Last Exile Fan Fiction ❯ Soft Options ❯ Escalation ( Chapter 6 )

Soft Options

 

Rating: NC17/X

 

By: AZ

 

Chapter 6: Escalation

-

“Sophia!” The Queen turned to see Claus jogging toward her. She had gone from the heavy transport to her cabin to chance, since the royal gowns were not practical aboard a warship. Besides, I feel more comfortable with my uniform on when I'm here, she thought to herself. Her guard blocked the passage in front of Claus.

“Do you have an audience with her Majesty?” asked the man coldly. Claus stopped in front of him, frowning.

“Audience? What's that? I just need to talk to Sophia.” he said, wonder what the guard was talking about.

“Guardsman, it's fine.” came Sophia's voice, calm and authoritarian. “We will always have time to speak with Lord Valca.” she said, a tiny edge of warning in her voice. The guard immediately stepped aside.

“As you will, Majesty.” he said crisply, saluting. Claus looked around, trying to see who this `Lord Valca' might be. Sophia had to silence a giggle when she saw him looking around.

“We will speak in our cabin, Claus.” she said warmly, inclining her head. Claus stopped looking around and nodded.

“Ok, Sophia.” he said, stepping past her into her cabin. Sophia turned to her guardsman.

“We do not wish to be disturbed unless it is of the gravest importance. You understand, correct?” she said. The man silently saluted. Stepping into her cabin, she closed the door and dogged it before turning to Claus; only to find him staring at her gowns.

It was the first time that he had seen her up close in anything other than her uniform or naked, and he had to admit, he loved what he saw. The low-cut gown accented her cleavage in a lace-trimmed showcase of feminine charm, and the tight-laced bodice of the gown flattered her narrow waist and the curve of her hips. Sophia's warm, soft, shiny chestnut hair hung down her back nearly to her waist, and the tiny amount of makeup highlighted the delicate features of her face, without detracting from her youthful appearance.

It wasn't that Claus didn't know she was beautiful; after all, he had slept with her and even the plain, utilitarian uniform she wore couldn't hide her curves. No, it was more that he had never seen her figure shown off that way. For the greater part of his life, he had spent his time with and around people who dressed in flight suits. Even Lavie stopped wearing dresses when Justine had died, switching to pants and shirts like Claus wore. He had forgotten just how pretty a dress could look on a woman. And now, Sophia's outfit was reminding him of that fact in spades.

Sophia found herself unconsciously showing herself off to Claus, slowly turning from side to side as she waited for him to finish drinking in the sight of her. She felt her groin tingle and grow warm and wet as his eyes roved all over her. It was all to easy for her to remember what had happened in this very cabin the evening before she left for the capitol. And here I am again, with Claus, in my cabin, and horny! thought the young woman. Her eyes touched the simple god ring on her left ring finger. But this time, I'm a married woman - even if it is just a state wedding! She pushed those thoughts from her mind when Claus's voice drifted to her.

“Beautiful.” he breathed. Sophia smiled warmly at him.

“Thank you, Claus.” she said softly, reaching out to touch his face fondly. “So, what did you want to talk about?” she asked him, guiding him back some so she could retrieve one of her uniforms from the cramped dresser. Feeling her bed behind his knees, he sank back to sit on the bed.

“I wanted to talk to you about Al.” he said, suddenly remembering why he had run to the living area decks when he heard her voice on the intercom. “What's going to happen to Al, Sophia?” he asked her urgently. Sophia stopped laying out her uniform and turned to look at him squarely, leaning over a little to look him squarely in the eyes.

“Al is very important to us, Claus. Without her, we can't defeat the Guild.” said the woman softly. Claus frowned.

“So, she's a commodity to you?” he asked, his tone warning her of his suspicions. Sophia pressed a finger to his lips, shaking her head slowly.

“No, Claus.” she denied. “Al is the most important person in the world right now, and you have my personal word that I will protect her to death.” promised the Queen. Hearing the woman give her word, Claus exhaled in relief, slumping just a little.

“Thank you, Sophia.” he breathed. As he inhaled, he caught a nose-full of her scent. His dick, semi-hard from his earlier visual molestation of her, snapped to full stand as his eyes fell to her cleavage, which he could now see even more of - including the tops of her pale pink areolas. He noticed that they were getting puffier as he watched. Her perfume must have been applied to her throat and breasts, because each breath he took was overflowing with the heady scent.

Sophia found herself leaning closer to him as his breathing quickened. Without conscious thought, her lips met his in a soft kiss. Claus responded immediately, his arms coming up, his hands resting on her sides, just behind her breasts. When his lips parted and his tongue slithered out, her tongue met his half-way. Leaning forward into the kiss, she toppled him back onto her bed, his arms catching her as best as he could, though neither broke the kiss. Settling on top of him, Sophia's pussy was beyond tingling; it was throbbing impatiently and had already flooded her panties. In the thin concealment of her gown's top, her nipples were hard and attempting to tear through the top.

Pinned under the woman, Claus could feel his dick throb against her belly. Moving his hand, he combed them through the silken mass of her hair, which was spread out on either side of her head. Reaching the end of her hair, he moved his hand up to caress her cheek. Breaking the kiss, the woman eased back from him, panting slightly. “Claus.” she said softly. The young man brushed the backs of his fingers along her cheek, to her neck, then over the exposed tops of her breasts. Her entire body trembled at his touch.

