Ratings Advisory: The Earth Media Content Group has determined that this story can only be read by people above the age of 18. It contains subjects and situations that are suitable only for mature audiences. Parents with underaged children will need to activate their content-advisory programs now.

[Prologue]

Quinn was drumming her fingers on the desk. The next Blue Undercover novel was twenty pages short and the publishers were starting to get antsy. She and Rose went over the story again but couldn't find anything worthwhile to insert to make up the deficit. Lazily eyeing a picture of Derek in his navy uniform Quinn received a spark of inspiration. After writing out an outline she then expanded on it and fleshed it out (no puns intended � yeah, sure). In the end it would make up the difference and then some.
 

1

After three weeks of waiting, the cruiser Perth finally picked up the pirate ship. On the surface of a moon orbiting an earth-type planet, the Perth used its carefully deployed stealth-sats to detect and track the lone ship as it approached the planet. As the pirate slowed to make a parking orbit the Commonwealth ship raised its power levels to full and took off. Broadcasting an order for the pirate ship to surrender, the cruiser armed and readied its weapons. Receiving no reply, it opened fire. The cruiser had a perfect fire-control solution and wracked the pirate with multiple soft hits, aiming to disable it. The pirate's engines exploded, leaving it unable to escape, but it was able to spasm several reply volleys before its weapons were silenced.
    The Perth's shields were able to absorb the majority of hits, but some of those hits got through. Engineering was hit, causing Fusion 1 to be shut down immediately. Auxiliary Control was wiped out, taking the first officer and his back-up crew with him. The hyperspace transmitter was knocked out and 90% of the people in Communications 1 were killed. After assessing the damage, the Perth's captain sent over his two pinnaces, loaded with marines and others, to board and round up the pirates.
    Lieutenant (sg) Jeremy Aherns was fidgeting in his vac suit. As the sole surviving senior officer of the communications section it was his duty to assess the damage to the hyper transmitter. It was utterly gone, and he barely held on to his lunch as he saw the remains of his crewmates in Communications 1. After sending out a hyper-capable drone back to the nearest fleet base Aherns was sent with the boarding teams to tickle any information out of the pirate computers.
    He looked at the suited figure next to him, and couldn't help admiring the figure that somehow made itself known through her vac suit. She was Marshal Veronica Styles, listed as age 85, but thanks to prolong her physical age was in the early forties. She had dark hair, brown eyes, weighed close to 65 kilos, and stood 178 centimeters tall. Jeremy hazarded a guess that her measurements were (in centimeters) 103-64-96. He had seen women that were much more built up on top but on this woman her bustline seemed entirely natural. She turned and grinned at him. Blushing slightly, Jeremy turned away and looked at a screen that was repeating a short-range scanner schematic of the space near the pirate ship.
    While the pinnace that Jeremy was on kept its distance � 150 kilometers away, the first one closed on the ship. Just as it was about to dock, the pirate exploded, taking the pinnace with it. Jeremy heard the pilot curse on the common channel and announced what had happened. The marines in the assault hold were irate, but knew it was always a possibility. The remaining pinnace turned to go back to the ship.
    The Perth's chief engineer noticed an anomaly on his screen. It looked as if Fusion 2 was developing a containment field irregularity. To his growing horror the field was beginning to destabilize. The Chief activated emergency protocols and the explosive hatch underneath Fusion 2's containment hold was blown away. It was not fast enough. The containment hold was only three meters out of the ship before the field failed and the fury of a microscopic sun was let loose. The ship was shattered, and a cloud of fine debris expanded outward. The returning pinnace was only 34 kilometers away.
    The pinnace took multiple hits. The pilot fought his charge to bring it under control, managing to level it just as it entered atmosphere. The shields blunted the re-entry to tolerable levels. It was only when the atmosphere was thick enough for the little ship's aerodynamics to take over that problems cropped up. Several of the control thrusters were gone and a stub wing was missing. Despite anything the pilot and his computers could do the pinnace was going to crash hard. Praying that the inertial dampening field would hold, the pilot leveled the craft as best he could. It grabbed ground. Jeremy and the shapely Marshal were knocked out cold.
 

