Nova (28 page)

Marcus was even worse. He’d somehow lost his jacket
altogether, probably left behind on Deck 8 in the Lounge, and his dress–shirt
was half open and un–tucked. Completing the picture of jovial disarray, she
carried the last decanter of brandy in her left hand, which the two off them
kept passing back and forth to one another as they traveled. Given their
appearance and activities, it was probably for the best that it was about three–thirty
in the morning.

“Hey!” He exclaimed mid–step, once more ceasing his own
personal approximation of singing. “We’re heading the wrong way!”

“No, we’re not. Your quarters are just down the aft
corridor.” Avara answered, bemused.

“Exactly; we should be heading port to your cabin.”

“No, we shouldn’t be. I’m walking you to your cabin to make
sure you get there safely.” She replied, not seeing the problem. Of course,
things
were
just a bit fuzzy right now.

“Avara, I’m supposed to be dropping you off at
your
quarters!”

“And how’s that?”

“Because, I’m a gentleman and… ladies
first
, and all
that!” He announced with an expansive gesture to the corridor’s walls, a grin
splayed across his caramel colored face.

“Tosh! What century are you from, anyway?” She scoffed.
Warming to the debate, Avara added “Besides, as an Arca II, you have a much lower
tolerance than I.
And
,” she added, now really feeling inspired, “you’re
younger and I’m older; I should escort you.”

“
Pfftss
. By
two
–
years
. That doesn’t have
anything to do with anything. And forget the Arca–argument.” He rejoined. “I’m
EXO. That means it’s my job to ensure your safety,
Captain
.”

“I think I have a solution.”

As one, Avara and Marcus both whipped their heads around at
the amused voice.

“How about I escort
both
of you to your individual
quarters. As third in command and an Arca II, as well as most importantly being
entirely sober at the moment, I’m pretty sure I qualify.”

Though A was, technically, younger than both of them, Avara recognized
inspiration when offered. “Brilliant, Adeline!”

Mulling it over for a moment, Marcus suddenly smiled. “Yeah,
a sound strategy. In fact,” he started, an almost boyishly mischievous look on
his face, “Now that you mention it, I think I
should
return to my cabin
first.”

“Okay then, let’s go.”

The three of them set off for and reached Perez’s quarters
in fairly short order, Diana proving to be a true master at corridor
navigation.

Stopping before his open door and with Diana standing off to
the side, Marcus met Avara’s eyes and avowed “Next year,
mi hermana
.”

Clasping him in a tight embrace that he returned with enough
force to audibly crack her back, she agreed. “Next year, brother.”

Clearing his throat, Perez snatched the mostly empty brandy
decanter she still carried and remarked with an exaggerated wink, “Wouldn’t
want it to go to waste.”

With a final nod, Avara and Adeline turned to make their way
to the Captain’s Cabin. Serros noted that the pace was a bit faster with the
Ops and Intel Officer than with Marcus, but since there was still some swaying
involved, at least on her part, she found it rather natural to sling her arm
around Diana’s shoulders, even as Adeline wrapped her own arm around Serros’s
waist.

It was a position that did not end even after the two had
entered Avara’s Quarters, the doors shushing behind them.

“How are you feeling?” Diana’s eyes were earth–toned pools
of affection as they regarded Avara, amusement playing about her lips.

“Pretty damn good.” Avara answered with a slow grin, quite
aware that Adeline had yet to release the small of her back. Normally priding
herself on her observational abilities, it was only now that Serros recognized
that Diana wasn’t actually wearing her uniform, but instead, off–duty casual
clothes. A light gray, form hugging tank–top and loose yet semi–fitted dark gray
pants. 

Laughing despite her apparent attempt at self–restraint,
Diana returned, “Oh,
really
? Shall I get you some water?”

“Nah, I’m golden.” Avara enthusiastically assured her.

“Mm.” Adeline murmured noncommittally, “I think I’ll get
some anyway.”

“If you like.” Serros could still feel the residuum of heat
on her back where Adeline’s palm had been. With a shrug, Avara stripped off her
too–hot jacket and flung it casually across one of her chairs set on the other
side of her low coffee table before the couch.

