This is a work of fiction any similarities between the characters, events, or locations in this story and actual locations, events, or people are purely coincidental.
© 2004 Warlord
Anima’s announcement was met by stunned silence on my part, with a rising babble of voices from the crew. We were back to sitting on our crates and boxes discussing the contents of Enigma’s hold.
Kit arrived with the detailed cargo manifests among the first items stripped from Enigma’s AI. The manifest listed ‘Lenny’, the owner of the Prime strip club and deluxe whorehouse on St. Louis Station, as the cargo title-holder.
Andrea asked an obvious question:
“I understand Lenny wanting bots for Prime. Why would he need assault rifles and propulsion parts?”
Molly had the puzzle in a nutshell:
“The Stepfords? Are they Lenny’s? Who knew they were hidden on Enigma?”
Charlie asked:
“Captain do you still plan going directly to Death Bringers home base? Would you rather drop Enigma at St. Louis?”
I asked:
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Andrea looked around the hold at the crews’ headshakes as she said:
“Your call, Captain.”
I asked:
“I have some questions we need answered before I can make a decision. What about the two bots, Aurora and Dawn?”
Beverly and Agatha stood up, as Agatha answered:
“We can subdue them both with a guarantee of their loyalty to you and Shark, Captain.”
I said:
“Proceed immediately. Make it your number one task until completed. I want their memories available for study and collating by the AI. .”
Bev and Agatha were moving almost before I was done talking.
I asked:
“Captain Bowen?”
Molly answered:
“I’ll take charge of Lucina Bowen. Let’s see how she responds to me. If the Captain needs further compulsion Carlisa will help me ‘train’ her.”
I looked into her smile as I growled:
“I want her information, Molly.”
Molly saluted me briskly as she responded:
“Of course, Captain Master Darling.”
I said:
“A simple yes would be sufficient my love.”
Andrea snickered as she softly said:
“But not nearly as much fun, Master.”
I pointed at Molly as I said:
“Get to work, Slave Molly.”
The crew was laughing as Molly jumped to her feet. Molly stopped only long enough to give me a languid kiss before proceeding to the Enigma’s bridge to collect Lucina and Carlisa.
Kit was standing patiently. I turned to her:
“Kit, can Shark drag Enigma to Death Bringers base world and land?”
Kit went into communication with the other AI. Very quickly she replied:
“Captain, Both craft are designed to land; some additional cabling and connections will be required. There are persistent leaks that should be repaired. Power must be routed from Shark for cloaking and life support. We have to purge Enigma of the malicious code, including the phantom transponder. Shark has more than enough propulsive power.”
I asked:
“Do you have analysis or opinion?”
Kit answered:
“None of the tasks are out of reach of our shipboard resources. They are time intensive.”
I quickly said:
“Then let’s not waste anymore. Andrea, Charlie, and I are outside in armored suits. First making the cable connections, and then repairing leaks. Anima is in charge of routing power to Enigma. Daisy and Aella are in charge of purging bad Enigma code and removing the transponder. Cara has the bridge with Abbi on guns. Questions?”
With their headshakes we proceeded.
Andrea, Charlie, and I locked out. There was nothing technical or sexy about the next part; we dragged cable across and around Enigma. We connected the cable to pad eyes with shackles. Twice, with no ‘eye’ at the location Crystal requested, I cut a pad eye off Death Bringer then welded the eye to the Enigma hull. Andrea finally said:
“Eddy, somehow rich kid welder seems like an odd combination.”
Charlie and I both laughed. I took a break, sucking on the refrigerated water nipple in my armored suit as I replied:
“I met literally hundreds of scouts who came to visit Charles, William, and Gran. I quizzed them about their ships and supplies. What worked and what didn’t. I always asked if there was a skill they needed. Something they wished they knew before they left. Almost all of them related a story about some ship failure that would have been a quick welding job but ended up being a huge jury-rigged mess. I decided early on to learn to weld. Then Sensei took a hand. He decided that that process of welding would be an ideal exercise for me to find my center.”
Charlie said:
“Martial arts welder? That’s pretty strange on its face Eddy.”
I smiled as I continued:
“Actually it does make sense. Once my instructors taught me proper technique, welding becomes a matter of practice refining hand eye coordination and muscle memory. Sensei would give me a thin piece of steel with the instruction to build a pad many centimeters thick with weld metal. He and my instructors would examine the result. Sensei required each bead to be flawless, looking like every other bead. Sloppy work was unacceptable. Worse than that sensei regarded it as an insult to my instructors.”
I could see Andrea and Charlie nodding through their visors. I said:
“Enough slacking off. Back to work you two.”
I hailed Crystal on the radio with a question:
“Crystal, are we tethered to Enigma well enough for you to control and land inside the planets gravity well?”
Crystal came back quickly:
“Yes Captain. Looks ugly but I will be able to control them both.”
I growled back:
“You crash us Crystal and I’m leaving you there in the fucking forest.”
Crystals trilling laugh came over the speaker as she replied:
“No problem, Captain Master Darling; we won’t crash.”
I looked over at Andrea, who was laughing behind her visor:
“It’s your Goddamn fault discipline is just falling apart. I see spanking in several crew members’ immediate futures.”
