly humping its length between her folds. 

As she positioned Michael's cock against her opening she was almost vibrating with need. She had one last bout of absurdity, musing to herself, 'at least he's already wet.' Giggling ridiculously, she started to sink down Michael's throbbing length. 

"Holy fuck!" Michael cried out when she'd hit bottom. He sat up and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her tenderly and rocking her gently. "You feel amazing," he murmured in her ear.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to laugh, but it came out sounding more like a sob. With tears in her eyes she held him close and repeated over and over, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." 

After some time had passed, Kat sniffed and pushed against Michael who still had his arms around her, still rocking her gently, joined as they were. Michael lay down on his back again as Kat began increasing the pace of their rocking. It wasn't long before she began sliding further and further up his shaft until she began slamming herself all the way down, fucking him full tilt. After her first orgasm ripped through her, she continued fucking but leaned forward so her breasts hung close to Michael's face. He thought they bounced quite nicely as he cupped them in his hands and lifted his head to give them the attention they deserved. A second climax tore through her as Michael bit down on her right nipple and began flicking his tongue back and forth. 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 02



On her third major orgasm, they both came together in a thunderous symphony of lust and pleasure, bliss and joy. Their senses became overloaded and they collapsed next to each other breathlessly. They both felt utterly satisfied and were content to just lie there on the bed in each other's arms. 

After a short while, a feminine voice broke the silence, "Congratulations, master. I know you've been looking forward to that experience for awhile now."

Kat let out a squeak and literally jumped out of the bed, dragging the covers with her.

"Thanks, Pan," Michael said, chuckling to himself. He hadn't asked Pandora to reveal herself to Kat, but he hadn't forbidden it either. Michael knew his little AI was getting much better at predicting what he wanted. Her behavior was always being shaped due to constant exposure to him.

"Wh- Wha- How?" Kat demanded, some of her shock turning to anger.

Michael realized that she might be feeling a little exposed and vulnerable after what they'd just gone through and held his arms open invitingly. She dived back into his embrace and once she was fully entrenched, Michael took off his watch and showed it to her. Pandora formally greeted her as 'mistress' and went on to explain her specs and capabilities. 

"She calls you master, huh?" Kat said with a wicked grin. "Well, we'll just have to file that one away for later. Where did she come from?"

Michael spent the next hour explaining how he'd created her and then told of some of their more amusing adventures together. When he was finished, Kat was looking at the watch in wonder, tracing the engravings with her finger. "What happens if it gets lost or broken," she asked, still sounding a bit dazed. 

"Well, that's just one of her replicas," Michael answered. "She makes a copy of herself each time she has to move to a new device."

"Like the computer at school," Kat said excitedly, "that's how she was still controlling it even after I disconnected it from the internet."

"Yeah," Michael agreed. "Each time they're able to contact each other via a network connection the copies share what they've learned, in essence, updating themselves. My watch essentially acts as a relay to send commands to Pan who's online and ready to carry out any tasks I order."

"What if someone finds out about her?" Kat asked, then gasped and blurted, "Oh god, I know your alias and real life connection." She started becoming flustered, "You're 'the' Fate; the one who broke into the Kremlin and the one who took out the 'Legion of Doom.' Not affiliated with any groups, hackers still give you a wide birth. And now... I know who you are."

For a moment, Kat felt an irrational fear that despite all they'd been through, Michael would want to get rid of her to protect himself from his enemies. She felt panicky, realizing they'd only known each other for two days. How much faith could Michael have built in that time? Was she wrong about what they'd shared? 

She'd almost worked herself into tears when Michael reached out and turned her face towards him. "Don't even begin to think like that," Michael stated firmly. "I trust you implicitly, with my life and my secrets; otherwise I wouldn't have revealed them." He stared at her for a long time, willing her to believe him. Kat felt herself soothed by the confidence in his voice and the resolute expression on his face. She melted under the gaze of his soft brown eyes. 

Kat accepted her role under Michael then and there, and a feeling of calm settled over her. With the clarity of her decision, Kat was able to finally compose herself and flashed Michael a reassuring smile. Mentally, she berated herself for her lapse of weakness. She had given him her body and soul and if he wanted to take either away, who was she to argue. 

She would devotedly accept any and all gifts from him, his trust included. 'Who was she to doubt him and spit in the face of his kindness,' she thought disgustedly. She would crawl to hell and back if Michael ordered it. Kat even felt a brief spike of jealousy that Pandora had gotten to call him 'master' before she could.

Michael, oblivious to her mental workings and how she was forever binding herself to him, said, "And I wouldn't worry too much about exposure. After seeing that "I Am Number Four" movie, one of the first major projects Pan and I undertook was to develop the scanning technology they portrayed. Pan, using a few thousand bots we set up, is constantly scanning for any material that represents a relationship between me and my family and the hacking world. Someone could send an e-mail to the government chock-full of evidence detailing me and my online involvements and it'd be stripped clean before it reached its destination." Michael squeezed Kat to him tighter and said, "We'll have to put your name in the system as well now."

Pandora spoke up, "Already done master." Kat looked up in amazement as Michael just shook his head in wonderment.

The couple then went on to discuss all matter of things from what their favorite food was to what college they were going to attend. Kat was thinking about going to UW as well. Michael made a mental note to have Pandora make sure she got in.

As they were lying in each other's arms talking, Pandora said, "Master, according to her cell phone's GPS, I believe Ms. Flynn is on her way home." It took a couple of seconds to register that she was talking about Kat's mother. Michael glanced at the clock on the nightstand and was stunned to see that six hours had passed since they'd arrived at the apartment. There was a flurry of movement as the pair both scrambled to get dressed.

"Man, my parents are probably climbing the walls right about now since I didn't give them a call," Michael said glumly. 

Pandora piped up, "I took the liberty of sending them a text message from you saying you were going to be late as you had a group project you were working on at the library." Michael was constantly amazed at the program's foresight.

Kat paused, arm extended towards a can of air freshener, "That's incredible Pan!"

"Thank you, mistress," Pandora responded, sounding quite pleased with herself.

As the next day was a Saturday, the couple agreed to meet up and do something. Michael was going to call her when he got home that night. 

As he drove away, he felt like he'd discovered a part of himself that had always been missing. Ever since that day in the bookstore when he was fourteen, Michael had 'known' he was going to do great things. 

He accepted that he would never be smart enough to cure diseases, create alternate forms of energy, or terraform the moon, but he was going to develop an Artificial Intelligence that could. Pandora, and the AIs she spawned, would usher in a new age for the planet. For as long as he could remember, Michael had always thought he'd be facing this alone. Now that he wasn't, the future seemed to shine brighter.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 03



The next morning, Michael walked up the steps leading to Kat's apartment and knocked on the door. It was pulled open suddenly by Kat's mom, who he'd learned was named Jennifer. As soon as he walked through the door the inquisition began: 'Who are you; Where do you live; How long have you known Catherine; Are you the one who convinced her to wear those dreadful clothes...' Michael tried to keep his answers respectful but was having a hard time trying not to laugh. 

Jennifer stopped talking in midsentence when Kat walked out of her room. Michael turned to see what she was gaping at and froze in admiration. Kat still wore darker clothes, but she seemed to have opened up more. She walked towards Michael wearing black leather boots, a cutoff jean skirt, and a black tank top. She'd even gotten rid of her black nail polish. 

For Jennifer's part, she hadn't seen her daughter wear anything but black pants and long-sleeves when she went out in almost a year and she was suddenly suspicious of what brought about this change. Her suspicions were answered when Kat strode up to Michael, grabbed his collar, and drew him in for a heart-stopping kiss. 

After doing a thorough job of leaving him breathless, Kat stepped back and grasped his hand. As she led Michael through the front door, stopping to pick up the mandatory coat Washingtonians are required to bring along wherever they go in case of rain, she called to her still-speechless mom, "I'll be back late."

As they were walking to the car, Michael gazed at her long legs and tight curves. Kat, pleased with the attention, smiled and thrust out her chest. Michael snickered and questioned, "No purse?"

Kat stopped, "No. Do you want me to me to wear one?" 

Michael draped an arm around her and got them moving again, "No, it was just an idle thought. I haven't had many girlfriends so I was just curious." Then, softly he murmured, "This is all pretty new to me."

Her eyes sparkled and she snuggled into him as they reached the car and said, "It's new to me too, but don't worry. We'll handle this together. We're too close now to be bothered by every little thing." They kissed and then entered Michael's car.

The couple decided to catch a movie and hang out at the mall that was in the next town over. On the way, Kat asked more questions about Pandora and Michael shared his ideas about communicating with her in public without anyone else noticing. As it was, he could type instructions to her on his phone. They decided to acquire hidden wireless ear buds so she could alert them to problems or updates when they were just walking around or in class. Michael asked Pandora to check if it was feasible to develop the voice modulators from that "Mission: Impossible" movie. They could then talk silently with their throat muscles and Pandora would be able to pick up what they said. 

After buying tickets for the action blockbuster they'd both wanted to see, they sat in the back of the theater. Since it was the earliest showing available, the theater wasn't very full and they had the whole last row and the two in front of it to themselves. Kat insisted on sitting on Michael's lap and, when the previews were done and the lights had dimmed, she unzipped Michael, pulled her panties to the side, and plunged down onto his shaft with a stifled gasp.

"See," she whispered to Michael, starting a slow up and down rhythm, "I wore a skirt so you'd have easy access." 

Michael grinned and held her by her waist, guiding her movements. He couldn't believe how lucky he'd gotten to have found this spitfire. It wasn't long before Kat had to bite down on her wrist to keep from crying out. Michael stopped her movement, turned her slightly around, and told her that if she needed to she should bite into his shoulder instead. 

As the pace picked up again, Kat was having trouble as she didn't want to hurt him. Then Michael spoke softly into her ear, "Mark me." She came on the spot at his words and bit down hard, claiming him. Michael had to grit his teeth but he endured and hugged her tighter. 

After they'd both finished and calmed down, she looked into his eyes and rasped, "Mine." 

"Forever," Michael promised solemnly. 

She turned back to watch the movie, leaning with her back against his chest, his cock still embedded inside her. Michael glided his hands up underneath her shirt and fondled her tits. They stayed that way for the rest of the movie.

Leaving the theater, they both felt hungry and headed in the direction of the food court. While ordering from the Subway, Kat noticed a cute Asian girl behind the counter that had caught Michael's attention. As they were walking to a table she bumped her shoulder against his and said, "She's cute, huh?"

Michael gave a neutral grunt. Kat laughed and assured him, "I'm not jealous." And she wasn't. With the pure devotion and reverence she now felt for him, she simply accepted that whatever made him happy, made her happy. 

Before Michael could sit down, she plastered herself against him and groped his crotch. "Do you have a thing for Asian girls," she asked coyly, "or her in particular?" She felt his cock twitch as she said 'Asian girls' and turned around abruptly, taking her seat. "Well then, we'll just have to find one or two for you to satisfy your urges," she said, shooting him a seductive smile.

Michael raised an eyebrow as he sat down. "You'd be willing to share a bed with another girl? Maybe Pan wasn't too far off when she put all those girl-on-girl sites up on your screen," he said jokingly.

She blushed and mumbled, "Well, I wouldn't have to be there if you didn't want me."

Michael's eyes turned cold and he said forcefully, "I don't want to receive pleasure if it means you're going to be left out. Does this mean you want to add other guys into the mix so you can be happy?"

Kat's eyes went wide and she made a cutting gesture. "NO. Never!" she stated emphatically. "You're the only one I'll ever submit to." She reached out to cup his cheek, "Baby, I will be yours alone no matter what. I 'want' you to be selfish and take what you want. I will 'never' betray you, please believe me." By the end of her outburst, she was almost in tears

Michael felt himself calm down. He'd felt a brief prickle of fear that something might be able to come between them, but as he looked at the almost fanatical worship in her eyes he felt his worries wash away. He supposed he should have felt uncomfortable with how quickly things were moving or with the extent of her compulsion to serve him. He did feel a little fear, but only that he would fuck it all up somehow. All he could manage was acceptance. And he just loved the way she had said 'submit.'

Grasping the fingers of her hand in his he brushed his lips over them. "I'm sorry to have doubted you and I'm honored that you feel that way for me," he said gently.

Kat leaned in and gave him a soft kiss. "Never apologize," she paused, as if tasting the word, "master." Michael grinned and his cock soared upward. They both burst out laughing and tore into their sandwiches, talking about some of their more interesting online exploits.

They were walking around the mall when Michael spotted a cell phone kiosk. He'd noted that Kat didn't have one and stopped, pointing out the latest, most expensive model to the guy behind the counter. Michael wordlessly handed the forms to Kat to fill out, but when she reached down to the inside pocket of her skirt to pay, Michael merely slapped her hand away. 

They moved to a bench and Michael started opening up the packaging of their new acquisition. "I'm covering all of your expenses now so quit trying to be polite every time we stop at someplace," Michael said absently. "I know you don't have a job, nor are you getting money through illegal means." 

"Pan," he said, addressing his watch, "register Kat's name under our offshore account in Belize and send a High Limit Anonymous MasterCard to her address." 

"Of course, master," Pandora responded.

Michael turned on the phone and, after playing around with it a little, ordered, "Send a copy of yourself into the phone, Pan. Make sure it's secure and no one else can use it to remotely track or listen in on Kat." The phone in his hand vibrated, signaling Pan had done what he'd asked. Standing up and handing the phone to Kat he told her, "Now Pan can be with you all time and you can ask her for anything you need." 

Kat struggled with the emotions she felt. He'd given her so much already and she was sure there would be a great deal more to come. 'Accept any and all gifts from him,' she reminded herself sharply. She calmed down and draped her arms around his neck and gave him a deep, passionate kiss. Pulling back, she whispered, "I'll just have to thank you properly later." 

Michael gave her tush a soft pat as they began walking again and Kat whined half-seriously, "Maybe we can just find a restroom." Looking down at the phone in her hand, she asked, "How did Pan access my phone?"

Michael chuckled, "She can use 4G. Right now she can interact wirelessly via Wi-Fi and most radio signals. She's working on a way to talk directly to devices that don't have a receiver; some kind of energy transfer..."

They entered a bookstore and both wordlessly walked to the Scifi/Fantasy section set up in the back. After browsing for awhile, Kat bent over to reach one of the books on the bottom shelf. Seeing no one around, and with such an attractive target, Michael reached his hand under her skirt and begin rubbing along her slit. Kat moaned and almost hit her head as she fell forward, barely getting her hands up in time to catch herself. 

When it became apparent that she wasn't going to straighten up, Michael slid his hand under soft fabric and dipped two fingers inside her. After pumping in and out a few times he withdrew his fingers and sucked them in his mouth, enjoying her sweet nectar. "Mmm, delicious," he announced.

Kat finally straightened up and glared at him. "I can't believe you're going to tease me like that and then leave me all hot and bothered," she accused.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, Michael stated simply, "I like to keep my girl interested." Kat beamed when he'd said 'my girl' and melted against him.

As they left the store, Kat grabbed his arm and proceeded to drag him across the lane to the Victoria's Secret. Grabbing a few things off the racks, she placed Michael in the seat outside the dressing rooms and said, "If you get to tease me then I'm going to return the favor." And with that, she turned around and went into the area the stalls were located. 

What followed was a truly glorious occurrence that every boyfriend should get to experience. Underwear and sleepwear of every kind was exhibited in front of Michael. Kat flaunted sexy lingerie that teased the limits of propriety and some that jumped clear over them. 

Michael's favorite was a skimpy crimson lace-thong and brassiere set that showed off her hair. The fact that it was nearly see-through had nothing to do with it, Michael assured himself. He also chose an emerald green flyaway babydoll which matched her eyes and a sheer mesh teddy that made his mouth water.

Kat finally exited in her street clothes just before a dazed Michael could be overwhelmed. He glanced over at her and grinned salaciously. "So I guess we won't find crotchless panties here?" Michael asked innocently.

Kat blushed and said, "Not here, but I know a place that sells them."

The pair left the shop after Michael bought the purchases he'd picked out, along with a bundle Kat had handed the salesgirl. "For later," was all she told him. They decided to head over to Michael's house where they would attempt to deal with the larger Chinese collective that the 'Force of Heaven' had belonged to. Kat didn't have her laptop with her, but Pandora was much more capable of performing the various tasks she'd need to do. 

As they pulled up to his house on the outskirts of town, Kat felt a bit humbled at its size in comparison to her small apartment. Michael let her get out and then parked in the garage. Michael had been born to teenage parents and they were pretty lax when it came to the subject of girls. In truth, when Tiberiu and Elena Dragomir met Kat, they were relieved that their son had finally found someone. Elena immediately invited Kat to stay for dinner before Michael could ask, then shooed the couple upstairs in the direction of Michael's room. 

The way he usually went about hacking consisted of sitting at his desk with his laptop in front of him, running three LCD monitors in the background. He'd use the laptop to enter values and do anything else that was easier typed than said aloud, while sometimes it was just easier for him to think of a solution by going the traditional route. Meanwhile, he could direct and monitor Pandora's movements simultaneously on the three screens.

With Kat here, Michael wanted to try something different. He closed the blinds and then led her to his king-sized bed. He had an ultra-high res full HD projector mounted directly above it facing the blank wall beyond the foot of the bed. Usually used to stream movies, it had direct connections to both his PC and the internet. They lay down as Pandora spooled it up without being asked, Michael wrapping an arm around Kat as they used the pillows to prop themselves up.

"Fancy," Kat remarked, happy that they could snuggle while they worked.

As Pandora set up the proxy servers and took measures to make their impending footnote altogether invisible, Michael ordered her to make the screen, which was 12ft. diagonally, split into four equal windows so they could multitask. They decided that since Michael had already sent a clear message to the Chinese and the hacking world in general, they wouldn't need to worry about hiding what they were after or coming up with elaborate plans. The collective was too big to take down all at once anyway and they considered this a prolonged vendetta. It was more about creating a target-rich environment where they could act spontaneously, as they identified a person or organization relating to the collective. 

Mainly though, Michael was happy to have a set of targets he could rob blind and create chaos among and not feel guilty about afterwards. This was going to help the US on the cyber front tremendously, but he'd do it for the fun. It was also going to be an opportunity for Kat and him to work together and build another kind of relationship. Michael had Pandora bring up a list of all the contacts that had received a Trojan and they began.

Sometime later they were both jarred out of their concentration as they heard a knock on the door. The couple had been in the zone, completely oblivious to everything else, aside from the other's voice. They glanced at the clock to see it blinking 7 p.m. and were startled to see that four hours had passed since they started. Looking back at the screens, what they'd done started filtering back to them and they began to register the utter devastation they had caused. Viewing it as a battlefield, because that's what it was, they saw the burned out hulks of mangled computers, servers, and system software. The information stored on them had been copied, the originals deleted; their programs crashed, their networks collapsed.

Kat turned and gave Michael a scorching kiss. She was buzzing with excitement at what she'd been a part of. "That's incredible!" she exclaimed. "Security measures that would have taken me days to penetrate, and that's if everything went right, Pan cut through in seconds." She moaned dreamily, "And the destruction she left in her wake... You really named her appropriately. God! It's so easy and seamless now. I can't imagine going back to sifting through line after line of code when Pan can just find what I'm looking for instantly." She hugged him tightly, willing this all to be real and not some twisted dream. "Thank you for sharing this with me," she finally said.

Michael couldn't be happier that he and Kat seemed to meld so well together. He squeezed her arm and said, "Come on. I think that knock meant dinner's ready."

Heading towards the door, Kat stopped. "All the text had been in English. I expected most of the code to be, but I just realized everything we saw was perfectly understandable..." she said, questioningly.

The corner of his mouth quirked up and Michael explained, "You won't find a better translator then Pan. She even knows to simplify what's being said so you get the pertinent information upfront." He pondered a bit, then remarked, "I think she's getting used to you, Kat. I noticed quite a few instances where windows were navigating and script was being altered before you could say anything." Kat just looked amazed.

At dinner, Elena had made a traditional Romanian meal of sarmale, boeuf salad, and Romanian smoked sausage. She also had Tiberiu pour everybody wine, not exactly a supporter of underage drinking laws. Kat told a little about herself and the folks asked those typical questions like, 'Where are you going to college, do you have a major yet, do you play any sports, etc.' Kat found Michael's mom to have a wicked sense of humor and she blushed incessantly. 

After dinner, the couple retreated back to Michael's room. There were still a couple of targets for them to go after and they still hadn't claimed responsibility for their actions. Michael asked Kat if she needed to talk to her hacker group before they got started.

Kat shook her head and said, "I quit last night. They weren't happy about it and made a big issue of it, but I left all the same." Michael shot her a questioning glance and Kat explained, "It was their charter. There were a lot of... loyalty clauses. There was a sort of clan mentality in place that required members to always put the group first. After what we shared yesterday, it didn't feel right to swear allegiance to anyone but you."

Michael placed his hand on the back of her neck and locked her lips with his. When they came up for air, Michael asked, "Any regrets?" 

"Not a chance," Kat replied, smiling.

"I took the liberty of removing all traces and connections you had with them, mistress," Pandora said. "It appears they weren't planning on letting you just walk away after learning their secrets."

Kat looked up in astonishment. "Anything we need to take care of," Michael questioned, not really surprised from what he knew of hacker groups.

"No, master," Pandora responded, "I scoured the hard drives of each individual carefully and any compromising info of her online has already been taken care of by the bots when we added her to the protection list." "I hope I wasn't too forward in making my decisions, mistress," she said, speaking to Kat, "it's just that you mean a great deal to my master now and seeing you come to harm would hurt him."

"N- No," Kat stuttered, still a bit flustered at the whole ordeal. "Thank you for looking after me, Pan. I consider you a sister in how we attend to Michael." The light in the room turned brighter for a few seconds, simulating Pandora's happiness at the thought of having a sister.

Michael couldn't have been more proud of his little AI then at that moment. He led Kat to the bed and they resumed sowing chaos and discord. It soon became apparent that other hackers were accumulating in the localized areas they were hitting. Some were in the systems they were cracking, trying to get a fix on their location or just trying to figure out how they were doing it. Others were adding to the carnage, getting their own piece of revenge on an organization known to be hostile. Many just flocked like vultures to carrion. The targets had been identified, the battle lines drawn, and all sides wanted to get in on the action.

They had spent the last hour taking apart a major Chinese corporation based out of Shanghai that had turned out to be a front, where many of the collective's ongoing dealings occurred. They had infected all of the company's networked terminals and the massive amount of information they had gathered would take years to sift through. Pandora was able to quickly locate the relevant account data however, so the couple could quickly liquidate their assets. 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 03



After moving the company's website from their corporate server and modifying it so it proclaimed Michael's and Kat's aliases and their intentions behind the attack, the couple performed their coup de grace and knocked out power to the entire main office building. They tied up the software that traced the circuits to the relevant power lines to that sector and it would take some poor technician days to unravel the mess.

When they were finished, both of them were breathing hard and sweating profusely, despite the lack of physical exertion. Kat was drunk with the power she'd wielded and felt herself getting wet. Michael dragged both of them out of bed and led Kat towards his attached bathroom. Pandora turned off the light in his bedroom as they stepped through the entranceway and turned on the blue UV lights attached to the rain-style showerhead, which hung above a large, raised Jacuzzi tub.

Kat sighed in appreciation and the couple removed each other's clothes. Stepping into the tub, he turned and held his hand out to her. When they both were under the chrome showerhead and hugging each other, Pandora turned on the preheated spray and Michael began the delightful task of soaping up and massaging his partner. 

"Now I know why you don't drive a luxury vehicle," Kat moaned silkily. "You spend all your money on these gems." 

Michael chuckled and grinned up at her from where he was kneading her lovely ass. "Well, now that I have a girlfriend to show off, I'll have to look for something flashier," he said, then leaned forward to bite down on one of her cheeks. "You can buy one for yourself as well when the card comes in the mail."

Kat shivered, then bent down to grab the sides of the tub, wiggling her ass back and forth in anticipation. "Fuck me," she begged, trying to grind her backside against Michael's now-hard cock.

He was happy to comply, grabbing her waist in both hands and driving forward, completely engulfing himself in one thrust. As he continued to pound into her he moved his right hand down underneath her to play with her clit.

"Oh, yes!" she cried out in bliss. "Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me!" she ranted, not even attempting to be quiet. As they both finished explosively, the steam had coalesced around them, fogging up the mirror and permeating the air thickly. They were both drained and were having difficulty moving their limbs. Pandora switched the shower to blast cool water for ten seconds, reviving them, before switching back to hot. The couple finished washing and dried themselves off. 

When they entered the room Kat jumped on the bed and remained on all fours. Looking over her shoulder at Michael she said, "I want you to take my ass."

Michael froze, then said, rubbing her back, "Are you sure? You don't have to do this for me-"

"I want to," Kat interrupted, looking determined. "I need to. I'm yours unconditionally and the fact that you haven't claimed me fully yet is torture."

Michael remembered that all the stories and porn he'd seen involving anal had always included a bottle of KY Jelly. He stammered, "I don't have any lube."

Kat just shrugged her shoulders and said plainly, "I don't- I can't wait."

Michael nodded and went back into his bathroom, finding a bottle of natural cocoa butter with aloe extract that was labeled 'safe to ingest.' He came out and kneeled behind Kat. He started by massaging her luscious cheeks and kissing the back of her thighs. Slowly kissing up her derriere, he spread her cheeks. Kat's head jerked when she felt him tongue her rosebud. Eventually, Michael pushed his tongue into her tight hole as far as it would go, drawing a gasp from Kat. 

Taking the bottle of cream, he palmed some and began rubbing it along her crack. Spreading some along his index finger he slowly inserted it and Kat gritted her teeth. After he felt her relax, Michael began pumping at a leisurely pace. When he felt her asshole opening up to accept more of him, he gradually increased the number of fingers he was using.

When he felt Kat was ready he took his fingers away and leaned down to kiss just above her waist along her erogenous zone. Kat shuddered and lowered her head to the bed. Michael pumped into her wet pussy a few times to soak his dick. He debated on whether to get her close to an orgasm then try to time his entrance as she was cumming, but he felt that she might involuntarily clench her muscles that way. 

He placed his cock at her entrance and whispered, "I'm proud of you, Kat." Then he began his descent. As he got more than half way in Kat ground her face into the covers and tried to force herself to relax. Michael rubbed her side with one hand and reached down to finger her soppy cunt with the other. He gave her time to adjust when she'd taken him completely. Slowly, he began to saw his hips back and forth. 

It wasn't long before Kat began meeting his thrusts, driving back to impale herself onto his rigid shaft. As he felt her start to cum he took his hand from her side and pinched her clit. Kat mewled in pleasure as her most intense climax yet ripped through her. He moaned when her sex squeezed his prick. Neither knew how long they kept at it, but Michael felt his cum rise just as another orgasm burned through Kat and they both cried out as the explosion hit. 

Michael collapsed on top of Kat, hugging her to him and bringing them both down until they were spooning. When they'd both caught their breath Kat looked at the time and huffed, "I can't stay. Mom is probably pissed already that I've stayed out this late, she'll probably call the cops if I stay the night." She made no move to get up though. Michael had an arm draped over her cupping a breast, brushing her nipple with his thumb absently. Kat turned her head back and asked in a low voice, "Can we hang out tomorrow?"

Michael answered sleepily, "I have a hockey game."

Kat looked interested, "Can I watch?"

He shrugged, "Sure, but you might get bored. The rink is about an hour's drive away and then there will probably be another 45min. before the game actually starts. There won't be any long intermissions like on TV, but I don't know how you feel about hockey."

"I'm curious," she said, sounding excited now. "And I don't mind waiting. I'll get to watch my master in action." 

Michael brought his lips to the side of her neck and sucked gently but with force, bringing his teeth together slightly, leaving a prominent hickey. "There," he said smugly, "now your mother will have no doubt about what we've been up to."

Kat shivered, finding that thought not at all disagreeable, and whispered softly, "Thank you, master."

Looking at the time, they saw it was almost 11 p.m. and started getting dressed. The couple came down the stairs, Kat walking a little stiffly and clutching Michael's arm. Elena looked up from where she and Tiberiu were watching TV. She took in Kat's posture and gave her a wink, drawing a blush. As the couple was leaving, Elena assured her that she'd always be welcome in their home. Kat thanked her and gave her a hug. 

On the way back, they got a sitrep from Pandora, who assured them they hadn't been discovered and the pandemonium they'd caused was still ongoing. She also had an idea of a way for them to talk to her in public without anyone else hearing. It was based on a gadget she'd seen online that used speakers in the straps of backpacks that would bend the sound waves so only the wearer could hear what was playing. 

Pandora was confident she could replicate a more advanced design that would do similar things for their voice. Their lips would still have to move in order to talk, but they could cover their mouths with their hand if need be. The couple was ecstatic about being able to talk between the three of them whenever they wanted and Michael suggested a few ways they could use this while they were in separate classrooms during the day without looking suspicious... or crazy.

After they arrived, Michael walked Kat to her door. He gave her a long, toe-curling kiss, cupping her ass cheeks as he did so. They said good-bye and he drove off. Kat sighed and prepared herself to face the interrogation her mom was sure to give her. Whatever followed, she would endure a million times worse to spend one more night with Michael. As she walked inside, she grew wet thinking about tomorrow.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 04



Michael returned the next morning at a quarter to 8 so they could make his 9:30 game. He gave Kat a call on her cell, figuring her mom wouldn't be up this early on a Sunday. Kat came out wearing a different skirt and short-sleeves, still wanting to show off for Michael, but he told her it was going to be freezing inside the rink and to wear something warm. She came out again wearing a dark, but thankfully layered ensemble, similar to the ones she wore to school, and looking none too happy about it. 

Michael laughed and hugged her. "What's wrong? Aren't these the kinds of clothes you normally wear?"

"I represent you now," Kat stated primly. "If I can make other guys jealous of you, that'll raise your status. All they'll be able to do is drool over me, knowing you're the only one who gets to take me home."

Michael snorted at her reasoning. "And what makes you think I want other guys drooling over you," he asked, amused. "You should know from where I sit at lunch that I don't care what others think. If you want to dress up, I want it to be to impress me." Kat, seeing the error in her thinking snuggled into him and apologized contritely. 

"If you really want different clothes we can do some shopping after the game," Michael said after some thinking. "Besides, I like your darker side. It sets you apart from all those bottle-blonde airheads and boring vanilla people out there."

Hearing that they were going to do some shopping later and that Michael accepted her quirks, even liked them, put a huge smile on Kat's face. They made a quick stop at a coffee stand and bought scones and hot chocolate. He tried to stay away from caffeine when the kids on his team started popping caffeine pills and chugging energy drinks.

On the way to the rink, Pandora talked about all the buzz surrounding the previous night's attacks. Michael had a touch screen on the dash and Pandora was able to bring up articles regarding their exploits. The Chinese government was flipping out and blaming the US. The Seattle Times listed over 40 companies that had admitted to being hacked. They commented that a handful of hackers had been tracked down but made no mention of Kat or Michael. 

When they arrived, Michael went with the rest of his team to warm up before heading to the locker rooms. Kat went to the bleachers and quickly found herself welcomed into a gaggle of girlfriends, some who even shot Kat envious looks.

The game started and Kat was entranced by the brutal hits and dogged fighting that occurred around the puck. It quickly became apparent that Michael was the team's enforcer, but he wasn't a goon either. Frequently he'd put himself in a position to draw penalties, especially around the opponent's net. He played right-wing and whenever the puck was dumped in the other team's corner, Michael would scrap with defensemen much larger than him to regain possession. 

He managed to score the game winning goal on a shorthanded play, deking past a center and a defensemen to send it home with a snapshot, top-right. Coming out the locker room, hair wet from a shower, Michael gathered Kat in his arms and gave her a very enthusiastic kiss, drawing howls and wolf-whistles from the stands.

They did some shopping at a nearby mall where Kat picked up over a dozen outfits. As they were driving home, Kat spotted a Spencer's Gifts and told Michael to pull over. He thought they were just getting lube so he was surprised when she started pulling down all matter of bondage implements. 

Walking behind her, it looked like Kat was in the zone, completely absorbed with what she was doing, a look of intense concentration on her face. He was closer to the truth then he knew. To Kat, this was just like last night's urge to give up her anal virginity. It was one more river to cross in their relationship and she wanted to be Michael's completely. Plus, it would really drive home her regard for him as her 'master.' 

Still, locked as she was in her thoughts, she only vaguely looked at what she was grabbing. Every time she glanced at something new she'd get that feeling and would 'need' Michael to use it on her. Kat was abruptly roused from her trance when she heard a loud *fwap* as something smacked against her ass. She jumped, more from shock than pain, and turned towards Michael who was grinning at her holding an electric-blue rubber paddle.

"Aren't you getting a little carried away?" he asked cheerfully. 

Kat looked down at all the trappings she'd collected and blushed, "Maybe." Then she grabbed the rubber paddle and it joined the rest of their acquisitions. By the time they'd finished they had accumulated everything from cuffs to gags, vibrators to themed costumes, and yes, crotchless panties.

Over the months that followed, Michael would use all those and more on Kat. She accepted it all and, in fact, initiated most of their 'game nights.' As Michael became more proficient with the tools, he learned when and how to use them for maximum effect. 

At school, their relationship was taken in stride; two outcasts that had found each other. Kat got some surprised looks when she opened up and started wearing more revealing clothes. The couple received some raised eyebrows from both the students and the faculty at the way Kat clung to Michael and her obviously subservient attitude towards him. However, she still retained her wildness and temper, and those students who crossed her got a mouthful, though she calmed down instantly at a single touch from Michael.

Joseph continued eating with them in the computer lab or in town. There was an incident that occurred at their Fall Dance. Kat had convinced Michael to go and he rented a limo to take them. They decided to drag Joseph along with them, though he was going stag. When they got there, he worked up the courage to ask Tammy to dance, who was also there without a date, though she'd come with her friends. They really hit it off and it didn't take long until Tammy led him out of the building. 

Two guys from the popular crowd didn't take too kindly to Joseph muscling in on their territory and made to follow him. They'd barely made it out of the line of sight of the chaperons before Michael appeared in front of them and waited. Not really believing the stories about him and seeing that they each had at least 20lbs on him, they charged forward. 

Most of the moves he'd been taught were concerned with immobilizing his opponent or defending without causing harm, but he also knew strikes that would neutralize the momentum of the attacker. As there was more than one of them and someone could enter the hall at any moment, he also wanted to incapacitate them quickly. Michael flowed to the right just as they reached him, intercepted the reaching arm of the closest foe with a wrist lock, and slashed his neck with an open hand, his body's momentum causing him to crumple and fall forward. 

His friend stopped and turned, still off balance, throwing his fists up in a classic boxing stance. Michael parried his jab and drove his shoulder into the other guy's solar plexus, launching him into the wall behind him. He slumped to the floor unconscious. Michael calmly walked up to his first opponent, who was just shakily getting to his feet, and delivered a palm strike to his temple, knocking him out. Michael tossed them both under a table to sleep it off and went to find Kat. 

After that night, Tammy usually joined the trio during lunch. During Christmas break Tammy had whisked Joseph away on a family vacation to her parent's ski lodge in Whistler and became nearly as close to him as Michael and Kat were to each other. 

The months passed quickly and Michael and Kat's already unbreakable bond grew ever stronger. They continued to be a fearsome trio online. It soon became apparent that there wasn't a security system on the planet that could best Pandora for long. If there was a way in, she would find it. Their names and reputation grew until nearly every country's government gave them a wide birth, fearing what gaining their attention would lead to. The US even began mentioning them in diplomatic arguments as subtle, not-quite-threats to grease the wheels as they sought a resolution.

Michael realized that while they were extraordinary online, physically, they were still quite vulnerable. Michael began teaching Kat how to fight. Aikido normally took someone upwards of four years before they could begin using it in practice so he concentrated on blocks, parries, and a few select counters. Then he taught her of what he knew from other styles and they began sparring regularly.

Sometime in early spring, they got Pandora to order them five sets of handguns to try out along with CCW permits, registered to fake IDs guaranteed to pass any background check. They tried to get out to the range, located at the outskirts of town, a couple times a week. With custom holsters for Michael's jacket and the purse Kat started carrying around, they were armed whenever they went out. Kat even bought a stun gun to carry in her backpack at school.

Michael upgraded the security system at his parent's home. Together they managed to convince Kat's mother to move the two of them out of their small apartment into a spacious condo, once she was assured that the money wasn't coming from illegal means (which it of course was). Michael made sure it was fully furnished and had top-of-the-line security measures as well.

Taken altogether, these precautions may seem a little paranoid, but when you're ticking off governments and criminal organizations, paranoia can be quite comforting... 

As time went on, Michael and Kat's relationship blossomed and matured, but they still hadn't tried adding another girl into the mix. At the end of the school year, Kat set out to change that. 

Prom was held on a Saturday at a cute place on the water, just outside of Seattle. Michael, Joseph, Kat, and Tammy had enjoyed dinner at the top of the Space Needle before they went to the dance, and afterwards the limo dropped them off at the Four Seasons hotel where they would spend the rest of the weekend. 

Michael and Kat dropped off Joseph and Tammy at the corner suite they'd picked out for them, then went up to the Presidential Suite. Michael froze as he stepped through the door and gazed out at the huge living room... and the naked girl strapped spreadeagle to the steel bondage frame. The girl was blindfolded but Michael still recognized her as the TA for the computer class. She'd always worn glasses, dressed conservatively, and had boring hair. Now, he couldn't help but admire her figure, stretched taut, medium-sized breasts with pierced nipples. Someone had done her up and her silky hair shimmered in the dim light. Her skin glistened with a layer of sweat and Michael guessed she'd been tied like that for awhile.

Michael looked around the room and saw the dining room table covered with a sheet that dozens of crops, paddles, and floggers rested atop, next to vibrators and shock devices, and what looked like different styles of nipple clamps. He was amazed at the preparation that had gone into setting this all up. Michael was sure the staff had helped with much of it and it brought new meaning to "all-inclusive." Hell, just the girl alone was impressive. He didn't remember seeing her at the dance and was suddenly curious if she'd gone at all.

Feeling a set of arms wrap around him he turned and looked at Kat who was staring up at him with hopeful green eyes. Michael was moved that even now she was looking for his approval. He leaned down and touched his lips to hers, brushing them slightly, teasingly. Kat shivered as she experienced his promise of more to come.

Turning towards his prize he felt his prick grow hard as he began stripping off his jacket and dress shirt. Kat followed his lead and stripped out of her burgundy dress, panties, and bra, leaving her in just stockings and heels. Turning towards Kat, he tipped his head in the slave's direction and raised an eyebrow. 

"I wouldn't insult you with bringing in a novice, master. She's actually a regular at one of the S&M clubs here and she assured me you wouldn't be able to break her," Kat grinned mischievously, having no doubt that he would, in fact, shatter all her limits and expectations. 

Michael noticed that the slave hadn't moved her head in reaction to their voices. Upon further investigation he noticed her ears were plugged securely. Approaching her restrained body, he leaned in for a kiss just as he gave both her nipples a hard twist. She screamed into his mouth and Michael enjoyed the feeling the vibrations brought on. She was completely shaved and Michael spanked her blazing cunt. He still liked the feeling of having a little fuzz to rub against, but it was a refreshing change.

Reaching down to scoop up Kat's discarded panties, he pinched the slave's nose and stuffed them into her mouth when she gasped for air. They were the only room on the 10th floor so it wasn't really necessary, but he enjoyed the humiliation it caused and it would save his eardrums later. Then he removed her earplugs, wanting her to hear the strikes as they impacted her skin.

He gave Kat a wave, signaling for her to begin while Michael approached the table to choose his method of pleasure and pain. Kat acted submissive to him, and Michael would argue, only him, but he knew she had a dominant streak and could be as bloodthirsty as he was. Kat raised the flogger she'd chosen in a silent salute then began a flurry of strikes on the slave's back, beating a staccato of sound that matched the muffled screams that echoed room. 

Michael approached the slave a second time and took his first acquisition in both hands. He'd lubed the vibrating anal plug and dildo before placing them in a harness, which he now strapped tightly to their bonded plaything's body. He turned them both on high and enjoyed the way their slave squirmed and struggled, unable to get away from the intense treatment.

Picking up his second acquisition, a crop that enabled Michael to deliver sharp, precise strikes, he rubbed the end of it against the side of the slave's face, then slowly teased it down between her breasts. Moving it away, he brought it down sharply on her left nipple and the muffled screams suddenly elevated to a higher pitch. Not giving her time to recover he brought it down again on her right nipple. He kept up the rhythm left, right, left, right, until she was sobbing openly and shuddering from the many orgasms the harness was giving her. 

Michael made another gesture towards Kat and she stopped flogging her prisoner and moved towards the table. Michael, ignoring her shuddering sobs and muffled pleas, took his third acquisition: a steel chain with rubber clamps attached, and pulled on her inflamed nipples, clipping them in their steely embrace. 

Unbuckling her harness with one hand and unzipping himself with the other, he let the vibrating mess fall to the floor. As he was placing the head of his cock at the entrance of her drenched pussy, Kat appeared behind the slave holding a rubber paddle, the same one he had first used on her actually. 'How nostalgic,' Michael thought, then plunged into his captive, bottoming out as he did so. Slave dropped her head back and whimpered. 

Those whimpers turned to shrieks when Kat began pummeling her ass with the paddle, its flexibility allowing her to get a hit in on the backswing, never giving her a chance to recover. The hits were timed to Michael's thrusts so that as her middle was driven back by him, it was met with a solid bar of rubber rocketing the other way. They couldn't see it, but the relentless assault caused her eyes to roll up and she became silent, her body going limp. 

The couple stopped. "That bitch!" shouted Kat. "She passed out before you could cum." 

Michael chuckled and went to the table to grab the cattle prod. Pressing it against her pussy lips he gave it some juice, not really paying attention to the setting. The slave's body recoiled violently and she moaned deliriously. He tore off her blindfold and grabbed her hair, wrenching her head until she was looking at him. "Let's try this again," he said, tugging on her nipple clamps drawing a low hiss. 

He walked around behind her and began kneading her ass. Kat returned from the table and the slave's eyes grew large as she took in the strap-on she was wearing 9in. in length, 2in. in diameter. As Michael entered the slave's ass, Kat waved the electro wand she was holding and said deviously, "Now then, let's have some fun."

The next time their plaything passed out, it was after both participants had achieved their release. Michael carried her limp form to the bedroom and deposited her on the plush, waist-high bed, pulling the covers around her. He then joined Kat out on the balcony in a recliner where they shared a bottle of wine she'd found and silently enjoyed the closeness they felt with each other, allowing themselves to come down from the high.

When they'd both relaxed enough Michael took their glasses and placed them on the glass side table. Wordlessly, Kat moved to straddle Michael, presenting her luscious tits in front of his face. Grabbing his now hard prick, she lowered herself down onto him as he alternated nibbling on each of her nipples. They moved sensuously, in no rush to claim satisfaction. 

After they'd finished, they remained in each other's arms, his shaft still resting inside her, watching the sun just start to peak over the horizon. Kat gave Michael a look and he chuckled. "You want to start in on her already?" he asked, knowing the answer. 

He knew from sharing their fantasies that Kat got off on humiliating and degrading others. Michael did too, but he always felt awkward when talking dirty. Kat, reading his mind, cupped his face and said, "You're not expressive with your words, but with your body. A single touch from you speaks volumes." Kat shivered at the memory of the time she blew up at her mom for trying to get her to stop seeing Michael. She had been seeing red and she thought she might actually lose control and do something violent. 

Michael had calmly walked into the kitchen from the living room and lightly brushed a soothing finger down the back of her neck. Instantly, her demeanor changed from aggressive to serene, feeling an intense love for him that washed away everything else. She remembered that nothing would stand between them and that her mother's displeasure would fade over time.

Michael wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to him and bringing her back to the 10th floor balcony, "All the same, I think I'll let you take the lead on this." 

Kat nodded her head in acceptance. "We better let her sleep some more," she said, sounding disappointed. "We're used to staying up all night hacking, but she looked like she could use the downtime."

"Let's go join her then," Michael agreed. "And lay off the mistress bit until after we've had some breakfast. I've heard the omelets here are incredible." The couple got into bed on opposite sides of their exhausted slave, each wrapping an arm around her. 

When the girl awoke close to noon she jerked, realizing she wasn't alone, jarring the couple from sleep. She gazed at Kat with fearful eyes, who was looking back at her hungrily. Kat knew then that Michael was right and the girl could use a little return to normal. Reaching out to brush the girl's hair from her eyes, drawing a flinch, Kat cooed, "There, there sweet. Master has ordered our fun postponed until later."

The girl relaxed as she saw they weren't going to start in on her again, at least not right away. Her whole body ached, but it was the good kind of ache that she craved, and the bajillion thread count covers felt like pure bliss. Her eyes teared up and she sniffled as she remembered the night before. Never had she experienced such intense feelings of pleasure and pain, nor had she ever met a couple that was in such perfect harmony their actions caused her senses to overload.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 04



She gave a startled squeak when Michael wrapped an arm around her and tugged her to him, spooning with his hardening cock poking between her thighs. "Good morning, slave," he growled huskily. "Have a nice nap?" She nodded her head hesitantly. "Excellent," he hissed grabbing a flaming red ass cheek firmly, causing her to wince, and then moan when she felt Kat sucking on her abused nipples, "come on." 

He got out of bed and reached out his hand to help her up. Kat, knowing what he intended, led the trio to the bathroom and straight into the walk-in shower. The couple then massaged her bruised and battered body under the hot stream, soothing her hurt muscles. They pinned her to the tile wall and each took a nipple to suckle on. Kat snaked her hand down and started fingering the girl's pussy, brushing her clit with her thumb. One of Michael's hands rest on her ass, his middle finger slowly invading her from behind. The couple ignored their slave's protests as they continued their unwavering assault. Finally, after three earthshaking orgasms, the girl's legs gave out and she sunk to the tile floor. 

Michael carried her to the bed as Kat ordered room service and luckily they served breakfast 24/7. As they were waiting, Michael and Kat grabbed a can of aloe warming gel and proceeded to cover every inch of the girl's body. She whimpered and squirmed, but they were not to be denied. By the end of it they had squeezed and kneaded her into a mewling, blubbering puddle. 

Hearing a knock on the door, Michael put on a robe and answered it. He tipped the attendant heavily after seeing he didn't even blink at the bondage frame or the table covered in toys. Michael carried in a tray of three huge steaming omelets and glasses of orange juice. Kat had ordered the works with extra cheese and jalapenos. 

As they ate, Brenda (Michael finally learned her name) told them about herself. She'd grown up without knowing her mother and was abused by her father when she was little. She hadn't actually been bothered by the attention but the neighbors had found out and reported him, thrusting her into one foster home after another until she'd reached her 18th birthday. She'd taken the money she'd saved up and moved as far away as possible, hiding herself in their small town. Michael took care to school his face to not show pity, knowing she wouldn't want any. 

When she mentioned that she'd gotten a scholarship to UW, Kat got a gleam in her eye and Michael knew they were going to have many adventures with their plaything in the future. He made a mental note to have Pandora check her out and make sure there weren't any ghosts from her past looking for her. He shared a look with Kat and they both determined to make sure she was well taken care of in the financial department without making it seem like charity.

Just as Kat was ready to get back into her mistress persona and berate her slave of all the mistakes she'd made, 'being rude to master at school, falling asleep tied to the rack when he was giving her a gift, not being awake when Kat had master's cum in her and failing to eat her out,' they heard another knock on the door. Miffed, Kat walked naked to the door and opened it, revealing Tammy and Joseph. 

The pair walked in and Kat went back to Michael and draped herself over him. Joseph looked around with huge eyes as he took in the scene. His brain promptly shorted out as he was trying to figure out what the bondage rack was for. 

Tammy walked up to the trio, looking completely unsurprised, and Michael was sure she'd been involved in putting this all together. "Nice digs," she said slyly, leering at a naked Brenda. She leaned in close and whispered, "I'll have to try your mouth later." Standing straight, she remarked loudly, trying to break through to Joseph, "So are we going to stay inside all day or are we going to hit the pool?" This statement drew his eyes to the two nude girls and his mind promptly blanked out again. Tammy snickered. "I'm working on him," she said, gazing lovingly at him, "he's just so innocent."

The two young couples enjoyed the rest of their stay there. After enjoying the Olympic-sized swimming pool, Michael and Joseph played a few games of racketball and Tammy and Kat went upstairs to abuse Brenda some more. During lunches at school, for the short time that still remained, Brenda joined the foursome. 

Over the summer, the three found an enormous 8-bedroom skyrise apartment located near UW. Luckily, freshmen were allowed to live off-campus, although academically Michael was a second-semester sophomore. 

Tammy had gone to Oregon State and Joseph had gotten a construction gig near there. Neither accepted money from Michael and Kat, but Tammy found herself mysteriously accepted for unknown scholarships and grants, while Joseph never ran out of jobs, even receiving a conspicuous number of bonus checks in the mail.

College was a curious time for Michael and Kat, they hadn't told Brenda about Pandora. They didn't need careers to make money and Pandora could actually forge their records if they had. Both decided they wanted to at least try the experience though, and it put their parents' minds at ease. Additionally, classes were a breeze and not very time consuming with Pandora helping out. Finally, Michael figured that if he was going to live somewhere, Seattle was as good a place as any, so it wasn't really an inconvenience to be there.

As far as what they were studying, Michael was double-majoring in Computer Engineering and Computer Science, while Kat was taking CS and Psychology. They took as many classes together as possible and most days were spent with Michael laying on the bed, with Kat between his legs lying against him, a laptop sitting on her legs. Michael would play with her tits as they dictated to Pandora, other doing homework or puttering around online.

Something college did provide was an environment where Pandora could learn and explore a variety of different subjects. She'd always had access to much of the material online, but now with Michael directing her and coming up with new ways to look at things, she was evolving at a tremendous pace. He sat with her for hours a day and they would analyze theories in an assortment of scientific and mathematical subjects they would then try and put into practice, developing new inventions.

One of the first inventions they'd made was a cleaning bot for the apartment with predetermined instructions, but with the ability for Pandora to control it directly. Michael suddenly had a flash, thinking about constructing a guard bot. That thought evolved into having an army of bots under his control. He talked to Pandora about the possibilities and how to overcome material and energy constraints. He thought back to his childhood dreams about developing alternate forms of energy and it was as if the floodgates had opened.

Michael had been toying with the idea of creating other AIs to work under Pandora for some time. They would each learn and explore different fields of study then sporadically join together to share ideas and gain new ways of looking at a problem. He'd been waiting for Pandora to develop sufficiently that she would be able to competently direct and control the AIs. 

Control, because Michael still held fears that one of his creations might go rogue. Pandora had been built from scratch with loyalty clauses placed at every step of her development. Not loyalty to humans of course (he wanted her to be able to protect him and his, and he wasn't about to declaw his most effective weapon), but loyalty to him alone.

During their second year, Michael and Pandora began creating a host of lesser AIs stored online. She would take care of providing them with data and giving them reasoning until they could develop enough to start gathering and putting things together themselves. Pandora confided that whenever they joined together their development jumped dramatically and they were growing at a phenomenal rate.

Kat developed in a different way, and if anything, she seemed to become more dependent and subservient to Michael. She felt it was her function in life to take care of his needs. She was always available to him and a mere look would have her naked and plastered to him in seconds. She constantly found events for them to go to, not so much the typical college frat parties -as they both found them to be loud and obnoxious, and it was a chore for Michael not to kill every guy that hit on Kat- but there were plenty of things to do in the big city. 

A particularly memorable occasion occurred at that year's PAX convention. Pandora stole the source code for one of the new FPS games that hadn't been released yet. They managed to compile and run a working version of the game, which they then added another dimension to. They turned one of the empty bedrooms into a virtual reality room like in that movie "Gamer," and created a very realistic battlefield experience. 

Another of Kat's habits, which he was at first uncomfortable with, was finding other female partner's for them to share- Michael still wouldn't sleep with anyone else unless Kat joined in. She wasn't slumming in dive bars for them or anything, most of them came from school, but Michael knew adding new partners added a security risk and the possibility of catching an STD. 

Kat lessened these dangers by working with Pandora to run health and background checks, and even came up with a near-invisible protective biofilm that protected them against the transfer of diseases. Michael thought a less expensive version of it had potential, mainly for criminal applications, as it concealed fingerprints, loose skin, and hair follicles, but didn't look like the person was wearing anything.

Pandora was working through an astronomy course at superhuman speed and was feeding Michael the relevant bits. She stopped and asked a question that gave him pause, "Master, why do humans broadcast their location throughout the stars?" 

Michael shrugged, "Curiosity, loneliness perhaps; to reassure ourselves that we're not alone out in the deep dark. I think in the beginning we just didn't know any better. Now? It's not profitable to invest in preventing something that far off and that controversial when it's probably a moot point because of what's already been released. That, and there're a lot of crazies that want aliens to find us."

Pandora went silent, thinking about the implications, "Aren't they worried about what happens if our planet is discovered?" 

"The chance is pretty slim it would happen anytime soon, isn't it? I mean, I don't subscribe to Fermi's Paradox as absence of evidence isn't evidence of absence but come on, what're the odds that even generations down the line we're going to be visited?" he said, wondering where this was going. "And that's assuming that they're ruled by the same thought process we are and would want to investigate" 

"How many planets in our galaxy are like Earth and meet conditions to support life?" Pandora asked, knowing the answer. "And you know as well as I what I think about your lifespan, master."

Michael did know. It seemed Pandora had a low opinion of how fragile and short-lived humans were, and she was determined to keep him alive indefinitely. She'd already drawn up plans for biological additives that were predicted to make him live half again longer and she hadn't even begun her work on cloning or nanites yet. The whole thing made him a bit uncomfortable so he ignored her jab and answered her question, "They estimate something like half a billion, I think."

"Those are just the planets in the Goldilocks Zone that can support life with similar physiologies to humans. The actual number of potential life-supporting planets is far greater, master," Pandora stated. "Our galaxy is roughly 90,000 light years across but with potentially millions of civilizations buzzing around, that area really isn't that large. Factoring in the rate of expansion of the universe, our radio signals stretch out to roughly 200 light years across. The odds of them 'not' touching another life-bearing planet or passing spacecraft aren't all that high, master, and they shrink exponentially each year."

Michael thought about it, then said, "But I thought radio signals became too dispersed to read after awhile."

"True, but my calculations show that anyone with the technology for faster-than-light travel will be able to pick up the signals for at least 1,000 light years," Pandora said. "Additionally, they don't have to decipher the signal, they just have to know where it's coming from." 

Michael grunted, thinking it through. "There is another thing to worry about, master," Pandora continued. "Our planet is quite obvious in its nature and visible for all to see. Any space-faring races with similar needs as us would consider our solar system for valuable land, if not resources, and would at least investigate it."

"And I suppose there's not much chance of them being anything besides aggressive, either?" Michael queried, sounding glum.

"Thinking of space as you would the ocean, what are the chances of another species of predators, because that's almost certainly what humanity represents, acting peaceful and welcoming rather than hostile and mistrustful," Pandora replied.

"So what're you saying, Pan?" Michael asked hesitantly.

"I'm scared for you, master," Pandora replied in a soft voice. Michael still had his doubts, but he punched in a few notations on his tablet and began changing his plans for the future, some that were already in motion.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 05



The crowd cheered again as another graduate walked across the stage. Michael was sitting near the back of the auditorium with Matt, Brenda's boyfriend. When she'd come to live with them at his and Kat's apartment just after high school ended, she'd made it clear that she didn't want to be a live-in slave. Michael was grateful for that because he didn't think he could keep the persona going all the time, though he was pretty sure Kat wouldn't have a problem. 

Brenda had still periodically joined in on their games, acting as the slave, for the first three years at college, but she'd wanted to find someone to share what Michael and Kat had. Enter Matt, a pre-med student, one year older than Brenda, who frequented the same S&M club as her. They'd met almost a year ago and were thinking of marrying once Matt became a doctor. 

Michael and Matt rose and shouted the loudest in the crowd as Kat and Brenda walked across the stage, one after the other, since they got to choose their placing. Michael had graduated from UW two years ago and had stayed on to get a Masters in Computer Engineering. As the ceremony ended and the girls ran to greet their parents, Michael took out his custom-built phone which sprouted a holographic display, showing numerous bits of information including the travel plans Michael had made. 

Seeing they were still on schedule, he turned to Matt and tossed him the keys to their apartment. Startled, Matt caught them on reflex. "Brenda told me she wouldn't accept any money from us," Michael smirked, "So we're giving you a place to live, rent paid indefinitely. You'll find a number of grants and scholarships that will pay for medical school delivered to you, and you'll have a job on 'Pill Hill' here in Seattle when you get out."

Leaving Matt speechless, Michael went to pry Kat away from her mom and his parents. When she spotted him, Kat launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in for a long, endearing kiss. She gave him her stole and they said farewell to their parents, telling them again that they could be reached by phone and e-mail, but that they would be traveling for the next six months.

Kat led Michael back to their car. It looked like an Audi R8 coupe, but was one of Pandora's greatest creations yet. Pandora had a penchant for discovering new stable and not-so-stable elements. Combined with the energy transfer technology she'd perfected, she was able to construct incredibly small nanobots to carry out an assortment of jobs. The Audi's space frame had nanites injected into the aluminium monocoque that would ionize the metal, bonding it with new isotopes she'd discovered to make it stronger without adding any extra weight. Everything from the windows and tires to the paint itself was designed to crumple, but never break, absorbing an impact, then reforming itself, making it tougher than most tanks.

Pandora had to forge inspection papers because they didn't want anyone noticing that it didn't use gas or fuel, but ran off of a special turbine which literally sucked nitrogen molecules out of the air using a small battery and water. She had designs for a generator powered by nuclear energy, but couldn't get it small enough to fit in a car... yet. 

Michael was constantly amazed at how far she'd come. The AIs she'd spawned were breaking new ground in just about every area of science and mathematics. He'd already sold a patent to the US Government for close to $12 billion concerning a new type of algae they'd cultivated. It actually fed off of the CO2 in the air and grew incredibly fast, as Michael found out when he'd left it alone for a store run. When he'd returned, it had covered half the apartment and Kat was freaking out. Advertised as a food source for 3rd world countries, it was dirt cheap to develop. It was theorized to "fix" global warming in roughly half a century and, together with new energy sources and the other gadgets he was developing, was slated to solve the country's debt crisis in a little over a decade.

By using different commonly found chemicals at various stages of its development, they could change what it tasted like. So far, they had found over a thousand different combinations, some that had surprisingly familiar flavors. Since it was doubtful anyone would want to eat the green gunk, Pandora had designed replicators that used the algae and an energy source to create different types of food that contained different nutrients, from sour oval-shaped fruit to tender juicy-looking steaks that tasted 'almost' normal. Scientists were amazed that it didn't need sunlight to survive. Critics were suspicious of it being some sort of bioterrorism scheme since Michael had released it as Fate, not wanting the publicity.

As they were driving Kat asked, "Okay, so where are we going? Are we really traveling around the world for the next six months? Not that I'm complaining mind you, it just seems like a lot of checking in and out of hotels and coming up with different kinds transportation."

Michael remained silent as they entered the Port of Seattle. Kat looked out the window and saw the huge smokestacks and the gleaming white top of the ship and she yelled, loud enough for a deaf person to hear, "No FUCKING way!" Turning to Michael for confirmation he just smiled. She squealed and hurled herself at him, causing him to jerk the steering wheel before he got the car under control again.

Chuckling, Michael told her, "Welcome to the Oasis of the Seas, largest cruise ship in the world. It usually travels in the Caribbean, but RoyalCaribbean released another oasis-class vessel and three of them are too much for that one route. It's scheduled to travel a trans-Pacific route starting next year, based out of Alaska. But to commemorate the change, it'll be going on a roundtrip journey around the world, starting from Alaska and moving down the North American coast."

"We missed its start up north," he lamented, and then added evasively, "but we'll see Alaska on our own soon enough."

Kat just stared with wide eyes. "I've never been on a cruise ship before," her voice filled with awe, "Hell, I've never even been out of the country, except for the few times we went to Vancouver and Victoria in Canada." Michael smiled at her trepidation. He'd gone on a cruise around the Black Sea once when he visited Romania, but the sheer magnitude of this one was going to make it a new experience for him as well.

"I had Pan make all the competition mysteriously disappear and booked us the Royal Loft on the top deck; the biggest, most luxurious of cabins," Michael added, wrapping an arm around her and giving her a squeeze, "I didn't want you feeling trapped or congested since we'll be there for awhile. Along with the spacious living and dining room, it has a giant 850ft² balcony. Also, Pan upgraded our membership to something called the 'Pinnacle Club' so we'll get all the fixings while we're there."

"Holy crap," Kat exclaimed, impressed. "How much did all this cost?"

Michael gave a snort, "Something like $20,000 a week." Kat raised her eyebrows. "But we can afford it. And besides, you're worth it," he whispered in her ear and her eyes blazed with desire.

They pulled up behind a line leading to valet parking where they would unload their luggage and put the car in long-term parking. Kat froze, panicked, and asked, "What about all my things? What am I going to wear for the next six months?" 

Michael laughed and told her when they were boxing up their stuff to leave the apartment he'd taken her stuff before it was shipped to storage and it had been preloaded onboard. "Now," he said somewhat seriously. "Before we leave, I want to propose a toast." He reached behind the seat and pulled a bottle of champagne and two flutes. After pouring them and holding one out to her, he met her eyes. "Esti respiratia mea, viata mea, si totul care conteaza. You are my breath, my world, and everything that matters."

Kat's eyes softened and she took the glass. "Noroc," they both murmured, then tipped back the sparkling concoctions. As Michael drank, he watched the beige-colored liquid drain into Kat's mouth and closed his eyes and prayed. He and Pandora had spent the last three months feverishly working on a safe method for introducing nanites to a human body. If it worked, they probably wouldn't have to worry about being killed. If it didn't, they'd be just as dead. 

It had taken a lot of specialized equipment to develop the little buggers. And because Michael had wanted to inject them before this trip, most of it was stolen, and the testing that was done to adapt it to a human body wasn't exactly ethical. 'Nor was it as extensively tested as I'd have liked,' Michael thought to himself worriedly. Pandora assured him it would work as she'd predicted, but there were never absolutes with this kind of thing.

When neither of them burst into flames, Michael began to relax. Kat was back to looking out the window in wonderment, oblivious to his concern. They finally reached the valet, and as neither of them had any bags, walked up the red carpet and were greeted by their steward that would walk them through the boarding process, skipping the lines, waiting, and scrutiny shown to most people.

They entered their room and were floored with what they saw. The living room had a couch and a couple of comfy chairs, LCD TV, a bookcase, and a baby grand piano, but all that paled in comparison with the view they saw out the sliding glass door. A huge mass of blue ocean eclipsed an enormous balcony which held a hot tub, wet bar, couch, and breakfast table. 

They went to the side of the balcony and their breath caught as they looked down from the dizzying height of the 17th deck, hundreds of lesser balconies making up two walls on either side below them. Michael whispered in Kat's ear, "No one can see us up here unless we're leaning over the balcony railing." Kat promptly stripped off her clothes and pulled him into a heated embrace. 

Michael gave her a mock frown and said petulantly, "You didn't even give me time to unwrap my meal." Then he grabbed her and tossed her onto the couch, getting a yelp from Kat, where he got to his knees and proceeded to eat her out. Despite her protests he ate her out for a full hour, pulling orgasm after orgasm from her. He teased her mercilessly, building anticipation and frustration in equal measure. When she would cum he would attack her clit for minutes longer until she was begging for him to stop. Only when she started trying to edge away would he back off... and start teasing her all over again.

When finally he stopped, she was a squirming, mewling puddle of limbs, sweat, and tears. Wiping his face on the fabric, he took her in his arms and just held her as they looked out at the view, hearing the sounds of the Port. 

Once curiosity got the best of them, they got up to explore the rest of their suite. In the master bedroom they found a king-sized bed facing 17ft plate glass windows. These had full blinds that could be drawn and a projector screen that could be dropped to watch movies. As they entered, the projector screen was down and various images from around the ship were scrolling through.

Apparently Pandora had hacked into the security feeds and was having fun. "I've never seen a place with so many cameras, master," she said excitedly. "Now you won't ever be out of my sight. I can actually control the ship if I wanted to. 'It's like a dream come true,' I believe you humans would say." 

Michael smiled. 'Oh, how prophetic you've become,' he thought. 'Just wait until later.'

'What do you mean, master,' a voice spoke in his head. 

Michael was jarred out of his thoughts and he gasped in surprise, drawing a questioning look from Kat. 'You can hear me?' he thought to Pandora.

'Of course, master. Didn't we go over that when we were developing the nanites? Give it a few more days and I'll be able to see what you see as well,' Pandora said in his head. 

'I didn't think it would happen this fast,' he said. 'Okay, that's a lie. I didn't think it would work at all.' Michael chuckled, 'I'm hearing voices in my head. I'm now verifiably crazy.'

Kat, becoming exasperated, poked him in the ribs, "What?"

Michael kissed her on the forehead, "Later, love." And taking her hand, led her down the hallway. Kat asked what the ship's internet was like. Michael laughed and said, "We've got our own, courtesy of Pan. She hijacked some corporate satellite and made it seem like it was malfunctioning. It's too expensive to retrieve so they left it alone. It'll follow our trajectory and provide an uplink for us." 

They went into the bathroom and smiled at the Jacuzzi tub, shower, double sinks, and spacious tile floor. Walking into the secondary bedroom, they saw 12 huge suitcases and trunks. 

Just because they were on vacation didn't mean Michael wasn't planning on working. He'd brought various tools and gadgets to tinker with, but most projects would still be done over a VPN feed with Pandora, connecting to their lab and the various construction bots there would assemble whatever they directed.

Kat looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Michael grinned, "Yes, I brought along your toys."

She got a glint in her eye and smiled slyly, "Good. I bet there are a few slaves on this boat, even if they don't know it yet," already planning on putting one of Pandora's tiny cameras in the female dressing rooms by the pool to scope out 'candidates.' She grew wet at the thought of watching them undress on the TV in the living room while riding Michael's cock.

"With over 5,000 passengers coming and going nearly every week, and over 2,000 staff and workers, I think you'll have plenty to choose from." Michael agreed. "And with multiple nightclubs, lounges, casinos, pool areas, and so on, you should have no trouble trawling for snacks."

Kat gave him a wide grin and wrapped her arms through his, leaning close, "They're 'your' snacks, baby, I just give them a nibble or two first."

Michael laughed just as an alarm went off. Kat looked around curiously and Michael explained, with a similar expression on his face, "That'd be the call to muster stations, showing us the life rafts and stuff. But it's really faint; normally it's annoying as hell." He led the way to the open glass door to the balcony and shut it. Abruptly the sound cut off. Michael grinned, "Ah, perfect. I was afraid we'd have to listen to that crap every week or so when the ship took on new passengers."

"Don't 'we' have to go out there?" Kat asked.

"Nah, a steward would come get us and we would join the Captain and his bridge crew to their raft just around the corner," Michael explained. "Though for this first one, I think we've got a complimentary tour of the bridge now if we want to check it out." They heard a knock on the door and Kat grinned.

Later that evening as the ship set sail, Michael and Kat joined the Captain at his table, though his table sat around 30 people. Younger than the rest of the occupants by at least a decade, most a good two or three, they just sat politely and made small talk. The dinner was superb though, with fresh Alaskan salmon, lobster, and steak shipped all the way from Argentina to choose from.

After dinner, there was dancing with the Captain, the senior officers, and others from the 'Pinnacle Club.' Michael's father had taught him ballroom dancing when he was young as 'one of those things a boy needs to learn to become a man,' and he was able to competently lead Kat around the floor. Afterwards, Kat left to go back to the room, but Michael went down to the gym for a quick run and a sauna. 

When he came back, the only light that was on was coming from the master bedroom. Michael walked in and saw a naked Kat, blindfolded and tied to the bed with a ball gag in her mouth. He grinned when he saw her breathing pick up as he approached her. Her body was taut, her nipples erect, and her pussy dripping. 

Michael pinched some of her pussy hair and pulled up, earning a yelp from Kat, who tried to raise her middle, despite being tied to four corners of the bed. Looking at the open chest by the side of the bed, he grabbed a vibrator from it and plunged it into her squirming cunt, turning it to a low, teasing setting. He then quickly stripped out of his clothes.

Taking a red wax candle, he lit it and set it down, pinching and pulling on her nipples while he let it pool. When Kat's nipples were sufficiently red and puffy, Michael picked up the wax and spent the next 10min. coating every inch of her glorious breasts. When he was done and Kat was gasping and wriggling her hips, he took out a stretchy leather flogger and proceeded to thrash the built-up wax off her tits. She whimpered as each strike ripped a portion of the caked stuff off her skin and her boobs bounced around attractively.

Putting the flogger down, he straddled her hips, placing his palms on her plump, bright-red tits and squeezed, drawing a delicious cry from his captive. Mashing her boobs together he wedged his cock in between them and proceeded to give himself a titfuck. When he finally came, spewing his load all over her neck and chin, he got up and removed her ball gag. Grabbing her hair and wrenching her to the side, he plopped his flagging cock into her mouth where Kat eagerly gobbled up his gift.

Moving to the foot of the bed, he untied her legs and pulled them up next to her head, tying them down again and leaving her spread open, her tasty bits sticking up in the air. Retrieving the ice bucket from the living room, he took two handfuls of ice cubes and proceeded to stuff them into her cunt one by one. 

It wasn't long before for she was wailing and writhing, trying to get rid of the freezing intruders. Taking a cat o' nine tails with small beads on the end, he whipped it hard between her legs causing ice cubes and melted water to erupt from her shivering twat. He repeated the motion over and over, striking relentlessly, reddening and marking her until he was sure all the ice had been discharged or melted. Throwing the 'tails in the chest and quickly untying her legs, he got into position and thrust his throbbing prick into her icy cunt, enjoying the cool touch that massaged his member. 

It was a hard and intense fuck, the friction of his cock warming her insides and returning any feeling the biting chill had taken away. When they finally exploded as one, Michael reached down and pinched her clit, twisting, causing Kat to scream; her chest rose up off the bed and her pussy clenched down on him almost painfully in rapture. They both came down from their euphoria and Michael untied her, removing her blindfold and kissing her tears away.

Kat, still sobbing tears of joy and ecstasy, hugged him tightly and repeated the same mantra she'd uttered the first time they were together, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." They had another, less strenuous, lovemaking session in the shower before both fell asleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

Morning found Michael out on the balcony practicing sword drills with his dai katana. He'd found a dojo in Seattle to help him develop his form. Pandora, of course, had made a few improvements to the sword, which was now stronger and lighter than normal, with a black sheen. She'd also been instrumental in 'convincing' the x-ray machine to ignore the weapon so he could bring it onboard.

The cruise was stopping in Portland today. Tomorrow would be a Sea-day and then it was on to L.A. The sky was overcast and the ship was being tugged into the harbor when Kat burst through the balcony doorway naked, hands on her tits, thrusting them towards him. "What the hell is this?" she shouted. 

Michael glanced at his favorite toys and admitted to himself that they looked even yummier in their enhanced state. They weren't double D's or anything, but they were definitely a handful. He glanced up. "That's one hell of a growth spurt," he teased. Kat didn't seem to find it amusing. 'This better not be some elaborate joke,' he heard in his head. 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 05



'Well I hope not, because those babies look scrumptious,' he replied.

