Chapter Three

  Ladan, still shaken, gazed over at the bar, spotting Natey next to a young man, apparently in conversation. Outwardly, he pretended not to care. She had only been gone for a few minutes. It’s not like they could be having any truly meaningful conversation.

  “So, you and Natey?” Corley asked, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence. “I never knew.”

  “Yeah, we have a personal history,” Ladan answered. “She and I hooked up one night around three years ago, and then she went and started dating Jarai.”

  “Why did they split?” Corley asked. “They seemed happy.”

  “Who really knows?” Ladan bounced back. “He said something about wanting kids, and she said she wasn’t ready for such a commitment. But I’ve known Jarai almost all my life, and I know he can be a bit brash, so I really can’t say if that’s what happened.”

  Corley took a sip from his own drink before responding. “Well, what about you? That scene a little bit ago was about as uncomfortable as it gets. Why doesn’t she want you if you’ve already done it?”

  "I wish I knew," Ladan answered dejectedly. "I’ve loved her for years." Corley made a sympathetic noise, but Ladan ignored it. He lifted his gaze to the bar again, finding the young man easily. He watched the way Natey was leaning in, saw the easy confidence she was giving the stranger, the very confidence she had just stripped away from him. He fought the urge to smash the glass in his hand.

  The conversation at the bar, by contrast, had been rich and engaging—A welcome change from the deadened and tense atmosphere of the scientist’s table. As such, Natey had managed to lose all track of time. When she’d initially approached the bar, she’d only expected to be gone for maybe ten or so minutes. But now she’d been sitting next to Jersey, enjoying the drinks and his company for the better part of an hour. Her friends were next to forgotten.

  “So where are you from?” She asked him. “Forgive me, but you don’t seem like you’re from around here. Let me guess, you’re from the farmland quarters at the top of the station?”

  “I’m earthborn,” Jersey answered. “Believe it or not, this is the first time I’ve ever even been off planet until about two weeks ago. This is my first assignment.”

  Natey’s eyes opened wide. “EARTHBORN,” she boasted in surprise. “OH, MY GOD! YOU’RE CONTAMINATED!”

  Jersey froze, tense, as did several people around him who’d heard Natey’s outburst. He held his breath out of immediate fear. The silence was louder than the noise for several long, drawn-out moments.

  Then out of nowhere, Natey started laughing.

  Jersey still didn’t quite catch the humor of the situation. He felt somewhat scared in the moment. The fear of Terran Contamination had long been debunked; advanced xenomedical sciences rendered most Earth-originated viruses and bacteria mundane. However, the irrational fear persisted, mostly among the station's older residents or those whose ancestors had suffered under ancient, untreatable plagues. Jersey, clearly, was not privy to the joke.

  Every member of the Firehawk crew passed through the decontamination galleys and hadn’t even realized. They weren’t positioned exactly discretely, but you probably wouldn’t even notice them unless you were actively looking for them. They were positioned around the docking ring, surrounding every connecting transport umbilical. The crew was safe.

  “Jersey, I’m kidding,” Natey cackled. “You should have seen your face. You looked like you’d seen a ghost. I got you so good!”

  The tension didn’t lift immediately. Jersey had to process it. She definitely caught him with his guard down. Finally, he accepted defeat and laughed. “Ok, you definitely got me. That was a good one.”

  Natey motioned for the bartender to bring both of them yet another round of drinks. She paid this time. “I like you,” she confessed with genuine conviction. “I haven’t had this much fun just having a simple conversation in a while. Thank you for that.”

  “Right back at you,” Jersey replied. They both locked eyes for several silent moments, unmoving, unblinking. The unspoken words easily understood by both.

  Jersey broke the silence first, his voice low and warm. “You intrigue me.”

  Natey raised an eyebrow, playful. “I intrigue you? How so?”

  He chuckled. “I just can’t get that dance of yours out of my head. You got up onto that stage and completely owned the room. I don’t know if you saw what I saw, but nearly every other person in there had stopped what they were doing to watch you. The Incani didn’t capture the room like you did.”

  “I didn’t do anything special,” Natey replied, somewhat defensively. “I just danced.”