“Sophia.” he breathed, his hand slipping into her gown's top to cup a breast. A moan came from her as she lightly bit her lower lip.

“D…don't ruin the gown.” she managed, carefully - and regretfully - tugging his hand out of her gown's neckline before pulling back and standing once more. Claus blinked at her, confused for a moment. Moving her hand behind her back, she untied the small bow at the base of her spine that would allow her to loosen the gown. Smiling at him, she reassured him that he hadn't done anything wrong. “This gown is surprisingly delicate, Claus. Let's get it off me, hmm?” she suggested. Claus's grin was immediate.

“Ok.” he agreed, sitting up. Sophia could easily see his tented pants. Her tongue slipped out and ran across her lips. Feeling the gown go slack, she next untied the hidden ties at her wrists and shoulders before tugging it over her head, leaving her in the under-gown. Carefully setting the outer gown aside, she grabbed a handful of the thin cotton inner gown in her hands and prepared to pull it off her. It was cut to support her breasts without covering then, and it was tied just below her full breasts.

“Claus, pull on that bow, will you?” she purred. Nodding, Claus deftly untied the bow, the gown going slack. Sophia pulled it over her head and set it on top of the outer gown. Now, she wore only her silk slip. It swiftly joined the under gown and outer gown. Claus swallowed as he saw her last bit of clothing: a lace and silk pair of panties that hardly covered anything, and were tied on her hips with thin silk strings. A twitch from his groin told him how much his dick approved of the flimsy garment.

Reaching forward, he tugged the bows loose on both hips, the scrap of cloth and lace fluttering to the floor of her cabin, leaving Sophia bare to his gaze. His eyes settled on her glistening nether lips, sitting just below her neatly trimmed patch of dark brown fur. Sliding forward, he knelt in front of the woman, his face moving forward so his lips met her lower lips, his tongue slipping out to sample her flavor. Sophia gasped as she realized what he was about to do.

“Wait!” she begged. “Let me lie down first.” Claus licked his lips as he stood and stepped aside so Sophia could lay down on her bed. While she got comfortable, Claus did as well, stripping off his tunic and pants, and working his shorts past his raging hard-on. Free of his clothes, he looked back to Sophia, finding the woman to be waiting on him, legs eased apart, a healthy blush on her face as she stared at his erection. Moving back to her, Claus settled next to her before moving back to his feast.

With better access, he was able to really work on her drooling sex. His tongue slid up and down her slit, dipping into her molten core before tickling her clit. From top to bottom, he devoured her pussy, eagerly drinking in all of her nectar that he could find. Using his fingers to ease her lips open, he worked his tongue into her as deeply as he could, mining for more of her tasty treat. Soft moans and the occasional wet slurp filled the cabin.

While Claus was busy consuming her, Sophia's hands found their way to her breasts, where the rolled her nipples between thumbs and forefingers, tugging on the hard tips and gently pinching them. It didn't take her long to climax, and even as she recovered from the first visit to heaven, Claus was working on her second trip there. Instead of sating her desire, his touch added fuel to the fire. I need him in me! thought the Queen lustfully.

Eventually Claus paused, having had his fill of her honey for the moment. His dick ached for release, and he knew that if he didn't take care of that soon, he would not like the results. Fortunately for him, when he paused his oral attentions, Sophia saw her chance, and released her breasts, seizing his head in her hands and pulling him on top of her. “Claus, enough teasing!” she breathed in his ear before kissing him deeply, unconcerned with her own juice covering his lips and chin. “Fuck me, Claus, please!” she begged before sealing his lips with her own once more.

Never one to turn down a request from a pretty girl, Claus adjusted his position and felt her entrance at his tip. Without pause, he pushed into her, a small flood of her copious fluids easing his entrance into her passage. A lustful groan came from her throat as Claus entered her tight passage. Working his arms around her shoulders, Claus pumped harder into her, soon reaching her deepest depths. With his member fully in her, he began to stroke in and out of her, gaining speed and power. Soon, he was hammering into her with abandon, grunting as he bottomed out in her sheath. Sophia was drooling in pleasure, her head thrown back as she lost herself in the feeling of Claus fucking her very willing body.

Nearing the edge, Claus straightened a little, catching her heels in his hands. Lifting and spreading her legs by his grip on her heels, he opened her up as much as he could, allowing a tiny bit more penetration as he feverishly hammered into her passage. The change in angle, tightness and depth agreed with Sophia very much as she felt a fast, heavy orgasm slam over her. “Yes!” she cried out, seeing multi-colored spots before her eyes. “Cum in me, Claus!” she demanded, grabbing his arms with her hands, though she made no move to disrupt his position.

“Sophia!” gritted Claus, teetering on the edge himself. “Cumming!” he exclaimed, stabbing as deeply into her as he could, his cum blasting from him directly into her womb. Three full jets and two smaller ones flooded the Queen's uterus and overflowed into her stuffed vaginal passage. Slowly, Claus relaxed his arms, letting her legs down to rest on the bed on either side of his own. His body came to rest on top of Sophia's own, her arms holding him to her fondly.