2

Jeremy's eyes fluttered open. Feeling himself intact he opened his eyes wider. The pinnace was an utter wreck. There were multiple openings in the passenger compartment and he could see sunlight streaming through. He tried to raise someone on the common channel but there was no response. He looked over to the Marshal and saw that she was bleeding from a cut in her torn suit. Jeremy released his crash harness and carefully made for an emergency medical kit. He found one; its container was broken and some items looked beyond salvage. Gathering what he could he went back to the Marshal and activated her suit's medical comp. Good, she only has that one cut. Now for some coagulant. He selected one hypo of coagulant and used it. Strangely, the medical comp stated that there was no change. Finding another hypo of the stuff he tried again. It worked this time. After making certain she would be OK. Jeremy went off to see if anyone else survived the crash.

Veronica was gradually becoming aware of the outside world. When she smelled smoke she shot up right away, looking all around her. She was next to a small camp fire. There were several survival kits around her and there was a smart bandage on her left arm. A survival tent was a few meters away. Hearing movement behind her she turned around, instinctively reaching for the gun she wasn't wearing. It was that cute but shy lieutenant, second in command of the Perth's communications department. He was in a jumpsuit and was carrying some wood for the fire.
    "I'm glad that you're awake, Marshal. I really need to talk to someone right now."
    "Go right ahead, Mr Aherns." She looked at the wreckage of the pinnace in the distance. "Its not like we're going to get out of here anytime soon."
    Jeremy dropped his load near the fire and began to talk. The Perth was truly gone. There were no survivors. Of the pinnace there was only himself and the Marshal. Jeremy had managed to salvage the rest of the survival gear and had been able to apply the proper care to his new companion. There was no shortage of guns and explosives. The dead marines were fully equipped and Jeremy reluctantly removed their usable gear.
    Veronica knew that Jeremy was holding something back. She spared him the necessity of saying it. "Lieutenant. I know that a drone was launched back to base, but by the sound of it, that drone will take some time getting home?"
    Jeremy took a big swallow before replying. "Yes, Marshal. That drone was the only one left on the Perth that still was hyper-capable. However, it suffered damage to its hyperspatial motivator. It can still hyper in and out of normal space, but instead of reaching Talbot in three weeks it will take four months to get there. We can expect a rescue ship to arrive two weeks after that. I also know that since we're on special assignment that we won't be considered overdue for at least four months anyway."
    "So, almost nineteen weeks before rescue, eh." The Marshal looked at the Lieutenant with a feeling of resignation. Deciding that wouldn't do, she went with spunk instead. "If we're going to be stuck with each other that long we might as well go by our first names. You can call me Verny if you like. No ma'ams and Marshals permitted."
    Jeremy could only smile at her enthusiasm. "Then you can call me Jeremy. If you like I can break open a dinner pack right now."
    "I'll be delighted to accept your gracious offer." Jeremy blushed as he opened a container and fished out a dinner pack. As they ate, the local sun was setting. Nineteen weeks, Jeremy thought. That's 133 days, or about 145 local days. That'll mean plenty more of those sunsets to watch.
 