  “You were almost completely naked, on a stage with hundreds of onlookers, bodies pressed close, spotlights cutting through the haze, that Incani dancer right there with you. The air turned electric. The room held its breath. I promise you, you did so much more on that stage than you give yourself credit for. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of those horny, single men rushed home to take a cold shower. It was that bold.”

  Natey laughed again, but this time it was softer—less amusement, more intrigue. “Well when you say it like that, I suppose it makes more sense. But I wouldn’t go so far as to call it bold.”

  “You literally had half the room holding their breath,” Jersey shot back quickly. “Myself included. I’d call that pretty damned bold.”

  Natey smiled softly. “You are certainly not what I expected to bump into when I came in here tonight.”

  “Good unexpected? Or bad?”

  “Still deciding,” she teased, her eyes scanning his face like she was reading a map. “But I’m leaning toward good.”

  Jersey took a sip of his drink, then set it down with deliberate care. “You know, I’ve never met anyone like you.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you’ve met plenty of women.”

  “I have, but never like you,” Jersey answered. “You stumbled a bit when we first started talking tonight, but from what I’ve seen from you so far, you absolutely radiate confidence. You aren’t ashamed of being sexy. That dress you’re wearing, your lingerie, that dance. Those weren’t accidental. You came here tonight to make a statement—and what a statement it was!”

  She tilted her head, amused. “That’s a hell of a compliment.”

  “It’s not just a compliment,” he replied. “It’s an observation. You put it on full display. I was only able to see it.”

  Natey’s smile lingered. She reached out, casually brushing a speck of condensation from his glass, her fingers grazing his knuckles.

  She laughed again, but this time it didn’t rise—it deepened. “So, I made an impression on you?”

  “More than an impression,” he answered. “You captivated me during your dance and now I’m entranced by our conversation. We’ve barely met, but already you’re going to be completely unforgettable. I mean that.”

  Natey went silent. The room didn’t. For several long moments, their drinks sat on the bar untouched. Neither she nor Jersey spoke, only breathed. The music throbbed, but the space between them felt quieter—charged, but calm. Natey’s gaze softened, her posture relaxing into something more intimate.

  “You know,” she said, her voice quieter now. “I didn’t expect any of this tonight either. I didn’t exactly come here to create a scene or to meet a cute guy. I simply came to drink and have a great time before I have to go on my new job assignment tomorrow. Meeting you has been quite the surprise.”

  Jersey tilted his head, intrigued. “Surprised good? Or bad?”

  Natey laughed…he’d reframed his earlier question trying to throw her off guard. But this time, she was ready to express her full confidence again. “Surprised—very good.”

  Her fingers brushed the back of his hand—light, deliberate, like she was testing the temperature of something dangerous. She leaned in, close enough for her breath to warm his cheek, and her voice dropped to a velvet whisper.

  “Now I’m thinking about expanding the evening.”

  Jersey’s pulse quickened as her warm breath tickled his chin. Oh yes, the heat was definitely on the rise, and they both could sense it.

  She smiled—the kind of smile with deeper intent. Then she softly grazed her lips against his cheek, lingering just long enough to leave a trace of warmth behind. The hair on the back of his neck tingled with sensual excitement. Her lips hovered near his ear, and her soft, seductive voice slid into him like silk.

  “I’m thinking somewhere quieter, with fewer eyes, and a whole world of infinite possibilities.”

  Natey didn’t have to spell it out any further. The message was very loud and clear. Jersey turned to meet her gaze, and for a moment, the world narrowed to just the two of them. The crowd blurred. The music faded. Her eyes were the only thing in focus.

  Without words, she stood, graceful and sure, the shimmer of her dress cascading in a slow rhythm, mirroring their tones. She offered her hand—not as a question, but as a promise. Who needed spoken words when the mood spoke quite clearly by itself?

  Natey escorted Jersey over to the owner’s stall, and paid Var’Dahn, the Q’Van owner of the nightclub, from her wrist computer. Var’Dahn tapped on his own wrist computer for a moment, before shifting all six of his eyes back to her.

  “Enjoy,” he replied in his pitchy voice.