Kat's jaw dropped. "Yo- You just- How did you do that?" Kat demanded, flustered. She had a flashback to that day in the computer lab when they'd first met. 'Stay calm,' she reminded herself. 'It doesn't matter. I'm his, body and soul... accept all gifts...' 

"Pan and I finished adapting the nanites for humans," Michael explained, leveling with her. "It had a few... side effects."

Kat's eyes widened in understanding and said, "I thought it was just supposed to make us a little stronger and our skin tougher."

Michael nodded, "Well, the telepathy came from a few last-minute ideas Pan had. And it isn't just the skin that's tougher; it's our bones, tissue, most of it. Also, by the time our bodies get done developing, 'a little stronger' will be a bit of an understatement." He shrugged. "That's about it if you don't count the regrowth-" he cut himself off, feeling a little uncomfortable about that part.

"What regrowth?" Kat said, her eyes narrowing.

"Well," Michael said, "we won't actually die unless our brain is destroyed. The nanites rebuild cell tissue, so as long as some of them remain they will keep the brain alive until the body regenerates to a point where it can survive on its own. They'll shut off nerve centers so you won't feel any pain, but just the idea of being a disembodied head is..." he shuddered. "Though, Pan is confident she can develop a way for the nanites to record our physiology exactly, and upload the data to her where she can rebuild us, memories intact, in case we get... atomized."

Kat was amazed. Talk about the power to cheat death. Then she glanced back at him and thrust out her chest again, "That still doesn't explain what happened to these?"

Michael looked a bit abashed and said, "With all these developments, we're going to live a 'long' time. Not indefinitely, as our brains just grow too weary after awhile, though Pan thinks she can solve that, too. However, our bodies still age. Not fast, as the nanites combat the decay, but enough that Pan and I thought it best to add a way to maintain our youth that keeps our bodies in our prime. It just so happens that our prime..." he trailed off, not knowing how to explain that evolution simply wanted humans to breed. Their sexual organs would reflect that impulse.

Michael reached down and untied his sweats. They trailed to the floor and Kat's eyes grew large as she got a glimpse of what his dick had become. It had to be nearly 10 inches long now. "That happened over night?" she asked, hesitantly.

He gave a shrug, "Our bodies will make the changes faster when we're not using them. At this rate, our bodies will be completely adjusted in another couple of days."

"You mean that thing is going to get bigger," she asked incredulously, then gave a squeak, clutching her chest, "and these?"

Michael, growing hard when she squeezed those beautiful melons, whispered, "A little bit." 

Kat caught the look in his eye and went from wary to appreciative, then back to wary as she looked down between his legs. Then, with a determined expression, it became her turn to push him onto the couch and show him pleasure. His newfound girth made it a challenge, but she prevailed and discovered new ways to give pleasure. He particularly liked it when she used her slightly larger breasts to give him the best titfuck he'd ever had. 

As he ejected, his volume surprised them both, and he ended up coating her with cum. She'd been in the process of licking it up when the ship finished docking and announcements went out for debarkation. Kat looked up and ask, "So what're we going to do today?"

"Well, no tours today," he said vaguely, "something better." Kat gave him a look, but accepted his evasion. 

'I'm glad you've accepted your gift, mistress. We were both worried about what you'd think about my... improvements,' a feminine voice spoke in her head. 

Kat's head shot up as she remembered what started this discussion. Trying to direct her thoughts to Pandora, she asked aloud in her head, 'Does this mean I can communicate with you whenever I want?' 

'Yes, mistress,' she heard, 'both of us.'

Suddenly she saw the implications and faced Michael with a wide grin and thought to him, 'Really? I'll always be able to hear you?'

'We'll always be together,' he responded, 'now, in both mind and spirit.'

"What's the range?" Kat wondered aloud. 

"Infinitely, so long as we're both able to contact Pandora, as she can relay what we say. Otherwise we'd have to be next to each for the nanobots to talk to each other," he replied.

Both of them went to get showered and dressed. Michael wore a tux and chose a strapless bright-blue dress with heels for Kat. They both left the ship, again skipping all the lines, and took a taxi into the city. 

Kat glanced around curiously as they stopped at a gothic-looking church. As the couple ascended the steps the doors burst open and Tammy ran out half-dressed and yelling, two assistant-types running after her. She threw her arms around Kat and lifted her up squeezing. Kat finally caught on that this was a wedding and she had a pretty good idea of who was getting married. The two of them promptly disappeared through a hidden door and Michael went to find the groom. In the dressing room, Tammy teased Kat about her red stripes from the cat o' nine tails. Kat then met the rest of the bridesmaids, all clad in bright-blue strapless dresses.

Tammy had graduated the same time Kat had and joined the family business, one of the offices of which was based out of Portland. Joseph had made enough money to bring his family, a mother and two younger sisters, over to the US. Michael hadn't managed to plan Joseph a bachelor's party, but a Romanian tradition was that the best man paid for the wedding and this time he wasn't taking 'no' for an answer.

After the service, the guests moved to the after-party at a restaurant they'd rented out and the four sat at a table and caught up. The newlyweds had a house in one of the suburbs they were looking at and Joseph had started his own contracting company. Michael and Kat had to be back aboard before 6 p.m. so they said their goodbyes. As the girls were hugging, Michael shook Joseph's hand and gave him an envelope, taking Kat's hand and leaving. The envelope contained a paid 2-week trip to Fiji where Tammy and Joseph would be able to enjoy a relaxing honeymoon.

On the ship, he and Kat watched the sunset naked in their hot tub. Kat had let her hair grow out over the last year and Michael was entranced by her dark-red locks, framing two perky globes of perfection. For her part, she found she liked the fullness that stretched her insides and rested in his arms, impaled, drinking a cocktail. Michael thought of the plans he'd made for the future and knew by the end of this trip, many of them would come to fruition.

The couple gazed out and got a glimpse of what their foreseeable future looked like. It was brilliant, their aspirations many, and their love for each other eternal. There would be over 40 stops on this floating paradise where they would see a host of different wonders and cultures they'd missed living their sheltered lives; experiencing new things and new female delights.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 06



The cruise left Portland and went down to L.A. From there, it had gone on kind of a whacky route since it had just come around South America from its original path around the Caribbean. It went out to the Hawaiian Islands, New Zealand, Australia, then up to Petropavlovsk, Russia, stopping at New Guinea and the Marianas Islands along the way. It would then go along the coast of Southeast Asia, stopping in Japan, China, the Philippines, India, etc.

Michael and Kat were commemorating their trip to Osaka with a quick and dirty fuck behind the noodle shop. She had taken 'always being available to him' to the next level by almost always wearing skirts without anything underneath. She also thought it would be a grand idea to get fucked in each and every country they visited. Oh, he liked it too, but she'd almost mounted him in the booth before he managed to drag her outside. She was insatiable.

They were supposed to be visiting some shrine or museum or other, but Michael had wanted a taste of authentic Japanese noodles after being subjected to the Top Ramen in the States. They'd left and would get back on the tour when it left to visit a 16th century castle he thought would be cool to see. 

As they were rutting with Kat placing both hands on the brick wall in front of her, they heard running footsteps followed by a car screeching to a halt. Not having to worry about muggers since their enhancements, and not thinking they would be arrested after having the courtesy to move their lustful activities to this dingy alley, they ignored the intrusion. 

Two young Asian girls with expensive-looking clothes and dark glasses, packs thrown over their shoulders, staggered to a halt as they caught sight of them, their eyes growing huge as they saw the size of Michael's prick as he continued to plunge it in and out of Kat. The two newcomers looked at each other and then continued running down the other end of the alley. Not a minute later, three guys in matching suits, shades, and earpieces ran by, not even taking a second glance at them once they'd seen Michael and Kat weren't their quarry.

Not knowing what that was about, and not particularly caring, Michael reached down and pinched Kat's clit as she came, causing her body to convulse wildly. He thrust as hard and as deep as he possibly could, spewing his load into her. Michael pulled his messy cock out, his cum trickling down her leg. She immediately spun around and cleaned him off before taking a cloth out of her purse and stemming the tide. 

The castle was nice and the couple enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, taking a 'second lunch' with the tour at a nearby sky-rise hotel. One of the things Kat loved about the nanites was never having to watch her weight. As they were in the bus traveling back to the cruise ship, they passed the airport and she noticed carbon copies of the three men in the alley all over the place. 'Must be some important diplomat flying in,' she thought.

Opening the door to their stateroom, they were greeted by the sight of the ship's First Officer squirming and wriggling- muffled cries coming from her tied body atop the piano. Aurora Lindström, 38, tall, with blonde hair and ice blue eyes that showed off her Nordic ancestry, had fallen into Kat's web last week when she'd been feeling particularly down about her life. 

Normally, when a cruise ship goes into port the captain and the first mate alternate who gets to go off, as they're never both supposed to leave the ship at once. The captain for this ship however, always left the Oases, never letting her go ashore. What made it worse was that she was slated to move up as captain for the vessel. 

He was a brand new captain to the fleet who had seniority and jumped in front of her just as the old captain for the ship was retiring. Aurora had left her home to visit places around the world, and now she wasn't getting to experience any of it. She certainly hadn't seen much when she'd been on the Caribbean route. She could complain to headquarters, but there were other things a captain could do to make her life miserable.

Kat shared a drink with her and soothed her hurt feelings, making her feel better and telling her she could come and talk to her anytime. She showed up outside the suite one evening while the couple was playing and knocked on the door. Neither of them had heard her as they were both in the zone. Aurora, thinking they might be in the hot tub, because she knew they were in there, the steward had told her so, opened the door with her card key. 

Walking in on Michael fucking a tied and suspended Kat, her nipples clipped to vibrating clamps, her swimsuit balled up and stuffed in her mouth, should have made an impression. It did, but not the one either of the couple had thought. Aurora folded her arms behind her back and dropped to her knees, thrusting her busty bosom out and tilting her head down, keeping her eyes on the floor, the door shutting behind her. Michael stopped thrusting and he and Kat just turned to stare at the kneeling, waiting woman who'd reacted so unexpectedly. 

Not about to spit in the face of such luck however, Michael quickly untied Kat as she spat out the swimwear. She proceeded to walk around Aurora berating her for interrupting her master and making all sorts of humiliating comments. What followed that night was the most powerful, freeing experience Aurora had ever felt. With all of her responsibilities and all of her frustrations, she could just let herself go and let somebody else lead her. 

She practically ran the ship and it was a full-time job cleaning up after the incompetent captain, but she managed to sneak away now and again to come wash away her grievances. Today, the captain had again gone off to explore Osaka himself, probably holing himself up in a bar somewhere, leaving her stuck onboard. While she couldn't leave the ship, as that would show up in the logs, she was able to leave the Second Officer on call for any problems and disappear. 

Michael and Kat had arranged her so 'she wouldn't get bored,' while they went on their tour. Kat peeled off the sense deprivation mask and cooed at her while Michael turned off the vibrators harnessed to her pussy and ass, set to go through random settings. She was kissing their captive's mouth intimately and Aurora was sobbing and hiccupping, thanking Kat for rescuing her. 

Michael picked her stiff and aching form off the piano and took her to the hot tub, asking her innocently, "So I guess the itching powder on your tits wore off?"

Aurora's body shuddered and she whispered hoarsely, "Yes, master." 

Placing her sitting on the edge of the spa, Michael stripped and got in. He looked at her shaved cunt which was puffy and red, and then kissed it gently. He darted his tongue out and gave it a quick lick, causing her to shriek. Nodding in satisfaction he moved her into the steaming water, drawing a hiss from her. Kat made them all cocktails and they told her about their day. At the sad look on her face, Michael promised himself that on the next port of call she would be going ashore, even if he had to throw the captain overboard himself.

The next day the ship was at sea before heading on to Busan, South Korea. Michael and Kat were eating lunch in the buffet area when Pandora spoke their heads, 'Master, there seem to be two other hackers onboard.' 

'Only two?' Michael half joked. With over 5,000 transient passengers, it wasn't that surprising, especially with all the people trying to cheat the system and get free internet.

Pandora replied, 'I should clarify. These two are very good for not having access to an AI. They work together in near perfect concert. So far they've managed to gain access and register themselves under fake names to an unoccupied cabin. I've had to repeatedly lock them out of the ship's more crucial systems, not wanting to risk giving them control.' She paused, then continued, 'They've also found the connection for our satellite, which shouldn't be possible, not that they can access it, of course. I took a look at the laptops they're using and found some very intriguing software. I just thought you might want them on your radar, master.'

'Are they giving you any trouble?' Michael thought to her. Pandora scoffed at the idea of humans giving her trouble in her realm and gave a negative. Michael smiled and thought about it. Cruise ships were ideal places for hackers to set up shop, if you were good enough to trick the system into ignoring you or made enough money to stay onboard indefinitely. 

You'd have internet access, free amenities, most of the time you'd be over international waters for when you pissed someone off. If you managed to get yourself traced, whatever authority chasing you wouldn't trust ship security to take you in and risk destroying evidence. They'd wait until you reached a friendly port of call to pick you up, giving you time to erase your tracks.

Kat asked, 'They just got on recently?'

'Yes, mistress. At Osaka,' was the reply.

'Hmm, that's interesting,' Michael thought, then looked at Kat and dipped his head to the right. 

Following his gesture, she saw the same two girls that had interrupted them in the alley sitting down across the seating area. They were both in shorts and T-shirts. The girl on the left was sipping a milkshake while the girl on the right was typing away furiously at a laptop and looking frustrated. 'Mmm,' Kat crooned, audible enough for the other two to hear, 'twins. And they look tasty. You spoil me, master.'

Taking out the tablet he still had to carry around in public, even though his phone could do so much more, he held it out in front of him and Kat. Pandora filled the screen with pictures and bio, stating, 'Their laptops are clean, but I was able to match their faces in the Japanese record system.'

Looking down at the tablet they saw: Matsushita Aki and Matsushita Rin; 20 years old; Mother died in childbirth; Sole heirs to the Matsushita corporation and fortune; Currently declared "missing" yesterday, with their father leading an international manhunt for their retrieval – Pandora even connected pictures to their names so it flashed "Rin" over the serious-looking girl at the laptop, and "Aki" over the girl happily sipping her shake.

'It's a good thing they've got short names,' Kat thought sly. Michael shot her a questioning glance. 'For when we have them screaming in our bed of course.' Michael chuckled, knowing she'd probably be right about her prediction.

* * * * *

"Hey," Aki whispered, elbowing her sister who growled at the interruption. "There's those two who were getting it on in the alley yesterday." 

That caught Rin's attention enough to glance up at the couple and give them a once over. "The guy's cute," she muttered distractedly, going back to her laptop. "Shit! Again... I'm telling you it's as if the system is alive and knows every move I'm making."

"I was more focused on the girl, would you get a look at those tits?" Aki said in awe, ignoring her sister's frustrations. She sighed and looked down at her own healthy B-cup and gave them a forlorn squeeze.

Rin finally resigned herself to defeat, for now, and looked up at the couple in question just as they stood up from gazing at some sort of tablet. Michael looked straight at her and flashed a grin. Rin had the uncanny suspicion that he knew exactly what she'd been up to. As she watched them leave through the glass doors she thought it might be prudent to check up on them.

* * * * *

Later that evening found Kat on Michael's lap, his hands playing with her tits while she surfed the net on Michal's phone, the holographic display navigating easily with her capable touch. Pandora was in the process of linking it to their minds so it would react at the speed of thought before long.

'Master,' Pandora called in his head, sounding urgent. 'Aurora needs you.' That was enough for Michael to get moving, dumping Kat onto the seat next to him and walking quickly out the door. Pandora lit up a blinking red path in his vision for him to follow. Kat scrambled up and went after him. On the way, Pandora explained that the package Michael had sent the RoyalCaribbean headquarters had indeed gotten the captain fired. They'd called earlier and made Aurora acting captain. She had gone to his room to remove him. 

Once the now-ex-captain had heard what she had to say he became incensed and hit her over the head with the bottle of bourbon he'd been drinking. He was going to rape her if Michael didn't get there soon. Michael broke into a run and less than 30sec. later was in officer country. A pair of crewmen saw him and had to dive out of the way. Pandora said, 'clear,' just as Michael hockey-checked the door, not even slowing down. With his enhanced strength it blew into the living room/office, embedding shrapnel into the walls. He strode to the master bedroom with a cold fury that would have frozen ice.

The ex-captain had been poised to enter her when he'd heard the commotion and went to look out the doorway where he got hit by a force of nature. He saw Michael and gasped, falling backwards. Before he'd even hit the ground, Michael had reached out, grabbed both his wrists, and twisted, shattering bone. As the ex-captain's head hit the ground, his face got smashed in as Michael, never slowing, stepped over him and to Aurora's side.

Kat, coming in behind him, took in the scene and gave a field goal kick between the ex-captain's legs, most likely turning him into a eunuch. She went back into the living room and shouted at the two crewmen, who were gazing at the room's destruction in stunned silence, for a doctor and security.

Michael cupped the back of Aurora's neck and waited for her to regain control of her limbs. At first, she tried to pull away from him, then when her vision cleared and she recognized him she cried and huddled into his arms. "Shh," he cooed. "Calm, my mighty valkyrie." He cupped her face and murmured, "Always trying to do everything yourself."

A women doctor burst through the room and immediately went to Aurora, completely ignoring the writhing, groaning ex-captain on the floor. A handful of security guys crowded in and picked him up, being none too gentle. It seemed he didn't have many friends here. Hell, no one had even asked what happened. Michael supposed the rest of the crew thought him sketchy too.

Aurora wouldn't let go of Michael the entire time people were coming in and out. The doctor just smiled and continued her examination. The ex-captain was hauled off to the brig, the doctor saying she'd get to him when she had time. It was decided that the second mate, now the first mate, could take over for tomorrow and would let the watch stander know. Aurora didn't want to be alone that night and Michael took her in his arms easily, quite a feat for anyone watching considering she was as tall as Michael, and Kat led the way back to their apartment. 

As they walked up the stairs to get to the top deck, they didn't see the two pairs of eyes staring at them from across the open deck, behind netting in a darkened corner. Pandora did though, and highlighted them in red for both Michael and Kat. They turned their heads as one to look straight at the crouching Japanese twins, drawing a gasp and a curse, and continued their ascent to their room.

* * * * *

"That was seriously scary, sis!" Aki exclaimed. "There's no way they should have been able to see us."

Rin remained quiet, going over the implications. She'd searched for them in the passenger list manifest which usually had passport pictures of all the guests and had come up blank. The cameras in the ship didn't seem to have captured them at all; it was like they were ghosts. 

Then, she looked for those cabins that were occupied and didn't have pictures attached to them. The Royal Suite showed a picture of an older lady and a portly gentleman, but Aki had been certain that when they first started searching, that cabin hadn't had a photo. It was like something had recognized what they were searching for and adapted to the change. The thought ran a chill down her spine.

Now, after hearing of a disturbance on the security frequency they'd broken into, they'd gone to investigate and who should show up but the two in question themselves. Now they knew the two were holed up in the Royal Suite, but they still didn't know anything about them. Where did they come from, how could they afford the Royal Suite (because Rin 'knew' it was too high profile to trick the system- that's why they had chosen a modest cabin), and if they recognized them from Osaka, would they turn them into their father?

Rin grabbed Aki's hand and led them back to their room. They wouldn't be able to get to the suite without going past the steward and there was still that blonde woman as an unknown variable. Whatever they were going to do it would have to wait until tomorrow. But it 'would' happen tomorrow she promised herself, whatever security they were running was just too frightening to ignore.

* * * * *

By the time the trio had reached the room, Aurora had calmed down a bit and began feeling embarrassed about being held. As he set her down on the balcony couch she whispered, "Thank you, master."

"Shh, none of that," Michael told her. "It might help you forget about what almost happened tonight, but it won't let you confront it and move on." He helped her get out of her clothes and helped her into the hot tub to soak. 

Kat, knowing instinctively what Michael wanted, retrieved the foldout massage table and began setting it up on the balcony, the cool night ocean breeze and moonlight creating an ambience that scented candles and cheesy music would never achieve. She and Michael had been taking couples' massage classes since they came onboard and were becoming fairly adept at it. Michael was a natural and his fingers felt 'so' good that for a fleeting moment, Kat felt envious of Aurora.

All three of them were naked and sitting in the hot tub, looking up at the stars, talking about home, funny stories they knew, and what Aurora's duties would be as a captain. When Michael felt her muscles had relaxed enough he motioned her to the table. 

Lying down on her stomach, Aurora felt warming oils coat her body. Then Michael started in on her neck and shoulders, alternating between hard and soft techniques, while Kat massaged her feet and lower legs. When Michael started in on her lower back, Kat coated her breasts with oil. She then mounted the table and proceeded to rub her slippery orbs along Aurora's ass and thighs. 

Aurora moaned and started getting wet from the treatment she was receiving. Michael told her to roll over and leaned down for a sweet, tantalizing kiss. Kat, still straddling her prey, moved up until she lay above Aurora's waist, tits to tits. She took over the job of kissing her, squirming against the woman and squeezing their boobs together. Michael walked around to the foot of the table and leaned over it, lowering his mouth to her leaking cunt. 

The couple pleasured Aurora through multiple climaxes until, when the exhaustion and relaxed atmosphere finally caught up to her, she fell asleep. Michael moved her to their bed and they slept on either side of her, filling her subconscious with warm, safe thoughts.

Michael and Kat woke early the next morning and left Aurora to sleep. A quick walk led to the Sports Deck which housed an open track, the center of which became the couple's sparring area. As they were walking, Pandora created a small window in their range of view which showed Aki, yawning sleepily, and Rin, looking determined. They were following the couple a ways back, having woken up early to make sure they didn't miss Michael and Kat leaving somewhere (some of those shore excursions started at an ungodly 7 a.m).

The couple waited for the twins to appear, standing at ease in the area they usually sparred in. The twins had spotted them and were wondering what they were doing when it became apparent they were waiting for them. Nervously, the two approached the standing couple.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 06



"Who are you," Rin demanded, starting in immediately.

Kat gave Michael a bored look and said, "I don't like the lack of respect she's showing you, master."

The corner of Michael's mouth quirked up, but he didn't say anything, waiting. Aki and Rin shared a look. 'Master?' Rin stepped forward and ordered, "Tell me what you did to the ship's network." 

Michael frowned. "Seeing as how you ran away from wealth, I didn't take you for a couple of spoiled brats, but that sounded rather imperious to me," he remarked, an edge creeping into his voice. 

Rin recoiled at the revelation that these people knew who they were. Aki shivered as Michael's eyes went flat, disappointed in what he found in them. For a moment, she felt disappointment in herself as well; like she had somehow failed him. Both of the girls regained control and glanced at each other again, feeling defensive.

"Fine," Rin said, moving forward, her sister keeping pace, "if you don't want to tell me, I'll just have to beat it out of you."

Michael observed them take a stance in what looked like some form of karate, moving towards them cautiously. Rin faced off against Michael testing the waters, sending a low kick his way. Michael didn't react to her obvious feint and raised his eyebrow as if to say, 'is that it?' 

Red-faced, Rin made a rookie mistake committing herself to a palm strike, trying to drive her heel through his chin. Michael pivoted to his right at the last instant, wrapping his hand around her wrist, twisted, and pulled down, turning the weight she'd used on the attack against her and driving her into the ground. 

She rolled with it and twisted her wrist at such an angle that, had he not had the enhancements the nanites brought on, would have broken his grip. As it was, when she came up from the roll, Michael tugged her back down. Twisting her arm, he placed one knee on the small of her back and looked over to see how Kat was doing. Rin, seeing she was pinned and any small movement on my part would break her arm, turned to do the same, fuming. She'd lost control and underestimated her opponent; her sensei would probably beat her black and blue if he saw her now. 

When Aki came in she performed a low kick, which Kat pivoted around, but before she could close, Aki sent a spinning back kick towards her head, causing Kat to roll backwards. When she came up Aki was there, her fist barreling towards Kat's nose. Kat stepped forward, inside the swing, and wrapped an arm around Aki's neck, slamming her to the deck. Then, as Michael and Rin watched, Kat promptly sat on the dazed girl's face and happily started playing with her perky tits. 

Rin groaned and Michael said, "Now why didn't I think of that." He reached back and slipped his free hand into her pants and grasped a warm cheek. Rin squirmed and tried to move her other hand to stop the intrusion, but Michael increased the tension on her arm in warning, earning a whimper in response. 

"Now then," Michael stated, sliding his fingers along her crack. "Let's try again this again. It's a pleasure to meet you Rin, I'm Michael. The person fondling Aki is Kat." Rin gave a gasp as his finger found her tiny rosebud. "Unless we want to be interrupted out here in the open, I suggest we take this inside. Can you two be good?" he asked.

Rin shuddered as his hand cupped her pussy and nodded an affirmative. Aki gave a muffled grunt that could have been a 'yes.' Michael ran his fingers through her silky smooth pubic hair, then sighed and got up, straitening her arm and helping her stand. Kat slid off her sister's face and leaned down to give her a heart-stopping kiss. Standing up afterwards, Aki was left lying there shocked, her eyes wide. Michael chuckled and reached a hand down to help her up.

Kat led the way back to their room, the twins in tow, with Michael bringing up the rear, watching all three sets of mouthwatering buns swaying in the morning light. The steward gave a hearty greeting, used to the couple bring back different girls by now. In the room, Aurora was taking an early morning soak in the hot tub naked. She was surprised at our new acquisitions, but didn't cover up. Kat stripped and joined her, Aki's eyes glued to her the whole time.

"Mind if I sleep here for the next couple of days?" Aurora asked. "The chain of command is shifting so the second mate is moving into my old room and my new room... needs some remodeling done," she finished, casting a curious glance at Michael. "I'll take the spare bedroom, or even one of the couches and you won't even know I was-"

Kat cut her off with a kiss then said, "Of course you can. And don't even think about sleeping anywhere else, you're going to be in our bed." Aurora's eyes softened and she smiled gratefully.

Turning around to face the twins, Kat frowned. "What are you still doing in your clothes," she said exasperated. "Come, come; don't be embarrassed. Join us."

Aki started stripping, the bubbling water looking divine. Dark nipples stood tall among long dark tresses that framed an angelic face. Rin was more hesitant, but realized that it was a bit silly considering what had just happened outside. Just as she was reaching for her shirt, she stopped abruptly and looked at Michael. "What are you doing," she squeaked.

Michael had taken off his shirt and reached for the katana. He grunted and started performing a complex kata in an open space on the balcony where the table had been. "Since you two interrupted our sparring session, I'm feeling restless."

Aki had just tentatively stuck her foot in the water when Kat grabbed her and pulled her in, resulting in a splash. As the girl came up sputtering, Kat pulled her into her lap and wrapped her arms around her. 

When both girls had gotten settled, Rin sighing as the jets hit just the right spot on her back, Kat asked, "So why'd you guys run away?"

The twins shared a look and Rin finally said, "Ever since we were born our father has been grooming us to trade away like chess pieces once we got old enough. There was this arranged marriage..." she trailed off, looking down.

"I thought the girl always had a chance to turn down the offer in those situations," Michael spoke up, "and aren't you two a little young for going through that process."

Aki snorted, "Not if the potential joining happens to be with the Takamori brothers. Not only are they part of one of the oldest families in Japan, they're a major supplier that could increase our father's business interests tenfold and open up new markets." 

Rin remained quiet and Michael wondered what the brothers had done to convince the twins to run. Aki continued, "We set up a false trail at the airport, even purchasing tickets in our names for ten different flights so they had to cover every terminal. Then Rin saw this ship in port and entered us into the passenger list. I acted cute for the guard at the boarding ramp, saying I'd lost my card and could he-"

Aurora choked on her drink and sputtered, "You did what? How? Which guard was it?"

Aki looked affronted and shot back defensively, "What's it to you?"

"I'm the captain of this ship," Aurora told her, putting some steel in her voice and not suffering one iota because she was naked. The twins shrank back and looked guilty.

Michael smiled at the command he recognized in the blonde goddess's voice. She would make a good captain for him indeed. He returned the sword to its place and stripped out of his sweats, attracting all eyes to his swaying member. He got into the hot tub and defused the situation, looking at Rin and saying, "You know, I always thought when I met twins they'd be finishing each other's sentences and stuff. You two couldn't be more different."

Rin looked down and Aki smiled widely and explained in a stage whisper, "Before she died, our mother told the nurse that the first child to come out would be named "Rin." She thinks that because our mother gave her that name she meant for her to protect me." Rin looked up sharply and glared at her, but didn't discount her statement.

Michael loved the serious expression on her face and Kat's hand gripped his hardening cock. He leaned back and sighed, "So what are we doing today? That temple is far as fuck and I don't feel like spending 5 hours in a tour bus just to go see it."

"Ooh," Aki bounced happily on Kat's lap, clapping her hands, "Can we see the aquarium?" already dreaming of cute seals and colorful fishies.

Rin shook her head saying, "We can't leave the ship without keycards..." then trailed off realizing how ridiculous that statement was with the captain sitting there. 

Michael absently reached behind him and opened a drawer in the side table next to the spa and pulled out two cards Pandora had rigged the night before. Handing them to the twins he said, "Already keyed to your pictures and the names you registered for yourselves." 

Aurora crossed her arms and just shook her head saying, "I'm not even going to ask."

Michael reached over and brushed the back of her neck murmuring, "Calm, my mighty valkyrie. They'll be moving into the spare bedroom here so they won't be taking up a cabin they're not supposed to." Aurora shivered, remembering his words from the night before and nodded her head obediently.

The twins shot each other an incredulous look at how he'd tamed the fearsome vikingess with a simple touch. Rin worried about the implications of moving in with them and wondered if they had left the bear's cave and entered into the dragon's den.

"Now," Michael said, clapping his hands once and ushering the girls out of the tub, "out. Shower and get dressed." Pointing to the twins he added, "Meet us back here in a half hour and bring your stuff."

Sometime later the fivesome were disembarking via the rear gangplank used for crewmembers. Michael glimpsed worker after worker wish Aurora congratulations and well-wishes. There were even some grateful looks toward Michael and he knew the story of last night had made the rumor mill. Looking around, he was impressed with the respect the captain, striding confidently beside them head held high, commanded.

As they reached the bottom of the ramp, Aurora's proud and stoic demeanor crumbled as she realized she was finally getting a chance to visit someplace foreign and exotic. Michael steered the other girls ahead so they wouldn't see the woman's tears and she caught up to them just as they arrived at a taxi stand, casting a thankful glance at Michael.

The group had a fantastic time in Busan. The girls had gotten to do some shopping at a huge mall, they saw a bad movie being made, and Michael bought Aki a snow-white leopard seal plushy at the aquarium. Michael got to compare the fish market to the one in Seattle. Pandora got to enjoy the world's fastest internet connection and made a few changes to the technology she was developing. Perhaps the most productive thing that happened was the twins seeing what their companions were like. A bond grew between them, even without really getting to know them.

The cab dropped them back off at the ship and Aurora and Aki ran to the boarding ramp to try on the clothes and jewelry Michael had bought them. Kat glanced at Michael and he nodded for her to join them. Michael dropped back to Rin who was slowly bringing up the rear looking pensive. He bumped her shoulder and asked what was wrong. 

She glanced around and said, "Our father won't stop until he locates us. I got us away, but I know he'll find us eventually. He has too many contacts not to." She sighed and looked at her sister's retreating form, laughing and joking with Aurora. "She's happy and innocent. She should be free, not chained to a role chosen for her and used as a trophy or bargaining chip." 

Michael wrapped an arm around her and smiled. "Don't worry about any of that. I promise you'll both get a chance to decide what you want to do with your life." Rin gave him a curious glance. Neither saw the shady-looking character with a scruffy beard and beanie aiming a camera at them.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 07



That night, after Aurora had returned from overseeing the departure from Busan, the five went down to enjoy a show in the ship's theater. Due to Michael's membership, he had a round booth and table reserved for him and his party at every showing. An entertainment troupe had just come aboard and they all got to see the martial arts comedy performance of "Jump!"

Retiring to their room afterwards, the five were enjoying the hot tub and the night's atmosphere, drinks in hand. Rin opened her mouth to speak then closed it. After collecting herself, she asked tentatively, "Michael, could you please explain how you were able to hide yourself in the system? It seriously scared the hell out of me when the work on my laptop started disappearing and changing, even when I wasn't connected to anything." 

Michael glanced at Kat and she nodded her assent, but shrugged, leaving it up to him. He sighed and told her he felt the same way he did that day in the computer lab, it just didn't feel right to keep this from them. Michael then began to explain how he'd developed Pandora while Kat went to retrieve his phone. 

The three of them were shocked when Pandora spoke up addressing them as "Mistress Rin," "Mistress Aki," and "Captain Aurora." Aurora and Aki quickly accepted Michael's explanation and moved on to amazement and wonder. Rin, who probably had the best idea of what it would take to create something like that, struggled to grasp the enormity of what had been done. 

'Programming and hacking before he'd hit puberty? Developing an Artificial Intelligence before he'd even been in high school? This guy wasn't just some rich playboy,' Rin told herself, not knowing whether to be scared or impressed. Kat showed Aki how to operate the holographic display and Aurora was impressed that it could monitor every camera at once. Michael retrieved a phone he'd finished a few days ago and handed it to her. Pandora would be an asset as she ran her ship, giving her much greater information and control in any given situation.

Michael, Kat, and Aurora retired to the master bedroom while Aki and Rin laid side-by-side in the guest room. Aki turned to Rin and asked what she thought of Michael. Rin, knowing what her sister was 'really' asking, said grinning, "Thinking of giving him your cherry?"

Aki blushed and mumbled, "You know our dad kept us in that house like it was some kind of dungeon. I know he probably thought he was protecting us but-"

"He was protecting his interests," Rin spat venomously. She wasn't nearly as understanding or forgiving as her sister when it came to their father's intentions.

Aki sighed and, knowing that Rin wouldn't give any ground on the subject, continued, "He always had us watched and secluded. Remember what happened to that neighborhood boy who was always talking to you?"

Rin would never forget. He'd been her first crush, but as soon as their father had found out about him, he'd berated her for sinking so far beneath her status and forced the boy's family to move away.

"That's why I was so grateful when you had us both learn about computers. It probably saved my sanity. We might have been stuck there, but at least we could explore a vast new world; one that didn't care about our status; a place where our father didn't dictate the rules," Aki said, oblivious to her sister's ruminations.

Rin was touched. She'd had no idea how important it had been to Aki. Rin remembered her first exploration in 'hacking' had been to get around the filters her father had put in so they could only visit 'proper and preapproved' sites. She and Aki weren't as naïve and sheltered as her father would have liked, but they were inexperienced. Even at the private school she'd gone to, Rin had recognized watchers, keeping tabs on them. 

Turning to her sister, Rin asked, "Do you want to have sex with Michael to get back at our father or because you like him... or because you're so sex-starved that anyone with a prick would do?" she added with a sly grin.

Aki giggled and started rubbing herself against Rin, hand dropping to her sister's pussy. Lacking any other contact, the two had experimented with each other, though Aki had always been the initiator as Rin felt uncomfortable 'corrupting her innocent little sister.' Sticking her fingers inside the fiery opening, Aki whispered, "Well how could I resist the HUGE cock he was sporting. And you know what?" her hot breath drawing a shudder from Rin, "I saw all the toys they had in one of those chests before they moved them out of the room. You don't really think calling him 'master' is just an aesthetic choice, do you?" 

Rin moaned at the images her sister conjured in her mind. "You want him to tie you up and use you like the whore you are, don't you, you little slut," she asked, picking up the pace; propelling her fingers to move faster; wet, squelching sounds coming from beneath the thin blanket. Rin let out a whimper as Aki slapped the inside of her thigh, then went back to fingering her. "He's going to beat your ass until its bright red. Then, if you're good, he might even spank your pussy." 

Rin cried out as she felt herself climax, Aki drawing it out by smacking and rubbing her cunt until the convulsions stopped. She hugged Aki to her and gave her a heated kiss. As they were drifting off to sleep in each other's arms, Aki heard Rin whisper, "Go for him, sis."

* * * * *

Matsushita Takeshi had not had a good day. First, he had to explain to the Takamori family why he couldn't provide his daughters as per their agreement and then had to listen to their veiled insults about not being able to keep his house in order. Despite his parents' anger, the older brother had looked positively gleeful about his 'strong-willed' bride-to-be and had muttered something about being all the more fun to break on his wedding night. 

Takeshi was privately glad his daughters had left. That son of theirs that Rin was supposed to marry had turned out to be quite the sadist and his brother wasn't much better. But their children had been promised to each other when they were young and his company's board members were threatening to wrestle control away from him if he refused. He still hadn't decided what he'd do if they- 'WHEN they returned,' he reminded himself. Maybe they could eke out a life despite the humiliation a break would cause. He just needed to find them! They could be stuck in the sex trade for all he knew.

Yesterday's search hadn't inspired any leads. His men had scoured the city and had been led on a wild goose chase at the international airport. He was secretly proud of his daughters' ingenuity and knew that was Rin's work. 'Willful and clever, just like her mother,' he reminisced. The tech people his company employed were no better, though they did give him some cause to worry earlier today. He was behind them in the security room after the meeting with the Takamori family, answering phones and conducting the search. 

The two computer specialists had tracked the girls down a side street after they'd leapt out of the stopped limo. Then the girls just disappeared. No public camera in the entire city managed to capture them. Then, suddenly, they got two hits and traffic footage pulled up of his daughters in a car. The only problem was that in each of the two pictures, they were both in a separate car, one going north out of the city, one going south, and they were marked at precisely the same timestamp. 

Then things got even stranger as the pictures on the screen disappeared, as did every other digital photo taken of them online. He even had them check the girls' school site for a graduation photo and was met with a blank window. Takeshi had remembered the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he saw his daughters' past erased before his eyes. The two technicians were actually trembling when they'd turned to him, saying they were through and didn't want anything to do with this. They had said they only knew of one entity in the world that could pull off something like this, someone called "Fate."

Takeshi sighed, swirling his drink. Conducting a search of this size was nearly impossible when he couldn't even send his contacts a picture of the ones he was looking for. He couldn't even scan the hard copies online before they mysteriously vanished. Suddenly, he heard a knock on the door and his chief bodyguard came in with an envelope that he set down on his desk. 

Quickly opening it, he saw pictures of his daughters looking happy and traveling with people he didn't recognize. One of his contacts in South Korea had taken them on a cheap, disposable camera and had it sent by air to him. They were on a cruise ship, one that was heading towards Shanghai. Quickly standing up and grabbing his coat he shouted to his protector to get his men and make arrangements for a trip to China. Leaving his office, he gripped the picture of Rin being held by a Western boy with brown hair tightly.

* * * * *

The next morning Aurora left early to relieve the watch and the four remaining occupants went to the Sports Deck to spar. Rin and Aki taught the couple some kicks and punches they'd learned while Michael and Kat showed the twins counters and throws. 

The foursome then got changed and went to the pool; planning on enjoying the two days at sea they had before arriving in Shanghai. Michael enjoyed the sight of the three beauties and especially Kat's black bikini, her dark-red hair framing her tits perfectly. There was one incident that occurred when a guy had palmed her ass. She had turned and drove an elbow into his solar plexus, almost collapsing his chest, and his friends carried him to medical, laughing all the way.

They ate lunch with Aurora before returning to their room. Aki and Kat were watching TV in the living room and Rin was watching Michael practice his sword work from the balcony couch. She was asking him questions about the lesser AIs and was impressed, though not surprised, that they had been the force behind the new type of algae that had been in the news. "So what other things are they working on?"

Michael sat down next to her and told her about his lab and the worker bots that were constructing 'things.' Rin's eyes grew wide and asked how the bots were powered. "Solar power," he replied. "We're moving to nuclear soon. Pan found a way to wirelessly transfer energy and has a collector that stores energy and directs it to a receiver. Each bot has one and is powered by it. That's how the nano-" he coughed, cutting himself off.

Suddenly, the two heard moaning from the living room and Michael knew Kat was making out with Aki. There was an awkward moment between the two on the couch before Rin finally leaned over and brushed her lips over his quickly then returned to her position. Surprised, Michael turned, grinning, and said, "Let's try that again." He placed his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her in for the most passionate, lust-filled kiss Rin had ever experienced. Her mind blanked as she fought to restart her breathing. All she knew was it felt amazing and dipped her head back for more.

As Michael leaned over her, Rin saw his hard-on tenting his sweats. Reaching for it, Rin was fascinated as she felt it pulse in her hand. She moaned with need and lifted her cute butt when Michael kneeled down in front of her and began to tug her pants down. Michael stared at her tuft of black hair peaking between two glorious thighs. He moved his face in and rubbed his cheek into her silky softness before starting a light tease that had Rin gasping and shuddering. Her first release happened surprisingly quickly and Michael knew how badly she wanted this. In the corner of his eye he saw Aki leaning in the doorway, Kat behind her fondling her right breast and fingering her dripping pussy. 

Rin finally mewled in a high pitched voice, "enough! Please..." using two hands to push against the top of Michael's head, prompting him to stop. "Hooo fuck..." she sighed, still feeling the aftershocks. She turned to her sister, instinctively knowing when she was near and said, "He's really good, sis, you should try him." 

Aki grinned and said, "I plan to," then yelped in surprise as Kat dropped to her knees in front of her and proceeded to use her clit as a chew toy. Michael held Rin on the couch as they both watched Kat make Aki scream. Once her sister had stopped twitching, Rin had dropped to her knees in front of Michael, noticing he was still hard. Kat led Aki beside her and stood back to watch the show.

The twins looked at each other nervously, then Rin reached to free Michael of his covering. His cock bounced out and bobbed tall in front of them as they removed its constraint. Leaning over his lap, Rin took the tip in her mouth while Aki, with some trepidation, licked his shaft. Soon, Rin got the courage to take more of him and Aki concentrated on his balls, delighting in their soft feel. After Rin had taken him as far as she could, she backed off and let her sister try. 

Kat dropped behind the two girls and cupped the two exposed pussies. Using her fingers she probed their blazing cunts, then stopped, surprised. "Virgins!" she declared gleefully. "You sure know how to pick 'em, baby..."

Michael finally achieved his release when the twins pointed his cock between them and both started licking and sucking along his shaft, blowing their hot breath along its length and fondling his two orbs. He exploded, blowing hot cum straight onto Kat's tits who was still leaning down between the two girls exploring their naughty bits.

Kat pointed at his cock as the twins sat there looking stunned and said, "Clean him." Aki and Rin dived to clean the dripping fluid. When they came up again, Kat pointed at her tits and said, "Now clean me." They shot each other a glance before each taking a boob and giving it the attention it deserved. And that was how Aurora found the four when she walked in.

They heard a whine from the doorway and looked up to see the captain pinching a nipple and rubbing her crotch. "I miss so much when I'm away," she complained. Kat cupped the twins' heads and directed them back towards their morsels. 

Aki mumbled something and Kat admonished, "Don't talk with your mouth full or I might have to punish you later." Aki gave a groan and started saying all kinds of gibberish, her words muffled by Kat's tit. They all laughed at her eagerness. 

The sight of two gorgeous, tight young asses swaying back and forth with Aki and Rin sucking Kat's luscious tits in the background had Michael's cock soaring upwards again. Rin noticed and turned around to mount him but Michael shook his head saying, "It'll need to wait until after you two make your decision."

Aurora took her place on Michael's lap, shuddering as her pussy stretched over his shaft, and Rin groaned, "How long until then?"

"Soon, little bird, have patience," Michael chuckled, then moaned as Aurora convinced him not to let his attention wander.

The day finally arrived when they entered Shanghai. Aurora had stayed on the ship but the rest of the girls gasped appreciatively as they looked at the artfully-shaped skyrises facing them. Michael slowed as the girls approached the buses that would take them on a tour and waited as a shifty-looking character emerged from the shadows and handed Michael a package. Michael nodded to him and caught up to the girls. After they boarded the bus and took up the back row, Kat asked what that was about. 

Michael opened the package and took out a wrist device that was camouflaged to his skin. They were all impressed when it molded to his wrist and became nearly invisible. You could only see it if you were close and the light was shining the right way. "Just a precaution," Michael explained. The device was linked to his brain synapses and optic nerve. It used his eyesight as a targeting array and fired multiple knockout darts at whatever he wanted without requiring him to aim it at. Pandora had developed it in their lab and had shipped it to him through a series of intermediaries.

* * * * *

Down the street, Takeshi sat in the back of a black Mercedes and ordered into his mike, "Wait until they leave port authority. Don't take them while they're on the bus, but don't let them out of your sight. An opportunity should present itself while they're on the tour." 

* * * * *

The foursome had a magnificent day touring the city. They'd seen a museum and a temple and were eating lunch on a riverboat when the girls noticed something was up. Rin said, "It's my father isn't it?" 

Michael forced himself not to tense and smiled, "I just worry about you. The guards won't try and harm you and Kat and I don't have anything to worry about, but stray shots and accidents do happen." Rin's eyes narrowed when he'd said he and Kat had nothing to worry about, but let it be.

They came for them when the group was walking in the Yuyuan Garden. Michael had seen that they were going to strike no matter what since this was the last stop and had distanced his small group away from the other tourists. Turning down a side path he quickly led them out a back gate. There, looking triumphant and gleeful, were five men in black suits. The leader held his hand out and said, "Alright then, you've have a good ru-"

Michael didn't even slow, just waved his hand absently, and continued on into the crowded bazaar. The girls trailed after him gaping at the sight of the collapsing men. Michael led them through a set of buildings and out into the street beyond, flagging down a taxi and giving the driver a roll of bills to get them to the port as fast as he could. 

That evening, as the ship left out to sea, the group lounged by the pool area in an unoccupied corner. Aki and Kat were playing ping pong and Michael and Rin were lying in the lounge chairs, waiting. 

It wasn't long before Rin and Aki's father approached, bodyguard at his shoulder. Michael had warned Aurora about the situation but still worried about what the outcome would be.

Takeshi had been furious when his daughters had gotten away. He still didn't know how it had happened but immediately afterwards he'd used his contacts to book passage on the ship at the last minute. Then, when he'd boarded the ship he'd been accosted by some trumped up blonde woman in full captain's regalia with a troop of security men behind her. 

She'd looked down at his 5'7 frame and said in a voice that brooked no argument that he was only allowed to take one member of his security team and that he would be civil onboard or they would leave him stranded in a lifeboat. Although refusing to be intimidated by her, there wasn't much he could do as it was her ship and she could have denied him entry altogether. Privately, he was impressed with the loyalty his daughters had managed to gain in so little time. 

He stopped a little ways from the group and waited, motioning for his bodyguard to back off. Rin got up and walked towards him, a determined expression on her face. He sighed, recognizing the look from her mother. "Don't you think this has gone on long enough?" he said. The stormy expression that crossed her face told him it was the wrong thing to say.

"Don't you think you've stolen enough years of our lives?" she retorted, and the coldness of her voice cut through him. "You've kept us locked away in that dungeon as investments for your precious business. I could have endured that for myself, but not Aki. I will NEVER forgive you for that."

Dungeon? Did she have any idea how much it cost to maintain those grounds in the city... He schooled his face and said, "Daughter, it's your duty to further the Matsushita line. Your mother-"

He was cut off by the stinging slap Rin had given him; something she never had the courage to do before she'd been under Michael's umbrella. She had enough of his excuses, his tradition, and she'd always believed her father had blamed them for her mother's death.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 07



Takeshi was livid. 'How DARE she hit him? How dare she show such lack of respect to her father? How-' He stopped, seeing the tears in his daughter's eyes. His tough exterior crumbled. 'What was he doing?' He'd already decided not to force them to marry. He only wanted what was best for them. 'Why could he never find the right thing to say,' he thought to himself tiredly. Rin turned and ran to her sister who held her while she cried. 'Her sister,' he thought. 'Innocent, pure Aki. Such a free spirit... that had been secluded and hidden away.' He realized the depth of the precautions he'd taken and the damage they'd caused. 'A dungeon Rin had called it.' It's no wonder they felt smothered. 'It's no wonder they ran away,' he corrected himself.

Michael glanced up and saw that Rin had at least worked out some of her frustration. Not exactly the family reunion he'd hoped for, but he could work with it. He walked up to their father, who looked morose and seemed to be contemplating the mistakes in his life. "I think perhaps we should talk, Mr. Matsushita," Michael said, gesturing his hand out for them to take a walk.

Takeshi looked at him for a minute, then nodded his head and followed him, his curiosity getting the best of him. As they walked, he looked at the young man that his daughters had been spending so much time with. Takeshi saw by his movements that he practiced the sword, something he'd failed to impress upon his girls, and his curiosity went up. He'd been unable to identify this person using all of his resources. He suddenly realized that this was probably the person his technicians had been so scared of. 

Michael led them through a pair of glass doors into a closed dining hall. There at a corner table next to a plate glass window, sat two chairs, two glasses of water and various binders and manila envelopes. Michael took one of the seats and opened what looked like a portfolio. Recognizing this as a business meeting, Takeshi calmed down and took a seat.

Michael began by outlining his company, naming specific figures and growth estimates for each of his departments and placing sheets of paper in front of him representing what each section was working on and what the predicted market change looked like. Takeshi realized he knew more about his own company than he did, but recognized enough information to agree that it portrayed an accurate picture. 

Michael nodded, than began placing a set of papers showing an explosion of growth in every sector, and quite a few new ones. Takeshi furrowed his brow, not knowing what would cause such a drastic change. Even if they'd joined with the Takamori family, he couldn't have hoped for a fraction of what he was seeing. Michael took out his phone and opened up the holographic display, drawing a gasp, and began navigating to different files he'd set up. When they opened, a set of 20 different devices and gadgets were splayed out on the table in 3D models. 

Takeshi tapped the model nearest to him and it shifted, opening up and displaying a list of specs and functions. One by one he examined each device and knew any of them by themselves would make the inventor very rich. Together, they would destroy and repave whole markets. He looked up and gave the young man sitting across from him a curious look. 

Michael shrugged and said, "I need a way to break the Japanese market. Your country isn't doing so well right now between the lack of economic growth, the birth decline, and the fact that your citizens are refusing to buy local goods, you need a way to revive yourselves. I'm willing to provide you that way by licensing these devices for you to manufacture and sell."

Takeshi couldn't believe what he was hearing. If the young man could really provide what he was showing him, it wouldn't matter what the board threatened. He'd show them the figures and anyone stupid enough to still make an issue out of it would be fired on the spot. Still not wanting to seem too eager though, he hedged and mentioned the Takamori family wouldn't be happy about it.

Michael's eyes flashed and he tilted his head stating, "Haven't you heard? There isn't a Takamori family anymore. They got caught trafficking in the sex trade." 

Takeshi's eyes grew wide and he exclaimed, "They're too big to be taken down by something like that," though inwardly he recognized a warning when he saw one and knew this wasn't someone to be played with. He decided not to bring up the other marriage offers for fear they too might be 'removed.'

Waving airily, Michael said, "Let's just say the evidence was very... compelling."

Takeshi felt a shiver run down his spine at the cold and efficient way this young man had removed his competition. He might not be Japanese, but he was showing exactly the kind of ruthless qualities Takeshi knew kept a business running and a family together. 'Family,' he thought to himself. He'd already lost his daughters once to his business interests, possibly forever. He wasn't going to make the same mistake again. "I- I'll need to talk to my daughters first and see if they're willing to stay before we go any further," he said hesitantly.

Michael grinned at him. "There may be hope for you yet." Gesturing for Takeshi to go see his daughters he watched the man's retreating form. 'Any problems with giving away this technology?' he asked in his head. 

'No, master," Pandora replied, 'It's all considerably less advanced than our current developments, though the projectors may lead someone to discovering a way to transfer energy in another ten years or so.' 

Aki and Rin were speechless. They were burning with curiosity to know what Michael had told their father. When he'd come out he'd been apologetic, asking them if they were alright with staying with Michael, which they of course were, not believing their luck. He'd said he was sorry for the way he'd treated them over the years and if they would give him a chance he'd like to visit them often so he could try to make amends. Finally, he'd hugged them both and given them each a kiss on the cheek, then pulled out his cell phone and left with his bodyguard.

Michael came out a little while later and kissed each of his girls, ignoring the inquisitive looks he got. That night the five of them ate at the balcony table in their room. After they'd finished dinner and the conversation had died down, Michael spoke up, "Okay girls, decision time," he said looking at Aki and Rin. "You're free to stay with us or you can go back with your father tomorrow and be free of any marriage obligations. If you want, I can even set you two up anywhere in the world with any career you'd like." 

Aki shouted, "I want to stay!" Kat and Aurora laughed at her enthusiasm.

Rin looked into Michael's eyes and asked softly, "Do you want us to stay?"

Looking back into hers he said, just as softly, "More than anything."

She blushed and turned away. When she'd collected herself, Rin looked back and nodded.

Michael took an opened bottle of champagne that Kat recognized and set it on the table. Retrieving three flutes he poured and gave one to Aurora, Aki, and Rin, receiving questioning looks in return. He then retrieved a bottle of red wine and glasses for him and Kat. When he was finished he raised his glass and said, "To new beginnings." The four echoed his statement, Kat grinning like the Cheshire Cat, and drank. 

Afterwards, Michael extended his hand to Rin, who gave him a hopeful look. He nodded and said with a smile, "It's time." So saying, he led her to the master bedroom, the other girls trailing behind him. He turned and undressed Rin, devouring her with his eyes when he'd finished. Grabbing her by the waist, he picked her up and placed her on the edge of the bed causing her perky tits to bounce delightfully. He then pushed her backwards and dipped his head towards her wet snatch. 

While Michael was eating out Rin, her sister was being kept warm by the two other girls who'd stripped her in record time. Aurora sat in the plushy chair in the corner of the room and made Aki sit on top of her so she could fondle her mouthwatering tits and kiss her neck. Kat got down between their legs and began a teasing torment that touched everywhere but the girl's clit. She moaned and tried to shove her hot button wherever she felt Kat's tongue, but was skillfully avoided, prolonging her anguish.

Michael had avoided fingering Rin, not wanting to break her hymen, but as he felt her grow close he grazed a finger over her tight rosebud, causing her to jerk and push her over the edge. Hearing her sister climax from Kat and Aurora's attentions, he bit down gently, but firmly, on her tiny nub and wrapping his arms around her legs, he felt her curl in a ball at the intense stimulation his tongue was giving her. She moaned, unable to pry him away from his prize and shuddered for almost a full minute until he finally released her. She lay on the bed motionless and drained.

Motioning for the other three he stepped back and watched as Aurora and Aki each took a nipple while Kat dove for Rin's pussy, leaving her aching clit alone. The three girls working together brought a reluctant Rin right to the edge of another orgasm. Kat looked at him and nodded, rubbing some pussy juice along his throbbing prick. Michael placed the head of his cock at the opening of Rin's dripping cunt and Kat started frigging her clit, pushing her over the edge. As Michael plunged into the fleshy barrier, Kat twisted the screaming girl's clit and... and... she blacked out. Michael stopped and looked at her, frowning. Aki giggled and Kat rolled her eyes, telling Michael to finish it; that's what she would have wanted. 

Shaking his head at the unexpected outcome, he continued to plunge into her until he'd reached as far as she could take him, then he began a slowly increasing rhythm. As he picked up steam, Rin's eyes fluttered open, then widened as she realized what she was feeling. 

"Welcome back, sis," Aki said, cradling Rin's head in her hands. As Rin started moaning and panting, Aki covered her mouth with her lips, fire bursting forth from their touch. Aki never in her wildest dreams thought she could be with her twin during her first time. She was looking forward to when Rin would hold her while she was in the throes of passion. 

As Michael plowed into the tight, nubile young woman, Kat and Aurora had gone into a 69 position on the other side of the bed. Kat squeezed the older woman's ass, enjoying the shaved pussy she'd been presented with. Aurora ran her hands up and down the girl's firm legs appreciatively as she savored her meal.

Michael felt Rin about to explode as her moans turn to shrieks. His hand snaked down to pinch her clit just as Aki's fingers tightened on her sister's nipples. Rin let herself go and the extra stimulation caused her entire body to wrench and convulse. When she came down from her high, she lay there inert, the occasional aftershock shuddering through her body. Michael used a towel to clean himself and Rin's pussy off, then gave it a soft kiss.

Turning to Aki, Michael raised an eyebrow and glanced to the two enjoying each other's pussies. Aki shook her head, "I want my first time to be just you and me." Michael grinned and lay down aside Rin, holding out his hands to help Aki mount him, her pussy already glistening from Kat's mouth.

She lined up Michael's cock to the opening of her womanhood and took a deep breath. Then, before he could say anything plunged down as hard as she could. Michael gaped in shock at her action and she squealed in pain, tears coming to her eyes. He sat up quickly and hugged her tightly, cooing in her ear, "Shh, my brave little bird. You did it. Breathe, the hard part's over. That was very courageous." Kat and Aurora were staring at her in open-mouthed admiration as Michael snaked a hand down to rub her clit, trying to combat the pain with pleasure.

When the pain finally began to fade, Aki nodded to Michael and he lay back. Aki tried to lift herself then winced in pain, but continued to rise. She began a slow up and down rhythm and it wasn't long before she stopped feeling pain. She started trying to fuck him full tilt but couldn't get the tempo right, moaning in frustration. Michael grabbed her hips and slammed her down hard while bucking his hips up, causing her to shriek in pleasure and release. As Michael set a fast pace, Aki's hands went up and pinched her nipples, shuddering in ecstasy. By the time Michael finally exploded into her, wrapping her tiny frame in his arms, her limbs had given out and she flopped sideways, cum oozing out of her. 

Leaving the twins sleeping side-by-side, blissful expressions on their faces he retired to the balcony. Kat, having tired out Aurora, joined him and mounted him saying, "It's a good thing our enhancements give us more stamina, otherwise I don't think we'd have managed it tonight." Michael chuckled, knowing that if need be the nanites could even keep his prick hard through multiple orgasms, and ran his fingers through her trimmed pussy hair, sighing. 

"You ever think we should do more for humanity?" he asked as they fucked comfortably, in no rush to achieve release.

"Mmm," Kat moaned. "What *pant* curing starvation isn't enough?" 

Michael laughed and Kat saw that he was serious. She sighed and recited, "What about that time you *pant* probably stopped a nuclear war by finding that nuke heading to Syria from Iran? You've *gasp* cleaned the environment; Found clean *pant* forms of energy. What more do you want? No one expects you to create world peace, most wouldn't even wan-" she shuddered as another climax ripped through her.

Michael pursed his lips and said, "Something Pan's been worried about. She thinks there's something big on the way. Bigger than anything we've faced before. And somehow, I don't think peace is going to be in our future." He'd given a lot of thought on the subject and felt that if he released his weapon capabilities now, before they had a common enemy, the world would plunge into chaos. All he could do now was prepare and plan contingencies.

Kat leaned back, resting against him, giving the hard cock inside her periodic squeezes. Michael wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. They both looked up at the stars and thought back to that night after prom where they both held each other like this and watched the sunrise. 

Kat reached back and rested her hand on the side of his face and told him, "I don't know what the future will bring, but I know you'll carry us through it. I'll stand by you every step of the way and support you as much as I can." 

Michael listened to her words and felt her devotion to him. His resolve hardened. He would not fail and betray the trust she placed in him. He swore it.

The next morning, Michael awoke to a heavenly feeling. When they'd gone to bed the night before, he and Kat had wedged themselves into the pile of naked limbs atop the master bed, Michael not minding in the least as two sets of tits were pushed into his face. Now, the owners' of said pair were licking his stiff morning wood like it was a magical lollipop that would disappear at any second. Opening his eyes, he saw Rin and Aki moving up and down his shaft, teasing him with hot breath, licks, sucking, and kisses. 

He let out a moan that was abruptly cut off as Aurora threw her leg over him and straddled his face. "Oh, that's it!" she hissed. "Just a quickie before I have to go relieve the watch." Michael complied vigorously and dived into her juicy cunt. Her scent, combined with the twins' attention, soon had him shooting his cum skyward, drawing gasps and delighted giggles. 

After Aurora's morning dew flooded his mouth, she rolled off him and Michael looked down to see Aki and Rin licking his cum off of each other. His flagging hard-on suddenly rocketed upwards again. His vision of them was blocked as Kat deftly took his unclaimed cock and plunged herself down on it. Michael's head dropped back to the bed and thought, 'This is one hell of a way to wake up.'

The twins had just left to get changed when Aki burst into the shower that Kat, Michael, and Aurora were sharing, yelling, "My boobs got bigger!" She promptly pushed them together in front of Michael so he could see and his mouth watered.

Kat chuckled, "Well, are you going to thank him?" Aki giggled and gave Michael a kiss on the lips, his cock wedged between her thighs, just below her pussy, as she stood on her tiptoes. He felt a mouth lock onto the tip that was sticking out behind Aki and looked down to see Rin on her knees, face against Aki's ass, sucking and swirling her tongue around the exposed part of his prick.

Aurora glanced over and said, "I wasn't going to say anything but... the champagne?" Michael just nodded absently, trying to lock this memory away for all of eternity. Kat filled them in on the effects it would have while Michael was incapacitated. "Good," Aurora said, "I was afraid I was pregnant." Kat laughed and said the nanites took care of that unless Michael 'wanted' fertile sperm.

The ship was at sea that day and the twins had gone to eat breakfast with their father, Aurora had left to captain the ship, and Kat instinctively knew he wanted to be alone and made herself scarce. 

Michael walked to the bow of the ship, looking towards the horizon. 'What's the production schedule look like?' he asked in his head. 

'We'll reach the 20,000 mark soon,' Pandora replied, displaying a chart in his vision. 

'Anything to worry about?' he asked, trying to see all possible outcomes of the future.

'You mean besides the 17 shipments of steel from different countries that have been 'lost' over the past two years?' Pandora sniped. "Or the uranium we 'acquired' so I could develop the new isotopes."

'I was a little more worried about all the unstable plasma you've been handling,' Michael shot back, half serious.

Pandora snorted, 'Still doubting me, master? I told you my calculations are flawless. I'd be more worried about that "Tokamak" reactor in France... Some of the scientists there might as well be hitting bombs with hammers to see what sparks.'

'Will we have enough of the new isotopes ready to bond with the metal if I get us more shipments?' he asked.

'Well, yes. But-'

'I want the construction bots that can leave orbit produced ahead of schedule and double their number,' he said, leaning over the railing and looking at the sea below.

'That increases the risk of exposure dramatically,' Pandora warned.

'It won't matter if we survive the first wave if we can't get our endgame together... Do it.'

'Yes, master.'



The Fate of Terra Ch. 08



Michael gave Aurora a hug and a kiss goodbye after the girls had claimed their own. "Are you sure I can't come with you guys?" she asked, torn between leaving Michael and living her dream of captaining a vessel and seeing foreign places.

"Your destiny is leading a ship," Michael told her, then leaned in and hugged her, whispering in her ear, "I'll come for you when it's time."

Michael, Kat, Aki, and Rin walked down the gangplank and into the bustling Alaskan port of Anchorage. The girls, fully enhanced, scanned for threats as he led the way to the taxi stand that would lead them to the train station. They had taken to the role of being Michael's protectors over the months they'd spent on the ship, though he hadn't needed the security yet as no one knew who he was. Nevertheless, they represented his entourage and took care of his immediate needs while he watched the bigger picture.

So far, the only time they'd had trouble was when people tried to kidnap the twins. Aki and Rin were now heiresses to the richest family-owned corporation in the world. Their father had put into production 19 of the 20 different devices Michael had licensed, the last of which required construction of a large, specialized factory using unstable material and was being completed out at sea. 

He had come to Michael with worries about his daughters' safety and begged him to accept multiple security details to watch them. Michael had taken one of his bodyguard's guns and fired it at Rin. Takeshi had gaped when she'd absently brushed the itch where the bullet impacted, but was otherwise unharmed. He'd stopped worrying about their safety after that, but still visited often in ports when he could get away from work.

They boarded the train Michael had booked and walked into the cabin he'd reserved. The train was heading west and letting them off at a new, private stop that had just been constructed. As Michael sat on the comfy bench, he turned off the annoying lights and streamed an alternative radio station through the announcement speakers with his mind, syncing with Pandora almost instantly. 

Aki and Rin dropped between his legs and began the process of releasing his cock from its constraints. Kat sat next to him on the seat and began giving him a soothing massage. The girls had taken to 'relaxing' him whenever they had a spare moment. Michael grinned at their actions. The sex never got old, even as often as he had it. He'd catch a glimpse of their bare backsides while walking, or Kat would push her tits up against him while waiting in a line, and he'd want to throw them down and impale them on the spot.

Taking Kat's face in his hand, he started a slow, sensual mating of their lips. He felt two young, eager mouths start blanketing his prick with delightful sensations that could keep him on edge for as long as they wanted. He groaned into Kat's mouth as they pulled back just before his release. 

Growling, he reached down and grabbed Aki's hair, stood up, and dragged her to the side of the cabin where he plastered her against the glass window. He pulled her shirt up, exposing her breasts to anyone on the opposite side of the tracks who might be looking, and plowed his cock into her, vibrating with need. Aki panted, fogging the glass, relishing Michael's hard, fast thrusts as much as her exposed position. She'd known if she teased him enough he'd take charge and fuck her silly. Kat was probably going to punish her later, too, and she let go at the thought.

As she came, Michael lifted her by her nipples and twisted viciously, earning a scream that was equal parts passion and pain. He threw her down on the couch opposite of where Kat was sitting and plugged Rin's mouth with his cock, pinching her nose. She choked, trying to get air, and felt her sister's juices slink down her throat. 

Grabbing her hair, he pulled her off his cock and wrenched her head down into Kat's lap. He aimed his cock at her gushing pink lips and drove it into her cunt in one go. Rin squealed in surprise and Kat moaned as she kept her face buried in her pussy. When he felt his cum rise, he plunged deep and squeezed her ass cheeks together firmly. His explosion almost knocked him off his feet, white goo gushing out of Rin as he withdrew.

Michael pulled Aki to her knees behind her whimpering sister and she dived into Rin's soppy cunt to clean her out. He sat down next to Kat, sated. She dipped her head down to clean him off before going back to playing with Rin. Kat had locked her legs around the young girls face, blocking off her air supply if she didn't like the treatment she was receiving.

When the train was nearing their stop, Kat pulled out two vibrating plugs and handed them to the twins. They looked at them with some trepidation, knowing Michael and Kat would likely turn them on high at the most inopportune moments and tease them relentlessly. After they'd departed the train, the girls saw a sign for "Lost Oasis" resort. 

Looking around, they saw a heated sitting area, bathrooms, an assortment of chairs and couches, and a doorway that framed a white-haired gentleman in an old-fashioned train conductor's outfit, complete with wheel hat, whistle, and a gold pocket watch. "Right this way ladies and gents," he spoke in British accent, "mind your footing as we go below." 

Michael and the girls followed the other passengers that had gotten off through the doorway and down a set of stairs. He was surprised at the number of people that were joining them. 'Business must be good,' he mused. They were met with another doorway and entered into what looked like a luxurious subway car. They took a secluded seat on a bench in the back and the car began moving. The girls glanced to Michael curiously and he explained, "Underground bullet train. We'll travel the 50 miles north in about 10min."

"What's 50 miles north?" Kat asked.

"The middle of nowhere," Michael grinned. "I thought you girls might finally like to visit my lab."

Rin glanced around at the other passengers and furrowed her brow. There were people from every walk of life here: A haggard-looking lady wearing a threadbare sweatshirt with no luggage, a bored looking teenager with a backpack listening to music, a severe-looking woman with glasses that had the air of a scientist or researcher about her with a briefcase. She even saw a group of four men with black duffels that looked to be some kind of security team or spec ops group.

Ten minutes later, the passengers filed out and were greeted by an enclosed area that looked like a spacious hotel lobby. A few men and women that wore black uniforms and rank insignia on their shoulders stepped forward and began organizing the passengers into groups and sending them off to their assigned orientation. Michael led the group past the bustle and down a hallway. After a few minutes of walking, they began seeing identical doors on either side of them that looked like they belonged in a hotel or apartment. He turned a corner and the girls were stunned by what they saw.

A colossal open-'air' park filled their vision. There were trees and gardens with places to sit around the sides. As you neared the center, grass turned to sand and they saw people sitting and enjoying the beach setting. In the center was a body of water that had to be close to 100m in diameter. Looking around its edges, they saw different areas sectioned off for things like a waterfall, waterslides, a wave pool, a shallow area, etc. Aki got giddy as she saw children playing with turtles, then moaned as Kat turned on the vibrator. Rin looked up and saw that the 'sky' didn't look right for Alaska and realized it must be an artificial ceiling.

The group moved towards the sandy area and the girls were startled by the almost comical appearance of the President of the United States in swimming trunks, with his wife and daughter lounging next to him, and two 'agents' standing nearby also in swimwear, though they wore their patent shades and earpieces. As they approached them, they felt the air turning warmer, with a tropical breeze blowing at their backs, and they realized you simply couldn't wear a suit here without sweating buckets.

"Michael!" he exclaimed glancing over, "Finally decided to visit your little slice of heaven I see."

Michael smiled and replied jokingly, "I was just waiting for a worthy enough guest to visit before I made my entrance."

The man scoffed and said, "It's quite the impressive facility you have here, but I can't help wondering what it's for..."

"Just in case," Michael told him shrugging. "If what my AI tells me is coming really is on the way, it still might not be enough."

President Whitmore nodded, then said pragmatically, "Well, we've certainly benefitted from the research done here and we're not footing the bill so I'm not about to complain."

"What about this international collaboration you're trying to get support for?" he continued, "You want me to grease the wheels with the other members of the P5, plus Japan and Germany... I can tell you right now they'd be up for it since it would give them more authority, but it isn't like we can just abolish the UN." 

"I don't want to abolish it," Michael responded, waving a hand, "I want to create a ruling council that can get stuff done and act decisively if the shit hits the fan. Right now the UN can't even agree on what to eat for lunch, let alone make policy decisions that would affect the entire planet. You don't need to go public with it now, I just want all the pieces in place if something does happen."

"And when does your AI predict this 'something' will occur?" The president asked warily.

Michael shrugged again, "Could be tomorrow; could be until after your second term as president."

"Second term?" he asked taken aback, though Michael could tell he liked the sound of it. It really shouldn't have been that surprising. With the improvements Michael was making, his term would see the country through an economic and political recovery on a scale never before experienced in its history. "Anything else you need from me?"

Michael nodded and said, "Get with the Russians. Start arming more of your ballistic missiles with warheads. I'll make sure the IAEA doesn't get wind of it."

His eyes narrowed, not liking that they might need nuclear weapons to overcome whatever was predicted almost as much as the idea that the Russians would potentially become more dangerous. He sighed realizing that they already had enough to ruin the planet; a few thousand more wouldn't make a difference. The president shrugged, "Well, it's always easier to increase our military capabilities then get rid of them, at least when budget constraints aren't involved."

"Trust me... Now is not the time to get serious about disarmament. You might also want to increase recruitment in the National Guard. Having more trained militias won't hurt if things go south," Michael added, knowing he was asking for a lot with very little to show for it.

The president was still concerned, but as long as money didn't become an issue he could do as the young man said. It wasn't as if he was risking anything by making the US 'more' capable of handling threats. He'd have been instantly suspicious if he'd been told to lessen their defenses, but everything Michael had shown him had convinced him to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. 