3

Three local weeks later Jeremy was policing the crash site, looking for anything useful that he might have missed. The local sun was a type F-2, and the planet, Opa1-3, was far enough away to have liquid water and atmosphere to sustain life. There was little axial tilt, and the primary environment was tall-grass prairie. Thankfully there were none of the field tigers, the native predators, around. That didn't prevent Jeremy from carrying an assault pulsar just in case. Finding nothing, he headed back to the camp. Luckily there was a stream nearby and its water was safe to drink. The pinnace's water supply would soon be exhausted anyway since the reprocessing module was damaged beyond repair.
    Jeremy sat down underneath the canopy he set up last week, an island of shade on a planet of few tall trees. He removed his sunhat and wiped away the sweat on his forehead. He saw Veronica walking back towards him, having just taken a bath in the running stream. The towel was hugging her body well, but Jeremy couldn't help think that her bust was a little larger than it had been a few weeks ago. After dressing, Verny sat across from him.
    "Well, Jeremy. Found anything new?"
    "No. Just the same old plastic junk. I did find a personal music box in the pinnace, though. No batteries. Just our luck."
    Verny still heard a ghost of depression in the young lad's voice. The two had buried the bodies of their dead fellows by hand, and it had been a sobering experience for both of them. Verny had seen quite a few dead people in her decades as a cop, but this had been the first time for Jeremy. He had trouble sleeping that first week but he seemed to dispel most of the demons that haunted him.
   Well, I can't let that go on, can I? She changed the subject. She asked Jeremy about his life and how he ended up in the Navy. It was the basic young man going to find his destiny story, with the twist that he was raised on Scripture, a colonized world whose culture embraced a rigid dress code. It was due mainly to that planet's sun, which was much like the one here; very bright and hot. The people wore clothing and hats that protected their skin to the utmost. Nakedness was only allowed in bathing and even then bathing was only done alone.
    It was Verny's turn. She came from some strange land called Texas back on the homeworld. In Texas they dressed pretty much the same way, but not always. She showed Jeremy a photo of herself in youth. He bashfully looked away. It showed her in a particularly daring swimsuit. Her body then was very much the same she had now, and most of it was showing past the tiny straps of fabric she was wearing. Going past that scene, she explained how she became a Commonwealth cop, got married, had two children and retired. After the children left home she became a cop again and eventually made it as a Marshal, a cop with legal authority throughout the Commonwealth. In time she got the grandchildren she always wanted and spoiled them throughly. Unexpectedly her husband had died ten years earlier and it had made her concentrate on her work even more. She was on the Perth for the purpose of interrogating any captured pirates. It was sunset before Verny realized how long she had been talking.
    "I'm sorry, Jeremy. I should've know that my life story would take an awful amount of time to tell. You should've pinched me."
    "No trouble, Verny. You've been around nearly three times as long as I've been alive and that's a heck of a long time. The only problem I have is your... er, um.."
    "Looks?" Jeremy could only nod in reply. "That's one of the bonuses of prolong. My body has the physical age of 42, though I'll be celebrating my 86th birthday in nine months. I bet it must be disconcerting. You're looking at a middle-aged lady who could almost be someone's great-grandmother." Her companion could only nod in reply, but his eyes were looking at her bust. She followed his eyes and smiled a fake seductiveness.
    "And then there are my breasts. Oh, admit it. I saw you look at my body even before the crash. Do the women on Scripture come as well developed as me?" The young man could only nod in reply. "I take it from the way you're still fixated on my bust is that those Scripture women never show their breasts to anyone except their mothers, husbands, and doctors, right?" Again, she got only a clockwork nod. "To put one question to rest, my breasts are natural, not one nanite in them. However, they do seem to be bigger than normal. Must be holding more water or something. Or it could be the local food." She got up, and only then did Jeremy took his eyes off her bust and look into her eyes.
    "Well, it looks like we have something to occupy our time. The medical and science modules survived relatively intact. We'll play the role of medical researchers and find out why my bust is increasing. Sound OK to you?"
    Jeremy had to clear his throat before he could speak. "That does sound interesting. I'll make the modules ready tomorrow morning."
    Veronica winked at Jeremy and then entered the tent. Jeremy put away his lustful thoughts about Verny and made for his cot in the pinnace. At least there he could fight his demons in private.
 

4

Not daring to believe her eyes, Verny tried the tape measure again. The reading was the same as the last two. Resigned to that number, she wrote it down in her notes and stored the tape. 144. Her bust had increased by 41 centimeters in the six local weeks since the crash. So far she and Jeremy had tested and retested the local flora and fauna. Their chemical and molecular make-up had shown that they were not responsible for her expansion. Even the water and air was tested. Nothing. Verny pulled up her jumpsuit and had to hold her breath as she pulled up the zipper. She felt her breasts pushing against the fabric of the jumpsuit, trying to find more room to expand. There were a few spare jumpsuits in the pinnace, but they wouldn't hold out much longer if her bust kept growing.
   Nanites are the only answer. But how did they get in my body? Unless... Verny found Jeremy trying to make two marine short-range coms work right. He was no longer blushing at the sight of her expanding chest (as long it was covered) and was at least looking at her face when talking to her.
    "Jeremy, where are the hypos that you used on me back in the crash?"
    The young man looked thoughtful for a moment. "I believe they're still in the pinnace. Let's go look." The duo found them in short order. Verny tested the residue of one hypo. It was the coagulant. With some trepidation she tested the residue of the second hypo. It contained saline solution... and something else. She ordered the medical module to do a full scan on the sample. It was over in seconds.
    It was nanites. Breast enlarging nanites. Verny carefully queried the few nanites in the sample to show their command lines. Command lines that were burned in at the time of construction and couldn't be modified. In a minute she found the line of code she wanted to see. She motioned to Jeremy to have a look for himself. When he did his face flushed as it did weeks earlier. If he was reading it right Verny was looking at having a 200+ cm bust by the 15th week.