  While Natey and Jersey vanished into the backrooms in a very good mood, the corner booth was anything but. Ladan watched in silent horror as Natey led the stranger away. He was livid. He fought against himself to maintain his outward appearance and control, but he was losing—spectacularly. He knew the smart move. He knew what he had to do.

  “Well, Corley, I’m spent. I’m going to call it a night and head home. See you guys in the morning.”

  Ladan didn’t hesitate. He rose up from the booth and stormed toward the door, his shoes thudding a bit heavier on the floor than he would have liked, but he wasn’t about to make a scene in the middle of the Watering Hole. He also remembered the First Blood Incident and wasn’t going to write his own version of that event.

  Jersey and Natey simply couldn’t keep their hands off one another, even as they made their way into their reserved room. In the connecting hallway, Natey thrust her arms around his neck and pressed her lips hungrily to his, her mouth capturing his in a heated tangle. He reached around her waist, hoisted her into the air by her backside and pinned her against the wall, their mouths still locked in a fevered exchange. Their breaths came in fast huffs, anticipation mounting with each passing second.

  Natey pulled her head away and turned it slightly to avoid Jersey’s lips. “Let’s hurry, Jersey,” she boasted excitedly. “I’m ready for you!”

  He obeyed, gently lowering her to the ground, and they moved further down the hall until they reached their private room. The door opened with an electric whoosh as it slid sideways. Natey grabbed his hand, pulled him inside, and before the door had even closed, she tangled herself around him, her mouth finding his again, this time nipping at his lower lip and letting her teeth graze his skin—a motion more primal than a simple kiss.

  At that moment, they still hadn’t even gotten started, and yet Natey couldn’t recall a time that she or any of her previous sexual partners had ever been this aggressive with one another. Not Ladan, not Jarai, and certainly not the Incani male, who’d actually been her first. She was loving this aggressive, passionate display and was ready to take it further.

  The door sealed behind them with a soft hiss, but neither noticed. Natey’s back hit the wall again, this time inside the room, and Jersey’s mouth traced the line of her jaw before capturing her lips with renewed urgency. Their hands were everywhere—grasping, tugging, exploring with a hunger that had long since outpaced words.

  Natey’s fingers slid beneath the hem of his shirt, palms gliding over the hard lines of his abdomen. He was warm, solid, and lean in a way that made her breath catch. She pushed the shirt up and over his head, revealing a body sculpted by discipline and youth. Her eyes roamed, drinking him in.

  Jersey stepped back just enough to look at her—really look. Her dress had already ridden high from their hallway encounter, and now, with a slow, reverent motion, he slid the straps from her shoulders. The fabric pooled at her feet like gel encased in a cloud.

  He froze.

  She stood before him, bare and unashamed, her skin kissed by the low amber light of the room. Every curve, every line, every breath she took seemed to pull him deeper into her gravity. She was beautiful in a way that felt dangerous—like something ancient and sacred had just been revealed to him.

  “Damn,” he whispered, voice hoarse. “You’re...”

  Natey stepped forward, silencing him by pressing her mouth to his, lips parting with a slow, savoring slide. “I know,” she murmured against his mouth, teasing in a seductive whisper. “Now shut up and touch me.”

  He did.

  Their bodies collided again, this time with less restraint. Jersey’s hands roamed her back, her hips, her thighs—memorizing her by feel. Natey’s fingers tangled in his hair, then slid down to his belt, working it loose with practiced ease. She wanted him—wanted all of him—and she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise.

  When he stepped out of his pants, she took him in with a slow, appreciative gaze. He was strong, yes, but not just physically. There was something in the way he stood before her—vulnerable, open, wanting—that made her chest tighten.

  They met again in the center of the room, mouths colliding, hands greedy. They stumbled toward the bed, laughing breathlessly as lips wandered and teeth grazed, their limbs tangling as they fell onto the sheets in a tangle of heat and skin.

  They wrestled—not in struggle, but in rhythm. Natey rolled atop him, her thighs straddling his hips, her hair cascading around them like a curtain. Jersey’s hands gripped her waist, guiding her, grounding himself in the feel of her. She leaned down, her mouth trailing along his jaw, down his neck, over his collarbone, tasting him like a secret, letting her tongue flick lightly over his skin.