Andrea’s armored suit straightened into a caricature of attention with a quite exaggerated salute. Charlie quickly followed. I said:
“Just you both wait until I get you inside. We’ll see if Carlisa has any rope left.”
With both of them laughing our break was over. Time to fix some leaks. Andrea was back to business. She had a question as she asked:
“What do you want to use for patches?”
I pointed across the gap to the hulk of Death Bringer as I said:
“Your patches. We’ll cut what we need from Death Bringer hull. The plate you cut out can be oversized.”
We developed an efficient division of labor, a ballet of heavy lifting. Andrea marked the leaks from Crystal’s information display on her suit visor. Charlie, after some quick instruction, used the plasma cutter to cut loose the large chunks of plate. Andrea dropped the plate patches into position covering the leak sites. I welded the plate into place, sealing it to Enigma’s hull. Hours later Crystal pronounced Enigma tight.
We locked through into Shark’s hold. Bev was there to help us out of the armored suits. Despite the cold water supply and excellent refrigeration in the big suit I was hot, tired, and sweaty. Bev handed each of us a large bottle of water.
Bev softly said:
“Captain, I must report that Agatha and I have made an error.”
I interrupted her as I said in a very tired voice:
“Bev honey, I give you fair warning; this is not a good time for bad news.”
Bev looked sad and embarrassed as she stood looking at the deck. I walked over to her, taking her hand. I said:
“It can’t be that dire Bev. Tell me what’s going on.”
Bev looked up with a stricken expression as she said:
“Agatha and I took Aurora and Dawn into the ready room. Aella was there to help. We downloaded their consciousness and memories into the AI. We planned to use a new technique for modifying the bots. We copied our own information into AI and then had ‘that’ information transferred to Aurora and Dawn. The idea was our basic programming with our loyalties and allegiances would replace theirs.”
I nodded as I said:
“That all seems reasonable.”
Bev looked straight into my eyes now as she continued:
“We over did it.”
I was very puzzled as I asked:
“Over did it how?”
Bev looked all around the hold before she would meet my eyes, as she replied:
“Everything in our programming replaced everything in theirs. A tiny bit of Aurora and Dawns core personality imprinting from the makers remain; otherwise every bit of our sexual, medical, martial arts, and ship skill programming replaced theirs. All the expertise gained in training we were part of are now as if they had also been there. All those proficiency, that is, all of OURS now reside in the brains of Aurora and Dawn.”
I said:
“I need to understand this, and I am very tired. Aurora and Dawn are not precise doppelganger of you because they retain some core individuality. They, however. will be fully as loyal and loving as Agatha and you?”
At her nod I continued:
“Aurora and Dawn now have you and Agatha’s complete package of skills. They know everything you both know, up to the time of this transfer operation?”
She nodded again as I said:
“Wonderful. Congratulations. Serendipity strikes again. Beverly, you and Agatha are perfect crew for Shark. Everyone on board agrees. You have added two more ‘perfect’ crew to Shark. Great job. Thank you.”
I hugged her. Bev looked happier as Andrea and Charlie both hugged her. Bev led us to the bridge to meet our newest crewmembers.
Agatha had them kneeling naked next to the command chair. Aurora and Dawn were twins, tall, with the elongated lean look of a spacer. Their long black hair was in a single braid far down their back.
I could see a change in their posture and demeanor instantly. Agatha introduced them. They were still Aurora and Dawn. More importantly they were now bonded to me and to Shark. If they ‘really’ had all Agatha and Beverly’s knowledge they were an addition of incalculable value, given the audacious plan I was hatching. I had then stand as we welcomed them as full members of Shark. I handed them off to Crystal for a console assignment.
I stood just behind the command chair. Cara tried to get up to relinquish it. I gently pushed her back down with a hand on her shoulder.
I asked:
“SitRep Crystal?”
She answered:
“Enigma is firmly connected to Shark, with leakage under control. Temporary power routed for cloaking and life support accomplished. Temporary connections from Shark’s AI to take over Enigma’s AI functions completed. Malicious coding and phantom transponder removed. Course laid in to Death Bringer base.”
I clapped my hands leading a round of applause as I said:
“Great job everyone, very well done.”
I looked around tiredly asking:
“Melete, can you show us the world and the raider base?”
Melete put up two holo displays. One globe, and the other a detail of the ‘settlement’ the raiders were using for their base. They had established their base on a small island next to a broad river. The landing area for their craft was on a plain, across a bridge over a small creek from their housing. Warehouses were across another bridge. A third bridge led into the forest.
Melete refined the holo display up river from the raiders. I pointed at a spot up stream as I said:
“There. You put us there Crystal. I’ll float down and scout them out. Then, far down stream of their site, Andrea will pick me up with our flitter. Even cloaked we stay far away from them until we’re ready to move. We attack using the river.”
Charlie asked:
“Captain, do we have enough troops for this operation?”
I shrugged as I asked another question:
“How many bots are aboard Enigma?”
Crystal said:
“Unverified manifest lists 250 complete bots with additional parts.”
I pointed at Beverly and Agatha as I said:
“A task for you two, as well as Aurora and Dawn. Power up thirty-six of those bots. No more mistakes. By the time we reach the ‘DB’ world I need them skilled with the assault rifle and able to follow orders. That’s all -- nothing fancy. Can you do it?”