“Mm. Thanks, Claus.” she purred. “That was just what I needed.”

“My pleasure, Sophia.” yawned the young man. Sophia suspected that - as usual - he was more tired than her, and decided to indulge herself while she could. Doubtlessly, either Lavie or Al will come looking for him, and once the operation gets under way, there will be no time for this, so… the Queen kissed Claus's forehead.

“Will you take a nap with me, Claus?” she asked him, wrapping her legs around his. “I think we could both use it.” she added huskily. Stifling another yawn, Claus nodded. “Ok, Sophia.” he agreed. Relaxing, the two drifted toward sleep. Something came back to Claus, though, and he asked Sophia about it. “I saw a ring on your hand. What's with that?” he wondered. Sophia froze for a moment.

“Well…” she said slowly. Better just tell him flat out, Sophia. she told herself. “I married the King of Disith day before yesterday.” she said, bracing herself for his reaction. Claus had no reaction.

“Oh. Tatiana said you might do that.” he yawned, getting comfortable on top of her. “Is he nice?” wondered the young man. Sophia bit her lip.

“Yes, he's nice.” she said. “Ours is a state wedding, Claus.” she added. Claus just blinked at her.

“What does that mean?” he asked her. It was a surprise to her to realize that he had no idea there was a difference between marriage and a state marriage. Maybe, this could… she tried to dislodge that thought.

“It means that we married for political stability, Claus.” she said. “King Scheer is older than my grandfather was.” she added with brutal honesty. Claus's eyes showed that that meant jack to him as well. “Um, what do you know about marriage, Claus?” asked the Queen. Claus shrugged.

“Mom and dad were married.” he offered. “I think that Lavie's mom and dad were married, too, but I'm not sure. From time to time, the other van ship pilots and their navigators would ask us when we were getting married, but we didn't really understand what they meant.” he said. “Is marriage something important?” he asked curiously. Sophia's eyes were wide.

“You don't know…!” she began, stunned, but then considered it. “No, I suppose that you wouldn't.” she murmured. What's the point, Sophia? she asked herself. It's not like he would get it, and even if you did explain it to him, what use would that be to him? Better have this discussion with Lavie first, then come back to it with him if necessary. she decided. “It's noting, really. Just something that we women place a measure of importance in.” she smiled at her little evasion. “For now, just remember that when we're around the crew, we need to keep this,” she hugged him, “secret.” she finished. It wouldn't help any if our sleeping together gets around. she thought grimly.

“Sure.” agreed Claus passively. “Is it supposed to be a secret when you have sex with a married woman?” he wondered. Sophia giggled softly. “If you're not the husband, yes.” she laughed. Claus frowned.

“Mom and Lavie's dad never bothered to hide it.” he mused. Sophia's view and understanding of the world wobbled at his statement.

-

“Our mission is simple.” said Sophia that evening. She was standing in the chart room with Alex, Vincent, and Wina. “We are taking the Silvana and the Urbonis into the Grand Stream, since they are the only two ships which do not have Guild units in them. We will locate Exile, and capture it, using Al and the mysterions. With Exile under our control, we will have the upper hand against the Guild. It is then that our entire fleet will attack the Guild headquarters.” she said.

“Furthermore, we have only until six days to do this.” she added after a pause. Vincent and Alex exchanged looks.

“Not enough time, your Majesty.” said Alex bluntly. Sophia shook her head.

“It is all the time we have, Alex.” she said simply. On the thirteenth of Tragos, the Guild will start their Covenant celebration, which will consume all their attention. On the morning of the fifth day, our special forces will seize the Claudia units in our ships, and whatever ships survive the operation will mass for the attack. We expect that the Guild will likely have few warships ready to counter us due to the festival. We must smash them now, or we will lose this war before it can truly begin.” she stressed.

“The Grand Stream is a hard place to search, your Majesty.” pointed out Vincent. Sophia nodded.

“Yes, Vincent, I know; I've been in it before, you will recall.” she gave her friend a small smile. “However, our new alliance with the Disith has already born fruit in addition to the ceasefire.” she said, pulling a carefully rolled map out of her uniform jacket. As she unrolled it, the simple gold ring on her left hand glinted in the light of the room. “King Scheer gave me two items for our part of the plan.” she explained, unrolling the map with a flick of her hand.

Wina gasped. “That's…!” she began, but bit the rest of her sentence off, all too aware that Sophia was the Queen of Anatory, and that she was the only enlisted person in the room.

“Correct, Wina.” confirmed Sophia, smiling at her secret weapon. “It is a map of the Grand Stream. The Disith have managed to map nearly all of it, and as a sign of their good faith, they have provided a copy of the map and another item.” she said. “Alex, if you please, where did you encounter Exile last time.” she asked crisply.

Alex slowly trailed his fingers along the map. Sophia knew that he was reliving one of the worst moments in his life, and though she felt sorry for making him do so, she knew that it was simply a necessary evil. Because `last time' means the day that he lost Euris - and Claus and Lavie lost their fathers. she thought. More than that, we lost a chance to forge a peace with the Disith. How many died because of that? she crushed that thought as Alex's fingers drifted deeper into the heart of the Grand Stream. Slowly, it stopped, perhaps better than half-way to Disith territory.