It was now nine local weeks since the crash. The jumpsuits had finally given out on Verny. She had to use the oversized shirts in the supply lockers. Even so they hung off her breasts like a theater curtain and only reached her navel. Jeremy was comically trying to fashion a dress for her to wear. She didn't have the heart to stop him trying. In some perverse way he felt responsible for her growth but she knew better.
    I bet it was some senior non-com that got those nanites for his wife or girlfriend. Probably used a year's pay on the black market or even a ship's doctor to get them. Too bad there's no gamma radiation emitters available or I could've zapped these little buggers three weeks ago.
    She touched her new largeness and only felt normal touching sensations. I suppose even at my age some sensations were bound to stop. Otherwise I'd always be feeling myself up. That would've put poor Jeremy in a coma. Deciding that nothing could be gained here, Verny got up and started the dinner. The survival packs would last long enough for a local year, but the two survivors had wisely added local game and plants to round out their diet. The local fauna, like the survival packs, were rich in fat. A general rule for breast-enlarging nanites is that the more fat in the blood the faster the nanites work. And Verny was not about to starve herself just so the nanites wouldn't have anything to work with. She called Jeremy and set the table as he walked over from his outdoor workbench. Verny had whipped up her best try at wild cabbage stew, just like her aunt had showed her back in Texas, and gave a heaping bowlful to Jeremy. Either out of pride or real hunger he ate the whole thing in one sitting.
    He had finished that dress he was working on and gave it to Verny. Obligingly she put it on. It almost fit. As she tugged on the upper part a split formed and it went all the way down her bust, exposing her pale bosom to the poor lad. Jeremy had a nosebleed this time. He excused himself and ran stiffly back to the pinnace.
    Poor boy. No, he's not a boy anymore. He's a man who's trying his best in a difficult situation. If only he can overcome his revulsion to naked flesh he'll enjoy life that much more. Verny took off the dress and put on her sleeping shirt. As she policed the cooking area and prepared for bed an idea entered her head. I'll wait until my bust has finished growing before doing it. If I'm right this will be his first time with a woman. He'll certainly appreciate the practice!
 

5

It was now the sixteenth local week. In four weeks the rescue would probably be arriving. And time for what I have to do, Verny thought as she finished making her final shirt. It would've been a circus tent on any other woman, but on her chest it would be a snug fit. Verny's breasts had stopped growing. The last measure had them at 204 centimeters. Thankfully due to their nanite buildup and maintenance the enlarged breasts were lighter and firmer than one would think. Jeremy was still being a trooper but he felt the urge to touch those breasts. His upbringing and his own sense of decency prevented him from trying. He kept to himself as much as he could, working on the pinnace's radios and power systems. I suppose he's working off his lust. I think now is the time.
    Verny entered her tent and lay down on her sleeping sack. She took a plain white pill and some water. She waited until the desired effect came over her. She started to experience shakes like those caused by a fever. Sweat poured out of her, soaking the shirt and causing it to stick to her bust. Certain she looked right she activated her com and called for Jeremy in a weak, tired voice.
    By the time Jeremy arrived, Verny had gotten as far under the cover of her sack as possible. Her sweaty bosom was too big to cover up. He hid his arousal quickly and went to her side. He took her pulse and temperature.
    "Look like you got some local bug. I hope that it's this planet's version of the common cold." He smiled and patted Verny's shoulder. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her left breast. Jeremy turned a little pale.
    "I would appreciate it if you would get some antibiotics anyway. We have only four local weeks to go. I haven't gotten this far only to be stopped by a bug." Jeremy was only happy to be of service. When he left, Verny removed her shirt and her Marshal star. She had been wearing it as a necklace since her bosom had become too big to wear it up front. When the Lieutenant returned he felt a nosebleed come on as he saw Verny's now naked breasts. He applied a hypo to Verny's arm.
    "Thank you, Jeremy. There is one thing left to do. Get in bed with me."
    "Wha...What??"
    "It's an old Texas custom. When a woman becomes sick and laden with fever it can be cured by the concern and warmth of a man. The man gets into the bed with the woman and comforts her."
    Jeremy was playing with his collar, looking rather uncomfortable. "That doesn�t sound sanitary. The man could become sick as well."
    Verny turned on her pleading eyes. Her chest rose and fell in a more pronounced manner. "The man does not become sick. His love and concern protects him. Please, for the sake of my health get over here."
    Jeremy felt compelled to do what she wanted, but his upbringing held him in check. Trying to find a rationalization, he finally settled on one. He was a naval officer, sworn to protect civilians at any cost. Right here and now a civilian required his assistance. He squared his shoulders. Having found his justification he took off his jumpsuit and lay next to Verny. She rolled over him, her breasts pressing into him. She kissed his cheeks and nose. "I knew you'd finally come around. For a time you'll probably hate me for this, but it's for your own good. You'll probably explode from frustration if I didn't!"
    Jeremy unconsciously removed his boxers. It was true. He had never been intimate with a woman and was somehow glad that it was Verny, with all her experience, who would take him across the final bridge to manhood. He stopped thinking and let his baser self take over. It was a very interesting night for both of them.
 