They both smiled as Bev said:
“Yes sir.”
Then Agatha said:
“Yes sir, Captain.”
I looked over at Aurora and Dawn as they enthusiastically and in perfect unison said:
“Yes sir.”
I looked around the bridge, assessing the crew. I looked at Crystal as I said:
“Crystal you have the bridge. Please send a message probe to Westphalia informing them of this encounter, including claims for both ships, and with Death Bringer’s base location and our intentions. Shark is at DefCon one. Make best cloaked speed for Death Bringer base. We are all tired. I want Shark’s crew to sleep and eat before we arrive there. Questions?”
Crystal laughed as she said:
“We’re not all tired, captain. Those who do not require sleep to regenerate will operate Shark until those who require slumber have completed a respite cycle and are ready to return to duty.”
I smiled as I spoke loudly to the entire bridge:
“Thank you Crystal. The rest of you listen up! Sleep and Food! I want all of us well rested and well fed before we make planet fall. Thank you. Dismissed.”
I sagged back into Charlie’s arms. She hustled me into the shower. I was quickly stripped, then pulled into the rainfall of water by a naked Charlie. She washed my hair, and then soaped my body, using her fingers to scrub every inch.
When I was clean Charlie stepped out of the shower, engaging the side sprays, massaging me with hot, pounding water. All too soon she dragged me into the drying chamber. Charlie gave me an invigorating, rough towel rubdown before sending me, still naked into the master bedroom.
I never figured out how the ladies decided these things. All I know the ‘sleeping arrangements’ change without notice and without controversy.
I walked in to find tiny Anima in the big bed on her tummy, with her legs spread in a wide ‘V’. Her toes were hooked on the very edge of the bed. Carlisa was in her accustomed spot, kneeling at the foot of the bed.
Anima wiggled her butt while she reached back with both hands to spread her ass cheeks. She had her favorite anal probe inserted with its bright red eight-centimeter ring tight against her rosebud.
I stood, leaning on the end of the bed. Carlisa engulfed my cock, stroking me to hardness with her mouth while caressing my balls. I reached down, fondling Anima’s ankles as I leaned forward to kiss the backs of her knees. I lifted Anima’s tiny perfect right foot kissing her instep. I sucked each of her petite toes, finally taking all five minute toes in my mouth clear to her arch.
Anima growled deep in her throat:
“Quit teasing me. Fuck. My. Ass!”
Hey, I can take a hint. I crawled up on the bed between Anima’s widespread legs. I licked the backs of her thighs up to her tight elfin butt. I bit her left cheek as I grabbed the ring on her anal probe stroking it in and out of her ass. I pulled the probe out replacing it with my cock. I slowly pushed the head of my dick past her anal ring. Anima impatiently flexed back to meet my thrust. I pushed until my hips were tight to her butt.
Anima growled her arousal:
“Fuck. Me. Hard. Now. Fuck.”
I was fucking into her, driving her diminutive body up the bed by the force of my strokes into her ass. She was grunting in time with every thrust pushing back to meet each one with enthusiasm.
Her tight, hot anal passage sucked the come out of my body in an intense orgasm. I fell with my full weight across her miniature body with my cock deeply buried in her ass.
My eyes opened.
I was lying spooned up behind lovely Anima with my cock pressed into the groove of her butt. My arms were wrapped around her holding her tight to me. Carlisa was behind me holding me. I could feel her breathe softly on my back.
Molly was leaning over Anima kissing me into wakefulness. She softly said:
“One hour to planet fall love, time to get up.”
I rolled on my back as Anima and Carlisa snuggled against me holding hands across my chest. Molly giggled as she said:
“None of that. You don’t have time. Everybody UP!”
There was significant moaning and groaning as we sat up. This action was accompanied by considerable kissing and fondling. Anima finally had me on my feet leading me to the shower. The tempo was different today. Before we go into action the contact is less overtly sexual and more loving.
We completed our clean up, dressing in our combat armor and personal weapons. Our wakizashi and assault rifles were racked in the hold by the exit lock.
Abbi and Cara were in charge of the galley, serving a filling meal in the ready room. We carried final beverages out onto the bridge for our landing.
Crystal announced the captain on the bridge as I sat again in Shark’s command chair. We watched the next piece intently.
Crystal brought us to the planet opposite the raider settlement. She floated us down slowly until we were only meters above the terrain. Only then did we make for the same hemisphere as the raiders. Crystal used a polar orbit, maintaining our low profile.
Upstream we found a tiny clearing next to the same river flowing past the raiders. Crystal landed us with astonishing precision among the trees. We quickly exited Shark with our wakizashi and assault rifles, fanning out to verify that the LZ was indeed deserted.
Next we dragged the camouflage netting over the two ships. The netting used chameleon-cloaking technology augmented by the natural native vegetation we threaded through the lattice.
It was time for me to begin my personal scouting foray. I would be very lightly armed. If I had to fight -- my mission was a total failure and we were all compromised.
I would have my rail handguns, one of the ‘silent kill’ guns, knives, and my ‘spare’ wakizashi. A piece of camouflage cloaking netting would be my ‘ghilley’ suit. I would depend on my nanite leather from Caddis to keep me warm and dry as I floated downstream. I had a recording scanner on a head mount with another on my wrist. I would have other scanners and sensors in my small pack.