“It was about here.” he said quietly, still hearing the shrieking of his ship as it began to come apart, and the look of bored amusement in the eyes of the Maestro Delphine. His blood boiled anew. You have not yet escaped my revenge, Maestro! he snarled silently. Vincent and Sophia blinked at the point where Alex's finger rested. They got that far?! the two thought simultaneously.

“So far…” breathed Vincent. Alex shrugged.

“Following the lead ship isn't as hard as you might imagine.” he muttered. Not for the first time, he wondered if what he had done to Claus and Lavie could be forgiven by their fathers.

“Even so, that leaves a lot of space, Majesty.” noted Vincent, seeing Alex's eyes go cold and hard.

“Which is where the second item comes into play.” she said, motioning to the simple audio player set on the corner of the table. Dutifully, the others settled their headphones and Sophia started the machine, which began to play back the recording. Over the roar and shriek of high, violent winds, a deep, rhythmic sound came through. The recording was short, and when it was done, Sophia removed her headphones and turned to look directly at Wina. “That is the sound of Exile's engines.” she said to the girl. “We are counting on you, Wina. Take this recording and memorize it.” she ordered the girl. Wina saluted.

“Yes, ma'am!” she replied crispy before blushing. “I mean, your Majesty!” she corrected herself. Sophia smiled at her.

“Vice Captain is fine, Wina.” she assured the girl. Turning to the two men in the group, she moved on with her agenda. “Speaking of that, I am transferring my command to the Silvana.” announced the Queen. “Vincent, I am relying on you and the Urbonis to take care of the acoustic torpedoes we will need to locate the target.” she instructed the other captain.

“Majesty, I must protest!” Vincent cried. “The Silvana is a…” he froze, feeling the cold look from Wina, and the slit-eyed gaze of Alex on him. “…rather, the Urbonis is a far more advanced ship than this, and far more stable in the Grand Stream.” he finished.

“Yes. However, I have an uncommonly good rapport with the crew of the Silvana, and had become accustomed to how she handles the Grand Stream.” countered Sophia. Besides, Claus is on this ship. a tiny part of her mind leered. “Also, Alvis Hamilton is on this ship, and it is in our best interest to keep a close, personal, watch on her.” said Sophia, slipping into the royal plural.

“We could easily transfer her to the Urbonis.” Vincent suggested even though he knew the signs that Sophia would not budge on this issue.

“You have your orders, Captain Alzay.” said the Queen. Vincent saluted her.

“Yes, your Majesty.” he said crisply. “Are you assuming command of the Silvana?” he asked her, knowing that that would put a burr in Alex's already touchy coat. Sophia looked at Alex while she answered.

“No. Captain Row will retain command. Only in extreme circumstances will I take command.” she said, maintaining eye contact with Alex. Sorry, Alex, but I know all too well what happens when you get close to Maestro Delphine, and this mission is too important for your personal crusade to take precedent over it. she silently apologized to him. Alex made no reply. “Very well, gentlemen; and Wina.” said the Queen. “We will begin preparations to enter the Grand Stream immediately.” she directed the two.

As they filed out, Alex paused to murmur to Sophia. “We need to speak privately, Sophia.” he hissed silently. Sophia nodded.

“Yes, we do.” she added just as quietly.

-

Al's surprise party had been a big hit, and now, with Exile before them, the van ships were preparing to head in. Tatiana was briefing the teams, and all five planes were going in. Dio had accepted the `request' to be navigator for Claus, and though Claus was hoping that Lavie would fly with him, he respected her choice to stay on board. So, he would fly with the weird younger brother of the woman that they were at war with.

“How's that?” called up Lavie from where she was working on the motors of the ship that Claus was piloting. Dip shook his head.

“Not nearly enough! You send us out like that, and we're dead!” he told her, sounding disturbingly entertained by that notion. Lavie gave Claus a sour look.

“I don't know about you, Claus, but Guild boy is beginning to get on my nerves!” she complained, even as she set about increasing the output.

“We have to listen to him, Lavie.” reasoned Claus. “He's flown in the Grand Stream before, and we haven't. Besides, I think we can trust him; on this, anyway.” he added under his breath. Lavie just snorted and worked her magic on the engines. Lucciola stood silently by, watching Lavie work.

“You will be careful, won't you, Lord Dio?” he asked. Dio waved the concern away.

“You worry too much, Lucciola.” he said airily. “If I was careful all the time, I wouldn't have any fun!” Lucciola said nothing.

“Well, Claus, you've got everything the ship can give.” announced Lavie a few minutes later. “Any tighter, and she'd explode.” pronounced the girl. “She still might, if you push her too hard, too long, so promise me, if the engines start to lose power or the Claudia sender unit begins to rattle, that you'll turn back immediately.” she warned her partner. I'm not ready to lose you, Claus! she silently thought to the young man.

“You got it, Lavie.” he assured her. Looking around, he didn't see Al anywhere. “Where's Al?” he asked Lavie.

“She's with Sophia on the bridge.” said the short girl. “I thought she'd be safer up there than down here, with the winds and all.” she explained. Claus nodded.

