Cutlass Sharpened (70 page)

Velocity was soon reached
and docking procedures were in their final stages as soon as the
great sailboat was at last seen by the naked eye. The starship held
course and speed to allow the smaller four all the time they
needed. Renee’s chin was propped onto the shoulder of Oliver’s seat
as she watched him make the tiniest corrections the eye could
barely notice. She sighed contently and with a fair share of
blissful soreness between her thighs. She had at last reached a
state of acceptance that no matter how fucked up her life was in so
short a time, she wouldn’t change a single thing. It didn’t matter
that her mate/boyfriend/lover/ match or whatever title someone
used, was over eighty million years old, or that he had a long dead
lover and children,
many
children actually. They had discussed it at length
when not sending her eyes up into her skull as he drilled her to
the brink and over.

Effectively his amnesia made him a completely
different person. Renee may have the sequence of the former General
Reten, but she was still herself. They were two entirely new
individuals. Sure they had their own issues, but they had each
other. Neither Oliver nor Renee would change that they were
together and inseparable.

This thought had her say “Olly, do you like
these feelings?”

“
A little more information
would help me out.” She could hear the smile in the words and got a
thump on the head because of it. “Oh, you mean between
us?”

“
Duh. What have we talked
the most about when you weren’t fucking my brains out? Seriously…
just forget it.”

“
We still have a few more
minutes to dock. What is on your mind?” his change of tone was
softer, the usual serene she now depended on when she was
overanxious. He knew what she needed and all without
telepathy.

Renee looked at the ship
still steadily growing as they got ever closer and watched as her
shuttle was making its final approach to the docking platform as
little more than a marble in size. “Well it is so rare to find
someone you are compatible with. Chemistry, temperament and similar
interests make for good pairings, but
we
don’t have that option. You’re
overgrown ass is stuck with mine and you never had the chance to
sample other women. Don’t get me wrong, all my mates before you
were hardly cohesive outside the bed, but you’ve only had me and I
feel like it is somehow… I don’t know… diminishing your life
experiences.”

“
Let me get this straight.
You’re upset because I’ve
not
been with other women or upset because you don’t
see yourself as my ideal woman.”

“
Little bit of both I think.
It’s a bit confusing up here.”

Oliver turned his head to the side to see her
still peeking over the backrest. She was touching her head. “You
think I haven’t seen how messy relationships are? Vids, books and
history have shown me that I don’t want all the hassle. Leave the
mess for those wanting for it. Besides, you know I like simplicity.
You’re the simplest woman I’ve met.” Those emerald irises darkened
as a storm was approaching if he didn’t avert it immediately, which
he did. “I’ve seen other women around you and the ship. They are
too much a hassle and docile. You don’t let me get away with
anything. It wasn’t until we made love that I found it difficult to
part from your side. Before then I did wonder if a docile woman
would be better for me, but then when I reflected on it, it didn’t
feel right.

“
So no, do not be upset
thinking I’m not comfortable you are my woman. You are my Renee,
not Reten. I’m not Mantiv. We are new and together. Our memories
make us different. Besides, I doubt Reten knew how to do a split
and take me like you did earlier.”

Renee laughed and pushed his head playfully.
“Brat. How can you still be horny after twelve orgasms.”

Oliver lifted his nose and made a show of
sniffing. “Don’t know. How come your pussy is wet again for
me?”

“
Because my body seems to
have a mind of its own and I have no control over it.”

“
Keep telling yourself
that.”

“
Watch it. Just because
you’re the best lover I’ve had doesn’t mean I still won’t
circumcise you without numbing you.”

“
And yesterday you said you
liked the extra skin to play with which also made it easier to fit
my girth inside your tight channel.”

“
That was yesterday.” She
said airily and he knew she didn’t plan to follow through on the
threat.

“
Subject change. You know,
I’m glad our suits were able to let us breathe.”