Charlie would be picking me up in our small two-person rail flitter well downstream of the raiders. Andrea had command of our miniscule beachhead.
The ladies each kissed me then they stood on the bank. I swam to the center of the broad channel, grabbing a floating branch that would be my conveyance to the raider camp.
They stayed on the bank watching until I was out of sight.
I hooked my climbing flip line to the floating tree branch and settled back, allowing it to carry me downstream.
Charlie had striped my face with black, covering my hands with the same color. I pulled my balaclava down completely over my face. My eyes were covered with light absorbing membranes, shielding them. The black cloth was dappled in several shades and threaded with chameleon tech to break up my most recognizable outline.
The dusk thickened as I floated closer to my destination. I reviewed my options. There were few good ones if I was discovered.
Dying far from those I loved would not be a fitting end to this journey.
As I rounded a broad curve in the river brightening on the horizon gave warning sign of the settlement. I unhooked, sinking down into the river opposite the raiders camp until just my eyes peeked among the trailing branches.
I kept watching for sentinels or warning devices. I was astonished to find none as I floated closer and closer. Could they be that arrogant? Could I be missing them?
Rounding one more curve I was there. I pushed off the branch, making for the shallows across from the raiders. I found something akin to willows, with long branches overhanging into the shallow water. This was my first haven and observation post.
The raider’s rude settlement was made of native wood buildings. The tallest was three stories, with most just one story. All were built on a shallow island that split a small stream flowing into the river. The buildings were haphazardly backed up to the stream banks, fronting a single rutted dirt road that crossed a bridge disappearing into the woods.
The island must have been under water during the ‘flood’ season. A fact confirmed by the meter or more high ‘stilts’ under each building.
Their landing zone was across a small bridge on a higher plain. Judging by the stream banks it was probably ‘not’ subject to the flooding. Another bridge crossed close to the warehouses.
Both my head and wrist mounted scanners were capturing the details of the raider nightlife.
What I assume was a captive emptied a slop bucket or chamber pot off a second floor balcony toward the stream bank. The contents didn’t quite make it! It dawned on me that the flood might be a ‘house cleaning’ event for these raider pigs.
I slowly crawled up on this bank under the cover of the ‘willows’, still looking for traps and guards, and still finding none. Which unaccountably made me even more nervous.
At a broad tree trunk just back from the bank I flipped down my climbing irons and started up, pausing every meter to look and listen. A massive limb jutted over the river. I stretched out on this vantage, looking over the settlement with my binoculars while the scanners kept running. My exit plan was to drop into the river if discovered.
I crawled close to the end of this bough, emplacing a portable scanner with a panoramic lens aimed at the island. I backed up to the trunk, pausing to rest. I ate an emergency ration bar, washing it down by sucking some water out of the bladder in my pack.
The main activity seemed to be centered in the largest building. This would be the saloon, restaurant, and whorehouse judging by the noise and activity.
It was time to move. I left my pack, wakizashi, and silent killer tied to the limb. I crawled down slowly and watchfully. It was dawning on me that I might be the only one on this fucking planet being ‘watchful.’
I moved upstream to cross the river. Lying on the bank with just my head out of the water, I listened. I slowly crawled up the bank, until my eyes went over the top behind a clump of bushes.
The raider craft were parked in a cluster some distance from the bank. There was no intervening cover. There also did not seem to be a watchman or guard. I set another portable scanner and crawled back down the bank into the relative safety of the water.
I swam with a heads up breaststroke across the small stream, to the bank of the raider settlement. The low bank was covered in unkempt grass and brush. As I looked closer it was also streaked in garbage and shit! Human filth speckled the bank and floated in the water.
Maybe they were treating this like an ancient moat, hoping to make it so disease ridden no one would dare approach. Maybe they were just muck lovers unable to stay clean in the most advanced age of human history. Whatever. I had to move through their wastes as I explored. I made a note that Andrea would get a chance to swim here before we cleaned things up. She might enjoy this; I certainly wasn’t.
I found a patch of long grass with some reeds. I used this for cover as I crawled up the low bank to observe the raiders ‘close up.’ The windows were bright, and the lights pinned to the building fronts pointed at the single street. The noise was raucous, with all attention focused on the three story building in the center of the settlement.
There was a movement behind the nearest building. I slowly dropped my head behind the reeds. A figure stepped out of the deep shadows moving toward me. My right hand slid down my thigh to where I had Charlie’s favorite dagger sheathed. I froze as the figure came closer. I’d found my watchman!
Watchman was carrying a sheathed katana. He had a light but the way he was deploying it shed little illumination, mostly butchering his night vision. As he stood over me he tucked his light in his belt, digging a bottle out of his pocket. Now I smelled the liquor. Watchman took several healthy swallows before putting it away. He belched loudly before pulling out his dick to piss all over my left hand. His gaze never fell below the horizon as he farted with a sigh of satisfaction, tucking his tiny dick back into his pants.
Watchman turned away from me without a backward glance as he continued around the outside of the island. I felt better. At least they had a watchman, even if it was this very low quality specimen. I would need to be more vigilant just in case he had a companion with a tiny bit more skill. I might not be so lucky next time.