“Ok.” he agreed, settling into his seat and fastening his belts. “Take care of her, ok, Lavie?” She smiled at him and gave him a thumbs-up.

“Sure!” she promised. The van ship was pushed toward the launch platform beside Tatiana's red van ship One. Looking over at Tatiana and Alister, he saw them both give him a thumbs-up, which he returned.

“Don't think about them, Immelman.” cautioned Dio. “You have to concentrate on your own flying. The Grand Stream is unforgiving!” Claus nodded.

“Ok.” he agreed on intercom. The lift engaged, and the two planes rose toward the flight deck, the armored lift deck lifting to reveal the grey semi-light of the Grand Stream. The deck crew - each with three separate safety lines connected to their sturdy harnesses - wrestled around the deck, hooking up tether lines to the two planes. Claus found that even with the engines at idle, the plane was trying to take off due to the high winds. Seeing a wave from the ground crew, he hit the switch to activate the ship's lights as his intercom crackled. Once final glance at Tatiana's ship, and he pushed the throttles forward, the small van ship leaping from the deck and immediately falling astern of the Silvana.

Claus wrestled with the controls, while Dio just howled in delight. “You don't get to feel any of this in a Guild ship!” he exclaimed happily. Claus grunted as he fought the stick with all his might. This must be what it was like for our dads! he thought, feeling closer to his father then than he had in a long time. “Don't fight the winds, Immelman!” came Dio's voice. “Move with the winds and let them do the work!” he advised. Claus wondered what he meant until he realized that the ship was moving in several different currents, and by moving from current to current, he could actually maneuver pretty good.

Wina was saying something over intercom to him, but he couldn't spare the time to answer. Dio said something back to her about not breaking Immelman's concentration. He heard the relay from Tatiana that ship five had been lost, its tether snapped. A moment later, ship two announced contact with Exile. With the target confirmed, the remaining ships swarmed toward the target, anchor torpedoes ready. Almost instantly, ship two was knocked out of the fight with a destroyed engine. Seconds later, ship four was destroyed. That left him and Tatiana in the fight. Tatiana managed to get her torpedo launched, but the defense mechanism of Exile blocked it before it could hit.

A glancing blow damaged her ship, and Alister warned them that an engine was dead. The effects of a lost engine were clearly seen, as the red ship was unable to maintain any meaningful maneuvering strategy. Claus yelled at Tatiana to get back to the ship before the other engine blew out. Unlike she might have done before their desert encounter, Tatiana reluctantly listened to him, and turned back.

“Now that the rest are out of our way, let's bag Exile, Immelman!” Dio excitedly exhorted his pilot. Claus moved his ship into attack position and dove in. Dio explained that the shot had to get under the moving blocks of the defense mechanism, and told Claus to close in until he gave the word. Trusting the strange young man, Claus did as told, emptying the cannons as he bore in toward the target. Just when he thought that Dio had messed up, he heard Dio yell to fire, and his thumb hit the switch, the torpedo dropping free and the streaking ahead as he snapped the ship up and away from a tentacle grab.

“Bull's eye!” yelled Dio. With the anchor torpedo buried in place, their mission was done. Getting clear of the huge form of Exile, Claus moved back toward the Silvana, reporting mission complete. He didn't get an answer from the ship, but figured that when Dio had purged their tether, it had broken the intercom line to the ship. As they made their way back to the ship, Dio began to sing the song that the crew had cobbled together for his birthday.

-

Lavie struggled with her ropes. She - along with the rest of the crew - were trussed up on the mechanical deck floor, the Guild raiding party having taken off with Alex, Claus and Al not thirty minutes before. Fortunately, Tatiana had gotten suspicious about something being wrong as she came back in from the mission to anchor to Exile, and when she landed her crippled van ship, she had been just in time to see Alex burst out of a passage way, gun blazing as two white-clad Guild members tried to subdue Sophia.

Even as the two fell, Alex had grabbed Sophia's arm, dragging her toward the auxiliary lift, where a heavy transport sat. Snapping an order at Tatiana and Alis, he had nearly thrown Sophia into the compartment, taking an instant to apologize for his treatment of the Queen before slamming the door. Tatiana and Alis had immediately understood the facts of his actions and scrambled into the transport's cockpits, engaging the engines as the lift rose toward the deck. Getting Sophia to the Urbonis and the then getting the Urbonis away from the area was more important that anything else.

Not five minutes had passed since they left when Claus and Dio had landed. Lavie had been unable to say anything to warn them, as there was a Guild guard watching them. Minutes passed, and then the elevator from the bridge opened and Lavie had seen Claus, Al and Dio in the middle of a group of Guild raiders. Before anyone could react, Alex had rushed the group, his gun firing rapidly. When it ran dry, he had stabbed at the woman who led the group; he would have made it if not for the man that was always beside the woman. His movements reminded Lavie of Lucciola's. She heard the woman call him Cicada.

Unable to do anything, Lavie and rest had watched as the woman supervised the collection of Alex's unconscious form. Patting Al's hair, she had told her that she would be coming with them back to the headquarters of the Guild for a party. Al cringed as the woman touched her. Claus moved to protect her, but was grabbed by the guards. Laughing, the woman capriciously decided to take him as well.

