an endless voyage ch 48
A month following the fleet's departure from chasing the comet, and Belle's pregnancy from Hank was starting to become really noticeable (being roughly the halfway point). Incidently it was also the halfway point in the fleet's return to Earth. Of course Belle only had another month to go, while the fleet still had three months. Tina and Karen were both satisfied the engines were properly broke in now, but nonetheless Maya wanted to drop out of hyperspace one last time, immediately after leaving The Expanse (about a month from now) just to be sure.
April, Peter, and Iris had all made arrangements to stay with Karen-X in the AMD mansion when not on base, so that was already taken care of too. Tom. Maya, Hank, Karen, Mike, and Erika, had all been present when they took the oath of service, and were all very pleased at that.
"Ah'm proud a' ya. princess." Maya told April.
"Yeah." Tom said. "You look good in grey. And I know you'll do our homeland proud!"
"You're following your heart, son. I'm proud of you." Karen told Peter.
"Me too son." Hank said.
"Its good to see you fighting for your homeland." Erika told Iris. "I knever even knew mine."
"Yes you do." Iris said. "Excalibur IS your home. As Admiral Maya has told you all along. you may not have known your actual birthplace, but you belong here."
"I couldn't be more proud of you, princess." Mike said. "Come on, Bullseye, Gator, for old times' sake."
"Sure why not." Tom said.
A moment later, Tom, Hank, and Mike, all gave a hearty Rebel Yell, which April, Peter, and Iris did their best to imitate.
...........................
Later, Sarafina wanted to take Tom someplace special that she had found on the other Excalibur, as she knew it would be here too. The sexy kuvasz-sized spaniel was wearing very short cut jean shorts, a very thin top, and nothing at all underneath, so Tom was treated to a very nice view of her rump, and her huge (Y) peeking out the legs of her shorts as they crawled through access crawlways. Eventually they reached their destination.
"Push off and roll with it like this." Sarafina demonstrated. Landing feet first on the ceiling. She then showed it could work for the sidewalls too before returning to the ceiling and ''catching'' Tom as his first attempt was clumsy.
"Its very nice." Tom said. "How'd you find this place?"
"I had a lot of time to explore." Sarafina said. "But every ship has one. Its the sweetspot, usually right between the artificial gravity generators like this."
"I sure saw your sweetspot a lot coming here." Tom said. "All joking aside though this place is wonderful."
"Would you like to see more?" Sarafina said playfully. She dropped her pants immediately, and Tom instinctively buried his face in her furry rump, rubbing his nose all over her canine anus as he savored her divine scent. "Gods! you smell so wonderful!" Tom said. "Somewhat like Karen, but different, and with the potency of Maya's despite the very different scent." He slid his nose down her bitch-stripe, and savored the sweet scent of her huge dogina after that. "Mm So perfect!"
"You always were quick to sniff." Sarafina said, returning the favor.
"Did we...I mean the other me?" Tom asked.
"Yes." Sarafina said. "But I love you. I still feel love for him and everyone back there, but I love you for you, not because of him."
They both finished undressing after that, and for a time just sat there, almost weightless due to the opposing gravity fields, cuddling and embracing eachother.
............................
Training session, C.S.S. Lee
"Ok nuggets." captain Jim said. "You've just landed your birds aboard a stolen C.S.A.F. vessel. You have an unknown number of tangos aboard, and the Canid isotope in your blood will only keep you invisible from sensors for three hours. How the terrorists managed to steal one of our ships is not entirely clear, but preliminary reports indicate a vessel faked a distress call and when the ship stopped to investigate, the terrorists simultaneously beamed into the Bridge, Main Engineering, and Auxiliary damage control. The terrorists intend to launch a nuclear assault in the heart of the Canid empire. They are two hours from their target. Thats the time you have. either retake the ship or detonate the autodestruct, but these terrorists have to be stopped."
"What sort of terrorists are we dealing with sir?" April asked.
"Reptilians." Jim said. "Ok nuggets, treat it like th real thing. "Move out."