  He flipped her gently, his weight pressing her into the mattress, his breath hot against her ear. “You’re going to ruin me,” he whispered.

  “Good,” she breathed. “Then I’ll be unforgettable.”

  “You already are,” Jersey replied softly. “I will never be able to get you out of my head, and dammit, I wouldn’t want to either.”

  Natey didn’t stop moving, slowly and gently caressing every part of his face and body that she could reach. “Good. I definitely don’t want you to forget about me and I don’t want to forget you! Keep going, stallion! Oh my god, you’re so…”

  Their bodies moved together, not just in lust, but in something deeper—something that felt like discovery. Every gasp, every moan, every whispered word was a thread pulling them closer, binding them in a moment that neither of them would be able to walk away from unchanged.

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  Natey arched beneath him, her fingers digging into his back as Jersey pressed deeper into her rhythm. His breath was hot against her neck, his voice a low growl between kisses. “You feel like fire,” he murmured, lips brushing her collarbone. “Like you were made to burn me alive.”

  She gasped, her legs tightening around his hips. “Then don’t hold back,” she whispered. “Let it consume us.”

  They rolled, tangled, wrestled with each other in a fevered dance—skin against skin, hands sliding, gripping, guiding. Jersey’s mouth found the curve of her shoulder, then her jaw, then her lips again, devouring her like he’d been starving for years. Natey pulled him closer, her nails grazing down his spine, her voice breathless and sultry.

  “You’re not gentle,” she teased between moans. “I like that.”

  “I’m not trying to be,” he replied, voice thick with desire. “I’m trying to remember you with every inch of me.”

  Their bodies collided again, harder this time, the bed creaking beneath them. Sweat slicked their skin, heat rising in waves. Natey’s hair clung to her shoulders, her chest heaving as Jersey’s mouth trailed along her throat, then lower, grazing her jaw and at last capturing her mouth in a desperate, consuming embrace—each caress more urgent than the last.

  She flipped him, straddling him with a wicked grin. “You’re mine now,” she whispered, grinding against him. “Say it.”

  Jersey’s hands gripped her thighs, his eyes locked on hers. “I’m yours,” he said, voice raw. “Completely.”

  And then, looking him in the eye, her voice broke through the haze, loud and trembling with pleasure, her body arching as she neared the edge, “Don’t you dare stop!”

  It wasn’t a plea. It was a command wrapped in ecstasy, and it rumbled through the room like a pulse.

  Jersey’s breath caught, his grip tightening. He looked up at her, flushed and breathless, and answered with a grin that was both reverent and wild. “I wouldn’t dream of it, my sexy queen!”

  The climax came like a wave crashing through them—violent, beautiful, and utterly consuming. Their bodies locked, breath tangled, hearts pounding in sync. And then, slowly, the storm began to settle.

  They lay together in the aftermath, tangled in the haphazard sheets, limbs draped over one another like they’d been sculpted that way. The room settled into gentle quiet, broken only by the distant whir of the air system, the faint tick of cooling metal, and the slowing rhythm of their breath.

  Natey’s bare chest pressed gently against Jersey’s as she shifted, her skin warm and slick with sweat. She dipped her head, brushing her mouth softly over his in a slow, lingering caress—less hunger now, more reverence. Her fingers traced lazy circles along his shoulder, her thigh curled over his.

  Jersey’s hand slid up her back, fingertips grazing the curve of her spine. “That was…” he started, but the words failed him.

  She smiled against his mouth. “Yeah,” she whispered. “It really was.”

  Their mouths met again, slower this time. Not searching. Just savoring—breaths mingling in a quiet, lingering hush.

  Jersey brushed a strand of damp hair from her cheek, his thumb lingering there. “You’re incredible,” he said softly. “I don’t even know how to describe what just happened.”

  “You don’t have to,” Natey replied, her voice low and intimate. “I felt it too.”

  They lay like that for a while, wrapped in the warmth of each other, the sheets twisted around their legs, the bed a testament to the wildness they’d just shared.

  Then, in the quiet, Jersey turned to her, still breathless, still stunned. His voice was softer now, but still thick with the weight of everything they’d just shared.

  “So, the sex?” Jersey teased with a smile. “Good or bad?”