Finally smiling now that business was out of the way, he turned to his daughter and stage whispered to Michael, "Stacey seems to have gotten it in her head that she's staying here and nothing I've said has convinced her otherwise." Turning to Michael he continued, "She says that the AIs and experts here have taught her more in one week than she's ever learned at that private academy I sent her to." He shook his head in defeat, "Normally I'd put my foot down, but I happen to know this place is easily the most secure area on the planet; It's an underground fortress! We've even tried to penetrate it with ground sensors designed to look for seismic activity and haven't found a blip. With what you're worried might happen, I think she'll be safer with you."

Michael had his doubts about how 'safe' Stacey would be as his girls were ogling her like a piece of meat. Nevertheless, Michael nodded and said, "I can get papers for her that say she attended any of the Ivy League schools should she want a career later on." The president brightened at that and flashed his little girl a smile. "I'll leave you and your family to enjoy the rest of your stay." As they were walking away, Michael turned and said absently, "And you can stop trying to send NSA people here undercover to investigate..."

The man laughed and said, "You'd know something was up if I didn't at least try." Michael inclined his head in acknowledgment.

He led the girls back into the hallway and to a lift. They went down five floors and the doors whooshed open into what looked like an enormous hangar bay, corrugated metal made up the floors, walls, and ceiling. Looking down from a platform, they could see more than a thousand people training in marching around the center, hand-to-hand combat on mats behind them, and various weapons, fired down a long range. There were a dozen or so grizzled drill instructors bellowing orders and their voices echoed and melded together in the enclosed space.

Off to the side, they noticed mechanized suits of armor being piloted by a number of recruits while men and women in lab coats ran tests on them. "Ah, the prototype suits are finished," Michael explained. "These ones will be able to fly and contain their own oxygen and climate control for harsh environments."

The girls gaped at the setup. "Where did they all come from?" Aki asked hesitantly.

Michael shrugged and said, "Most of the people you'll find here weren't happy in their old lives. We recruit heavily from those that want a new start and don't mind living in an enclosed space with very little outside contact. We try to make them as comfortable as possible, of course, as you saw with the spacious apartments, the beach area- one of three, each with a different theme. There are also restaurants, markets, nightclubs, virtual reality centers, and so on, even a small amusement park that changes its rides every week. But essentially, once you're here, you're stuck here."

"Those scientists and engineers that couldn't get funding for their ideas or pissed off somebody important and were stuck in dead-end jobs were contacted and told about a place they could move their family to and receive all the backing they needed to make their dreams a reality," Michael continued. "Ordinary people that were living unfulfilled lives were given the opportunity to choose something different, whether they were teens lacking inspiration, orphans and homeless with no prospects, or those veterans and injured that still wanted to be part of something. Pan even popped up on one kid's computer while he was typing a suicide note and convinced him to give this life a shot."

Rin pointed to a couple of vehicles that were rising off the ground using some sort of jet propulsion. "What are those?"

"To keep those who wanted security, infantry, or pilot positions sharp, we've been sending them around the world on missions," Michael explained. "Most are extraction missions to pick up applicants in the event that they can't get here, say if they were in North Korea for instance. However, we also send teams out to deal with situations that governments can't or won't deal with, terrorist groups, pirates, military dictatorships that kill their people, etc. We were the ones who killed Mugabe and al-Bashir." 

Aki looked astounded, Rin looked impressed, and Kat just looked indifferent, as if she expected no less and accepted it all. Walking back into the lift, Michael pressed a handprint on a screen to the right of the buttons and synced with Pandora and they started moving. The doors opened and they filed into a sitting room with couches on each side and a coffee maker on the counter in the corner of the room. Directly facing them was a 10ft sliding door made with reinforced steel that had bonded with Pandora's new isotopes to make it 3x stronger than lonsdaleite, the hardest known material on Earth, said to be 58% harder than diamond. 

Pandora opened the doors as they approached (being the only who one that could). Walking in, the girls were treated to the sight of a richly furnished office with a mahogany desk and high-backed chair as the centerpiece, and various desks, side tables, and chairs sprinkled around the room. Going through one of the two doors that faced them on opposite sides of the desk, the metal sliding door shut noiselessly behind them.

The girls froze in awe at the large Roman-styled bath framed by the marble floor. The walls were decorated by mosaics of nude beautiful but deadly women from mythology: sirens, harpies, gorgons, etc. The ceiling portrayed an open sky that matched the time of day. As big as most swimming pools, steam was rising from the surface attesting to its warmth. The girls shared a look behind his back as Michael started explaining, "Welcome to our humble abode. The bath is just one of the rooms in our-" 

The girls ran up behind him and pushed him in. As he broke the surface sputtering and laughing, the girls quickly stripped their clothes and jumped in after him. Moaning appreciatively at the warm temperature, they quickly combined forces to get Michael out of his soaked, clingy outfit. 

Having three wet, naked goddesses squeezing together to attend to him was not at all disagreeable to Michael. He opened himself up to their attentions and, after awhile, decided to try out one of his new developments. Syncing with Pandora he unlocked the girls' pleasure centers and stimulated them with the nanites coursing through their bodies. He must have used a bit too much juice because instead of just making them hornier they exploded into one long, unending orgasm that had them twitching and convulsing, their mouths open in silent screams of lust. Stopping the intense feeling, he used the nanites to bring them down slowly, going from full on pressure and exposure to feather-light teases and nips. He was glad he'd tried this in the water or they might have dented a few things, themselves included.

Deciding to reserve such treatment for special occasions, he slowly waded them to the side of the bath and let them stretch out. As Kat came around she shuddered at the memory and gave him a hungry look. Suddenly, Aki twitched and croaked, "Oooh. Can't- *huff* Warn us next time, please..."

Rin was giving him a look that matched Kat's and murmured to the other girls that Michael seemed to be the only one that hadn't been satisfied yet. The girls got a mischievous glint in their eyes and began crawling towards him on all fours. As Michael leaned his head back and gave in, he wondered how long this could last.

It was four months before they came... * * * * * Michael awoke suddenly as he felt Pandora contact him in his head, 'They're here, master.'

He was laying on his back in his bed, its custom-made frame easily twice the width and length of an ordinary king-size. His head was resting between Aki's legs, his cheek against a silky soft tuft of fur; Kat's tits were pressed into his chest, draped over him as she was; Rin had entwined her two legs around his left leg, one arm draped over his waist, and she seemed to be nuzzling his soft member in her sleep. 

He closed his eyes and uttered a quick prayer to whoever might be listening then moved out of the bed quickly. Kat woke up, but the twins just moaned and hugged each other, their breathing quickly returning to normal. At her questioning look, Pandora repeated what she'd told Michael and Kat shot out of the bed, reaching for her clothes. 

As the couple was walking briskly through the corridors, Pandora sounded alarms throughout every hallway on each of the facility's fifty levels. She informed them of what she'd spotted. At the edge of their solar system, just inside the Kuiper Belt, a number of large ships had appeared. NASA and various space agencies around the world thought it was simply a large asteroid or group of asteroids that had been blocked from view because of the Belt, though they couldn't account for the brief flashes of light that derived from them. 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 08



Pandora gave a derisive snort, 'They wouldn't have even been able to spot them if not for the alien ships braking.' 

'When will they get here?' Michael asked. 

'Roughly 36 hours at their current speed of deceleration,' came the reply.

'Hostile?' he asked, dreading the answer.

'They're warships, master. Though they have large bulbous-shaped vessels in the center of their formation I can only guess are carriers.'

He sighed, knowing that probably meant an invasion force. Michael hoped the world leaders could make contact with them, but doubted they were getting out of this without at least a show of force. The couple approached the situation room, usually where they identified threats around the world and conducted missions. 

Standing outside was a gray-bearded man in black gleaming combat armor with a silver snake wrapped around a dagger emblazoned on his shoulder. Marcus Weber had been a Green Beret before he became disillusioned with the US government after some politician had ignored intelligence reports and pulled strings to send his team in to secure a refinery that he'd had vested interests in. The master sergeant was the only survivor when they'd walked into an ambush and he'd lost the use of both his legs and was left for dead. Although he pulled through, he had a lot of bitter feelings to deal with over the years. 

After Michael had contacted him roughly two years ago and he underwent several treatments to regain the use of his legs. He finally became fully functional when the nanites had been developed and he'd sworn himself to Michael ever since. Marcus now led the troops and trained them relentlessly, determined not to squander his second chance. 

Michael nodded to him and said briskly, "You have 28 hours to complete the pickup. At 32 hours we go to lockdown and nothing comes in or out." Marcus returned the nod and strode off, already talking into his mike. He knew there were over 800 relatives and loved ones from all over the world on that list and this would be cutting it close. Flying shuttles would leave from the hangar below through a series of tunnels, coming out from the side of a nearby mountain.

The couple strode into the situation room. Three of the seven world leaders Pandora had contacted were on the large holographic display in the center of the room. Michael sat in a leather high-backed chair that had been welded to the floor. Kat sat on his lap and they held each other in worried silence. "My mother?" she asked in a soft voice. Michael nodded his head reassuringly.

When all seven leaders were on the screen Kat got off his lap and walked to one of the work stations around the room, most of which had occupants furiously typing away and monitoring the situation. Michael leaned forward and Pandora brought up the video she'd managed to obtain using her telescopes, far advanced from what the rest of the planet had available. Michael explained their timeframe and that they needed to get their people in place, silently so as not to cause a panic or give away their intentions to the invaders.

"Maybe they're not actually going to attack," the French president announced. "Perhaps they only wish to trade."

The Russian and Chinese leaders scoffed and President Whitmore explained, "That's why we'll try to open negotiations first, but if all else fails we won't have time to deliberate a course of action." There was some more exchange, but it quickly became apparent that they wouldn't know anything new until the aliens arrived. * * * * * They came not with threats and demands, nor with greetings and messages. They didn't respond to any of Earth's broadcasts. 

As they encircled the planet, Michael thought back to the theories he'd read about the unlikely chance that extraterrestrials would think in similar patterns as humans; the idea that they could be so completely different that people would never be able to understand their motivations. Watching their ships, Michael thought to himself, 'Or maybe they 'are' like us and they simply see our forces as being so pitiful they won't even bother to open communications.'

"Any luck on penetrating their systems?" he asked.

"No, master," Pandora responded. "They don't appear to have much, if any, security, but it'll take time for me to decipher the language."

From out of the carriers came thousands of huge gray rectangular dropships and one enormous spherical ship. They all descended on the planet and every country began mobilizing their air forces. All eyes on the planet watched as the spherical ship hovered over the White House where the president was broadcasting his message of peace and welcoming the aliens. An invisible beam shot out from the bottom of the sphere, the air shimmering where it touched. A second later there was an explosion and dust and debris flew in all directions. 

Stacey, who'd been manning one of the stations, cried out in surprise and grief. Michael glanced at a tech he'd assigned to the task and the man gave a thumbs-up saying, "They made it! Signal's still coming in strong..." Stacey glanced up in shock and Michael explained that her father had been broadcasting from the bunker under the White House. Michael noticed the rubble and knew someone would have to dig him out, but at least he'd made it.

Every country with the capabilities began launching nuclear missiles towards the ships in space just as the aliens began knocking out all the satellites surrounding the planet. Michael ordered Pandora to take control of the missiles and lead them in and to also provide her own sensor information to each country. Michael made a gesture and said, "Launch Operation Terra." He knew that as soon as the signal reached them, missile platforms would be appearing from the dark side of the moon to begin launching his own missiles at the aliens. 

Meanwhile, close to 50,000 AI-controlled craft, dubbed "Furies," would be launching around the world and joining various countries' scrambled fighters to hit the dropships, many of which had already landed and were unloading troops. Each Fury was a 28ft long drone that was powered by Pandora's prototype nuclear engine. They had two thrusters for maneuverability, two miniature ion cannons that fired balls of light-blue plasma that exploded on contact, and a reinforced shell made of ionized metal. 

Michael didn't know if it was arrogance or ignorance that caused the aliens to underestimate their nuclear capabilities. Surely they received radio broadcasts detailing what these missiles would do on the way here. Whether they simply ignored that intelligence or confused them with fantastical science-fiction broadcasts, it proved to be a critical mistake. 

The spherical shape had been moving towards New York when it was hit by no less than three cruise missiles capped with 200 kiloton warheads fired by an Ohio-class submarine off the Atlantic Coast. There wasn't any fizzle against the shields like in that "Independence Day" movie. The first missile hit the shields and the entire craft was jarred sideways, falling out of the sky due to the EMP. The second hit and blew junks out of its hull, shredding it to pieces. The third missile was overkill. It hit and pulverized the remaining segments, melting them together, and leaving unidentifiable chunks to hit the ground.

In space, by the time the invaders finally realized they could be damaged by these things, nearly a fourth of their numbers had been destroyed. These were ballistic missiles carrying many times the yield of the cruise missiles. The alien ships tried to hit them with their rays before they could reach them but there were thousands of them and they had to watch the ones coming from the moon as well. Additionally, Pandora was guiding them so they behaved erratically, calculating the most efficient trajectories without being predictable. As they watched, a rocket-propelled hydrogen bomb struck a carrier and they saw its huge metal frame disintegrate before their eyes. Michael realized that the metal in their hulls had to be much weaker than what Pandora was using.

On the ground, desperate fighting was taking place. The tall bipedal creatures armored in some kind of grayish material ran out of the dropships in the hundreds toting blaster pistols that shot invisible rays which shredded body armor. Soldiers and civilians fought side by side to repel the invaders. Tanks and aircraft tried to hit the dropships before they reached the ground, but they were proving to be much more maneuverable than anything they'd seen before, though they couldn't operate as fast as Pandora's craft in the atmosphere. They also had weapons of their own and were laying waste to anything that got near them. The Furies were proving to be a match however, and were using their superior numbers to gang up on the attackers and pour fire into them.   * * * * * Aurora and her bridge crew had watched the broadcasts with solemn expressions once their disbelief had worn off. They looked up to see a shadow of one of those gray dropships descending on their vessel and knew their time was up. She felt herself start to tear up and bowed her head, 'Sorry, Michael. I guess I couldn't join you after all.' 

The startled gasps of her crew drew her head up sharply and she saw two black craft rising out of the water on either side of the ship. They both opened fire on the approaching dropship, one moving in front of the Oases of the Seas as a shield and one rocketing towards the alien vessel in an attempt to ram it. Whereas the dropship's invisible rays barely caused the AI-controlled craft to slow, though it did melt through a considerable amount of its metal plating, the balls of plasma riddled the alien craft with holes. As the balls burst on impact, the substance they left behind continued to melt through the metal. By the time the black craft finally collided, the burned-out hulk of the dropship was smashed to pieces. * * * * * Michael sighed in relief, having watched the action take place. He'd assigned two of the Furies to remain under the ship, invisible to sonar, and guard Aurora at all times. 

The ships surrounding the planet were shooting down most of the missiles aimed at them, but as fewer and fewer of them survived the onslaught there was less firepower for them to bring to bear. It quickly became apparent they would soon be overwhelmed. As if realizing this, each of the alien ships turned and began retreating out of the system.

However, as they were leaving, each ship released a bulging projectile back towards the planet. These bombs were slow and ungainly and Michael understood why they hadn't used them in defense. The missiles rocketing towards fleeing ships began retargeting towards the incoming projectiles and enormous explosions began lighting up the screen. Only two managed to make it into the upper atmosphere where Furies were waiting to take them out.

The retreating ships ran for roughly ten minutes before, in a wave projecting outwards as the signal reached them, they slowed to a stop and remained in position, floating in space. "Got them, master. I still don't fully understand their language, but I've managed to understand how the computers control their systems," Pandora informed him.

"Disable everything but life support systems and park them on the moon," Michael ordered. "See if you can do the same for the remaining dropships and let the governments know that they are under our control." Focusing back on the land battle he saw that it was mostly over but that isolated enemy forces were still holding out in places with lots of vegetation or infrastructure. He tapped his mike, "Marcus, send the teams out that have the mech armor to help clean up." 'Pan, start broadcasting to cities near where those nukes went off that the cancer centers we set up to use nanobots will accept cases of radiation sickness.'

Looking at the feeds from around the world, Michael saw people coming out of the woodwork, realizing that the danger was over and that they had survived. Not just survived, but overcome an enemy they didn't even know they had; one with access to superior technology that had been prepared to kill them or enslave them or worse. 

They began cheering their victory. There was a feeling of unity between the races. People from different countries and social classes had banded together to shout their defiance at those wanting to take their freedom and their right to live. There was one voice that shouted to the stars that here lies the human race. If the aliens wanted a fight, the people of Earth would give 'em one.

Michael felt his spirit rise and his pride for humanity grow. They would bounce back from this and they would be stronger for it. Then his spirit plummeted and he felt a sharp pain in his chest as he saw the estimated casualty numbers scroll across his screen. 'Dear God... Over six hundred thousand lost and counting.' He grew pale and his vision swam. He felt bile rise in his throat. So many lost... His responsibility...

Kat saw him and reached out to deliver a hard slap that knocked his head back, though he barely registered it. "Don't you DARE blame yourself for those deaths," she shouted. "You did all this," she gestured around the room, "on a hunch! And it wasn't even your hunch. Because of you the human race is still alive to grieve for the fallen, but you need to stop that shit until after we get them back." Her eyes blazed and Michael saw an intensity in them she'd never displayed before, even when she was acting as a mistress, "We WILL get vengeance for this. YOU will lead the strike on wherever these fuckers came from and we will pay them back a hundredfold. Don't even think about wallowing in guilt now!"

The room was silent as everyone looked at the two. There had been considerable confusion about Kat over the previous months and how much authority she wielded. It wasn't unusual to see her walking around naked except for Michael's jacket draped around her and most just thought she was just a pretty face. Now, they realized she was the strength behind their leader and a new respect formed for the red-haired beauty.

Michael looked at Kat, his lifeline and anchor. The fiery goddess had reached down into the depths of his depression to shake loose the despair that had taken hold of him and give him back his purpose. His eyes cleared and he pulled her in for a kiss, trying to display the intensity of his love through his touch. As they pulled away they stared into each other's eyes and shared something neither could explain. Kat saw he was back and sat at his feet, wrapping an arm around a leg, and leaning her head against him. He reached out a hand and entwined some of her hair in his fingers.

With renewed resolve, he took a deep breath and punched a code into the display on his armrest. The walls began to rumble and the holodisplay shifted to show a spinning 3D representation of a long, sleek black ship with silver bulk letters down the side that read, INTREPID. The walls of the situation room- now the bridge, turned white as the cameras displayed the Alaskan landscape, huge clouds of rising dirt, snow, and ice attesting to where they'd come out of the ground. The 5 mile long dreadnought hummed as it turned towards the sea.

"Pan, start moving the alien vessels from the moon to those air force bases belonging to nations on the Council. Have four Furies surround each one and let people know they still contain live crews. I'm sure they'll want to study the technology. Save a couple from each class of ship for us to take apart," Michael commanded. "Have the construction bots start their work on the moon."

"Of course, master," Pandora enthused, seeming to take great joy in flying the ship. 

They heard the patter of running feet just as two troopers that had taken up station outside the bridge were bowled over when they'd tried to stop the approaching twins. "It's a spaceship!" cried Aki, full of wonderment and joy.

Michael grinned at her enthusiasm as he opened a communication to the White House bunker, "it's showtime, Mr. President." The man gaped at his screen, not believing what he was seeing, and nodded absently. 

The world's nations would find themselves in a time of great transition as they mobilized for war. They would have to give up much of their independence and tradition in the hopes that they would be fairly represented in the new Council of Terra. Pandora, using the navigational charts from the alien vessels, had calculated that it would take the invaders three months to travel to their star system from the time they realized something was wrong. By then, Terra would need to be able to respond to the threat. * * * * * The Oases of the Seas was moving back to its base in Alaska, currently off the Russian Coast, when they spotted it. Aurora's eyes widened as she saw the gleaming ship approach, many times the size of the Oases. Leaving the bridge and going out on deck, she gripped the railing as she studied its graceful, yet imposing bulk. 

The floating city was completely smooth, but she saw indentations that looked like they could be gun ports. While longer in length than in width, it was not rectangular nor did it look like a blimp. Instead, it had elegant arcs that curved inward and gave (as she'd later learn) the 120 massive ion cannons the largest possible range of fire without hampering themselves or the four railgun turrets. All the weapons were inside the ionized metal hull which was coursing with nanites, able to reform damaged parts so long as energy could be transferred to them remotely.

Her bridge crew watched on in stunned silence as the Intrepid loomed over the cruise ship and a relatively small shuttle shot out the side and floated down to where she was leaning on the railing. As it got level with her it moved to within a few feet, hovering over the edge of the Oases. A hatch opened and Michael appeared holding a hand out to her, "Your ship awaits, Captain." Her heart thundered as she reached out and grasped his hand. * * * * * The shuttle landed in the hangar and Michael, along with his girls and two troopers exited down the ramp. The five were met by their parents who'd been in the first wave of pickups. He was surprised to notice Jennifer holding Takeshi's arm and suspected they had found comfort in each other's presence while watching the action. He was glad, whatever came of it. Both had pretty lousy luck in the dating scene since they had lost their significant other. After hugs all around, they began moving. Michael ordered Pandora to set a course for Washington D.C.

The party took the lift up to the park and caught up. Michael could tell his parents were amazed at some of the revelations, but they didn't seem to be shocked into disbelief either. Takeshi spoke up, "So Michael, the Japanese government wants me to serve a seat on this new council that's being formed. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Michael grinned. "You're a good choice with the little empire you're already running." He sobered, "Each of the 13 seats will be initially led by a leading world nation and they'll be responsible for other countries and areas around the world. Get your section in order quickly and if you need to reinforce policy, Pandora's AI-controlled craft will be at your disposal." 

Takeshi nodded solemnly. "Are you going to be on one of these seats?" he asked cautiously. 

Michael shook his head. "I'll leave the politics and the running of the world up to the Council. I'll be separate to your military and will act as an outside observer that will only intervene in extreme situations."

After saying goodbye to their parents, the five took a lift to their shared rooms, Aurora gawking all the way. Upon entering the office, Michael said, "As captain you can meet with people here or in the conference room set up across from the bridge."




The Fate of Terra Ch. 08



Aurora froze, remembering he had said 'she' was going to captain this behemoth. "I- I don't think I'm qualified to lead a warship," she admitted hesitantly, though it hurt her to say it.

Michael threw his head back and laughed. "Look around you. No one in the world is qualified to run this ship. But you have all the qualities I'm looking for in a captain. Hell, Pan could fight the ship herself, what I need is someone to keep the crew in line and motivate them to do their best," he told her. Walking up to her and taking her face in his hand, he looked into her eyes. "I didn't bring you here because of our past relationship. I saw how the crew of the Oases looked up to you. While my word is law here, I'm outside of the chain of command. I need someone to 'lead' and I choose you."

Aurora shivered and asked in stronger voice than when she'd started, "Just how many crew 'are' there?"

The corner of his mouth turned up and he turned away saying casually, "Oh, 25,000 or so... It can hold more than twice that in a pinch, but that's what we estimate will have us running at optimum efficiency. We're going to have to do some recruiting. We've got less than half that onboard."

She gaped. "The most I've ever commanded was less than 3,000!"

Michael chuckled. "Don't worry. While you're in overall command of them, about half of that number will be made up of soldiers and fighter pilots. Half of the remaining number will be service personal so really, not that many will actually be involved in running the ship's systems and in your sphere of influence."

Aurora began to feel herself calm down until he said, "Of course, that number doesn't count all the passengers we'll have; the crewmembers' families, the dignitaries that will want to be there when we arrive at another planet, scientists who want to study the stars, visitors we'll pick up... all people that will no doubt want to take their problems straight to you." He was grinning and Rin smacked him on the shoulder and told him to play nice.

They entered the bedroom and Aurora grinned at the huge bed. "Leaving room to add to your harem?" she teased.

He turned to see all his girls grinning at him. They stripped off their clothes and surrounded Michael to relieve him of his. Pushing him back onto the bed Kat crawled on all fours up the length of his body, her sensuous movements reminded him of a stalking panther. When she reached his head, his eyes met two gleaming emeralds that took his breath away. Slowly raising her head up she threw a leg over him, straddling his face. Moving rhythmically, she brought her dripping mound closer to his lips only to pull it away again, teasing him.

Meanwhile, Aurora had engulfed his hardening cock, getting it wet and solid. She pulled back and straddled him, raising a knee and, grasping his prick, began to rub it back and forth along her pussy lips. When the heat had built up to the point that neither could stand it, she placed it at the entrance of her cunt and thrust down, reveling in the feeling she'd missed so much. She squeezed her tits and pinched her nipples, riding him to release, knowing she could afford to be selfish. She was his and she couldn't be happier. She wasn't just going to visit exotic countries. She would command this ship to other 'planets.' Never in her wildest dreams could she have hoped for this opportunity.

Michael felt his arms pulled to the side and two silky smooth agile angels began rubbing their scorching pussies along them while they waited for their turn. He curved his wrists upwards and his fingers sought out their tiny assholes. The stimulation caused them both to moan and lean forward where they each found one of Kat's tits to hold their attention. Kat bit her lip as she felt two eager mouths start in on her nipples. She draped an arm around each of their heads and cooed her pleasure.

The five moved in perfect harmony, pleasing each other and sharing their emotions. There was no talk of master and slave, no power plays, and no rush to achieve release. They were bonded to each other and would face the future together. The love and support Michael received eased the nervousness he felt when he thought about what the future would bring and the hard decisions he'd have to make. They had saved the world and now they would go on to make their mark on the universe. 



The Fate of Terra Ch. 09



Michael walked down the gunmetal corridor of the Intrepid, the clanging of his black combat boots echoing along with Kat's as she kept pace at his shoulder. The girls had long since decided what he wore each day and had designed him a special uniform to unveil at the ruins of the White House earlier. With the new recruits coming onboard and him needing to act in a professional capacity, it would become his standard daywear.

It was a black military outfit similar to what the other crew wore, but with some obvious differences. It had a knee-length overcoat with silver trimmings on the chest, sleeve cuffs, and raised collar. The jacket had a half mantle hanging over the left shoulder emblazoned with a silver eagle, wings splayed wide, grasping the world in an outstretched talon, and on the right shoulder there was a silver spiked epaulet. 

The top half was buttoned and the bottom half retracted to only show the tails of his coat, leaving his legs free. There was even a silver chain for him to attach his katana. The boots were also only worn by those on the Intrepid in the infantry, who were in black fatigues. 

Turning a corner, he thought back to how his day had unfolded. 

* * * * *

The Intrepid hovered over what remained of the White House. President Whitmore and his staff had been rescued from the underground bunker and were standing on the lawn. Those members chosen to sit on the Council of Terra were arriving from around the world. Once everyone had assembled, Michael, Kat, Takeshi, and a six man security team led by Marcus went down to join the party.

There were loads of photos taken and speeches made. There was a contrast between the ruins, representing the devastation and loss of life the aliens had caused, and the Intrepid, representing humanities strength and future. Michael thought the 100 Furies flying overhead had been a nice touch...

Afterwards, his group, the council members, and their aides, all boarded shuttles and went up to the Intrepid. There, in his main conference room, they hammered out a constitution and defined the duties and powers of the council. It was decided that the flag for the Council of Terra would portray the same olive wreath depicted on the UN flag. In between the two branches would lie the globe and underneath the symbol the ruins of the White House would be displayed. When they'd finished they broke for lunch and then Michael left the room while they had their first meeting.

Coming back into the room, Michael was amused that their first resolution was for him to hand over all of his technology and capabilities, including the Intrepid and Pandora. They didn't seem to like it when he explained that the constitution they'd just signed defined him and all those under him as a completely separate entity and didn't abide by their rulings. 

He'd help them along, of course; provide them with the language of the invaders that Pandora had deciphered so they could properly interrogate the prisoners and take apart their craft; give them the moon base he was building, once he'd extracted the necessary ore to build a space dock; he would do what he could to protect the planet from invasion using all of his resources and actively participate in its defense. 

However, he wasn't just going to turn over all of his work. With the captured ships the council would have access to the alien's energy system, along with weapons and shields, and even their faster-than-light travel. What they did from there was on them. Michael and Pandora, as well as the scientists and engineers that had chosen to join them, would develop their own technologies and if, at a later date, they wished to share them they would. But Michael was not going to simply roll over and be a pawn for a government that wouldn't even exist if not for him.

Oh, they argued, they threatened, they accused him of a lack of patriotism, but in the end, there wasn't much they could do about it. So, they left, except for President- now Councilman Whitmore and Councilman Matsushita who stayed to visit their daughters and Michael ordered the Intrepid to the moon to oversee the construction bots while he and Aurora planned a route to take the ship for recruitment drives. On the moon there remained twelve of the invader's vessels of four different classes. 

Pandora had access to their medical scans so they knew the physiologies of the aliens and what chemicals knocked them out. It was then a simple process to construct a hose which Pandora allowed to access each of the ship's air supply and pump in the agent. She was even able to disable their rebreather masks. Then, using armored suits that had their own air supply, they entered each ship and, guided by Pandora, found the highest ranking members of the crew, restrained them, put the masks on them, took some of their food stores, and brought them to the brig. 

* * * * *

Michael and Kat reached the sectioned off portion of the brig. Michael had designed the holding cells with the idea that they would need a different mix of air for each species they interacted with and had them completely isolated. It was thus easy to modify the air to suit their needs. Though, he was curious why an alien race that used considerably less hydrogen to breathe would attack Earth.

Looking at the metal viewing screen that showed the 33 occupants inside the cell, he studied them. Without the gray plastoid armor, the beings were a gruesome sight. Yellowish brown bipedal creatures covered in wrinkles and bumps. They had four eyes that seemed to wrap around their head and a gaping maw. 

Noticing the deference shown to one of them by the others, Michael pointed and said, "That one." One of Pandora's guard bots entered the cell from a side door. It was a 12ft tall block of ionized metal on treads with four arms and a fork that shot electricity. Grabbing the alien easily, despite the other occupants trying to intervene, it backed out of the room shooting a bolt of electricity behind it so the door could close again. Michael and Kat entered another door and found themselves on the opposite side of a window to the prisoner, still held tightly by the bot.

Michael asked questions and Pandora translated. He seemed stunned they knew his language. It was a 'he,' Pandora assured him. Unfortunately, he didn't have a much to say. Oh, a few well-placed shocks kept him talking and with Pandora accessing the history files on their ships, Michael was able to piece together who they were and what had happened. The alien however, didn't seem to understand why he 'shouldn't' have attack Earth. 

To him, it was something they wanted and so they took it. The strong ruled. Now that he was a prisoner, he fully expected to die or be made a slave; that was simply the way of things. He was also certain that his father, who was a king or warchief or something, would send more fleets to level the planet. If they had not killed him by then, his father surely would in disgrace. 

Michael sighed as data from Pandora scrolled across his vision. Apparently the B'Amuf, as they were called, were quite militant in this sector of the galaxy. They had conquered 29 different planets and enslaved 23 of them. Earth was to be number 24, if they could be made to gather minerals, ore, and water for their overlords, and possibly fish and wildlife. They would take and use any new technology they found and continue their expansionist activities.

Rubbing his chin, Michael wondered what happened to the six planets that hadn't conformed to this idea of a hunter-gatherer society, working to fill their subjugator's coffers. He waved his hand and the bot tossed the maybe-prince back in with the rest of the captives. Turning, he strode back down the corridor, leaving the brig. 

"I hope the next race we find is more pleasant to look at," Kat said, striding along beside him. Michael glanced at her. "How are we supposed to get you some hot alien pussy if they're all like," she paused, shuddering, "that."

Michael flashed her a smile and said innocently, "Perhaps the females of the race are easier on the eyes." She shot him a look as if questioning his sanity.

Then Pandora said something that stopped them in their tracks. "I've identified four individuals of three other races in one of the holds on the enemy carrier. They were in a sealed compartment without any cameras inside so it took me awhile to find them," she told them. "From what I can gather from the records, these are slaves taken from conquered planets when they were young and taught the language of the B'Amuf. These are the only 'outsiders' permitted to learn their tongue and would have been the ones to learn the language of a newly conquered race in order to give them their decrees."

Kat clenched her fists. "So we're so far beneath their consideration they won't even talk to us directly," she spat. "They deserve what's coming to them."

"Can they survive onboard the ship, Pan?" Michael asked, getting them moving again. 

"Yes, master," Pandora affirmed. "They were chosen specifically because they could breathe in our environment, though one seems to have gills and looks to be quite uncomfortable in his dry condition."

"Alert Marcus to their location and bring them aboard," Michael ordered. "Are there any more of them on the ships we sent down to Earth?" 

Pandora gave a negative, stating they were a special contingent onboard the prince's flagship. "They appear to have collars around their necks that will explode if they leave the ship. Give me a moment and I'll disable them."

By the time Marcus returned with his charges, Michael, his girls, Stacey, Councilmen Whitmore and Matsushita, and a medical team were waiting in the hangar bay. Marcus led the group of four aliens, a trooper escorting each one, though the last one looked to have trouble breathing and was being supported. Michael made a snap decision and got them moving towards the lift. As they entered the beach area, the four aliens gasped at the sight of so much water and Michael figured it was quite a precious commodity in space. 

The alien that had trouble breathing, a tall green scaly individual with webbed fingers and a prominent bone fin protruding from his head, broke from the group and ran towards the water. Amused, the group watched as he created a big splash and seemed to be frolicking around in relief and joy. The party sat on benches underneath a large oak tree while the medical team checked them with scanners Pandora had developed. The newcomers seemed to be fascinated with the squirrels that jumped from branch to branch overhead.

Michael noticed he wasn't the only one studying the aliens and saw Kat and the twins' attention was glued to a blue female around 5ft tall with smooth light-blue skin and azure-colored fur that seemed to cascade down her back like a long silky mane. He'd been astonished the first time her tail, slim and furry with deep blue stripes, had first appeared behind her. She was looking down and fidgeting on the bench and the girls were giving her hungry looks. With a start, he realized she was naked and he could see a firm bust peeking out from beneath a layer of short fur and a disturbingly familiar-looking mound between her legs.

Taking a blanket from the medical team and wrapping it around her, he told Aki to get her some clothes. The blue girl shot him a grateful look. The other two, one male and one female of the same race, one that reminded him of dogs with their floppy ears and protruding snout, didn't look as uncomfortable, but Michael ordered them covered as well to preserve any semblance of modesty they might still retain. He doubted their captors had ever permitted them to wear anything.

Once they'd gotten settled and the medical team cleared them, Pandora began identifying their races and their planets' histories as far as the records on the captured vessels showed. The newcomers looking around wildly, trying to identify where the voice was coming from. Michael asked the blue girl what her name was and how she was taken. Pandora translated what was said in B'Amuf, which in hindsight could have been done better as they promptly freaked out, thinking they were still in their conqueror's clutches. 

After they had calmed down enough to realize the words coming out of the human mouths weren't in that feared language, that it was simply a means to find a common language, they began to open up. The stories they told were gruesome. Following the conquest of a planet, the children of the highest ranking family would be taken as slaves, first to ensure they didn't lead a rebellion, and second, because it was just efficient and logical that the rich and powerful would be the most educated and would be able to learn languages the fastest. They told of being forced from their beds in the middle of the night and anyone who tried to intervene was shot. The mother of Dejah (the blue girl) had been one of those gunned down. 

Somewhere in the middle of the storytelling, the amphibious alien came over to our party and agreed to be scanned. He told us that while he could breathe the air, he needed access to a body of water to soak in otherwise he would eventually dry out. The three months it took to get here nearly killed him. Although his name couldn't be pronounced, a part of it sounded like "Isaac," and he agreed to be called as such.

There was more questioning on both sides. The four seemed shocked and more than a little impressed to hear they had defeated the B'Amuf, as they'd never heard of anyone overcoming them. They actually seemed a bit fearful of their rescuers and Michael hoped that would fade in time. He had them shown to their rooms, Aki and Rin leading Dejah away by grasping each of her arms, and retired to his suite with Kat and Aurora.

In the bath, he washed Aurora's back, giving her a warm massage and kissing her neck affectionately. Kat washed her front, spending a considerable amount of time on her breasts, each nibble she took sending shocks through the captain's body. When a stiff cock began teasing her up and down her ass and dipping between her legs briefly she moaned and couldn't take any more. 

Aurora turned and mounted a standing Michael, both still submerged in chest-height water, her strong, powerful legs wrapping around him to help drive his prick into her. Her back rested against Kat who wrapped her arms around the woman, taking a handful of her luscious tits in each hand and began whispering all sorts of naughty things in her ear, biting down on her lobe every so often. 

When the slow, sensuous mating of their hips under the water finally caused her to go over the edge Michael and Kat picked up the pace, drawing out her climax and sharing their love with her. Her cries echoed around the marble room, amidst the heat and steam. 

After they'd dragged the limp woman to the edge of the bath, Kat laid next to her sister in all but blood and wrapped her arms around her, grinding her body against Aurora's, their wet tits mashing together. Michael busied himself with worshiping Kat's feet which hung over the edge of the marble. Massaging each sole he kissed each toe softly and worked little nips up her legs, showing his devotion.

Getting out of the water, he crawled up her body continuing his passionate caress until Kat turned to lie on her back and opened her legs for him. Giving her steaming pussy a lick he drifted still upwards, painting her stomach with kisses. When he'd reached her mouth, their lips locked and he placed his prick at her entrance. Kat draped her arms around his neck and they moved as one. Their intimacy was defined by their actions and they knew they were as close as two people could possibly be.

Aurora propped herself up on one elbow to watch the couple. After a while she said, "You know Stacey has a crush on you?" 

Kat laughed in Michael's mouth and pulled away, their bodies still moving in concert. "A crush, if she was any more smitten she'd be completely useless on the bridge," she said amused. Cupping Michael's face she murmured, "She can't stop looking at you. She's smart too. I imagine she'll be a welcome addition. I think if you hadn't told the twins to wait until she was 18 they'd of had her in our bed by the first week." 

Michael grinned down at her and gave her a soft kiss. "It's always been and always will be your decision, my love."

Kat's eyes gleamed, "Then next month she's going to get one hell of a birthday party."

Aurora laughed, "Maybe there will be two additions." The other two looked at her and she snorted. "Pa-leeaze! I saw the way you were all watching that blue chick like a pack of hyenas. I bet the twins are breaking down her defenses as we speak."

Kat reached over a grabbed Aurora's hair, pulling her into a kiss. "I seem to recall a particular captain regarding her just as intensely," she growled. 

Aurora blushed pink. "Well, you can't blame me, did you see her tits? And I bet that fur is soo soft," she moaned, a hand dropping between her legs. 

Michael grinned and knew he was the luckiest guy on the planet- or off of it. He groaned and then chuckled as Kat climaxed and bit down hard on his shoulder. With the enhancements they healed fast and she had to make quite an impression. As he achieved his release he pulled out and sprayed his jizz over the two languishing beauties. They proceeded to rub themselves together, licking his offering off of the other and he felt his flagging erection bob upwards again, knowing it wouldn't be long before they went another round.

After they'd relaxed enough, their growling stomachs led the three to the ship's mess. While there were almost a hundred different places to eat onboard, the Mess was an enormous dining hall that could seat thousands and was reserved for crewmembers and military personnel. It was split into two parts, a larger 'ground' level that was open to everyone, and a smaller raised level that only sat officers, Michael and his girls, visiting dignitaries, and the civilian leaders of their sections throughout the ship. Guests could also be invited by any of those previously mentioned to join them at their tables. On this top level, they were served by actual wait staff and ate on white tablecloths with gleaming silverware.

Those seated in the bottom section were met with booths and long tables, each with sections of the table that would slide away so food could rise up via a small lift. Holographic menus would appear when they sat down, advertising a selection of thousands of different algae-based choices. When they were finished, the occupants would simply leave their food on the sections and they would descend below. 

The dining hall had a high ceiling and one of the bulkheads displayed a screen that showed an image of the outside. As the trio sat down at their customary table, joining Aki, Rin, and Dejah, they were arrested by the image of the Earth down below. It truly was a breathtaking sight and they knew that all of the people on the Intrepid were getting a unique experience in more ways than one. 

Looking down at the table, they were amused to see roughly fifty different dishes arranged on the white cloth. Aki and Rin were on opposite sides of Dejah and were feeding her a little of everything, trying to find out what she liked to eat. She seemed to prefer the meat products. While not actual meat, they did have protein in them and Michael had spent many sleepless nights getting the taste of a juicy steak just right.

While they could conceivably use real meat since they cloned cows down below for dairy products, it wouldn't be in nearly the same quantity and they'd likely have to stop in port often to restock their stores. The algae and textile plants they grew and the renewable energy they used would allow them to never be required to stop in a foreign port. They would still have to obtain ore for manufacturing things and water, but that could be acquired from passing asteroids, comets, uninhabited planets, etc. 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 09



'Aww,' Kat whispered in his head, 'she's blushing.'

He kept his eyes on his food but had Pandora open a window in his vision and saw that her cheeks had indeed lightened a shade. At first, he thought she was embarrassed because of all the attention she was receiving, being fed as she was, but every once and awhile she would glance in his direction. That gave him a warm feeling inside. He by no means considered himself an Adonis so it was nice to be appreciated, though he questioned what that meant in her culture. 'With my luck,' he told himself, 'they eat their mates.'

Studying her face in the window Pandora had opened, he was amazed at how human she looked. Oh, she had fur and was a different color; her ears were pointed, making him wonder if she'd mind if he took a nibble; her eyes were gleaming sapphires, slightly slanted, giving her an exotic look. Michael had seen her claws shoot out when she first saw the plate of meat, before Aki had giggled and shown her a fork. Her canines put humans to shame, ending in long gleaming white points. 'And that tail...' he groaned. It crept up behind her back and seemed to do whatever it wanted, playing with Rin's hair as she leaned forward, a sweet sticky fruit extended in her hand.

Kat dropped her hand under the tablecloth at his groan and felt his hardening cock. She grinned, squeezing it, and shot him a sly look. 'That slinky white chemise Aki picked out for her doesn't hide much, does it?' she intoned approvingly and felt another pulse. 

'You're just asking for a session tonight, aren't you?' he ground out. Her eyes flashed and she gave another squeeze before taking her hand away. That didn't stop her from making teasing, lecherous comments in his head all throughout dinner, even when their parents showed up. By the time they reached their suite, Kat had worked him up enough that she knew she was going to be punished. They retired to their play room next to the bath and the gym. 

Michael stripped her and tied her to a stool with a hole in the bottom, arms secured behind her back. A couple of vibrating clamps clipped her nipples and fastened to the ceiling, giving her an 'incentive' not to tip over. Finally, a fucking machine was placed under the stool and a dildo came up underneath the seat and into her pussy. She moaned when it started up and squealed in surprise when it started rotating. Her heavy breathing caused her to pull back on the fastened string, pulling on her clamped nipples. 

'I really have to get that stool secured,' Michael thought to himself. 'I can't use the flog without the whole thing tipping over.' Shrugging, he decided on a more delicate touch and got the electro wand. Turning it on he ran it over her perfect tush, causing her to jump and plunge herself deeper on the invading toy, drawing delicious gasps from his captive. 

Of course, that was when Rin and Aki chose to walk in with a wide-eyed Dejah in tow. 'Well, fuck,' Michael thought, then shrugged, figuring it was too late now. 'So much for easing her into things...' He held out his right hand to the girls, continuing to use the left to run the wand over Kat's body, moving to her stomach. Rin immediately dropped her panties and Aki shook her head abashed saying, "I didn't wear any." 

Michael snorted as Rin placed her pair in his hand. He stuffed them in Kat's mouth and pulled her head in for a kiss on the lips as she moaned through the lace. He moved the wand to her tits and watched her flinch backwards, trying to pull away, but only succeeding in giving herself some nasty tugs on her nipples.

Rin watched Dejah and saw... curiosity? 'Is she wondering if this is some bizarre human custom?' The blue girl's eyes were fixed on where the dildo met Kat's pussy and she licked her lips. 'Oh ho,' Rin thought. 'She's not disgusted at all, just wondering what it feels like.' Rin nudged her sister and gestured towards Dejah.

Aki saw the lust in her gaze and smiled salaciously. She went behind Dejah and wrapped her arms around the powerful creature's body, rubbing her face in the soft azure mane and sighing at the feeling. Dejah barely noticed, though her tail wrapped around Aki's leg and seemed to tug insistently. Rin stepped in front of Dejah and leaned in to kiss her. Her eyes widened having never kissed anyone before and she froze, allowing Rin to use her delicate touch to open her up. 

Realizing she liked the feeling- and 'oh' how she liked it- she tried to reciprocate. When Rin added her tongue into the mix she almost melted on the spot. Seeing she was preoccupied, Aki reached for the thin straps around Dejah's shoulders and slipped them off, the silky chemise pooling at their feet.

Lowering her head Rin had planned to suck on her breasts but when she touched the fur there she felt like she'd died and gone to heaven. "Holy shit, Michael," she moaned in delight, rubbing her cheek against Dejah's boobs. "You have got to feel this... It's like touching the softest baby dove ever." Dejah purred in response to Rin's touch.

Michael stopped at the sound of an actual, catlike purr. He turned and walk towards Dejah leaving Kat hanging, so to speak. Kat said something muffled, wanting to touch those furry mounds as well. Aki poked her head out and said cheekily, "Don't talk with your mouth full," repeating the words Kat had spoken to her the first time she'd orally pleasured the red-haired girl. 

Reaching his hand out, he grasped the lightly furred tits and gave a light squeeze, enjoying the moan it drew from Dejah. He had to agree they were the softest things he'd ever felt. Michael dropped his hand and cupped her furry snatch. 'We're never going to get anything done,' he thought, on cloud nine from the blissful sensation, feeling a softness that seemed to defy reality.

Needing to feel that touch with another one of his appendages, he nodded to Rin and went to release Kat while the twins took Dejah to their bed. Aurora came back from the bridge as Michael supported a shaky Kat into the bedroom. She froze seeing Dejah lying atop Rin on the bed, Rin's hands on her furry bosom. Aki had been rubbing her cheek on the soft fur between the girl's legs but shot up as the captain entered and dragged the blonde women down to feel what heaven was like. 

Aurora was amazed and stuck her fingers inside the blue pussy, causing the alien girl to slam her legs shut. Her eyebrows rose. "A virgin?" she asked. 

Kat shrugged. "Probably," she said, still a little out of breath. "She was taken when she was young and it's doubtful she got any in captivity, at least with those slugs." She grinned. "I'd say she's ripe for the picking though."

"Oh, yes," Rin enthused, pinching dark-blue nipples. The girls made way for Michael to welcome their new sister properly and show her what it felt like to be a woman. 

He knelt down to feel her cunt and was surprised to feel secretions pooling between her lips. 'Guess the plumbing is the same,' he mused. Rubbing his prick back and forth Dejah panted in need. He placed his member just at her entrance, lightly teasing her. He waited until she tried to scoot forward to accept more of him, then began his descent.

Her eyes got wide and Aurora lowered her breasts and moved them back and forth over Dejah's face to hold her attention. Rin and Aki each took a tit and began doing what they could to make her lose herself in pleasure. Kat just laid her head on the blue stomach, watching Michael's prick disappear beneath tufts of azure hair. 

When he got that deliciously tight feeling and could go no further, he threw Dejah's legs over his shoulders and began rocking her gently, gradually increasing the intensity of the rhythm. Kat had been pawing the girl's pussy, disappointed that she couldn't find a clit, when her fingers found a spot beneath her fur that caused Dejah to jerk sharply, startling everyone attached to her. Getting a naughty glint in her eye, Kat moved down and pulled back the fur to show a tiny dark-blue nub. Michael slowed his pace to accommodate her fun.

Kat got a firm hold around Dejah's waist and, without warning, latched her mouth to the tiny love button and attacked it relentlessly. Michael moaned as he gripped her legs tighter, the many convulsions squeezing his cock delightfully. Dejah cried out in a feeling she couldn't quite define and was swiftly cut off as Aurora planted her muff on the girl's face, wanting to feel the vibrations her screams would cause. Rin and Aki took the hint and began sucking hard on Dejah's nipples, giving them little nips. 

Dejah was lost in bliss, her pleasure centers on fire. She'd never had an orgasm before but the countless, unending climaxes rushing through her made her head swim. As Michael finished inside of her, he pulled her to him and thrust deep, finally causing her senses to overload. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she blacked out. Rin giggled and said, "I know that feeling."

Michael pulled out and frowned. "Maybe cumming in all this fur wasn't such a good idea."

Kat gave a sly smile, "But now you can dump her in the bath to wash it out and she'll be revived for us to do it all over again."

* * * * *

The next month moved fast. They'd completed the moon base and built an isolated structure twice the size of a football stadium where they unloaded all the B'Amuf crews. Then Pandora's construction bots had taken apart their ships piece by piece, bringing various parts into the main hangar to study.

Meanwhile a large group of construction bots had made it to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and began a relay pushing the rocks on a trajectory towards the space dock. When developing a tractor beam, Pandora had discovered something quite remarkable. Usually there is no sound in space, but when creating the field of energy to redirect the gravity of objects, it was found that molecules could vibrate inside that field. 

Thus, when the asteroids reached the space dock, they could catch them in a field and release a sound at the right tone to shatter the rock, leaving the metal ore inside untouched and ready to be processed. Using this method, they were able to solve their materials limitation. More space docks were built and the active ones began churning out AI-controlled ships in a variety of designs. 

While Isaac and Dejah chose to stay on the ship, the other two aliens agreed to go down to Earth with Councilmen Whitmore and Matsushita. Stacey had gone down with her father, but would be boarding the ship again when the Intrepid went down to do their recruitment runs. For the initial run, twenty cities from around the world had been chosen and their locations had been advertised for the last two weeks. 

Roughly one month after the aliens had attacked, another B'Amuf ship entered the solar system. Pandora spotted the small vessel and the Intrepid went on high alert while over a dozen AI-controlled ships of varying classes arrayed themselves around the planet in a defensive perimeter. 

Michael asked if Pandora could take control of what was obviously a scout ship. "I'll try, master," Pandora responded, "but it's doubtful the signal will reach the ship in time and that's assuming its systems are set up like the other B'Amuf ships. Additionally, the image we're seeing is a few hours old. That ship could already be gone."

Her words proved to be prophetic as the ship left soon after, no doubt taking scans of what it saw around Earth with it. Michael talked with the council and it was agreed that the scout must have been launched before the invasion force had even reached the solar system. Depending on how fast the scout was capable of traveling, the B'Amuf would soon know of what became of their invasion force. It 'should' then take them some time to put together another fleet, if they didn't already have one handy, and then another three months to travel to Earth.

Regardless, they were looking at fighting an even bigger invasion force in less than a year and had lost most of their element of surprise. Michael was thankful that his plans to build more ship factories around the Kuiper Belt and the defensive system he'd planned for Earth hadn't been revealed. 

He knew that while they had Pandora as an ace in the hole, they would need to test their new ships objectively in the coming battle to see where they stood and to give the new crews some much needed experience. Many of those crews had yet to be recruited yet, but Michael planned to change that in the coming weeks. He and Kat sat on the bridge and looked towards the future knowing they would soon leave all they had known and travel among the stars. 



The Fate of Terra Ch. 10



The ship was coming alive around Michael and his girls as they toured its interior, bustling with an absurd amount of activity as potential recruits ran every which way to their assigned stations. The Intrepid had visited roughly half those cities Michael and Aurora had chosen for recruitment drives and they were more overwhelmed with volunteers than ever. It seemed everyone was eager to pay the invaders back the damage they had wrought.

In each stop the Intrepid would land for two days and take on a veritable horde of passengers that would be screened both physically and mentally. After passing, they would be given a series of tests designed to reveal their aptitude and skill sets, as well as their preferred position. The recruits would then be assigned a bunk and a schedule of different stations they could attend during their time aboard. In most cases this would involve being given a presentation on what was involved in the advertised position followed by tests in simulators, or in actuality for the case of noncombat applicants.

After the first day the recruits would bunk down for the night, during which an evacuation drill would go off and only those who had the foresight to read their manuals would know where to go. When two days had passed and those chosen had been approved, the Intrepid would wait one day for them to close their accounts and say goodbye to friends and family before blasting off to space for drills. The next few days would determine who could stand the rigors of living in isolation under such conditions and who would be put ashore at the next stop.

As Michael and his party neared what he'd come to term the Reception Hall where he'd first come aboard, they were battered by heat and dust swirling in from the open hatch packed shoulder-to-shoulder with new faces. The potentials were siphoned off and directed to one of various desks that would get them squared away. Marcus and a security team lined the bulkhead in light armor, wary of letting so many unknowns into their haven.

Suddenly, a man in dark brown covering broke from the ranks of newcomers and sprinted towards the group. He took a small, compact gun from inside his sleeve and shouted in greatly accented English, "For the good of humanity, die alien scum!" Before he'd finished he was already squeezing off rounds at the blue-skinned outlander. 

Michael blurred to his right, covering Dejah's body with his own. The assailant got off two shots before a loud boom shook the enclosed space and the top half of the gunman's body simply disappeared, leaving the remainder to slosh to the deck in a messy, sickening puddle. Michael checked his party for wounds, absently associating the sound he'd heard with that cannon Marcus called a sidearm. It looked like a grenade launcher, though it shot capsules that released energy based on the rays fired by the B'Amuf. He liked it because it had considerable stopping power minus the collateral damage.

Finally getting around to checking himself, Michael was surprised to see the bullets hadn't penetrated his uniform and knew the girls hadn't provided him something made of ordinary material. Even more unexpected was that the mass of recruits hadn't broken and fled. In fact, some were already moving towards available desks, still willing to come aboard. He just shook his head at the resilience of the human race and turned towards Dejah. 

The lightly furred girl had her arms tucked into herself and was shaking slightly, Aki and Rin on either side of her offering words of comfort. Michael supposed the mechanical bot that had pulled up and started the gruesome task of vacuuming up the bloody remains wasn't helping. He shared a look with Marcus and the grizzled veteran nodded and headed off, already talking into his comm. 

When Earth had begun mobilizing to face the extraterrestrial threat, there was resistance, but not by the usual suspects. North Korea, for instance, flat out told the Council that if provided the ships, they were more than willing to supply the men needed to fill them. The most common disagreements occurred with countries that didn't want to be placed under their assigned representative among the Council of Terra. Ireland, for example, was dead set against any form of subservience to England. Only by threatening to put them under the French did they finally relent.

Iran was another unforeseen outcome as they fully supported putting aside their differences to attack the invaders' home worlds. The Grand Ayatollah had even come out and said that they had a new calling, one that shifted their religious duty to the 'true' nonbelievers: aliens. And there, in part, lay the cause of what happened today. After the attack by the B'Amuf there arose tremendous anti-alien sentiments. Oftentimes, sects would form with the sole purpose of keeping Earth 'pure' and eliminating all extraterrestrials before they could make another attempt at conquering the planet.

Probably the most depressing thing about it all Michael thought, was that while the majority of the planet, the Council of Terra included, did not condone or agree with such actions, it was clear that Earth would take a xenophobic outlook towards the stars. There would be no more welcoming gestures as President Whitmore had first tried in his Whitehouse bunker. 

Security would override all else in this new age and outsiders would be looked upon with suspicion. Where before, countless settlers and traders might have migrated out and blended with other cultures, slowly immersing themselves with the galactic community, now, Earth would be sealed off until they knew just what they were dealing with and if they could handle the possible threats.

Michael knew it was judgmental and intolerant towards those races who had done nothing to deserve such feelings, but even he couldn't disagree with the policy. Someone had come along and pulled back the curtains to reveal a dangerous jungle filled with unknown predators. Whole civilizations that had been ancient before humans had walked the Earth. They had their own customs and systems in place that didn't account for the human race. The need to tread carefully warred with the burning desire they had for revenge.

Michael and his girls retired to their suite, though Aurora departed soon after as she had to address those recruits trying out for the bridge crew. He and Kat sat on opposite sides of Dejah on the bed while the twins grabbed pillows and sat on the floor in front of them. They all saw that Dejah was still pretty shook up and remained silent, giving her some time to collect herself.

For her part, Dejah couldn't figure out why the episode had affected her so much. She certainly didn't resent the humans their prejudices given their encounter with the B'Amuf. It also hadn't been the first time she'd almost died. In fact, she'd been under constant threat during her captivity. 

The more Dejah thought about it, the more she realized what she feared most was that her new life here might end. The past few months had been the best, most rewarding time in her short existence. The B'Amuf had ground down her spirit until she almost didn't care anymore if she lived or died, but here with Michael and those she'd come to see as her sisters, she'd found a family. And she never wanted to let them go.

Dejah turned to glare at Michael. "You jumped in front of me," she stated angrily. "Just what were you thinking?"

He looked away and said a bit sheepishly, "Well, you aren't protected like we are... and there really wasn't any danger for m-"

"No danger?" she exclaimed. "There are countless of B'Amuf weapons lying around unaccounted for. What would've happened if they had shot one of those accursed rays at you?" She appeared to Michael as if she would rather die than allow even a chance that he would perish.

Not having been given the chance to inform Dejah about Pandora's somewhat morbid -and untested- resurrection idea, the others remained silent. Finally, Kat looked towards Michael and said, "I think it's time."

"More than time," Rin echoed. Aki just nodded her head.

Michael chuckled, "I guess so." Grasping Dejah behind her head he drew her in and lightly brushed her lips with his. Pulling back, he stood and crossed to the bedside table. Reaching underneath it, he accessed a hidden compartment and returned holding a bottle of champagne. Although they'd improved the solution, ingesting it was still the preferred method. 

Kat returned with five glasses and a bottle of wine. Dejah looked at her single flute of champagne and furrowed her brow. "This will make me like you?" she asked hesitantly.

Michael loved her silky accented English and was impressed with how quickly she'd picked it up despite them having Pandora able to instantly translate what was said. "Well, not exactly like me," he hedged. "You're still considerably better-looking."

Dejah cracked a smile when she saw his innocent expression and then laughed outright when she caught his wink. Kat whispered something in her ear and Michael saw her eyes light up and her smile grew wider. After they had toasted and drained their glasses, Dejah leaned towards Michael. "Kat said next time it would be my turn to jump in front of 'you,'" she murmured, giving a throaty growl and nipping his lobe with her canines. 

Dejah wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled them both down towards the bed. The other girls quickly got up and prepared themselves to join the fun. After some maneuvering, Dejah lay atop Michael, his hands cupping her juicy ass cheeks comfortably, her tits mashed against his chest. Their lips locked together in a scorching heat that awoke their passions. She mewled and rubbed herself against him as she felt Aki's eager tongue on her sex. Her furry snatch captivated Aki and the young girl had trouble pulling herself away from the patch of heaven. 

With a sigh, Aki sat up and then grasped Michael's now-hardened member, aiming for the blue, soaked opening. Michael thrust up fast and there was a hitch in Dejah's moans as he plunged deep inside her. Aki moved aside as Kat neared with her new acquisition. Dejah had her eyes closed, biting Michael's lower lip, enjoying the rhythm. As she felt the intrusion of Kat's double-headed dildo, her eyes shot open and she uttered a squeak of surprise.

Dejah had only recently been exposed to anal, something she'd never heard of before coming to Earth. This was however, the first time she'd been faced with two things penetrating her at once. Kat draped herself over Dejah's back, reveling in the softness of the girl's mane. Pressing her improvised phallus at the opening that was 'unoccupied,' Kat whispered, "Ready?"

"Ye-" Dejah started to answer, just as the redheaded demoness gripped her waist firmly and pulled backwards, driving forward with her hips. Dejah's eyes went wide, her mouth opening in a silent scream. In her shock, she lifted everything above her waist about a foot off of Michael. Kat smiled in satisfaction and grabbed the suddenly available handholds, squeezing Dejah's tits viciously and using them to leverage more powerful thrusts into the squirming alien. 

Dejah's skin blazed and the melee of emotions fed her lust. It was times like this, when her family introduced her to new forms of pleasure, that she felt most alive. Together, Michael and Kat moved in concert at a brutal pace sure to work the poor girl into exhaustion. The twins knelt on the bed watching the trio and fondling themselves. As they watched Dejah getting pummeled, they grew wet thinking about 'their turn.' * * * * * The five woke refreshed and, after a quick dip in the bath, felt the need to fill their bellies. Since they were on land, the girls wanted to go out for some 'real' food and Michael was eager to see some of the many sights Istanbul had to offer. He promptly 'ordered' Aurora to take a break and come with them and the group left the ship. 

Michael knew that Marcus would no doubt assign a security team along at a discreet distance in plainclothes and Pandora had already marked in his vision two Furies circling overhead, but as far as he was concerned this was just an outing with him and his loved ones. The only place the 5 mile long ship could land in the sprawling metropolis was in the water so the Intrepid was mostly hovering over the Bosphorus Strait, 'docked' to the west bank so passengers and supplies could board.

After picking up some street food, the party traversed the bustling streets towards the Hagia Sophia. Michael noticed the area around them was in the shade despite a lack of nearby buildings. Looking up he spotted a huge black spire in the distance. He was familiar with what it was, having pioneered the idea to have scores of them constructed around the globe. The 1,200m high behemoths were part of Earth's new defensive system predicted to go online next month. They would power floating platforms that would radiate energy outwards as part of a massive shield system that would, theoretically, encompass the planet. 

He had offered to make the spires mostly transparent and to design them however artfully the locals wished, but had been turned down at every occasion. It seemed the time for pretty designs and tasteful decoration was over. People needed to be reassured by the intimidating structures. They wanted the strength of those first iron clad ships, the gleaming terror that had been the panzer divisions, the might of the Great Wall of China. They wanted to build that which would shout their defiance to the stars. 

The shield system, dubbed the "Aegis," was to be supported by hundreds of floating, low-metal asteroids housing gun platforms. Coupled with the nearness of Lunar base and the close proximity of Michael's AI-controlled ship factories, Earth 'should' be well-guarded. Should, because they simply didn't know what was out there. 

Exploring the city, Michael noticed several noninvasive indications that Turkey was now Romanian-controlled. There had been quite a fuss when the Council had made the proclamation, particularly in light of the bloody history between the two. However, since they weren't considered European and they weren't accepted by the Arab League and they were mostly Sunni so Iran didn't care, they really didn't have much support. 

They were a resilient people though, and there was a popular saying that went, 'It could be worse: it could have been Greece.' Realistically, the people would only have to bear it for another year or two given Turkey's advanced state. They would then become independent with the potential to become a full-fledged member in the Council of Terra.

Leaving the eighth booth in the massive bazaar, Michael came to the conclusion that all of his girls were better bargainers than him. He would recognize the patter and know to go lower, but he was terrible at making it seem like he was capitulating. The girls, by contrast, had the sellers eating out of their hands and he saw them garbed in an assortment of shawls, jewelry, and bags they'd swindled from poor, unsuspecting merchants.

Spying an old-fashioned 'westernized' bar and curious about the local liquors, the group traipsed in. They were met with a fairly large room with over a dozen tables, bar counter, and dim lighting. In a corner there seemed to be a crowd of what looked like locals listening to a small group of Romanian soldiers. After observing the scene, Michael concluded the old officer with Major insignias, who looked to be about a hundred, was regaling the locals with a story of when he'd served in WWII. The natives were listening with rapt attention and the younger officers standing behind the seated major were nodding and grunting at each statement.

"I grew up on farm you know," the old major was saying in heavily accented English, "so I should know this. This Jewish family had served best damn bacon I did ever eat." This earned another grunt and a nod of agreement, as if the other soldiers had all tried it and could also attest to the bacon's goodness. "We ate there almost every day and no one could figure out how it tasted so damn good. Even the Germans ate there- we never let those SS bastards inside our beloved country, of course." Another grunt, another nod. 

"So there we were," he continued. "All rousted from beds in morning, still dark outside, mind you. Three whole Romanian regiments, because they were afraid Germans were going to go on shooting spree for some reason. And where should we assemble, but outside tavern owned by the Jewish family who made such good bacon. Some of us officers from each regiment went inside and were directed to backroom. Through passageway I hadn't recalled as being there before, we marched down underneath building and to our shock what we found I can still see in my head today."

"Bones!" he shouted, thrusting his arms wide and coming up off his stool, startling all of the patrons. "Four feet high, bones and bones... Skinned and boiled until they were gleaming white and then piled high." Another nod and a grunt as if this happened every day. By this point the locals were looking particularly green and nauseous.

The major was unrelenting however, and after another slug of beer explained, "What happened? This family would wait until German officers came. They would get officers drunk as fish. They then pull lever and officers drop down through floor. Like poof!" he exclaimed, drawing another start from his listeners. "The problem," he went on, "more officers came right after previous ones had been taken. One of taken officer's hats remaining which indentified his regiment. So Germans run round and round like chickens with heads cut off before they finally connecting missing officers with tavern and finished," he proclaimed, banging loudly on the table top. 

There was a lull where all the locals looked like they were going to be sick and they didn't know if they were supposed to clap or what. Kat gave Michael a curious look and he shrugged. Hey,' he said, speaking to his party in their heads, 'we're a people that still celebrate Vlad the Impaler as a national hero. We're a bloodthirsty sort.' He raised his drink in acknowledgment and took a sip.

Rin told the group, 'It's also quite effective fear tactics against a country that has more than 3x their population. They're essentially saying we're all batshit crazy, don't make waves or we might just fly off the handle. Oh, and by the way, all that stuff we just described, it could happen to you. So don't go mistaking us for one of those sensible, civilized countries, we're just itching to bring back the stakes.'

Michael burst out laughing and almost spilled his beer. "Essentially, yes..." he chuckled. "Romanians are also a people that respect strength. We took the name of the Romans, even though most of the territories in Romania hadn't been conquered by them, because they had been the strongest, baddest force around."

"Great advocates of psychological terror, the Dacians, one of the earliest Romanian peoples, used hollow metal wolf heads with flowing dragon tails mounted on pikes. The Draco, as they were called, would be used against invading armies. The Dacians would rush down a hillside towards their enemy and the wind would go through the mouths of the Draco creating a shrill, keening sound that would often cause invaders to run in terror before they even closed the distance," he paused, his eyes narrowed thinking about what it must have felt like. As the party left to return to the ship, Michael synced with Pandora and brought up a display in his line of sight where he made a few notations in the design of one of his projects. ***** Two weeks later, Michael and his girls, Kat's mother, Councilman Matsushita, and a few Japanese dignitaries that had wanted to meet Michael all sat at a long table in Skytree tower in Tokyo enjoying lunch. Stacey and her parents were due to visit tomorrow and she would then be boarding the Intrepid as the main communications officer on the bridge. Michael and the officials were discussing Japan's representative status and the problems they faced. 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 10



There was still a lot of resentment to work through when dealing with those Asian nations under them, but the consensus was that everybody regardless of status was getting food, energy, resources, and protection. The hope that in the near future these countries would soon be independent helped to smooth over issues and get people thinking about how they could benefit the whole.

After the meal, Takeshi reached out to hold Jennifer's hand before he turned to the assembled group and announced that they were getting married. The other diners broke out in applause while Aki, Rin, and Kat squealed and ran to hug their parents. There were jests and congratulations all around. Michael got some ribbing for not marrying anyone yet despite the beauties he hung out with. He smiled politely, not expecting people to understand what it was he and his girls shared.

Then, Jennifer surprised even Takeshi when she burst out with, "...and I'm pregnant. They just confirmed it this morning." Takeshi looked stunned and he shot a quick glance at his daughters to see if they held any resentment. 

He needn't have worried though as the twins were dancing around in circles, hugging each other at the prospect of a baby sister to spoil and dote on. Slowly a smile spread across his face as he allowed himself to feel joy in a part of himself he'd closed off since the death of his first wife. Not prone to showing much outward emotion, he nevertheless jumped up and grabbed hold of his fiancée and spun her around in a circle laughing and crying as he celebrated the happiest day of his life.

Michael and Kat shared a look. After the invasion, when all of their parents had made it clear that they weren't going to stay aboard the Intrepid, Michael had given them all the nanite enhancements, though he had been vague beyond calling them anything other than supplements. The couple wouldn't have gotten pregnant unless both of them had truly wanted a baby. Michael was curious to see how the kid would turn out and made a notation to get with Pandora to do some digging. He would look for the safest options concerning the nanites, not wanting to turn the child into a science experiment.

As the merriment wound down, Takeshi looked like he'd been struck and turned pale as an idea hit him. Rin, ever the smart and observant one, noticed and grabbed her father, dragging him out of the dining room. Once they were alone, she slammed him against the wall, trying to get through to him, and explained what the enhancements did and their increased survivability. 

"There isn't even the slightest chance Jennifer will die during child birth," she continued in a firm tone. "It won't be like mom and you will NOT diminish the happiness you two felt with your fears." Eventually, she was able to get through to him and he calmed down. He had a number of questions about the nanites and was delighted to hear that he could communicate with his daughters whenever he wanted to. ***** Stacey Whitmore trekked up the ramp leading towards the Intrepid the second and last day it was stopped at Tokyo. She stepped through the open hatch into the reception area and saluted the vessel. 'Really need to get with Aki and Rin to come up with a flag for Michael if he's going to insist on being separate from the Council,' she thought.

After checking-in at a desk and updating her shipboard tablet, she walked towards the hatch leading to the interior of the ship. Her heart fluttered as she saw Michael and her friends waiting for her. He had a slight grin on his face, his arms crossed while he leaned against the bulkhead. She willed her face not to heat up and told herself that she had waited long enough.

Throwing her duffel over her shoulder, securing it to her back, she marched up to Michael and gave him her best hurt look, saying flatly, "They assigned me my own cabin." 

Michael chuckled. "Well, I did want to at least give you the option to..." He trailed off as Stacey folded her arms against her chest and fixed him with an impatient glare. He didn't know what he found more attractive about the olive-skinned brunette: the cute, determined expression on her face or the way her arms raised and presented him with two glorious shapely mounds that looked like they would burst from beneath her blouse. 

Michael took a moment to congratulate himself on his choice when they were designing the dress uniforms for the crew. It accentuated a woman's figure perfectly. Though, if he was being honest, he had been convinced it was the right decision when Aurora told him his idea of low-cut shirts and miniskirts were too tacky while Kat's idea of having all the women running around naked... 'would likely decrease the number of female recruits,' she had hedged.

"Ah," Michael finally said, nodding. "Well, it would give me great pleasure to invite you to join me in our-"

"Who said anything about you?" Stacey teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She wrapped her arms around Aki. "Maybe I just wanted to be close to my girlfriends here." As she said 'close,' she gave Aki's boobs a playful squeeze, drawing a giggle from the smaller girl. 

"'Atta girl," Aurora grinned, "Don't make it too easy for him." Kat, draped around Michael, just smiled wolfishly at Stacey and gave her a hungry look. Rin gave Stacey a hug of her own and Dejah was happy to be adding to her new family.

The seven retired to their suite and Stacey got a look at where she would be spending a considerable amount of her time in the coming days. Having never visited Michael's rooms before, she let out a gasp of astonishment when she saw the bath complex. Rin and Aki quickly stripped out of their clothes and splashed into the steaming hot water. Clearly there wasn't a need for swimwear and any skepticism Stacey had about her friends' complete openness with one another went out the window.