As the Starfish began to launch, Lavie had managed to crawl over to where she could see Claus as he sat in the cockpit of a van ship that was tied to a Starfish. He had managed to smile at her, promising that he and Al would come back. She had told him that she would be waiting for him, and he had nodded. Now, she was trying to get free, as were the rest of the crew. The Guild had done a good job, though, and she was getting frustrated. Then, over the howling of the winds, she heard a familiar sound: the sound of van ship engines.

Moments later, the heavy transport dropped through the open flight deck elevator and disgorged eight heavily-armed musketeers, Captain Alzay and Sophia. Tatiana and Alister swarmed down from the cockpits. “Sophia!” screamed Lavie in frustration. “They took Claus and Al!” she snarled, her anger fueling her struggles with her bindings.

“The got the Captain, too!” called Godwin. Sophia rushed over, pulling a knife free from her uniform belt and cutting Lavie's bindings before moving over to the others.

“We saw them leaving.” said Tatiana, holding a compact gun. Beside her, Alister held another. Vincent, sword in one hand, gun in the other, directed his men to sweep the ship for any stragglers or demolition devices the Guild might have left. Lavie angrily flung the remnants of her bonds away from her, tears falling from her eyes.

“They took them!” she hissed, her face dropping to rest on her knees. “They took my Claus.” she whispered to herself. Unexpectedly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Sophia kneeling in front of her.

“They took them, yes.” said the woman, carefully hugging the smaller girl. “But, they will not keep them!” vowed the Queen. Standing near the Queen, Vincent continued to scan the area.

“I pity them if they took Alex.” he said. “As bad as he has it in for that bitch, taking him alive is about the worst thing they could have done.”

“They had to take him alive.” muttered Sophia. “He has three of the four mysterions.” she explained. “But, they don't have the final one!” she snarled, patting her jacket. Alex thought this out pretty good. He never read the final one, and entrusted it to me. After all, he can't tell what he doesn't know. the Queen thought grimly. Of greater concern to her was what might happen to Claus and Al. Looking at Lavie, she knew that the girl wasn't going to be functional for the next while, so she caught Tatiana's eye and indicated Lavie with a slight toss of her head. Understanding the meaning of the gesture, Tatiana and Alis carefully picked Lavie up off the deck and moved toward the stairs to the living areas.

With the girl gone, Sophia turned to Vincent. “I am assuming command of the Silvana.” she said evenly. “We are going to launch a quick-strike raid and try to recover the prisoners the Guild took.” she ordered him. He saluted.

“Majesty.” he said simply. Sophia had one more set of instructions for him.

“Vincent,” she said quietly, glancing around to make sure that no one was immediately next to them before continuing. “the recovery of Al and Claus out-weigh all the others. Understood?” she said softly. Vincent's breath caught as her meaning hit him. His jaw tightened.

“I understand, your Majesty.” he said quietly. Sorry Alex, but you brought this on yourself! I hope it was worth it to you, my friend. Taking a deep breath, Sophia turned to the crew.

“All hands, hear this!” she yelled. “As of this moment, I am in command of the ship! We will come about and launch a quick-strike raid to recover the hostages! All hands to their stations!” she yelled. The grey-clad crew scrambled toward their battle stations.

-

“You are awesome, Dunya!” exclaimed Mullin, shocked that the slight Disith girl had defeated pretty much all the contestants in the arm-wrestling contest. Dunya grinned up at him.

“I told you, Mullin, if you wanna be strong, you have to eat bird!” she laughed. Mullin laughed with her as they took their trays of food and found a seat in the mess hall. In between drilling on the Claudia unit capture operation, the combined forces watched the van ships training for their part, and spent time getting familiar with each other. To his surprise, Mullin found that the Disith were much like Anatory soldiers, though the girl who had fallen into being his partner was by far the youngest and smallest of the soldiers. Mullin found himself in a familiar position, feeling the same kind of feelings in his chest that he had felt with Lavie and Tatiana.

This time, though, he was determined not to blow the approach. So, he had followed what Lavie had taught him about girls. He was taking his time getting to know her, he hadn't yet asked her if she wanted to run off with him, and he cum in his pants when she had eventually removed the heavy, red wool coat that the Disith wore, revealing a slim build and a mid-thigh skirt of dark material. Her shirt was short-sleeved and close-fitting, showing off her modest chest while her boots came almost to her knee, and her white stockings came to just below her skirt's hem.

“Two more days.” mused Mullin as the two finished up their meals. Dunya nodded.

“Yes, two more days until we can start hurting the Guild!” she said fiercely. Mullin blinked at her tone. She sounds a lot like Lavie when she talks like that! he thought, feeling his dick harden. “Might as well get in some more practice” said the girl, standing up, her tray empty. “Come on, Mullin!” she called, tossing her head toward the spot where the staff was collecting the dirty trays for washing.

“Coming.” he said, standing as well. He spared a fraction of an instant to be thankful to Lavie that he hadn't meant that literally. The two were half-way to the collection point when one of the Disith ships floating above them suddenly wobbled, then fell, the Guild Claudia unit rising away from it. The soldiers watching it happen murmured among themselves as the ship crashed down.