  Natey couldn’t help but laugh out loud! He pulled it again and at just the perfect moment. “Jersey, you were amazing!”

  That made him realize something. “I never did get your name.”

  Natey smiled, then leaned in, brushing her mouth over his in a slow, soft, lingering caress, before pulling apart and whispering seductively into his ear. “Natey.”

  For several long minutes afterwards, they simply lay on the bed, Natey’s head resting sweetly on Jersey’s chest. Neither moved much or spoke. Jersey ran his fingers through her silky hair.

  Natey was the one who broke the silence with a smile. “Wow! What a night! I can’t remember a time where I’ve had so many firsts.”

  “Firsts?” Jersey asked somewhat puzzled.

  Natey shifted her body again to hover just above him so that she could look him in the eyes. “That was the first time I’d ever got up on that stage and danced like that. The first time I ever saw you. The first time I’d ever come to these backrooms. And my first time having you! That was the best part.”

  She leaned in, pressing her mouth gently to his—a brief touch, but one that lingered with deeper meaning.

  Jersey was surprised. “First time having me?”

  “Yes, stallion,” Natey replied sweetly and softly. “That was such a great performance, I want an encore. I’m not done with you yet.”

  “So, you’re just using me for sex?” Jersey shot back.

  “Yes,” Natey replied, brushing her mouth over his lips once more, slow and insistent. “I want you all night.”

  Jersey casually placed his arms behind his head like he was a king, and wore a grin that suggested he had just won a bet and wanted to gloat in his successes. “I’m fine with that.”

  Natey nestled back against his chest, her fingers tracing idle patterns along his skin. Jersey’s hand never stopped moving through her hair, slow and rhythmic, like he was memorizing the texture.

  “I’m glad you were here tonight, Jersey,” she said after a moment, her voice softer now, more serious. “I didn’t expect tonight to feel like this.”

  “Like what?” he asked, his tone matching hers—low, warm, curious.

  “Like I wasn’t just dancing for fun. Or flirting for the thrill. I was... choosing something. Choosing you. And I didn’t even know you existed until after putting myself out there.”

  Jersey’s breath hitched slightly, but he didn’t speak right away. Instead, he tilted his head and kissed the top of hers. “So, you pulled me into your orbital plane?”

  Natey smiled against his chest. “You say things like that, and I start thinking you’re dangerous.”

  “I am,” he teased. “But only to people who don’t know how to handle me.”

  She laughed, the sound muffled by his skin. “Good thing I’m a fast learner.”

  They lay in silence again, the kind that didn’t feel empty. Just full of breath, warmth, and the quiet hum of the room around them. The sheets were still twisted from their earlier frenzy, the air still thick with the scent of sweat and skin and something deeper.

  “I’m glad you came in as well, Natey,” Jersey replied softly. “This has been a hell of a lot of fun.” He glanced down at her, brushing a thumb along her cheek. “So... how long do I have before you demand that encore?”

  Natey tilted her head up, eyes gleaming. “Not long, stallion. I’m just letting you catch your breath.”

  He chuckled, then leaned in for another kiss—slow, lingering, and full of promise. “My breath has been replenished.”

  Natey rolled back on top of him, her legs straddling his waist. “Then let’s slam that gate and have that next rodeo! Buck, you stallion!”

  Jersey made a poor attempt at a horse’s whinny, but they were on for their second round.

  Nine o’clock rolled around earlier than either had wanted. They spent all night long in each other’s arms, shifting between having sex and taking rest breaks in between. Natey was utterly impressed with Jersey’s raw stamina. He’d lasted just as long as she did with no signs of slowing.

  But with the chime from her wrist computer, as much as she hated to do it, she had no choice but to end it. She pressed her lips softly to his one last time before climbing up out of bed, sliding her clothes back on. “Jersey, thank you for such an amazing night. I don’t think I’m going to be able to walk straight for a month, but trust me, that’s not a complaint.”

  Jersey smiled, rising out of bed himself. “Was it really that good?”

  Natey froze and shot him a stunned, yet pleasant look. “You bet your ass it was. I’ve never had anybody who could keep up with me for ten straight hours as you did. Wow! I wish I could say you were my first and only, but you’re not. But you sure lit my fire!”