I set another scanner in the reeds then backed into the water. I moved into the creek between the island and their LZ. I floated close to the higher bank, staying in its shadow as I moved along the settlement. I stopped under the bridge to place two thin ‘pin’ scanners through the bridge deck. Dropping silently back into the water I moved further, until I did the same thing at the bridge leading to the warehouses.
I slid back into the water, swimming silently to the bridge leading into the forest. I placed two pin scanners in this deck as well. I moved up the bank watching and listening until I was prone on the verge right next to the path crossing the bridge.
Crawling into that forest I climbed another hefty tree, leaving a scanner in a lofty branch overlooking the camp. I climbed down, lying in the brush across from the camp, observing the watchman as he passed my location. He was enormously distracted by the activities in the ‘saloon’, spending little effort observing anything else.
I moved into the stream, following him on his round. He finally reached a dilapidated shed on the end of the row of buildings. Under an awning in back was a threadbare, overstuffed chair. Watchman leaned his katana against the building as he settled into his comfy chair.
Mystery solved! I had found watchman at the beginning of his rounds, probably just up from his nap. It was time for me to seek shelter as well.
I moved upstream before crossing the river. I moved down the bank, coming out of the water under the willows. I climbed ‘my’ tree, reaching the substantial limb where my pack was secured. I tied myself off with my flip line wrapping up in my ghilley suit. I made myself as comfortable as possible, closing my eyes.
I woke to the faint pink of false dawn. I was unmoving as I listened, probing to hear if ‘something’ had awakened me. Deciding that my internal timer had done its job I began looking around. I once again stretched out hugging the branch with my binoculars focused on the camp.
The raider camp was silent, with a distinctly ‘hung over’ look to it. That might have been my imagination. It was indeed well past sunrise when the first person appeared outside.
There were several small rickety docks out into the streams, each with a tiny house at the end. Watching the morning activity explained the purpose of those little houses, and explained the large quantity of human waste in the streams.
The tempo picked up after that, as females hauled garbage and trash as far as the nearest bank. They were also assisting a constant stream of almost comatose men from the saloon to other quarters along the street. The aroma of cooking floated across the river to my perch, as smoke came from several of the low buildings.
Some traffic flowed across the bridge to the raider spacecraft. Looked like a crew change. Maybe they weren’t as sloppy as first glance indicated. They seemed to have at least one ship manned through the night. During the day it appeared more than one was crewed. Another factor to add in to the planning.
I was not seeing a simple solution to my biggest problem. I was hoping for a dormitory or central holding area for the captives. Unfortunately, the captives appeared to be scattered. Captives were in every building. Many captives were being held in the saloon, compromising an obvious first strike target for a dawn assault.
I leaned back against the tree bole, sipping my water as I ate another ‘delicious’ emergency ration bar. I kept hoping for a sudden epiphany that would magically solve my problem of killing raiders without killing captives. None showed itself.
I climbed out of my tree, fading back into the forest moving upstream to complete my own morning ablutions. I found a partially uprooted tree nearby. I crawled into the tangle of roots until I was completely hidden. I curled up to sleep through the day.
I woke up. I stayed still listening. No sounds at all. I missed the help of animals in my little game of raider hide and seek. Animals can provide a single person on reconnoiter with advance warning of pursuit. On this ‘lifeless’ -- at least no animal life planet -- I was left to my own human senses. Not a good trade at all.
The light was rapidly fading in the forest. I moved back to my high observation point to watch their night preparations. At full dark it was time for my most audacious survey.
I strapped my wakizashi, and silent killer on my back. I climbed down to enter the water, swimming upstream for my crossing.
Again I flowed quietly up the bank to observe their cluster of spacecraft. No changes that I could perceive. The scanner was still operating with its anti-tamper mechanism still untriggered.
Back down the bank into the river. I moved into the stream until I was opposite the watchman in his comfy chair. I was backed against the high bank in the overhanging shadow.
Finally, whatever event prompting his circuit happened. Watchman staggered to his feet and grabbed his Katana. He walked to the same part of the bank as last night before relieving himself. Watchman began a dawdling circumnavigation of the raider’s island.
This was my signal to move. I was up the bank and standing next to his chair. I looked and listened. The strident noise from the ‘saloon’ seemed the same.
The lights on the front of buildings and the lights shining from the windows formed deep shadows, especially under the buildings. I was guessing, hoping, that they paid little attention under their dwellings.
With that I slid among the stilts under the first building. I crawled on my hands and knees, pausing every few meters, listening carefully before my next move. I placed one pin scanner in the floor in line with the front door.
This and the next few buildings were tight together. I crawled down the line slowly with frequent pauses. I set a ‘pin’ on each where I estimated the door would be. Finally I reached the ‘alleyway’ bordering the largest building. The one I called ‘saloon.’
I lay in the shadow of the building, studying the traffic in front. Listening was impossible, with boisterous voices and ear splitting music emanating from within the walls of the bulky structure.
I attached a panoramic scanner to the building frame above me, aimed at the front of the busy building. It was time to for me to move. I scuttled across the open space until I was under the ‘saloon.’ I sought a deep shadow. I was lying motionless, trying to think inconspicuous, happy thoughts. My mouth was so dry that I could count off the seconds with my tongue against the roof of my mouth.