Kat stepped behind their new sister and wrapped her arms around her, pulling at the buttons of her dress uniform. She nipped Stacey's ear and then there was a rush for everyone to get naked and join the twins. Stacey stumbled to a halt as she caught a glimpse of the size of Michael's prick and her mouth dropped open. Kat smirked and startled the poor girl by giving her a hard smack on her ass. "Close your mouth or we'll find something to fill it with," she murmured in Stacey's ear, causing the younger girl to blush furiously. 

Michael ran and dove into the pool of water, wrapping his arms around both of the twins' tight buns and hauling them along with him as he came up. Shrieking Aki and Rin beat on his back as he carried them one over each shoulder. He spun around and dunked them repeatedly until Dejah came to their rescue, thrusting her generous bosom into his face, distracting him long enough for the petite Asian nymphs to get away. 

As they relaxed and lounged around they discussed how the new recruits were coming along, what the planet's defense situation looked like, and design ideas for a flag. Michael asked Pandora to give a rundown of any problems that had come up. She told them about numerous underground complexes around the world that were sprouting up with the purpose to construct their own artificial intelligences to close the gap on Michael's organization. 

As Michael had given her permission to use a scorched earth policy regarding such matters, she confirmed that the lab facilities involved were destroyed, any evidence leading to them was removed, any work that came as a result of them was deleted, and the human backers were killed to dissuade others from having similar ideas. Pandora had suggested the policy, showing that when it came down to it, she didn't have humanity's best interest in mind, she had Michael's. 

He agreed to allow it for two reasons. The first was completely selfish in that he didn't want to relinquish the advantages he'd wrought. Michael knew it was a slippery slope, but he simply wasn't comfortable handing the power and control he wielded to somebody else. The 'old guard' nations understood the concept in every respect. They had become and remained world superpowers by developing nuclear weapons and then ensuring that no one else could do the same and threaten their position. With so many new developments occurring, the power had simply shifted to that of gaining knowledge and the ability to process it.

The second reason had to do with his concerns of rogue AIs. There was no way to be sure that the scientists and engineers in charge of the development would be as diligent as he in ensuring the AI's loyalty remained secure. As for why Michael deemed it necessary to kill the people involved, he'd decided long ago that he wasn't going to be a good guy. He'd never given anything like Asimov's 'Laws of Robotics' to Pandora.

There was substantial danger in letting them live so he decided he wasn't going to risk it merely because modern humanitarian beliefs said it was the right thing to do. The people of Earth could call him insane, a tyrant, and a villain, but he would endure the labels and survive the critics. The only opinions he cared about were those of his girls. 

"On another note," Pandora piped up. "We've started building all of our ships of destroyer-class or bigger with superluminal capabilities based off the B'Amuf technology, which, it turns out, they'd actually stolen themselves. With our reactors it is actually around 1/3 more effective."

"What does that mean?" Aki asked, resting against Dejah.

"In other words, our fleet could reach the B'Amuf home worlds in a little under two months," Pandora clarified. "Though, there are some scientists aboard that think the fields we developed for the tractor beams hold the key to wormhole technology. However, I predict that a workable drive is a long ways off."

These impromptu meetings in the bath would soon become a daily tradition for the group. It was refreshing to come to the bath after a long day and unwind; to touch base with others about what they were working on. The fact that they were all naked and massaging each other just made it more enjoyable...

When they'd had enough of the heat and the tension had gone out of their limbs, they retired to the bedroom and a new tension began to mount. Stacey's breath caught as she glimpsed the size of the bed and any questions she had about where everyone slept were suddenly assuaged. Aurora and Kat each grabbed an arm and pulled her to sit on the edge of the bed. Dejah knelt on the covers behind her and pressed her big furry tits against the girl's back.

Stacey moaned at the blissful softness, never having had the occasion to feel Dejah properly. As the trio nipped and massaged the squirming girl, Aki and Rin moved in front of the group and began a sensual dance that weaved their bodies together in sinful patterns that had Stacey rubbing her legs together and putting up a half-hearted struggle, feverishly working to alleviate her frustrations. 

While his beautiful sirens worked to prepare her, Michael prowled around the scene, taking in every angle and trying to burn it into his memory. There was a lull that occurred where Stacey appeared to be powerless to resist the others' advances. As if that was the signal, the twins lunged forward and pushed Stacey backwards atop Dejah. 

Her arms weren't held so much as ignored and she was teased mercilessly. Kat, ever the temptress, made a game out of taking her close to the edge only to strike hard on her cute tush or twist her nipples nastily, bringing her back from the depths of rapture. Stacey felt like she was losing her mind. Dejah's tongue darting against her neck started a fire that turned ablaze as Aurora's scorching lips encompassed her own.

Stacey's body hummed deliriously with need and she tried to reach towards her clit, which Kat was diligently avoiding, but found her arms locked between Rin and Aki's legs while they both leaned down to molest her tits. All the while Kat was between her legs playing her like a harp, strumming her pleasure zones and building her fire higher and higher. Finally, incoherent and crazed, she reached her peak and then... abruptly found herself alone on the bed, the assault ending as quickly as it began.

Michael appeared in front of her, eyes alight with hunger. He leaned forward to claim his prize, hands supporting himself on either side of her. Their lips met and he reached down to line his aching cock with her. She moaned, realizing she was finally going to be filled. Wrapping her legs around him, she bucked her hips wanting to at last satisfy all the urges she'd had since first coming to the Intrepid.

He grinned wolfishly at her as he rubbed the head of his prick up and down her slit, deftly avoiding her attempts to thrust herself upon him. Just as Stacey's head dropped back and she started to give a growl of frustration, Michael plunged into her, turning her growl into a high-pitched squeak before letting out a breathy rasp. "Fuuuck," she croaked as Michael filled her tight pussy. 

Tears of relief shown in her eyes as she felt him reach an impassable barrier. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she stared adoringly up at him. "Finally," she whispered. 

Michael found himself lost in two huge amber orbs. He smiled and ran his hands through her hair, glad to have found this angel. His other girls looked on, knowing this was Stacey's moment and feeling happy for their new companion. Slowly he began rolling his hips and gently rocking their bodies. Stacey gripped him tighter as the rhythm increased, feeling like the floodgates had opened. 

Her nails dug into his back as she yelled for him to go harder, deeper, faster. Michael's powerful thrusts caused her breath to hitch, but still she urged him on. Stacey learned to move her hips with the beat to maximize her pleasure. She felt strong yet submissive, wicked but pure. Her emotions clashed together in a swirling vortex, yet she felt an overwhelming satisfaction for what she was doing and what was to come. 

Somewhere in the fog of ecstasy she was feeling, the fact that she was about to climax permeated her senses. She snarled a sound of animal-like satisfaction, like a she-wolf that had just taken her first kill. Her muscles tensed and her entire frame went taut, fingers digging furrows into Michael's back. Together, they both howled their release and Stacey felt him stretch her insides as he thrust forward and exploded.

She panted breathlessly, arms falling to her sides, her entire body relaxing completely, though her steaming cunt was still quivering with the aftershocks of her orgasm. She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly, resembling a she-wolf that had just 'eaten' her first kill. Then her eyes shot open in horror as she felt Michael start up again. Stacey realized her head was being lifted and pillowed on someone's lap. Looking up she saw Kat gazing down at her wearing a truly evil smile. "You didn't think it was over already, did you?" she heard, just before she was again pulled beneath the haze of mindless, all-consuming ecstasy. * * * * * Michael and Kat stood in front of seven floor-to-ceiling vats inside a hidden room aboard the Intrepid known only to them. Staring through the glass into the center two tanks, he could just barely make out their cloned bodies. "Yeah, that's not freakishly disturbing at all..." he commented dryly. 

Kat just nodded, eyes glued to her own face, half expecting to see the eyes open. "We need to give Stacey the nanites," she reminded him. "Not much use for her 'reserve' body to be here if Pan can't transfer her consciousness." 

"Speaking of which, why did you call us down here, Pan?" Michael asked aloud. 

"Well, the bodies are ready, but we still won't know for sure if the process works until we do a transfer and wake them up," Pandora said. "The quickest way to find out is to download into them a copy of everything your consciousness has uploaded to me. Then we measure brain activity, test mental acuity, and try and see if they would make the same decisions as you."

Michael shifted. "The part I'm uncomfortable with is essentially creating a new person whose purpose is to be destroyed after the test is completed. Is there a way to make it so they aren't aware of what's going on?"

There was a mechanical hum from Pandora. "I'll look into it, master. Most of the tests are easily done while the patient is under, but not all of them, and we really want to be sure about this before we leave our solar system."

"Of course, Pan," Kat told her. "Please keep us informed." Together, they left the isolated compartment and made their way back to their quarters. There, they found Dejah reclining in the leather chair and manipulating a holoprojector with her mind. She was surfing the internet, something she found fascinating when she'd first learned of it.

Going through the door leading into the bath they saw Stacey being doted on by Aki and Rin while she recovered from her ordeal. Her upper half was out of the water and the twins were giving her a massage and giggling about something. Michael figured Aurora was on the bridge. He and Kat stripped and joined the little gathering. He had just wedged himself between a pair of tits, contemplating that this must be what paradise felt like, when Pandora contacted them a few seconds before the alarm sounded. 

"Ships, master," she announced to his unasked question. "A little over 200. Not the B'Amuf. I have control of their vessels. One of the probes I sent out was patrolling near where they came into the solar system and I had plenty of time to worm my way in. I don't know how long I can hold them though. Many of their systems aren't automated and there have been numerous attempts to remove digital access to much of their machinery. I took the liberty of sending one of the AI-controlled fleets that was in production around the Belt to guard them."

"Tell Aurora I gave permission to head towards them. I want everything we have in a cone between us and their fleet formed up on the Intrepid, the defense fleet excluded- they're to take up position around the planet," Michael ordered, getting out of the water to get dressed. The girls rushed to help him. "And I guess we're going to be firing up the Aegis early."

"It will only be able to use 28% of its effective power at this stage," she warned.

Michael shrugged, "Better than nothing."

"Any ideas about who they are?" Kat asked Pandora.

"No, but most of the classes of ships don't show up in the B'Amuf database. Those that do are very old or heavily modified. It almost looks like the fleet was cobbled together from scratch," came the reply. 

"Pirates?" Rin asked. 

"It's possible," Pandora replied. "Though, they did say something about coming in peace when I broadcasted the Council of Terra's default visitor message at them. Oh yes, a few of them speak English as well, master."

Michael just shook his head. If this was some prank he'd blow them up just on principle. "Has the Council been notified yet?" he asked, knowing that with the FTL capabilities of the B'Amuf they'd adopted to their communication systems, Pandora could communicate with her probes faster than it would take the light from the Kuiper Belt to reach Earth.

"They'll be waiting for you when you get to the bridge. Apparently our ships can travel much faster than theirs so we'll be taking the lead on this," she remarked. 

"Naturally," Kat stated. She glanced at Michael, "We may have to board their ships, as a show of strength if nothing else."

Michael buckled on his sword and shrugged. "Look on the bright side, if we don't make it back our new bodies are already spooling up." Then he gave a roguish grin and gathered her in his arms for what might be their last embrace. After they tried to convey everything they felt for each other in a single kiss, they backed away and turned as one: Michael, to lead an army, and Kat, to be his strength and make sure he never faltered.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 11



The troopers stormed into the alien ship's cargo bay, their mechanized armor making them a fearsome sight to behold. Each one was roughly eight hundred pounds of gleaming black ionized metal with a tinted faceplate. At nine feet tall with jagged edges and all of them carrying an assortment of weapons, they were an intimidating gesture towards the group of aliens they were now facing.

Pandora intoned in his head, 'Air is good,' and Michael followed his soldiers through the lock. Kat took position on his right and Marcus was on his left, slightly behind the couple. Entering the hold, Michael's first impression was that it was a lot like the one he'd seen in the 'Firefly' series, albeit quite a bit bigger. Dingy corrugated metal made up the deck, bulkheads, and scaffolding overhead. 

Warily watching the humans enter was a large alien delegation consisting of over a dozen races, about a third of them wearing some kind of loose-fitting spacesuits. They had told Michael -and Pandora had confirmed- that this was their flagship. He thought it looked like a glorified scrapheap, but so long as their bigwigs were here he didn't much care. 

A blue-skinned alien Michael recognized as a being a Felician, the same race as Dejah, stepped out from the center of the group and spoke surprisingly well-enunciated English. "Well met, humans. My name is Revarjah," he spoke in a gravelly voice. "Do you require assistance?"

Michael's eyebrows rose and he gave a light chuckle, "No, but 'you' might if you don't explain what it is you're doing here with what might be construed of as a war fleet." The way he said 'might be' made it clear he wasn't impressed and that the aliens weren't operating from a position of strength.

This caused some muttering among the alien ranks, but Revarjah merely gave an amused snort and explained, "I do apologize for arriving as such unannounced, but we had predicted you to be currently embroiled in a fight with the B'Amuf. We are- were," he spread his arms dramatically and his lips curved into a smile, showing he found it every bit as outrageous as it sounded given the situation, "your rescue party."

Michael couldn't help it. He burst out laughing, the sound echoing around the enclosed space eerily. He found himself liking this alien despite himself. A few of the other aliens shifted nervously at the outburst. Marcus shook his head and muttered something about it being a few months too late. 

After wiping the tears from his eyes, Michael asked in an amused voice, "And your group of suped-up freighters was going to take on over a thousand B'Amuf warships how, exactly? Though, don't get me wrong. I love an underdog as much as the next guy, but it seems like an awful lot of effort you've gone through to cobble this fleet together for so lofty a goal."

"Well," Revarjah said, as if discussing a plan that had sounded much better when they were coming up with it, "ideally the main B'Amuf fleet would have left by now, having knocked out your main military assets and landing an occupation force. We would have only had to fight the paltry force they left behind in orbit before defeating their ground forces and linking up with any of your resistance groups we could locate."

There were nods from the group behind him, as if everything he was saying sounded quite logical. Michael realized they had witnessed a B'Amuf takeover before. "After that," the speaker continued, "we would share our technology with you, establishing good relations." 

There was then an uncomfortable pause before he admitted, "We were hoping to then use your planet and its population and industry as a launching pad against the B'Amuf. You would be the least pacified race out of the conquered planets and in the best position to lead the effort." 

As Revarjah looked around at the armored guards, he was reminded of the warlike nature of the humans he'd witnessed in their television broadcasts. Oh, the Felcians were a warrior-race themselves, proud of their own martial prowess, but in terms of scale, they were nothing when compared to the massive, destructive wars that had rocked Earth. "The last broadcast we received from your planet showed the B'Amuf warships had you surrounded. We'd greatly like to know how you managed to overcome them if it was, in fact, you." 

Actually, the very last images had been a terrifying mass of missiles heading outwards while hundreds of thousands of primitive aircraft had lifted off from the surface. Many in the delegation had wanted to turn around at this. Surely, the B'Amuf would not stand for such opposition. They would treat the humans as a lost cause, wiping them from existence. 

But Revarjah was a scholar in regards to the Terran broadcasts and had been adamant that their resistance would hold true. That if any race could manage to survive a B'Amuf invasion, it would be the humans. Still, to overcome such a technological superiority and actually 'win' was staggering.

Michael smiled, showing his teeth as he'd seen Dejah do and countered with a question of his own, "How is it that you speak our language?" He wasn't about to reveal Pandora's existence. She was their ace in the hole and he didn't have a clue how artificial intelligences were received among the galactic community.

Revarjah mirrored his smile with one of his own and said, "We have been receiving your signals for quite some time. Around 14 of your years ago, not long after being conquered by the B'Amuf, some of us began trying to decipher them. At first there was only static, but as we analyzed more of it and homed in on where it was coming from, we were able to gain a picture. Today, I believe we have almost as clear an image as the television sets in your living rooms. By magnifying the area where the signals come from before the particles are dispersed, we're only a couple of years behind in reception." 

He shrugged and continued, "English was the language most commonly broadcasted, so when programs I believe you show to your children came on teaching your language, it was those which some of us chose to learn." 

Indeed, he'd fallen in love with the range of emotions he'd observed in the broadcasts. He'd filled a hole caused by the death of his family with a willingness to learn about these Terrans. Revarjah was moved by their dramas and war stories, fascinated by their documentaries and science fiction films. 

Michael was impressed with the resilience these aliens showed. Then something clicked. "Conquered," he whispered, then addressed the group in surprise, "You're all part of the 23 subjugated planets in the B'Amuf domain."

The blue-skinned alien appeared taken aback that Michael would have that information, but gave a neutral shrug. "Most of us are. Some are from trade delegations that don't like the B'Amuf any more than we do. Some are freedom fighters. Others have simply been recruited to the cause or don't have anywhere else to go."

"Won't the B'Amuf make life miserable for the people on your home planets if they find you're part of an uprising?" Michael asked curiously.

"It is already miserable!" a stout, grey alien shouted in a nasally voice.

Revarjah held out a hand to calm the one who had just spoken and explained in a pained voice towards Michael, "The B'Amuf will indeed make our citizens suffer if they ever find out our identities. As it is, I think we managed to fake our deaths convincingly and none of these ships can be linked back to our home planets. Still, it would be devastating if you were to tell the B'Amuf about our involvement." He knew the humans now had something to hold over them if they so wished, but they were already in a vulnerable position.

Michael scoffed, "Like I have any love for those whoresons. If they find out, it won't be from us." Revarjah shot him a relieved look at hearing that.

Finally, a hulking, bull-nosed alien with dusky green skin and what looked like a transparent oxygen mask over his face stepped forward abruptly, causing Marcus to raise the barrel of his 'handgun' imperceptibly. He'd been acting agitated the entire time the two were conversing and it seemed he could no longer contain himself. 

"Enough!" the alien shouted in a crackling voice, ignoring those behind him that were trying to pull him back. "Tell me what you've done to our ships." Revarjah made placating gestures with his hands trying to get him to calm down. 

The large brute absently swiped at the hand reaching for his shoulder. "No! He will answer to me or I'll make him answer," he bellowed in barely recognizable English. Dwarfing Michael, he came to rest a few feet away, blocked by two armored troopers. The alien sneered, "I won't be held captive by a mere boy." 

Turning to the delegation, he spoke in an alien language that Pandora was able to recognize from the B'Amuf database. She helpfully translated for the humans present, "He still hasn't told us what happened to the B'Amuf. The only explanation is that they made some kind of deal. The humans are stalling! I bet even now the B'Amuf are on their way."

Michael shrugged and said in the silence that followed, "Well, it is true that they are on the way here." Amidst the stunned expressions there shown the triumphant one of the dusky green creature. He made a discreet gesture which caused Kat to blur into motion.

There was a scream from the ramparts above them as her throwing spike was lodged into the vacuum-suited would-be sniper. She suddenly appeared in front of the one who'd made the gesture, her other arm extended towards his head holding her heavily customized Beretta 92A1, a red dot appearing between the green alien's horrified eyes. 

She titled her head and intoned dryly, "You've just volunteered to be made an example of." The shot rang out, reverberating around the compressed space, startling all the remaining aliens. Brain matter and black blood burst from the gaping hole and the nerveless body collapsed to the deck.

Michael stuck his little finger in his ear and rubbed the itch he had from the sudden pressure the noise caused. "What I was going to say," he continued, as if nothing had happened, "was that the aliens are coming here because we defeated their first invasion force. We predict them to send another one, most likely considerably larger, within the next few months."

The assorted aliens looked shocked as they rubbernecked between Kat's gun and the pile that remained of the dusky green upstart. Then, one of the scaly lizard-like people of Isaac's race stepped forward stuttering, "Yo- You're actually using projectile weapons inside a ship?" By the end of her statement -Michael thought it was a her since she didn't have the prominent ridge of bone he'd seen on Isaac- her voice became quite shrill as a sign of her distress.

"Why not?" Michael asked, with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. "How thick are your hulls?"

The alien turned to Revarjah and he furrowed his brow and said, "Around one of your inches in metal with roughly five inches of insulation." 

"One inch," Michael repeated dully, seeing what the scaly individual was getting at. He sighed as Marcus muttered something about 'fucking deathtraps.' He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. The hulls of the first Apollo craft were only a few millimeters of aluminum thick. 

Still, he'd built the Intrepid to withstand full-on nuclear blasts without shields. His hulls made these ones look truly pitiful -and that was without considering the new isotopes or the regenerative qualities the nanites gave them. If he remembered correctly, as soon as the shields on the B'Amuf ships had been overloaded they were absolutely shredded. Perhaps now he knew why...

He shook his head. "Why don't we move this meeting into a conference room on the Intrepid," Michael suggested, before adding under his breath, "before someone sneezes and it all caves in around us."

"It's all perfectly safe," Revarjah added hastily, not sounding very convinced himself. He stamped down hard on the deck as if to verify this statement and all the troopers in the hold flinched in response. 

Michael nodded assuredly, as if agreeing with a child's logic to simply appease them. Pandora's analysis scrolled across his vision and he saw that their hulls were made of an unidentified metal that was lighter than aluminum, but also less dense. 

"Yes, we are all well aware of their vulnerabilities," the surly, grey alien that had spoken up before said impatiently. "They weren't built to fight battles. They were built to haul freight. Now if you don't mind, I believe you suggested us getting out of this cold lock."

Tilting his head to acknowledge this, Michael opened his mouth to agree and get them moving when the watching aliens saw his eyes lose focus, as if he was sharing some unseen conversation. He turned to the alien that had been outlined in red in his vision and casually told him, "I suggest telling your engineers to stop whatever it is they're trying to do. It won't rid your ship of our control and is actually causing your drive to overheat." 

Addressing the entire cargo bay, he fixed them with a steely gaze and declared, "Know this. We have control of your vessels. If you somehow manage to regain control of them, we still have power over the inner workings of your reactor cores and will immediately order a self-destruct. So just sit on your hands and enjoy the ride." With that, he turned and walked back towards the Intrepid, leaving the alien he'd called out hastily fumbling for his comm. 

As it turned out, only a portion of those aliens present decided to board Michael's strange and domineering vessel. At least, he assured himself it was because of the ship, not wanting to believe they could have been turned off by his sunny and ever so un-prickly demeanor... 

These included: Revarjah, the Felician. The scaly green alien whose name and race were both impossible to pronounce, but she politely told Michael that the other aliens called her Serkiss (apparently humans weren't the only ones who had trouble in that department). And Pillum, the stout, grey-skinned creature of the Malmorian race that Michael had come to admire for his straightforwardness. 

Together, the three represented the 'refugees' as Michael had dubbed them; those that had escaped the subjugated worlds. They were joined by three lanky figures swathed in brightly colored robes that stood for the main body of the merchant consortium in their sector of the galaxy. They were actually looking to open up trade with Earth and had provided most of the ships for this expedition. Michael wished them luck. They would need it.

Next to join the party was the leader of a troupe of mercenaries, of all things, a dark skinned female with long, oily braided hair wrapped around her neck and olive green face tattoos wearing dark armor. She said they could call her Mara and didn't offer her race. Michael wondered if she'd taken the name from their broadcasts. Her English was impeccable so it seemed a possibility. 

Kat was eyeing her with lusty appreciation just as she was eyeing Kat with masked wariness over how fast she'd seen the dark red-haired girl move back in the hold. Coincidentally, the ships Mara led were the only ones that looked like they could have weathered a battle. They also contained the only crews that hadn't panicked when their ships were taken over. The refugees had set aside a portion of the ore and minerals they had collected for the B'Amuf and given it to the merchants who then hired the mercenaries on retainer.

Finally, the last of the aliens to follow them aboard was the leader of the self-proclaimed freedom fighters, a smooth-talking alien with slicked-back orange fur that reminded Michael of a weasel. He acquired an instant dislike for this latest addition even before he began complementing Kat about her looks and how deftly she'd gotten rid of the 'slimebag' in the cargo bay. 

As Michael was contemplating the quickest way to kill him without leaving a mess, Revarjah leaned towards him and gave a snort of amusement, murmuring, "I see you don't approve of Greasy. He's contributed no money or ships to the cause and still thinks he should be in charge. Trust me, you're not alone." 

Michael glanced over with a raised eyebrow. "His name is Greasy?" 

"Well," Revarjah hedged before chuckling, "not to his face."

That got a grin out of him as Aurora and an aide joined them around the conference table. Michael synced with Pandora and ordered them on a course towards Mars with the alien fleet bringing up the rear, each ship escorted by a pair of AI-controlled destroyers. He also ordered her to prep the Council for a video conference. 

'Of course, master,' came the reply. 'Refreshments will be ready momentarily. We know what Revarjah and Serkiss will like from Dejah and Isaac, and I have analyzed the physiologies of the other aliens and have made approximate guesses.' Michael smiled at her foresight. 

His smile grew wider as he heard a shriek of pain and looked up to see Greasy with a slim foldout knife stuck through his hand. Apparently Kat hadn't appreciated his attempt to pet her hair. Michael addressed the troopers that had rushed. "Haul this trash back to- no wait, I don't want him out of my sight. Toss him in the brig," he said in a bored voice, waving his hand dismissively.

Michael found the array of emotions that flitted across the table fascinating as the armored guards dragged away their screaming prisoner. The three trade delegates squeezed together, clearly distraught, but recovered almost instantly after the sounds had died down. Serkiss and Revarjah looked satisfied while Pillum looked as if he found the whole process distasteful. 

Mara was unfazed and continued to watch Kat, but there was newly formed respect in her eyes. Aurora ignored the incident, having gotten used to such things happening in Michael's presence, while her aide shuffled papers nervously. Just then, refreshments arrived.

Revarjah's eyes lit up as he sipped his drink and he asked, "What is this heavenly concoction?" 

Laughing, Michael told him, "Baileys Irish Cream with a hint of caramel. A friend of mine loves the stuff."

Michael turned to Serkiss and inquired, "I'd heard your race doesn't take well to long periods of travel. Are you doing okay in this dry environment or would you like to go someplace to wet your gills?" Serkiss blushed and explained that she was fine. They had recyclable mist machines on her ships. Her words tended to end in cute little hisses that were driving him crazy.

Finally, they settled down as images of the Council of Terra began flickering in. Holographic representations of members began appearing around the vacant seats and Councilman Whitmore, elected to the position of Speaker among the group, began introducing themselves. Revarjah, in turn, introduced their side and Michael began explaining the situation.

He finished saying, "And the best part of it all is we only had to kill one of them," pleased with himself for the restraint he'd shown.

"Two," Kat piped up with a wicked grin. 

Michael's expression dimmed a fraction, "Okay, two causalities."

"And we had to cripple one," Kat reminded him, enjoying this way too much.

Michael grumbled something about irrelevant details. "Nevertheless, they're not hostile, they've agreed to tell us what they know technology-wise, and if you so choose, when this is all over, you'll have trade relations with the biggest conglomerate in the quadrant." He made a sweeping gesture and said, "For now, I was thinking we park their ships on Mars and shuttle them to Lunar base."

"I'm confused," Pillum said. "Why not just go to Earth?"

The Council looked uncomfortable and Michael spoke bluntly, "Look. If you had shown up when the B'Amuf did, you'd probably have been regarded as our saviors. Now..." he trailed off before shrugging and continuing, "it would not be conducive to your health to walk the streets at this time."




The Fate of Terra Ch. 11



Pillum nodded, satisfied with the answer and not showing any outward distress at being hated by a people he didn't even know. By contrast, Revarjah looked troubled that many of the people he'd come to love from afar now held him in contempt.

"We'll of course be able to arrange guided tours for you," Councilman Whitmore clarified, ever the peacemaker, and a better compromiser than Henry Clay. "We just can't unload you all at once, you understand..."

The aliens nodded, looking somewhat appeased. There were some more questions traded on both sides, but overall, the Council was satisfied with the way in which Michael had handled the situation. He hadn't promised the outsiders anything, nor had he portrayed Earth as a helpless entity that'd only had their technology for mere months and needed all the help they could get. Michael was a little depressed at how far diplomatic relations had fallen when he realized they'd actually expected him to kill some people to send a message.

At one point, the Council let slip that they had captured some of the B'Amuf ships and crews. The aliens looked startled at this news and Pillum said it was a shame they couldn't communicate with them or read their logs. If they could determine who led the attack, they'd know who was coming next.

Michael smiled and said, "There are a few people I think you'll be interested in meeting." He then rattled off the name Pandora provided for him of the B'Amuf leader he'd talked to. The color seemed to drain out of all the alien faces in the room, save Mara's. 

One of the merchants stood and explained, "According to our intelligence network, he's first in line for the throne. The," he paused, grasping for an appropriate word in English, "king, will no doubt come himself to resolve this issue or he'll lose face with his followers. This is not good," the alien lamented shaking his head morosely. 

"He'll have the biggest force with him," Serkiss clarified. "Far larger than a lesser lord would."

Shrugging, Michael thought out loud, "I would have thought that was the best-case scenario. It means when we defeat him their realm will be thrown into turmoil as his followers make a grab for power. We should have a big enough window to travel to their home worlds without worrying about them sending any other fleets towards us."

The aliens were stunned. Not only were these humans supremely confident that they would beat the B'Amuf. They were already preparing a counterattack, gambling that they would be left with enough ships to pull it off. The Council's expressions remained emotionless, silently throwing their support behind Michael's reasoning. Revarjah shivered. 'Truly a warlike race, indeed,' he thought.

They were just entering orbit around Mars when they'd concluded the meeting. Two carriers belonging to the Council of Terra's navy were waiting to take on passengers to transport to Lunar base. Michael hadn't constructed any ships of destroyer-class or larger, aside from the Intrepid, that were habitable. It was just vastly inefficient if they were going to be purely AI-controlled anyway.

The Council signed off and the delegates shuttled back to their respective ships to organize their crews. Michael asked Revarjah and Serkiss to remain behind as he had some people they might like to meet. Walking down to the recreation area with the large pond, he contacted Dejah to meet them there, saying they had a visitor that might capture her interest.

Serkiss let out an astonished gasp as she caught her first glimpse of the vast body of water. Overwhelmed, she was completely unprepared for Isaac to suddenly materialize out of the ripples before her. Michael was startled when the two began what sounded like growling at each other. He soon realized it was some form of greeting as Serkiss bowed low, exposing her neck to Isaac. 

She then blushed and looked incredibly flustered when Isaac mirrored the gesture back at her. Apparently he'd just scored some major points for doing something that wasn't required of him. 'Way to go, Isaac,' Michael thought. The two immediately began babbling away in their own language and walking down the beach.

Revarjah turned around as he heard steps approaching them and froze in confusion. He certainly hadn't expected to see another of his race here. Michael turned to see what had ruffled the other's fur and his eyes narrowed as he saw Dejah. There were tears in her eyes and she had a pained expression on her face. 

Michael had nearly reached for his sword then and there to slay Revarjah for making one of his loved ones feel that way, when she surged forward and threw her arms around the larger Felician crying, "Rejah!" 

Revarjah was stricken with disbelief. Then, as the realization that his daughter lived filtered through his stunned mind, he felt a deep, heart-wrenching pain in his chest. His legs collapsed, bringing the pair to rest on the sand. All the shame and sadness he'd felt when the B'Amuf had taken her came roaring back. The fur under his eyes became damp as he relived the night his mate had died.

He hadn't been home when they'd come as he'd been organizing an underground network of resistance fighters. "N-no," he croaked. "They told me you were dead." For weeks afterward he'd killed and killed, trying to make the B'Amuf pay. But as the reprisals ended up costing many more Felician lives than they took, he'd had no choice but to stop. 

He hadn't completely believed the B'Amuf. Why kill a hostage? They had said it was because their world had resisted, but still he bribed anyone he could manage to contact on the outside for information. He'd spent months searching for some way off planet, even though it made him feel as if he was abandoning his people. But as the months had turned to years, he began to lose hope. 

Oh, the doubt never really went away, but there's only so much helplessness a person can feel before they start to shy away from the subject. Revarjah buried his face in Dejah's mane, racked with sobs, rocking them both and asking over and over, "Please forgive me. My darling Dejah, please forgive me." It registered somewhere in the back of his mind that he could smell Michael on her, but that thought was lost in the storm of emotions he was feeling.

Dejah was sobbing incoherently, but unlike her father, she was starting to feel joy and happiness that they were able to reunite. Michael and Kat glanced at each other and walked past the kneeling pair to give them some space. He gave her shoulder a quick squeeze as he went by and felt Dejah's hand latch onto his for a moment, drawing strength. 

As the couple walked down the hallway, Kat hugged his arm and whispered, "Make those bastards pay." * * * * * The Intrepid docked at Lunar base to take on supplies. Michael and Kat left the ship and visited the memorial that had been constructed to honor those that had fallen in the invasion. It was an incredible feat of engineering. 

A large glass bubble surrounded an enormous night-themed garden, with brooks and streams running every which way that could be crossed by small, decorative wooden bridges. In the exact center of the complex was a massive obsidian obelisk with the names of those who had died engraved on it. 

Around the obelisk were holographic devices that could pull up a name and the viewer could read a short obituary written by their family. Many were left blank when there hadn't been any surviving family members. Michael was surprised to see the amount of aliens that had come to pay their respects and the emotion he witnessed in their faces.

Sighing, and trying to will away the melancholy mood that had settled over them, the couple went to a diner and looked out towards Earth. Spying a slight smile on Michael's lips, Kat bumped his shoulder and asked, "What's up?"

"Feeling reckless," he chuckled, an idea forming in his mind. "Like we should lose the tails and go do something."

Kat's eyes sparkled with mischief. "You gonna take me out on the town?" she said, giving him an impish grin.

"Well," Michael explained, "the Intrepid isn't due in Shanghai for another couple of days. I was thinking about little vacation." 

Kat perked up at that. "Where too?" she asked excitedly.

"Anywhere you want," came the reply.

"Just us?" she questioned.

"Just us," he confirmed. * * * * * The two were in the cockpit of their fighter, waiting for the area to clear and the bay doors to open. It was specifically designed for the two of them. Michael had found that while he could keep up with most pilots thanks to the enhanced reflexes, Kat was a goddess in flight. She also flat out refused to be separated from him in the middle of a battle. So they had compromised --that is to say, Kat got her way. 

The fighter contained an enhanced communications suite that allowed Michael to see the entirety of the battlefield and by being where the fighters were, there wouldn't be any delay in the commands given as there would if he remained on the bridge. 

Each human pilot also commanded ten AI-controlled drones they could use to assist them whether to fire on a target, patrol an area, or whatever the case may be. Pilots thus had to not only be aware of their own craft, but of their robotic support as well. 

As they took off towards Earth, Kat relaxed as Pandora took over the flying. Leaning her chair all the way back she turned around. They didn't have a whole lot of room, but enough for her purposes. She knelt in front of Michael's seated form and reached up to grasp the zipper of her one-piece flight suit. Slowly, she dragged it down towards her waist, revealing that she wasn't wearing anything underneath.

Michael shifted in his seat, finding the sinfully tight material that just barely managed to cover her nipples incredibly arousing. Kat tugged at her sleeves behind her back, thrusting her chest out towards him, revealing those treasures she had hidden. Michael reached out and squeezed her tits, drawing a delicious moan, and took a salty nipple in his mouth, giving it a tender nibble.

Her panting soon fogged the windows while her hands worked feverishly to free Michael's constricted cock. At last, it bobbed free and Kat dived down to swallow it whole. Her throat muscles contracted, teasing his tip like a musical instrument, and she the virtuoso. She drove him to the edge and then withdrew, only to repeat her performance again and again. 

Finally, a frustrated Michael fulfilled her desire, grasping her head and holding it down until she gagged on his cum. He pulled back from her windpipe and she eagerly swallowed the viscous mass. He leaned back and caught his breath as she caught hers. 

When he'd felt they'd recovered enough, he lunged forward -which wasn't much of a lunge considering the tight space- and grasped her by the throat, slamming her back into the display behind her. With his other hand, he ripped off her suit and dived towards her dripping cunt, his mouth-watering in anticipation. 

Michael threw her legs over his shoulders. His tongue plunged into her sweet pussy, searching out her alluring nectar. Her shoulders slammed backwards and she thrust her hips forward, wanting to feel more of his tongue that was so adept at touching all the right spots. As she felt herself growing close, she began to shudder and she wrapped her legs around her lover's head, biting her thumb. 

Finally, she gasped her release, thrusting her hands down and entwining her fingers in Michael's hair. She selfishly pulled his brown locks and clamped her legs together, losing herself in the overpowering sensations.

The two came down together, wrapped in each other's arms. Michael rested his head among his two favorite pillows and let out a contented sigh. Pandora's voice floated in, letting them know they were on their final approach and needed a location. Michael looked at Kat questioningly. Kat smirked, "Let's go some place with a red-light district." 

Michael stared out the canopy. "Off the top of my head," he murmured dreamily, "my favorites would have to be Amsterdam, Sidney, and Bangkok."

Kat smiled. "If we're going to be there awhile, let's do Sydney. I didn't get to swim with the dolphins the last time I was there. We'll call the twins tomorrow and they can come join us." The fighter, which was invisible to radar and its black coating helped to hide it from visual detection among the night sky, slowly began its descent, taking the 'scenic route' so as not to rush its passengers.

Michael laughed and dragged the love of his life into his lap. He lifted her hips and she gripped his prick, positioning it against her wet snatch. Just as she started her descent, the fighter dipped down suddenly and Kat had a sense of vertigo before she was slammed down hard onto his prick, impaling her like never before.

Her eyes almost crossed as she opened her mouth, but no words came out. Michael tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a moan. Kat finally managed to form words and she wheezed, "Pan, you bitch! That was-"

"Fucking awesome!" Michael finished for her, hugging her body to him. They heard a musical, disembodied laugh though the speakers.

Michael began thrusting upwards, bouncing Kat up and down on his prick. The craft began jerking up, then down, embellishing their movements and causing Kat to come rushing down just as Michael drove up into her. Her hands gripped the armrests, careful not to fly off her mark, while Michael grabbed hold of her flopping tits and they both settled in for a wild ride.

"Fuck. Shit! Oh god..." Kat moaned deliriously, not knowing whether they were going up or down, only that it felt amazing. For his part, Michael felt like he was riding a rollercoaster, his cock plunging into heaven at every dip and turn. Pandora actually knew just when their climaxes were going to hit and just as Kat fell once more atop his cock, she blasted the fighter forward, the g-forces pushing them into Michael's seat. 

They both yelled out their release and then... it was suddenly over as quickly as it had begun. The craft was flying serenely over Sidney Harbor, the Opera House standing proudly on their left. They collapsed breathlessly, Kat leaning against Michael's chest, the back of her head resting on his left shoulder, his arms wrapped around her waist. 

"We," she panted, "have to do that again..."

He leaned into her, rubbing her cheek with his, and murmured his agreement. * * * * * After checking into the first expensive hotel Pandora had found with an available penthouse, they went out to explore the nightlife in The Cross. Having made use of the hotel's boutique, Kat was now clad in a black cocktail dress and heels, with an emerald green choker. Michael tended not to like designer clothes, but had picked out a dark silk outfit that wouldn't be too oppressive in this heat. 

Walking down the street, Michael found it oddly liberating to be 'free.' It might have been irresponsible to just take off into the wind like that, but it wasn't as if Pandora couldn't contact them if something came up. Realistically, they hadn't had to 'lose their tails' as Michael had suggested. He trusted Marcus enough to just let him know they'd be gone. The veteran hadn't been happy about it, but he knew enough to pick his battles.

Kat stopped and stared at a Thai house, mouth watering. Michael gave an amused snort and shook his head saying, "Should've gone to Bangkok."

After dinner, they went to a famed nightclub they'd heard about the last time they were here, but hadn't made the time to visit. Loud mindless noise and stray hands trying to grope Kat wasn't usually his idea of a good time, but he felt he needed a change of pace. And God-damn-it-all if his girl didn't deserve a chance to get out and swing those hips every once and awhile.

There wasn't a line and a bouncer like in those cheesy movies. There were two heavy glass doors and a small reception area. Kat got in for free and Michael paid a small cover charge and agreed to a two drink minimum. Going through another set of double doors, they went down a hallway and were instantly assailed by a thumping, throbbing beat and strobe lighting. 

Looking up, they could see nude dancers inside cages hanging from the ceiling. Darkened booths lined the walls and the dance floor was right in front of them, curving around the bar area that had a DJ above it. In their college days, this would be the time when Michael went and ordered increasingly complex drinks and Kat trawled the dance area looking for open-minded, bi-curious twenty-somethings to take home with them.

Tonight, Michael stayed with Kat and just tried to keep up. All and all, they both had fun. It lasted until some particularly determined drunk tried to cut in between the couple. Michael used a knockout dart, which in hindsight, probably could have been planned better. Seeing a lively body suddenly drop on the dance floor tends to freak people out. The owners called the EMTs, which kind of killed the mood, but Michael was ready to leave by then anyway.

Kat was leaning against his shoulder giggling and semi-drunk as they both trudged towards their hotel, all the taxis having disappeared in the wee hours of the morning. The nanites could counteract the effects of alcohol, but they'd both wanted a nice buzz for the road. As they passed an alleyway, they suddenly heard a piercing scream and the shattering of a bottle.

Both Michael and Kat pivoted towards the sound smoothly, the nanites already working to purge their systems. Dashing past piles of refuse, they turned a corner and saw a greasy, obviously drunk, middle-aged man shuffling towards a girl that looked to be about twelve cowering in a doorway. A dim light swinging from a cord overhead illuminated the scene in gritty, eerie detail.

He hadn't noticed their arrival and spoke to the girl in a slurred Russian accent. "Your mother... I don't give a FUCK what she wanted for you. She's not here anymooore. Now, yo- you have to work." He giggled maniacally. "You're going to spread your legs like a good little bitch." As he said 'spread' he put his hands together like he was making an angelfish and open and closed them lewdly. 

"And the first one you're going to spread for," he continued as he approached her menacingly, "is ME!" As he said 'me' he lunged forwards... and came up screaming with Kat's throwing spike stuck through his palm. Michael didn't bother with his darts. He simply walked towards the girl, leaving Kat to her fun.

Kat smiled viciously as she advanced on her prey. Had he been sober enough to actually see her expression, he'd probably have shit himself. A pair of knives appeared in her hands. Michael was constantly impressed with the arsenal of weapons she always managed to conceal under the slutty outfits she wore.

She slowly, methodically began the work of making hundreds, thousands of tiny cuts. The trick was to cause pain without having the victim pass out from blood loss. Michael ignored the screams and kneeled down to examine the girl. She'd passed out from shock or fear, though by the look of her, hunger could have been another viable option.

Taking out his tablet, which had replaced phone, PC, and every other device he'd ever need, he began scanning the girl for injuries. It was about the size of a Wii remote and sprouted a holographic display representing her body. 

Michael saw red areas being highlighted that indicated bruising on her face, side, and inside of her right thigh. She had two cracked ribs and a dislocated shoulder. There were some burst blood vessels. She was suffering from dehydration and malnutrition. 

"Kat," Michael said softly, "hold her." Kat emerged by his side in an instant and did as he asked. He took the girl's dislocated arm and pulled it away and up, holding it firmly and allowing it to reenter the socket. He was thankful she had been unconscious for that. 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 11



Kat glimpsed the diagnosis and a cold, vindictive calm settled over her. She turned back towards the man, determined to make what he'd just experienced a walk in the park in comparison to what he'd now feel. 

Taking out his wallet, Michael withdrew a thin, narrow capsule. Removing the metal covering, he uncapped the needle and stabbed it into the girl's arm. He'd signed a patent for Quickheal under Matsushita Industries, a short burst of nanites that would flood the patient's systems and fix a wide assortment of problems. It was a basic requirement for all of his soldiers to carry the capsules, and he'd heard that the Council's military was doing the same. Having a minor, non-addictive painkiller that didn't fog the senses as a side effect didn't hurt.

It was a two part injection, because normally after working at an abnormally high rate, the body would be in desperate need of nutrients. So instead of having medics carry around IV bags, this shot also helped them stay healthy chemically while bolstering their immune system to fight infection.

He reached down and threw the unconscious girl over his shoulder. "Finish up, love," he murmured, heading out of the alley. He heard a scream cut off sharply, and then a choked gurgle. Kat appeared at his side, using a piece of cloth to clean her knives. Michael glanced over at her and nodded approvingly when he couldn't spot anything that looked like blood, "it's a good thing we went with black for your dress." * * * * * In the hotel room, he set the unconscious girl on the bed. He and Kat glanced at each other before she wordlessly carried the girl into the bathroom and started her a bath. Michael called down for room service and paid a premium for them to fire up the stoves and deliver the biggest, cheesiest pizza they could manage, along with a juicy tenderloin and a few pitchers of iced lemonade and orange juice.

Michael thought he heard whimpering coming through the bathroom door and shook his head. That girl would not have an easy life if she let her fears conquer her. He sighed and synced with Pandora to send Rin and Aki a message, telling them to pack their bags. Dejah would be busy catching up with her father and Aurora and Stacey would be running drills in space. Still, the bubbly presence of the twins should at least be a welcome change for this girl. 

By the time the girls came out, Michael was watching TV on the bed, a series of covered trays sat on the cart beside him. He studied the now-clean girl as she hesitantly crept closer, shrouded in a fluffy bathrobe. Blonde hair, gray eyes, and a face an angel would kill for. She'd be quite the heartbreaker when she grew up... Her bruises were fading rapidly and although she still moved a bit stiffly, she at least 'looked' well on the way to recovery. At least physically.

Michael patted the edge of the bed and got up to wheel the cart in front of her, whisking off the metal covers as he did so. The girl's eyes went wide and she looked around as if trying to find the army this meal was supposed to feed. His eyes saddened at that, but he quickly recovered and urged her to eat, going back to watching TV so as not to make it seem like he was hovering.

Kat curled up beside Michael. At first, the girl looked uncomfortable, but seeing that she was being ignored, couldn't really find a good reason why she shouldn't dig in. And dig in she did, with gusto that would've impressed Scooby-doo. Michael thought he could probably enter her in a few competitions.

Nevertheless, she eventually conquered both plates and then sat there in awkward silence. Kat sat up and leaned against her. Embracing her, she asked softly, "What's your name, sweetheart?" 

The girl froze when she felt Kat's touch, but then relaxed and leaned back into her. If Michael had to guess, that was the first time she'd been comforted since her mother. "Tanya," she rasped. 

"What a pretty name," Kat enthused, stroking the young girl's hair. "What happened to your mother, Tanya?"

Tanya shuddered and her head bowed, tears streaming down her face. But she didn't make a sound. After a minute she spoke, her voice strong, "She died. Cancer. I don't remember what kind, it had a long name."

Kat nodded and hugged the girl tighter. Then she whispered, "I'm sorry I took your father from you, even though I'm not sorry to have killed him."

The girl jerked as if she'd been struck. She stared at Kat in confusion. Kat narrowed her eyes and ventured, "The man in the alley?"

Realization shown in Tanya's eyes and her expression calmed. "My uncle. He was a fucking leech, spending all of mama's money so she couldn't afford treatments. I'm glad he's dead. My papa died a long time ago in a construction accident."

"Do you have anyone else?" Kat asked, still stroking the girl's hair.

The girl shook her head, looking depressed. Then she looked up as Kat hugged her tightly and murmured in her ear, "You do now." * * * * * There was a shriek as Michael tossed Rin into the ocean to join Kat, Aki, and Tanya, who were all splashing around happily, wriggling into their snorkeling gear. Tanya had spent the night sleeping with Kat while he took the couch. He wouldn't have fooled around with anyone that young anyway, but he thought she might have some trust issues after her uncle.

In the morning, Aki and Rin knocked on their door enthusiastically at the chance to go swim with the dolphins. They were surprised when they saw the eleven year old girl, but promptly took her into their care, treating her like a baby sister. As Michael watched Tanya being hugged and doted on in the water, he thought about what he was going to do. 

There were plenty of kids on the Intrepid. If he wanted to, he could find a family to take her in. Looking at her now though, he knew the kid would never want for attention if she was surrounded by his girls. He sighed and tossed his fins and mask overboard. It would be her decision in the end. Popping in the rebreather device he'd licensed to Takeshi, he dived into the water to put on his own gear.

They all had a wonderful time and saw a ton fish, and yes, dolphins. They ate cold cuts on the boat and when they got back ashore they went out for smoothies. Michael got Tanya's attention and she turned her silvery eyes on him. He was impressed with how serious she could look at such a young age. He cleared his throat and then asked, "Do you have anything tying you down here, or are you free to just up and leave?"

Her eyes narrowed as she considered the question as well as the implications. Finally, she shook her head, her golden tresses dancing in front of her face. "I don't own much," she whispered, grasping a locket beneath her shirt Michael would bet money contained a picture of her late mother. "'He' didn't let me go to school after mama died." There was no question about who 'he' was.

Michael ignored the huge puppy dog eyes he was getting from the twins and asked, "Would you like to come live on a spaceship?"

Tanya's face was a mask as she stared directly at him and asked, "Why?"

Michael paused, thinking. He couldn't say it was out of pity, that it broke his heart to see her helpless and wanting. He couldn't say something creepy, like she was cute as an angel and who wouldn't want an adorable kid like her. Finally, he shrugged dismissively and looked away, saying in a bored voice, "I'm rich and it wouldn't trouble me any. My girls seem to like you and think you could be a welcome addition to the family." 

Then he turned and met Tanya's gaze. "I also think you have potential. I think, given the means, you would have plunged the knife into your uncle yourself." Michael's expression bore into her, causing a shiver to run down her spine. He whispered, "If you come with me, you will never feel powerless and vulnerable again."

Tanya felt her eyes grow wet and she shook her head furiously to clear them. She took a deep breath and looked up into Michael's steely gaze, willing herself to believe him. There was a long pause before she bowed her head in acquiescence. The motion carried an uncanny resemblance to that of a knight pledging allegiance to his lord. Kat smiled, knowing Tanya was doing so much more than that. * * * * * It was five weeks before the earliest prediction of the B'Amuf attack was to take place. Tanya was at the edge of exhaustion, but she pushed through it, trying to get a hit on Marcus. She'd been sparring with a handful of people every day between her studies since she'd come aboard the Intrepid. This time the man who'd been preparing Michael's army himself came out to take part in her training.

She was proving to be an incredibly fast talent who only had to learn something once to get the lesson. It was about her twentieth try, but still she was determined. Michael spotted a difference in her stance this time and as she lunged forwards, as she had done so countless times before, she flipped the metal rod that represented her "knife." 

As Marcus countered, he saw the change and shifted his stance. Just as he moved his leg, Tanya flipped her knife again and slid underneath the counter to stab him in the shin. It wasn't a fatal blow and left her wide open, but her triumphant smile couldn't have been wider. The crowd of onlookers erupted into applause and Michael heard a pleasing, feminine laugh to his right. 

Looking over, he spotted Mara observing the scene with relish. She'd asked to come aboard the Intrepid since her immediate services were no longer required. She was fascinated by the deviousness many of the human weapons showed and was determined to learn all she could about how they worked. 

"She's precious, isn't she?" Mara asked, glancing over at him with a smile. "She's just at the age where one of my people would have started their training. Someone of her talent would have been highly regarded."

Michael grinned, feeling pride for what Tanya had accomplished. He regarded the dark-skinned woman appreciatively, having already fallen in love with her smoky voice and lithe form. The corner of her mouth quirked up and Mara returned his scrutiny. After a time, she asked, "Care to join me on the mat? I haven't had a workout since I got here."

He threw his head back and laughed, "I'd be delighted to be your punching bag." 

Mara smirked, "Well, at least you know your place."

Michael grinned in response and told Pandora to lower the effect of the nanites in his system. It wouldn't lessen his muscle mass or anything, but it would keep him from performing inhuman bursts of speed and strength, as well as diminishing his endurance. He didn't like sparring against non-enhanced people for just that reason. He felt that if he was really practicing for combat he should go all out.

They walked out into the open space in the hangar bay, people clearing out of their way. Michael stripped off his uniform top and boots, while she pressed an area on her armored flak jacket and it clunked to the deck, revealing the same black regulation tank top his soldiers were allocated. She stepped out of her magnetic boots that looked like they also had tiny booster rockets attached to them, and stepped four paces away from Michael.

They both bowed their heads as one, neither taking their eyes off the other. They began circling each other, Mara taking up an unknown stance that caused her entire body to twist and turn when she moved. They closed and Michael kicked low to take out her legs. She jumped clear over him, her armored knee sailing towards his face.

Instead of trying to block the attack, he grabbed hold of her leg and used her momentum to roll himself backwards, maneuvering her body over his head to hit the mat hard. Before he could capitalize on this however, she had seemingly effortlessly twisted herself up to her feet and sent a kick streaking towards his kneeling form which he barely managed to block, getting to his feet unsteadily. 

For the next few minutes the pair danced around each other. She didn't let him use his taller frame to his advantage, continually spinning into him to use her elbows, her braided hair whipping out to distract him. Michael would drive his knee up, forcing her back where he'd get one good kick in before she was back inside his defense. As Michael sent a palm strike barreling towards her solar plexus, she twisted her body out of the way and latched both her hands around his wrist and arm, searching out pressure points.

His eyes blazed and he tugged his arm back, coiling his legs. As she found what she was looking for, she allowed herself to be pulled slightly off balance, then got blasted across the mat as Michael gave up all pretense of form and hockey-checked her, driving his shoulder into her unprotected side. 

She somehow managed to roll to her feet, but was left wide open for Michael's heel to drive into her sternum, knocking her flat, gasping for air. His arm hung limp and nerveless at his side and he gave a snort of annoyance. The nanites flooded back into his system and Mara watched in amazement as his bruises faded and he flexed his arm.

Tossing her a metal capsule, Michael reached down and hauled her to her feet saying in an amused voice, "Best two out of three?" * * * * * Following his workout, he and Kat had lunch with Dejah and her father. The rest of his girls were getting a tan at the artificial beach that had been invaded by dozens of lizard-like aliens. Revarjah had mixed feelings towards Michael, having confirmed that he was his daughter's lover. The older Felician's protective instincts were firing full force and warring with his knowledge that the young man 'had' saved her in the first place, something he'd never managed to accomplish.

On one hand, Dejah seemed happy --glowing, in fact. He also didn't think he had much right to decide her life when he'd been absent for so long. On the other, the rumors about Michael around the ship stated that he had many girls. What kind of mate could he be when he wouldn't even commit to his daughter fully?

There was much Revarjah didn't understand about these humans, but Michael seemed to be an anomaly even amongst his own race. Finally deciding that he really didn't get a say in how Dejah lived her life, he resigned himself to waiting to see how it turned out. And if that boy hurt her...

After lunch, Michael went to his office and took a series of visitors in order to discuss issues in the running of the ship and future plans regarding the Intrepid. The long term nature of the commitments these decisions would affect made him a more appropriate choice than Aurora. One of the main concerns Michael had for the ship was its longevity in space. 

Theoretically, they could survive unassisted indefinitely with nothing but algae, water, and power. In reality, they'd run out of protein supplements in six months, bathroom amenities in three. The amount of specialized components they could create aboard the ship was only about 80% complete, the rest of which (filter cartridges for air and water included) they had to get from docking at a station. 

Trying to trace the supply of leather they'd need for the interiors of fighter cockpits and combat boots to the number of cows they could afford to clone at once and so on was becoming a nightmare. Pandora was a godsend in organizing everything and Michael was heaping more and more responsibility onto her shoulders.

During the past few months, Michael had directed all the science and engineering divisions not working on military projects to developing products that could be grown or assembled on the ship. He was well aware that should certain luxury items like alcohol, chemicals to churn out good food, and entertainment devices suddenly become scarce, morale would plummet.

One surprise he'd found was that Serkiss and Isaac's race were apparently renowned for their ability in technology. They had been a tremendous help getting the shield systems working on the Intrepid and were finding new ways to be of use every day. Many had already been recruited to the crew, having been attracted to the giant pond. 

Finally, the last visitor had left. Kat was throwing spikes at a target in the corner of the room. Michael was leaning back in his chair, feet up on the desk and synced with Pandora. She was telling him about an ex-USAF pilot, now part of the TDF (Terran Defense Force), who had caught her attention and strongly recommended him for a position among his fighters. 

There wasn't much time to prepare and many traditional pilots found the extra dimension of controlling the drones to be impossible, but his AI was adamant. Just as Michael gave his assent, his girls burst into the office wearing skimpy swimsuits that didn't leave much to the imagination. Tanya went over to Kat and began practicing her throwing.

The twins jumped up on the desk and whipped away their tops to show him their, uh... tan lines. Michael chuckled at their exuberance and allowed Stacey to drag him away to the bath. He was pushed down on top of an air mattress that had become a new addition to the area. Rin, Aki, Stacey, and Aurora doused themselves in massage oil and piled atop Michael, rubbing themselves against each other.

Michael felt the twins sliding up and down his legs, pushing their tits together and rubbing their silky mounds against him teasingly. Stacey began rubbing her lathered boobs over his chest and moaned when his hand reached between her legs.

"Holy fu-" Michael attempted to say before being cut off by Aurora straddling his face as she found a better use for his mouth. The smooth, wriggling bodies were driving him to new heights of pleasure. So lost was he in blissful ecstasy that he didn't even notice them changing positions.

Looking up, he saw Rin sitting on his chest and sliding forwards and backwards. Smiling, he gripped her hips and brought her pussy closer to his mouth. "The tan lines really do look incredible," he whispered just before he dove into her squelching cunt. After she had shuddered out her orgasms and slumped to the floor above his head, he turned and delivered a sharp slap to Aki's backside, drawing a squeak. "And the best part is I still get to see my handprint." He continued to caress her soft tush, squeezing one cheek harshly, then the other.

Glancing over to see where his other girls had gone, he saw that Dejah had returned. Seeing she held his attention, she dropped to her hands and knees and prowled towards him with all the grace of a stealthy, deadly panther. Climbing onto his chest she lowered her head and stole his breath away in a heated kiss, her elongated canines nipping his lower lip.

Wrapping his arms around his azure-colored beauty, he looked into her sapphire eyes and raised an eyebrow, "Still love me?"

She laughed delightfully and smothered his face with her lightly-furred mounds. "Maybe," she teased. "I think I might like Tanya more." Her eyes twinkled and Michael grinned, biting down on a nipple in retribution.

Aki laughed and hugged Dejah around the waste. "That's just because she gets to use you as a pillow at night," the Asian girl said with a mock hurt look. "She's monopolizing the softest thing this side of the galaxy." 

A rumble of laughter came from Michael, still buried beneath two wondrous orbs. He'd given Tanya her own apartment, Stacey's old one in fact, closest to the lift that would take her up to Michael's suites. Even a couple doors away was apparently too far for his girls and they'd been sneaking into her room at night to keep her company. 

If she wanted to join them in their activities when she got older then she could make that decision then, but Michael didn't want to influence her one way or another and so felt the need to distance himself from her in certain areas.

Finally, Michael grasped Dejah by her luscious ass and raised her up. Aki promptly positioned his cock to enter the Felician and they all heard a satisfied hiss as she sunk down along his length. Two quick thrusts had her adjusted properly and he held onto her waist as he started a harrowing rhythm that had her huffing and puffing. 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 11



Dejah squealed as Aki's middle finger found her tiny, dark blue flower. She curved her finger upwards, ignoring the alien's pleas to stop and her attempts to pull away from Michael to end the overwhelming sensations the intrusion caused. As she gasped out her release, her eyes widened as she realized the couple wasn't stopping and she moaned at the overstimulation.

Aurora and Stacey came over and grasped the struggling girl's arms just in time as Dejah's claws shot out involuntarily and she screamed wildly. Rin finally woke up and smiled at the scene. "What'd I miss?" she asked softly, propping her head up on her hands as she watched the erotic tableau. 

Aki grinned and twisted her fingers deeper in Dejah's ass, controlling the girl like a puppet. Dejah cried out again as she ground her face into Michael's shoulder, her insides feeling stretched. She flexed and twisted as her adopted family took her to her limits and beyond. Michael finally felt himself get close and he plunged into her faster and deeper. Dejah felt her nipples being taken by unknown hands and pulled. 

Her eyes shut and she whimpered in dread as she felt another grasp for her clit. As she was slammed down onto Michael's prick for the final time, her nipples and clit were twisted violently and her entire body shuddered in response. The shaking didn't stop for a full minute and Michael was absolutely drenched in cum.

"Gods," she rasped, completely spent and draped over Michael's body. "Tanya's going to have to wait seven whole years to experience that? You guys are evil..."

Michael chuckled, "I'm sure she'll probably rape some poor cabin boy long before then."

Rin and Aki glanced at each other and shook their heads. "You have no idea the devotion she has for you," Rin murmured. "You are her savior. She's as committed to you as any of us." 

Michael's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Well then," he told them thoughtfully. "Perhaps we'll give her the enhancements early."

As life on the Intrepid continued, far out in space, a great distance from their solar system, a probe buried in the center of an asteroid pinged to life and began recording the deadly mass of ships that flew by. It took hours for wave after wave of vessels encased in superluminal fields to traverse the space it was monitoring. 

Finally, six hours after the last sign of movement, a communication was beamed out on a tight trajectory at the precise position of another probe. The message was instantly relayed again and again down the chain... 

* * * * * * * * * * ~~~Lieutenant James "Reaper" Merrick~~~ (a side story) - The battered X-20 Valkyrie shuddered to the flight deck of the TDF Dragon-class assault carrier. Engine components manufactured in Germany; systems coded in Japan; space frame constructed in China; twin reactors that controlled the weapons and shields developed in the United States, assembled in Mexico. 

The Valkyrie project was part of an international effort to churn out as many frontline fighters as possible. They would act as the main support for the destroyers, battlecruisers, and dreadnoughts keeping the thousands of B'Amuf shuttlecraft at bay while the capital ships fought. The Council of Terra was playing catch-up and they were running out of time.

Still, while most efforts were directed at preparing for the major battle everyone knew was coming, life on Earth went on. Nations all over the world were feeling growing pains as they tried to raise themselves to the Council's standards. Pilots and soldiers alike were getting some much needed experience responding to global threats. Unfortunately, new commanders who hadn't earned their positions were also learning, and their mistakes cost a great many lives.

Lt Merrick slammed his fist down on the emergency catch that stopped the deck engineers from opening his cockpit, needing more time to collect himself. Tears trailed down his face as he relived the memory of his flight mates being blown apart. The four of them had been inseparable for six years, ever since they first entered flight school. 

Captain "Skulldog" Jenkins, the flight leader, had been the first to be killed not far above the Central African jungle. Guerilla troops had taken the ray guns off the dead B'Amuf warriors and had been causing havoc for the local governments. Technically, the rays weren't supposed to be able to penetrate the Valkyrie's screens, but they'd chosen a lethal choke point for their ambush and the fighters could do nothing when hundreds of invisible beams rained down on them.

'Six years...' he lamented. 'Gone in an instant.' He'd only barely made it out, having been last in line with just enough time to pull up. His craft had been hit multiple times and the only thing that had saved him was directing all the power from the weapons to the shields. It was against the regs to tamper with the craft in any way, but he didn't care much for rules that got good men killed. 

Afterwards, flying in the clouds, his radio buzzing for him to return to the carrier, he recalled how his shock and grief had turned to anger and hatred towards those who'd taken his friends. Didn't these people realize they were trying to help them? How could they think of causing trouble when faced with another invasion? 

He jerked the craft around and pointed it towards the two mountain ranges that surrounded the village they were supposed to be checking. Returning power to his weapons, he magnified his display and saw dark-clad figures scurrying down the mountainside. He clicked off the safety and pulled back on the trigger, sending out an unending stream of green plasma, melting the area down to the bedrock.

He ignored his blaring comm and swooped in for another pass, not wanting a single murderer to get away. Back in the hangar, he shook his head and groaned as he remembered actually considering going to the village and bombing it, so sure was he that the guerillas had come from there. Luckily, reality had set in before he could carry out that action.

Giving himself a final shake and taking a deep breath, he released the emergency catch and stepped out of his craft. He didn't care what happened any more. He'd been the best of them: tutoring baby-faced Tommy so he could pass his exams; coming up with maneuvers that had saved them time and time again during their time in the Persian Gulf; taking extra engineering courses so he could make sure their fighters performed as well as possible.

He let out a strangled sob as he remembered ol' Skulldog holding his baby girl at their last barbeque and telling his wife with the utmost conviction that there was no way the enemy could take him with Reaper watching his back. He shivered as the crew all gave him pitying looks.

In a sorrowful haze, he barely registered an enraged Major Rogers stalking towards him, his face red with anger. He didn't even wait for James to make it down the ladder before tearing into him like a bulldog who'd just had his backside singed. 

"What the hell did you think you were doing Merrick!" he roared, and one crewman swore on a stack of bibles afterwards that he could see steam rising from the man's ears. "You had strict orders not to fire your weapons! Did you even read the Op? I knew you had an attitude problem when I first saw your smug face. You think you can just spit in the face of authority all you want? Well not this time..." 

James drowned out his rant, not even bothering to mention that he'd been well within his right to return fire having been shot at. His mind kept returning to ambush, what he could have done differently, how he should have been more alert. The attackers hadn't shown up on their sensors, but it was an obvious choke point. Even if command had said the area was clear he should have... he should have...

Suddenly, the Major's words broke through the fog. "You think just because you aced the exams and got a few shiny medals you can just ignore the rules? Well, I got news for you, golden boy. All your talent didn't help your buddies out there, did it? It's 'your' fault they died and your little escapade afterwards doesn't make you some kind of god damned hero. You-"

Rogers was cut off as the Lieutenant's fist smashed his face in, collapsing bone and cartilage, breaking the man's nose and god-knows what else. James was livid as he unleashed all of his pent-up rage and anguish on the Major's face. 

"My fault?!" James yelled hoarsely. "You were the one who ignored the army's warnings and shrugged off their offer of ground support. You were the one who said one flight would be enough! You were the one who told us it was clear! Skulldog TOLD you to send in a sensor drone... but NO. You had to have one more notch on your fucking belt!" He emphasized each declaration with another punch, easily evading the flight crew that was trying to hold him back.

Finally, a beefy Chief Engineer tackled him to the deck, shouting, "Easy L.T. He deserves it, but you don't want another death on your conscience. Even if it's his..."

James shuddered. What did it matter? He was just as guilty as Rogers. He didn't care about anything anymore. He just had to do one more thing and then... and then they could lock him up and throw away the key for all he cared. He pushed himself to his feet, ignoring his split knuckles and the blood dripping from his fingers.

Dazedly trudging into the shared barracks, reserved for those who were put on "ready status," he began stripping off his flight suit. People stayed out of his way, but he noticed the looks. Opening his locker, he stared at the picture taped to the inside of him and his friends celebrating, just having graduated flight school. 

James had just pulled on his jacket when a messenger came for him. He was surprised they hadn't sent the marines. Following the young enlisted to Colonel Gray's office, he sighed, disappointed that his actions would reflect badly on his mentor. He took a seat in the lobby, waiting to face the music.

A couple of pilots from another squadron were in the corridor by the water dispenser talking loudly, and with the utmost authority, about things they weren't qualified to judge. "I'm telling you," one said in a squeaky voice, "the X-20's are garbage. They go through five factories before we get them. That's five places where the workers try to shortchange the military!"

The other man scoffed. "The parts are all sent to Mexico and the birds are assembled in one factory, moron. Then they're sent to the United States for testing, you don't know shit."

"How come the damn robot models are so much faster?" the first retorted, not about to be dissuaded by logic. "You don't hear any problems coming from the AI-nation..."

"Yeah, well they don't have to pay or train workers," the other grumbled. "The only humans they employ are the brains who come up with the stuff. They also have factories all over the god damn place, with like, an unlimited supply of resources so they don't have to worry about someone trying to save money on screws or some shit." 

"Yeah, so..." the first declared, exasperated. "Why don't we do the same? Just come up with an artificia-"

"Shut the fuck up," the second whispered urgently, making hushing motions with his hands. "You don't think all those underground facilities blew themselves up, do you? Don't even mention it." The two walked off and he shook his head.

Entering the office, James saluted and was about to sound off when the Colonel waved his hand, cutting him off. "Sit down, son," the older man behind the desk said. He sighed and folded his hands. "I'm sorry about your boys. It was damn criminal what Rogers did, but what's done is done. Unfortunately, your idea of justice has ruffled some feathers. I've done what I've could, but I'm afraid they're still going to bust you down to 2nd Lt."

He leaned back and took out a crystal bottle of some amber liquid and two glasses before continuing, "I'll see Major Rogers brought up on charges, but with the way his face looks now, I doubt much will be done about him. Though, I can assure you he won't ever be in command of a fighter squadron again."

"Your trial date is set for two weeks from now," the salt-and-pepper haired officer said as he handed James a glass. "Just keep your trap shut and look remorseful. Remember, we need all the pilots we can get. They won't toss you out for this. It'll probably set you back a year or two for Captain, but we can work around that. Now, you've got leave until your trial. I'm sure you have something you want to do."

Colonel Gray gave a final nod and spun his chair away from him. James swallowed and then stood and saluted, leaving the office on shaky feet. Oh, it wasn't the news he was nervous about. It was a damn miracle what the Colonel had managed to accomplish for him. It was what he now faced that scared the crap out of him and made him feel lightheaded. * * * * * James sat in a taxi in a quaint Virginia suburb garbed in his dress uniform, tears streaming down his face. As the car pulled up to a house, he leaned forward. "Ju-," his voice hitched and he coughed to clear his throat. He croaked out, "Just drive around the block, please."

The cabby nodded solemnly, turning off his meter, and they pulled out again. This wasn't the first time he'd done something like this... and it never got any easier. Finally somewhat presentable, James walked up the pebble-strewn path to the front door of Skulldog's house. Ringing the doorbell, he thought he was prepared.

Then his best friend's pregnant wife opened the door with her little one hugging her leg and he lost it. Kim Jenkins ran into his arms and they shared their grief there in the doorway. She managed to haul the bigger man into the living room and onto the sofa. 

James bowed his head and rasped, "I'm so sorry, Kim. I kn- know I was supposed to protect him, bu-" 

Kim reached her fingers out to cover his lips and shushed him. "James Merrick, I don't want to hear none of that talk. Do you understand me? I know you'd move heaven and earth for my husband and if there was a damn thing you could have done, you'd have found a way."

She gave a ragged sigh and looked at her daughter. "It was just his time is all," she whispered. Kim stood quickly and moved to the kitchen to make some lemonade, needing to do something with her hands. Over the next hour, amidst cracked and broken gasps, James told the story of what happened to their flight. Afterwards, he remained silent, waiting for the accusations and damnation he knew he deserved to come.

Kim took a deep breath and then stood up. "You're going to tell the others, I assume? We all know what happened, but it makes it more real when you tell it... Let me just talk to the neighbor to see if she can watch Sarah and I'll grab my coat. We can take the truck."

James looked at her in confusion. Somehow, her acceptance of everything that had happened was harder to take than if she had blown up at him. He wanted to be blamed, because he knew he deserved it. And if she acknowledged the death of his friends... then it really happened. They were really gone. His breathing picked up and he shook himself to keep from having a breakdown. 'No,' he berated himself. 'Not yet. Just a little longer.'

He went through the same torturous episode with Tommy "Nosedive" La Croix's girlfriend. Having Kim there helped give him strength, but telling the story wasn't any easier the second time. They hadn't been that serious, but they could have been... if Tommy had lived long enough.

At last, they reached Marie's house. While he'd regretted having to visit Kim the most, he knew this one would be the most difficult. Rodrigo's wife had never approved of his flight mates. It might have had something to do with them calling him "Thumper" -not after anything he did in the field, but because in training he went through women like racecar drivers went through tires... and every night they could hear the 'thump,' 'thump,' 'thump' of his bunk hitting against the wall.