Adeline moved to Serros’s retractable sink and, after
punching a command into the control panel and grabbing a glass from the inset
plate–ware cabinet, returned carrying a full glass. “Here.”

“Thanks.” Avara responded, draining the cup’s entire
contents. “I’m fine though, really; you don’t have to worry.”

“Are you?” Diana asked, a skeptical half–shrug conveying her
opinion on the matter.

“Yes, I am.” Avara reassured, and it was true. She could
already feel the physical effects of the alcohol slowly draining away. All that
was left was a rather pleasant tingling and an receding headache.

Apparently seeing something on her face that was at least semi–convincing,
the Lieutenant Commander remarked “Good. Who says I am worried, anyway?”

Placing the empty glass on her table, Avara answered simply.
“You. I can feel it.”

“Arca.”

“Arca.” Avara repeated in agreement. Adeline’s amused yet
mild concern, already slipping away like the contents of Serros’s water–glass,
wasn’t the only thing she was sensing from the woman who stood just inches away.

Grasping the Captain’s fingers in her own and voice smoky, Diana
murmured “Avara, it would be a lie if I said I didn’t want to pressure you, so
instead, I’ll just ask: where do we stand?”

There were no more well preserved emotional or cognitive
barriers now. Avara could read the full force of Diana Adeline’s feelings,
including concern, determination to see this moment through, and barely
restrained desire that pulsed from her body like a rocketing starship.

Squeezing Adeline’s hands, Avara answered “Diana, I hadn’t
known, before, how you felt about me. In truth, I was rather surprised.”

“Ha! Some Arca with a Synergy Enhancement
you
are.” A
retorted, laughing just a bit, though the high emotion she exuded remained undimmed.
With a faint smirk, Adeline added “I would think you’d be used to reading attraction
by now.”

Not even pretending to misunderstand Diana’s meaning as to
the amount of attention she typically received while off–ship, Serros shrugged
in response. “Yes, well, not necessarily, and especially not from the very
people you’re closest to. Can be kind of rude to deliberately scan and I must
say, you’ve been
very
good at shielding.”

“Well, you’re not the only SP in town.” She teased.

“Mm; apparently.”

“And?”

“So I was surprised, though not unpleasantly. I… I do have
feelings for you, and frankly, they are
not
strictly platonic.” The
upsurge in emotion that Serros felt from Adeline in that moment was almost
enough to make her lose her footing.

“But because I do care, I don’t want to hurt you. So, I need
you to know that I… have feelings for another.”

Avara was surprised that there
was no
surprise
trickling through the space between the two.

“Lieutenant Z’arr.”

It wasn’t even a question. Between this and Marcus, it was
enough to make Avara wonder if everyone aboard ship knew more about her
potential love–life than she did herself. “Yes.”

“Are the two of you officially involved?” Adeline asked, and
Avara
could
feel the trace of fear behind those words.

“No. We haven’t… we’ve never spoken about it.”

Releasing Avara’s hands and sliding them up along her arms
to again, just as on Avex, place her palms on Avara’s face, Diana remarked
“Then it doesn’t matter.”

And once more, Adeline kissed her, and there was nothing reserved
about the action.

Her lips were fervent, a reality that only increased in
intensity as her tongue sought Avara’s and her hands slid to Serros's back to
pull her close. At first Adeline was the conductor, but the song changed as the
tempo of their mouths increased.

Boots and socks were kicked off without pause, and after
seconds or days, Avara finding temporal constructs currently unknowable, Serros
felt Diana’s fingers split the hem of her shirt from its imprisonment within
her trousers. The act was immediately followed by the sensation of Adeline’s
hands insistently running up under her shirt to her bare back and then tracing
a path to her breasts. It was a favor returned by Avara, whose hands slipped
into the looser waist of Diana’s more casual pants to explore and tightly
clench Diana’s firm ass while her teeth gently yet aggressively seized
Adeline’s lower lip. With a low whimper of pleasure, Diana slowly but
determinedly began pushing the Captain towards the open glass doors of her
bedroom, while the fingers of her left hand released each of the diminutive mag–clasps
of Avara’s shirt.

As Avara felt the pleasantly cool air brush across her bare
chest, she forced herself to pull ever so slightly away. It was hard to do; so
hard. Especially with Diana so close and her mouth attempting to recapture
Serros’s own.