Crawling forward until I was right under the main stairs I placed a ‘pin’ in the floor. I moved back under the loudest concentration of noise placing another ‘pin.’ I placed half dozen sensors under the saloon space.
Looking across the next alley from within my shadow, I searched for movement in all directions. I scampered, crawling into the relative safety of that buildings underside. I crept along that closely packed line of buildings, moving carefully, continuing with my sensor placement. I paused, reaching the end of the building row close to the bridge into the forest.
It was time to depart. I slithered out from under the building until I was lying fully exposed. I slowly stood up, tight to the building wall, blending my silhouette to the structure. After agonized looking and listening I bolted for the stream bank next to the bridge in a rush.
From there I faded back into the forest along the path. I found a towering ‘oak’, or whatever it was that looked like oak. I climbed into the upper branches. Wrapping myself in my ghilley suit I tied off to a branch. I settled in to try and relax, hopefully to sleep.
It worked. I woke up to daylight in my eyes. Again attentively listening for an interloper, but none was apparent. Negative inference was hardly comforting. Not hearing an ambusher was not the same as not HAVING an ambusher.
Untying my flip line I clambered down my ‘oak’ tree. I moved back to the forest trail by the bridge, watching the raider enclave from my vantage in the thick brush on the bank, several meters from the bridge crossing.
I was later today. Activity was in full swing, with foot traffic in and out of every building. I observed little urgency in and around the raider craft on the LZ. No sign of alarm of any kind. They SEEMED oblivious to my presence in their camp.
Fading into the trees I moved, paralleling the forest trail. I wanted to know why this trail was here and where it went. Several miles later the trail ended in a sandy beach on the banks of another broad river. I still wasn’t sure why they felt compelled to make the trail. Maybe the water was cleaner! I used this river for my morning clean up. At least there was no camp filled with guns to help defend the island settlement.
Staying in the fringe of trees along the trail I moved back toward the raider encampment. When I was close I found another wolf tree towering over its neighbors. I climbed up into a high crotch, screened by thick leaves in all directions. I wrapped up in my ghilley suit before I tied off, trying to relax as I lay up for the day.
I woke up with the dying light of sunset surrounding me in the forest. I moved down the tree trunk slowly, pausing often to listen. Moving back to the raider bridge, watching the camp, it was only about the waiting.
The camp took on its nighttime personae, so different from daytime. The saloon was crowded and noisy. The watchman wobbled by. Time to make my final rounds, collecting my scanners. First I collected the scanner above me, taking a look around.
I slid into the water under the bridge. I removed the pin sensors from the bridge deck. I swam down the channel, repeating my retrieval at each one. I moved to the long reeds picking up the panoramic scanner. Next was the scanner overseeing the LZ.
I was on the stream bank watching the watchman as he slept in his overstuffed chair. He started and roused himself. I decided he must have some kind of timer to keep him on his rounds.
He moved off. Ever a creature of habit, he pissed in the same reeds as every other time. I was standing next to his chair before he was out of sight.
Sliding under the building my actions were more confident tonight. Still, I paused every few meters for at least a quick look around. I collected all the scanners. I lay on my side under the building, watching the saloon across the small alley. I dove across the open space, any noise more than masked by the raucous noise surrounding the building.
Moving carefully I collected my pin sensors from the saloon floor. The next open alleyway loomed in front of me. I slid across on my hands and knees. The next part went better as I collected the sensors under each one.
Lying under the last building I watched Mr. Watchman finish his liquor bottle before throwing it into the creek. He staggered around the corner of the building. I gave him a moment, and then I was on my feet along the building wall.
Instantly I was moving back under the bridge in the creek, water up to my neck. All the evidence of my visit into their camp was with me. I swam in the shadow of the high bank toward the river channel.
The watchman was already sprawled in his chair as I passed. I floated into the main channel, moving up stream to cross the channel then float into the willows below my ‘lookout’ limb
I crawled up the bank and eased up the tree until I was overlooking the camp. I collected the last scanner and strapped my wakizashi to my pack, along with the silent killer. Observing the camp I could see no indication of my visit. It was time to be gone!
Descending the tree I moved into the forest, paralleling the river, and moving downstream, until I was well below the camp before I re-entered the water. Floating in the center of the channel I waited for a log to float by.
I hooked my flip line to a tree washing downstream. This would carry me along very nicely. Drifting along, I thought about the raider camp. My concern was the same as before -- to take the camp without captive casualties.
My tree in the center of the channel flowed around a broad ‘S’ curve. As the river straightened I saw a tiny flash of light on the bank. I unclipped my line from the floating tree, kicking toward shore. I swam to a low, gently sloping bank. Exhausted, laying prone on the bank, I started realizing a figure was looming over me in the dark.
Charlie whispered:
“Hi Eddie. Welcome back.”
I was up on my hands and knees. I answered softly:
“It’s good to see you love.”
I started to get up. My left leg buckled under me. Charlie grabbed me before I went down. She asked with some concern:
“Are you all right?”
I answered:
“Yes. Pretty much. I’m exhausted coming off my mission.”