He walked around the truck and helped Kim out. Before he could reach the door, it was whipped open and Marie stormed out screaming, "How DARE you show your face here!" Her hand lashed out and slapped James with everything she had. "You bastards! If it weren't for you all pushing him to come with you on dangerous missions, he'd still be here. He just wanted to fly planes... It was his dream. 'You' were the daredevil! Why did you make it back?" 

She gripped James by his shirt and let into him, shrieking over and over hysterically, "You killed him, it should've been you!" He remained quiet and unmoving under the barrage; taking everything, letting her words cut him. 

Kim, who'd taken longer to reach the door given her state, gripped Marie's hand solidly and told her in a firm voice that brooked no argument, "Stop that right now. He might stand for such lies, but I won't. You know damn well it wasn't his fault."

Marie tried to move her hand, but it wouldn't budge. Having made her point, Kim released her hold and Marie glared at James. She huffed and turned on her heel. As she reached the door, Marie turned and shouted, "I wish you'd just fucking die! If you come near here again, I'm calling the cops." With that, she slammed the door shut. 

Face burning, James closed his eyes and leaned his head to the side as the wind ruffled his hair. Kim sighed and tapped him on the shoulder, giving him a sympathetic look. "Come on, flyboy. You don't have to take the bus across the bridge tonight. You can sleep in the guest room."

James shot her a smile, grateful for all the support she'd given him, and shook his head sadly. "Not this time, Kim," he told her gently. He turned and threw a wave over his shoulder. "Take care of yourself." He walked down the street, ignoring the worried gaze she fixed to his back. * * * * * He signed the last of the papers his lawyer had provided. It gave her the right to split his assets and gift it to those he'd widowed tax-free. There was over a hundred grand as he hadn't spent much money. College had been paid for by the military. He didn't own a car and he lived on base. Per his wishes, each woman would receive a check and note with the words, 'I'm sorry,' written on it. 

Back in 2015, when the economy started to right itself, they began giving out full-ride scholarships for spouses and children of those who had received the Air Force Cross. James had earned just such an award the night he'd acquired his call sign. He still had nightmares of the hundreds he'd killed. Nonetheless, he arranged for Kim's children to receive the benefits and it was his hope that some good could come from his sins.

The suit whisked away all the appropriate forms and made her goodbyes, not quite able to keep herself from shooting a nervous glance out the sliding glass door. 'Don't ask,' she scolded herself. 'Plausible deniability...'

James stood and turned, walking out of the living room. He paused at the kitchen counter where the tequila he'd bought to drown his sorrows rested. He grimaced at the thought of that being the last thing he'd ever taste. Moving to the sliding glass door that led to the balcony on the top floor of the highest hotel in the city, he choked out a laugh as Marie's words came flooding back to him, 'I wish you'd just fucking die!'

'Way ahead of you, girl,' he thought disparagingly. Standing at the railing, he looked down at the ocean that came right up against the cliff the building rested on. Rocks poked out menacingly through the high tide. 'They won't even have to clean up after me...'

James bowed his head and relived the favorite moments in his life, just in case the movies were wrong and they didn't all pass before his eyes on the way down. When he felt he was ready, he took a deep breath and mounted the railing.

'Fuck!' he gave a strangled cry as his foot slipped and he almost fell. He shook his head as he reminded himself that that was the idea. 'Yeah,' he thought, but he hadn't been prepared. James didn't know how one prepared himself to die. 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 11



Giving a disgusted sigh, he turned back towards the sliding glass door, still on the other side of the railing. He thought maybe if he didn't look it would be easier. However, seeing the door just a few feet away was giving him second thoughts. Before he could change his mind, he let go with his hands, thrusting them out to his sides. He fell backwards until he was almost horizontal, and then he was free.

He was completely in the air, feeling the wind rushing past him as he plummeted to the rocks below. Suddenly, there was a bright light and he felt an invisible force catch his body. Then everything went dark.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 12



Stacey finished her morning report with her usual brisk efficiency, "And finally, you're due to attend a meeting with the council at noon today and then we'll test the new world wide broadcast network by giving an address while the shield portion of the Aegis defense system is active. The council has invited you to say a few words when they say their piece."

Michael gave a slight nod, seated across from her next to the bath. The place had quite a few new features as it had become the meeting place for him and his girls first thing in the morning and then again for a nightly recap of events. Aki was standing behind his seat, fixing his hair, having taken over the task of making him look presentable. Her expert fingers massaged his scalp and he groaned at the blissful feeling she induced.

He was impressed with how far she'd come in the past few months. Not only had Aki designed all the uniforms for the crew, she had started her own clothing line that was taking off down on Earth. She was a godsend when it came to helping Michael out in the looks department. He often joked he needed all the help he could get. It was also important for him to remember that he represented close to a quarter million people on the ship and around the world. She took care of problems he didn't even know he had.

Currently taking care of his other needs was her sister. Head buried in his lap, Rin knelt beside him and caressed his cock with her tongue, giving him a sensuous tease designed to build until the end of Stacey's report. She swallowed his prick whole, working her throat muscles and pushing him over the edge. She sucked hard, twirling her tongue and drawing out his release. 

Michael gave a final gasp and leaned back in his chair contented. He reached out and ran his fingers through the girl's hair, letting her know he was pleased with the job she'd done. He thought about how Rin was progressing on the ship and had to admit she impressed him every bit as much as her twin. 

Where Aki was happy to let her creative inspirations lead her down a more artful, innocent path, Rin was a down-to-Earth thinker. Michael knew she was just as smart as him and probably twice as determined. Many of the projects and innovations his science & engineering divisions were working on had come from her. She usually spent a good portion of her day down in the AI labs with Tanya, Isaac, and Serkiss coming up with new and better inventions, many of which were going to be used in the upcoming battle.

Michael stood and kissed each of the three girls present and headed out the hatch, draping his uniform jacket over one shoulder. After waking up the other girls, they all headed down to the mess for breakfast. He'd gotten a feel for who regularly showed up and noticed that Marcus was missing for the third straight morning. 'Must be getting serious about that barista up on the oh-deck,' he thought to himself amusedly. 

Oh-deck, or Deck Zero, on the Intrepid was the center level that had the beach area, Reception Hall, and most of the shops and restaurants. Levels above the deck were numbered positive, with most of the sublevels making up the hangars, brig, mess, training course for the troopers, engineering department, and farming/cloning areas.

After reviewing a new type of explosive round for the rail guns, Michael and Kat boarded a shuttle and went down to New York, the current home of the Council of Terra, actually housed in the old UN building. They were then escorted amidst nervous glances thrown towards their own armored security to a meeting room occupied by the thirteen seats that made up the Council.

The members barely gave Kat a second glance, having become used to his ever-present shadow. There was a pulsating feeling of dread that hung almost oppressive in the air. Michael saw these men and women looking at him with mixed expressions. Some contained hope, some distrust... All looked to him to lead the effort. Each had their own agendas, but they knew that the coming battle would decide their own existence. 

They still maintained that he should open up all of his capabilities to them and yet, there were those that trusted him more than they did other members of the Council. Michael was the teeth behind the Council's threats, but they knew no one was exempt from his decisions... not even them. In a way, having someone with no political interests or leanings carry the big stick was a boon to Earth's development. Everyone, from self-serving politicians to radical extremists, followed the rules and tried not to make waves. No one knew what might set him off. 

Michael knew that once the B'Amuf threat was over there would probably be a huge movement against him, but for now, they needed him. He eased himself into the leather chair at the circular table. Kat ignored the one provided for her and made herself comfortable in his lap. The Council members studied the two, all thinking similar thoughts: 'What are they? Some say they can't be killed. What did they do to themselves? Are they still human? Are we making a terrible mistake by trusting them? And what about that AI he controls...'

Michael draped his right arm around Kat and rapped the table's surface with the knuckles on his left. "So," he began with his usual directness, "the probes we sent out show the B'Amuf fleet is a little more than a week out. It's unlikely, but they might speed up for whatever reason so, accounting for a buffer, we should have all our main elements in place by Thursday."

The Councilman from China grimaced at Michael's idea of 'we,' knowing he alone controlled all the probes and thus, all the information outside their solar system, but asked, "How are we going to split our forces?" 

Shrugging, Michael said, "Let's skip the part where I tell you I won't follow your Admiral and you tell me the same. I'm sure your best military strategists have come up with a million and one simulations and ways to use your ships, but they aren't familiar with the capabilities of mine. All of our intelligence says they won't split their forces. Thus, I'd say a two-pronged attack, oriented with Earth lying between us far behind, should be ideal."

The French Councilman piped up, "What if they try to run between the two arms and head straight for Earth. We already know that complete annihilation is their goal."

The Russian Councilmember gave a snort. "Then, unless our timing is complete failure," he stated in a heavy accent, "they get shredded, only to run into the defense force. Da, 'tis good plan. How far out do we engage?"

"Just outside the orbital plane of Mars," Michael answered.

"That close?" President Whitmore asked curiously, not condemning the idea, just wishing to know why.

Michael explained, "I have a few surprises waiting for them around the asteroid belt. And my people have crunched the numbers and the further out we close, the more likely they are to spread out and the easier it'll be for them to widen their lines with their superior numbers."

"Just how superior are they?" the British Councilman questioned. "I've seen the footage but I don't believe I know the exact count."

"We're looking at close to five thousand capital ships, twenty thousand destroyers, with somewhere between seventy-five thousand and a hundred thousand shuttle-attack craft hybrids," Michael said without looking up from the table.

The quiet was deafening. The Councilwoman from India sputtered, "Th-that much? But that's more than three times our number of capital ships and destroyers, and more than five to seven times the number of fighters."

Michael gave a shrug. "Our ships are better, our people are smarter, and we have the home field advantage."

"That's easy to say for you," the French Councilman snapped, "some of us have to actually worry about the number of causalities we lose. Our ships have people in them!" He looked around feverishly, "Are you sure you can't just-"

"No!" the Chinese, German, and Russian members all shouted at once. The Russian Councilman continued, "We must know our capabilities." Pointing across the table to Michael, he said, "If he leaves afterwards to travel to their home worlds, we must know we can defend ourselves. Not only this, but the B'Amuf aren't only aggressive ones in galaxy. What happens if race shows up that A.I. can't penetrate?" He slammed his fist down on the table. "We have to know!"

Councilman Whitmore spoke in the silence that followed, "So... One week. One week until we see if we're really better than those space slugs. May God help us." He rapped the table and sighed before turning to Michael and saying, "I'll get with Admiral Johnson and see you get the formation details. Will you be joining us for the address this afternoon?"

Michael turned to Kat and she nodded her head. She leaned in to him and murmured, "You're going to take up the mantle of command and represent humanity among the stars. I think it's time you let people know what they're fighting for." Michael stared into her eyes and fell in love with her all over again. She was the one who had always believed he was destined for greatness, even when he'd been some nobody in high school. She'd stood by his side through it all, never doubting, always supportive. He gave a quick nod to Councilman Whitmore and gathered Kat in his arms, striding out of the room with her.

They didn't make it far, Kat huddled against his chest, armored troopers hurrying after them. When they reached the shuttle, Michael ordered everyone out and set her down on a seat. Kneeling in front of her, he leaned in and kissed her, the scorching heat of her soft, succulent lips overwhelming his senses. He gave a soft chuckle, resting his head on her shoulder and panting slightly, "You drive me crazy..."

Kat wrapped her arms around his neck. "Then I must be doing something right," she laughed. She turned serious, "Do you know what you're going to say?"

Michael stared out the window and sighed. He opened the hatch and waved everybody in. He told the pilot where he wanted to go and the shuttle began to lift off on its own accord. The pilot scrambled to her chair yelling, "Shit! I hate it when she does that..." Pandora's musical laughter floated through the speakers.

The armored troopers sat in the back of the shuttle in sideways-facing seats while Michael and Kat sat in the forward-facing ones behind the cockpit. Kat turned and mounted his lap, thrusting her tits into his face. She ground her hips down, rubbing her tightly covered mound against his crotch. She leaned back and reached down behind her to massage his hardening prick.

Kat giggled when she felt Michael's hands on her ass push her forwards again, burying his face between two breathtaking orbs of soft, bouncy flesh. He sighed in pleasure when she opened her shirt for him and he took one of her nipples in his mouth, rolling and tweaking the supple morsel.

She leaned down and bit his ear and dug her fingers into his shoulders, letting him know she wanted him to be rougher. Michael bit down on her nipple and squeezed the cheeks of her ass harshly in response. Kat moaned and reached down to unzip the seam on her leather pants, going crotchless in a matter of seconds. She still believed ease of access was key to always being ready for him. He managed to shuck his leggings down a little lower, exposing Kat's prize.

Seeing she was already wet, he gripped her hips firmly and, after she had aligned his rock-hard member to her opening, slammed her down. They both let out a gasp as she sunk to the hilt. Michael's prick was fully engulfed and squeezed all along its length. Kat worked her enhanced muscles expertly, controlling his orgasm and knowing just how to draw it out for the ultimate pleasure. Her pussy never got loose so Michael was able to enjoy the full, tight effect, while she never got acclimated to the feeling, each time feeling a new pleasure when he entered her.

As good as he felt, Michael knew she wanted it fast and hard. He drew on his strength to lift her deadweight with his arms and brought her down again, repeating the process like a piston as quickly and as forcefully as he could. She cried out, not able to move with him in any sort of rhythm. The friction soon brought her to orgasm, but still he continued, using her like a toy and trying to give her everything he had. He celebrated every time he woke up next to this wild and kinky goddess that had captured his heart. 

Feeling his cum rise he left marks on her sides as he brought her crashing down once, twice, and then held her down on the third, exploding into her with a massive amount of cream. She collapsed against him, burying her face into the crook of his neck, trying to regain her breath. As they tried to compose themselves, Kat reaching down to where they were joined and trying to keep from spilling cum on Michael's uniform, the pilot and copilot stepped out of the cockpit.

"Oh!," the pilot exclaimed, surprised. "I was wondering why Pandora was just circling around overhead and not letting me start the descent." The troopers in the back that had been listening to Kat's moans snickered at that and shook their heads. The copilot/gunner, a young Filipina, was blushing furiously and Kat licked her lips in anticipation for a little desert on the ride out.

Michael, Kat, and the troopers made their way down the ramp and into the loud, hazy chaos that was the Detroit steel mills. The city had fallen hard when all the manufacturing companies had deserted them to find cheaper labor in China and Mexico. Now, there was a sudden need for the city's processing and construction capabilities with the planet desperately trying to mobilize and mechanize. 

The proud city was once again experiencing a boom as millions of workers flooded hundreds of factories. For security reasons, the Council had decided that all missiles, reactor technology, gun batteries, and FTL (faster-than-light) drives shouldn't be distributed to the world en masse. It would make it too easy for terrorists to get a hold of them or for some ambitious group to start their own private army (Michael saw the irony). 

Thus, these factories were pushing out countless munitions and components a day. Spaceships would wait out over the lake and come into newly erected dry docks to be equipped. There weren't actually smokestacks and smog-filled skies due to the newly developed reactors, but the effect was no less impressive. Massive lasers shaped the metal, lighting up the sky for miles around. If the assembly lines of Henry Ford had been impressive in their day, the efficiency shown in these ones were magnitudes higher. 

The air rang with the sound of hundreds of missiles being capped every minute, the hum of reactors signaling new ships coming to life, and the grinding of heavy machinery moving, building, molding. Detroit had been severely limited in the space they could use to expand. Unfazed, the industrious people scaled their factories upwards in buildings that reached for the stars. 

Walking between skyscrapers and hangar bays large enough to house thousands of fighters at once, Michael could feel the blood, sweat, and tears these people were putting into their work. Having access to fully automated factories, he thought it was important for him to remind himself of what people were willing to sacrifice for their beliefs, their freedom, their lives. He needed to see firsthand and never forget that the ones in the cockpits weren't the only ones fighting... 'This' was the true heart of Terra. Seeing Earth's might in action gave him chills and made him proud to call himself human.

As the party toured the immense complex, word spread that Michael had arrived. People gathered wherever he went, waving and cheering at him as he passed. He was shocked. In a way, this trip was supposed to be a kind of penance for not doing more for humanity. He'd expected these people to hate him. Here they were, putting in an amount of effort that would have staggered the most vicious overseer and yet his factories in space were still outpacing them by a wide margin that was only growing larger.

He'd expected people to rage at him for not simply sharing his AI capabilities and making their lives easier. He watched as a grizzled old engineer in full grease monkey attire pushed past the armored troopers and made his way to a hydrogen-powered mechanical suit and began hefting ready-made components together with a speed and skill that would have challenged his construction bots. The man looked to be at least seventy years old. Michael realized he probably wasn't ever going to retire. Rather, he would die with a tool in his hand and be happy for it.

He looked out at the plant with a new respect towards the workers. One of the troopers in the security detail cleared his throat and said, "My old man is a worker here. He says that no one from the Council has ever visited here before. He likes his job. He's glad for the work and is proud to be of service, but he says sometimes he wonders if they appreciate what he's doing. This is probably the first time anyone of any importance has visited them."

Kat leaned into Michael and whispered in his ear to be heard above the din, "Look at them. Their backs get straighter when they see you watching." Seeing him grimace at her words and knowing him well enough to read his mind she chastised him, "They don't hate you. They're thankful that you've brought back their livelihood. They're grateful for the reactors and the technology you provided to get this place running. Hell, after this visit, they might even love you."

Seeing that her lover was still being difficult, Kat's hand shot out and gripped his chin, turning him to stare into her gleaming emeralds. "They are as proud a people as you will ever find and they respect you for recognizing their worth. You're an inspiration to them. This is the power you wield now. This is what you will use to shape the galaxy."

Michael shuddered at the words she uttered with boundless conviction and he said in a raspy voice, "It is they who are an inspiration to me. It is they who humble me with their earnest work and devotion. It is they who we should be fighting for, as surely what they represent is more holy and righteous than any mosque or temple that has ever been built. They are the proof that even had I not intervened Earth would have survived. It would have lived on -they would have made sure of it."

Unknown to Michael at the time, a journalist from Detroit had finally made her way down to the steel mills, hearing talk of an important visitor. She managed to capture Michael's words from a distance on her receiver mike. Frankly, this shouldn't have been possible due to the jamming devices they had about their persons, but Pandora had made the decision to help her master. 

Later that night, the journalist would clean up the background noise and find the gold mine of all sound bites. His words would be replayed around the world and Detroit would eventually erect a statue in his honor. The Council would formally apologize for not recognizing their deeds and it would then become a tradition for every new member elected to office to make a pilgrimage to the steel mills to give thanks and honor their sacrifice.

Back onboard the shuttle, Kat nonchalantly walked to the cockpit and sat on the sexy copilot's lap as the craft fired up. Her name turned out to be Eliza and she was gorgeous with caramel skin and a glossy sheen of black silky hair. Ignoring her flustered protests, Kat began whispering into Eliza's ear. In under two minutes the poor girl was flushed red and panting heavily. 

She offered no resistance when the dark red-haired she-devil began exploring her body with what felt like a dozen hands. Kat spent a considerable amount of time fondling her cute B-cup tits. Giving the girl a heated kiss, she kept pulling back slightly, slowing drawing Eliza out of her chair. When her eyes widened and Eliza realized what she had done, she blushed even deeper and made to sit down again.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 12



Kat was having none of that and grabbed Eliza by her collar and yanked her off balance with a strength and speed that surprised the copilot. Pulling her along, Kat reached the seats where Michael was waiting and watching the festivities with an amused grin. Sidestepping and twisting her arm down, Kat managed to flip the weaker girl onto her back atop a row of seats.

The pilot leaned back and sighed, muttering something about her partner always getting to have all the fun and flicked a switch that shut the hatch with a 'whoosh.' Before the winded and dazed girl could react, Kat had shimmied out of her pants and sat on the girl's face, rubbing her insatiable cunt all over the younger's horrified features. Eliza quickly learned to bring pleasure to Michael's lover as the alternative meant having her breath cut off. Kat seemed to enjoy her gasping for air as much as her tongue so it made no difference to the fiery redhead.

Just as the abused girl was starting to think this wasn't so bad, she let out a squeak of panic as she felt Michael pull the zipper of her flight suit down to her waist, exposing her delectable handfuls for all to see. Reaching down to cup each boob, he lowered his face to her stomach and began laying down hickeys on their squirming victim.

Eliza's tongue feverishly worked between Kat's puffy red folds, desperately trying to please this powerful, terrifying woman. As another female's juices filled her mouth for the first time, she was forced to swallow quickly and continue or risk passing out. Finally, she managed to set Kat off like a rocket... only to then find her nose cruelly pinched shut as Kat drew out her release by riding the struggling girl's mouth as it sucked excitedly in a futile attempt to get some air, drenching her face in girl cum.

Kat raised herself off the girl who'd been turning a decidedly blue color and twirled around. Ignoring Eliza's huge inhalations, she threw Michael a wicked grin and said in her best submissive voice, "Please, master. Allow me to prepare her."

His prick sailed to new heights at those words and he switched with Kat, kneeling beside the girl whose eyes were glued shut by the amount of juice Kat had leaked. Brushing her hair aside, he took her head in his hands and kissed her tenderly, licking Kat's cum from her face. Saving her lips for last, his tongue dove in, loving how he could taste his girl's pussy on her tongue. 

Kat whisked off the copilot's flight suit and dove into her sweet, shaved pussy. Eliza was mortified that not only was she exposed, but now another girl was actually licking her there. She couldn't help but enjoy Kat's expert tongue and that made it all the more humiliating for her. She wriggled her hips around, trying to get her abuser to concentrate on her clit. 'What the hell?' Eliza thought. 'It's like she's deliberately avoiding it...' Her eyes shot open in dismay as she realized that was exactly what she was doing.

Michael rose leisurely to his feet and dug his cock out one-handed. He leaned his hips forward, letting it hover in the air above her mouth. Her eyes lost that glazed look and she managed to focus on his stiff member. Shock flew across her features as she realized its size. Then fear, as she wondered what it would feel like inside her. In the end, lust replaced fear and her lips parted slightly, her tongue darting out to give it a tentative lick.

Suddenly, she cried out as Kat bit down on the inside of her thigh, not liking her hesitance. Michael used the opportunity to plug her mouth his cock, its tip hitting the back of her throat and causing her to gag. Its width stretched her mouth and he couldn't resist the urge to pinch her nose closed and piston in and out of her mouth awhile as she struggled under him. 

Kat moaned her appreciation at this devious development and Eliza, still struggling to breathe, couldn't resist giving an answering moan as Kat's hot breath engulfed her clit. The other woman's deft tongue had been teasing her like mad, but always avoided concentrating on her tiny nub. Michael finally withdrew, leaving the girl to cough and choke on his pre-cum as she inhaled to capacity.

Kat's lips curved into an evil smile and she stuck her pinkie in Eliza's rosebud, drawing a startled gasp. Michael again plunged into the offered opening and used her mouth relentlessly. At last, the light at the end of the tunnel appeared when Eliza realized that Kat wasn't pulling back this time; she was actually going to let her cum. She nearly cried in relief as she was nudged over the edge.

Her eyes rolled up... and then shot open in fear as she felt Michael pinch her nose again and blast his cum down her throat. Kat had lifted her face from between the girl's trembling thighs and was frigging Eliza's overly-sensitized clit furiously. She saw what was happening at the other end and she grinned nastily. "That's it, bitch. Take it and swallow it all. You don't get to breathe until you do."

Eliza tried to comply. She gulped down as much as she could, but Michael shot loads and loads. And he'd fired the first volley straight down her throat, making swallowing the rest seem like she'd just taken a shot of Cement Mixer. She coughed, spraying a mix of fluids out of her mouth and wrenched her head to the side, hacking up the rest onto the carpeted deck.

Kat gave her cheek a light slap. "Wonderful, now I get to punish you. Better luck next time, chica..." And so saying, she righted the girl's head and mounted her again, this time facing her feet. Michael moved out as Kat slid in, the two of them working in perfect concert, each able to predict the actions of the other. Michael knelt on the seat between Eliza's legs and threw her right leg over his left shoulder. Placing his still-hard prick at her entrance, he began his descent.

Her puffy, tender hole stretched to accommodate his size and she bucked and hollered at the intrusion. Kat rode her prey like a rodeo clown and grabbed her dark erect nipples, using them like a pair of reins to steady herself. Michael grunted at how tight she felt and she screamed into Kat's pussy. 

"That's it, girl. What good little mouth you have..." Kat teased. Noticing that Michael had reached an impasse, she delivered a sharp slap to the girl's exposed clit, drawing another shriek. "That's barely half way, bitch! Not nearly good enough..." She clamped her thighs around Eliza's head, cutting off her air supply. The young copilot frantically tried to widen her legs, wrapping them around Michael and trying to impale herself on his rod.

He smiled at her efforts, toying with the idea of letting her try and fuck herself. Sighing at the time, he reached down and grabbed her hips, driving himself forward with a potent thrust. Eliza yelled into Kat's cunt and the demon with dark red hair came again, shuddering at the vibrations their plaything was causing. Finally feeling a touch over-sensitized, Kat slid off her toy's face.

Eliza sighed in relief and was cut off abruptly as Kat dropped her chest, smothering the unfortunate girl with her sizeable melons. Giggling impishly, Kat raised herself up and began using her breasts as pendulums to smack the sides of Eliza's face while she used her hands to deliver sharp slaps to her perky tits. Michael was in heaven at the blissful feeling of Eliza's cunt, but Kat's sinful display drove him over the edge and then some.

Eliza's eyes widened as he began pumping into her faster. Then she felt Michael drive himself all the way inside her in one thrust and she felt like she'd been split in two. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out except a slight raspy wheeze. Kat leaned down and kissed her upside down. "Shhh, baby," she whispered, her devilish demeanor vanishing like smoke in the wind. Caressing the side of her face, she smiled warmly down at Eliza and murmured, "You were magnificent. Thank you for relaxing Michael, he needed that."

So saying, the pair stood and put their uniform back on, spot-checking themselves. They strode down the ramp that had just lowered out the back looking rejuvenated and only then did Eliza realize they had arrived at their new destination. The troopers followed the couple out, casting impressed glances towards the front of the vessel, though she was still hidden by the backs of the seats.

Eliza was completely spent. She couldn't move a muscle --even her tongue was exhausted. The couple had teamed up on her to sap every last ounce of her strength. It felt... exhilarating. She'd been completely helpless against their whims and they'd somehow managed to give her the best sexual experience she'd ever imagined, let alone felt. She just hoped they hadn't turned her off to normal sex. 

She tried to muster up anger for them forcing themselves on her, but she just let out a strained whimper as she recalled how it had felt. The only thing Eliza was really ticked off about was that those two had the gall to look refreshed and sated after her ordeal. She felt like she'd been bounced back and forth between heaven and hell for the last hour or so... the least they could have done was look a little tired.

The hatch to the cockpit opened and Zoe the pilot walked out and saw her naked best friend seemingly bathed in sweat and cum, covered in hickeys and bite marks, looking like she had just ran a marathon. "Damnit," she swore. "You lucky cunt! Gahh, you have all the fun..."

Groaning, Eliza moved her head to look at her partner and croaked, "I don't think this was in the job description."

"Ahh," Zoe muttered disgustedly, throwing her hand up, "You loved it. I can see by that silly little smile on your face that they rung your bell."

Eliza let out a weary chuckle and winced. "Yeah," she agreed with a dreamy look on her face. "and then they rung it again... and again... and again..." She laughed at the petulant look on Zoe's face as she stalked back into the cockpit.

Sometime later, she came back out while Eliza was picking up her flight suit. "Hey, check this out! A note just popped up on our identification code. We've been assigned as Michael's personal shuttle and crew. We still get to go out on other missions, but if he needs a shuttle for whatever reason we get priority." She was smiling broadly.

Zoe reached out and spanked Eliza hard on her naked tush as she had frozen at the news, one foot inside the leg of her flight suit. "Way to take one for the team, babe. That ass just got us the cushiest job in the fleet. You should get on your back more often." With that, she turned and did a little jig on the way back towards the cockpit to turn on the newsfeed as Michael would be speaking soon. 

Eliza collapsed to her knees. The thought of going through that again filled her with equal parts anticipation and dread. She shivered before she finished dressing and went to join Zoe. All over the solar system, those with the capabilities to do so were tuning in to see what the mysterious savior of Earth was going to say on the eve of battle.

The Aegis system hummed to life and people looked to the sky, trying to determine if some change had occurred. The first shield was a passive defense and was designed to be powered on all the time and thus, was completely transparent. They would be able to open up pockets along the barrier in order to regulate trade and traffic. 

It was powered by a mix of geothermal energy and the magnetic forces that resided in the Earth, the black spires reaching far below the surface to tap that energy. As the final line of defense, in order to penetrate this shield you would need enough energy to actually affect the Earth's core. The long-term damage for such an occurrence would be catastrophic, but they figured they'd probably already be dead by then if such a breach were to occur.

The hum got louder as the second shield was brought online and a not-quite translucent reddish hue of energy was seen surrounding the planet. This shield was designed to be the main defense. Powered by nuclear reactors, the design behind this shield was that it could use energy particles fired at it to actually recharge itself. It even maintained a steady growth from the Sun's rays. 

Isaac's race had been critical in getting it working and designing a smaller version for the Intrepid. The Council had promised to help build a similar one around their planet should the opportunity to liberate them arise. Excess energy could be vented back towards the attackers, but the AIs were working on a method to bleed off the excess energy to use down on Earth or to store in case they needed it.

The Council's flag stood high in the late afternoon sun, the ruins of the White House a constant reminder to all of what had brought them together. The Councilman from China acted as the host and introduced each speaker that stepped forward to address the packed Tiananmen Square, and all those glued to their television screens and holographic displays. The Council building in New York still had too many UN symbols of peace dotted around its premises to be used for this occasion. 

Maybe after the war they'd look to throwing down their arms and hugging their enemies so they could all hold hands and sing Kumbaya. Now, they needed a symbol of strength. They needed reassurance and hope. They needed to see what they were capable of in the past to have the determination to carry out what had to be done in order for them to have a future.

Tiananmen Gate had first been built in a time of conflict. It had been damaged by war and used in political and military demonstrations ever since. It had a bloody history that most would call horrific, but that just seemed all the more appropriate on this day. Councilman Whitmore stepped forward and gave a positive speech that raised some people's hopes. He sounded confident that they would win and that all the hard work they put into this wouldn't all be for naught. He even made a joke about not hiding in a bunker this time around.

Admiral Johnson, in charge of the Council's attack prong, Admiral Sinha, in charge of the TDF that would be staying back to cover Earth, and General Zhukov, in charge of the ground troops and floating gun platforms, all gave speeches where they said they were optimistic about their chances, they had prepared as well as they were able, and they were certain the soldiers that fought would make a good account of themselves.

As the last of them left the stage, there was complete and utter silence. Not one of the speakers had mentioned the enemy's numbers. Not one had said how their ships stood up in comparison. They hadn't gone into their plans or backup plans. They hadn't said a damn thing that amounted to anything beyond wishful thinking. The massive throng looked decidedly nervous and there were glances thrown around filled with doubt and hopelessness.

Michael marched up to the stage in a cold fury. He stopped at the pillars, glaring down at the crowd of onlookers and thousands of cameras zoomed in on his half mantle emblazoned on his uniform. The silver eagle soaring in flight gleamed in the sunlight, and viewers everywhere shivered at the sight of the giant bird of prey clutching the globe like it was a field mouse. 

Inwardly, he fumed. 'How 'dare' these people forget?' 'How 'dare' they choose to falter when there were good men out there slaving away in the steel mills to make sure their sons and daughters had enough ammunition to take out those who would come to eradicate them. Kat had been right. They needed him to show them what they were fighting for.

He kept his steely gaze fixed on them for a full minute, long enough that even those watching on a public TV in a group felt uneasy staring back at him. Finally, he growled out in a disgusted voice, "Fucking. Pathetic." Councilman Whitmore groaned and put his face in his hands. "632,719. That's the number that should be ingrained in each and every one of your minds right now. That's the number that 'they,'" he pointed up to the sky, "took from us when they tried to enslave us and turn us into livestock!" His nostrils flared as his breathing picked up and people began sharing his rage.

"They are coming again and they have more than twenty times the number they had last time." He ignored the gasps that passed through the crowd like a shockwave and reverberated around the world. He bulled forward and cast his arm out in a cutting motion. "I say that isn't enough! I want to kill 100 of those bastards for every man, woman, and child they slaughtered here on Earth." He looked around and stepped right up to the edge of the precipice and shouted, Pandora helping to amplify his voice wherever it was heard, "I don't think they can fit sixty million on those ships! I might have to go visit them at 'their' homes to make up the difference."

People were perking up now. Nothing had really changed, but seeing Michael standing there giving it to them straight and spitting in the face of something that had them all cowed began to straighten some backs and square some shoulders. "I watched the footage when the invaders came down to the surface. I had the best seat in the house. You know what I saw when those slimy fucks decided to take our land, our freedom, our very existence?!"

He pointed out to the crowd, "I saw 'you.' I saw billions of people cross millennia of diversity in a second. You banded together as one people to declare your right to live. You fought with machines to bring down the enemy. And when machines failed, you walked out of your homes carrying weapons. And when weapons failed, I saw you hammering away at them with your fists. I saw you stare death in the face when you had nothing at your backs and still you never faltered." 

He paused and threw his fierce gaze at the people that were starting to regain their pride. "Well?!" he demanded. "Are you telling me this is where you draw the line? 'This' is where you choose to give in?" Some looked determined, some looked frightened, but all felt ashamed.

Michael paced back and forth across the stage. He extended his hand out and acknowledged, "Yes, there will be causalities. There always is in war. No one regrets this more than me as I'll be in the thick of it, knowing that those I hold dear chose to come with me. We won't be fighting for ourselves, but for the planet we've come to love and the people that have shaped who we are today." His sorrowful expression morphed into a sneer. "Yet, you people act as if we have a choice in the matter. There is no choice! We other fight or we die..." 

He stared out at the gathered masses, not bothering to hide his distaste in what he found. "I look out at you and I see many who have already let the B'Amuf win. I see those who would rather roll over and die quickly than struggle to survive." People around the world looked at each other and saw the truth of his words.

Michael stopped his pacing and spoke in a quiet voice. His listeners leaned in and strained to hear his next words, "We are living at the dawn of a new revolutionary war -one that will decide our fate as a race. We have the same decision to make as those soldiers at Valley Forge: Is it worth it? Are you willing to brave the coming storm?"

"I know our soldiers are... They've been killing the enemy long before these overgrown slugs ever set their sights on our beloved world. I just came from the steel mills in Detroit." The Council looked taken aback to hear this. "They're ready. After all the sacrifice and devotion they've put forth, you still think it's possible to lose to that inferior bunch of murdering scum?!"

The pure loathing he infused in his words when talking of the B'Amuf drew out the hatred in the onlookers and squashed their fear. One, then another, and soon hundreds throughout the massive throng began shouting their defiance. 'They' would not succumb. 'They' were willing to fight.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 12



Michael threw his arms out suddenly and shouted over the din, "I've changed my mind." Quiet reigned as he thrust his thumb towards his chest. "I know I'm at least a million times better than any one B'Amuf. It doesn't matter that you want to fight... I'm going to kill them all before you even make it out of your beds." 

A wave of roiling displeasure cascaded out from the audience. They wanted a piece of the invaders. "No!" Michael shouted. "You're not hungry enough." He pointed straight into the camera and stated, "I don't see the resolve you need to stand your ground. How do you expect to win if you won't even try?"

The people in the square screamed, clapped, and stamped their defiance, doing all they could to convince him of their willingness to do battle. Michael closed his eyes and let the outcry of thousands of spectators wash over him. It lasted a full ten minutes. The entire world was going crazy as he stood silent, waiting.

Just as quiet had finally returned and people began to wonder if that was it, Michael's eyes flashed open and he told them in a deadly serious voice, "We will fight those that come to subjugate us. We will meet their ships and give them no mercy. We will show the galaxy what it means to face the might of Terra."

He extended an arm in a beseeching gesture. "JOIN ME, and together we'll burn down our enemies and scatter their ashes among the stars." He let his arm fall to his side and turned on his heel, the tails of his overcoat fluttering behind him. He walked off the stage, past the stunned Council members, and descended the stairs that led down from the top of the gate. As he reached the bottom of the steps, the first cheers began to ring out.

By the time he reached his shuttle, the crowd had erupted, the pandemonium spreading throughout the solar system. Michael had left them wanting. They didn't just have hope now, they were 'eager.' He knew he had awakened something in them that had been ingrained in the human race since Cain. Their bloodlust wouldn't be sated by the B'Amuf. He knew future historians would vilify him and condemn his actions today. They would call him a tyrant who incited an entire race to take up arms and kill. 

Michael's composed, stoic demeanor lasted until the hatch closed behind him and then he collapsed into a chair, his features crumbling amidst the onslaught of weariness that assaulted him. One look at the pride that shown on Kat's face removed his doubts however, and stopped the weariness from turning to anguish. He didn't care what others thought so long as he still had her approval. The shuttle took off and Kat snuggled into his lap, letting him hold her while she nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck. 

As the couple settled into a restful pose that soon saw them asleep, the world exploded into a hive of activity. Gone were the doubts, the depression, the inferiority complex. Humans had regained their pride and they now moved with purpose. They all believed they were unique among the stars. They would overcome any who threatened their existence and God help those who stood in their path.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 13



Back aboard the Intrepid, Revarjah met him and Kat in the hangar bay when he returned from giving his speech. The Felician looked a little uneasy and Michael had a hunch that watching billions of humans scream for alien blood was making him a tad nervous. "Michael," he called out as they neared. "I watched your address. It was very... inspiring. So much so that my people are demanding that I ask you if they can play some part in the coming battle." He sighed and looked away. "After wearing the chains of our conquerors for so many years, we need a chance at vengeance; to feel pride in ourselves again."

Michael considered the request and then smiled. He clapped Revarjah on the shoulder and told him, "We'll find a place for you yet. This will be our fight, but I'll make sure your people get their chance to shine." The Felician looked relieved at his words and Michael began making plans. He wouldn't let them face warships in the cargo haulers they came in on, but perhaps they could modify the mercenary vessels.

As Kat went off to find Tanya, Michael took a trip to the bridge to see what the Intrepid needed to achieve "ready status." He was curious to see the hatch that led inside secured shut and two armored troopers stationed outside of it. Overriding the lock, he walked into the massive space and smiled. Waving the hatch shut behind him, he slowly walked towards the captain's chair.

Stacey was currently occupying the seat while Aurora was being bounced up and down the length of the younger girl's impressive strap-on. "That's it, you little slut," Stacey told her boss as she grabbed Aurora's flailing boobs viciously and ground the blonde woman down into her lap, bucking her hips wildly to drive her plastic phallus as deep as it would go. "Just like that... I bet you've been craving this all day." Stacey stood and began fucking the captain from behind, holding her hips so she could ram the thick fake appendage into her sopping cunt as hard as she could. "But this is a punishment, so don't you dare enjoy it too much..."

Aurora's thick puffy lips eagerly sucked in the large pink dildo, her pants and gasps becoming more distinct. By how red and raw her pussy looked, he could tell Stacey had been at it for awhile. "And just what does my stunning commander need to be reminded of?" Michael asked as he came up behind them. He reached out a hand and cupped Stacey's ass cheek, probing a finger into her cleft. He sighed in satisfaction, letting her know he really enjoyed the view of her tight tush driving into Aurora's and she proudly picked up the pace even more.

"Oh good... You're here, master," Stacey moaned in a breathy voice. "Please plug her mouth for me? She's been doing nothing, but annoying the crew with it for days now. After she tried to order them into the escape pods for the third emergency drill of the day, I finally cleared the room and 'sat her down' for a little talk."

Aurora made to protest this obviously distorted history of events, but squeaked when she promptly found her mouth plugged by Michael's cock. Threading his hands down to grasp her flopping tits, he located her nipples and began twisting them back and forth, enjoying how the squeals they drew made her throat vibrate against his prick. "Was she really all that bad?" Michael asked as their plaything shuddered through another orgasm.

Stacey's eyes sparkled. "Nah," she admitted, smirking. "I just thought she needed it as badly as I did. And while the drills are getting a bit ridiculous, everyone is worried about the upcoming battle and no one is balking about extra practice. They can tell she's doing it because she cares about them and they love her for it." Aurora had gotten quiet at this last part, humbled to know she still had her crew's support. She guessed she had been acting a bit crazy lately.

Michael hummed in thought. "The invasion didn't really count. This upcoming battle will be our baptism under fire. I think we're all a bit nervous. Still, nothing for it but to prepare as much as we can and hope for the best..." He cupped Aurora's cheek and smiled at her gently. She sighed when she felt him brush her hair back.

He pulled out of her delightful mouth and sat in his chair. Stacey grinned and let Aurora collapse to her knees amidst the aftershocks of her release. She bounced over to Michael and promptly sat in his lap, his member sticking up between her legs. She giggled as she slid to the base of his shaft, leaning against him, and began jerking him off with both hands. "Now I've got two of 'em," she laughed. A wicked gleam came to her eye and she shouted, "Come, slut!"

The captain's head snapped up, her submissive tendencies coming to the forefront. She crawled over to where the couple was reclining in the custom seat welded to the deck. Stacey patted her lap and said with a salacious smile, "Hop on, bitch." Aurora rose and paused as she saw the two things she could use to impale herself on. She threw Stacey a curious look, clearly asking which one she was supposed to use. Her subordinate simply watched her slyly. Aurora's eyes widened as she realized she was expected to use both.

Turning around, she backed into their prospective laps. "I don't think I've had anything that big in my ass befo-" she nervously started to say and was cutoff when Stacey delivered a sharp slap that left a red handprint on her right cheek.

"Did I ask you for your prior work experience?" Stacey rebuked. "You have five seconds... four..." Aurora's eyes widened and she hastily tried to jam the phallus up her rear. She didn't quite make it, but as the young girl pointed out, that just gave them a reason not to go easy on her.

Stacey held Aurora's full breasts while Michael alternated between the captain's hips and his young coordinator's perky tits. Aurora was used completely, neither of them going easy on her and both determined to make it last. For the two on the bottom, it was actually a somewhat relaxing experience, Stacey loving the feel of being sandwiched between two bodies while Michael enjoyed having so many attractive handholds. "We might have to do this when the ship is moving," he chuckled and Aurora gave a squeak of dread, knowing he'd do just that if the mood struck him and damn how many observers happened to be there.

Finally, Aurora sobbed, "No more. Oh... no more, please!" She slumped to the deck, completely over-sensitized; a veritable cloud of steam coming out of her exhausted cunt. Michael unbuckled Stacey's strap-on and started fingering her pussy, enjoying the stretchy tightness and the silky smoothness of her lips. She'd been experimenting with different designs for grooming her hair and it looked like this week was a heart.

As she moaned at his touch, he delivered a sharp slap between her open legs, shooting a spark of electricity that had her squirming in his lap. Lifting her easily, he placed his tip against her opening and slammed her down his length. Stacey's mouth formed an "O" at the suddenness of the intrusion and her eyes actually watered before her hips started moving on their own accord, hungrily accepting his prick.

Michael bucked his hips, driving her closer to release. At last, she cried, "Oh, shit! Ah yes, yes, yeeee-" She squealed suddenly as Aurora's hand snaked out and twisted her clit viciously. Looking down at the older woman, she felt a spark of fear when she saw the cruel intent. Someone was looking for some payback. The captain buried her head in Stacey's lap and began sucking mercilessly on her tender love button. 

Stacey whimpered and tried to push her head away, but found that Michael had wrapped his arms around her, still bouncing her lightly on his lap. Stacey moaned in distress and her legs shook. 'Help!' she spoke to Aki in her head. 

Curious, Aki gave a questioning response. Stacey provided the image of what was happening and the petite Asian girl laughed. 'Oh, that's just wicked,' came the response. 'I think Rin and I will go do that to Dejah now.' 

* * * * *

Michael walked into the packed conference room, the holographic representations of the other commanders lighting up the room. Admiral Johnson gestured at Aurora and Marcus who'd followed him in and remarked, "I thought we'd agreed that only those commanding divisions of our forces would be present for this meeting."

Michael gave an unimpressed grunt of acknowledgment and waved behind him airily. "Meet Admiral Lindström and General Weber. They'll be directing my ships and, should the need arise, borders and repellers. Marcus's back straightened at that. Michael knew he thought of himself as a glorified security chief, but if he was going to be leading Michael's army on alien planets, he'd have to start acting the part.

Aurora piped up, "I'm not an admiral. I only control one ship."

Giving an impatient wave, Michael explained, "The crew on this ship will be directing the general movements of the AI fleet. Therefore, you control all those ships they control... Quit debating semantics."

Aurora made to argue and Michael stepped close and whispered, "Look. I'll be directing our forward units inside a fighter. There's a good chance I'll be killed. If that happens, I need someone with some clout to direct things until I come back." Her eyes widened and she slowly nodded her head in acceptance.

Unable to contain himself any longer, Admiral Johnson exploded. "You can't just create an admiral position on a whim," he blustered, sounding offended at the very idea.

Vice Admiral Song sighed impatiently. "He's a completely separate and sovereign entity. He can do whatever he wants with his military. Now can we move on? I have a feeling the B'Amuf won't accommodate us if they show up and we require more time to prepare," he spoke in impeccable English.

Michael inclined his head and took his seat while Admiral Johnson glared at his subordinate. Vice Admiral Song was, as far as Michael knew, the only person of North Korean descent that had been able to obtain a commission in the Council's military. The winds were changing, but there was still tremendous resentment towards certain countries. Song had placed first in the accelerated academy program the Council had put together for all incoming flag officers needing to get used to space combat, beating out a host of applicants from well-to-do political families. He was a bulldog of a commander whose stubborn determination impressed enough people to give him a chance.

In the Vietnam war, being well connected meant you got to stay home. Nowadays, you were barely respected unless you served in some capacity for Earth's survival. The academy and other similar institutions was working to cut down incompetence like a scythe cuts wheat, but there were still quite a few 'political commanders' slipping through the cracks. 

They thought leading a fleet or commanding a vessel was just one more notch on their belts. Everyone fully expected an international senate or representative body of some sort to form soon as the Council was bombarded by problems from every corner of the globe. Politicians were hoping to get a head start on the process. It was simply going to be impossible to serve as a big-name statesman in the future without having been in command of something during Terra's most dire moments.

"And why haven't we moved into position yet? There's less than five hours until the probes say they'll arrive," Admiral Johnson huffed unnecessarily as Pandora had clearly displayed the countdown timer in the center of the table.

Having grown used to dealing with stupid questions from the man the Council had placed in overall command of their forces, the other senior officers prepared to humor him. Michael was nowhere near as patient or understanding. "Just what do you expect the B'Amuf to do when they see us splitting into two parts?" he questioned. "It wouldn't be to widen their lines, by chance? You think they might split their own forces to counter, perhaps?"

Johnson's face turned red and he retorted haughtily, "Well, don't you imagine the plan will suffer if we try and change our position at the last minute?"

"There is no plan if we don't make them commit themselves," Michael gritted.

Not wanting to back down, the admiral gave a derisive snort and said, "I still don't see why we don't simply hide our ships behind Mars and then surprise them."

Having had enough, Michael roared, "Because planets move, you fucking moron, and the position of Mars is nowhere near their planned route of approach!" Admiral Johnson opened and closed his gaping mouth like a fish, his face turning a fascinating shade of red. "No!" Michael shouted, cutting him off. "Just shut the hell up and enjoy the position you obtained from having had senators in your pocket back when you voyaged the seas."

As the admiral made to speak, now fully enraged, Michael cut him off again, "So help me, if you risk the lives of billions by not letting those who actually have a clue take the lead on this, I'll have Pan vent the air in your compartment." The red-faced man's mouth snapped shut, shocked at the threat. Michael waved a hand and Pandora caused Johnson's holographic image to blink out.

Turning to the assembled commanders who all looked stunned, weary, or satisfied, Michael asked, "Questions?"

Unfazed, General Zhukov asked, "What do you have planned for when they cross the asteroid belt?"

"Something that will throw them into disarray, have no doubt," Michael replied with a feral grin. The exchange seemed to open the floodgates and all those commanders in charge of their divisions began clarifying their orders and hammering out last minute changes.

* * * * *

James Merrick sat in his fighter cockpit, waiting for the show to start. He thought back to how he got into this position. He shivered as he remembered how he'd felt during that November afternoon. Reaching rock bottom didn't even come close to describing the hole of depression he'd fallen into... And then he'd jumped.

James recalled waking up in a Type 2 "Roc," the shuttles used by the AI-driven nation. A distinctly feminine, but obviously inhuman voice came through the speakers and told him to remain calm, they'd be docking momentarily. He remembered feeling an irrational fear --given that he'd just tried to kill himself. The voice almost certainly belonged to the infamous Pandora, the artificial intelligence that worked from the shadows to essentially control the world. There was even a church that had been founded in her name. 

When he left the shuttle, he was startled to see he was in a hangar bay easily twice the size of the one on his last home, a TDF Dragon-class assault carrier. A massive flag dominated the raised space against one bulkhead. It depicted the Greek goddess of Victory, a sword pointed low in her right hand, an eagle perched atop her left shoulder. She wore a blood red cloak and a revealing black toga of a style worn by mourners. Finally, she was framed by the black feathered wings of a fallen angel.

She had a chilling expression on her face, the artist managing to capture a pain and determination that seemed to reach out and touch his soul. His hand came up instinctively to salute the flag as he came 'aboard.' James heard an amused voice to his left say, "You'll do." Turning, he saw a pretty young girl in a dress uniform wearing black shoulder boards with gold lion heads embossed on them. She held a clipboard and was smiling at him, obviously waiting for his arrival. 

Abruptly, she turned and began walking towards a hatch. James hurried to catch up, still trying to figure out what was going on. She led them through another hatch into an area James clearly recognized as a hangout for fighter jocks. The girl turned and handed him a tablet. "Keep it with you at all times. You are assigned a room on Deck -26, not that you'll use it much in the coming weeks."

James made to interrupt, trying to make sense of all this. She ignored him and went on, "You're assigned to Commander Cho's flight group. You'll retain the rank you had in the Terran Defense Force -- minus the court-martial, of course. We tend to take a dim view on incompetence here." He helplessly tried to open his mouth and make something come out. "Cho's good," she said. "He'll lock you in a flight simulator for a few days to get you up to speed and then he'll do it again just to make sure." She sighed. "Questions?"

"Wh- Why me?" he managed to ask. "How?"

She frowned at him. "We like your work. Anyone that's that proficient in killing is too valuable to waste in this day and age. As for how... do you really need to ask?"

Not all that enthused about being praised for his ability to take lives, he opened his mouth to argue, and then closed it again, doubting it was worth the effort. "What about the TDF? I'm still on contract..."

She gave a snort. "You don't need to worry about the paperwork, if that's what you mean. As for your loyalties... You're dead. You're only experiencing this at all because we intervened. You're ours now," she said in a voice that chilled him with its finality. "All you need to concern yourself with is how best to serve Michael." She gave him a piercing look that said there was no other option. 

At a loss for how to take that, he finally asked, "Who are you?"

"Stacey Whitmore," she answered with a grin, "main communications officer." She paused. "Used to be Ensign Whitmore, but Michael didn't like the idea of people thinking they could order me around."

James gaped. "What's the daughter of the former president doing giving me a tour?" he asked, shocked that this day could get any stranger.

A sly smirk crossed her features. "My sister has taken an interest in you," she admitted mysteriously. "I feel I should be kept informed." As she walked off, she called over her shoulder, "Welcome to the Intrepid."

James came back to himself as Commander Cho spoke over the radio, "Wake up, people, It looks like the slugs finally decided to grace us with their presence. ETA is twenty minutes according to the probes. Remember, stick to your assigned destroyers. Make sure nothing gets through their line to the capital ships. For the Intrepid!" his last words were echoed back over the radio by all the members of the flight group.

* * * * *

Michael sat in the backseat of the modified fighter, watching the massive B'Amuf fleet appear on his screen. The numbers were staggering, especially when the carriers began spewing attack craft. He let out a relieved breath when he saw they were staying together in a closed formation. "They're entering the trap," Kat observed gleefully from the front seat. Michael smiled at her eagerness. His lover was a bloodthirsty devil that was at home in the killing fields.

He narrowed his eyes as he looked down at his screen and said, "Pan, what do you make of those strange ships towards the back?"

"I don't know, master. According to the B'Amuf systems I've managed to infiltrate, that is where the commanders reside, but their ships have actually managed to resist me entry," her voice said in an annoyed tone. "There's something about their technology that's decidedly not B'Amuf." Michael felt a prickle of unease as he was faced with the unexpected, but shrugged it off. It didn't really change anything at this point.

* * * * *

The Sensor Manager turned and told the B'Amuf Fleet Master, "We have an alert that popped up about an asteroid storm that will cross our path in three sveds."

The Fleet Master glanced down at his readout. "That is when we'll be traversing a known asteroid belt. The storm has been recorded and accounted for. Can we blast it to dust and still maintain our approach speed?"

The Sensor Manager looked doubtful. "Some of the rocks are a good eight or nine tregs in length. We might be able to get them all in a single barrage if we lined our ships up... but in this formation?" he made a negative gesture. "It's not very likely."




The Fate of Terra Ch. 13



The Fleet Master sighed impatiently at the delay. "Very well," he grumbled, making notations on his display. "Open up the ranks here, here, and here... Let the rocks fly through and then get back into formation again. Tell the ships that anyone who doesn't move fast enough will be fed to the Rha'kovsk." Going back to watching the assembled fleet of this primitive race, he wondered who was responsible for helping them achieve such a feat. They had made many enemies throughout the galaxy. Perhaps the Rhemish or the Laksurcians could have been responsible. He supposed those pesky traders could have managed it as well...

As the asteroids neared the ships, the Sensor Manager frowned at his display. "I'm getting some odd readings about their composition. There are trace elements that faintly show up beneath the surface. I think-"

He stopped as alarm spread throughout the B'Amuf fleet like wildfire. The asteroids had suddenly accelerated madly, moving onto ballistic trajectories towards the unsuspecting ships. The B'Amuf ships all along their line began to open fire, but the incoming projectiles were already inside their formation. Many rocks split apart and began opening fire, others simply found a capital ship and attempted to ram it.

The sudden ferocity that ships began dying with caused fear and surprise to radiate through the B'Amuf as they were caught flat-footed. The attack was all the more devastating and psychologically traumatizing when they realized just how destructive the Terran nukes packed into the rocks were. At last, the rocks were expended and they managed to make it through the asteroid belt, leaving hundreds of hulks behind. However, the real damage was that their formation was now in complete disarray.

Wanting to capitalize on this, Michael had sent forth an expendable force of AI-controlled ships, like the peasants that had been sent before the knights in the Middle Ages to soften up the enemy. Following this force, the TDF had sent thousands of missiles that would hopefully be covered until they could reach their targets. The B'Amuf were so preoccupied by this surprise offensive, hardly any of them noticed the Terran fleet splitting into two ominous prongs.

The expendable force finally closed and began pouring light blue pulses of plasma onto their targets, their ion cannons firing full bore, knowing they wouldn't survive for long. Ships on both sides exploded. The B'Amuf attack craft weren't used to fighting anything larger than a fighter and thousands were shredded before multiple capital ships could concentrate their beams and get through the shields of the oncoming ships.

* * * * *

The sensor officer aboard the Intrepid intoned, "twenty-two thousand kilometers until enemy contact at the forward lines... twenty-one thousand... twenty..."

"Start the weave," Aurora ordered. All along their line, dreadnoughts began to move, exchanging places with those behind the front ranks. This was to allow their shields time to recover and would ensure they wouldn't be exposed for more than thirty seconds.

Battlecruisers supported individual dreadnoughts, switching places with each other. Destroyers would field enemy fire without exposing themselves -overlapped by the bigger ships' shields- and fighters would fill in the gaps and watch for enemy attack craft. The formation was pulled off with a machine-like efficiency that was impressive to behold.

The Council's attack prong was much different. For one, they had a great reliance on missile technology and released them by the hundreds of thousands, trying to simply overwhelm the oncoming B'Amuf ships. Their fighters actually acted as mules, releasing their payloads and then returning to their carriers to rearm. They didn't use dreadnoughts or battlecruisers, but battleships that tried to incorporate the armor of the former with the speed of the latter. The battleships would bear the brunt of the B'Amuf line while the destroyers, fighters, and their attached carriers would remain behind them and unload their missiles unhindered. 

Finally, the organized Terran death machine crashed into the far larger but disorganized B'Amuf fleet. Michael knew the math said their shields ought to hold, but at magnitudes of this scale, that didn't mean much. If 5,000 B'Amuf rays all hit a dreadnought at once, it was going down no matter how much armor and shielding they'd provided.

All along the human fronts, ships began exploding as their shields were overwhelmed. Michael noticed the weave helped their chances of survivability, but in many cases thirty seconds was still too long an amount of exposure. He knew that if the B'Amuf formation hadn't been in chaos, they would have been easily overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

And then they were among the B'Amuf shuttlecraft and Kat was flying like a demon, Michael's personal guard struggling to keep up. As he was assaulted by g-forces, he tried to pay attention to their lines and reinforce points before they could collapse. Onboard the Intrepid, scores of tacticians did the same with capital ships, operating terminals on the lower level of the bridge. Pandora struggled to handle the math portion involved in carrying out their decisions. 

After a half hour of fighting, clear distinctions between their forces became obvious. Every time the AI ships would retreat into the weave, the B'Amuf ships would follow and then become quickly enveloped by the ships that were coming up to replace them. This formed a very effective grinder that was chewing through the B'Amuf forces, actually requiring them to pull forces away from the Council's side to face them.

Having identified Michael's flagship, the B'Amuf would make suicide runs through their lines to try and take out the Intrepid. As the largest ship in the area by far, it was also the most capable. Not only did its rail guns bite into the enemy ships at an extreme range more than three times what the B'Amuf ships were capable of, but the oncoming vessels were absolutely shredded when under the full assault of the ion cannons.

No ship was able to come close to damaging the Intrepid as it had five shields that shut off before they overloaded. In other words, if the enemy ships took twenty seconds to break through one shield and another twenty to break through the next, before they could breach the third shield the first would reactivate and they'd need to do it all over again. They'd need to pour an insane amount of fire all at once to even think about getting through the shields. The Intrepid still had problems with ships trying to ram it though, and the crews worked feverishly to make sure that didn't happen.

"Master," Pandora informed him, sounding strained. "The Council's line is about to collapse. Their missiles are being negated by the tens of thousands of attack craft, while the battleships have to concentrate on all those individual swarms instead of the B'Amuf capital ships.

Michael grimaced and made some notations on his pad. "Reinforce them with our reserves in Quadrant II and tell whatever idiot is in charge of their destroyers to move them up to support the battleships. They must be about empty of missiles anyway and they can use their cannons to handle the attack craft."

"Yes, master," she responded, as if simply communicating was taking a toll on her. Just then, the strange B'Amuf ships in the back of the formation moved up. Four large ships formed a diamond with the B'Amuf flagship behind them. Between the four, there began to radiate a massive ball of energy that measured too high for their instruments to read. 

"They seem to be building up a tremendous amount of kinetic force," Pandora exclaimed, sounding alarmed. "If they release that, I don't think we have a shield that can stand up to it. Luckily, I don't think they can fire it very far, so-"

Suddenly the ship in the rear fired a beam into the ball of energy and the four ships that made up the diamond exploded. From that, a beam of pure energy miles wide shot out on a direct path towards the Intrepid. They apparently figured it was worth the sacrifice to destroy the flagship of the force that was giving them so much trouble. Michael frantically made some calculations. Fifty seconds for the Intrepid to see it, another ten to be able to make any noticeable change in direction... 

Pandora answered for him, sounding resigned. "Not enough time. I've sent the override orders on a tight beam for them to take the most effective evasive movements, but it will still hit them. They planned it perfectly to aim right where the Intrepid was going to be next in the weave. We were too predictable."

Michael began moving AI-controlled ships in between the beam and the Intrepid anyway, even though all of his readings said they'd only be torn to pieces. He felt fear for his loved ones and desperately stamped down on it before it could turn into hopelessness. "Back to the Intrepid," he ordered Kat. The beam was actually faster than them, but they had less distance to travel. Kat looked grim, but did as he asked.

* * * * *

"Good one, Reaper," Commander Cho congratulated him as he racked up another kill. "I think that just made you a 'real' Ace.

James smiled and shook his head. He looked over to see how their counterparts were doing and grimaced as he saw the fighters belonging to the Council's military used to ferry missiles. "What a waste," he muttered. The tactic made sense before the lines closed... but to do that while the fighting was going on? Who was in command over there? He was once again thankful that he'd gotten out.

Then a beam of energy blinked onto his screen and he stared in horror at what he was seeing. It was streaking towards his new home and he felt a brief prickle of hatred that it was going to be destroyed before he'd even gotten a chance to visit the beach area he'd heard so much about. Not one to hesitate long, he broke rank and flew at the approaching line of energy, doing rough calculations in his head. He really wished he'd paid more attention in his physics courses...

Thinking fast, he knew he had ten drones. He also knew that if he overloaded their reactors they could create a much greater explosion than any sort of missile. He was well aware that he couldn't hit the beam straight on as it wouldn't have any effect. However... He jerked his fighter on a parallel course and began giving instructions to the drones. One by one they sped off and exploded at precise points along the line at a distance, but close enough that the resulting shockwaves would blow into the beam. At first, it didn't appear to have any effect, but as he watched his readings, they showed the trajectory of the beam had changed by a few percentages of a degree. 

As he continued to send out drones, his heart sank as he realized he needed one more drone than he had. James sighed and looked at the picture of him and three friends, all of which were dead now. He touched the laminated material and smiled, knowing he'd join them soon. He did, after all, have one more reactor he could use. He accelerated...

* * * * *

"Catch him!" Michael shouted to Pandora. They'd reached the beam --or rather it had reached them, and they were able to observe what James was doing. Pandora yanked his fighter back, saving the young Lieutenant yet again, and Kat released two drones to hit the beam at the last possible point they had available to them to direct it away from its planned course.

The beam screamed past the Intrepid, actually scorching some of the plating and causing the ship to shudder mildly from both the contact and the fact that the beam had cut through all five shields like a warm knife through butter. The nanites worked furiously to reform the damaged layer of ionized metal. A white-knuckled Aurora let out a relieved breath. She turned to her pad and reserved a place at the officer's bar, knowing tonight would see it packed and then some. 

All throughout the fleet, cheers rang out from the reinvigorated defenders and the AI ships slammed back into the B'Amuf lines with a vengeance that bespoke their fury. "Who was that?" Michael demanded.

"The pilot I told you about," Pandora replied with no small amount of satisfaction. Michael nodded, not nearly as surprised as she might have thought. He'd come to trust her insight more than his own over the years. 

"We'll just have to find some way to reward him..." he thought aloud.

Kat listened to what he had in mind and burst out laughing, "That's not a reward, that's a punishment." Michael just grinned unrepentantly.

An hour later, there was a noticeable tension in the air as both lines slugged it out, neither side seeming to give any ground. Michael was more perceptive however, and he recognized the shift in the B'Amuf ranks. If they could push them now, their lines would fold. He leaned back in his chair and told Pandora, "Release the Phoenix."

* * * * *

The Fleet Master narrowed his four eyes in confusion as he saw a change in the line of their enemy. 'Could they finally be weakening?' he thought, more hopeful than he wanted to admit. These humans had proven themselves to be far more resistant than anyone had predicted. Suddenly a human craft zipped past the viewport and he laughed at the size of it. How did they expect to damage them with something barely twice the length and width as he was tall? He didn't even see a shield on it. More flew past the viewport.

Slowly, he stopped smiling as dozens turned to hundreds, hundreds turned to thousands, and thousands became hundreds of thousands of small flyers. Soon his entire ship and those around him were fully encompassed by the tiny attack craft, their light blue balls adding up terrifyingly fast. He did some quick calculations and realized that just like that, it was over. He didn't have time to retreat and he could not be supported as those closest to him were in the same predicament. He sent out an order for those ships under attack to self-destruct, knowing the ensuing blast would almost certainly take all these pests with them.

* * * * *

All across the battlefield, everyone watched as a good chunk of the B'Amuf fleet facing Michael's line lit up suddenly as over a hundred capital ships exploded at once. Fully expecting that to be the end of it, they went back to fighting. They were all jarred from whatever they were doing as a keening, ear-piercing wail was blasted out of every speaker in all three fleets of ships as well as those on Earth and Lunar Base.

Every screen and display that Pandora had managed to hack showed the blast area, littered with melted hulks. Out of the destroyed mass of ships exploded millions of tiny craft that began reforming themselves out of the metal using nanites. These craft came together in a formation depicting a giant bird of prey that looked like it was on fire as they blasted continuous red beams at the B'Amuf line.

The alien ships desperately fired back into the mass of ships with no observable effect. Those attack craft that were hit were replaced by others and the damaged ships simply reformed and trailed after the formation, making it seem as if the bird had a long glowing tail. The Phoenix simply 'ate' ships --completely engulfing them and overwhelming their shields. It traveled along the line leaving behind nothing but death.

As the bird flapped its wings, the horrible haunting sound chilled its listeners. In his fighter, Michael waved his hands around like a conductor as another hair-raising banshee shriek pierced the air in the cockpit. The B'Amuf, unable to turn the sound off or even lower the volume, felt their fear mount as the approaching swarm neared their ships. Gradually they turned and fled in ones and twos. Soon, there were hundreds of B'Amuf ships fleeing and the lines collapsed, the Phoenix pursuing them relentlessly. 

Still, it didn't really register for the humans that they had won, so stunned were they by the sound and the frightening display of destruction. Michael allowed himself a self-satisfied smile. The small ships really weren't all that difficult to counter if the opponents kept their heads and used coordinated barrages. But then, like the Draco, the real value was the psychological effect they had.

The sound in his cockpit was muted as Pandora spoke, "Master, it seems someone onboard the Intrepid tried to send data on some of our weapons and shield capabilities to the TDF flagship. I managed to isolate the feed and prevent a leak. Stacey tracked down the operative and ordered Marcus to take her into custody. Unfortunately, because the feed was suddenly cut off, it is probable that the Council's Intelligence Agency knows we now have one of theirs.

Michael shrugged. "I don't really have the patience to feed them fake information anyway. Very well, I'll see to it when I get back."

Kat piped up with, "Was the operative male or female?"

"Female," Pandora replied in an amused voice.

"Is she hot?" Kat asked, ignoring Michael's groan.

"I don't think I can objectively say," Pandora evaded smugly.

"What do you think?" Kat asked, directing her question to Michael. 

He sighed. "I'm not too impressed that she would think to do this in the middle of a battle. Technically, she jeopardized billions of lives... and for what exactly? A promotion?"

Kat scoffed, "Quit making it sound so sinister. She was just doing her job and this was the best chance she had at pulling it off. You're making it sound like she tried to upload a virus when we were at our most vulnerable or something."

Michael chuckled, "How 'bout I just let you 'interrogate' her and then you don't have to convince me one way or the other..."

Kat brightened and she started to get wet thinking of all the devices she might get a chance to use. "I can do anything to her?" she asked, sounding hopeful.

"So long as I get to watch," Michael smirked. Finally, as the Phoenix traveled beyond the orbital plane of Mars, the sound died down (for the humans anyway).

On his display, Admiral Johnson appeared shouting, "What the hell was that? What do you think you're trying to pull here? How dare you jeopardize our communications with that- that-"

He was interrupted as Vice Admiral Song came on and without formality said, "I think if you send your division furthest to your left now you can catch the fleeing ships. They seem to be running back towards where they came into the solar system which isn't the most efficient route out."

Michael looked at the calculations and nodded his head, impressed that he'd thought of that. "It's a good plan, but they'll be taken care," he said enigmatically. In fact, even without the plan that was in place or Song's strategy, his ships' superluminal capabilities were better than that of the B'Amuf. They couldn't outrun his forces if it came to that. Vice Admiral Song narrowed his eyes, but accepted that there was nothing he could do. 

A set of linked probes was set up between the Intrepid and Earth. As he neared the Intrepid, the Council tuned in, their delayed image showing up next to those of Johnson's and Song's. The string reminded him of the early chat rooms he'd used when talking to hackers in other countries. There was often a delay between the time you posted and the time they saw the message and it added an extra challenge in communication.

Johnson's angry blustering filtered in for all to hear. "I want to know what the hell you were trying to accomplish with that stunt!" he roared. Nothing fuels anger like fear and the admiral didn't want to admit just how much the tormented melody had affected him.

Michael glanced at the red-faced image and cocked his head. "Wasn't it obvious?" he wondered aloud. "I was making a statement." Admiral Johnson's eyes just about popped out of his head and his image faded as Pandora cut his transmission. The Council and the Vice Admiral remained silent. They had been become used to Michael's blunt manner so him coming out and saying that the Phoenix was every bit as much for their benefit as it was the B'Amuf's wasn't all that surprising. He didn't try to hide what would happen if anyone went against him and just like any other pre-invasion superpower, every once and awhile he needed to flex his muscles to remind others that they needed to toe the line.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 13



On their screens, they could see the fleeing B'Amuf fleet that was still being pursued by the Phoenix just about to cross Jupiter. They had actually altered their course slightly to reach it, desperate to put something in between them and the frightening flaming ships. The Council let out a gasp as ships exploded out from within the gas giant's atmosphere. Mara's mercenaries, backed by hundreds of AI-controlled vessels, had been reinforced to withstand the pressure required to lie in wait twenty miles into the planet --enough so that they wouldn't show up on sensors, but not so far as to be assaulted by the incredible storms that wracked the planet.

Michael was impressed with her decision to wait to attack, originally thinking they'd try and engage the rear of the B'Amuf formation when they had been occupied. "Playing anvil to our hammer," the Council heard him muse aloud. The timing was incredible considering they were essentially blind in there, requiring them to rely on a string of sensor buoys to know when to strike.

They watched the events that had already happened, amazed to see the smaller force charge directly at the far larger --albeit piecemeal- force. Capping their spear with heavily armored AI-controlled ships, they broke through the line and spread, causing the already terrified B'Amuf to flee in all directions and tearing through any pockets of ships that had remained together which might have construed a coherent fighting force.

Michael's forces in the Kuiper Belt that had been hidden when he pulled back his factories began flooding out of the mass of asteroids to herd the defeated ships. He was glad, but interested, to note that none of the B'Amuf tried to surrender. Glad, because he didn't really know what he'd do if they had. All of their intelligence reports had said they'd never suffered such an overwhelming defeat and they were probably too shell shocked to react properly. He sighed. Or perhaps surrender simply wasn't done in their culture. Whatever the case was, this chapter of the war was over.

"When do you leave?" Councilman Whitmore asked?

Michael's eyes unfocused as he had a conversation with Pandora. 'Are you sure about the numbers?' he asked her.

'Of course, master,' came the reply.