And with that, the training excersize was underway.
"Ok, April take point, we'll follow your lead." A south carolina man said.
"Yes sir." April replied, racking the action of her 6x51mm CSA caliber Kentucky Automatic Rifle, and then screwing a silencer in place as she took the lead.
April led her squad out into the corridor , neutralizing four tangos with quick headshots (training rounds), and issued orders to divide the squad. :"Waters, McCormick, Styles, head for Engineering, Desoto, Rice, take aux damage control, the rest of you on me, we're taking the bridge."
The squad split off, and April neutralized another sentry as she pressed her advance.
Captain Jim was watching the excercise on a video feed from each of the trainees' cameras (attached to a wireless earpiece which served as comms as well). "She's good." he was telling Maya on comms."
"She's playin' that kinda' wargame 'fore her firs' heat." Maya said. "Yer ''terrorists'' 're in fer a nasty surprise."
...
Using hand signals for added stealth, April directed her squad to cover, flank, and engage with expert precision as they advanced toward the bridge.
THe corridors of the Lee being more narrow than on Excalibur was both good and bad. Good because it gave April and her team better cover, bad because it did the same for the bad guys, as well as restricting movements to a degree. April was methodical, she knew they had one chance, and they had to be fast. When they reached the door to the Bridge, April and her tram took up position on either side of the door, then stormed inside as April flung it open, and quickly fired a burst into each of the ''terrorists'' before they could react. The commander had tried to use the Lee's first officer as a shield, but April sent a burst whizzing past his ear and striking the tango dead on.
"Well played, Miss Dawn." Captain Jim's voice came over the comms. "You took the bridge while part of your team secured Engineering, and Aux damage control, freeing hostages in the process....But why didnt you give the terrorists a chance to surrender?"
April pushed a button on the arm of the command chair. "Respectfully sir, Reptillians don't surrender. They'd have killed the hostage they had here on the bridge the moment we announced ourselves." she said.
"I'll remember that." Jim said. "Report back to the pilots lounge for debrief."
"Yes sir." April said. Then she relayed the orders to all her team.
Once they were all assembled in the pilots' lounge, the debriefing proceeded, Captain jim assessed the squad's performance on several key points, and April ran over the mission explaining why she did each thing the way she did. Then the captain showed video playback from each of their cameras. Finally, he said. "Well done nuggets. keep it up!"
After that he did his motivational bit; "Who made those tyrants wet their pants?"
(All nuggets) "Flying Gators, Sir!"
"Who sent those doodles runnin' like a scared little girl?"
(all nuggets) "Flying Gators, Sir!"
"When our infantry marches who has their backs?"
(all nuggets) "Flying Gators, Sir!"
"And when the Xians came who was first in the fight?"
(all nuggets) "Flying Gators, Sir"
"Damn straight, nuggets!" Jim said. "Welcome to Louisiana's 104th squadron. There's a reason we gators are the first on the line. When Dixie sounds the call to arms. We're the best at what we do. We're the roughest, toughest, meanest motherfuckers in the sky."
(all nuggets) "Sir yes sir!"
"Why do we do it?"
(all nuggets) "To protect our homeland, Sir. To protect Freedom, Sir"
"Have you even seen our glorious Confederacy, Miss Dawn? The homeland you claim to love. You plege to defend?" the captain asked.
"Yes sir." April said. "Many times on shore-leave, sir!"
"Which cities, nugget?"
"Port Allen Louisiana, Paducah Kentucky, Dallas Texas, Jackson Mississippi, and Memphis Tennessee, sir!" April said.
"Very good nugget." the captain said. "Dismissed Nuggets. Get some rest, tomorrow it gets harder."
(all nuggets) "Yes sir" (Confederate salute).
.......
After they left, Jim contacted Maya again.
"Well Admiral, she certainly has the right additude." Jim said. "With that and her skills in and out of the cockpit, I think she will go far indeed."
"Ah'm glad t' hear it." Maya said.
......................................