6

It was two days later and Jeremy was still not talking to Veronica. After that wonderful day and night, Jeremy had gathered his jumpsuit, had gone back to the broken pinnace, and stayed there. Verny tried to talk to him on the com but he never replied.
    Something has got his goat. Well, he's gotta tell me now or only one person is going home. Straightening her shirt, Verny marched as well as her huge bust allowed. She entered the broken hull of the pinnace and headed for the flight cabin. Jeremy was there, working on the communications panel. He took no noticed of Verny's arrival.
    "Well, mister, can you at least tell me what I am guilty of?" Verny's chest rose and fell with her controlled breathing.
    Jeremy turned his head and looked her in the eye. "You used me, Verny. Used me to satisfy your 'womanly needs'."
    Verny started to reply but held it back. There was at least some truth in that. After the death of her husband years ago there were times that she missed him. Missed his tender embrace and kisses. Verny kept that pain to herself and it had only been resolved when she had bedded Jeremy. Damn him! That night did him, and me, a lot of good. If only he knew.
    Seeing that Verny didn't reply, Jeremy continued his tirade. "These last two days gave me time to think. I made love to someone who's virtually a great-grandmother. It felt perverted and warped. And then there's those breasts. You used them to get my hormones worked up. If only I read those damn hypos better..."
    Jeremy's head jerked to one side as Verny slapped him. He touched his sore cheek and looked at her. "Don't blame yourself for what happened," she said. "Dammit, what if it had been you that was injected? You've been the one with the chest problem!" Jeremy smiled a little at that comment.
    "I see you found that funny, but our situation here isn't. Its important in a survival situation that the people involved be intimate and tuned in to what the others are thinking. My expanding bust was literally pushing you away, driving you into your own little world. I couldn't let that happen. Don't be shocked when I say that I need you, Mr Jeremy Aherns. I need you in the here and now and not in some private universe."
    The young man seemed to understand, and Verny placed one of his hands on her breasts. "I had to use my body to get you to loosen up. You can't go through life not looking at women with less than full attention. Otherwise you'll run into things. It was for the best that you were handled by me and not some 500-bill flop in a cat house. My concern is real. I helped you cross that last boundary into manhood." Seeing the effect of her words, she decided to pour on the oil. "I'm sorry that I made myself some perverted grandmother whore for you to work on." With that she let go and started back to her tent. Just before she reached it, Jeremy was with her. He certainly looked as if he made his mind up about something.
    "Verny, I'm sorry for the things I said to you earlier. And if I may say so, you're enough woman for three men!" Jeremy was completely earnest in his words, his face untouched by doubt.
    Verny let go with her reply. "I said some choice things myself. You were right when you said that I used you. In some ways you remind me of my husband. You have stopped a pain that has been with me for ten years. I can forgive you but can you do the same for me?"
    Expecting a yes, Verny was surprised when the young man kissed her on the cheek instead. "Well, even on Scripture a kiss can signify 'kiss and make up'. Got more of that Texas cabbage stew?"
    Happily returning the kiss, Verny led him to the cooking trench and the awaiting stew. They didn't made love that night but instead enjoyed the warmth of their bodies.
 