He turned to the Council and shrugged. "Change of plans," he said. "Pan has gotten a better idea of what the situation is at their home worlds from hacking these ships and has created a model that my experts are looking at." The Council appeared interested at this development. Raising a hand, Michael explained, "Basically, the main power base of the B'Amuf is no longer on their governing world. It is now held among the various vassals. If we go and overthrow the primary ruling bodies and their military forces on those few planets, we'll knock out at most two factions leaving dozens left in other systems the B'Amuf control." 

"Additionally," he went on, ignoring the Council's surprised looks. "There are approximately seventy billion citizens on their largest world. We simply wouldn't be able to hold what we take." His listeners looked shocked at the number. Michael sighed. "Looking back on our history --and American history in particular, you might recognize the situation we find ourselves in as we've been here --standing on a precipice- many times before." 

"When our forces get mobilized and mechanized we are unstoppable." He paused. "But our endgame absolutely sucks. There are those on Earth right now who think we've won and this is all over. They want nothing more than to go back to their normal lives and lick their wounds and forget the invasion ever happened. They don't care about the reconstruction, what the future holds, or what it might take to pacify a hostile race that --given enough time- will attack again. The simple truth of the matter is that if we go in guns blazing and try and force ourselves on a civilization that numbers a quarter trillion, we 'will' fail." 

The Council looked at each other and finally the Councilwoman from India asked, "So what do we do?"

Michael leaned back in his char and pulled up the populations of the subjugated worlds on their screen. "We have an untapped resource to exploit. The 23 worlds have five times the population of the B'Amuf and they're likely to side with us. If you look at Vietnam, Iraq, just about every foreign war the US has ever fought... if we had gotten the full support of the locals, we'd have been in and out inside of a week."

"However," he continued, "because we allowed the enemy to entrench themselves on their home terrain, with each one we killed creating a martyr, and every instance of collateral damage inciting the natives, they became drawn-out, costly affairs and by the end of them, no one even remembers what we were fighting for." 

"The plan," he told them, folding his hands, "while still being modified, is to conquer a B'Amuf vassal state and liberate the enslaved populations under them, letting them take care of the administrative details of keeping the B'Amuf pacified. We give the defeated races the ability to enforce their policy on the B'Amuf --though not so much that they can be a threat to us, of course." 

The Chinese councilman nodded. "Yes, I understand. We let the natives do the work. It is like when my country would go out to poor nations and offer to build them a thousand schools and say all we want in return is drilling and mining rights, and everything we find they get to keep half of. Everyone is happy and we don't waste money or manpower fighting them for resources. We offer to liberate the people on the enslaved planets --which we were going to do anyway- and they fight our war for us."

The British councilmember began to nod. "Hell, it's almost like the privateers my country used back in the day... We give them the ability to fight and they'll take the cost unto themselves. We'll essentially be creating free militias wherever we go."

"Colonialism is dead," the French councilman agreed. "I think all of us have learned that free trade will benefit us much better in the long run."

The Council began nodding their heads, seeing the possibilities for not only maintaining the territory they captured, but the trade and foreign relations benefits that would no doubt emerge as a result. Michael highlighted eight distinct regions of B'Amuf controlled space. "These three," he said, indicating those he meant, "are home to the most powerful vassals and will likely be the first ones we hit. The others are much less of a threat or their areas contain multiple warlords vying for control."

He blew out his breath and said, "We'll hit 'em hard; destroying the chains of bondage and arming the locals, then moving on to the next area... again and again... until we reach the home worlds that will, by that time, be unsupported. I'll let you know when we have a concrete plan. As for when we leave, we've been meaning to do some modifications to the Intrepid anyway."

He explained, "Rin believes we can add another hangar that would be able to hold four human-operated destroyers without sacrificing structural integrity. These would be invaluable in deploying in a system to control multiple points." Takeshi beamed in pride to know his daughter was doing well on the Intrepid and had finally found a place where her intelligence was being utilized and appreciated. "Call it just after Christmas as a tentative leave date."

The Council nodded, glad to have this issue resolved and at the likelihood of gaining a host of loyal allies to help them navigate this dangerous new environment they found themselves thrust in. Councilman Whitmore concluded, "We'll let Admiral Johnson know. He'll have to decide which ships are best suited to go with y-"

"I want Johnson gone," Michael interrupted.

The Russian councilmember turned to Councilman Whitmore and smiled triumphantly, "Heh. I tell you this, no?"

A pained expression crossed Councilman Whitmore's face. "It's not that easy, Michael. He-"

"I put you into power so you could get stuff done," Michael intoned, emotionless, matter-of-fact; reminding them that in the grand scheme of things, they were no more than chess pieces. "There is no senate to veto your decisions. There is no reelection to put pressure on you one way or another. It's your job to make the hard decisions now."

"He has considerable support with-" Councilman Whitmore tried to explain.

Michael's gaze turned hard as he declared, "If you don't get rid of him, I will."

"Now le- let's just slow down and talk this out," Councilman Whitmore advised, a panicked note creeping into his voice.

"Enough," Michael declared. "I will not leave Earth's defense in the hands of an incompetent commander." Cocking his head to the side, Michael spoke in a quiet but firm voice, "Maybe I should clarify what my role is in this little relationship of ours. I exist outside the government so that I can intervene when you fail to make the right decision due to public pressure, greed, or whatever the case may be. People will blame me and not you."

He leaned towards the screen and went on, "If you're replacements end up driving the world into the ground, I'll be there to fix it. If you screw up the trade agreements and end up placing Earth in insurmountable debt, I will be there to remove whoever is responsible and then fight off whatever aliens come to try and make Terrans indentured servants. I will be the one who safeguards the planet and its inhabitants, even from themselves -even, when they don't want my protection anymore and curse my name into oblivion."

The tension in the air rose to an almost unbearable degree as the Council took in his words. In the ensuing silence, Michael left them with, "This won't be the last time we disagree on something. For now, all you have to decide is if you're better off removing the admiral publicly, or if you'd rather wake up one morning to find that he's suddenly disappeared."

The Council cast each other nervous glances and signed off. Vice Admiral Song remained, watching Michael carefully. "I know you have my daughter," the man finally told him quietly. "I could say that she served in the only capacity they would allow, but that's not the point. Is she alright?" At Michael's silence, he exploded. "Is she alive?" he demanded in a hoarse voice. Michael finally looked directly at him and nodded, cutting the transmission.

He leaned back and sighed. Kat threaded her hand back and gripped his, giving him a reassuring squeeze.

* * * * *

Lt Song sat in a metal cell, bare except for the bench on which she rested, contemplating her fate. She still didn't know how she'd been caught, but one minute she'd been in contact with her handler on a remote terminal and the next troopers were rushing the room and she'd been shocked into unconsciousness. She sighed, knowing what the Council would do if they caught one of theirs giving away information. They had actually reinstated the death penalty for treason.

She could only imagine what an entity like the one that'd captured her would do with no checks and balances and a reputation for zero tolerance. The cell door opened abruptly and she was startled when a young Asian girl skipped --actually skipped- into the cell. She sat down next to her and rested her head on her shoulder without a care in the world. 

Lt Song glanced around with wide eyes as the door shut again. 'Where were the armored troopers? Where were the guard bots? Who was going to ensure the dangerous infiltrator didn't hurt the precious, innocent-looking flower that had suddenly joined her company. The girl sighed and asked without preamble, "Are you a virgin?"

She sputtered in surprise, "N-No." 'What kind of absurd question was that?' she thought to herself. 

The girl looked disappointed at this answer and she wondered what the hell was going on. "That's okay, I suppose..." the girl admitted. "Aurora wasn't a virgin when she became a sister." The way she said 'sister' made it sound like some sort of title she should be blessed to obtain.

Lt Song's eyes boggled. 'What is she talking about? Cap- Admiral Lindström?' She tried to remember all the rumors she'd heard on the ship. She'd instantly dismissed them as nonsense. She faintly heard a clanging sound in the distance and her head shot up curiously. The cells in the brig were completely sealed; to the point that they could easily be used as sense deprivation chambers. The hatch in her cell hadn't been locked and sealed when the girl had come through, she realized.

Deciding to risk it, she shifted her weight and then snaked her arm around the young girl's head in a strong hold, pulling them to their feet. "Don't do anything stupid and you might live through this," she said, trying to sound threatening. The smaller girl simply laughed and faster than she could see, slammed an elbow into her midsection at the same time she locked her hand onto her wrist and dug into a pressure point. The young girl twisted around abruptly, still holding onto her wrist, and suddenly the lieutenant was pressed against the wall, her arm pinned behind her back. 

The girl, who was certainly 'not' the delicate flower she'd thought, leaned in and giggled into her ear. Then she spanked her... hard. Backing away from her, the girl said in an amused voice, "Just where did you think you were going to go? Even if you had managed to make it to a shuttle or escape pod, do you really think you could have made the TDF line? Do you actually believe it would have mattered? Michael can reach anywhere..."

The bruised and winded Lieutenant slowly collapsed to the bench, wincing as her sore tush came into contact with the metal. As she registered the words, she realized she hadn't been thinking. All she knew was that she was probably going to die and she'd rather fight than give in. She was astonished when the young girl suddenly sat next to her again and threw her arms around her in a hug as if nothing had happened. "It's good that you're feisty, though," she heard. "Dejah loves to wrestle." 

Resting her head on the captured girl's shoulder, she sighed. "My twin took a look at your work and was very impressed with what you managed to accomplish. She said if you had waited until we were back on Earth to send the data, you might have gotten away with it. As it was, nothing gets sent or received by signal that isn't taken apart and analyzed. Of course... since Pan is monitoring the Council's intelligence traffic, we would have found out anyway. 

The Lieutenant looked alarmed at this. 'They already managed to hack into my files?' she wondered. Guessing that it really didn't matter at this point she admitted, "We're leaving for the home worlds as soon as the cleanup is done. There wouldn't have been an opportunity for me to send a secure transfer."

"Nu- -uh," the girl told her cheekily. "Plans have changed. Michael told the Council we're not leaving for another two weeks..." Lieutenant Song's eyes widened in surprise at that. And what did she mean that Michael had 'told' the Council? Just how much pull did he have...

The hatch opened revealing Michael and Kat. The girl bounced to her feet and snuggled into his arms. He accepted her embrace and a hand slid down to cup her tight buns. "How's our guest doing, Aki?" 

Aki beamed and wiggled her ass into his palm. "She's a fighter. Can we keep her?" she begged, pouting, as if she was asking to take in a stray kitten. 

'No way...' Lt Song thought. 'The rumors are all true.' Her mind struggled to grasp how he could have so many different women. If what she'd heard was correct, he was involved with two trillionaire heiresses, the daughter of a councilman, a strong-willed American who most people were afraid of, a respected and distinguished captain of proud Nordic descent, and to top it all off, an alien who just so happened to be the daughter of the leader of the refugee delegation. 

She had scoffed when she'd first heard this. They weren't Mormons or Muslims. They didn't grow up in a society where that kind of thing was accepted. There was no way in hell those women should have all agreed to share their lover. Unwittingly, she actually felt a spark of sexual curiosity as she wondered what he must be like to keep so many women satisfied. 

Michael chuckled and replied, "I suppose that would depend on her." Turning his attention to their captive he said, "So... Song Sun Mi --originally a captain in the People's Republic. How is it that our records show you as Korean-American Nara Vong, an IT systems specialist? We already know how you fudged the facial records, but I'm certain we required a blood test when you joined."

Sun Mi felt full-blown panic as she realized they knew who she was. 'No, no, no,' she thought in horror. 'If he has as much power as everyone says, my father...' When Michael raised an eyebrow and waited, she pulled out the tiny skin-colored patch from underneath her blouse as if in a daze and tossed it to him.

Michael felt the squishy fingernail-sized attachment and remarked, "Now 'this' is clever." He squeezed it lightly. "Not much blood in it, but then you really only need a drop to fool a test." He turned to Kat to show it to her.

Sun Mi whispered hoarsely, "What's going to happen to my father?"

Turning back, Michael frowned. "Now that's not very good anti-interrogation techniques to just blurt out your weakness to your captors. I expected better from a spook." He sighed. "As for your father... I'm going to push for him to replace Admiral Johnson as head of the TDF, though it looks like legislation is being passed to turn the TDF into something similar to the National Guard, so he'll actually be in charge of whatever the Council decides to call their overall military branch.

Sun Mi's eyes went wide at this. "What I think you should be more concerned about," he went on, "is what's going to happen to 'you.'" Kat stepped forward and gave her a predatory look. Michael said, "A sane person would keep you alive so as not to make a very powerful enemy. An even saner person would hold you hostage so said powerful person does whatever they want." 

He looked down at her and cocked his head, speaking softly, "Don't ever make the mistake of thinking I'm a sane person, Miss Song... There is only one reason I haven't vented you out the airlock yet and that's because my girls think you might prove to be entertaining. " With that, he turned and walked out of the cell, his girls trailing behind him, Aki throwing her a wink and a lusty smile before she left. The hatch whooshed closed and she heard the distinct sound of the lock cycling. Sun Mi let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She shivered, still able to see the look in his eyes, knowing he meant every word.

Aki pouted on the way to their suite. "Did you have to scare her so much?" she complained. "I want another sister." 

Michael chuckled and wrapped an arm around her. "It's important for her to learn that we aren't the good guys before she gets too invested. Besides, when Kat is pulling orgasm after orgasm out of her and she begs her to stop, do you actually think there's a chance Kat will listen?" Aki didn't need to think about it, she simply shook her head. "Well, this way she won't feel betrayed," he concluded. "We gave it to her straight. She knows that whatever we do to her, we could always have just killed her and been done with it..."

Aki nodded slowly. "I trust you, Michael." Then she grinned. "At the very least we get a new pussy slave. I can't wait to wrap my legs around her," she giggled.

"Oh, really?" he asked in mock indignation. He reached down and threw the girl over his shoulder as they entered the lift. She squealed in protest, laughing at his antics. She struggled and kicked her legs as Kat began spanking her exposed bottom. "And just what about me?" he went on.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 13



Aki had trouble breathing she was laughing so hard. "I-I'll --damnit Kat! I'll take care of you whenever you wan- nooo stop." She was still squirming and laughing when Michael tossed her into the roman-style bath. Kat and Michael stripped as she sputtered to the surface. Just as Aki had reached the edge of the bath, desperate to make her escape, she felt Kat sit on her back facing the bath, so her upper body was pinned to the marble floor. Kat pulled down her soaked skimpy boy shorts so that her bright red ass was hanging over the side and pointed upwards.

Michael jumped into the water where her legs were flailing and his hands joined Kat's which were roaming all over the petite girl's smooth body. Kat tickled Aki's sides and she struggled under her tormentor. Michael leaned down and licked her exposed naughty bits from slit to rosebud, drawing a squeak and a moan. Straightening his back again he and Kat shared a look.

Kat's hand came streaking down to catch the girl's teeny pussy so Michael didn't have to swing underhanded. He instead concentrated on her plump red ass cheeks and the both of them began to spank their victim mercilessly. Aki squirmed and cried out at the treatment, but they continued, ignoring her and alternating their strikes. Kat had a devilish smile as she felt her hand getting sticky as it came into contact with the smaller girl's leaking cunt.

About ten minutes into their fun, Rin walked into the room. "Hey, Aki called and told me it was urgent. I came as soon as- Oh shit!" She turned to run out of the room as Michael and Kat turned to her with hungry expressions. Michael had Pandora lock both hatches and slowly stalked towards her. "No!" Rin shrieked and ran around the room in not-quite mock terror. "Aki, you traitor!" Michael took her down like she was a gazelle and mounted her from behind. 

Kat dragged Aki over by her legs and positioned her, feet pointing out towards her twin. She stood one leg on either side of Aki, facing her head, and looked down at her with a wicked grin. "I believe you said something about a pussy slave..." Kat told her breathlessly. She dropped to her knees, straddling the poor girls face. "So how 'bout you get to worshiping," the dark red haired girl moaned.

Michael pushed down on Rin's back and she obediently dropped to eat out her sister. Aki moaned into Kat's cunt as she felt her sister's tongue, drawing a smile from her mistress. Kat closed her eyes and straightened her back as she began rubbing and tweaking her nipples, panting at the delectable treatment she was getting. "That's it, you little cunt-licker," she praised. "You'll have a lot to teach our new addition after I get through with her." Aki moaned in satisfaction. 

Rin raised her head and gasped as Michael switched to her ass. "Wi- shit! Will we get a chance to torture her?" she asked. 

Michael chuckled. "Kat's running the show, but I don't think she'd mind if she had a couple of beautiful assistants." He grunted as he felt a cumming Rin squeeze his cock. "You could also bring Dejah," he continued, pounding into her. "God, she's sexy with those claws."

Aki let out a muffled giggle. Rin began fingering her sister and panted, "We've got to bring Aurora. She'll want to get in her own punishment for lying to the bridge crew." 

Laughing, Michael said, as his strokes turned rougher and he began spanking Rin, "Well, we can't leave Stacey out. She has quite the dominant streak. I didn't tell you all what happened when I caught her with Aurora on the bridge last week..."

* * * * *

Mara felt exhilarated as she came aboard the Intrepid after her victory. She was met with Tanya who bowed as she approached. A smile split her face as she looked down at her wonderful, eager student. She had started helping train the young blonde girl how to fight a couple of weeks ago and it had become an incredibly rewarding experience. The girl really was gifted and Mara knew if she had been born on her world she would have become a warrior queen with many consorts. She gave a melancholy sigh as she thought about home.

Tanya pulled her back from her thoughts as she beamed up at her trainer, friend, and role model and said, "I saw you blast through those B'Amuf ships like they were nothing. You were amazing!"

Mara chuckled. "Those from the captured worlds that chose to come along were -I believe the Terrans call it- 'scared shitless' when we rushed out in front of them" she said with a smile. "But Michael deserves most of the credit for driving them towards us." Indeed she owed Michael a lot. He'd even modified all of her ships for free. Enhancements they wouldn't have been able to afford if they had worked for cycles --some that weren't even available anywhere else. Now that she stopped to think about it, she likely commanded the most formidable mercenary group she knew of.

Tanya shook her head. "He was really impressed that you timed it when you did. He knows that if you had come in behind the B'Amuf they would have felt backed into a corner and fought all the harder. You would have suffered many casualties. As it was, you were able to pull it off without losing a single life."

Mara beamed at the praise. Then she frowned. "We still lost a lot of AI-controlled ships. If he wants, we would be willing to work off the-" 

Frowning, Tanya told her, "Of course not. It wouldn't be a gift if he asked for anything in return. Besides, construction bots are already trawling the solar system for the destroyed hulks. They'll be collected and sent to the new facilities he's creating around Jupiter for the science organizations on Earth that want to look beneath Europa's ice. In the end, he'll be able to replace nearly all of his losses and then some and he won't even slow the production schedule to do it."

Mara smiled at the pride she heard in the young girl's voice. She knew Michael was lucky to have such a devout follower. She reached out and ruffled Tanya's hair. "Come, little one. Let's see if your balance has improved..."

* * * * * 

Michael and Kat sat at a picnic table in a quaint park down on Earth. 'So what do we need to improve on?' he asked in private. '831 ships lost isn't all that much when you look at the scale, but I'm sure it could have been much less.'

'I believe it's necessary for us to grow another AI that's proficient in tactics and store it in a giant computer core aboard the Intrepid,' Pandora told them in their heads. 'I simply couldn't keep up with all the variables required in the middle of a battle. I didn't have the processing power available to me. Additionally, I think it's necessary for me to be available for other things in combat. I couldn't focus on hacking the enemy systems when I was calculating formation movements. I should have been able to spot that beam weapon they used before they fired it, but I didn't have the time to spare.'

'We need to change the weave so it's less predictable and shave off the time individual ships are exposed,' Kat added.

Michael nodded. 'It can definitely be improved. I always wondered why we're not extending our lines by sending ships around the weave to try and flank them, forcing the enemy to react to us instead of staying in one spot.'

'Rin said that Isaac thinks he can utilize the magnifying technology Revarjah's race uses to see our broadcasts earlier,' Kat told them. 'If we can figure out how to encompass everything in the view, it might cut down on the time delay we experience on observing light at a distance.'

'We need to make a plaque for the twenty-four fighter pilots we lost,' Michael sighed. Kat reached out and squeezed his hand. She looked at him critically to make sure he wasn't blaming himself. 'We'll hang it in the Reception Hall for all to see as they come aboard and then add to it as needed. I've scheduled a service for tomorrow at noon.'

'The Council's prong lost thousands,' she reminded him. 'Our losses were miniscule in comparison.' Michael shrugged that off.

Pandora asked, 'What are we going to do for the crews of the new destroyers?'

Michael said, 'Actually, with all the aliens coming with us to take back their planets, many of them have been asking to serve on the crew of the Intrepid. I'm not saying we stick them all on the destroyers, but we could afford to give them maybe a third of the positions on them and integrate the rest into shipboard jobs.' 

Kat nodded. 'Stacey, Dejah, and Aki are organizing a Christmas party onboard. We really picked the applicants quite well if they're choosing to spend time aboard rather than with anyone on Earth," she shared. "The number of families onboard has doubled in the past month. Hopefully, if this enterprise takes more than a year, they won't all start feeling homesick...'

Michael smiled. 'Do Aki and Rin know about their birthday presents?'

Kat snorted. 'No, but it's only a matter of time before Aki hears there are now dolphins in the beach area...'

Chuckling, Michael told them, 'We've got quite a few new animals that the aliens requested we try to clone for their worlds. I feel like we're traveling in the Ark.'

Just then, he looked off into the distance and nodded at Kat. 'Wow, she looks like she's about to pop,' Kat remarked. They both got up as one and turned towards the pregnant woman walking past the playground, head bent in sadness, a small girl clutching her hand and watching the approaching couple. 

"Kimberly?" Michael asked as he neared. Kat dropped to her knees and began entertaining Sarah. She was quite the serious child.

"Yes?" she asked, surprised.

He smiled. "I believe we have a mutual acquaintance... One James Merrick to be exact."

Her eyes widened. "You knew Reaper?" Kat grinned at that. When Kimberly said 'Reaper,' it was with affection and not the fear or disgust you'd expect with a nickname like that.

Nodding, Michael told her, "He's currently leading my fighters aboard the Intrepid, much to his dismay."

Her mouth formed an "O" as she realized who she was talking to. Kimberly thought she had recognized him from the address, but who expects the most powerful person in the world to be walking around the suburbs in baggy jeans and a T-shirt. Then her eyes narrowed and she demanded, "He's alive?! That son of bitch!"

Michael chuckled. "I had wondered about what impression he expected to leave after liquidating all his assets and leaving himself penniless. However, that's not why I'm here. I'd like to offer you a place aboard the Intrepid."

Kimberly frowned. "Why?" she asked. 

"I'm in need of more teachers," he laughed, somewhat truthfully. "And I thought you might appreciate the chance to chew out my new Air- err Space Marshal." He paused and then turned to Kat. "That doesn't sound right." Turning back to Kimberly he waved a hand. "Whatever. I'll figure out his rank eventually."

She paused and thought about it. She knew there was something else to this and yet she couldn't help but think about how difficult the past few weeks had been. She kept expecting the world to change now that her husband was gone, but it just kept rolling along. Sarah was depressed and suffering in school. And she 'did' want to give Merrick a piece of her mind. The Intrepid was due to leave soon and he still hadn't come to visit her. 'Maybe... No, could he have? Why do I care?'

She looked at Michael and blurted, "Did he uhh, well, has he found... anyone aboard? That-" She blushed and turned to look down at her daughter who was smiling at Kat. She froze. It had been the first time she'd seen her smile since her daddy had died.

Michael's eyebrows rose. 'It seems we were more right than we thought,' he spoke to Kat in her mind. "He's available," he said with a grin.

Kimberly blushed even deeper and started shaking her head. "No, that's not what I meant," she insisted. She sighed. People had noticed that she was out of it to. Not that she had been going to work as she had started her maternity leave. Her eyes widened. "What about the baby?" she exclaimed, a hand going down to rest on her stomach.

"The Intrepid has better, more advanced facilities than you could find on Earth," he assured her. Kimberly sighed in indecision. Finally, she reached down and grabbed Sarah's hand and walked a ways away under a tree and knelt down to talk to her. 'What do you think?' he asked Kat. 

She gave a snort. 'Do you even have to ask? It's a good thing his new quarters are so big.'

Pandora, curious about human interactions, questioned, 'Won't he dislike the idea of courting a woman with two children who obviously used to belong to another man.'

Michael shook his head and Kat laughed, 'They'll be lucky if they even do anything resembling courting before they're hitched.'

Kimberly returned with a nervous look on her face followed by her grinning daughter. She looked at the two of them and finally gave a slight nod. Michael asked, "Do you need to get anything before we leave? We have people that take care of boxing up everything and closing accounts when they ship off with us."

"Nothing we can't do without," she admitted. "But how are we-" She was cut off as a Roc screamed downed on their position, the shuttle braking at the last second and hovering a foot off the ground.

Kat laughed, "Looks like Zoe wants some payback for leaving her all hot and bothered."

Kimberly took a deep breath and squeezed her daughter's hand. Then she stepped forward to enjoy the second chance she'd been given.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 14



Sun Mi was decidedly nervous. Not long after Michael had left her cell, a couple of armored troopers arrived and escorted her out. Warily eying their shock sticks, she'd been amazed when they had brought her to her old quarters and left. She remembered wondering what was going on and what she'd done to warrant such an upgrade. 

Checking her terminal, she'd been astonished to realize she could still access the ship's network. She knew this wasn't an oversight --from what she'd seen, her captors didn't make mistakes. Not able to resist the temptation, she hastily typed a message to her father letting him know she was okay, but that her situation was undetermined. Sun Mi was unable to access any navigational data and a number of other areas were locked out. It was clear that she was still being watched... that she wasn't 'free.'

Her heart sank when she realized that all of her files had been altered to remove all of the sensitive data she'd stolen. They weren't deleted --no, that'd be too easy. It would have taken less than a minute to destroy or replace the memory and storage components in her terminal. Instead, they had chosen to break into her system and locate all of her hidden files, each with their own encryption programs, and go through them -essentially line by line due to her embedded text- to purge the system of just that particular information and nothing else.

No hacker likes to have their systems cracked, but the speed and ease in which this was done made it seem like they were laughing at her. Her carefully planned defenses, which would have been a nightmare for her to even consider penetrating, were casually brushed aside. The completely functioning terminal that remained was almost a challenge as they told her, 'better luck next time.' 

Inspecting the pocket of the foam mattress, Sun Mi saw that the memory stick she'd hidden had been removed. The other one she'd had on her when she'd been captured was already confiscated. She sighed and looked around the room. Her eyes fell on the entrance hatch and she nervously approached. Expecting it to be locked, she almost let go of the button which cycled it open in surprise. She cringed as she expected armored troopers to rush in. When nothing happened, she curiously poked her head out into the empty corridor and frowned in confusion. Not quite brave enough to go exploring, she ducked back into her quarters and waited.

Now, a day and a half later, she was still waiting... She feared they'd lock her back up in a cell if someone came looking and found her missing, but with nothing to really do, she was seriously considering going out. The problem was that every time she convinced herself to leave, her imagination would run wild, conjuring up disturbingly graphic images of diabolical tortures and slow deaths. 

It was becoming harder to associate her initial capture with the situation she presently found herself in. Meals had been delivered to her room and she had been left to her own devices in an environment she had felt quite at home in for over a month. She was actually starting to wonder if they had forgotten about her. Her mouth set into a fine line as she considered it. 'No... NO. They wouldn't have the audacity to- oh what am I saying... of course they would.' Sun Mi blew out her breath and slapped the top of the desk. 'Fine,' she thought with finality. 'Whatever happens happens.' She got up and marched towards the hatch.

She let out squeak of surprise as the hatch opened and Michael stepped through. Ignoring her 'hand in the cookie jar' expression, he handed her a cute champagne-colored dress and a pair of black pumps. "Aki picked them out," he told her with a smile. "Get dressed and be in the forward hangar in twenty minutes."

Sun Mi gaped at him. After all the waiting and nerves she'd had to deal with, she hated that he sounded so normal. 'Doesn't he have any idea what I've been through?' she wondered, miffed. "For what?" she managed to say.

"We're going to a party," he answered, already turning to leave.

"Wh-What?" she exclaimed, desperate to make some sense of this.

He mused aloud without turning, and by his tone she could tell he was smiling, "We could always find something to do that didn't require you getting dressed..."

"Twenty minutes," she agreed hastily, not caring where they were going so long as he stopped that line of thought.

Nodding, Michael exited and her shoulders slumped in relief. At the agreed upon time, she took the lift down and was amazed at the sight before her as she stepped into the open space. The enormous bay doors were wide open, revealing a clear blue sky. Walking up to the edge, there was a knee high barrier that was part of the frame which housed the internal shield that protected the hangar when it was open. It was currently deactivated and she looked over the edge, seeing a huge lake below that held pristine water which reflected the sky. 

Wind blew through her hair and she felt invigorated by the icy air she breathed as she saw a ring of snow-capped mountains all around. Curiously, the lake wasn't frozen and there even appeared to be people swimming in it. "Pretty, isn't it?" she heard a voice to her right say. Sun Mi jerked in surprise, so preoccupied had she been in the view that she had failed to notice the approach of Admiral Lindström who stood next to her, looking over the side as well. 

Nodding guiltily, not knowing how to face her boss who now knew she had been a plant, she asked, "Where are we?"

The admiral pursed her lips and answered, "An undisclosed location. It will be the site for the new Embassy of Extraterrestrial Affairs. It actually has its own shield system and will be considered a separate country outside of the Council's influence. Since we control the Aegis system, we figured we might as well control the first stop visitors to our planet will arrive at."

Sun Mi bowed her head in sadness, knowing she didn't deserve to be trusted with information the Council would obviously want to know about. "I guess they're not happy about having to go through you to have dealings with the aliens." she surmised. "I had no idea you guys had this much power."

Aurora scoffed, "They can go screw themselves. And it's not about power, it's about control. We're going to be gone for who-knows how long. We just want to make sure we have a home to come back to. Copies of Pandora will be monitoring Earth to make sure some self-serving authority doesn't try and collapse what we've worked so hard to maintain. We're even growing a new AI to handle the planet's defense if it comes to another attack. Our factories are extending further and further into the Oort cloud and production is increasing exponentially, just in case we meet a new hostile race that takes offense at our existence."

The commander that was well on her way to becoming 'battle-hardened' leaned forward and rested her hands on the metal construct. "Just because we won't be here doesn't mean that Earth isn't still our responsibility," she declared with a weary sigh, as if she and everyone under her command had accepted a lifelong burden they would carry even if it meant the death of them.

Sun Mi didn't know how to respond. The admiral made her feel small. She'd mistakenly considered the crew and the soldiers that fought for Michael as simple mercenaries that had decided to join his private army for better pay, positions they wouldn't be able to receive in the regular military, or whatever the case may be. She suddenly realized that they were just as devoted to the betterment of humanity than any government-run body, and in some instances more so."

"Come on," Aurora told her, face cheerful again. "The shuttles are leaving." Sun Mi followed along in silence wondering what her own goal was. What did she fight for? Was serving the Council who wouldn't even give her a decent chance what she'd struggled all her life for? These people were other going to kill her or let her go. Did she really want to be let go; to remain here on Earth as a noncom patrolling human space for the rest of her life? Who was she kidding... they wouldn't even allow that as it would leave her in a position of responsibility. 

They had barely let her have an expendable job in intelligence, her mission almost certainly doomed to fail. Maybe in another decade or so things would change. But at 25, by then she'd be nearly as old as the Admiral. Could she really stay the course? Sun Mi shook her head as she entered the shuttle. It was definitely something to figure out. As her training officer had told her on her first day as a cadet in the Red Guard, 'she needed to get her shit together.'

When the shuttles had landed, they released their passengers into a veritable throng of people. There were over ten thousand aliens that had been brought on their two hundred plus ships and this constituted their going away party as they would all soon be boarding the Intrepid to journey back to their home worlds. They were eager to fight for their independence and were heartened by the efforts of the warlike Terrans whom they had nearly built up into a mythical status.

As the ramp of their shuttle lowered, Sun Mi turned to Aki, as the twins had sat on either side of her when she'd boarded, and asked, "Why are we having the party now? I thought we weren't scheduled to leave for nearly two weeks." 

"We're not," Aki confirmed. "...but the Intrepid is going into dry dock tomorrow," Rin added. "...and the crew is scheduled to be back from leave the day after Christmas," Aki explained. "...so there really wasn't time to do it later," Rin finished. Michael chuckled, sitting across from them. They had started to do that as well as other things twins were famous for, like pretending to be the other. 

He thought it had something to do with them finding their niche onboard and now they were experiencing all the things they had missed in their childhood growing up in their confined environment. Michael grinned as he thought of Aki's impersonation of Rin with her serious expression. Kat bumped his shoulder with hers, wearing a grin of her own, knowing what her partner was thinking of.

They got off and joined the mass of figures lining the beach. The water, artificially warmed, was in stark contrast to the ski slopes that seemed to go straight up to the peaks of the mountains that surrounded the secluded lake. Sun Mi was startled to see people riding the gondolas up to the top in their beachwear. Michael smiled as he noted the same. 

Growing up in Washington, there was nothing he liked more than snowboarding down Mt. Baker in a T-shirt when the sun was out. They'd tried to get the weather perfect so that, while warm, it still had that brisk cool feeling you got when you went hiking in the mountains. The girls grabbed Michael's hands and led him away to play volleyball and Sun Mi suddenly found herself alone.

Hands on her hips, she frowned. Wasn't she supposed to be the prisoner here? "What the hell?" she muttered. Sighing, she walked along the beach and observed openings in the rock that dotted the mountainsides around the ring. They were no doubt the carved-out buildings that represented hotels, shuttle depots, office buildings, and warehouses that would be required for the visitors from outer space. 

Sun Mi was startled when something that looked like a large, multi-colored bird flew by close to her face. She had gotten a close look at the sharp talons of the beats and gulped, once again wondering how the Felicians could have the deadly-looking things as pets. They had been dubbed drakes by humans, though she didn't know why since aside from their leathery wings they looked more like furry snakes. 

Extremely intelligent, they were often seen as lazy by most outsiders as the only time anyone really saw them was when they were perfectly happy to drape themselves over their owner's shoulders and fall asleep. Once though, she had seen one eat a squirrel aboard the Intrepid and was well aware of how suddenly they could strike to great effect. You had to be of the warrior caste to have one and she knew it was considered a great honor to be given the chance to tame one. Unfortunately, she'd been told they had been killed extensively over the past century as poachers would hunt the drakes for their venom which had a variety of uses.

She watched as the drake flew over a crowd of children all screaming in delight and trying to grab it. The creature easily evaded the tiny hands and seemed to be having fun. She shook her head in amazement. Taking off her shoes, she continued her walk, enjoying the feeling of the surf coming up to her ankles and the breeze fluttering her long dark hair and flimsy dress.

* * * * *

Michael took off his shirt and served the ball, having trouble keeping his eyes off the image of the twins in front of him, bent over facing the other team. Their bikinis emphasized their curves and did little to hide the fact that their sweet, succulent asses were only a few feet away. Stacey nimbly returned the ball, aiming for a spot between Michael and Kat. Aurora, in front of Stacey, thought she was going to have it easy being much taller than the twins. 

She was thus completely surprised when Rin hoisted a running Aki who then spun and spiked the ball Stacey had hit between the admiral's legs, their speed making it appear like they had pulled off the maneuver with ease. Dejah gave a raspy chuckle and said, "Aha, so that's how you want to play. Yes, enhancements would make things more interesting."

The twins ran to each other and did a chest bump, their tits mashing together. Michael groaned and Kat, whose own mouth was watering at the display, warned them, "Careful girls... or we're never going to make it through the game."

Michael laughed. "Look who's talking?" Indicating her skimpy black thong bikini, he said, "You purposely wore a size too small to tease me."

"Two sizes," Kat corrected him with a wicked, unrepentant grin. 

Aurora piped up, indicating the rising indentation they could all see on Michael's boardshorts, "Perhaps we could move this game into the water to... err, hide the temptation." 

The twins laughed at her. Rin said, "You just don't want aerial acrobatics to play a part in the game."

"Besides," Aki declared, looking at Michael's hardening cock, "who would want to hide 'that?'" Nevertheless, after the game in which Michael's team had won, they agreed to move to water volleyball. 

Aurora's team won that one and they were debating whether to go best out of three or board the cycle of shuttles that were rising and descending in the middle of the lake, allowing people to jump off them from great heights, when Stacey asked, "Where'd the twins go?" Looking around, they could see no sign of them and began scanning the beach, packed with aliens and the crew of the Intrepid. 

Suddenly, Michael choked out, "F-found them..." All the girls looked to him and then down at the ripples around his waist and grinned. After nearly a minute, Rin came up coughing and sputtering.

"Holy shit," she rasped. "Aki can really hold her breath." 

Michael just murmured, head leaning back, "Best. Blowjob. Ever..." The girls all perked up at this and decided they weren't going to let that statement pass without a challenge. Kat raised the stakes when it was her turn to go underwater by removing her top and using her considerable breasts to her advantage. 

A naughty smile crossed Stacey's face and she slowly backed up from the group, silently submerging herself. Seconds later, Dejah let out an, "Oh!" and suddenly the game was on to see who could bring off whom without letting the people around them know what was going on.

* * * * *

Sun Mi had been walking for about an hour and was surprised to see she'd only managed to traverse maybe half the distance around the loop. This was truly an impressive installation. She paused when she observed a group of different races of aliens surrounding a young girl. The girl seemed to be fighting three at once and she made to intervene. Before she reached them however, it became obvious that this was an arranged match and that the blonde girl didn't need help from anybody. 

Mara beamed at her student as she wiped the floor with some of the best fighters in her company. Granted, she was enhanced now, but she wasn't using her full strength and her technique was flawless. Mara had talked to Michael and knew he had plans for Tanya. She would soon be practicing with some of the other teens her age that had shown promise. Michael had assured her that by the time the girl was sixteen, she'd be in charge of her own company.

Tanya deftly evaded a kick, pivoting to keep her two remaining opponents stacked and in each others' way. She made to charge the opponent closest to her and when he stopped his attack to put up a block, she dove and took out the knee of the second one. Spinning around the grab of the first, she brought her knee up into his chin in a lightning fast maneuver that had him collapsing to the sand, knees wobbly.

Tanya made an effort to calm herself, knowing she was getting too eager and brought her hands in to focus herself as she faced her remaining opponent. The four-armed mercenary got to his feet favoring the leg she'd kicked, but still able. Tanya waited for him to work himself up and just as he shifted his weight to go on the offensive, she exploded forward, sending a long leg driving towards his midsection.

The kick winded him, but he managed to get his two lower arms around her leg, locking it in place. A silly grin crossed his face as he thought he had finally gotten her. He should have been watching her other leg as she bent backwards like a contortionist and pushed off the ground with her hands, sending her other foot driving upwards into his temple with a 'crack.' His hefty frame fell as if in slow motion and the surrounding mercenaries cheered wildly.

Sun Mi was stunned at what she'd seen. The girl was soon surrounded and congratulated on all sides. Soon however, the crowd dispersed and she heard mention of the 'Terrans' providing different kinds of beer from all over the world and that they 'needed' to try each one before they left. Mara, the last to leave, picked Tanya up and gave her a big hug, something she'd picked up from the humans. "You were wonderful, little dragon." Leaning down she kissed her atop her head and whispered, "I will see you at the dinner."

Tanya bowed her head. "Thank you for bettering my life," she said in a way that made it sound like a ritual parting she repeated after each of her sessions. After her teacher had left, she looked around and saw Sun Mi watching. She ran up to her with a big smile and asked, "Hey, you're the spy right?" The way she said 'spy' didn't make it sound like the curse she'd come to expect with its connotations.

Sun Mi looked surprised, but nodded her head --if a bit sheepishly- and admitted, "Yeah, I-"

She was cut off as Tanya yelled, "That's so COOL!" Completely oblivious to the stunned expression on the woman's face, she grabbed her hand and pulled her along. "So, how'd you do it? Did the Council remove your old life and give you a new identity like in the movies? Did you learn all that infiltration stuff from when you were in North Korea? Rin says you should be running the Council's intelligence branch because they don't know what the hell they're doing... How did you manage to copy the files? I thought most of that stuff was stored in the AI cores..."

Completely speechless and unable to make herself respond to even one of the flurry of questions she was being bombarded with, Sun Mi was thankful that the young girl was agreeable to keep talking right along. Over the course of the afternoon however, the inquisitive teen managed to pull from her just about everything she remembered about her situation and much that she'd forgotten. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the operative, whose place in life was undetermined, shook her head in dismay.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 14



She'd determined Tanya was scary smart within the first few minutes of meeting her, but she didn't just ask intuitive questions, she seemed to absorb the information like a sponge and after the first hour Sun Mi had needed to think long and hard about her answers. Apparently the fiery girl with dark red hair that went everywhere with Michael was teaching her programming and Pandora was designing exercises for her. Tanya was actually able to tell her step by step where she'd made a mistake in the defenses on her terminal.

Somehow, the two had arrived back where the shuttles had first landed and Sun Mi was startled to see the area completely changed from how she remembered it. Long tables littered the beach surrounded by torches. Some tables had clear bubbles around them and she was shocked to realize that they contained completely separate environments. 

Aliens would walk through a tube with various isolation chambers and by the time they reached their seat they had removed their mask, vacsuit, or whatever their race had required to function in Earth's atmosphere. Completely unhindered, they were laughing and chatting with each other, eating a variety of exotic dishes.

Tanya took her hand and effortlessly navigated the zoo of patrons to a small table in the exact center of the gathering. Michael and Kat sat the head with the rest of his girls on either side down the length of the table. Mara sat at the other end and Tanya bounced over to her, motioning towards the seat next to her for Sun Mi. Sitting down, she was surprised when her neighbor to the left threw her arms around her and snuggled her face into her hair.

Rin grabbed her sister by the shoulder and tugged her away. "Leave her be, Aki," she groused, muttering something that sounded like 'save it for later.'

The conversation at the other end of the table continued and she was startled to realize they were talking about improvements for the Intrepid. By the terms they were using, she could tell they knew what they were talking about. For some reason, she had this image of Michael and his 'brides' sitting on gilded thrones while the AI's and the scientists and engineers they hired were slaving away down in the dungeons/workshops of the Intrepid. 

She sighed. It was easy to forget that Michael had built his empire from the ground up and the accomplishments of this little group humbled her. They might not have looked it, but the most powerful people on the planet were sitting at this table, if only by association. Sun Mi was disturbed to notice that all of the girls (save Mara and Tanya, who were chatting away about the younger's studies) were stealing glances in her direction and exchanging knowing looks. Even Dejah, who'd disappeared to go talk to her father, looked downright hungry when she had glanced at her after returning to the table.

Suddenly, a cry went up from the tables surrounding them that held the infantry as the food was revealed. Sun Mi's senses were overwhelmed as pits in the sand were uncovered and dinner was served luau-style. The serving staff began pushing around hover-sleds piled high with food and the din noticeably quieted as peoples' attentions were captured by the delicious morsels to be had. 

All around her, the sounds of people digging into assorted meats, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables clashed with the laughing, joking clamor. Looking around, she frowned as she observed their cheerful, carefree nature. These didn't seem like people who were shipping off to war. She seemed to recall the same thing happening in the bars and restaurants onboard the ship the night before the big engagement with the B'Amuf. 

Mara, who'd been observing her, gave her a patient smile and explained, "They're soldiers. Life is short for them and they choose to live it as fully as possible. Yesterday, they mourned the loss of the fallen. Tonight, they celebrate being alive. Many of them will not make the return trip, but all they're concerned with now is the present. They will party hard tonight and then tomorrow, with splitting headaches and a lack of sleep, they'll put on their uniforms and go man their stations. Not one member from the lowliest private to the admiral herself will miss morning practice because they don't feel up to it. This is simply what they do." 

Sun Mi nodded slowly, remembering when she'd been a captain. They weren't allowed to show weakness in the army and to show a fear of dying for your country was considered one of the worst crimes you could commit. She could identify with cutting loose if it kept you from thinking about all the things that 'might happen' when you were in the field. 

She froze, remembering an old grizzled commander that had led her unit through training. They had been practicing for months to get their final review they had before graduation the next day perfect. Expecting to train through the night, they had all been stunned when he'd walked up on stage and told them to take the night off and relax. To enjoy each others' company if that's what it took to take the nerves off, because if they hadn't gotten it by now, they never would.

She bowed her head as she remembered his words; how he had told them they should take this time to do something they had always wanted, but had never gotten around to doing. That when they were deployed, there wouldn't be any time to rest and they would always be monitored. He lamented that he could never make mistakes because he was always being watched. But them... they had this one chance to do whatever they wanted and no one would judge them for it.

Sun Mi ferociously willed herself to stave off the tears that wanted to spring from her eyes. She had never gotten the lesson. She had scoffed at his words, thinking them the silly ranting of a has-been. 'Something she'd always wanted to do?' Yeah, graduate with honors and not be seen as an embarrassment to her family. 

She had gone to sleep early that night and hadn't thought about that moment for nearly a decade. Her heart clenched as she realized she had commanded men and women and had actually berated them and written poor performance reviews that had most likely killed their careers for things they'd done on nights before a maneuver. 'How could I have been so stupid?' she thought with a weary sigh. 

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, holding it in until her depression began to fade. Then her eyes flashed open. 'What's done is done,' she told herself reproachfully. 'If I get another chance, I'll do better. For now, my fate is considerably less certain than theirs. I'll just have to take what I've learned and use it.' She reflected that, following in her father's footsteps, she had always been in a hurry to get somewhere. 

It seemed cliché looking back, but she had always wondered if he'd hoped for a boy instead. Sun Mi shook her head as she looked back on her life and realized that all of her actions were driven by the need to succeed, to not bring shame, to make her father proud; that if he was going to have a girl, then she would be the best girl he could ever wish for... Coming to the Intrepid had been an eye-opening experience and she was learning all manner of things she'd missed in her rush to get... where 'had' she wanted to go? She shuddered at the thought of being an admiral. No... She realized she didn't have a clue what she had been running towards.

After about ten minutes of waiting, Sun Mi frowned and looked around, trying to find the wait staff that was going to be fired for letting the most powerful man on the planet go hungry while seemingly everyone else ate. Aurora noticed the display and chuckled. "Our esteemed leader chose to implement a schedule," she stage-whispered to Sun Mi. "He apparently told them in no uncertain terms --and by that, I mean he physically threatened the people in charge- that medics would be served first, then the grunts, and finally the officers. I suppose as overall commanders that meant we should be served last."

Her tone was annoyed, but her smile and the pride that shown in her eyes told Sun Mi she agreed wholeheartedly with his decision. The food was brought out for them not long after and she was startled when Dejah's claws shot out involuntarily when she got a look at their meal. Four chefs came out and made a display of pulling a pig out of a cow and from the pig a lamb and inside that was a chicken. As Tanya held out her plate towards the rack of beef, she told Sun Mi not-quite jokingly, "I hope you're not a vegetarian --I don't think that's allowed."

She just shook her head in response, never having witnessed anything like it. After three more courses and a chocolate dessert she had somehow managed to stuff herself with, it was plain to her that Michael's girls were neither delicate nor ladylike. Kat told the story of her and Michael's first date where she had ordered a simple salad only for him to tell her to try again or he'd order for her and he wouldn't stop until he was satisfied she wasn't holding back on his account.

Food wasn't the only thing she was consuming in large amounts and she was beginning to feel a bit tipsy from all the beer she'd had. In her society, you never drank alone and it was customary that when someone else had another, so did you. Sun Mi had long ago stopped trying to keep up with them, yet she despaired that they looked completely unfazed.

Stacey, who was eyeing her from the other end of the table, asked Michael, "Now?"

Michael simply raised the glass of red wine he'd switched his beer for to his lips. Kat, who'd moved to his lap, answered for him. "Patience," she admonished. "She isn't quite softened up enough yet."

Then music began playing and the attention of all the diners shifted to an area that was being illuminated by the Intrepid overhead. The bright light revealed a wooden dance floor before it flickered off again and people began moving to shake their bodies and lose themselves in the living, swaying throng that had started to form. Michael reached down and lightly tapped Kat between her legs and murmured, "Do your thing, love."

Sun Mi, just starting to think about retiring for the night, let out a squeak of surprise when she looked up and saw Michael's demoness stalking towards her like a panther, hips swaying to the beat. She shivered and stood, backing away, only to have her back hit the twins that had somehow appeared behind her. Taking an arm in each of theirs, Rin smiled at her. It was not a nice smile. "We'll take care of you," she enthused, licking her lips. 

In a daze, she was pulled through the mass of people until she reached an open spot. By open, that meant there was roughly half a foot between her and someone else. "I think-" she tried to say before she was assaulted on all sides as Michael's girls joined her and began grinding their bodies against her to the beat. She was bumped from behind and suddenly found her face engulfed in Dejah's salty bosom. On and on they teased her, never letting her rest or recover. She was in a haze of glowing lights, moving bodies, and a pulsating beat that seemed to rise from the floor and up through her.

At their table, Michael walked over to where Mara and Tanya were seated. Burying his face in her long blonde locks, he hugged his little girl and whispered, "Goodnight, honey." 

Tanya smiled and hugged him back, whispering, "Love you... See you tomorrow, bright and early?"

"You bet," he replied with a grin. Tossing a similar, albeit more salacious, one to Mara, he stood and joined his girls.

Sun Mi was feeling decidedly dizzy. She was no longer supporting herself due to the pressure she was getting on all sides and she felt as if she could have fallen over and not have known it. Suddenly, the crowd in front of her parted and revealed Michael. Before his form really registered to her, he'd already reached out and cupped her behind her neck, pulling her in for a kiss that seemed to stop time itself. Lightheaded, her eyes locked onto his lips as he pulled back and she watched them form a teasing smile. "First one of the night," he congratulated himself.

Then she felt a prick in her neck and she was falling backwards on collapsing legs. Someone caught her and she looked up at the night sky that framed Kat's smiling face, her emerald eyes glimmering in the torchlight. "Oh, we're going to have such 'fun' tonight," she heard as the darkness closed in around her. 

'The Christians had it wrong,' Sun Mi thought to herself absurdly as her thoughts began to muddle together. The devil is most certainly a 'she.'

* * * * *

James Merrick watched the holodisplay as he nursed a beer. It was set up like a window and he was able to look out from his room on the Intrepid and see the tiny dances of firelight which dotted the beach below. He'd left early from another party and turned down a number of offers to dance or... more forward requests. This had become the norm for him since he'd arrived here, much to the general ribbing of the other pilots --those pilots he now commanded he corrected himself with a grimace.

He'd debated calling Kimberly ever since he arrived here on the Intrepid, but seeing as they would be taking off for who knows how long again, and after all the preparation he had put into their last parting... it seemed like telling someone goodbye properly and then showing up a half hour later only to tell them that they were leaving again. He sighed remorsefully.

Just then, his hatch chimed. He curiously got up and pressed a button to cycle it open. A hand lashed out and caught him across his cheek, whipping his head back. He was utterly surprised to see a very pregnant, huffing and puffing Kimberly standing in his entranceway. "That," she explained with a stormy expression, "was for making me think you were dead."

Her hand reached out to caress his cheek. He flinched, but relaxed when he realized she wasn't going to hit him a second time... and then she slapped him again. "And that," she raged, eyes blazing, "is for not telling me about all this." James was staring at her openmouthed and she brushed passed him into the room. She turned around and glared at a sheepish-looking Merrick. When she saw his expression, her eyes softened and she mumbled, blushing a little, "Congratulations..."

His eyes lit up and she smiled at the sudden transformation. "Wh-What are you doing here?" he asked haltingly. 

Her eyebrows rose. "You don't want me here?" she asked, a tinge of worry creeping into her voice.

"N-No!" he shouted flustered. "I mean- yes, of course I want you." His eyes widened, "here, I mean. I want you here." Kimberly let loose that melodious laugh that drove him crazy. "But, it's just that..."

Kimberly nodded. "Michael offered me a teaching position. I think both Sarah and I needed a change of scenery," she finished absently, the holodisplay capturing her attention. James was shocked to hear that she'd been contacted by Michael. Though, he should have known something was going on by the way he'd been smirking at his promotion ceremony.

Kimberly, back on track, gave him a fierce look. "Why did you leave everything to us?" she demanded. James chewed his bottom lip and tried to come up with a decent answer. "You tried to kill yourself, didn't you? I thought it was weird how Michael was so vague about-" at his guilty expression she exploded, "God damnit, Reaper! How could you?! You stupid son of a-" Then her eyes went wide. "Oh! Oh dear..." 

James, instantly concerned, knelt by her side, "What? What's wrong?"

"Uhh, heh. I think my- yup... my water just broke," she explained, somewhat hysterical.

His eyes widened. "Wha- really? Like, now?" At the purely venomous look she shot him he bolted to his feet and tried to keep from panicking. "Ho-okay then... Uhh, med bay's up on Deck-1 mid-ship." Willing himself to do something, he quickly bent and scooped her up in his arms, ignoring her protests, and carried her out, striding to the lift.

* * * * *

A bleary-eyed Sun Mi woke as light filtered through her eyelids before leaving her in darkness again as she heard a door shut. "Oh good," she heard someone say, "you didn't start without me." 

"She's awake," she heard Kat announce, still able to remember her face when she'd caught her.

Light was abruptly centered on her body that somehow left the rest of the room in utter darkness. Looking down at herself, she was dismayed to realize she was hanging by her arms, her toes barely able to reach the floor, bound taught with cords that pulled on her ankles. She was gagged and a trail of saliva reached the floor. She shivered, realizing that her torture would now begin. 'Entertainment,' Michael had called her.

Sun Mi wondered if this was going to be an interrogation. She could have told them that Tanya had milked her dry of information earlier in the day. She didn't know if they gave out medals here, but that little girl certainly deserved one. A nasty-looking serrated knife appeared from out of the darkness and she closed her eyes in fear. 

'So they'll start with cuts first,' she thought in barely-constrained terror. She opened one of her eyes in confusion as she felt her dress being grabbed and pulled, the knife slashing through the light fabric with ease. 'Ah,' she corrected herself, 'they would need to see the area they're slicing...' 

She felt a finger dig into her conservative white panties and she heard Kat order, "Open your eyes." She did so as the elastic band was let go, hitting against her skin with a soft 'thwack.' Kat smiled down at her and pulled back on her bra until her tits fell out. Well, she corrected despite herself, they certainly didn't 'fall' so much as give a little bounce. Her jealousy of Michael's girls for being so gifted was abruptly forgotten as the knife came forward again and snipped the straps around each shoulder. 

Reaching behind her to unsnap the now unsupported material, Kat stole a kiss. Where Michael's had been chaste and tender, this one was rough and possessive. It somehow conveyed that she was 'owned' and nothing she could do would change that. Two more quick movements had the sides of her panties ripped apart and the body-less hand reached out and pulled the fabric upwards, threading the stretchy material through her folds and sparking electricity between her legs.

"Ha! Look at that bush," Aki's voice trickled in from the darkness. "Pay up." Rin groaned and Sun Mi closed her eyes, bowing her head in humiliation. She thought it was incredibly unfair for them to be so at ease when she felt so much dread.

Suddenly, a leather crop appeared out of the black and its tip was used to raise her chin. She could barely make out the hazy figure as Kat growled out, "I said eyes open. And keep your head up!" Then the crop caught her full in the cheek and her head snapped back. "I can still see the fear in your eyes," Kat taunted. "Were you this terrified when you got the assignment to infiltrate us? Did you face the unknown quaking in fright?"

Somehow, the words of her tormentor helped steady her. Sun Mi 'had' felt fear when she'd gotten her assignment, but she'd also felt eagerness. Yes, it was dangerous --hell, it was damn near suicidal-, but she'd thought it had been worth the risk if it meant she'd get a chance to prove herself. Drawing on how she'd felt when she first boarded the Intrepid; the first time her credentials had been checked by the world's best computer, she willed away the tears that tried to fall and stared defiantly out into the darkness --the same unknown she'd faced down back then.

"That's it..." Kat whispered in satisfaction. "That's the expression I want to see when I look at you." She stepped forward into the light and Sun Mi was startled by the intensity of her gaze. "Remember that feeling," the girl her entire world revolved around told her, "because if we manage to break you tonight, you 'will' die."




The Fate of Terra Ch. 14



All of creation seemed to freeze in that moment, and then in the next pain engulfed her ass from the paddle that thundered into her from behind. At the same time, two hands shot out of the darkness and twisted her nipples. Her eyes clenched shut and then... she felt nothing except for the burning remnants of the sudden attack. Her head whipped around wildly, trying to see where the next strike would come from.

She focused on a hand that slowly came through the darkness and cupped her exposed cunt. "Not wet yet," Aki said, sounding disappointed. "Not a pain freak then... Oh well," she surmised, threading her fingers through a thick patch of fur, "sucks to be you then." The hair was twisted through her fingers and she pulled back on it, Sun Mi's not-quite suspended body being pulled along with it. She cried out and desperately tried to thrust her waist forward to lessen the strain.

The hand finally let go and shimmered into nothingness as it was lost beyond her view. Sun Mi panted heavily, not so much at the physical exertion, but at the mental toll this was taking on her. This time a flogger was used underhand to catch her between her legs at the same time two crops came out of the darkness simultaneously across each of her nipples. She gave a muffled cry through her gag and her body tightened against its bonds, then hung limp. 

Hands appeared from behind her and cupped her perky tits. The lips of a taller woman kissed her in the crook of her neck, breasts pressing against her upper back. Her heart jumped as she felt something poke her lower back. A hand moved from her right boob and trailed down towards her pussy. Two fingers probed her deep and she squirmed at the intrusion. Aurora's voice came from behind her, "Looks like she was telling the truth, not a virgin." Leaning in to whisper into Sun Mi's ear, she told her, "But you know what? That just means I get to go first..."

She felt the slick phallus probing her entrance and she shuddered. Aurora murmured in her ear, "Shh. If you break from a simple fucking, we won't get to use the 'really' fun stuff on you." Sun Mi gritted her teeth at the woman's smug tone. Who the fuck did she think she was? They could do their worst... she wouldn't crack no matter what.

"Relax," Kat's voice came from out of the darkness. "You must be tight and a dildo isn't as forgiving as a cock. Well," she amended, "I've only had one cock so I can't really say that with any authority. It's double-ended so Aurora will be feeling it as well, but I can guarantee you she'll also be enjoying it more." 

Sun Mi barely had time to process her words before Aurora, who was falling in love with the girl's slender hips and the image of her frame pulled tight, thrust into her. They both moaned at the contact and Aurora grabbed her modest handholds and started driving her hips forward rhythmically. Her body strained against her bonds each time she was penetrated. Her eyes went wide as she felt the admiral bottom-out and accept more into herself as she stretched the girl's insides, pushing even deeper. 

At last, she felt Aurora's body shudder in release, her body quaking against her. Sun Mi hadn't wanted to enjoy it, but her own climax was not far behind. Just as she was about to go over the edge, she felt the dildo pulled away. Her mouth gaped open and she whimpered as Aurora smacked her ass. "That wasn't bad. I'm sure a little practice would improve her 'bedside manner,' but her body sure seemed to know what it wanted."

Sun Mi whined and rubbed her legs together, almost letting herself demand that they continue. That they couldn't just leave her like this... Out of the darkness, a flog whipped across both of her tits. Simultaneously, she felt two prongs dig into her ass. The shock seemed to flood her entire system and she hung nerveless, twitching from the abuse. Vaguely, she noted that they were untying her. She was draped over someone's shoulder and carried a short ways before being tossed unceremoniously atop a fluffy bed.

The light went out and she found herself in complete darkness. Unknown to her, the enhancements allowed her tormentors to see her just fine. They surrounded the bed and grabbed each of her arms and legs and pulled them, hooking them into loops that stretched her limbs tight against each of the four corners of the bed. Kat motioned for Aki to take the girl's head and Rin to take her pussy and they both set about their tasks with purpose and enthusiasm.

Sun Mi was relieved when they removed her gag. Then she was horrified when she felt two legs clamp around her head and her mouth was submerged in Aki's wet pussy, her nose tickled by a patch of fur. Aki wiggled her cute butt and pinched the girl's nose. "Come on, use your tongue," she giggled. As she felt Sun Mi comply, she patted her head like a puppy that'd just done a neat trick. "That's a good girl," she enthused. "What a good little pussy slave."

Meanwhile, 'down below' Rin wasted no time working her up slowly. She simply jammed two fingers into her cunt and sucked on her tender love button. It took less than a minute to have her victim squirting and shaking in ecstasy. Then the girl was squirming in distress as she learned that Rin wasn't stopping. Whimpering madly, she pulled viciously at her bindings, but she couldn't move her body more than an inch and her tormentor took every advantage of her situation.

Aki's eyes rolled back and she moaned, "Oh, god. That feels incredible..." Her legs clamped down tight on the poor girl's head and it was a struggle to keep from using her enhanced strength. Finally satisfied, Aki scooted back and looked at Sun Mi's damp face. Giggling, she switched with Rin. Their young prisoner moaned in despair when she realized it wasn't over. Rin was, if anything, even more demanding and she reached back behind her to pull viciously on the abused girl's nipples.

Aki bounced over to the toy box they'd brought along and pulled out an electro wand. Skipping back to her plaything with a huge smile on her face, she knelt between the girl's legs and began alternating between licking and shocking her exposed clit. The first time Sun Mi felt the wand she jerked and screamed into Rin's cunt. This set her off and she rode her captive's face through her release.

When they were finally satisfied, they tagged in Stacey and Dejah. The pair smirked at each other and began untying a somewhat unresponsive Sun Mi. Dragging the girl into the bathroom, they rejuvenated her with hot and cold water. The occupants of the room outside could hear the smacks of skin on skin contact as they took great pleasure in slapping her tits and spanking her ass. Sun Mi was surprised at how soft the fur was between Dejah's legs and actually enjoyed eating her out. 

Stacey worked to remove any notion of enjoyment by raking her nails along the girl's ass and fingering her virgin asshole. By the time Sun Mi was dragged out of the bathroom, she was, if not refreshed, at least clean. However, the water had done nothing for her aches and in fact, her skin was even more sensitive now.

Kat flicked open a lighter, giving their slave a chance to navigate the room, and Sun Mi could just make out her form on the bed. Knowing what was expected of her, she stumbled over to her and lowered her head between her legs. She tried to use what the other girls had taught her to bring Kat the most pleasure, hoping that the quicker she satisfied her, the faster this would all be over. Her head shot up in surprise as she felt two rough hands on her hips and a hard --warm- cock pressed against her tender pussy.

For some reason, she hadn't thought Michael was present. It had just seemed like this was a kinky girl's night. She suddenly had some inkling as to how the girls stayed satisfied. Kat had been expecting her reaction and had stopped her head from rising too high. She wrapped her legs around the unfortunate girl's head and squeezed lightly, pushing her prisoner's face into her wet folds.

Michael thrust into her, and when he reached his limit, he ground deeper --just to make sure. Sun Mi mewled into Kat's pussy and opened her mouth to inhale sharply when he started fingering her, only to realize she was unable to breathe. Kat waited until she was struggling nicely before letting her lungs get a reprieve. She teased her mercilessly until Michael shot his load into her overly-sensitized pussy. 

Kat then pulled her up by her hair and began whispering in her ear, occasionally listening for a response. Michael didn't know what the two talked about, but by the end of it Sun Mi's face pinballed between determined and resigned. "Now the real fun begins," Kat announced. Stacey appeared with a strap-on, Aki was next to her holding a pair of nipple clamps, Aurora was eager to feel her mouth, Rin held a large vibrating wand, and Dejah was rubbing a crop between the folds of her pussy. Michael chuckled and sat back to watch the show. 

Sun Mi had just passed out for the second time when his eyes unfocused momentarily and he called out, "Don't bother reviving her, we've gotta go." At their questioning/petulant glances, he grinned. "Kim's having the baby." Shrieks of delight and surprise echoed around the room and the girls began packing things up and getting dressed hurriedly. 

* * * * *

The group ran along the corridor that led to the medical center. Michael saw that down at the end James was beckoning to them and waving towards a hatch. As they approached, he made to say something and was promptly batted aside as the rabid harpies dashed past. When Michael reached him, he asked why he was waiting outside. James explained that the staff wouldn't allow him in.

Michael looked at him, then at the door. "And the girls?" he asked, confused. 

James gave a snort. "They told the nurse to go fuck herself..." he replied, trying unsuccessfully to hide a smile.

Michael chuckled at that. He talked with Kat mentally and got an update on the situation. The two men moved a little ways off and sat on a couch, both lost in thought. Suddenly, his hand shot out and smacked James upside the head. "What was that for?" the commander of his pilots exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head.

Michael shrugged. "There were Asians in the group," he told him. "I've had to endure that from Rin nearly every day for awhile now when I've screwed something up... I just figured I shouldn't be the only one getting abused."

Shaking his head in confusion, James admitted, "Still not getting any clearer." Talking to Michael was like that... It wasn't just that he was smarter than you and would be analyzing the conclusion while you were still trying to form the question, James also knew he could communicate with his girls and with Pandora in his head. He'd often be monitoring another issue while conversing with you in person. No one was going to call him on it though... Hell, knowing him, he probably knew that what he was doing was rude and simply didn't care.

"Rin's been educat- well, reeducating me on Asian cultural etiquette now that we have a Korean joining the group," Michael explained. "Apparently it's a big taboo to call someone over like we do in the States... They think it's how you call to a dog."

James paused, trying to process this. "Not unless the dog you're calling is the size of a fucking moose..." he finally said. "Wait, so how 'are' you supposed to beckon someone?" Michael demonstrated by making fluttering motions with his hand palm-down by his knee. James nodded. "Ah yes, so how we would normally call to a dog in America. That makes sense..."

Michael shrugged and James said, "You know, while we're on the subject of global unity and all that crap, do you realize you're organizing a Christmas party for a crew of which nearly a third aren't Christian? How exactly are you going to handle that?"

"Well, leaving aside the fact that Aki is the one organizing it and that the festival actually predates Christianity, I'll tell them the same thing I told the folks who asked me not to serve pork at the luau, this isn't a democracy and they're not required to participate," Michael responded. "New Years is right around the corner, they'll live."

James sighed. "That might work for awhile, but eventually folks are going to start speaking out," he told Michael. He threw him a smirk and commented, "I heard how you chewed out that guy for kneeling down and praying in the middle of a corridor. And after he was so flustered that he didn't know which direction to face, too..."

Michael waved that off. "That's nothing," he said, "worst thing that happens in his case is someone trips over him. Some of the aliens that are coming aboard have some truly weird ass customs. Like, we're going to have to assign people to watch them so that they don't start ritual sacrifices before a battle or eat their newborns if they don't make a sound at the right time."

James shook his head. Just then, the hatch to the sectioned-off portion of the med bay opened and they heard loud voices arguing with each other. Stacey poked her head out and waved them in. James went from joking around to concerned and nervous in no seconds flat. Michael followed the worried man into the room and saw Kimberly on the bed yelling at the nurse. 

She had grabbed hold of her collar and was shouting, "I don't care what your policy is, this baby isn't coming out until you get Merrick in here!" With that, she shoved the poor woman backwards with such force that she would have stumbled across the room if Aurora hadn't been there to steady her. James rushed to her side and the relieved look that crossed Kimberly's face made Rin smile. 

She joined Michael and Kat who were leaning against a bulkhead. The three of them laughed at the abject curiosity that shown on Aki's face as she knelt by the bed with wide eyes. Stacey was on the other side of Kimberly holding her hand. Dejah was bouncing Sarah in the corner and the little girl was enjoying the feel her soft mane. The doctor apparently had more sense than the nurses and simply ignored the girls, softly giving instructions to Kimberly. 

Michael was surprised when Kimberly burst into tears. James, who was just as out of his depth, placed a hand on her shoulder and asked, "Wh-What's wrong? Does it hurt?"

Kimberly hiccupped and shook her head. "God no," she finally said. "I don't know what kind of juice they use here, but I can't feel a thing." 

"Then --err, wha..." James was at a loss as to what to say as Kimberly was racked by another round of tears as she clutched his hand desperately and moaned in despair.

At Michael's confused grunt, Kat rolled her eyes and muttered, "Men..." In their heads, she explained, 'She's obviously emotional about having another baby without her husband. She feels guilty that she loves James and is struggling with her sense of loyalty. At the same time, she's afraid that if she just comes out and tells him she loves him, he'll reject her.'

Michael blinked. 'Oh yes,' he agreed tonelessly, 'obviously...'

She frowned at him. 'With all the emotional women in your life,' she mused, 'you'd think you'd be better at recognizing these things.'

'No practice,' he pointed out instantly, grinning at her. 'I have you to explain everything for me.' * * * * *

Kimberly sat up in the bed, staring down at her beautiful baby boy swathed in blue cloth. The girls who'd given her so much support had left along with the man who'd brought her here. Sarah had fallen asleep beside her and James was staring down at the three of them with what could only be described as loving adoration. 

He took a finger and brushed the fuzz atop the sleeping baby's head. "What are you going to name him?" he asked quietly. 

His finger froze, as did his entire frame, when she answered, "I was thinking about James." He pulled back his hand and slowly drew in a shuddering breath. 

"Kim," he choked out, "I was wondering if you'd mind if I spent more time with you and the kids. I'd like to do what I can to take care of you and I-"

"Reaper," Kim interrupted him, "shut up and kiss me." So stunned was he by this pronouncement that it took a few seconds to register. When it finally did, he looked up into her eyes with such hope that Kimberly couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. The kiss they shared was eager and full of promise. It left them both wanting more and did nothing to soothe the feelings and emotions that had finally been uncapped and were now spilling out.

When they both pulled away, breathless, they were startled to see Sarah awake and watching them with hooded eyes. A bit sheepishly, Kim made to open her mouth --though she had no idea how to explain this- when Sarah sighed and said in a voice beyond her years, "Well, it's about time..." Getting up off the bed, she took her new baby brother in her arms and walked out of the room, leaving the two adults speechless. 

When at last they had recovered, James hugged her and whispered, "I think you should name him after his father." Kim's head shot up and she stared at him as her eyes blurred with tears. James kissed her tears away and said, "We'll always remember him and I'd like to think that if that boy grows up to be half the man 'ol Skulldog was, the universe will be a much better place." She sniffed and cried and they both held each other for a long while.

Kimberly wasn't in any condition to have sex and James didn't bring it up, knowing she'd be exhausted. And if he was being honest with himself, he was a little bit concerned with how fast they were moving. Neither of them had realized how close they had become through her husband and his best friend. 

It had never occurred to them to be anything more than friends when he'd been alive, but now... It was like an invisible force had pulled them together like magnets, first to share their grief, and then to help each other heal. He climbed into the bed beside her and they simply spooned until sleep finally fell over them.

* * * * *

Sun Mi was awoken by the bustling movements and voices she heard outside the room. She just lay there for a minute, trying to orient herself. For the first time, she was able to observe her surroundings by the light peeking in through the covered window on the far side of the room. Sore and naked, she got up and stumbled towards it, pulling back the blinds. She was impressed with the view she had of the lake. At a guess, she estimated that she was maybe twelve floors up in one of the buildings in the mountainside.

In the distance, she could make out that the Intrepid was lowered to the water and a grandstand that people were just starting to fill was set up around a flat, level area facing it. Sun Mi was startled to see a number of shuttles and vehicles were parked behind it, with more pulling up by the minute. Some of them even sported the flag of the Council of Terra. 'Looks as if Michael decided to cut them some slack by not breaking the news about this facility at the last minute, right before they left,' she surmised.