In the microgravity of the ''sweetspot'' there was little danger of her weight being an issue, so Tom made love to Sarafina repeatedly, in every hole, lying on his back with her atop him so they could kiss and look into eachother's eyse the whole time. After their 5th mutual climax Sarafina lay down atop him with his thick Cajun cock deep in her butt, lazily sharing a passionate kiss as they both needed time to recover.
He'd creamed her fortune-cookie first, so it was little surprise the stimulation and pleasure of anal love made her estrus-swolled kuvasz-sized spaniel (Y) vulva leak a delciciously scented mix of estrus honey, lovejuices, and cum with every thrust.
"Gods! Ah needed that." Sarafina remarked when they broke the kiss. A bit of her normally hidden Maya-like drawl slipping through in the blissful pleasure of passionate lovemaking.
"Yeah, me too, princess!" Tom remarked. "You certainly feel wonderful and unique. More like a much larger version of Karen than Maya, yet different in very interesting wonderful ways. I've made love to a lot of bitches and never felt anything quite like that."
"I been around a long time." Sarafina replied. "My experienced body has naturally learned with all that use." She paused then; "I love you Tom. Not because I loved him but because I love YOU...you. "
"I love you too, Sarafina. You are so perfect!" Tom replied.
.....................................
Later
When he reported for his part-time medical lessons, Tom told Doc Natalie all Sarafina had said about the things the other ship had experienced, knowing the good doctor would be intrigued by the medical effects of it all.
After that, Natalie mentioned a procedure Grayden told her about; Confederate doctors had discovered a way to surgically alter the human body to match canine physiology. It would mean beaming down to a university hospital in Memphis Tn, but being his doctor, she would accompany him, and he'd be out of action for a while, but once finished he'd have the body of a male kuvasz. Unfortunately he would also be mistaken for a puppy because there was no way to enhance his size to the proper dimensions.
"That could be tactically useful though." Tom said. "Like how Sam gets mistaken for a collie pup, and the bad guys get a nasty surprise. I could do that too. We trained in Spec. Ops. in the 104th, in addition to the black-ops training I got from Maya."
"Aye lad." Natalie agreed. "That be the admiral's assessment as well."
"So she ordered me to do it?" Tom asked.
"It isna' an order yet laddie, but I canna guarantee she woont make it one if you doont volunteer." Natalie replied.
"I'd go throuhg with it in a heartbeat anyway." Tom said. "Of course i'll do it."
"And then you can knot me properly." Belle remarked from behind a privacy curtain. Tom knew she was here for a routine colonoscopy of course, as it was that time of year again.
"Yeah! I can hardly wait!" Tom remarked.
"It will take a lot of adjusting to get aquainted with your new body." Natalie said. "But aye you will be pleased.
........................
Maya stayed up late browsing Mercnet on the trans-galactic internet long after most command staff throughout thr fleet had gone to bed. Tom joined her once the youngest pups were in bed. There were a few tempting contracts, but nothing that immediately jumped out at her, although seeing that Xenia had posted a reply accepting a contract for escorting cargo ships through pirate controlled space made her give a half supressed chuckle. She clicked on the name, and sure enough Xenia had her own Mercnet page. "Ah caint believe she's callin' her people that!" Maya said.
"Yeah, "War gods" is kinda overused, but given the Xian view of themselves, I guess it makes sense in this case." Tom said.
"S' too bad the leader a' the pirates in that sector hates us s' much." Maya said. "Course Ah don' care fer ol' iron-arm much mahself but ah'd be willin t' accept her counter contract jus t' deal with Xenia if'n she'd go fer it."
"Yeah, but I'm sure we'll get another shot at her soon honey." Tom said. "Besides we got to take shore leave while I get the procedure done anyway."
"Ah knew ya'd jump at the chance, mah love." Maya said. "An' Ah'm shure miss Landry'll have a contract 'er two waitin fer us anyway. "
"If not I'm sure one of the other nations will." Tom said. "After what we've accomplished you can expect a hero's welcome worldwide!"
"Yeah Ah reckon so." Maya said.
........................................................