Charlie understood. She helped me remove my balaclava. She helped me through the screen of brush into her tidy encampment. My pack and weapons were placed next to the flitter. Moving me to the sleeping cushion under her camouflage netting she made me sit down while she brought me a cup of coffee.
I sipped my coffee as I calmed. Charlie sat next to me. Setting down my cup I turned to her and hugged her fiercely. We fell back on the cushions together.
All at once we both tore at each other’s clothing. Not undressing, only uncovering enough so that we could quickly join. Charlie offered me the comfort of her body there in the forest.
With one thrust I was completely inside her, as she enclosed me in her hard muscled arms and legs. We just held each other not moving or speaking. Charlie softly crooned in my ear, calming me.
Her body’s rhythmic waves surrounding my cock were insistent. I began thrusting into Charlie who met mine with enthusiastic movements of her own. My spending into her was intense, with her orgasm coming during mine. We lay together softly kissing in that forest glade as I softened.
Charlie kissed me as she said with finality:
“Time to move Eddy. We need to get back to Shark.”
I answered:
“Yes love. You fixed it. I’m better now.”
We set to work striking Charlie’s camp. With both of us working it was quickly done. Her equipment and my pack were stowed on the flitter. Charlie took the flitter controls as I mounted up behind her.
The flitter lifted smoothly. Charlie threaded us through a grove of trees perpendicular to the river until we reached a small stream. She turned us into the center of the streams flow, about three meters above the water surface. We rapidly picked up speed, with Charlie following the twists and turns of the watercourse. The stream paralleled the river flow keeping us well away from the raider island while leading us back to Shark.
I sat quietly so as not to distract Charlie as she blasted through the night. I was restlessly looking forward to seeing Shark’s crew!
Suddenly Charlie slowed, turning us into the thick forest. She was again dodging trees as we flew. All of a sudden we were over the big river and into camp all at once. Charlie landed us in the center of camp under our camo net.
Andrea dragged me off the flitter! She welcomed me with kisses and a full body hug. I was quickly passed from one ‘sharkling’ to the next, until all of them had thoroughly welcomed me back to Shark.
Crystal quickly took charge of my sensors and scanners. She said:
“Welcome back Captain. I’ll have these pulled together into a single coherent hologram very quickly. Do you want to clean up in the meantime?”
Did I ever! I’m sure the girls were just being polite in not pushing me into a shower as soon as I showed up in camp.
Andrea took charge, stripping me there in the yard before she led me into the shower. She shoved me under the rainfall of water, and then, standing next to the shower, she undressed. Andrea squirted me with a thick coating of soap. Then she joined me under the flowing water. She scrubbed me meticulously with her fingers, adding soap constantly until I was clean. Andrea washed my hair scrupulously with a deep scalp massage.
Andrea made a sensual display of wetting her long blonde mane in the shower. Then with my help she soaped and scrubbed her blonde tresses until they towered with suds.
Andrea fell to her knees in front of me. She pressed her wet sudsy hair into my groin. With both her hands she repeatedly rubbed and caressed my cock and balls through her thick soapy hair. I came, spraying my cum into her tresses.
Andrea settled back on her heels with a happy giggle as she said:
“Welcome home, captain master darling who I love.”
I pulled her to her feet and into my arms, hugging her as the rivulets of water drenched us, rinsing our bodies clean. We were kissing and caressing under the flow of water, quite lost in each other. Finally a laughing Molly pulled us out of the water and pushed us into the drying chamber. She demanded a kiss from each of us for her services. Molly was still laughing as she engaged the dryer.
Bev was there as I left the drying chamber. She toweled me off before she made me sit down for my shave and haircut. When she was satisfied with my appearance she wrapped me in a plush robe and sent me into the ready room.
The only jarring note as I walked in was seeing a naked Captain Lucina Bowen, kneeling on top of a low table. She had a ball gag in her mouth. Looking closer I saw that she was not exactly kneeling. A thick strip of metal about a meter in length by about six centimeters was on the table. Both Lucina’s ankles were shackled to this metal, a shoulder width apart. Her wrists were also both shackled to the same piece of metal, just to the outside of each ankle. This forced Lucina into a posture with her ass held high up and open. She had an oversized glass dildo in her vulnerable asshole. The reddened striping on her thighs, back, and ass evidenced an elevated level of discipline
Carlisa stood up from her chair next to Lucina, carrying a meter long stiff, leather whip. She enthusiastically struck Lucina, making forceful contact across her back, adding another colorful stripe.
Carlisa joined me for a quick kiss to welcome me to the ready room as she frowned and said in a very cross tone:
“Fucking cunt doesn’t understand her place yet, Master. Sterner measures may be called for.”
I said:
“Why don’t I just kill her? She’s more trouble then she’s worth.”
Carlisa smiled more happily now:
“It may come to that, but with your permission I will implement additional more stringent procedures.”
I nodded:
“Your discretion, love. I want her information if possible, but her survival is purely irrelevant to our mission if she will not cooperate. You have my permission for any procedures you deem needed.”
Carlisa saluted as she said:
“Yes, sir. Thank you sir.”
Carlisa gestured to Aurora and Dawn who effortlessly picked up the shackled and now plainly terrified Lucina, carrying her out of the ready room. Carlisa followed taking cuts with her whip that ‘whistled’ through the air.