“
Ditto.” She leaned back in
her seat. They were last in line, but aiming straight for the
shielded docking platform. “I’m glad you remembered to tell me how
you were able to breathe underwater when you jumped into the lake
on Zerika. You’ve spoiled me with my armor. It would have felt odd
getting dressed after more than a month of simply thinking and find
myself ready for the occasion. It would have been odd sliding into
my old flight suit. I’m still surprised we could breathe in all
those environments without any oxygen. Stephanie still can’t figure
out how our masks convert those deadly atmospheres into the oxygen
and nitrogen air we need to breathe when none was there to begin
with.

“
It’s a shame we promised
Netul we wouldn’t make more. This armor is fantastic.” She
voiced.

“
He must have had a reason.
One day we’ll track him down and ask why. The worst thing he can do
is tell us no again.” Oliver chuckled. “One thing I’m surprised is
we didn’t ask Alleia what styles of clothes Solarian’s chose. I
couldn’t help imagining you wearing those thin ribbons, but in
white.”

“
She was sexy wasn’t she.”
Renee laughed as they were passing through the shield and spinning
around and dropping the landing gear. They touched down, facing the
Flare towards space as the wooden wall began dropping down and
sealing the room, effectively minimizing energy drain.

The lid of the Flare lifted and they exited
to find the others still suited up. Stone’s voice carried as he
asked “Why have the two of you lowered your helms?”

“
We were clean. Our suits,
aside from a little mud and acidic rain, didn’t retain foreign
particles anywhere. Especially after being absorbed. The rest of
you need to be sterilized before we go to med bay to get checked
out. It’s protocol. Open up the ships’ vents and get ready.” They
did as she said and linked to the room’s sensors to release
cleansing microbes which searched out alien particles and removed
them, especially any deadly viruses, bacteria or other
particulates.

The deck went fogy white. It was so thick
that anything beyond a meter was nothing, not even a shadow. The
engineered microbes were safe to breathe and when combined with
foreign matter would nullify whatever characteristics the matter
was comprised of. Every single part was covered throughout the room
until it was completely saturated. Everyone held still so as to not
run into anything till Renee activated the room’s multiple vents
and sucked the fog away.

As soon as Renee gave the all clear, helmets
and masks lowered and most everyone started scratching their nose
immediately. Sparky reared back and unlocked the joint to remove
his helmet to scratch is scales too. Oliver walked beside her to
stare into the open cargo hold of her shuttle asking “What did you
find?”

Jacob Wrench came over to say eagerly
“Weapons, little black cubes and see these solid barrels as tall as
myself, two look to hold food pellets you make Beasts from, but the
other fifty drums hold something else that are finer and make it
seem more solid. but we didn’t break the still intact seals to find
what was inside.”

Stephanie went on to explain how they had
managed to carry three remaining barrels before the attack. There
were many more, but before they returned to the shuttle Steven
collapsed the tunnel they excavated earlier and hope it wasn’t
uncovered.

Steven admitted “Had to be done. If those
pellets were still viable and the Keptl found that hoard of food,
they could feed their nest for centuries. Collapsing was the safest
thing I could think of. There was enough down there to start up two
or three more hives on that moon.”

“
Smart thinking. I’m
surprised the idea was yours.”
Sparky
taunted.

“
Ha ha.” Steven laughed
dryly. “Very funny, overgrown lizard.”

Before the two could start another fight
Stephanie tucked a few loose blonde strands behind her round ears
to say “Enough bickering you two and after Renee checks us out the
two of you will help carry all these treasures to my secondary
office, clean and dry them.” She turned. “Oliver, you help out
too.”

“
Alright.” He said as the
other two singled out glared at the voluptuous woman with a hand on
her hip. “You said weapons?” he just realized.

“
Yeah, take a look.” Visor
chirped from standing atop one barrel.

Oliver went inside and found the pile on the
grate. There were many colors and Stephanie was the most curious as
he lifted a pegged mace with an aquamarine sheen throughout its
body. “Heavy.” He admitted despite is was still light in the
current gravity.

“
Well that just killed a
theory.” The archeologist grimaced.