7

On time, nineteen normal weeks after their stranding, the rescue arrived. Jeremy had the radio equipment repaired a week earlier and was able to pick up the broadcasts. The camp looked like it was ready for a final cadet inspection, with all the loose debris picked up and placed in piles. The officer in charge of the rescue had the sense to let Veronica wear a blanket while on the shuttle so as to keep the other men from staring � however unintentionally � at her bust. After getting a check-up from the ship's doctor and a full night's rest in sickbay the duo then had a debriefing from the Kenosha's captain.
    After going through their report Jeremy was surprised to find that he and Veronica were holding hands. He didn't remember doing that, and he looked at the Captain. Well, I wonder what he thinks about that? Jeremy thought as he and Verny got up. The Captain congratulated the duo on their survival and endurance. He shook Verny's hand. For Jeremy he did the same but there was an ever-so-slightly devilish wink in his eyes. They saluted and the duo were escorted to a connected pair of officer's quarters.
    The next day the two reported to the ship's quartermaster and were issued with new clothes. For Jeremy, at least. Veronica had to have a shirt custom-made. It was a very good fit, and the quartermaster kissed Verny's hand after seeing his excellent piece of work. Verny took it in her stride and went next to the doctor. She was injected with a set of breast-reducing nanites. It would take a little over six months before her breasts returned to their normal size. After that the duo went back to their quarters and prepared for the dinner that the captain invited them to.
    The dinner had the ship's senior officers and noncoms in attendance. Jeremy had on a fresh uniform while Veronica worn a plain police Marshal suit (except, of course, for the oversized shirt) and wore her Marshal star like a medal. After dinner the duo ended up retelling their experience, obliquely censored, to the audience. After some questions, including some rather frank ones about Verny's bust, the audience made their goodbyes. The women crewmembers shook hands. The men alternated. Some shook hands while the others, mainly the old salts, kissed or bowed over Veronica's hand. She felt like some fair maiden receiving a line of courtiers. The duo went back to their quarters and went to sleep.

Jeremy was awakened by an admittance chime. Glancing at the wall chrono he saw it was 0300 ship time. Grumpily ordering the hatch to open, Jaeremy was surprised to see it was the one that connected his cabin to Verny's. She was wearing a quite large nightshirt, one that reached all the way down to her knees. Her covered breasts looked like two snow-capped watermelons. She walked over and got on one knee by his bed.
    "Well, I'll say that those navy people were talking quite loud with their body language tonight."
    Jeremy looked a little puzzled. "How so?"
    Verny changed knees before replying. "Even though you said that we provided each other with 'mutual support' those people easily read between the lines. At least now when they ask you questions in private for the next ten days you can answer truthfully."
    "Of course, you'll be doing the same thing." Jeremy allowed a toothy grin to form on his face. Verny did the same.
    "As I said earlier, Jeremy, you'll be glad that we had that night. Indeed, even if you didn't do it, everyone else would assume that we did. You'd have been quite miserable and defensive. Some would've considered you a 'queer duck', to quote my aunt, if you didn't even try to make love to me."
    "Your aunt must be a venerable fountain of enlightenment." Jeremy got a playful punch in the ribs for that barb. "Don't worry about me, Verny. I'll get back to Scripture, find a proper, strong, healthy woman to be my wife. A wife with rather large breasts, of course." He had put up his arms this time to ward off a playful blow to his head. "Even on my world, people expect their boys and girls in the services to be 'persons of the world'."
    "I'm rather glad to hear that. Looks like I spoiled you on large breasts." She jiggled her chest to emphasize her point. "I hope you find that wife." Considering something for a moment, Veronica reached down her nightshirt and retrieved her Marshal star. She removed it and handed over the seven-rayed badge to Jeremy. He tried to push it back but she insisted.
    "Oh, I can always get another one. Besides, this will be your memento of our adventure. It'll be something to show to your wife, children, and hopefully many grandchildren when you tell our story."
    "Gee, Veronica. I don't have anything to give..." Jeremy was interrupted by Verny pressing her finger onto his lips.
    "Like I said earlier, that night did us both a lot of good. Just keep that star and myself as one of your good memories from now on. If you don't work on getting those grandchildren then I'll hunt you down and paddle you to death." After a brief spurt of smothered giggling Jeremy received a kiss to the forehead. Veronica walked back to the hatch and gave the now fully-matured lieutenant one last flirting look. With that she went into her cabin and Jeremy had his most restful sleep in the last five months.
 

[Epilogue]

Quinn was satisfied with her work. She saved the file and turned off her wall screen. Only then did she notice Derek behind her.
    "Just how long have you been standing there, Mr Publishing House spy?"
    Derek rubbed his chin and wore an expression of reflection. "Oh, I was here partway through. Of course you backtracked and I was able to read the whole story. You really based some of that on us, right?"
    Tired from her night of work, Quinn walked over to her husband and pulled him behind her back to the bedroom. "Let's see if we can recreate that blushing ensign look you had all those years ago."
    Derek was all too willing to find out.
 
 

END

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