Surprising him, Dunya sagged back against his chest. “They've gone too far!” she hissed, frustration in her voice. “Why are they doing this now?! she asked bitterly. Mullin squeezed her shoulder.

“We're at war with them now, Dunya.” he said simply. “But don't worry; the crew on that ship are all seasoned veterans. They'll be ok.” he assured her. Dunya looked up at him, her eyes begging for reassurance that they would win. Mullin's dick went hard, tenting his trousers. Almost instantly, he heard Lavie's voice in his head. Calm down, minuteman! If you rush it, you're going to be left with nothing but your dick in your hand! Forcing himself to remain calm, Mullin gently rubbed her arm.

“I think we should get back to practicing, Dunya.” he managed to say, just barely winning the battle with his surging hormones. Confirming his choice, Dunya straightened, her expression turning determined.

“You're right, Mullin.” she said intently. “We have to pay those bastards back for that!” she said. Feeling his dick throb, Mullin hoped that he had made the right move for a change.

-

“How is Lavie?” asked Sophia quietly. The Silvana and Urbonis were closing in on the Guild headquarters deep within the Grand Stream, but it would take them some time to get there, due the fierce headwinds. So, Sophia was grabbing a short nap in her cabin. Tatiana had come by to give her a report.

“It's hard to tell, ma'am.” said the van ship captain. “She is definitely not herself - that much is certain.” said the blonde girl. “She's just curled up on her bed, clutching that stuffed toy ram that Al dropped. She isn't even eating.” replied the girl.

“I see.” sighed the Queen. Without Claus by her side, she's falling apart. realized the older woman. Not surprising, given how involved they are with each other. “Tatiana, see if you can get her interested in working on their van ship. If anything can pull her out of this, it's doing something like that.” directed the woman. Tatiana saluted her.

“I'll try, ma'am.” she said. When Tatiana didn't immediately leave, Sophia realized that she had something else to say.

“What else?” asked Sophia. Tatiana bit her lip before replying.

“We are going to get them back, right?” she asked quietly. Sophia nodded.

“We will do all that can be done, Tatiana.” said the Queen. Without Al, we have no chance. Without Claus, Lavie won't make it. she thought grimly. Tatiana nodded once, then turned and made her way back to the cabin that Lavie, Al and Claus shared. Entering, she found Alister watching Lavie, who was still curled up on her bed, clutching the stuffed ram. Catching Alis's eyes, Tatiana glanced at Lavie. Alis shook her head.

“Hungry, Lavie?” asked Tatiana. The mahogany-haired girl shook her head. “The cooks got a special dish for supper, a fresh bread and grilled meat course, served with fresh vegetables.” she tried to entice the girl.

“I'm not hungry.” murmured Lavie. Lavie not hungry was a warning sign. Tatiana traded glances with Alister.

“Well, how about your van ship?” suggested Tatiana. “You're nearly done with the repairs, right?” she hinted. “You could probably be done by the time that Claus and Al get back. Claus would really be impressed if you had it finished when he came back.” she tried.

“We'll be glad to help you in any way we can.” added Alis. “We're not mechanics, but we could hand you tools or whatever you need.” suggested the girl.

“I can't.” said Lavie softly.

“Can't?” echoed the other two girls. Sighing, Lavie explained what she meant.

“Whenever Claus isn't here, I can't do anything. I'm like a kite without a string, you know? I can't concentrate, I can't get anything to work right…” she trailed off. “It's bad enough when he would just be sick or something, but to have someone take him…” she sniffled. “Pretty pathetic, huh?” she joked roughly. Tatiana shook her head, though the girl couldn't see it.

“No, not really.” said the pilot. “You and he…each other are all you all need, but because of that, if you two are separated, you go to pieces. It's not pathetic, Lavie. It's just the way your relationship works.”

“Neither of us think any the less of you, Lavie.” said Alister softly. “And I know that Claus wouldn't, either.” she added. Lavie didn't respond.

“You should try to have faith in him like he had faith in you, Lavie.” Tatiana tried once more. “He promised you that he would come back with Al, right? And he would never break a promise he made to you, would he?” she reasoned. Lavie slowly shook her head. “And if you promised him something, he'd have complete faith in you, wouldn't he?” she suggested. Lavie nodded once more. “So, how about you have faith in him? You trust him every time you fly together, so trust him now.” she said quietly.

Silence filled the cabin for a long minute, then Lavie spoke. “Yeah.” she murmured. “I…think I might get a bite to eat.” she said, carefully uncurling from the bed and moving toward the door.

“We'll go with you.” said Alister, rising from where she had been sitting on the edge of Al's bed. Tatiana touched her arm as she moved after Lavie. When Alister looked at her, Tatiana leaned over to her and whispered in her ear.

-

Mullin and Dunya slung their muskets over their shoulders as they finished their final practice for the seizure of the Claudia units. Tomorrow morning, the special forces would board their ships and await the order to attack. The entire group was edgy and impatient. They knew how much rode on their success. “Man, I'm beat!” said Dunya. Due to her smaller size and stature, she had to work twice as hard as the rest to keep up in the drills. Mullin nodded.

“Me, too.” he agreed. Both of them were covered in sweat and dirt. “I'm gonna grab a shower and fresh change of clothes.” he decided. He had a clean uniform left, and he figured that this was a good time to use it.