  Jersey threw his clothes back on as well. “You did say you wanted me all night. Maybe we can do it again one day.”

  “I’d love to,” Natey replied without hesitation. “For now, though, I have to get home and pack. I’m already behind. I should have started sooner. When my assignment is over, I’ll give you a call. I want to see you again.”

  Jersey stepped around and captured her mouth in a soft, lingering touch. “And I want to see you again as well.”

  They gathered the remainder of their belongings. They didn’t have much to start with, and they walked out. The nightclub was virtually dead at this hour. While it never truly closed, this time of morning, it was virtually empty aside from the staff and a handful of patrons. The atmosphere was far quieter with the music turned way down. Nobody on the dance floor or the stripper stages.

  Jersey and Natey left, walking hand in hand to the exit, and they captured a few curious eyes and smiling reactions. They all knew what had gone on, and they were giving their silent seal of approval.

  Two hours later, still worn and utterly exhausted, but in the best way possible, Natey exited the tram and made her way over to the docking bay, wheeling a large, rolling suitcase behind her. She had also ditched her dress and was now in more casual clothing, nowhere near as flattering, but far from unappealing. She arrived in just a few minutes, checked her orders, confirming she was at the correct ship, and immediately stepped aboard.

  She took a seat on the nearest bench just inside the main entrance gallery and waited. Several minutes later, she was joined by Corley.

  Ladan was the last to arrive. As Ladan passed by her, he shot her a quick, stern glance, clearly disapproving of her actions on the previous night, but decided not to call her out. He quickly found an empty bench and waited for someone to acknowledge they were aboard.

  The wait wasn’t longer than ten minutes, and Lorenzo himself stepped aboard with Naomi nipping at his heels. He immediately spotted his new crew members and stepped over in front of them. “Good morning, you three,” He acknowledged politely. He gave quick introductions. “All three of you should have received your cabin assignments by now. Naomi and I have to get on the bridge, but I will send someone up in a few minutes to show you to your cabins. Just sit tight. Welcome aboard the Firehawk.”

  Lorenzo and Naomi departed, leaving the recruits in silence. After the previous night’s events, it was probably the most uncomfortable silence either of them had ever experienced. They didn’t have to wait long for their escort, but even that came at an unexpected cost. From deeper within the ship came a lone figure, initially partially cloaked in the shadows of the ship’s low power mode. The lights were aglow, but very dim.

  The figure rounded the corner of the entrance galley, and everybody looked up at him, and the temperature ran even colder than it had already been. Natey’s eyes opened wide, and her mouth dropped with a mostly excited, shocked grin, while Corley’s expression was neutral. But where the room felt of ice was etched firmly on Ladan’s face. There was absolutely no warmth radiating from him.

  Jersey and Natey’s eyes met with a passionate intensity, but he didn’t outwardly react, even though he was jumping with excitement. Despite the realization that the beautiful woman he’d just spent the entire night making love to was now also his new crewmate, right now, he had a duty to perform. “Welcome, you guys,” he said kindly. “My name is Jersey. The admiral sent me up here to show you to your cabins, so follow me, please.”

  The three of them rose without hesitation and waited for him to lead.

  Jersey checked his wrist computer. “Ladan, you are in B-21, and Corley, you have B-22. Natey, the captain has you in,” a pause as he double-checked for confirmation. “C-15. “Let’s go.” Jersey led them through the ship to the lifts, taking them down to B deck. The whole time he escorted them, unknown to him, Ladan kept a sharp, loathing eye affixed to the back of his head, but didn’t say anything or act.

  The lift doors opened on B-Deck, and they all stepped out. “On this ship, we have two unwritten rules,” Jersey announced calmly. “I’m assuming you met Navigator Naomi. She is completely hands-off to everybody. She is Lorenzo’s woman. And an extension to that is that if you happen to be on or near the bridge and you see the red light above the door to the captain’s cabin on, do not disturb unless it’s a dire emergency. That light is only ever turned on when Lorenzo and Naomi are busy. Other than that, he runs a relaxed ship.”

  Jersey was just offering up some helpful advice. He didn’t see the bomb in Ladan’s eyes when he mentioned Lorenzo and Naomi’s love-making ritual. Those eyes felt less like eyes and more like serrated daggers, and Ladan was ready to plunge them right into Jersey’s heart.