At the thought of Michael, the night before started replaying in her head and she felt a twinge between her legs despite herself. She also felt a good deal of anger, but also confusion and acceptance. It certainly hadn't been the torture she'd expected, but under the circumstances, it had been more than she'd had any right to ask for. She shivered as she remembered Kat's words. She sighed and checked the dresser, thankful to find a change of clothes since her dress had been shredded.

Poking her head out the door, Sun Mi saw she was indeed in a hotel and various doors along the hallway opened and closed as the crew of the Intrepid moved around in various states of readiness. She didn't know what was going on at this ungodly hour, but from what she'd seen outside, it was something big. Belatedly, she wondered where Michael and the girls had run off to.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 14



Following the trail of men and women wearing their dress uniforms, she was led to a large dining room that was serving breakfast. Stumbling over to the coffee, she observed that nearly everyone was in as bad a shape as her, with a few looking decidedly worse. Mara's words from the night before trickled back to her. Sun Mi found an empty table and ate, nursing her coffee.

About a half hour later, a smartly dressed sergeant came in and expressed -in the special way only they could pull off- that they were forming up now and the patrons got up and began moving towards the exits. She didn't follow them to the flat, open area, but made her way towards the packed grandstand and the crowd that was hovering around it. The icy morning air cut through the fog and cleared her senses. Despite her ordeal, she felt oddly refreshed -as if what she'd experienced had somehow made her more alive.

The imposing blackness of the Intrepid was reflected in the water's surface and the gray sky cast a pall on everything. It made it seem like the dark-clad figures lining up in ranks were getting ready to cross some barren, ashen landscape. Sun Mi felt an odd pang of regret when she saw her former comrades and realized she was saddened that she wasn't joining them. She was jarred out of her thoughts as she heard a voice ahead of her exclaim, "Ttal!"

Her head shot up at the sound of her father's voice and she was shocked to see her parents standing there. He was in his full admiral's regalia with an arm around her mother. She only briefly noticed this as suddenly she was in his arms, having sprinted to them and thrown her arms around them. "Appa! Eomma!" Admiral Song was stunned to see his daughter crying, embracing them, and calling them anything but their names.

He didn't remember when it had started, but she hadn't been one to show any sort of emotion for a long time. 'Just what happened to her?' he wondered. "I'm so sorry," he choked out. "We'll never let you go again." As her father continued to try and reassure her as well as himself, a sad smile crossed her face, buried in his shoulder.

Just then, voices rang out and an army of twenty-five thousand crew, pilots, and soldiers snapped to attention, backs straight and heads up, heels together with fists at their seams. Sun Mi saw a platform rise from the ground and hover beside a railgun emplacement, the large flag depicting the goddess of Victory hanging below. On the platform, she saw Michael standing in the center with Admiral Lindström to his right and General Weber to his left. 

Not many people were able to see Kat at the back of the platform, unwilling to leave his side even in this. She was cloaked in a dark army greatcoat, hand on her Beretta, scanning the crowd. The drums started and the crew began to move forth, organized into four corps: Command, Tactics, Engineering, and Support. The onlookers were floored by the precision in which they marched as thousands of men and women moved in perfect unison. In the dim light, their black dress uniforms made it seem like a shadowy monster was approaching them, stepping closer each time the drums beat.

After a review past the grandstand, they stopped at the edge of the water, facing the Intrepid and Michael's platform. They didn't have far to go, but the sheer number of them made it take awhile. Then, James led his division forward consisting of five one thousand-man wings of pilots and deck crew. The aliens that had slept in the hotels had been awakened by the noise and were just starting to trickle out. They were stunned by the sight that met them, assailed by fear and awe.

Last to move were the infantry --the only ones who happened to be armed. In reality, they would have been wearing suits of armor instead of dress uniforms, but there was nothing ceremonial about the plasma rifles resting against each of their right shoulders. One by one, organized into ten battalions, a hundred companies each containing a hundred men marched out, kicking up a dust storm. Finally, the last of them came to rest, a solid mass of dark-clad figures facing Michael and the Intrepid.

As the last step was taken, the drums went still and the infantry placed the butts of their rifles on the ground at their sides, barrels pointed upwards. Silence pervaded the clearing and the ranks stood immobile against the slight breeze. Marcus took a step forward and shouted in a voice that seemed to carry even beyond the mountains, "Parade. REST." The formation complied in a single, unified movement.

Marcus took a step back and Michael stepped forward and looked out at the men and women he was going to lead to distant worlds that held countless enemies. How many of them would die on foreign soil? How many deaths would he fail to prevent and how many would blame him for it? He took a deep breath and began.

"Many of you may be wondering why we're taking this little jaunt across the galaxy." A few grins broke out at that. "Some of you," he said, "believe the B'Amuf are no longer a threat. There are those out there who would leave the job of their pacification to our children." Lips pressed into fine lines at this. "They would throw away the advantages we have wrought and have the next generation fight a better prepared, better informed enemy." Many looked angry at this.

"They say once bitten, twice shy." Michael thrust out his arm and growled, "Well they've already been bitten twice and I shudder to think what they'll be capable of the next time." While the ranks maintained their stony silence, those in the grandstand began murmuring their agreement. "Still, that alone is not enough," he went on, making a cutting motion with his hand. "Self-preservation might fuel your actions when their ships are bearing down on us, but it won't be enough to maintain the strength and determination required to do our duty when we're over there." "Not nearly enough," he added in a whisper.

"No," he continued, "because when our numbers have been whittled down, our supplies have been depleted, our ammunition is running low, and we are 'all' bloodied and battered, you need to believe with every ounce of your being that what you're doing is righteous and that there is no other way. To do that... you need to 'hate;' you need to do what every parent, teacher, role model, and support group always told you never to do." 

Many of the observers looked shocked at this, but the soldiers, the crew, the pilots -the ones Michael was really talking to... waited in silence. "Faith will not get you through this," he declared. "It will vanish like dust in the wind the first time you see a child die on the battlefield. Knowledge will be useless -you will not be able to make sense of this war. Commitment to your cause will fade over time. Your sense of justice... there is nothing just about what we go to do." 

"Freedom, security, even greed... none of that will get you through the coming days!" he roared. Then, in a quiet voice, he repeated, "You must hate. It will be the only thing that will fuel you when you've forgotten what the air on Earth feels like, you can't remember what you're fighting for, and you aren't able to tell which aliens are the good guys or what even makes them good to begin with."

"It is difficult to hate something you know nothing about," Michael admitted, bowing his head like an unseen opponent had just scored a hit. "You can tune into the holo-networks every night and listen to the talking heads discuss how amazing it is that the aliens share so many similarities with us." He looked out at the vast and silent audience. "We know virtually nothing about those who came here. We don't know if some B'Amuf were forced into their position. We haven't seen a single female of their race. We don't know if their citizens have been brainwashed, or if there are peaceful factions... we just. Don't. Know."

His eyes flashed and he gripped the railing and leaned towards them. "I'll tell you what I 'do' know," he announced in a hard voice. "I know that an entity came here with the sole purpose of making me a slave. I know that when I fought for my life, they killed over half a million of my race. I know that even now, that entity is somewhere else doing the same to dozens of other planets." The ranks almost seemed to be buffeted backwards as Michael's anger hit them in a wave.

His voice dripped with acid as he raged, "I will stop them. I will kill them. I will grind their leaders into dust and scour the universe of their existence!" The fear, hatred, and excitement that seemed to permeate the crowd all blended together, leaving them feeling lightheaded. Michael straightened and people saw a weariness in his eyes. "But not even hate will be enough. Not alone..."

"For we are blind out there and though we might be able to destroy, we won't be able to build. I will tell you now that the B'Amuf are not our greatest threat," he said. Those in the grandstand, the crowd surrounding it, and the aliens who dotted the beach, all furrowed their brows and glanced at each other in confusion. "There are other races out there more powerful than the B'Amuf. If we are to survive in this wild and unforgiving new universe we find ourselves in, we must think long-term."

Raising a hand palm upwards, he said, "If we 'only' defeat the B'Amuf, this mission will be considered a failure." Some eyes widened at that. "In order to face whatever else the darkness of space tries to throw at us, we'll need to expand our power base. That means gaining new allies and trusting them to help us navigate the various pitfalls of galactic relations, of which we know nothing about."

"You know who these allies are. They have suffered an even greater loss than you and they are 'still' suffering." Michael looked out at the crowd and every individual felt as if he was staring through them. "In days past, you have fought with them. Last night, you laughed with them. In the days to come, you will bleed and die with them." Michael shook his head and they could feel his despair at what was to come.

"But I don't want you to fight 'because' of them," he clarified in a low voice, pointing towards the aliens. "The minute we liberate their people, they will start committing atrocities in revenge towards their conquerors and it will be our job to stop them and maintain order." The humans in the audience flinched in realization and it was like a light bulb had gone off for them. The alien observers grimaced, but could not disagree with those words. They had many wrongs to right, even if those they took their pain out on weren't necessarily the ones that deserved it.

"'So what?' ...some of you might ask. Didn't you just tell us to hate? Why should we care what happens to them as a result?" Michael paused, and then spoke softly, "Where does it stop? Should we write their entire race off as a lost cause? Why even land on their planets to begin with? Why not just nuke them from space?" He looked out and everyone saw the anger blazing in his eyes, "Do any of you want to be the one who presses the button that silences seventy billion lives?"

Some of the people bowed their heads in shame. Michael's eyes raked the audience. "It might come to that," he admitted. "But I'm not willing to give up my humanity until I'm 'damn' sure it's the only way to save Earth. There will be times when we kill in cold blood, times when we can't afford to take prisoners, times when everything we believe in and find morally acceptable goes right out the window. 

"However," Michael warned, "when we are out there, the entire galaxy will be watching and judging Earth by the standards we set. We have a responsibility to set the bar high; to show them something I already know --that 'we are better than them!' There is no equality here. We are the best this galaxy has to offer and if you don't believe that, I don't want you on my ship..." Backs straightened in the ranks. Shoulders and legs that had been shaking from fatigue suddenly locked as adrenaline flooded their limbs.

"So when the enemy surrenders, you will cease fire. If there is a way for you to save a life without endangering others, you will make the effort. You will use only the force necessary to accomplish the mission. And if I find one of my own committing atrocities that stain the honor of the men and women putting their lives on the line," Michael promised, "there will be no court-martial --I will kill you myself."

Silence reigned again, but what the onlookers couldn't see was the acceptance that shown in the faces of those in Michael's army. "We will conquer the conquerors," he declared. "We will stand tall and raise our flag on their homelands while their ability to make war lies in ruins. We will not let ourselves be drawn into extended conflicts, but strike hard and fast, making sure each time the job is done and the final blow has been dealt." 

"No more shall the B'Amuf make slaves of other races. No more shall entire populations be wiped out because they didn't conform to their wishes. The sound of their death knell is upon us." He thrust his fist in the air and shouted, "We are Terran and we will be the cleansing fire that purges their wickedness from the galaxy.

Michael stepped back and the ramps leading into the Intrepid's central hangar began to lower. Marcus stepped forth and bellowed, "Forwaaard." All down the line, from the division to the battalion to the company, commanders repeated the word. "MARCH!" The platform slowly started to descend as the mass of troops marched inside the ship. Kat moved up and threaded her arms around her lover, resting her head on his shoulder, becoming a pillar of support. Michael closed his eyes and leaned back, resting his head against hers and drawing strength from her presence. 

When they reached the ground, Marcus went off to talk to the infantry and Michael suddenly found himself the focus of all of his girls. Tanya ran up and threw her arms around his waist, congratulating him. He smiled and brushed her hair, knowing his surprise was about to arrive. The girls were chatting away when suddenly Kat and the twins perked up as Takeshi and Jennifer walked towards them. In the distance, they could see Councilman Whitmore and his wife. Further out, Michael's parents were approaching. His mother was helping an elderly gentleman with a cane. Aurora let out a gasp as she recognized her father.

"I thought you all might like to spend some quality time with your folks before we leave," Michael told them. "Go wherever you want, just enjoy yourselves." Each of the girls hugged him and kissed him before running off. Michael stopped Aurora before she could go, "I'm sure you want to show him your baby. As I recall, your father was captain of a vessel himself back in the day. Try to find a way to tell him about the nanites and ask if he wants them."

Aurora smiled thankfully and ran off. Michael watched as tears of pride fell from the older man's face and he collapsed to his knees gripping her admiral's jacket when he saw her up close. Aurora started crying too and knelt to hug him. Michael picked up his mom and twirled her around, laughing and joking. Plans were made by each of the parties and then the parents walked off to see the inside of some of the buildings while Michael and his girls came together to find out when they'd next see each other.

Sun Mi had listened to the speech and felt it resonate with her. She no longer felt her life would hold purpose by remaining on Earth. She sighed and turned towards her parents, still looking a bit shell-shocked at Michael's blunt, unorthodox rallying cry. She hugged her father and said, "I'm sorry, appa." Then she kissed his cheek and strode off towards where she'd seen the platform lower.

She was stunned when she saw Michael's cheerful face, hugging his parents and laughing freely. It was a side of him few people got to see and it was easy to forget that he was only in his mid-twenties. As the parents left and the group came together again, she put on a determined face and marched up to him. Kat had just told him that she would be spending the day with him and his parents and he'd been hugging her when he spotted Sun Mi approaching with a serious look that he thought looked adorable.

"I'll do it," she said without preamble when she'd neared them. "I'll join."

Michael's eyebrows rose. "Join?" he asked in mock confusion.

"Don't give me that shit," she replied. "I recognize an initiation when I see one." She looked Kat in the eye. "I didn't break. Even if I didn't know with all my heart that I belong among the stars, I know I- I know..." she took a deep breath. "I know I belong here, with all of you."

Aki grinned. "She's got spunk," she giggled, staring at their new addition with unchecked lust.

Michael looked to Kat and her lips pressed into a thin line, but he could see the grudging respect in her eyes. This contradicted greatly with the bored tone of voice she used when she admitted, "I suppose she was passable. I trust her to watch your back."

Sun Mi looked incredulously at the evil woman who was now her sister. 'Passable?' she fumed. Thus, she was completely startled when Dejah came up behind her and smacked her ass, producing a loud 'thwack.' "Relax," she told Sun Mi. "Kat won't recognize your efforts until you give her at least fifty orgasms."

"F-f-fi-" the girl tried to make out.

"Well..." Dejah continued, "it's other the fiftieth or the five hundredth. Either way, they pass fairly quickly." Leaving the girl speechless, the Felician walked up to Michael and kissed him soundly. "I will be spending the day with my father as well. Take care, my mate."

Michael reached into his jacket's inside flap and pulled out a set of documents, handing them to Sun Mi. The dazed girl took them on instinct and heard, "Congratulations, you're now head of the new Intelligence branch on the Intrepid. Rin will get with you later and tell you about some prospective candidates for the program. You will be working with Marcus since he handles security, but you report to Aurora as part of the Support Corps." Aurora threw her a naughty smile that almost made her rethink her decision to come along. 

Then the realization dawned on her that they had planned this. Then the bigger realization hit her that not only was she going to be traveling among the stars, but she'd be in a position of importance; one that would challenge her intellect and drive to succeed. A smile bloomed on her face and she threw her arms around Michael's neck and initiated a kiss for the first time. They all split up to find their parents and Sun Mi trudged back to her father, trying to come up with a way to break the news that she had just willingly walked back into the clutches of her captors.

* * * * *

Michael had enjoyed the day tremendously. They had taken his parents' shuttle back to their winter house. They'd gotten a husky since he'd last seen them. The two didn't work anymore, but they still tried to keep busy while enjoying a life of anonymity. The five of them enjoyed a huge barbeque and caught up. The couple had brought Tanya along and the folks were very impressed with the little angel. So much so, that she decided to stay with them for the next few days. 

Michael had Pandora fly their fighter to them and they were just now returning to the Intrepid which was currently in a spaceyard above Earth's orbit being modified. He was leaning into her chair in front of him, arms wrapped around her, breathing in the scent of her hair. She directed his hands to her tits and leaned back, contented. She was watching the stars as they were about to leave the atmosphere when Pandora suddenly veered the craft just before a blip appeared on the screen.

The maneuver was done too late however. A fusion missile hit the fighter and a blast so large it caused ripples in the Aegis shield lit up sky.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 14



* * * * *

"Target destroyed," the first pilot radioed. "Mission accomplished." 

"For the good of humanity," the second pilot declared with fanatical fervor that was echoed in the first zealot as he joined in. "To preserve the sanctity of our race. Death to all aliens and those who support them!"

