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Vera
Iloveplanetslikethis. The kind where you can get lost in a game or a bottle or a good fuck. We weren’t planning on stopping on Mookon 5, but it feels like an unexpected vacation, and I intend to enjoy it.
“Alright.” Captain Havaford enters the hangar bay and demands the attention of his crew. As a Luxaain, he’s bigger than most people, but his command of the room has more to do with his presence than his size. He’s the youngest Federation captain, but he’s proven his capability. It’s an honor to serve under him and be part of the first mission to explore unknown space in three generations. I never would have expected to be a part of something this amazing.
I only joined the Federation because of my best friend, Zenth, and even then I figured I’d be stationed on some backwater planet doing maintenance work. If it weren’t for Zenth, I probably would be. He’s a force of nature when he’s got his sights set on something and he was determined to get me through Uni with stars, marks, and all the fancy titles.
“Remember to code out if you leave the ship,” Captain Havaford says. “I want to know who’s here, who’s left, and when you come back.”
Havaford sweeps his gaze through the fifty-nine crew members under his command. Most of us are human, but there are a few crew members from each of the five other alien species—or the five other known species. Part of the purpose of this mission is to learn if there’s other intelligent life in the universe besides the species we encountered already.
Havaford takes his new wife’s hand and one of his Luxaain volup possessively wraps her neck. “Holland and I will stay on the ship if you need anything.” He pauses for a moment, then adds in a firm, commanding voice, “Don’t need anything.”
They’ve only been married a few weeks, so I can understand his possessiveness about their time.
“Anyone who brings me back a bottle of Earth Scotch gets a week off mess duty,” Holland says.
Havaford gives her an annoyed look. “You can’t get them out of mess duty.”
She smiles coyly. “No, but you can.” Lifting on the tips of her toes, she whispers something in his ear.
A second later, he calls out, “You heard her. One week off.”
His gaze shifts to Nomi, our Com Officer. “How long will it take to fix the com system?”
Nomi’s nice enough, but I don’t understand why Zenth recently asked her out. She’s pretty, but she’s got this stiff, insecure vibe going on. Or she did, before she and J’bel got together. Which I was glad for. They’re sweet with each other, and she definitely wasn’t right for Zenth.
Not that any of the girls he’s been spending time with are right for him. He’s been so flirty lately. I don’t get it.
Nomi squirms as everyone looks at her, but J’bel places his clawed hand on her shoulder and she visibly relaxes into the touch. It’s not sexual—though I’ve heard rumors about J’bel‘s skills in the bedroom—it’s a sweet touch. Relational. I rub at the sudden ache of longing in my chest.
“Twenty-four hours?” Nomi replies to the captain, sounding unsure. J’bel‘s tail rubs her arm in another one of those supportive, relational touches. I glance away.
“You all heard her,” Havaford says. “You have twenty-four hours to enjoy yourself. Don’t be late.”
I elbow my friend Ada, who’s standing next to me. “That means no getting distracted fucking in an alley, Space Bitch.”
She gives me a dirty look, but her grin is mischievous. Before joining The Rose’s crew, the only thing I knew about Ada was her reputation for being a hard nose and her nickname, Space Bitch. Since leaving the station, I’ve decided she’s my new favorite person.
Sarcastic and unapologetic as always, she rolls her eyes, then proves my point by reaching a hand down the back of her boyfriend’s pants, not caring who sees.
Yeah, she’s awesome.
Galen squirms and pulls her hand out, giving her a warning look, but it’s clear he’s as into her as she’s into him.
“If you keep doing that, I’ll take you back to the room and we won’t leave at all.” Galen’s voice is so low I wouldn’t be able to hear him if I wasn’t standing so close.
His Luxaain volup lift from where they were hanging in front of his ears and he uses them to grab behind her neck and pull her into a rough kiss.
All these touchy-feely couples are going to drive me crazy. I want all of it. Havaford’s possessiveness. J’bel‘s sweetness. Galen’s hungry, untamed look of desire.
“Have either of you seen Zenth?”
Ada juts her chin towards the Lander in the back of the hangar bay. “He said he was staying onboard. Wanted to check the systems on the small ships.”
I groan. Of course, he’d want to avoid shore on a Pleasure Planet like Mookon 5. But I can’t let my best friend wallow on the ship while everyone else makes memories and mistakes.
“We’re still going to Horrow House, right?” Ada asks. I can see on her face that she’s trying to decide if they should meet us there so they can run back to the room for a quickie.