I yelled after her:
“Use the hold. I don’t want to hear you while I’m eating.”
She acknowledged as I heard her laughter, while the strange little caravan headed for Shark’s hold.
Cara and Abbi were in charge of the galley. They had prepared a welcome home meal. The crew began to gather in the ready room. Carlisa returned with Aurora and Dawn as she commented:
“Leave Lucina to contemplate her situation.”
I was ‘forced’ to stand in front of my desk to receive a deep kiss and full body hug from every member of the crew. Okay perhaps ‘forced’ inaccurately conveys a need for duress that was totally unnecessary in this case.
I sat in one of our easy chairs, with Andrea sitting astride my legs. She was in charge of feeding me. She cut my food into tiny bite-size pieces, serving each one individually. Andrea kissed me after each tiny serving.
Molly joined us sitting on the chair arm. Molly served my juice allowing me sips, then she cleaned the sticky juice off my face with tiny licks of her pink tongue, finishing with kissing the juice off my lips.
Between serving, Molly and Andrea would kiss and caress each other. Did I mention that both of them were totally naked? I thought so. While one of them was attending to my food and drink the other would play with my cock, fondling it just enough to tantalize without completion.
At the conclusion of my meal Molly leaned forward to lick the head of my dick. After each lick she sucked just the head into her mouth. Andrea slid forward. Molly held my cock upright as Andrea lifted up and impaled herself on it. Andrea settled on me until she contacted Molly’s hand.
Molly removed her hand with a display of sucking each finger clean to maintain my level of arousal. Andrea leaned forward, kissing me softly all over my face as she adjusted to my penetration.
Andrea began slowly rising and falling over me. Her slow stroking built my arousal. Molly kissed Andrea sucking on her nipples then she kissed me. Molly began licking between Andrea breasts. Molly slowly leaned forward with her lips and tongue trailing down the center of Andrea’s body until she reached the point of our joining.
Molly was licking both of us as my cock was covered and uncovered. Andrea’s hands were gripping my shoulders with her eyes shut and her head thrown back she floated from one plateau to the next.
I began to experience sensory overload. I grabbed Andrea’s ribs just above Molly’s bent over head as I began strong fucking up into Andrea. My hips were coming off my chair with each stroke. Andrea grunted with every contact of my hips on hers. She was vocalizing constantly now.
I slammed up into Andrea holding her up with my body arched as I came blasting my cum into her grasping cunt. She let loose an earsplitting scream as she came in the middle of my spending.
We were both thrashing around in our mutual orgasms and my cock still spraying popped out into the air. Molly quickly covered it sucking it into her warm mouth until I softened.
I settled back into my chair holding Andrea tightly. Molly kissed each of us lightly then she sauntered away giggling. Andrea was lightly kissing me all over my face. I was relaxed in her arms as she whispered endearments. I shut my eyes as she put her head on my shoulder still crooning softly in my ear.
I woke up.
I was still sitting in the plush chair wrapped in my robe. A steaming cup of coffee was near my right hand. As I sipped I looked out at an intent quiet ready room.
The entire crew was gathered around several large holograms. True to her word Crystal had melded all the sensor and scanner data into a single holographic presentation.
Most of the crew was studying this main presentation of the island raider camp, including the LZ. This holo included all the buildings, interiors and exteriors, with all observed people. Daisy and Kit were adjusting the perspective or time if requested.
Charlie and Andrea were intently studying a separate holo of just the ‘saloon’, with Crystal there to adjust the view for them. Carlisa, Anima, and Molly had Aella at another holo making a detailed study of bigger projections of each building interior and exterior from several angles.
I stood up, joining my ‘sharklings’ in their studies. I took a post between Andrea and Molly. Splitting my time between each team I told Charlie and Andrea:
“We just have to keep studying until we have a method for killing raiders without harming captives.”
I looked up to see a meaningful look and headshakes passed among the three former captives. I didn’t understand the significance of the look.
Suddenly all three of them stood up together. Molly and Anima took my hands as Carlisa said:
“Please come with us Eddy, we need to talk.”
They led me on the bridge, past my command chair to the
bench and chairs along one side. They
sat me on the bench. Molly and Anima
sat on each side of me still holding my hand.
Carlisa sat in a chair directly in front of me. She made intense eye
contact with me finally speaking:
“Eddy, you have been very lucky so far. We haven’t killed any captives in any operation.”
I started to speak and Molly covered my mouth with a shushing sound. Carlisa continued:
“The luck can’t hold my master. We WILL kill captives. It is inevitable. Captives are intermingled with the raiders in all aspects of their encampments. When we attack they likely will try to use them for a shield.”
She paused as she studied me, then she went on:
“Do not hold back because you fear those deaths. We who were captives beg you not to wait an instant. When we were detained we prayed every second for a rescue or a quick death. Either was preferable to the HELL we were in.”
I was silent. Carlisa nodded as she went on:
“Every captive hopes for rescue, fully understanding the dangers in the fight. We all had plans for getting out of the line of fire and escaping to our rescuers. These will be no different. We who love you urge you, please don’t delay Eddie. They accept the risk, you must as well.”