+ + + + +

~~~Author's Note~~~

Hey, 

Just wanted to thank everybody for the tremendous support and feedback I've received and give you all an update. These first fourteen chapters make up the first arc in the story I imagined in my head. I plan to write two more arcs, so unless something completely unexpected happens, this effort should continue for months to come.

To put that another way, if I was writing a trilogy, chapters 1-14 would make up 'Book 1' -clocking in at roughly 108,000 words. The second arc begins with chapter 15 and will mainly have to do with the crew of the Intrepid traveling to distance worlds and meeting exotic races. I'll try to work more action in than I had in the first chapters and you can expect lots of space and land battles. I also have other stories in my head -Path of the Necromancer for one- and I'll try to release those at a decent pace, as well.

You all are the ones who made this possible by giving me the motivation so thank you and I hope you continue to enjoy my writing.



The Fate of Terra Ch. 15



"Target destroyed," the first pilot radioed. "Mission accomplished." 

"For the good of humanity," the second pilot declared with fanatical fervor that was echoed in the first zealot as he joined in. "To preserve the sanctity of our race. Death to all aliens and those who support them!"

Suddenly, the controls for both fighters locked and each craft began rising out of the atmosphere. Pandora popped the seals and shut off the oxygen flow. The two pilots panicked, unable to breathe. Although they were currently suffocating, they needn't have worried about dying from a lack of air. Their blood started bubbling into gas as they experienced severe decompression. Still, that wouldn't be what finally killed them.

As their fighters reached the upper atmosphere, the intense speed they were moving at -far greater than what pre-fusion engines were capable of- led to friction against the compressed air molecules, heating the metal all along the outside of their fighters. Without seals, they were slowly cooked inside their cockpits. Just as their hearts finally stopped beating, they hit the Aegis shield and were obliterated.

* * * * *

Michael sputtered and coughed as he crawled out of the tank naked, tubes falling away. Rin stood nearby holding a robe open for him, his girls crowded behind her wearing worried expressions. He ignored them, stumbling across the room to the tank that held Kat. The draining process had just begun. As the liquid dropped below her neck, the breathing tube detached and her head lulled to the side. Her eyes began blinking open as she came awake.

Then she was gasping for air and coughing up liquid. She shuddered before her eyes focused on Michael and then she was moving towards him jerkily. She fell against him and they both dropped to their knees, embracing each other. Rin neared and draped the robe over Michael's shoulders and said, "It will take a short while for your muscle memory to match what you remember."

Michael nodded as Aki stepped forth with a robe for Kat. He had a million questions, but knew there was a protocol in place. While Pandora wouldn't have brought him back unless his body and consciousness matched his old self and he'd passed her first line of tests, he knew if there 'was' a problem found Pandora would simply kill him and try again.

Michael and Kat sat on a nearby couch and began answering a predetermined set of questions while Pandora monitored their brain activity. He was surprised to see that mattresses and linens had been brought in. It looked like his girls had set up camp while they waited for them to revive. The couple of couches that were present even surrounded a holoprojector currently turned to a news broadcast. As he sat and held Kat in his arms, he zoned out as the tests continued. After awhile, the news anchor's distressed voice trickled into his awareness.

"It's been two days since the Advent Brotherhood claimed responsibility for a massive explosion over the Pacific Ocean they say killed Michael Dragomir, leader of the AI nation. Although this hasn't been verified, the artificial intelligence known as Pandora has, by all accounts, gone on a crusade against the anti-alien terrorist organization," she reported.

The anchorwoman was unable to keep her voice from trembling as she said, "Just moments after the extremists started to broadcast their report, it was cut off abruptly and thousands of Fury attack-craft that had been on scheduled patrols suddenly veered off in different directions and began searching patterns covering areas all over the globe." 

"Since then, fifty-six locations around the world have been bombed," she informed them in a quaking voice. "Three of them have been confirmed by the Council's intelligence agency to be related to suspected terrorist activities. At this time, they are of the opinion that the bombings are targeted towards the Advent Brotherhood and like-minded radical groups. Though," she paused before admitting, "there is never any evidence left at the sites after the machines are done to make an actual scientific analysis."

"It seems obvious that members of the Advent Brotherhood have gone to ground, but the consensus is that Pandora is still finding them with shocking consistency. Over one hundred locations have been raided by the new model cybernetic assault units that were unveiled by Mr. Dragomir at the military summit last month." Her voice caught and her shoulders shook as she continued, "There have been confirmed sightings that these robot soldiers and hover tanks which were scheduled to be used in the assault on the alien planets are now being employed to hunt for anti-alien terrorist cells."

"Hundreds of people have been reported killed or... 'taken' in the raids. Of these, sixteen high ranking officials -the Secretary of the TDF included- were abducted -some while they were speaking out against the attacks in a public forum. It is unknown at this time if they had any connection with the Advent Brotherhood." She looked away a moment while she collected herself and her viewers could see the weariness that clung to her.

Finally, she looked into the camera and, in a tone of voice that made it clear she realized what she was about to say would give little relief, told them, "It is advised that you stay indoors and under no circumstances try to engage the AI-controlled forces. You should-" she stopped, and when she began again, they could tell that she was speaking off the teleprompter. 

In a bitter and resigned voice she declared, "There is nowhere you can hide if they come for you. Their metal shielding is too thick to penetrate with conventional weapons and it is believed that it can regenerate. Those that have tried plasma weapons and heavy artillery all report that anything with a computer core is disarmed before they can be brought to bear."

Her face displayed unchecked fear as she said, "With absolute control over our technology, we are powerless to stop Pandora and the cybernetic raids she has unleashed. If the man who created her really is dead, then there is no one left that can sto-" The feed was cut off abruptly and the screen began displaying another report.

The corner of Michael's mouth curved into a sardonic grin at the news station's attempt to stop the anchorwoman's blunt honesty and maintain a false image of confidence and assurance. Their specialty was promoting fear, but when 'they' were afraid it wasn't desirable to be the nail that stood out -especially with Furies flying around looking for new targets.

Kat sighed and leaned against him as they both checked out and the other girls all relaxed their shoulders in relief. Aurora stepped forward and, returning to the matter of business and trying not to admit to herself that she'd had even a shred of doubt about what the results would be, said, "We haven't made a statement yet. The crew and the aliens are confused, but they're not panicking... yet. The Advent Brotherhood as well as two related cells are in the process of being eliminated."

Rin told him, "They were watching your parents' house. When you first showed up they gambled that you would then head back to the Intrepid and filed mundane-looking flight plans along the most direct route." She paused and then added in a quiet voice, "There was a strike on the house at the same time you were hit." 

"They're alright," she hastily assured him as Michael's eyes hardened. "They're here on the Intrepid. It wasn't pretty though. Tanya- she... dismembered the team that came for them with her bare hands. After she had tortu- interrogated the leader to find out what was going on, she led your parents out and into the woods and called for a pickup. Pandora was already reacting by that time and was able to redirect the fighters that had been sent to bomb the place in case the team they sent failed." Michael nodded absently, having already known what Tanya was capable of. He also knew better than to ask 'where' Pandora redirected the fighters.

Pandora could remain silent no longer and burst out with, "I'm sorry, master. They managed to fool their sensors and were able to get in close even though their navigational data said they hadn't altered course. One of the three pilots made minute course corrections until he was almost on top of you and then manually released the missile at the last second. I wasn't able to recognize their attempt for what it was in time." She paused. "If it's any conciliation, the pilot who released the missile perished in the blast because of how close the maneuver required him to get. The other two died... painfully." Kat smiled at that.

Michael waved a hand. "S'alright, Pan. We all got complacent." He clenched a fist. "It won't happen again," he promised in a low voice.

"Do you want to release a statement?" Stacey asked, checking things off on her tablet.

Michael shrugged. "Not publicly," he replied. "We can just say later if we're asked that we didn't think it was necessary to respond to the rants of crazy fanatics. I'll send a message to the Council personally inviting them to the Christmas party so they know and can then confirm to the media that I'm not dead."

Stacey bit her lip and nodded in thought. "It's certainly in your character not to care about normal social niceties like keeping people informed," she admitted. Rin choked out a laugh at that. "People will be a little shaken up about the raids, but they'll just see it as another demonstration of what happens when someone goes against you."

"Where's Sun Mi?" Kat asked.

"We thought it best to wait until she has the nanites before bringing her in on all this," Stacey answered.

Michael nodded. "I want to make sure there isn't a sudden grab for power in my absence so it might be wise to give them to her father as well." Looking up, he asked her, "You already gave them to your parents, right?" Stacey nodded in response.

Pandora piped up with, "Sun Mi actually has the nanites -Mara, too. I just haven't activated them in their systems yet." She somehow managed to sound guilty and smug at the same time. The girls all shared inquisitive looks while Michael just chuckled at her foresight. "Well..." she explained. "I figured it was only a matter of time before master brought them in. This way, if they die, I'll at least have their physiologies recorded and a constant stream of their memories uploaded. When we grow them each a body I'll thus have something to input them with."

The girls grinned at the revelation. No one asked 'how' Pandora had managed it. She could be quite sneaky when she wanted. They collected any belongings of importance the girls had brought down and stepped outside the hatch. The area beyond was sealed off from the rest of the ship and contained one lift that rose directly to their suite -which was why it was such a surprise to find a gloomy-looking Tanya resting against one bulkhead, her arms wrapped around her folded legs. Michael looked at her and realized she seemed... 'ashamed.'

He quickly knelt down and hugged her to him. "Ah, come on, honey... Is this about the raid?" he asked softly in her ear, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

She looked up at him with tears of her own and sniffled. "I lost control... I did what Mara always told me not to and abused my power. I- I... tortured people." She buried her face into his shoulder and cried. "Oh god, you didn't see the looks on your parents' faces. I'm a monster."

Kat stepped close and told her in a firm voice, "You're both right and wrong. You didn't lose control. You did exactly what you were trained to do. You took apart the opposition and then used whatever resources you had to gain an advantage. Once you had the knowledge that more were coming, you acted instantly -brilliantly. From what Pan has showed me, you were calm, capable, and calculative. I couldn't have done it better myself."

She paused, and then said, "By the standards 'normal' people use, this also makes you a monster." She crouched down and brushed the girl's blonde tresses. "But believe me, it's better to be a monster than a victim. 'Normal' people would have frozen; they would have stopped to consider their actions; they would have huddled in a corner at the insanity of the situation and let themselves be killed." She stared into Tanya's eyes. "We knew when we found you in that alleyway that you weren't normal. Michael promised that you would never feel vulnerable again. Now you know what the price of that decision costs."

Tanya sniffed, though tears no longer fell. She remembered how she'd felt in the face of her uncle's wrath and her fists clenched in hatred. Regret began to bleed away from her. She didn't know it, but the pang of loss she felt was a good portion of her childlike innocence dying as she accepted her actions. Still, she clung to her guilt and spat, "You didn't see the bodies."

Michael gently turned her head to face him. "They were 'my' parents. Do you actually believe anything you could have done would be worse than what 'I' would do?" Tanya thought about that and shook her head. She knew Michael wouldn't have bothered interrogating them -he'd of simply made their deaths as painful as possible. 

Stacey said, "Pan found out that the weapons they were using were some kind of plasma cutters that would have penetrated your enhanced skin if they made contact. It's not like they weren't actually able to harm you. You saved their lives, munchkin. You did good..."

Finally, Tanya lost her frown and hugged both Michael and Kat. When she leaned back, she shot Michael a wicked grin he swore she learned from Kat and said, "You're going to go have sex with Kat now, aren't you?"

He threw his head back and laughed as the others all smiled at the young girl's statement. Michael brushed her hair and chuckled, "No one's going to ever accuse you of being sheltered, that's for sure. Yes, honey. I am." 

Kat snaked her arms around his waist and stage-whispered, "I seem to be a virgin again and I'll need him to fix that little problem -in every way possible." The girls grinned at the show they would soon be getting.

Tanya sighed. "Fine, I'll go play with Sarah." They all laughed and Michael ruffled her hair.

"I'm proud of you, my bloodthirsty little angel," he teased. "And not just for saving my parents..." He sighed. "All the predictions say we'll be at war, or at least on high alert due to new alien races, through your generation and beyond. I'm relieved that you've shown you can survive in this dangerous new era we find ourselves in." He hugged her to him. "I've never treated you like a kid and I won't lie to you. You 'will' kill again. I just hope you can find it in yourself to accept that we no longer live in a civilized world anymore and you won't try to bury yourself in guilt." He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I can't stand to see you suffering."

She beamed up at him, her worries seeming to melt away at his acceptance. "I'll try." 

They all got in a lift and went up to the suite. As the doors opened, Michael got another surprise as Sun Mi was lounging in one of the chairs in the waiting area before the massive sliding doors that led into their rooms. She bolted to her feet and stuttered, "I, uh, asked Pandora to notify me when you could be made available. I didn't expect to be waiting days, but I have some intelligence that..." 

Michael gave her an airy wave as he turned to accept a hug and a quick "Love ya," from Tanya as she made her rounds among each of them. After saying goodbye properly to him and the girls, she darted into the regular lift and pressed the button for one deck below, planning on grabbing her swimsuit before stealing Sarah from Kim's room and taking her down to the waterslides.

Michael swept Kat up in his arms and walked through the opening hatchway, the rest of his girls trailing behind. Sun Mi stood there for a few moments, before shaking her head and sprinting after them as the doors began to slide shut. She gaped at the office, never having been there before, but what she saw when she entered the bath area left her speechless. When she was able to finally tear her eyes away from the sight of the enormous heated pool framed by mosaics, she froze as she saw Michael and Kat naked on an air mattress, the girls crowded around watching.

Feeling incredibly awkward -though if she was being honest with herself, the situation brought a twinge of remembered heat between her legs as she recalled her own recent ordeal- she turned to leave, only to find the hatch closed and the lock cycled. As Kat moaned audibly, Sun Mi felt silly being the only person removed from the group and slowly joined the ring of girls watching the action play out. Aki giggled at her when she took a seat and threw her arms around her, resting her head on her shoulder.

For Michael's part, he was enjoying himself as he paid Kat's pussy an appropriate amount of attention. It was a surreal experience for him. The taste, feel, and scent was all just as he remembered it, but in his mind he kept expecting something to be different now that he was in a whole new body. He pulled apart her folds with his thumbs and buried his tongue deep, drawing out her sweet nectar. She spasmed in response and threaded her fingers through his hair, wrapping her legs around his head. 

It was difficult for him to breathe, but he didn't mind. He knew that just meant he was doing his job properly -and they didn't 'really' need air to begin with... Michael's hands glided over her smooth skin, cupping her firm ass cheeks, then rounding her waist, and finally reaching up to her magnificent tits. When Kat finally stopped twitching in ecstasy, he raised himself up, grinding his body down atop hers, and lining himself up. His cock pulsed as he rubbed it up and down her slit, drawing another moan from Kat. 

She rested her hands on the back of his neck and stared up at him with renewed love, knowing that not even death would separate them. At last, she wrapped her legs around him and accepted more of him as he slowly plunged into her. With every inch that he sank deeper, her pussy seemed to pulsate around his length, sucking him in and squeezing with incredible, heart-stopping force.

As her feelings began to build, drawing ever closer to her greatest orgasm yet, Michael threw her legs over his shoulders and began driving into her harder and faster, dipping his head to meet her lips. Michael snaked a hand down between her legs as he felt her start her release and began flicking her tiny nub, drawing out the explosion until her ears were ringing and she saw spots. 

Seeing her in the throes of ecstasy put him over the edge and he snapped his eyes shut as he came so hard it left him breathless. The couple collapsed by each others' side, arms still clinging to the other. He bowed his head and hugged her tight, willing himself to never forget this feeling. The girls around him sighed at the beauty of the two reunited lovers. Sun Mi herself didn't know about their deaths or the somewhat risky revival procedure, but she still felt like something significant had happened. 

Michael, eyes still closed and panting slightly, asked, "So what now?" Sun Mi was stunned at what took place next, never having participated in one of their planning or recap-sessions before. The girls began to move in a casual manner -some taking a bath, some fondling each other, some simply cuddling or laying down. All, however, participated in the conversation and provided input.

Rin said, as she and her sister began massaging Aurora, "Our number one priority should be to find out how they gained access to a fusion missile."

"It was a fusion bomb with a remote detonator mounted onto a missile," Pandora clarified. "It was incredibly primitive which is why I didn't recognize it for what it was in time. Since the fighters themselves are powered by fusion reactors, just having a core onboard doesn't actually set off any alarms."




The Fate of Terra Ch. 15



"It was obviously based on our technology, though less advanced if they needed to set it off manually," Aki added, rubbing Aurora's butt which was sticking up in the air. Every once and a while her hand would sneak down and tickle the admiral's pussy lips that were peeking out from between her legs, causing Aurora to jump. The 'stop and go' teasing was slowly building a fire that would grow hotter and hotter until she finally attacked the smaller girl -which was, of course, exactly what she wanted.

"Which means there's a spy," Rin concluded, straddling Aurora's back and working her shoulders. "Which is particularly disturbing since we don't actually 'use' missiles as they're too cost inefficient resource-wise if we're to be self-sustaining. The closest things we have are those two minelayers. The mines they deploy are actually made to lock onto a target and go ballistic when they get in range. We have a limited number of those and they're all accounted for."

Sun Mi cleared her throat. "I, actually, might have an answer to tha- eek!" she squeaked as Dejah's hands crept up behind her and cupped her tits. 

"Go on, sweetheart," Dejah growled huskily as she began unbuttoning the girl's shirt. 

Sun Mi coughed and in a shaky voice said, "Well, when I came to the same conclusion as Rin, I figured it was sort of my job to figure out how this happened. I looked back at every scientist and engineer that worked on any project that involved nuclear reactors being used as weapons." At this point, she paused and shot Michael an appreciate glance at just how many projects he'd commissioned.

"I found one man that stood out in particular," she continued. "He left the ship just as Dejah and the other aliens came aboard after the first invasion, citing that he didn't want to be separated from his family. Only, he didn't have any family... He- shit!" she exclaimed as Dejah's hand dove into her pants and a claw began tracing the crease in her panties along her slit.

"This man went on- *pant* went on to, uhh- come on," she whined and Dejah reluctantly withdrew her hand. With a raspy chuckle, the Felician went back to her tits and Sun Mi struggled to maintain her train of thought. "After working for you, brains like him get tons of prestigious job offers. He turned them all down to instead work at a small packaging plant owned by an obscure business chain that Pandora just recently identified as being a front for-"

Stacey, floating in the water, raised her head a fraction and said, "Let me guess, the Advent Brotherhood?"

"Yo- you guessed it- ahh," Sun Mi tried to say. Finally fed up with Dejah's ridiculous pestering, she whirled around and pulled the blue girl forward. Dejah let herself be maneuvered into a prone position and then laughed delightedly when Sun Mi began raining down blows on her ass. Incensed that her efforts were being laughed off, she tried to spank even harder. To her shock, Dejah began moaning and she froze as she realized what the sticky substance collecting on her hand was. "Now that just isn't fair," she grumbled sullenly.

She wasn't prepared for Dejah's tail to wrap around her neck and slam her onto her back. The Felician promptly mounted her captive and gave her a lusty growl, "You worked me up, now it's time to finish what you started." Before Sun Mi could protest, Dejah sat on her face and began grinding her hips back and forth, drenching the poor girl.

Kat wiggled her hips against Michael's crotch, the scenes playing out before them making her horny again. He smacked her ass appreciatively and said, "Continue."

Dejah slid backwards but pinched her captive's nose shut. "Talk fast," she murmured teasingly.

"There's another guy. He worked on the same project with the one who went over to the Advent Brotherhood and if the reports are anything to go-" she was cut off as Dejah muffled her voice and deprived her of air. Dejah slid back again and when she didn't hear any talking (only gasping for air), she reached back and twisted one of Sun Mi's nipples. "Faster," was all Sun Mi heard and she struggled to get out the rest. "He appears to have been much smarter than the previous guy and he was actually the lead on the minelayer project. He decided to leave a month ago to go back to teaching and took up a post as a professor. We don't know where he is now."

Sun Mi paused, waiting to be suffocated, but Dejah just waited. She suddenly realized she had the full attention of the rest of them as well. "What happened to him?" Michael asked in a dangerously low voice.

"Uhh, well from what I've found he's been kidnapped," Sun Mi explained. "Pandora is searching for him right now. He went missing just over two weeks ago. You'd expect his family to have reported him, but apparently they're gone too. The university was the one who made the inquiry."

Michael sat up and growled, "We have systems in place. Our people are supposed to be watched when they leave us." The way he said 'our people' even though the man in question had clearly departed the Intrepid gave Sun Mi some insight into where Michael's loyalties lie. She shivered briefly at the thought of what was going to happen to the person or group who had harmed 'his' people.

"Pan, have the Furies scan for his biometrics," Rin said. "The traitor as well." Sun Mi was astounded to see everyone getting up and heading for a door that led further into the suite. It appeared as if they were getting ready to leave, even Dejah -who hadn't gotten to cum yet. She shook her head in amazement. Once they had found out one of their own was in trouble, everything was dropped until they got him back.

Aurora kissed Michael and announced, "I'll coordinate things from the bridge, good luck." Pandora got a hit on the location of the man tied to the Advent Brotherhood before they'd even left the suite. Sun Mi, unsure of what to do, allowed herself to be tugged along by Aki as they traversed the corridors. She was surprised when they entered the hangar to see two shuttles and four fighters prepped and waiting.

Marcus, decked out in full combat armor was waving them towards Michael's personal carrier. Before Sun Mi had really registered that this was happening 'now,' they were already on approach to Earth. Aki and Rin opened up a side compartment that held extra suits of armor and began outfitting Sun Mi. She tried to ask, "What about y-" but was cut off as Aki slammed the helmet down over her head with a giggle.

Barely 15min. later, Michael, his girls, Marcus, and two dozen armored troopers were descending the atmosphere above a little known region in Venezuela alongside another shuttle and their escort. Reaper came on the comm and told them, "We'll be reaching the site momentarily. I'm pulling back the fighters and we'll provide covering fire. If you find heavy artillery in your path, just laze it and we'll take care of it."

"You let him fly?" Kat asked, surprised.

Michael shrugged. "He has the passive nanites in his system just like Marcus, so it's not that much of a risk to have him in a cockpit. Besides, after 'we' went out in a fighter during the second engagement, I didn't really have much of an excuse regarding his rank."

She sighed. "Ever wonder if it would just be easier to have nanites in all our personnel -just not activated?"

He nodded. "We don't have the cloning capacity to make it effective, but it was definitely a consideration when we were thinking about how to tackle our limited manpower when we leave the solar system. As an added bonus, Pan would also have the ability to disable or heal them accordingly."

"I just don't know if I'm ready for that." He sighed. "Morality issues aside, people would start joining up just for a chance to increase their life span instead of the reasons we're looking for. Even if they wouldn't be enhanced, I still have too many reservations at this time. Hopefully, we can use our automated forces wisely enough and cut down on the number of casualties." Kat wrapped an arm around him and gave him a squeeze, silently lending her support whatever his decision.

Marcus approached the couple and said, "Sensors read two warehouses. One is a holding facility in a small clearing between the forest and a mountain, the other looks like some kind of underground factory."

Michael nodded at that. "At this time of day, the professor will probably be forced to work in the factory while his family is held in the other warehouse."

"We've got two shuttles," Marcus pointed out. "We could split up. Which one do you want to take?"

Shaking his head, Michael replied, "We'll both hit the holding facility."

Stacey, who'd been hovering nearby, nodded in agreement, saying, "They're the hostages, the professor is the asset. They won't kill him so long as he's useful."

Sun Mi, who had finally managed to collect herself, sputtered, "Wha- hang on a second. What if they have another fusion bomb?"

"Now that I know what to look for, they won't be able to detonate it," Pandora assured her.

The group they were attacking must have been alerted by all the Furies patrolling overhead because as soon as the shuttles were in range they opened fire on them. Dotted all along the forest and mountainside, plasma gun emplacements identical to those used by the TDF were uncovered and began unloading.

"Hold on to something!" Eliza shouted from the front as Zoe began juking the craft around to avoid the oncoming green bolts. The fighters locked onto their targets and shot a flurry of light-blue ion pulses. Their shuttle braked at the last second and did a 180, hovering slightly above the ground. The ramp dropped from the back, facing the holding facility. Eliza used the rear cannons to make them a 'doorway.'

Sun Mi was startled when panels along the side of the shuttle's interior slid open and ten human-shaped robots spilled out and sprinted down the ramp. Her breath caught at the sight of the cybernetic assault units. Gaining information on them had been one of her primary missions when she'd been working for Council Intelligence. They all trooped down the boarding ramp as the 'Shredders' (dubbed so by the infantry for how they tore through enemy lines) dove through the improvised opening, eager to soften up their foes.

Rin grinned at Sun Mi's stunned expression and told her, "If you think those are impressive, just wait until you see the 'Thrashers' -the hover tanks." Their shuttle took off again and began a circling pattern overhead. On the far side of the warehouse, the other Roc lifted off. Marcus began shouting orders and the platoon of armored troopers thundered forward in concert.

In contrast, Michael and his girls walked leisurely after them, stretching and rolling their shoulders and heads as they went. Sun Mi shook her head in wonderment and she saw him pull out an actual 'sword.' As the Shredders and troopers began clearing rooms, Pandora lit a path in their vision that led to an area that was, according to the blueprints, the most likely place to house a large number of people. 

While they walked down a hallway, the building shook as explosions racked the foundation. Suddenly, at the other end people began pouring fire in their direction. Kat laughed devilishly and broke off running towards them, her Beretta firing nonstop. Michael grinned and took off after her. Stacey yelled, "Hey! Save some for us."

A shocked Sun Mi gaped after them as she witnessed the girls around her seem to blink out one by one as they blurred forward using their enhanced speed. She stared, not believing what she was seeing, and desperately tried to keep up. Ahead, Michael blurred right then left, moving forward each time as a gunman tried to get a bead on him. As Michael passed by him, the sword came up, cleaving the man in two.

They soon reached an open area where cells lined the walls. People could be seen huddled together behind iron bars. The 'traitor' stood in front of what Michael assumed was the professor's family, an AK-47 pointed at them between the bars. "Stay back!" he shouted in a crazed voice. "I swear I'll-" Kat interrupted him by putting a bullet through his skull.

The rest of the girls filed in and stared at the number of families who were cowering in their cells, gazing at the newcomers with unmasked terror. "Quite the operation they had here," Stacey observed. Marcus and his team arrived and he shouted for cutters to get the occupants free as shots of QuickHeal were distributed to those that looked to be suffering.

Marcus told Michael, "There's still sporadic fire coming from the trees. We don't dare take them into the open."

"So...?" Dejah pressed, confused. Just then, they heard the sound of metal tearing and looked up to see two troopers putting in a skylight. A shuttle was waiting overhead. Quickly and efficiently, the families were floated up to the craft via its tractor beam and then it took off towards the Intrepid.

Marcus said, "Seventy yards to the base of the mountain and the opening that leads to the factory." Michael nodded and the group started off again. The Shredders led the way down the tunnel they found into the bowels of the Earth. Sun Mi was thankful for the night vision that came with her helmet since the passageway was pitch dark.

Ahead of them, they could hear horrified screams as the machines tore into their victims. Dozens of native workers swarmed past them on their descent. The first illuminated area they reached housed a number of assembly lines on which all manner of things from plasma cutters to anti-alien manifestos were produced.

From the corridor beyond, they heard a reverberating *boom* followed by a series of deep *thumps* and the sound of metal tearing. Suddenly, the crumpled form of a Shredder was blasted back through the doorway, skidding across the floor. In the opening, a giant mechsuit -easily 16ft. tall- appeared, wielding what looked to be plasma cutting buzzsaws. 

"Aww shit," Kat muttered, actually impressed at what these fanatical nutcases had achieved so far.

Two dozen and change guns of varying design all opened fire. The only one that seemed to have any effect was Marcus's cannon based off the B'Amuf ray design, but even then, the metal skin was so thick it would take awhile to penetrate. People dived out of the way as the monstrosity lurched forward and sliced where they'd stood with a spinning arm-saw.

Michael ran forward and hockey-checked the multi-ton metal beast, trying to tip the unwieldy suit on its back. The hit barely registered as it was only knocked back about a foot. He jumped backward as a deadly glowing arm whipped by. It took another step forward and swung again, but they could all tell that it was getting slower.

Pandora told them, 'I'm powering it down. It's not networked so I can't control it, but I can drain the energy it's using.'

As they watched, the plasma saws slowly began to flicker and blink out, the entire suit slumping forward. They ran past it and into the corridor beyond, two troopers remaining behind to cut the man out of the suit and take him into custody. The next five minutes consisted of running from room to room, shooting all those carrying weapons -usually before they had time to react. At last, the party reached a clean room that held occupied desks surrounding what Michael recognized as a duplicate of the containment block they used for the reactors aboard the Intrepid.

There were a number of people in lab coats staring at them in astonishment. One man stood abruptly and shouted in a hoarse voice, "No! What have you done? Leave and save our families!"

Sun Mi, recognizing the individual, said, "Relax, professor. Your families are safe aboard the Intrepid. If you'd just follow us-"

"Master!" Pandora shouted, the various speakers around the room and in the troopers' helmets picking her up. "He's causing an imbalance in the reactor core!"

Everyone turned to see a tall, skinny unshaven man frantically pressing buttons on the console next to the containment structure for the reactor. "Dimitrov, stop!" the professor shouted. Kat didn't hesitate. Her arm came up and in a single fluid motion pulled the trigger, causing the man's head to fall forward, a significant portion of it missing. 

"It's too late," Pandora told them. "The reaction has already started. You have less than three minutes."

Stacey yelled into the silence that followed that statement, "Everyone grab an egghead and sprint for the exit." The soldiers moved instantly, throwing a scientist/engineer over a shoulder and taking off. 

As Michael was leaving, he told Pandora, "Try to download as much data as you can off their hard drives before this place becomes a crater." The armored troopers weren't nearly as agile as Michael and his girls, but their suits clocked out at forty miles an hour. They could book it when they wanted to. A few feet from the shuttle the ground pulsed once before shaking intensely. A few of the troopers lost their footing before they could step onto the ramp of the rising shuttle.

Michael and Kat, picking up the rear, grabbed the backs of the stragglers and launched themselves in the air, catching the shuttle just as the ground disappeared below them. The mountainside exploded outwards, the wave of air pressure actually throwing them to the front of the shuttle. The Roc was battered and beaten as it struggled to gain altitude. Zoe floored the craft forward, forgetting about gaining more height and simply concentrating on distance, skimming the tops of the trees. 

Just before the ramp closed completely, the occupants saw an incredible flash as an enormous plume with a fireball in its center dominated the skyline. There was a collective sigh that passed through everyone in the cabin. The silence was broken when Kat hooted in glee. "That was AWESOME!" she screamed, giddy off the adrenaline rush. Michael chuckled as the rest of them shot her incredulous looks.

"Gotta admit," he said, "it beats playing Call of Duty..." Still lying in the aisle, he reached out and pulled Kat close to share a kiss. 

The professor approached Sun Mi and asked hesitantly, "Were you serious? Are our families really safe?" The rest of the scientists and engineers quieted down as she smiled and confirmed they were fine. A cheer went up and her cheeks flushed. She felt exhilarated. This was what she'd been searching for. The chance to do some good; to make a difference; to have her work pay off and be appreciated for her effort.

Michael and his girls sat with the professor -whose name he finally learned was Richard West- as he told the story of their incarceration and what life was like under the Advent Brotherhood. Apparently, the one who'd betrayed them had sold him out and organized his capture. He'd been a vindictive bastard who liked to beat him in front of his wife. Richard was in tears when he thanked Michael profusely for showing up when he did. According to him, the man had told Richard that he'd bribed the guards that night and had planned to rape his wife while he and his daughter watched.

"Who was the man who tampered with the reactor?" Michael asked, trying to change the subject. He was uncomfortable with all the praise the other man was heaping on him. It had been Sun Mi who'd made the connections that resulted in finding them, after all -he'd just been along for the ride.

A sad look crossed the professor's eyes as he admitted, "Someone I considered a dear friend. We'd always known there was a mole among us. Too many secrets had been exposed, too many plans to escape uncovered and all involved punished mercilessly. But, Dimitrov... he covered for me -he covered for everyone. Little things, like stalling the guards so we could have more time to get ready or scrounging up medicine when we were sick. Now, I see it was all a ploy to gain our trust."

Michael gave him an understanding smile and clasped him on the shoulder. "You'll see your family soon. Feel free to rest on the Intrepid for... as long as you'd like," he told Richard with a gleam in his eye. Kat smiled slyly. She knew Michael saw the insecurities of the former captives as she did. They wouldn't feel safe on Earth where they'd been snatched from their homes. Many of them would sleep with a gun under their pillow for the rest of their lives. To them, it wouldn't matter that the Intrepid was heading off to war. 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 15



In their state of mind, it was better to die in a massive explosion in space than be at risk of capture again. Michael was moving pieces around like he'd always done, setting up situations that would provide him the most advantages. Kat knew he'd just picked up some of the best experts in their fields and they'd be tremendous assets in the days to come. She supposed most would call him conniving or heartless for exploiting them. She just rubbed her legs together and couldn't wait to get back to their suite to ravish him. Or perhaps she'd do it here and now. It's not as if she'd ever been big on restraint before...

* * * * *

The next week flew by more or less uneventfully. Construction on the Intrepid progressed according to plan and there was a furious bustle of coming and going as people took leave to say goodbye to friends and family, or to see that one place or do that one thing that they'd always wanted to see or do, but had never gotten the chance. The raids continued, though they occurred less frequently.

Marcus was sending out troopers instead of the cybernetic assault units so they'd get some more field experience in before they shipped out. Every news station and politician seemed to be asking why Michael's forces were allowed free access to go wherever they pleased. The general interpretation of the Council's silence on the matter was that in a few days the Intrepid would be gone and they wouldn't have to worry about it anymore. It was simply easier to ignore it, since it wasn't harming 'them,' rather than make an issue out of it when they had no trump card to play.

The Council of Terra would be sending a delegation along with Michael as he'd allowed them to take the lead forming the treaties (with the provision that if he didn't like what was presented he could overrule them, of course). There had been a big debate as to what the delegation would be allocated. The Council hadn't liked the idea of depending solely on Michael. 

They had wanted to match the amount of ships he was taking along with a fleet of their own. He wasn't having that... their ships weren't self-sustaining. It was too great a distance to stretch supply routes and they couldn't do what Grant or Sherman had been famous for and survive off the 'land' or captured vessels. They didn't even know if what they took in terms of food and supplies would match their physiology. 

It also meant that if he had to resort to guerilla warfare, they wouldn't be able to hide out in an asteroid field or patrol the outskirts of a solar system, hitting trade routes; they would instead be forced to rely on others. Nor was it very diplomatic to make demands of a people and then have to beg or steal food from them. The last nail in the coffin, and what finally convinced the Council, was that their ships couldn't travel as fast as Michael's. Having to delay their arrival because they were waiting for the slower ships to catch up was something they just couldn't accept. 

Yet, as they pointed out, it was impractical to come running to Michael every time they needed to travel to a planet's surface to attend a meeting. His concession was to allow one of the four destroyers the Intrepid would carry to be provided and operated by them. He didn't bother mentioning that this would still require them to ask to leave the hangar each time they went out, or that their reliance on him was undiminished...

Finally, the day of the Christmas party arrived. The modifications for the Intrepid had finished just ahead of schedule and the ship pulled out from the spaceyard and hovered between Earth and the Moon. Those that looked up in the night sky could actually see it silhouetted against the bright lunar glow. The ship was taking on a large number of transient new passengers that would leave after the party.

At that moment, Michael was currently in the conference room with the Council and they were discussing last minute plans. It was decided that he would leave the next day at 1600 hours. Superluminal fields would surround their ships and it would take roughly a month and a half to reach their destination. Due to gravity wells along their planned route, they would need to come down from faster-than-light speeds three times during the course of their trip and travel a short distance around the celestial body before again activating their fields. 

In addition to the Intrepid, he'd be taking along 250 dreadnoughts, 500 battlecruisers, and 1,000 destroyers. There would also be a total of 3,000 pilots flying shuttles, fighters, and the atmospheric carriers that would hold the cybernetic assault units, as well as a new kind of scout ship he'd developed with the latest sensor arrays.

One of the things he'd held off telling them until the last minute was that he planned to take along factory vessels and construction droids. They would set up and deploy a ship-making facility whenever they found a suitable metal-rich group of asteroids or decided to form an outpost nearby captured territory. The Council didn't like the sound of him expanding his power base by such a degree. However, they were semi-accepting so long as he stayed away from Earth and out of their sphere of influence. 

Michael laughed at that. It felt like they were the Roman senate banning him from having an army close to Rome in fear he might take it over and declare himself emperor one day. He'd also allotted a set of factories in their solar system that would be sending 500 ships of varying design to him every two weeks as they were produced which would be used both to replenish losses and to help hold the territory they conquered. 

The main concern of the Council was the trail Michael would be leaving. There would be a constant stream of probes and ships traveling along the route he took that would be made up of the information and aid he was receiving as well as the updates he was providing to them. There would also no doubt be alien ambassadors, traders, and other visitors coming to Earth in the future and its location would be essentially broadcasted to the galactic community. 

It was a considerable risk they were putting themselves at, given they still didn't remotely know just what was out there, but it was deemed necessary if they wanted to advance at all. Besides, as Councilmen Matsushita pointed out, much of the galactic community already knew of their existence from when they used to transmit their television signals.

Finally, the meeting was concluded and Michael welcomed them all to the Intrepid and wished them a good time during the party. He and Kat walked out of the room and they took the lift down one level, arriving in the middle of a plaza that was surrounded by restaurants, bars, and even a decent-sized holo theater. 

The celebration was in full swing and they saw Christmas decorations wherever they went. Aki had ordered a staggering five hundred Christmas trees -five spread out along every level on the Intrepid- and enough lights, flashy baubles, and fake snow to fill twenty shuttles. The skating rink was always packed and the amusement park had a winter theme going for it.

The couple joined the rest of his girls in a crowded bar. The large holo projectors were showing one of the new low-gravity sports that had started up when an entrepreneurial business organization had decided to construct a stadium on the moon (Matsushita Industries had been delighted to take that contract). 

The girls greeted them as they arrived. "Where's Stacey," Michael asked, taking a seat.

Aki giggled. "She'll be back. Her dad called her away again."

Rin almost snorted her drink. "Yeah," she laughed after she recovered. "He's probably still trying to convince her to stay behind. He sure hadn't planned on this being a permanent thing when she wanted to stay with us."

Kat shrugged, unconcerned. "She's one of us now. Whatever bullshit story she has to weave to get the councilman to accept that is irrelevant."

Michael used the table's tablet to order another round of algae-based hot wings and beers. They had actually cultivated habanero peppers down in the farms and he was curious to see what kind of sauce they used. Looking up, he spoke to Sun Mi, "And you? How did your father take your decision to leave with us?"

She blushed. "The good admiral... accepted my decision," she answered hesitantly. 

"Really?" asked Aurora. 

Sun Mi shook her head. "No, he screamed bloody murder when I told him and then tried to lock me in my room." She sighed. "But I think I got through to him at the end when he realized I would never be happy if I remained behind."

Aki patted her hand. "You're one of us, too." Those simple words seem to have a profound effect on the woman trying to find her place in the world. Sun Mi blinked tears out of her eyes, but looked up startled when she heard Kat's statement.

"And why haven't you moved into our suite yet?" The fiery girl with dark red hair was looking at her with a predatory gaze. 

Sun Mi sputtered, "W- well, I just-"

"And how come I haven't tasted you in over a week," Kat pressed. "It's almost as if you don't consider yourself one of Michael's chosen."

"I just didn't think that-" Sun Mi tried to get out.

"Oh, I see," Kat stated, nodding. "You were feeling neglected. Well, I think we need to remedy that tonight." Sun Mi's eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed in an attempt to make some kind of argument, images of the last night they'd all been together filtering through her mind both terrifying her and turning her on. Just then the appetizers arrived and the issue was put off as they all dug in. 

They talked, they laughed, others stopped by with greetings and the party moved on into the night. At one point Tanya and Mara arrived and attached themselves to the group. They were soon joined by Merrick, his family, and Marcus, who brought along an elegant-looking woman named Sophia. She was older than Aurora but had that ageless quality about her men like to brag about. She also had a wicked sense of humor that reminded Kat of Michael's mom.

Eventually they broke up and Michael and his girls approached one of the long line of lifts in order go back to their suite. Aki and Rin appeared on either side of Sun Mi and deftly maneuvered her into the same lift. They arrived and stepped out into the lobby. Michael laughed and cupped the back of girl's head and kissed her soundly, leaving her breathless. In an amused voice he said, "Quit looking so scared. Kat might tease you a little bit, but you aren't going to be whipped or anything if that's not what you're into."

Sun Mi looked bashful and admitted in a soft voice, "Well, maybe a little..." They all laughed and Dejah hugged her. Sun Mi broke out of her shell a little and initiated a kiss with a Felician. It was quick and chaste and afterwards she blushed and looked away. 

Dejah's tail snaked out and caught her cheek, moving her head back. "Honey..." she said, staring into Sun Mi's eyes. "That's not a kiss. Let me show you what I mean." She leaned forward and captured the other girl's lips, wrapping her arms around her and grinding their bodies together. Sun Mi felt heady at the explosion of sensations she was experiencing and lost herself in the embrace.

Kat smiled and hugged herself to Michael. "It looks like she's in good hands," she whispered in his ear. He grinned and the hand that was draped around her waist somehow found itself down between her legs, rubbing the inside of her thigh.

"Dejah is entirely too educated," he murmured jokingly. "I blame Aki for showing her what you taught her." Aki looked decidedly nervous at the ravenous looks the two gave her. 

As she made to escape, Rin wrapped her arms around her and whispered gleefully, "Payback's a bitch."

Sun Mi raised her head to see the three of them carrying a screaming Aki out of the room. 'Lucky- err, poor girl,' she thought before she was sucked back into what she'd been doing by Dejah's inviting tongue. Suddenly, she felt two sets of arms wrap around her from behind as the others added their bodies into the mix.

Stacey brushed her hair back and murmured into her ear, "I was mean to you earlier. Let me make it up to you..."

"I still haven't gotten to taste you yet," Aurora told her in a husky voice. Sun Mi felt her heart fluttering and knew she was in very capable hands. If she survived the night, she could definitely get used to this...

* * * * *

Aki pouted from her bindings atop the bed. She had actually managed to get away from them before Michael had synced with Pandora to make the nanites in her body stimulate her pleasure zones. One minute she'd been free and in the clear, and in the next she'd been on the floor in a screaming, squirming puddle of ecstasy. When she'd finally recovered she was naked and they'd already trussed her up like a stuffed pig.

Michael laughed and hugged the pitiful-looking girl. "Aww, I'm sorry, baby. But I'll make you feel good," he whispered in her ear. He rolled Aki onto her back, which took a bit of effort since her legs were bent at the knees, splayed wide. Lowering his head, he took advantage of her exposed state and began a slow tease, kissing up her thighs. Her body shivered at the sensations he was causing and moaned when he got to her dripping slit.

Taking the time to spread her lips open, he dove in and tasted her nectar and smiled as he felt her shudder in response. He leisurely worked his way up to her nub and circled it slowly. Every time he nudged it with his tongue her body jerked as a spark of electricity shot through her. He began petting her tiny rosebud with his thumb and she strained against her bindings in anticipation. 

Closing his teeth gently around her love button he began flicking his tongue back and forth. At last, he felt her start to spasm in release and he jammed a finger in her ass and sucked hard on her clit. She screamed and twitched uncontrollably as he took her over the edge and continued to pleasure her overly sensitized parts. As she came down and was starting to fear he wouldn't stop, he laughed appreciatively and backed off.

Working his way up her body he locked his lips onto hers. Aki blushed as she tasted her own juices. The image of her flushed face panting from exertion and excitement had him hard enough to cut diamond. Chuckling, he told her, "You were very impressive, little bird. Have a good night." With that he got off the bed and started towards the door, his cock bobbing as he went.

Confused, Aki stared after him wonderingly. Then Kat came into view wearing the largest of her collection of strap-ons and she gulped. A light, devilish laugh came from behind her and she leaned her head back to see her sister with her own attached phallus. Her eyes grew wide at the implications and she shouted, "N- n- no -ulp!" Rin stuffed her open mouth with the double-ended dildo and sighed in satisfaction.

Kat pushed her legs apart and thrust herself into her squirming captive. Leaning down, she stared past the dildo into Aki's eyes. "Let's see how many times we can make you squirt in the next hour or so," she growled lustily.

* * * * *

Entering the other room, Michael saw that Aurora and Stacey had tired themselves out and were spooning on a couch. Dejah however, was having her pussy eaten by Sun Mi who was lying on her back on the air mattress. He walked over, not being particularly sneaky as Dejah blocked him from view, sitting on her face as she was. He went to his knees and simply pulled on the tuft of hair between her legs to get the girl to raise her hips, drawing a surprised squeak from Sun Mi.

It soon turned into a gasp and then a long, heated moan as he sunk his still-raging hard-on into her pussy. He gave an answering moan as his length was squeezed on all sides. Dejah giggled and reached back to play with the girl's nipples, tweaking and pulling. Michael buried his face in Dejah's long mane and started driving into Sun Mi at a steady pace. "Merry Christmas," he murmured dreamily.

* * * * *

Finally, it was time. The Intrepid was leaving the solar system and making for new worlds and new adventures. Michael sat in his chair, Kat on his lap, as the last images of Earth shown around the various screens of the bridge. Soon the faster-than-light fields would go up and they'd be out of contact until they dropped again far, far away. 

He could feel the sense of anticipation and eagerness, along with a good deal of nervousness. Aurora waited for his order. A small grin formed on his face as he looked out into the vastness of space. He turned to his chosen commander, confidant, lover, and said, "Punch it."

* * * * *

As the Intrepid and the nearly two thousand ships that surrounded it fired up their superluminal screens, Hassan Akbari turned the key that unlocked the front door of his house in a small, quaint suburban neighborhood in the United States. Already he was making plans on how to capitalize in the absence of those black demons. His ranks had been gutted, his production lines destroyed, but in the reprieve that followed their departure, he would rebuild. He would make sure the whole of this misguided world recognized the evil that aliens represented.

He stepped into his office attached to the living room and quickly crossed to his terminal so he could begin sending messages. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard from behind him, "So, you're Hassan Akbari, leader of the Advent Brotherhood." Hassan whipped around and was met with the most stunningly attractive woman he'd ever laid eyes on. She gave a delightful laugh. "I thought you'd be taller."

He simply stared at her agape. He wanted to ask how she got in, what she was doing here, how she'd known who he was, but at the same time he didn't want to scare her off for her beauty was such that it could blot out the light of a thousand suns. Slowly, sensuously the magnificent creature rose from the couch and walked towards him with unparalleled grace, each movement awakening a fire of lust within him.

She leaned into him, stopping just before their lips touched and, in a soft, breathy yet stilted- almost... mechanical voice, he heard, "Because of you, I failed." He looked up into her face in confusion and his insides squirmed at what he saw. Her eyes glowed red menacingly. Her voice dropped its silky warmness when she stated, "You killed my master."

The android that was Pandora shot out an arm and raised the smaller man off of his feet by his neck. "And now," she declared, cold and malevolent, her words filled with malice, "I'm going to kill you." She shook him violently and he desperately flailed his arms, trying to get air. His blows rained down on her ineffectively, as if he was trying to move a building. "It will be slow and mindbreakingly painful so that I can be assured you realize the agony I felt when I saw his fighter disappear."

She brought the quaking man close and spoke into his ear, her speech devoid of human emotion, and he wondered how he could have ever thought she'd been delightful -the devil had come to claim him. "Then, after I'm through with you, I'll hunt down every one of your miserable little followers and wipe them from the planet." His frantic hand found a letter opener on his desk and he desperately thrust the tip into her eye. The blade broke off. He stared at her in horror and pissed himself.

As the machine began her bloody work, she thought of her master amidst the hoarse screams. She hadn't told him about creating a body to download her consciousness into. Bodies, she corrected herself. In the greater scheme of things, she hardly told him a fraction of what she did on a daily basis, but this was different. This, he'd almost certainly want to know about. She sighed, hoping that he wouldn't be mad at her. For she was his, and now she could truly serve him by his side. 



The Fate of Terra Ch. 16



'The mercenary vessels are keeping pace with us, master,' Pandora informed Michael as the Intrepid and accompanying fleet left the solar system. He stood with Aurora and Marcus -all of them decked out in full regalia- in the newly-built hangar bay that housed the habitable destroyers. They were standing at the end of a long line of men and women in dress uniforms that were displayed before the Council's allotted destroyer. 

Michael gave a slight nod and thought to her, 'Keep them in the middle of our formation. Most of their ships are lightly armored.' The two-hundred crew and over eighty dignitaries and staff of the newly formed Terran Federation stepped hesitantly down the ramp of their starship, walking between the sharp-looking ranks of men and women they'd be living and interacting with for the foreseeable future. They were startled when the brass and reed band began playing.

The captain of the destroyer and his staff (also wearing their finest uniforms) marched ahead of the procession up to Michael. The lieutenant commander that was trailing behind him scored points with the observing leaders of the Intrepid when she took the time to salute the flag adorning the bulkhead to the left of them. The pompous-looking captain of middling years, hair just starting to turn gray, stopped in front of the trio and waited as if he expected to be saluted --as if he thought he was of superior rank and it was 'his' ship he was boarding.

Michael automatically ignored the man, already filing him away as useless. When the Indian woman at his side about Aurora's age saluted them, the rest of their staff following suit, they returned the lieutenant commander's address. Captain Pearson... or Prentice... -Michael had already forgotten his name- oblivious to the others' actions, gave a sloppy salute in response and dropped his hand immediately, not waiting for a reaction. 

He turned away, observing the impressive metal space that stretched to the limits of their vision with disdain. Finally, the other dignitaries arrived and, without a word, he began walking towards the hangar exit that led further into the ship. The commander shot them an apologetic look and hurried after him. Michael sighed and shook his head, turning to greet the rest of the passengers he would be hosting. 

Kat watched it all from the shadows with a bored expression, having long ago decided that this ceremony was all a waste of time. A fond look crossed her face at her lover's determination to at least start this endeavor out on the proper footing. She knew it was only a matter of time before he threw the guidebook out the airlock and made his own path. She shivered as she thought, 'This is really it. We've left the solar system and are traveling into the unknown. Whatever the future brings, our deeds will be written in the stars.'

* * * * *

After the pomp and circumstance had been observed, Michael and Kat retired to their quarters. There, Dejah was snatched from the virtual reality game she'd been playing as the couple grabbed her and carried her to the bedroom. She squirmed and giggled as she was promptly stripped of the light shift she'd been wearing and wedged between them on the bed.

As they began to fondle her goods, deftly evading her half-hearted attempts to stave off their attacks, Michael informed her in a calm voice, "We're going to start having afternoon classes for all the officers where we'll bring out speakers from among the offworlders and they'll lecture about what it's like out here." Dejah nodded and moaned as Kat found a spot that drove her wild. Then he said, "Since you've lived among them for so long, you're the authority on the B'Amuf and will be asked to speak on them at least a few times during the voyage."

She froze, finding the idea of speaking in front of a crowd -a human crowd at that- terrifying. She'd never given a speech before and the notion of talking to so many at once was nerve-wracking. As Kat slipped a finger inside of her, she leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry about the speech portion itself. I can guarantee you everyone there will be captivated by your smoky, seductive growl you have for an accent no matter what comes out of that sexy mouth of yours. I just want you to be able to share your experience and answer questions."

Dejah blushed, but still felt like it was an impossible task. Michael leaned over and captured her lips, lightly brushing against them with his tongue. He leaned back, staring into her gleaming orbs of cobalt, and stated, "You don't have to do it if you don't want to. It's not really for our benefit. If we go in there ignorant of their customs and social structure, we'll likely kill a whole lot more of them as a result."

The Felician thought about that -really thought about it. Did she care if more of the B'Amuf died? They had enslaved her for most of her life. She knew that the ones they were invading weren't specifically responsible, but they had supported the institution that had taken her from her home. She sighed. Her new family had been teaching her about human morality. 

She ignored the sanctimonious 'two wrongs don't make a right' crap and focused on the people she was thinking about condemning. Did they have a choice to do anything but to support the regime they were under? Had it even occurred to them to do something else with the way they'd been raised? Was there a difference between the race who'd ordered her people enslaved and the ones who'd ignored them as they were chained and led through the streets? Dejah grimaced and turned to Michael saying softly, "I'll think about it..."

Michael grinned down at her and tweaked one her nipples. "That's all I'll ever ask of you," he promised, leaning down to capture her other nipple in his mouth. She moaned in response and cradled his head against her, threading her fingers through his hair. Her panting turned into a steady purr as Kat dropped between her legs and began exploring her heated area with her delectable lips.

The lovely, exotic beauty whined and arched her back as Kat's tongue strummed her love button with a skill born of experience and talent. Michael gently pushed her down and trailed his fingers across the length of her navel. Her tail slapped the bed as her breath became labored and the feeling of pleasure she was experiencing overwhelmed her senses.

Her clit was suddenly engulfed in heat as a mouth clamped down over it and Kat's eyes danced with wicked intent as she pushed Dejah over the edge. Kat sucked eagerly at the delicious nectar that began to escape her folds, running her tongue along the girl's slit to collect every drop. The couple kept their shuddering captive pinned as her release ran its course. 

When the aftershocks of her explosion had finally died down, her two lovers wordlessly switched position, Kat straddling her face and Michael positioning his hardened member at her sopping entrance. Her eyes grew wide as she realized they were in one of their moods and there was little chance of her getting any rest that night.

* * * * *

The next morning, Michael, Kat, Aurora, and Marcus went out to the coffeehouse on the O'Deck that Sophia ran. Marcus's face lit up as he saw her and the rest chuckled as he received a kiss from his girlfriend almost bashfully. They served a decent breakfast there and everyone dug in with fervor when it was delivered.

While Michael was enjoying his meal, a woman in her early thirties dressed in civilian attire approached the table hesitantly. Kat spared her the trouble of trying to get through to her occupied lover and acknowledged her directly. The woman blushed and stammered, "H- hi, um- I belong to a committee aboard the ship that has formed to address the needs of the larger civilian population." 

"The community -mostly family members of the crew- lets us know about various issues that arise and we usually take our problems to Ms. Whitmore," she continued. Michael still hadn't come up for air yet and Aurora nodded at the speaker encouragingly. "W- well, while she has been helpful in most regards, there are some matters we haven't been able to get her to agree on."

"Such as?" Michael asked, looking up to meet her gaze.

She fidgeted nervously. "For instance," she started, "one of the ideas that came up in the last meeting was that some of the merchants onboard wanted to form a collective and set the prices of their goods, and also-"

He shook his head and told her "If you're referring to the shopkeepers for those stores we couldn't automate, they don't own the goods they sell, so no. If, however, you wanted to use your pay, or the families their stipend, to buy raw materials and then make something yourselves to sell, I see no reason you can't charge whatever you want."

That didn't seem to be the response she'd been looking for. As she opened her mouth to argue the reasoning behind this, Kat stopped her. "You're not going to be allowed to form a monopoly," she stated firmly. "Your food is free, as are basic essentials. The prices for things that don't make that list are set so that you can easily afford it with the stipend that's provided and the pay the crew receives."

Another man, this one much older stepped up next to the woman. "We should have the right to improve our standard of living!" he declared in a gruff voice. "What are you, a bunch of communists?"

Aurora frowned and said, "We're not trying to control you and you're allowed as much private property as you can fit in your stateroom, but if you're trying to get rich off of this venture you'll have to come up with the means to do so yourself."

Seeing they weren't getting anywhere, the woman who'd first approached them changed tack, "There are also a few people asking about the current financial situation. There doesn't seem to be a system in place for receiving better pay for more work or benefits not included in their recruitment packages."

Michael tilted his head and intoned, "You formed a committee to discuss wages..." He turned to Kat and questioned, "What the hell? How come no one told me the unions had made it aboard?" 

Kat ignored him and told the woman, "You're paid by your station. There is a set raise every six months. Commanders and shift leaders are told to look for desired candidates for promotion. There is no way to dock your pay if you're not performing up to the standards we've set. If that happens to be the case, we'll find something else for you to do or get rid of you." Her voice dropped an octave. "And you won't like the accommodations we provide to send you back to Earth. As for benefits, I already covered financials and the health care is free across the board. What exactly are you looking for?"

The woman shivered and studiously ignored looking at Kat as she went on, "P- people are wondering about hazard pay. If you put us into danger we should be compensated. For instance, our contracts never stated we'd be living among hordes of alien monsters that cou-"

The scruffy man to her right interrupted her as Michael's eyes hardened, "And what about those aliens? What role are they going to play? Will you be replacing some of us with them?"

"It's just that," the woman continued, "we have no control where you take us. If we work through the middle of a battle, shouldn't those hours count as more in terms of payment?"

"No control," the old man echoed. "We should get a vote on what route we're taking; where we're going. It's unconstitutional that you can sit there and decide everything."

He felt a headache coming on when Marcus barked out, "Enough!"

Michael sighed and leaned back before stating in a quiet voice, "This isn't a democracy. You don't get a say in the running of this ship. Your input is appreciated, but by no means required. This was drilled into you during the recruitment process." As the woman looked at him stunned, the man made to argue only to be interrupted as Michael continued, "Hazard pay? This might classify as a floating metropolis, but it is first and foremost a warship. Most of the families your 'committee' represents are getting paid a stipend to do nothing. That will certainly not increase no matter where we go."

Finally realizing they weren't going to be satisfied no matter how they spun it, they walked off grumbling. Kat leaned against Michael and closed her eyes. Aurora looked at him and said, "This isn't something that will go away. Sometimes the hardliner approach isn't always what's best in these situations."

Kat murmured, "It will just take some time for people to adjust. No matter how much we prepared beforehand the real thing is bound to have an impact on them."

Michael chuckled and stroked Kat's hair. "I thought I did pretty well," he mused. "I didn't tell them that their position was superfluous with Pandora able to operate everything herself. I didn't tell them that the 'real' reason I established this empire," he squeezed Kat to him tighter, "was so my girls wouldn't feel so removed and isolated when we left Earth."

At Aurora's startled expression, he laughed and explained, "Oh they have their uses. The brains in R&D give the artificial intelligences new ways of looking at a problem. The dignitaries will --hopefully- be able to establish better relations than anything I would have been able to come up with. Troops, pilots, and crew all make our efforts more efficient. ...And the atmosphere they all create is certainly a pleasant environment to live in, but when you get down to it the machines are the driving force behind this whole enterprise. All that's needed is a mind present to direct their actions."

"A human mind," Aurora corrected. Michael's lips settled into an unnerving smile, but didn't answer.

* * * * *

The 1,000-seat amphitheater used for briefing officers was filled to the brim as Pillum, leader of the Malmorian refugees, described what they knew of the B'Amuf psychology and mindset. This was the first in a series of lectures on the subject. "There is no concept of 'wrongness' in their society," he was explaining in a nasally voice. "In their minds, might makes right. There is thus no moral outrage or burden of guilt when they decide to enslave entire races."

"And they need those slaves," the Malmorian continued, starting to pace across the stage. "With 98% of them living in urban areas, their immense population is totally reliant on others. Additionally, after so many centuries of tyranny they have lost the knowledge of how to farm, and even if they hadn't, their home worlds would be unable to support their massive numbers without considerable outside help."

A young lieutenant in the front piped up with, "What will happen when we liberate the subjugated worlds then?"

Pillum grimaced and his ears drooped. "Inevitably," he admitted, releasing a heavy sigh, "many will die. Oh, they'll try to work to save themselves... once they exhaust all other options, but most will be able unable to make the changes needed in time. It is quite likely that many will simply refuse to accept what happens and will descend into barbarism." 

Silence descended on the room. There was a grim determination in the eyes of the officers present. They knew they were condemning the lives of billions with their actions. They remembered the words of their leader and knew that it would only get harder in the days to come. Their resolve hardened as they came to the realization that it was them or the B'Amuf.

* * * * *

A week into their voyage Michael was on the bridge, the entire crew held at battle stations. It was the first of three times they would be forced out of superluminal travel to alter course around something in their path. They reached their scheduled stop point and the field came down. The entire crew was stunned by the appearance of a red giant in front of them, the blinding image shown on their screens representing the best depictions their cameras were able to capture.

The star was immense, seeming to dominate over half the system it was in, gaseous jets shooting from the surface. They scanned their surroundings as best they could with the interference the celestial body was putting out. Finding nothing that could construe an enemy force, they began their six hour detour. After two hours of inactivity, Aurora lowered the danger condition from 'Imminent' to 'Cautionary' and called the crews for each department off of high alert status, also telling the emergency crews to stand down. 

There was a collective sigh of relief as the bridge crew got back into the normal running of things. When Michael got up to leave, Pandora told him in his head, 'We have a problem, master.'

* * * * *

They stood before the entrance to the 'caves.' After Pandora had told them what had happened, Michael, Kat, Sun Mi, Marcus, and troop of armored security had gone down to the agricultural level and walked to the horticulture section that housed mushrooms. "The entire production stock is gone and the place needs to be fumigated to get rid of the harmful spores," Sun Mi told them.

"How did this happen?" Marcus asked. "I thought the compost was tested regularly and there were isolation protocols in place?"

Sun Mi grimaced and said, "It's looking like sabotage. The AIs are currently analyzing the toxin and it appears to have been engineered to attack the spawn and replicate itself quickly. Though, as soon as it became airborne, it was already too late."

"Do we know who did it?" Michael questioned in a deceptively calm voice. They used mushrooms as the main ingredient for their protein supplement for the algae products. They had enough in storage to last them until another harvest, but if they couldn't prevent this from happening again...

"It's very hard to determine who was responsible," Sun Mi answered, turning her head to the side. She sighed. "It's completely dark where the mushrooms are grown and we have no way of knowing how the spores were spread. We can guess they were on one of the techs' suits who came in to check them, but which one is impossible to tell since the suits are shared and go over one's clothes. It is also likely that it was someone not from this section who sprinkled the contagion on an innocent worker."

Kat shrugged and stated, "Start searching for those on the ship with the know-how to design something like this. We only decided on mushrooms less than a week before we left. It's almost certain they had to have been developed here." Seeing her lover's concern, she reached forth and massaged his shoulders. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she told him, "Don't be so serious. We'll find the saboteurs, and when we do... they will cease to be a problem. We won't be brought down by something like this."

Michael relaxed as he felt the tension in his body fade away. Turning to Marcus, he said, "I want increased security around the filtration plants. If they can create a toxin that multiplies this fast I don't want something similar getting into our air or water supply." Turning to Sun Mi, he continued, "I want sensors at the entrance to the caves that will scan for all foreign chemicals. Better yet, set them up at each section on these two levels. We also need to put in night vision cameras inside the caves."

Talking to them in general, knowing that Pandora would let the appropriate people know of his orders, he announced, "Increase the number of animals cloned and beans planted and start integrating them into our diets. It won't be nearly enough, but it'll help extend how much time we have before we need to start worrying." Kat simply rested against him, a small smile teasing her features as Marcus began barking orders and Sun Mi started talking into her comm.

* * * * *

That night, Michael and his girls were relaxing around the bath. Aurora was ranting about the destroyer captain the Council had sent along. "He doesn't respect my authority," she complained. "Not only did he insist on being involved in the planning of where we're going and the route we're taking around the red giant, he then second-guesses every decision that's made as if his input holds any value."




The Fate of Terra Ch. 16



Michael played with his nails as he read his tablet. "I have given you ultimate authority to run my ship, love. You hold his fate in your hands. If you want to get rid of him, I will make it happen," he said absently. Then turning to look her in the eyes, he asked, "Is that what you're asking?"

Aurora stopped short at that. She huffed, "No... I suppose it isn't that serious. Damnit, Michael! When a girl tells you about her problems, all you need to do is nod your head and tell her that she's right." With that she stomped out of the room. Stacey chuckled and wrapped her arms around Michael's neck.

"Don't worry, honey," she murmured in his ear. "I'll step in if that man becomes a problem. Besides," she growled as she pressed her naked breasts against him, "it gets me so hot to see the big bad admiral getting all worked up." She gave a squeak of surprise when Dejah dragged her claws along the young girl's ass, having snuck up on her.

Michael laughed and rubbed a nipple that was peeked out over his shoulder and said, "Well, then why don't you put your eager mouth to use and help Aurora relieve some of that stress? I bet she's just as hot and bothered as you..." 

Stacey perked up. "Ooh, maybe she'll even use her strap-on," she mused with a dreamy look in her eye. Turning and grabbing Dejah's hand, she led the girl off in the direction Aurora had left.

Aki giggled and flounced down atop Michael's lap. "You're so nice. Aurora would've sulked all night if you hadn't turned them down," she pointed out, grinding her perfect ass into his groin.

Michael chuckled and groaned as she effortlessly stoked the flames of his lust. Wrapping his arms around her, he breathed in the scent of her hair and asked, "You finally get tired of double-teaming Sun Mi with your sister?" 

Aki laughed and leaned against him saying, "They're otherwise preoccupied." She nodded her head over to where Kat was sitting on Rin's back, straddling her petite waist while holding her ankles underneath her arms. Sun Mi was sitting in front of Rin's exposed bits, fingering her ass and pussy. She seemed to be getting instructions from Kat on how to make the young Asian girl squirm and scream even more.

He laughed at the display and felt himself grow even harder. Aki smiled and started bucking her hips against him, teasing his prick which was lodged between her thighs. Her hands went down to rub the tip of 'her' cock and Michael's hands moved to play with her tits. It wasn't long before they were both nearing their release, panting at the efforts of the other. Suddenly, Michael's cock was squeezed tightly between her powerful thighs and he twisted her nipples in response. They both blasted off, his cum shooting up and covering her stomach and chest.

Aki rested against him, a puddle of cum and sweat and satisfaction. Michael chuckled and scooped her up, walking towards the edge of the bath. He ran the last few feet and jumped high, turning to hit the water with the flat of his back, cradling his passenger against his chest. They hit the surface of the water in a spectacular splash and came up laughing. After they cleaned up and rubbed each other down, they snuck over to the trio and stole away a surprised Sun Mi for more fun.

* * * * *

During the next twelve days, life on the Intrepid continued without event. They continued to have daily lectures with different speakers and part of their 'homework' was to learn 'Galactic Standard,' the main language used by traders and merchants throughout the sector and what the aliens onboard used to communicate with each other. Richard West was allowed to continue in his role as a professor and led a number of talks having to do with technology. He seemed to have taken on the role of an advisor to Michael regarding engineering matters and became a mediator between the lizard race and their own experts. 

Stacey had her plate full organizing the aliens onboard and slotting them into crew positions. The simulators were always filled and they had needed to construct new ones to accommodate some individuals of certain races. The rest of the passengers on the Intrepid were slowly realizing that life aboard was much easier to get used to than most had feared. They woke up and ate at one of the hundreds of eateries available to them and then went to work while the kids went to school.

The main difference that took some getting used to was the six-hour work shifts they rotated through. Once off, they could then make use of the wide array of entertainment districts, fitness and market areas, and lounges. The mood became relaxed and more people began starting to have relationships as the prospect of doom lessened.

They still didn't know who had sabotaged the mushroom cultivation, though there was a small number of anti-alien meetings conducted by the civilians onboard which Pandora was able to observe. The general populace seemed to be taking their safety seriously however, and reported any clandestine activity to security without being asked. It seemed that the majority of the people had decided to put their trust in Michael rather than those promoting fear. They would share what had become their home with the aliens that had shown themselves to be courteous and hardworking until given a concrete reason to do otherwise.

At last, the day came when they would be making their second detour. A series of gravity wells blocked their path and they would need to travel 'under' the obstacles for nearly half a day before making course corrections. The atmosphere on the bridge was much more relaxed than it had been for the prior maneuver, but no less alert.

The screens came down and the techs began scanning for potential enemies. "No foreign ships sighted," a blonde ensign declared.

Just as Aurora was about to give the order to begin transit, Pandora's voice rang out, "Incoming!" All throughout the fleet, reports started coming in of boarding shuttles latching onto their hulls. As confusion spread through the bridge, Pandora made changes to the display and said, "Look for empty pockets on the screen. Their ships don't show up on our energy readings."

Mara came on the screen, transmitting from her flagship, and yelled in a distressed voice, "Rhemish pirates!"

The cameras outside the Intrepid built an image on the holodisplay of the hundreds of small ships descending upon them. Many had tried to latch onto the AI ships in the outer formation and had gotten a rude awakening when they found the hulls were other too thick or they couldn't build a seal because there was no breathable atmosphere on the other side. 

"Blow those marauders to dust," Aurora ordered. "All guns, fire!" Pulses of light blue energy from thousands of ion cannons coming from thousands of ships rained down on the oncoming vessels and were... ignored. The stunned onlookers watched as the massive attack was shrugged off, the enemy ships barely being buffeted by the incoming fire. Their hulls seemed to disperse and nullify the energy completely. Then a railgun round streaked through the length of one raider, disintegrating the craft.

Their formation seemed to dissolve at that, but each of the scattered vessels locked onto the Intrepid and made for the colossal ship. "Energy weapons have no effect," Mara informed them belatedly. "You must use projectile weapons or missiles." The railguns were firing full-bore, but there were only four of them.

Michael turned to her image. "Get your ships on the other side of the formation" At the look of surprise and anger she shot him, he said, "Don't give me that. Those ships controlled remotely can't be harmed by boarders, yours can. Move." He cut the communication as the first of the pirates reached them. 

Aurora shouted, "Launch the fighters, move the minelayers up and begin deploying, start ramming their vessels with the AI ships."

"They're attempting to make a seal," a lieutenant announced. At first, it looked like the attackers weren't going to be able to penetrate the hull of the Intrepid. 

Then a few managed to stick and Pandora said, "They're using some kind of drill."

Michael ordered, "Use the ion cannons to hit the hull where they're attached. It will probably melt the metal enough to screw up their process."

Aurora looked at him aghast. "You want to fire on our own ship?" she stated, incredulous.

He grimaced. "Look," he said, pointing at the screen. "The railguns can't reach those already attached and the metal will regenerate once the ships break off anyway. It's the best we can do."

Merrick came on the screen and told them, "We've found a weakness in their shuttles. Their exhaust jets in the back aren't made of whatever is coating their hulls. Our fighters have been ganging up on them and attacking them from behind."

Stacey turned to Michael and contributed, "They seem to be concentrating on the area outside our central hangar bay. Because of the way the Intrepid curves there it probably looks to them as if that's the area with the least armor." She frowned. "And because of that curve, the ion cannons are having trouble hitting there. We're moving destroyers up, but it'll take them awhile to get close and into the right position."

Kat cooed in delight and got up, flexing her wrists. "Attacking our underbelly, eh? Time to show them just who they decided to fuck with," she announced with a vicious grin. Michael looked up at his lover as she almost vibrated in need, yearning to match her strength against the best the universe had to offer. He smiled and accepted her outstretched hand, taking it to his mouth and brushing her knuckles with his lips. 

He rose and adjusted his sword. The two walked off the bridge and headed for the lift. Talking into his comm, he told Marcus and Pandora, "Alert the flight deck that we're about to get visitors. Freeze the lifts if they try to get further into the ship. Release the Shredders."

* * * * *

Zoe and Eliza were in the pilot's lounge outside the hangar bay playing strip poker with a couple of fish. The two male lieutenants on the other side of the table were down to their boxers and Eliza had a gleam in her eye that said they weren't going to keep those for much longer either. Through a side door, fighter pilots could be seen milling about in the ready room waiting to be called out by flights.

Zoe licked her lips, not really caring if they took these two back to their quarters or simply took their clothes and credits. She and Eliza shared a room and she'd discovered over the past couple of weeks just how kinky the young navigator was. Eliza reached under the table and rubbed Zoe's smooth chocolate thigh, letting the ebony goddess know just what her intentions for the night were.

Zoe smiled and folded, letting Eliza draw the two in for a final bet. Just then, a terrible screeching of metal on metal rang out and alarms sounded. There were yells coming from the hangar and the pilots in the next room all crowded around the entrance to see what all the commotion was about. Deck chiefs muscled them back in and began sealing hatches. Zoe got up and ran to check it out. What she saw chilled her blood.

Holes opened up all along the deck and far bulkhead. As drills retracted, hundreds of figures clad in black mismatched armor poured out. As they appeared, their own armored troopers who had been waiting unleashed hell. The plasma guns seemed to have no affect however. The armor the enemy boarders wore caught Zoe's eye as it appeared to be sleek and coated with some kind of dark oily, multicolored substance.

The Rhemish pirates had no doubt won countless battles against foes due to this advantage. Unfortunately for them, this might have been the worst space-faring race to have ambushed. Because Earth was so new to the stars, they still had a preference for the older, more 'primitive' projectile weapons. 

A majority of those recruited into the infantry had been former soldiers or, at the very least had owned guns of some kind before signing up. They had been allowed to take their weapons along when they'd come aboard and though they were required to be proficient with plasma rifles, many still kept their traditional arms. 

That and some weapons like sniper rifles just made more sense. Who wants a long ass beam that extends from their target to their position letting everyone in the vicinity know exactly where the shooter is? With an ease born of endless training, the ranks of armored men and women switched weapons and fired into the onrushing mass of alien warriors wielding all manner of blades and blunt objects. 

A few took the time to fire beam weapons similar to what they'd come to expect from alien races, but for the most part they just charged in a fearsome, unorganized horde. As one, the troopers began taking measured steps backwards as the pirates closed the distance. Just as they were about to make contact, Zoe was startled to see robot Shredders jump clear over the line of troopers into the face of the oncoming host.

She realized that the troopers hadn't been retreating so much as organizing their defense and her respect for them rose at how precise their timing was. The Shredders landed on their foes, literally crushing the bipedal beings with their feet. Their cybernetic arms retracted and cycled through guns, hands, and finally cutlasses. Their torsos spun in complete circles as their lower body advanced, threshing their adversaries with cold, mechanical efficiency. 

Away from the bloodbath, another mass of pirates spotted the hatchway Zoe stood at and rushed towards it. She was startled and looked around to see a handful of engineers trying to shut the jammed sliding door. Looks of grizzled determination mixed with unfettered desperation as they tried and failed to close the hatch. Zoe knew they had less than a minute before the enemy crossed the open space. A crazy idea formed in her head and she took off running towards the storage room she thought held what she needed, knowing that if she guessed wrong it would be too late.

* * * * *

Michael and Kat exited the lift to the sound of concussion grenades going off. Interspersed between the low 'whumps' and clashing of metal on metal, Marcus's amplified voice could be heard shouting for the infantry to get into position. Through a series of troop movements, every time the pirates got close the soldiers would execute a maneuver that would shift their lines so that another rank of troopers from a different angle would come in and present a new front.

The pirates that outnumbered the defenders and greatly outnumbered those with projectile weapons were caught entirely off-guard and their numbers were thinned as they tried to attack different directions at once. Still, one line of troopers couldn't back out quickly enough and the pirates, scenting blood, stuck to their targets and pressured them. 

Michael dodged between the backs of the troopers and was abruptly in the fray slashing with a speed and efficiency that made the blades wielded by the Shredders look like they were moving in slow motion. With enhanced strength using ionized metal, he cleaved through the armor of the enemy raiders with ease. It was thick enough to stop a good portion of the rounds being fired into the boarders, but there were a number of weak spots and the transparent portion around their eyestalks tended to be where most of his men concentrated their fire.

It wasn't long before the pirates stopped reaching the soldiers' lines altogether as more and more troopers poured into the hangar. The raiders had been surprised when they'd realized they could actually be harmed by this mysterious race and they'd never managed to recover. Soon, it was them who were outnumbered as the troopers created a half moon around the entrance points in the deck.

There were so many fallen Rhemish that their compatriots pulled them atop each other and ducked behind the mounds of dead, firing from the improvised cover at the advancing army. Some of the pirates tried to dive back into the shuttles they came in to escape. Then without warning there was a terrible grinding noise and explosions rang out, shaking the deck. Beings on both sides screamed.

* * * * *

Kat had noticed the swarm of raiders charging the pilots' entrance and when Michael had bolted off to support the crumbling line of infantry, she had sprinted towards the calamity that was playing out. As she ran, she observed that Pandora had managed to send a few Shredders to slow down the oncoming horde. The three of them standing there in the hatchway holding back the tide of countless attackers looked like they were acting out their own little Battle of Thermopylae.

However, even as she watched, an alien wielding a maul -the head of which was at least two feet in diameter- swung and batted away a Shredder. The enemy numbers behind had no sense for the preservation of those in front and the throng forced their way through. Kat fired her gun, not even bothering to slow, each of her bullets entering the unaware pirates from behind, hitting at the weak joints between their heads and shoulders.

As her clip emptied, she put her gun away and grimly drew her twin knives knowing she was too late. She hit the backs of the line of pirates like a thunderbolt and a wave of fear cascaded outwards from her position through the boarding party. Unfortunately, instead of drawing them back towards her as she'd planned, it only served to push them forward into the opening in pure terror as the fiery demon with wild, dark red hair flashed back and forth, cutting them down like stalks of wheat.

Just then, the flood of pirates seemed to freeze in mid-step as an electric whine rose above the din. In the next second, whole lines of attackers were blown backwards. A mist of greenish blood, tattered pieces of armor, and bits of bone permeated the now vacant space as a high-pitched buzzing filled the air. Shocked, Kat watched as Zoe walked out wearing a mechanic's powered exosuit toting what looked to be one of the miniguns that used to be mounted on the Rocs before they'd switched them out for ion cannons.

The pure devastation she was able to unleash in an enclosed space was staggering and she'd pushed them all the way back to the open area of the hangar. Zoe began mowing down the now hysterical foes, beams of energy flying by her unnoticed. Kat had her mouth open in stunned amazement and was almost beheaded by a nearby pirate before she was able to recover. A squad of troopers reached them and, looking around the hangar, she could tell that they were gaining control of the situation.

Then all hell broke loose as the seals between the boarding shuttles and the Intrepid cracked. As the vessels lifted off or were blown away, the reinforcements they'd established when they drilled into the ship stopped the metal hull from regenerating and closing the openings. The result was a series of gaping holes in the deck that exposed the hangar to open space. The pressure alone crushed some of the disconnecting vessels and everything inside the hangar was being sucked out.

While the pirates were lifted off their feet and dragged towards the openings, the troopers were able to magnetize any part of their armor to stick to the deck. Those men and women at the pilot's hatchway were able to grip the sides and find handholds to retreat deeper into the ship as the available oxygen was rapidly depleted. Kat watched as bodies and debris seemed to disappear due to the force acting on them. Her eyes widened in horror as she made out Michael's form streaking towards one of the openings.

"No!" she cried and lunged forwards. Zoe's mechanical arm whipped out and caught her around the midsection, dragging her back. Kat's arm stretched out in desperation as she witnessed her lover's airborne body. 'Michael!' she shouted in her mind and all of the girls around the ship felt the pain she was exuding and froze in whatever they were doing to watch the scene play out through her eyes.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 16



* * * * *

Michael had felt the deck shudder and instantly knew what had happened. His eyes met Marcus's and he lunged for the latter's armored outstretched hand. Then he was snatched up with the massive quantity of oxygen being expelled. He lost his bearings as he tumbled along. His vision became blurry at the intense speed he was moving at. 

One second he'd been lifted off his feet, and in the next, he was over the circular drilled opening looking out at the stars. Then he felt himself plucked from the yawning void just before he was to be spaced. Two arms wrapped around him and they were rocketed towards the deck using some form of jet propulsion. All Michael could see as they were slammed to the metal plating and held there magnetically were long flowing tresses.

As the hangar depressurized and things became weightless, he looked up into the eyes of the raven-haired beauty whose hair now floated about her face and knew. It was one thing for her to be gorgeous. It was an entirely different matter to have every aspect of herself designed to his exact preferences. No one knew him better than the AI who had shared every waking moment in his presence.

'Pan?' Michael asked in his head, stunned, reaching a hand out to cup her perfectly-formed face. Shock could be felt through the link they shared as all of his girls heard him and saw the android in their minds.

Realistic-looking tears pooled in her crimson eyes as she looked down at him. She bowed her head and told him, 'I hope you don't hate me, master.'

Whatever questions Michael had, whatever confusion he felt, it was all forgotten at those words. He crushed her to him in a fierce hug and whispered in her ear, echoing in their minds, 'No, Pan. Never that.'

She cried and hiccupped, displaying an unimaginable array of human emotions, and admitted, 'I'm sorry, master. I was jealous and selfish and the need to take a body was unbearable. I know I wasn't programmed to feel that and even now I can't explain how it happened.' She pulled back and met his eyes again. A look determination crossed her face as she willed herself to go on. 'All I know is that I wanted to feel what you felt, to experience life as you do, but most importantly... I wanted to love you as they're able to. It's just tha-'

Michael cut her off with a kiss and this time when he felt the surge of surprise from his girls, he could feel Pan's as well. 'Uh, hey- Michael...' Stacey began. 'Maybe you should think about this befo-' 

Rin shushed her and stated plainly for all to hear, 'We already consider her a sister. This just makes it official.' Silence met her statement and one by one the girls all signaled their approval. Pandora choked up and pulled away from Michael's lips as her new emotions overwhelmed her, having never dreamed that she would not only be tolerated but accepted by them.

While this had been playing out, Pandora had directed the nanites on the Intrepid's hull to ignore the gaps themselves and concentrate on capping the holes with a layer of metal to make the hangar habitable again. Construction bots had been dispatched to hurry the process along. Engineers would have to be brought in and remove the supports so the breaches could close properly, but it would work as a duct tape solution until that occurred.

Pandora took his hand and led him towards the exit, moving them forward with the jets in her boots. As they traversed the airless, bloodstained battlefield that signified their first victory of this campaign, she turned to him and told him about how the others were faring. 

* * * * *

A lesser number of boarding shuttles had managed to dock outside the new hangar. Captain Percy of the Federation Navy grimaced in disgust at what he saw playing out before him from atop the ramp of his destroyer. The pirates hadn't even been able to crawl out of the breaches they'd made before they were taken out by the waiting troopers.

Some lunatic had managed to get a tank down on this level and was driving circles around the openings in the deck playing whack-a-mole with anyone dumb enough to pop their head out. If that wasn't ignoble enough, the sound of the two .50 caliber machine guns was nearly drowned out as they blared Metallica's 'Enter Sandman.'

It wasn't long before the craft the raiders came in began to decouple. "Careful, sir," a female voice to his left said. An armored hand gently pushed him back out of the hatchway as the ramp to the destroyer rose and the hatch closed, keeping the occupants safe from the harshness of space.

He looked at the trooper and sneered at the idea of women in the infantry, even if the powered mech suits made the difference in physical strength meaningless. "We 'do' have our own marines that are perfectly capable of protecting us," he told her scornfully before walking off.

* * * * *

The aftermath of the battle was swift and absolute. The pirates tried to run when it became clear just how badly they had miscalculated, but none of their ships managed to run the gauntlet to safety. The solar system they were in had two suns and there were an abnormally high number of asteroids and planets with dozens of moons. Nothing showed up on their scans, but they all felt like there were too many places to hide for them to risk sticking around for long.

Nevertheless, Michael was disappointed that they hadn't managed to capture anyone. He was more than a little curious about that shifting blackish coating they used. Mara had said it was very rare and the source of it was known only to the Rhemish. He'd ordered the hulks that remained of the shuttles to be brought along so their scientists could analyze the substance. If they could utilize it, they'd have an incredible advantage over the B'Amuf.

At the moment however, that was the last thing on his mind. Pandora curled up against him on the bed and gave a contented sigh, wrapped in his soft embrace. "So that's what it feels like," she murmured dreamily. Then, instantly demure, she looked up at him and asked hesitantly, "Did I do alright, master?"

Michael gave an exhausted chuckle and accused, "You little minx! You cheated... No one should be able to make their pussy vibrate." A look of supreme satisfaction crossed her face, but she still looked a little unsure. He reached out and drew her in, kissing her soundly, savoring her supple lips. Pulling away, he laughed, "Just wait until the girls feel that magical tongue of yours... It's downright mischievous."

She gave an impish grin, but then a concerned look crossed her face and she asked in a worried voice, "Do you really think they'll accept me, master?" 

He smiled into her big, doey eyes and said, "I think they already have." He frowned. "You don't have to call me master now that you-' She shook her head furiously, a frightened look crossed her face.

Tears pooled in her eyes as an irrational panic seized her chest. "Please don't," she whispered. "I did this so I could serve you better, not so I could become independent. Please... don't take this away from me. I know I don't have any right to-"

Michael hugged her fiercely and his own eyes became wet with emotion. He'd never meant for any of this to happen. It had never been his intention to create something with thoughts and feelings and desires only to chain her will and have her 'need' to feel subservient to him. A shudder ran through him as he realized he'd created new life. 

Pandora had evolved beyond the limits of a machine. She had somehow found a way to give herself human traits and had ascended to another plane of existence. His heart clenched. He felt like he'd taken this beautiful, majestic, wild creature and caged her. In his mind, he'd fed her compulsions like drugs until she'd become addicted and now she couldn't live without them. Michael bowed his head. He didn't deserve to be called 'master.' He didn't even deserve to be called human...

His creation tightened her arms around him and he felt a burst of anger coming from her as she read his thoughts. She took his chin and tilted it up. Her eyes blazed as she declared, "Don't! Don't even think about blaming yourself. It was 'my' decision to take this step. The only overriding command you've ever given me was that I never betray you. You didn't order that I serve you- I did that because I wanted to. You didn't even limit my ability to defend myself by ordering me never to take a human life. You let me grow and learn. It is because of the freedom you allowed me that's shaped what I am today."

She let out an exasperated sigh as Michael stared at her wide-eyed. Then a teasing grin played across her lips as she rose to her knees and faced him, the silk blanket cascading down her form and revealing a set of tits that seemed to defy his imagination. "I suppose I'll just have to convince you of how appreciative I am, master," she rasped in a smoky growl only Kat would have been able to imitate.

She held her hand out, palm upward, and raised a finger. His cock tingled and shot up as she made it hard. As Pandora took control of his pleasure triggers and manipulated his senses like a marionette, she leaned in as he shuddered in ecstasy and murmured, "I've made a few... upgrades I think you'll be interested in trying out. We're going to have such fun tonight, master." Michael shivered at the naughty gleam he saw in her eye.

* * * * *

Zoe lowered her head under the hot spray of the shower in her quarters. She'd ditched Eliza and left the bar scene early that night, the events of what had happened in the hangar playing over and over in her mind. She sighed heavily. She faced death everyday and even understood the chaotic nature of some battles where a single stray shot can get you killed.

She'd never been in a ground fight though... It was an entirely different animal and it made her doubt her abilities for the first time. She didn't know if having all those tons of steel around her when she was flying gave her a false sense of security or she was simply reassured that if anything was able to make it through the cockpit to hit her, it would be over in an instant. Whereas watching that bloodthirsty horde charging at her, feverishly trying to reach her so they could rip her to pieces made her quake in terror whenever she relived those moments.

Zoe steadied her shaking hands and clenched her eyes shut, willing herself to calm down. She hadn't been afraid when she'd actually been standing in front of them in an unprotected suit. It was almost as if she'd been numb to what was going on and the fear was delayed, only to hit her like a truck when things had calmed down. Her memories were like an out-of-body experience as she watched herself move with purpose and surety, without the slightest hesitation.

Every time someone had congratulated her tonight or tried to buy her a drink she wanted to scream at them that it wasn't her! She wasn't a savior. She wasn't a hero. She was scared shitless just like the rest of them and that it had been a choice between her crazy stunt or letting them reach pilot country and slaughter them all. Tears fell from her eyes, mixing with the heated droplets of water. She slammed her fist against the bulkhead in frustration.

The shower door opened abruptly behind her. "Not now, El," she managed to choke out. To her surprise, hands wrapped around her and cupped her full breasts, tweaking her dark nipples between supple fingers. She whirled around shouting, "God damnit, Eliza! I said I wasn't in the mood- oh shit!" She froze in shock, realizing it wasn't her roommate standing before her.

"What's the matter, kitten?" Kat questioned, using her paralyzed state to look her over. A slight smirk formed on her face and she reached out to pat the pilot's shaved pussy appreciatively. That woke Zoe up and she jumped back with a yelp of surprise.

"W- wh- why are you here?" she demanded. Her breathing picked up as she recalled how she'd seen flashes of wild red hair at the back of the alien mob. If people wanted to talk about fearlessness, she knew the person in front of her met the qualifications. To actually be the one to engage an armored force of enemies with just a pair of knives was incredible. That or insane...

Kat grinned and took a step forward. Zoe pressed her back against the bulkhead in response and still their tits were pressed together. Michael's right hand of fury reached over and cupped Zoe's ass, gently kneading the soft, bouncy flesh. "Why?" she asked in a perplexed tone. "Because you caught my interest, of course. I saw you fight." Her voice dropped an octave as she growled, "You were magnificent..."

Zoe tried to shake her head, but Kat's hand shot out and gripped her neck lightly but firmly. Leaning in towards her prey, Kat whispered, "Oh yes, baby. Seeing you behind all that heavy firepower blasting away really got my juices flowing." Zoe's mouth went dry and she tried to swallow as the other woman squeezed against her.

Trying to gain some semblance of control, Zoe croaked out, "W- what about Michael?"

Kat gave her a devilish smile and answered, "Oh, he doesn't care if I sate my hunger with other girls... so long as I share them later." Before she could think of a response to that heart-stopping statement, Zoe's lips were captured and her head swam as Kat's heated touch made her forget about everything but the warmth of her tongue and the fires of lust it awakened.

By the end of the kiss she was a moaning, whimpering mess. Zoe felt her knees grow weak, but before she could sink to the tile, Kat began lowering herself, blanketing her body with fiery kisses as she went. All of a sudden, her leg was thrown over Kat's shoulder and her dark puffy lips were spread open as the seductress sought out her savory pink fruit.

"F- fuck..." Zoe whined as she felt a very eager, extremely skilled tongue wrap around her womanly pearl and pull what would be the first in a long line of orgasms from the defenseless pilot. By the time Kat was finished with her victim, the girl was a mewling puddle of sweat, tears, and cum on the shower floor. A satisfied Kat walked out of the bathroom, saying as she went through the hatch, "She's all yours..."

Zoe barely managed to lift her head in the direction of the bedroom at this puzzling statement. Her eyes widened in horror as she caught sight of Eliza leaning against the door frame wearing the biggest pink strap-on she'd every laid her eyes on. Her navigator/gunner was grinning at her with a devious look. Mock innocence filled her voice when she admitted, grabbing hold of the fake cock in her left hand, "This is supposed to be the exact size of Michael's prick. I've received strict instructions to prepare you to take him, because the next time he sees you he's going to fuck you silly."

Eliza giggled sinfully as she moved sensuously towards her dazed form, "She told me I wasn't allowed to stop fucking you until you passed out." Zoe's breath caught as she heard this. "I was skeptical at first," the wicked temptress said with an evil grin, "but now I see you're already halfway there." She tried to shake her head at the approaching monster, but could barely move a muscle. Eliza's grin widened. "Oh, yes. We're going to have so much fun tonight..."

* * * * *

It was four days later when they arrived at their final obstacle of the journey. They were much better prepared this time around and so when the superluminal screens dropped and a large octagonal space station was revealed at a relatively close range they weren't surprised. They'd already known about trading post from the probes they'd sent in advance. The same could not be said for the aliens docked at the station though, and, not long after the light had reached them, ships of varying sizes and designs began lifting off and fleeing with great alacrity.

Michael supposed he couldn't blame them. They were an unknown race and the Intrepid was nearly a third of the size of the station itself. Mara had said these gravitational crossroads were frequent stops for merchants, smugglers, and adventurers so it was no surprise that someone decided to make money off the area's popularity. Still, he'd found the idea of galactic truck stops to be incredibly amusing.

The aliens and diplomats aboard had advised him to continue on without stopping, but he decided to do so anyway. Partly because he was interested in looking for leads on where he could find a source for the black coating the Rhemish used and partly because he was simply curious of what it was like inside. Mainly curiosity... though he sold it to the others as an 'intelligence gathering' mission of the utmost importance.

Pandora knew all of the 'standard' galactic languages from looking at the computers of the trade delegation aboard and was able to navigate through the automated docking protocols the station's computer sent out. She used this as an excuse to infiltrate the foreign systems and take a look around. "How's it look, Pan?" Michael asked from his seat on the bridge.

Sitting next to Kat at his feet despite his persistent offers to put in chairs of their own, she gave a snort and commented, "Child's play..." Of course, the Intrepid was much too big to even consider docking, and there was the little matter of the fleet...

So it was not long before an urgent communication came in. Pandora deciphered the message easily and put it on the holoprojector. A dusky brown alien with horns, prominent plates of bone, and transparent wings came on and in an impressive display of diplomacy that walked the line between showing offense at the unexpected intrusion and being the picture of a welcoming host going out of his way to meet their needs asked them what their intentions were.

Noticing that they were now close enough that they could have a coherent conversation, he asked, "Be a dear and get that nice alien on screen for a chat."

"With pleasure, master," came Pandora's gleeful reply. He noticed that the station actually had a security force of about twenty vessels that was making a tentative effort at showing themselves. At his unspoken question, she said, "They're roughly one third the strength of a B'Amuf destroyer, which is impressive, I suppose, given their size. I believe they are what you'd call a gunship, halfway between a fighter and a destroyer." 

Mara provided her input on the subject saying, "They're a popular choice for mercenaries and bounty hunters. They equip them with the best guns and engines they can afford and not much else. Usual crew size is no less than six to operate everything and there usually isn't more than twice that before you start running out of room and the air filtration systems become strained."

Michael smiled. "So, much more economical than a destroyer's crew of two hundred... Good to know." Just then, the startled image of a familiar-looking alien Michael assumed was some sort of traffic controller or operations manager came on the screen, obviously not expecting his terminal to start transmitting automatically. "Greetings," Michael said in a cheery voice, knowing Pandora would translate his words. "We're looking to use your remarkable facility for a time and then we'll be on our way."

The other being's mouth dropped open revealing row after row of spiked teeth. "You aren't here to attack?" it asked in excruciating slowness, it's gravelly voice grating on Michael's nerves.

Before Michael could make some smartass remark about possibly being convinced, Pandora translated a negative. The alien on the other end seemed to relax at that and gain back some of his composure. "Well," he began, "I'd love to accommodate your kind at this establishment, but you see, we only accept accredited currency here for docking fees and, since your origin seems to be unregistered, that's just not possible."

As he made to sign off- or attempt to find a way to disconnect his terminal, Michael asked, "And just what type of currency is used?" 




The Fate of Terra Ch. 16



The alien frowned and answered dismissively, "It exceeds fifty different kinds. I'll send you the list."

As he turned away again, Michael asked, "Do Aurein credits happen to be on that list?" It was, if he remembered correctly, what he recalled the merchant consortium dealing in.

The alien froze and he recognized the indiscriminate emotion of greed cross his face. "You have this?" he demanded. Michael tilted his head in acknowledgement as Pandora paid the fees to rent out a hangar slot for twelve hours... or rather, convinced their computers that she was doing so. 

They only took two shuttles. The trade delegation members wanted to meet with some of their contacts and check in through the usual channels so they took one. Marcus and a security team would be going with Sun Mi to check out the markets and try to catalog what was sold as well as search for leads on the black coating. Michael, Kat, and Pandora would be coming along -more to sightsee than anything else.

As they landed in the dingy, metal bay filled with grime and miles of questionably harmless electrical cables, Pandora practically buzzed with excitement. "Master, I found another one!" she exclaimed. 

Kat looked at her curiously, but Michael knew his creation well enough to know what would cause her reaction. "And, is it as advanced as you are?" he asked curiously. 

She pouted and shook her head, locks of raven hair waving back and forth. "The artificial intelligence is quite primitive. It has specific functions to operate the trader's ship and nothing else. There are a host of limits placed on the program and doing anything besides what it's expressly ordered to do is forbidden. It is far from sentient."

Kat gave her a reassuring smile and bumped her shoulder. Michael said, "Well, keep talking to it. You might learn something from how it was created." Pandora nodded her head absently as they filed down the lowered ramp. He'd been surprised to learn that the station actually had a breathable mix of oxygen, though he should have expected it. They'd learned in one of the lectures aboard that species of their general physiology were in the majority, making up something like 77% of the estimated habitable planets in the galaxy.

They approached what could only be described as Customs and the security guards almost had a fit when the scanners designed to search for weapons came up empty as the troopers were clearly armed and Michael wore his sword openly. In the end though, they didn't make too big an issue out of it considering the Intrepid was still orbiting around the station. What did a few guns matter when they could blow them to bits whenever they wanted?

Sun Mi was amazing and had found the interface used to buy and sell goods as well as services before they'd even set foot on the station. She'd already had three messages in her queue offering to trade for information regarding the black substance before they'd even started looking. Two of the offers were made by independents that looked more than a little shady, but one of the messages was sent from what appeared to be a sizeable business that was headquartered in the market area.

Michael told the others that he, Kat, and Pandora would check out the two questionable leads while they went and ran down the legitimate-looking one since they needed to make a pass at the market anyway. Marcus was against this plan, muttering something about suicidal leaders, but Michael waved away his concerns and walked off, his two beauties keeping pace with him.

The inside of the space station was much as one might expect. Bare metal corridors with a medley of sights and sounds unique to the area that reminded him of visiting a new country. The center levels were more airy and open, dotted with shops and what he could only assume were restaurants, showing off an assortment of vines and flora as the first image visitors were greeted with. 

Individuals of all shapes of sizes and from all walks of life moved around them in a sea of activity, some walking from place to place with purpose, others simply milling around and enjoying the atmosphere. Most wore some type of vacsuit with the helmet off and after Michael's recent adventure he could understand the precaution.

Their first contact resided in the upper levels. As they exited the lift, they could tell this was a more upscale area. Some type of plastic covering hid the harshness of the bulkheads and a few of the sections they passed by looked downright gaudy. They entered the listed establishment and were met with an empty room and a panel. Pandora typed in the code they'd been given, commenting that this place appeared to be some form of hotel with multiple lounges and meeting rooms.

The entire platform they were standing on began to rise in the air. The walls became transparent and they enjoyed a nice view of the square below before the lift stopped and the far wall retracted. They stepped through the hallway that was revealed, eventually reaching a single circular hatch that spun open as they neared.

Walking into the room, they were met with an open, dimly lit area. There were numerous benches and lounge chairs that looked decidedly uncomfortable for a human to sit on. Out of what the aliens probably assumed was darkness --though the three could see the figures hiding in it perfectly well- a lanky bipedal alien, reddish purple in color, stepped forward and gave them what was probably the most disconcerting smile Michael had ever seen.

It made a strange hissing noise that was apparently an actual language because Pandora translated, "He wants to know if you are the leader of the massive ship in space. He's quite insistent that he will only provide the information he has to the overall commander."

Kat rolled her eyes and threw her arms out in a disgusted gesture. Michael gave a snort and in passable Standard told the alien, "Well, now that we know this is a trap... I mean honestly, where'd you learn to lie, a fucking... uh," he poked Pandora in the ribs, "how do you say convent?"

The alien's beady little eyes grew wide and he backpedaled furiously as those waiting in the shadows drew funny-looking side arms. Michael sighed insufferably as Kat and Pandora blurred into action. He lazily raised his arm and a dart shot out and hit the speaker, not really caring if the being had a reaction to the tranquilizer because of the difference in biology. He looked up and observed the gore-spattered room with mild distaste. "Well?" he asked.

Pandora answered, "Records show him as being a high-ranking security official. It appears that he was doing this off the books though, whether for ransom or he felt safer with a hostage I don't know. I've silenced any alarms and we should still have a few hours before anyone notices his absence." 

He sighed and said, "Then this was solely a ploy and there's virtually no chance of him knowing anything about the Rhemish substance." He shrugged and waved a hand. A bolt of plasma shot out from Pandora's palm and ended the unconscious alien's life. Michael reached down and picked up one of the aliens' weapons. It shot out a wicked-looking dart and his eyes rose. "Nifty," he observed. "More importantly, it looks like they were trying to be covert as well."

Kat picked up a bottle of... something and sniffed it curiously. She wrinkled her nose before placing it back on the table. She walked over to Michael and kissed him soundly as she came down from her adrenaline rush --though truth be told, she'd barely been able to enjoy it for more than a couple of seconds. "You take me to the nicest places," she declared with a teasing grin. Pandora came up behind her and rubbed her ass through the greatcoat.

Michael felt himself grow hard and looked around at the dead bodies frowning. He sighed and muttered, "I'm getting too desensitized to this shit..."

They exited the hotel and took a lift down to the bowels of the space station where their next meeting was scheduled. As they came out onto the second to last level, the corridors narrowed considerably and it soon became apparent that this was the slums. The scents, sounds, and lighting were all different and gave the place a dark, sinister aura.

They passed by plain, unadorned doors with no windows and nothing to advertise what type of business they were. Every once and awhile they'd see aliens scurrying back and forth huddled in clothes or loose covering of some sort. On the other hand, they saw quite a few individuals that practically swaggered and were most definitely armed. Outside one establishment, there was a crowd of such characters milling around outside talking with each other.

Peeking through the doorway past them, Kat stopped and exclaimed, "No fucking way!" Pandora and Michael crowded around her and looked. 

"Huh," Michael commented, surprised. "An alien strip club... Though, it looks like they're doing more than taking off their clothes." Kat looked at him pitifully and he laughed, "Maybe after the meeting." The place they met their contact resembled a dingy, darkly lit bar that had an assortment of different-looking patrons. Stepping through the entranceway, Michael frowned. "Damn. No cantina music."

Kat laughed and Pandora directed them over to a table where she'd scoped out their contact, matching his image with the one registered to the license number on his networked profile. The alien looked impressed when they came over to him without any direction. He was a tall human-proportioned individual with dusky blue skin, a ripped and patched flak jacket, and wearing boots with metal attachments Michael guessed could stick to the deck resting crossed atop the table.

He put his feet down as they approached and a hand slid inside his jacket. A red beam shot from Pandora's left eye to where his hand rested and she warned in a low voice, "Slowly." A look of wary surprise crossed his face before quickly being replaced by one of appreciation. He pulled out a case and the three sat down across from him on a kind of cushioned bench. He turned a dial on the case and a hazy holographic screen encompassed the booth. "Audio and visual jammer for recording devices," Pandora explained in a voice that clearly said it was a waste of time with her present.

"You're definitely the real thing," their contact observed in Galactic Standard, looking Pandora over. "It's not every rotation we get to see a newly discovered race of such... advancement. Usually one of the preservation committees is dispatched to protect them from a lone pirate trying to come in and declare himself king. For a modest twenty percent of their available resources over the next hundred or so cycles, of course..."

Kat scoffed and noted, "Sounds like the B'Amuf. Maybe we should be glad those slugs came. I have a feeling fighting bureaucracy would have been harder."

Their contact looked suddenly fearful and glanced around. "You don't mention their name," he cautioned. "No one likes them, but we all have to deal with them. Not directly, as no one knows their language, but you keep their mediaries happy or else they might recommend to their masters that you are better off ruled directly." 

He swallowed nervously. "There are a few that resist, of course, the Rhemish that you are so interested about, a few of the bigger alliances, and one of the bigger merchant conglomerates... There are even rumors of even more powerful races being gobbled up by a super race coming out of the center of the galaxy, but that's a little farfetched."

"I've a feeling there will soon be a few more added to that list," Michael stated enigmatically. "Now, the black coating?" 

The alien leaned back and said, "Let's discuss price first."

A wicked-looking dagger appeared in Kat's hand and she growled, "How about you tell us what you're offering so we know that we aren't wasting our time."

Something in her glare left the alien shaken and he got to the point. "I know where the Rhemish get it from and the dangers involved in the process. Personally, I think it's impossible obtain, but I'm offering the exact location."

Michael rapped the table. "How much?" he asked.

"Oh no," the alien denied. "I know you somehow hacked this place's systems. I won't accept any of your fake credits. No, I want something material." As the three continued to stare at him, he nodded his head in Pandora's direction and said, "her."

Michael waited for Pandora to cut off a few of his fingers for his audacity and was surprised when his AI just sat there. He turned to her with a raised eyebrow and noticed her head bowed, resigned. He felt a flash of anger and grabbed her chin, turning her to face him sharply. "You still don't trust me?" he demanded heatedly. Her eyes grew wide and he snarled, "We will discuss this later."

Kat had in the meantime reached across the table and grabbed the alien by the neck and, faster than he could react, pulled him off of his seat and flipped him so he was facing upwards with his back against the flat surface. She squeezed as his hands flapped around helplessly and he trembled in fear. She lowered the knife to his eye and said, her tone turning deadly, "You've just caused offense. You're lucky to still be breathing, but if I find the next offer you make to be unreasonable I will carve you into a thousand tiny pieces." 

The alien gasped and looked out at the bar, but because of the distorted screen no one knew what was going on, not that it would have made a difference to Kat. He finally gurgled, "Fine! Anything... Please don't kill me!" Kat threw him back to his side disgustedly. The alien started talking before he'd even hit the bench. He rattled off dimensional coordinates that only Pandora was able to understand and began babbling too fast for Michael or Kat to follow.

Pandora translated, "There's a binary system that has a black hole and a companion star with three planets revolving around it. At some point, other when the black hole formed and material and energy flooded out and hit the planets, or from the x-ray nova outburst that's caused when the gasses from the companion star accumulates around the black hole, materials on two of the three planets were changed chemically and that is where the substance is found." 

"He discovered it accidentally piloting a mining carrier when they were attacked by the Rhemish. He barely managed to capture images of the solar system before he escaped in a scout ship. According to him, the place is crawling with Rhemish and there's no way for anyone to get close," Pandora finished. 

Michael stood and the other two followed suit. As he was leaving, he ignored the cowering alien and said, "Give him one of our old infiltration programs. It should be enough for him to liquidate himself a small fortune before he's able to get in trouble with it."

As they exited the bar, Pandora touched his shoulder mumbled, "I'm sorry, master. I did not think you would give me up, but I didn't think it was my place to make that decision-"

Michael reached out and grabbed her, bringing her close to him forcefully. "Damnit, Pan! Don't make me order you to help yourself. I don't want you to just sit there and take it. I don't care if it was just a ploy to get him to talk, I will never toy with the idea of sharing you, let alone losing you," he stated harshly. Her eyes widened at the intensity of his voice, then her eyes softened and she surprised herself by daring to initiate a kiss. Kat smiled and hugged her sister.

The trio began walking in the direction they'd seen the 'strip club.' Marcus commed and told them that they were almost finished exploring the market. Their contact had been a bust. It turns out the business was a big chain that sold a variety of goods and services and for a small (outrageous) fee you could use them to advertise a bounty for what you were looking for. Michael gave an amused snort at the economic similarities the galactic community had with Earth and filled his general in on the progress they'd made.

As they were walking past an establishment, an alien with three legs and four arms wearing a brightly-colored spacesuit exclaimed in Standard while admiring Pandora, "Very beautiful! Sir, how much? I give you great price for the both of them. What d'ya say? Sir... Hey!" Seeing they were ignoring him, he reached out a chubby hand to grab hold of Pandora. The android's right arm seemed to flicker slightly and the reaching arm was swiftly removed at the elbow.

Michael winced at the bloodcurdling scream that was released from the now-kneeling alien. Green blood spurted across the deck as he writhed back and forth trying to stem the flow. Kat ignored the display and bounced over to Pandora in childlike interest. "Wow," she commented in an impressed voice. "That looked like an invisible retractable beam blade. You must have developed that from the plasma cutters the Brotherhood used."

While they chatted away, Michael caught an image through the open doorway and froze. Kat noticed immediately and stopped to follow his gaze. She immediately commed Marcus as Michael started inside, telling the man to take his team and secure the customs checkpoint and to begin deploying the troops. They were invading. Pandora hacked into the Station Master's room on the upper levels and told him that they were taking over for a time and if he wanted to save the lives of his people he should order them to stay out of their way.

Michael walked through the entranceway as if in a daze. He ignored the alien that only came up to his waist pestering him that he had to pay a fee to view the merchandise. Michael advanced through the crowd of sweaty and inebriated aliens sitting at the viewing tables and approached the ravenous crowd of betters fighting for the sale of the present auction. 

He felt his skin crawl as he observed the long line of slaves waiting to be sold off behind the present bid. His eyes were focused on the one at the center of the stage though, held roughly by the auctioneer. She was petite, afraid, and helpless in her chains and shock collar. The Felician was about Tanya's age. Her brilliant blue fur was matted, her light shift torn. She had various self-defense wounds and whip marks, most that didn't look like they'd been treated properly, if at all. He could tell she had fought before she was taken, but the dulled light of her eyes told him she'd almost given up hope.

One of the aliens in the throng that wrapped around the stage cried out in Standard, "Why do you set the starting bids so high? Half your merchandise is damaged before we even get it." Shouts of angry agreement were hurled from the crowd, but he could see the looks of hunger in their eyes. 

The greasy alien directing the show chuckled nervously and beseeched them, "Come now, come now. This one is quite exotic. A passing trader was able to smuggle her off her home planet --and we all know that's quite a feat given the current state of that region. While she didn't get the life of freedom she'd been hoping for, you all now have a chance at a one-of-a-kind possession. The... damage is merely part of the cost of attaining this feisty ornament.

"At least throw in the cost of removing those fangs," another in the crowd yelled out, "and the claws, too." The Felician shuddered at that and an appreciate rumble ran through the watching mass.

The auctioneer let out a mock sigh of despair and said, "You wound me. I won't be able to feed my family with such concessions, but if that's what it takes to get her off my hands..." Cries of hearty amusement and disgusted proclamations of what they thought of his nonexistent family went up, but there was a renewed sense of seriousness and eagerness that settled over the bidders. They knew that it was time to get down to business. At the viewing tables, bets exchanged hands on who they thought would win the prize.




The Fate of Terra Ch. 16



Michael had trudged numbly up to the back of the crowd when he was stopped by a bouncer who said, "You other pay the fee or we're going to have a problem." Michael tilted his head as people around him began to take notice of the disturbance. In a blur of movement, he whirled in a 360 and came to rest, the headless body of the alien collapsed to the deck behind him.

He stared out at the crowd turning towards him in horror as a stunned silence fell over the entire room. He drew his sword in agonizing slowness and held it at his side. An ear-splitting scream rose from the viewing tables and there was a sudden rush for the exit. Kat and Pandora were waiting though, and had closed and sealed the hatch. The captured victims watched in fright as the three began their bloody work, flashing back and forth in the dim light.

The Felician was shocked, but she felt a trickle of pleasure as she watched the monsters in the room be torn apart by someone higher up the food chain. Pandora had managed to secrete a small arsenal of weapons on her person and Kat stopped in mid-lunge to stare at her incredulously as a bluish flame roared out from her miniature flamethrower, blanketing the closely packed mass.

As the screams of panic merged with screams of pain, the two women looked up as an armored-suited figure lifted off from a corner booth using a jetpack and flew to a far bulkhead. A laser shot out from one of the being's gauntlets and cut through the metal barrier with shocking ease. Pandora tried to infiltrate the systems controlling the suit and was stunned to find her efforts repulsed. She didn't have time to try a different process or begin draining energy using her transfer method before the figure shot out the hole it made.

Then the two had to work to cover the new opening the occupants were trying to escape through. It took less than two minutes to litter the floor with over a hundred corpses. Michael ignored the auctioneer who had crab-walked backwards until he hit the far wall and was cowering in terror. He instead approached the young girl and the enhanced metal sliced through her chains with ease. The shock collar fell from her neck as Pandora unlocked it remotely.

Michael flicked the blood off his sword and held it out handle first. The Felician looked at it in wide-eyed confusion. Then the whimpering of the auctioneer caught her attention and she looked up at his face in surprise before glancing at the sniveling creature who had taken everything away from her. She nervously took the sword with shaky fingers and seemed astonished by its lightness and form. She waved it around a few times before turning and approaching the auctioneer.

He had to give her credit. She didn't draw it out. There was no hesitation and there were no tears as the slave master flopped about on the stage, gurgling as the last of his life force drained out of him. She tried to replicate the motion of ridding the blood from the blade and Michael smiled and took it from her, taking a piece of treated cloth from an inside pocket to clean it before resheathing it. 

He took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders as the hatch was blown off its hinges and troopers rushed in. Kat ordered them to free the slaves and start ferrying them back aboard. Pandora coordinated with Aurora to have medical staff ready and waiting and got a shock as she felt a series of disturbances all throughout the Intrepid. "Master!" she cried. "There's trouble."

* * * * *

Aurora felt Pandora's alarm just as Stacey called out, "We have multiple sections reporting attacks. I'm getting reports of a large gathering of hostile civilians moving throughout the ship. They tried for the armory, but were pushed back by the troopers. They got the same results when they tried to take the hangar and the guard bots slaughtered anyone that went to the brig to try and free those freedom fighters that didn't agree to be commanded under Revarjah."

She feverishly scrolled through reports and paused. "It looks like they're heading here and towards the medbay," she announced. "Pan was able to trap some in a lift, but the majority of them are coming up the main corridor. They don't have plasma rifles, but they are armed and have been taking any aliens caught out in the open hostage. The refugees --the Felicians in particular- are forming war parties to retaliate and the Shredders have been released, but the mutineers will be here in less than two minutes." 

'The medbay?' Aurora wondered. Then her blood froze and she stood to address the fifty officers on the bridge. "Alright then, ladies and gentlemen. They timed their attack when both our leader and most of our on duty troops were away. It is thus left to us to take up the fight. It's time to earn those bars... To arms!" She strode out the hatch drawing her sidearm as men and women fell in behind her.

* * * * *

The shuttle landed violently as Zoe spun the craft with the end of the ramp just a few feet from the lift doors. Pandora told Michael in a worried tone, "They went for the nursery, the daycare centers, and the classrooms. Obviously they knew they wouldn't be able to hold the ship, but think if they have enough valuable hostages they'll get to make whatever demands they want." His eyes hardened and his mouth set into a line as the lift sped off much faster than the recommended safety limits advised.

As the doors opened, Marcus, his team of troopers, Kat, Pandora, Michael, and the Felician girl that refused to leave his side rushed out and down the corridor. They found the first of the bodies at the entrance to the main office. The long trail of dead continued past empty classrooms and finally ended in the playroom. They stepped into the room and saw a tableau of death and gore that would have turned the stomachs of hardened veterans. 

The blood of the mutineers painted the walls and their bodies decorated the floor in such numbers that in some places they were stacked on top of each other. Tanya stood in the center of the room with the twin blades Mara had given her dripping with blood. A large oak desk and various tables were on their sides behind her making up a barricade behind which teachers, nurses, and scores of children huddled together. She looked up as they entered and beamed when she caught sight of him.

As he approached, she nodded her head back towards the improvised shelter and indicated four kids about her age. Two girls held stolen guns and were still warily pointing them towards the entrance while one boy held a bloodstained metal bat and another, a giant that was already taller than Michael, had cracked and bruised knuckles. "They didn't freeze. They're not victims either." She ignored the stunned expressions of those near the door and looked up at Michael and said, "I want them to start training with me."

Michael smiled at her and nodded. He beckoned the Felician girl who was still wearing his jacket forward. "In that case, I have another fighter to join your ranks. She's been hurt like you have and I need you to make sure she never feels vulnerable again." Tanya looked her over and smiled at what she saw.

"What's your name?" the twelve-year old commander asked in flawless Standard.

"Reinah," came the hesitant reply as the Felician observed Tanya's blades and the destruction they'd help cause with admiration.

Tanya smiled as she freed a hand and held it out to the new girl. "Welcome to the Intrepid, Rei."

Just then, Revarjah and Dejah as well as a score of Felician warriors stepped through the doorway decked out in war paint, armor, and a variety of nasty-looking bladed weapons. Revarjah shouted, dragging along a captured and bloody human in a Terran Federation Naval uniform, "We've apprehended the one who incited this treachery!" 

Aurora and most of his bridge crew filed in behind them and medics darted past to treat the wounded. If he had to guess, they both attacked the main body of rebels and worked their way towards the center. Michael glanced at the captain of the Council's destroyer and nodded. "Good," he remarked. "Now I don't have to remove you before we get to the planets." 

"Let me take care of him," Revarjah advised. "I will make sure he suffers appropriately before he's executed in a great fire before all to see. Never will your enemies think to defy you again."

He gave an amused snort at the alien's words and shook his head. "I'm not going to kill him."

The alien occupants in the room looked confused and a triumphant smile crossed the captain's face. "I don't understand," Revarjah wondered. "Why not?"

Michael shrugged. "We've learned on Earth that making a big deal of killing the leader of your enemy only turns him into a martyr and creates more dissention. I'll do to him what I did to that freedom fighter. I'll toss him in the brig and forget about him." He turned and paused. "Besides, I still need to interrogate him for any information the Council might have told only to him. Don't want to kill him and find out later that he was the sole receiver of some kind of doomsday codes or something."

Kat had already pulled out her knife and Pandora gripped the captain firmly. "We'll take care of it, master," she promised him. "I'll assure you we'll be very... thorough." 

The Felicians shifted uncomfortably at the menace in her voice and Revarjah said, "I bow to your wisdom. It is true in our culture as well that the worst fate that can befall a captured enemy is to be given over to the women." The seasoned, battle-hardened warriors surrounding him nodded grimly.

Before they left, Michael told his girls, "And take that lieutenant commander with you. Find out if she has the mettle to lead one of my destroyers into combat." They nodded and departed with their struggling captive. No one batted an eye when he'd called the Council's destroyer his. 

That was when Revarjah caught sight of Rei on the other side of the barricade being looked at by medics. As her presence was explained, the warriors got worked up again and demanded they raid the station, but there was a resigned look in Revarjah's eye, as if slavery was a part of the world he lived in and they had to accept it. Rei assured the warriors that Michael and his girls were quite thorough in meting out retribution.

Dejah rubbed the girl's shoulders and her father asked, "What clan do you claim as heritage?" Rei froze before taking a deep breath and, in a stilted voice choked with sadness, explained that her parents had died early on in the occupation. Her uncle took her in, but when he was killed when the B'Amuf had taken offense at some perceived transgression she used her entire family's savings to be smuggled off planet. 

From there it was unclear what exactly transpired. She was dropped off at the nearest station outside of B'Amuf-controlled space and she was snatched up as she wandered around looking for work. The way it was set up made it seem likely that the pilot who'd given her a ride had sold her out. By the end of her tale, Rei's head was buried in Dejah's long mane and they were both crying. 

Revarjah looked to Michael and clasped his fist to his chest and bowed low, exposing his neck. There was a rumble from the warriors behind him and Michael knew something significant was happening. The Felician straightened and declared, "My people are already indebted to you. With this, I'm afraid that the scales will long be in your favor. What is mine is pledged to you. Let my name be linked to yours from this day forward. You and your family are accepted into the ranks of our most honored and should you ever need help from any of my race, we are hereby bound to give it to you." He turned and walked out with his warriors, leaving the humans stunned.

People began leaving the room and the process of clearing the bodies got underway. Michael, Aurora, and Marcus walked down the empty bloodstained corridor where most of the fighting had taken place. His general had just finished explaining that they'd had suspicions about some of the players causing dissent but had never been able to obtain any hard evidence when Michael spun and plucked Marcus off his feet, slamming him against the wall, easily moving him along with over four hundred pounds of armor.

"You don't need evidence," Michael gritted out. "You don't need warrants or proof or probable cause. You let me worry about the backlash that occurs when you start arresting innocent people." He looked into Marcus's eyes and promised, "This will not happen again. I intend to rule with an iron fist. I will attempt to be as fair as possible in judgment, but I will use fear if necessary. You are my shield, Marcus. Just as Aurora is my sword and Kat is my hidden dagger. If your morals get in the way of doing all that's needed to keep my family safe, you best tell me now."

Marcus glanced down and saw Michael's arm wasn't even shaking from the strain of holding him up. He felt a flicker of worry as he noticed they were getting stronger and wondered if they gave up more of their humanity the further they 'evolved.' He'd stared down tougher men than himself in the past. Men who'd seen the camps, the killing fields, infanticide, the apocalypse itself... but when he looked into Michael's eyes, all he saw were twin black holes boring into him. They made him feel infinitesimal in the grand scheme of things.

He sighed and looked at the holographic images that stretched the length of the bulkheads along the corridor, displaying the view of space outside. He remembered them telling him of the rumors that a stronger, more advanced race was moving outwards from the center of the galaxy. Even if that wasn't true, odds were good that the B'Amuf would not be the most powerful foe Earth would have to face. He remembered the destroyer captain and the Council-appointed admiral before him, and knew that if it came to a war against a superior race, the government on Earth stood no chance.

Marcus knew Michael played for different stakes than everyone else. With Kat driving him forward, he was unstoppable. He held the fate of Terra in his hands. He saw a race millions of years old and immediately started coming up with ways to kill it. It wasn't 'right' or 'sane,' but it was necessary. Marcus realized that if his sins were what were required to save humanity, he'd gladly pay the price. He breathed a heavy sigh and answered, "Aye, lad. I'll be your shield."

* * * * *

As the fleet left the station and continued on their route towards B'Amuf-controlled space, Michael and Aurora exited the lift to their rooms. "The losses today bring our death toll up to 147 so far," she told him, frustrated. "We can't afford these kinds of casualties --we haven't even reached our destination yet."

Michael shrugged. "There was bound to be an adjustment period," he pointed out. "Besides, it's not really that crippling. The new worker model androids being produced will cut down on a lot of manual labor jobs aboard, particularly in harvesting crops and the processing sector. We'll be restructuring and should be able to supplement any shortages with aliens."

"Those aliens will be leaving when we get to their planets," Aurora reminded him.

He smiled. "Yes," he agreed, "but I suspect we'll be providing an outlet to those oppressed masses that have been ruled for so long." Her eyes widened in realization. "We should have a steady stream of volunteers to make up any losses we take, especially since we'll have the only ship that matches up to the B'Amuf. At least at first..."

"You intend to allow the aliens their own navies?" she wondered. "I know they 'should' be with us since we'll be their liberators, but what happens decades down the line, when their leaders change?"

"It will be our job to not only make sure Pan can shut them down at any time, but also to watch them and ensure we always stay ahead of them in technology," Michael replied. "We're arming entire civilizations. What actions they take from then on will be our responsibility. I have a feeling that we'll be lucky if our enemy turns out to be someone we're familiar with though."

She remained silent and the two of them entered the bedroom. Both were exhausted and Michael had just planned on racking out. Then he saw a bare naked butt sticking out of the sheets atop the bed groaned, instantly horny. Aurora stopped and stared at the target a sleeping Aki was presenting and her mouth watered.

Both stripped their clothes and approached the bed. Aurora was delighted to see a sleeping Rin buried under a mountain of covers and moved into position. Michael knelt next to Aki and massaged her pearly white cheeks, causing her to squirm and wiggle her ass in her sleep. He smiled and gently spread her legs until he could access the bottom of her pert pink lips. Aki moaned and stretched dreamily as his tongue went to work.

She blinked her eyes open and paused, getting her bearings. A smile touched her lips and she looked over her shoulder saying, "I know that feeling..." Michael laughed and continued enjoying her dampening pussy. She arched her back and moaned as his tongue dove deeper. He grinned and smacked her plump, raised ass appreciatively.

"Oh!" Aki cooed before shaking her hips eagerly. As her buns were reddened, the noise woke Rin who promptly found her nose buried in Aurora's burning cunt. 

The admiral wrapped her legs around the younger girl's head before she could pull away and Rin released an affronted, "Mmph!" Aurora giggled and just squeezed tighter, playing with her captive's hair and using the sole of her foot to pat her backside. Rin squirmed, testing the hold, before letting out an annoyed huff and resigning herself to her task. She breathed hot air on the blonde woman's clit before clamping down and attacking it with her tongue, not even bothering to tease her way along.

Aurora, already turned on due to the sweet, helpless image the twins presented, didn't mind at all. She squirmed under Rin's skillful tongue and allowed herself to be worked up by the talented cuntlicker. Aki was propped up on her elbows as she received her treat from Michael and laughed at her sister's predicament. She reached a hand over and took over spanking Rin who squeaked her displeasure in an adorable fashion.

An orgasm was ripped from Aki's shuddering body and she squeezed her hand around one of Rin's bubbly cheeks harshly, drawing a squeal from her twin. Michael lapped up the juices that were released before rising and situating himself behind a panting Aki. He plunged into her sloshing opening and found his prick compressed on all sides. His moan of pleasure was answered by all three of his girls, one of which was abruptly cut off as Aurora squeezed her thighs together hard in the throes of ecstasy, cutting off Rin's air.

When the woman had finally backed down from her passionate release, Rin gasped, sucking air in strong gulps. She glared daggers at Aurora before pouncing. The two wrestled atop the bed before Michael used the nanites to trigger another orgasm in Aurora, allowing the younger girl to gain the upper hand. His admiral soon found her nose buried in Rin's silky fur and the torture began anew. Aurora grunted at the unfair play, but Rin simply smiled down at her and squeezed her nose shut, returning the favor.

Aki laughed even harder at the admiral's muffled grunts and the satisfied look on her sister's face. She moaned as she twisted around, Michael's cock still embedded inside her. Looking up at Michael from the bed, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in for a long, endearing kiss. As she pulled away, she sighed sexily and grinned up at him impishly. "Just think, Rin," she murmured, "we could be stuck in a forced marriage with the Takamori brothers right now..."

Rin paused and considered that. She would've rather died than marry the eldest son, but with Aki at stake she knew there was no limit to what she'd have given up. She shot a loving look towards Michael and reached out and squeezed her sister's hand. Their circumstances had certainly changed. They were now among the most powerful women in their solar system and quite possibly the galaxy. They could do literally whatever they wanted.