  Finally, Jersey reached B-21 and stopped. He turned to face Ladan. “This is your cabin, Ladan. They’re all fairly spacious and comfortable. I think you’ll like it. Corley, yours is right over there,” he said, pointing to the room directly across the hall. “One last thing, you can go to the mess hall and eat anytime you want, but we serve dedicated meal times at 0800, 1200, and 1700 hours each day.”

  Neither Ladan or Corley said a word as they disappeared inside their cabins. As soon as Ladan’s automatic sliding door slid shut, Jersey and Natey heard a muffled, yet loud bang as something slammed hard against Ladan’s cabin wall, but they chose to pay it no mind.

  “And Natey, follow me,” Jersey insisted and then led her back to the lift.” Once the lift door closed, they immediately faced each other, ready to release their sheer surprise.

  “You’re here?” Natey boasted. “How the hell did we not learn that we’re now crewmates?” She paused, and a huge smile formed on her lips. “Don’t answer that.”

  “Because we spent all night learning each other inside and out,” Jersey shot back wryly.

  “I told you not to answer,” she said playfully. “I’m still weak in the knees, I hope you know that,” she teased. “I blame you.”

  “Me?!” Jersey contested. “I seem to recall that you wanted to find somewhere ‘quieter, with fewer eyes, and a world of infinite possibilities.’”

  “I did,” Natey replied softly, as she gently caressed his chest with her index finger. “But you gave me something so much more fulfilling!” She leaned in again and planted her lips to his just as the lift doors opened and in stepped Raven and Nealon.

  They briefly paused when they saw Jersey and Natey’s lips were locked, but didn’t want to intrude. Raven and Nealon, too, were holding hands. Nealon was a brooding male Veylar, his broad shoulders nearly brushing the lift frame. His head just barely fit beneath the door without having to slump. A faint trace of ozone and lavender followed him in—either his natural scent or the filtration system he maintained.

  Natey pulled apart quickly. She wasn’t embarrassed she’d been caught kissing Jersey. She merely wanted to greet the new faces. “Hello,” she said with a polite smile.

  “Pleasant greetings, human,” Nealon replied, his voice softer than his rugged appearance would suggest.

  “Hello,” announced Raven, his Virellan core shimmering in a soft blue tone. “Sorry if we interrupted something.”

  “You’re fine, Raven,” Jersey replied quickly. “This is Natey, by the way. She’s one of our three new crew members. I’m showing her to her room.”

  “I didn’t know we were getting new crew members,” Raven announced curiously. “I guess that’s why Counselor Hitu called us yesterday while we were trying to dock. Well, since we are going to be sharing the ship now, my name is Raven, and this is my husband, Nealon. I am the ship’s communications officer, and he is our atmospheric engineer and a member of our security team. He maintains the systems that give us the very clean air we breathe and the water we drink. Our ship isn’t large enough to self-maintain an ecological zone like Gantry Station, and so we need people like him to keep us alive.”

  “She’s a new crew member, and you’re already kissing friends?” Nealon bluntly observed, immediately making Natey blush.

  “Well, we…” she tried to say before being cut off mid-sentence.

  “Please, you don’t have to elaborate,” Nealon interrupted with polite intent. “I already know. I can sense these things. Don’t be embarrassed. Own your choices and be happy with what you have.”

  “Oh, I already am,” Natey replied with a grin. “Well, it was a pleasure meeting both of you. We will let you get to your stations. I know we’re about to depart soon, and I need to get settled in.”

  Jersey escorted Natey out into the hall while Raven and Nealon stepped inside the lift and vanished behind the closing doors.

  Natey took Jersey’s hand as he started walking down the hall to her cabin. “So, we are going to C15, right?”

  “Yes, and would you like to know something else?”

  “What?” Natey asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

  “Your cabin is right next to mine,” Jersey announced to her complete surprise. “I’m in C13.”

  Natey was giddy at the news, but also curious. “Jersey? Did you do this?”

  “No, I swear,” He answered sincerely. “I didn’t even know you were joining our crew until the admiral sent me to show you to your cabins. He makes the crew’s living assignments. That’s all, Lorenzo. This is a very happy coincidence, I promise you.”