“What’s the problem?” Diana finally asked, breathless.

Hearing her own breath ragged with arousal, Avara made
herself say what she knew she needed to. Before another moment passed and she
could not. “Diana, I just want to make sure that I’m being fair. I know, now,
how you feel. As much as I care, as much as I
want
you, I need you to know…
I can’t say I’m not conflicted, so I’m not sure about the future.”

Swiftly kissing her once more, her mouth fierce in desire
and certainty, Adeline whispered “It doesn’t matter. I want you; I want
this
.”

“But…” Avara attempted to continue, yet Diana’s head cut her
off in negation.

With her dark eyes pinned to Avara’s and voice resolute,
Diana said gently “I’ve been waiting a long time for you, Avara. I love you.
I’m not asking for promises, not tonight. I’m only asking to be close to you.”

Seeing the thread of uncertainly that Serros knew she must
have been displaying, Adeline added with a strange sort of quiet dignity:
“Please, Avara; I’m sure.”

  Seconds trickled by as Avara Serros looked at Diana
Adeline, this wonderful, gorgeous woman who was her second dearest friend, who
she knew she very much wanted to be still closer to, right here and right now.

Finally, Serros realized there was no more need for words at
all. 

 With a surge, Avara crushed Adeline’s sleekly curved form
close even as she fastened her mouth with her own. It was a kiss that A more
than returned and with all constraints released, Serros paused kissing Diana
only long enough to slip her fingers under the roll of Diana’s tank, lift the
garment up over her head, and toss it onto the floor without a glance. With a deft
twist of her left hand, Adeline’s bra was unclasped and soon followed the tank
to the ground. Her open shirt proving no barrier at all, Avara could feel
Diana’s nipples harden as her breasts pressed against her own smaller ones. Her
warm flesh was nothing short of intoxicating for its heady scent and release
from all clothing except for her slim briefs.

Mouths were seeking, tasting, and sucking, and their bodies
all but spasming in want. Movements electric with craving, Diana half–tore off
Avara’s belt, which flew against the wall with a loud
clang–snap
before
thudding to the ground, and then practically ripped the zipper of Avara’s
trousers down. Adeline’s hands sought inside the now loose confines of Serros’s
dress slacks, and a moaning growl spilled from her throat as she found ready welcome.

With an answering rumble of her own, Avara shunted Adeline’s
hand out of her way and then lifted Diana half a foot up into the air, forcing
her body to compress even more fully against her own. With A’s strong thighs
now wrapped around her waist, mouths still consumed within one another, Serros
effortlessly tracked the short distance to her bedroom. Falling down atop dark
covers, Avara snatched Diana’s briefs off and within seconds, was moving inside
her. Thrusting her hips forward in time with Avara’s, Diana refused to be
outdone, and mimicked Avara’s action.

Clasping one another close, mouths greedily affixed, the
mated rhythm of sound and motion collided as the two fell into their lovemaking,
all the while the stars continuing their journey throughout space and time
beyond the confines of the cabin and starship.

 * * * * *

A hallway and a dozen doors away, another woman, also under
the throes of strong emotion, threw off sheets and coverlets as she was wrested
from uneasy sleep. Feeling a truly strange mixture of first old grief and
familial affection then… excitement, confusion, caring, lust, and a sweet release,
K’llan Z’arr wearily rubbed her burning eyes. Wearing only a silken–night
shift, the Vosaia gracefully swung her bare feet to the carpeted floor. With
one shaky hand she lifted the cold cup of tea she’d left by her bedside much
earlier that evening and walked over to the view port that graced her single–roomed
quarters.

Attempting to sort through the disturbing emotional barrage,
K’llan took a sip of the cold beverage and drew a deep breath. Strong emotions,
not her own but somehow,
wrapped up
in
her own.

Shaking her head in frustration, Z’arr struggled to
understand. To her own mild embarrassment, K’llan discovered that she was sexually
aroused. And yet … even much more importantly, she felt some form of looming… danger.
Not to her person, but to her heart. Something that cried out with the potential
for loss, a feeling further emphasized by a lingering shaft of deep sadness
that threatened to break into her calm and controlled center.