The next few weeks passed uneventfully, aside from Belle giving birth to eight healthy pups, five girls, three boys, that is. There was a feast afterward to celebrate the new births, and then it was back to buisness as usual. That meant going about daily routines, training sessions, sparring matches, and of course the long weekly meetings with the captains of the fleet.
With just five weeks before they reached Earth, and one week before the final sceduled drop-out to complete the engine break-in to Karen's satisfaction, Maya recieved two e-mails on the trans-galactic internet. One from President Landry inviting Maya to a welcome home celebration for the fleet, and one from the Global Alliance asking Maya to make stops in each of their countries to watch the takeoff of their latest Lee-class ships.
Maya replied to both saying she would, and that she would land her Admiral's Yahct in Richmond, and then take a Phoenix to all her destination cities and then rent a semi truck to drive around and personally deliver the letters she'd written to the families of those who didn't make it home. Some of them would be at the celebration of course, but those that weren't, would get their letters this way. Maya would rent a semi, as Maxine had taught her to drive one in the simulators long ago, and she'd got her Confederate CDL in Louisiana while helping Earth recover from the initial Xian attack. Also because she was concerned her size might damage the suspension of anything smaller. Maya also explained about the captured Xian ship newly named the C.S.S. Louisiana II.
It didnt take long to get a reply, saying the gesture would be most appreciated, and that Maya's payment; her usual fee, plus expenses, and a $20,000 Confederate dollars bonus per Xian prisoner captured alive, would be released from Escrow when the fleet entered Earth orbit. plus a nice bonus for taking an Xian Heavy Dreadnought battleship intact.
Unlike some people, Maya didn't ''cook the books''. The "Expenses" bill she sent President Landry was 100% accurate and had been drawn up by Vice Admiral Karen as her math was absolutely infallible. It was figured using Confederate prices on fuel, ammunition, and other consumables, and while the final figure seems steep at first glance, once you take into account the number of ships and people involved, the distance traveled, and the years spent doing so, it seems pretty cheap; which was pretty much President Landry's reply saying "Ah figured it'd be twice that much at least."
"Ah don' screw around ma'am." Maya wrote back. "When Ah take a job, Ah get the job done."
................................................
The week passed uneventfully, and following the weekly meeting, the fleet dropped out of hyperspace for the final sceduled time. They had exited the Expanse while the meeting was in progress, and as luck would have it, they'd dropped out near a rogue planet. It was definately something the earthship captains wanted to investigate, and preliminary sensor scans showed a narrow band of temperate climate maintained by intense geothermal activity in spite of the lack of solar rays which normally provided warmth. Theoretically it could support life in that narrow temperate band, but given the lack of sufficient illumination for photosynthesis in complex plants, and thus no larger plant eating animals for carnivores to feed on, it was highly unlikely any indigenous life would have advanced beyond simple algae and fungi, and perhaps a few insects and small mammals that feed on them.
The various scientists had differing opinions on the possible maximum level of development, but the general consensus was there would be severe limitations to development potential, except in the off chance some bizarre fluke of evolution severely diminished metabolic rate and nutrient requirements, of course.
"Alrahgt." Maya said on fleetwide comms, "Firs' thang we're gonna do 's send a fighter mission to scout the livable zone. Then once they report back we might 'er might not be puttin boots on the ground. Ah'm sendin' Tom in The Raven, fer The Aces, an' Ah want April an' Hotshot fer Dixie, April flyin' the Raven II, An' Longsword, Shark, an' Yinyang t' fill out the rest. Reaper'll be flyin' a tanker fer when y'all need t' top up."
"Thank you, Admiral." the captains all said. Or some variation thereof anyway. And then; "What if there is intelligent life down there, Admiral?" Mike asked. "Maybe not indigenous granted, but possibly survivors of a crashed ship or someone hiding from the Xians?"
"Pilots discretion." Maya said. "We'll see how things go. Excalibur out." She motioned for Erika to cut the connection, and the screen went dark before once more returning to its normal window function offering a view of the rogue planet below.