  They reached Natey’s cabin and stepped inside. Jersey stopped just inside the door. He couldn’t stay with her now, even though he really wanted to. “I have to go to my station. I’m one of the cooks aboard this ship. I have to start the early preparations for the dinner run. I’ll be free after 1800 hours if you want to meet back up.”

  Natey spun around to face him and caressed his face, slowly and seductively. “I’d love that. See you then.” She stepped away, shot him a glance back, and wiggled her booty for his enjoyment.

  The atmosphere on the bridge was less playful and more professional. Everybody was at their assigned stations, and Lorenzo was seated in his official capacity in the captain’s chair, uniform sharp and pressed as ever. “Raven, get us our clearance to leave. Naomi, finalize your system checks.”

  Both followed orders without question. The moment Raven received the response from Gantry docking control, he relayed it to Lorenzo. “Sir, we have clearance to depart.”

  “Final checks complete, Admiral,” Naomi interjected. “Ready to leave on your command.”

  “Good,” Lorenzo announced. “Raven, open a ship-wide channel.”

  Raven tapped on his console. “Channel open, sir. The floor is yours.”

  “Attention, Firehawk crew,” Lorenzo announced with his commanding voice. “Make your final checks for departure. We have three new crew members aboard, specialists in a scientific field. Our mission has new parameters, which I will address before we arrive at our destination. For now, let's just enjoy the ride.”

  “Channel closed,” Raven said calmly, acknowledging the finality in Lorenzo’s words.

  “Naomi, the ship is yours. Take us out.”

  “Aye, sir,” Naomi replied with a quick nod. Though she and Lorenzo were romantic partners, when she was at her post, neither deviated from their professional respect. They found the perfect balance between their professional and personal lives, and that’s probably why they garnered the respect their crew showed towards them.

  As usual, Naomi’s superior flight skills shone through. She guided the vessel out of the dock effortlessly and began plotting the course that would take them to PSA-261. Naomi adhered strictly to port speed. The Interstellar Navigation Accord established that no ship was allowed to exceed five percent of light speed within a radius of one astronomical unit of any occupied space station or planetary body. This was for safety reasons, as these zones could often become congested with high traffic.

  As such, the trip from Gantry Station to the distance boundary took around three hours before Naomi was able to engage the ship’s faster-than-light engine, which would accelerate the vessel to a maximum velocity of three times the speed of light. While extremely fast, it was still incredibly slow when considering that PSA-261 was approximately three hundred seventy-five light-years away.

  When the ship finally reached its maximum FTL speed, Naomi engaged the ship's powerful inertia dampeners with a flick of her wrist against her console. And then she rapidly moved her fingers along the controls, inputting the data needed for the first of a projected five galaxy jumps to come.

  The ship’s communication system pinged, and the ship’s virtual assistant started to speak. The synthesized voice was feminine and carried subtle, yet audible digital harmonics, but sounded mostly natural. “Galaxy jump will commence in ten minutes. Inertia dampeners engaged.”

  The Galaxy jump went off without a hitch. The jump core effectively folded spacetime, and the ship would instantaneously accelerate and skip over a distance of 65 light-years. After which, the core would gradually decelerate the vessel to safe speeds to protect hull integrity. For the Firehawk, safe speeds were three times light speed. The deceleration normally took around eight hours.

  As soon as the jump started, Naomi’s duties were done until the jump ended. The process was fully automated during the jump. There was no way to override it either. Once activated, you had no choice but to ride it out.

  Lorenzo rose from his command chair. “Very nice work, Naomi. Another perfectly executed Galaxy jump. Everybody on the bridge, you are dismissed until the jump concludes.”

  The bridge crew rose from their chairs and dispersed. Naomi didn’t leave. Rather, she chose to accompany Lorenzo into their shared cabin. Technically, the cabin belonged solely to Lorenzo, but as she was his partner, they lived there together. She did not have a separate cabin to call home.

  The door to the captain’s cabin was just outside, and adjacent to the door leading onto the bridge. Lorenzo escorted her inside, and the door closed behind them. Barely a second later, the light above turned red.