“
What theory?” He asked,
setting the acid rain rinsed weapon down.

“
That it would respond to a
Solarian’s touch like yours does. It must need to be personally
bound. I think to get it absorbing energy also means it needs a
host. By the way, they are deadly sharp without that
power.”

“
You mean they
don’t
have the barrier
over the sharp edges and spikes?” He stepped far away.

“
Correct. They’ll cut your
leg off and you’d not feel a single thing till you fell to the
ground and left your leg behind.” Stephanie gruesomely
confirmed.

“
Enough chatting. Med bay.
Now.” Renee ordered and tapped her ear. “Papa, we’re
secure.”

On the bridge Jake Dorgen still sat in his
throne to order “Abdul, bring us back into the nearest friendly
space.”

“
Home in the Sapphire Nebula
it is. Three weeks stand between us. Course plotted and…” he laid a
furry hand on the round FTL button and pressed down. “here we
go!”

Starlight spread out in the darkness
transformed to an explosion of rainbow spiraling light. Not even a
shudder shook the starship as it slipped into subspace to go to the
space where the ship spent most of its time. The beauty of the
nebula was home for most.

“
Lads,” Jake spoke
throughout the entire ship. “we’re free and clear. Rest and go
about yer business. We’re heading to the Sapphire Nebula for a
little peace and quiet. I’ll keep ye informed later on we’re we’ll
be heading next.”

A collective relieved breath seemed to come
from the ship as well as the crew.

Captain Dorgen stood and put on his sword and
axe to say to those on the bridge “Same goes for ye, Lads. The
danger is long behind us now. By now we’re a dozen systems away. If
ye need me I’ll be with me daughter to see what spoils were
uncovered.”

“
Aye aye.” Came the multiple
response.

Jake used the elevator system and reached the
med bay a few moments before the doors shut to open again, this
time carrying twelve individuals.

“
Hi, Papa.” Renee greeted
first. “Waiting long?”

“
Nay. Just set foot not a
moment ago.”

“
Okay, but you can’t touch
us just yet. I’ve yet to officially clear anyone.” Jake nodded and
stepped away before his child did it for him without
touching.

The group filed in the sanitized white room
and did another microbe cleansing together as a secondary
precaution. Three beds came out of the wall as three orbs did the
same. Deegen, Stone and Steven laid down to be scanned as Renee
lifted her bracelet and punctured all three of their necks at the
exact same time and none of them felt anything. The long needles
were too thin and durable. She placed the samples for analysis and
a minute later said “You are all clear, but Deegen, you need to
meditate. Your cortisol levels are three times higher than normal.
In other words you are exceedingly stressed and meditation will
help. If it persists I’ll give you something. We don’t need an
overstressed Hunter.”

“
Yes, Ms.
Dorgen.”

“
Void. I changed my last
name two days ago. Guess I forgot to tell you.”

“
Truly?”

“
Aye.” Jake said as he
overflowed in the seat Renee dropped for him. “Gave her me
blessing. You must not have been paying attention. I announced it
ship-wide. I wed them meself.” Jake got a gut feeling something was
going on, but was it so subtle he couldn’t think too much on
it.

“
Next.” Renee said and the
three modified animals got up on the vacated beds, followed by
Stephanie, Jessica, Jacob, herself, Oliver and Sparky. As she
visually looked through the results she said “Everyone is clean,
but Olly, you’re now a low Five. Those Salamanders must have gave
you that extra increase.”

Oliver closed his eyes, found the familiar
mental lever and pulled it harder than where he leaves it to not be
telepathically spied upon. The good feeling vibrations increased
much more than he attempted in all previous trials. He felt the
gathering energies filling the great bottomless black lake and
focused every bit of it to the palm of his left hand. He slowly
opened his amber eyes and targeted Renee’s still holstered injector
on her desk two meters away while sitting on the soft, gel bed.
Renee had been teaching him levitation in the past week, but only
in zero gravity as it made it much easier to move things. It was a
difficult practice, very difficult to master.