“Sound like a good idea.” agreed Dunya. “I'm pretty ripe.” she grinned up at him. Mullin inclined his head in silent agreement. The facilities at the make-shift base of operations were not that advanced, and it reminded him of the Silvana, with the exception that the shower area was larger. With few women in the ranks - and what few there were graduates of the Military Academy - the shower area wasn't divided.

“Well, sounds like a date.” said Mullin. He was looking forward to getting clean, but the chance to see Dunya naked was certainly not a drawback. Dunya nodded.

“I'm just gonna grab my soap and I'll be right there!” she said, ducking into her tent; she shared a tent with three other Disith soldiers. Mullin moved down a ways to his own tent, finding one of his three tent-mates to be entertaining a woman. Ignoring the two, he dropped his musket onto his cot, peeled off his outer uniform, grabbed his shower kit and moved toward the simple shower area.

“Mullin!” came a voice from behind him. Turning, he saw Dunya jogging toward him, a towel over her shoulders. Reaching the door to the shower area, the two swiftly hung up their towels and stripped off their dirty uniforms. Covertly looking at Dunya, Mullin was impressed with what he saw. She's small, but well-balanced and pretty! he thought in surprise. Her breasts were larger than they looked, though slightly smaller than Lavie's.

Dunya's skin was a light brown shade, and she had a small patch of dark brown hair between her legs. Mullin noticed that her nipples were a shade of brown instead of pink like Lavie's had been, but they were just as beautiful. Looking at her naked form, he noticed some scars here and there. Living in Disith must be hard. he thought. With his attention on Dunya, he didn't realize that his dick was rising to full stand.

Beside him, Dunya was doing her own peeking. He's not too bad looking under that uniform. she thought, liking what she saw. As her eyes fell to his dick, she saw that it was growing harder and standing out. Does that mean that he likes me? she wondered. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched his member grow harder and larger. As it neared full-stand, she began to worry. I didn't think that they would get that large! she thought, concerned.

“Ready?” asked Mullin, forcing his eyes away from her naked body. Take it one step at a time, Mullin. came the Lavie-voice in his head. You don't just stick it in. he reminded himself.

“Uh, sure.” she said, the two moving into the actual shower area. Other than maybe a half-dozen others, they were more or less by themselves. Selecting shower heads next to each other, the two began to scrub away the dirt and sweat. As they progressed, Dunya broke the silence between them. “Hey, which ship are you going to be on?” she asked him. Mullin thought about it for a moment. He hadn't really cared.

“I think I am assigned to the Mad Thane flagship.” he said. It didn't really matter, since the units were identical in each ship, as well as the approaches and layout. Dunya considered that. “Why? What ship are you on?” he asked her.

“I was assigned to the Rowored. She's a Disith fifth-fleet vessel.” supplied the girl. “One of my tent-mates is assigned to the flagship of the Mad Thane fleet, though.” she noted. Mullin weighed his options.

“Say, Dunya,” he began, “what would you say to swapping assignments with your tent-mate? I know it's sudden, but we work well together, and we have been practicing together as a team all this time.” he suggested.

“You want me to switch ships to be with you?” she asked him, sounding surprised.

“Well, I thought…” he began. Damn! Cratered again! he silently groaned.

“Sure. It sounds like a good idea.” she said, interrupting his excuse. “I'll go with you.” she said quietly.

“R…really?” stuttered Mullin, surprised. Dunya nodded, beginning to lather up her legs.

“Really.” she answered easily. Mullin nearly jumped in joy. Finally! he exalted.

-

“What are you two doing?” wondered Lavie as Tatiana and Alister followed her into her cabin. The two glanced at each other before they answered.

“We're staying with you until Claus and Al get back.” said Tatiana. Lavie stared at them.

“We figured that you could use some company.” said Alister softly. Lavie didn't say anything for a moment, then spoke up.

“Suit yourself.” she said quietly, beginning to take off her grey mechanic's uniform. Alister and Tatiana began to peel of their own shipboard uniforms as well. Seeing Lavie pull her top off before unzipping her pants, Tatiana and Alis pulled off their snug black tops as well, leaving them naked save for their thin, black panties. Lavie yawned as she tossed her work pants onto the foot of the bed, absently adjusting her own panties. Pulling the sheets back, she slipped into the bed, pulling the stuffed ram to her chest. Taking a breath, Tatiana glanced at Alister before slipping into bed with Lavie.

Seeing that Lavie had no reaction to that, Alis turned off the lights and climbed into Al's bed. She and her partner had formed a rough plan. They would stay with Lavie, and take turns sleeping beside her until Claus and Al got back. It was the most efficient way to make sure that the girl didn't get any more unstable than she was. Alister had been worried that the past friction between Lavie and Tatiana would cause problems, but Lavie seemed too worn down to care. So, Tatiana takes first turn. thought Alister, getting comfortable.

In the other bed, Tatiana got settled, finding that the narrow bunk necessitated that she snuggle up close to the nearly naked girl beside her. Hesitantly, she pressed herself to Lavie, but the girl didn't react. Seeking a comfortable position, she draped one arm across Lavie's chest, and began to search for a place to put her other arm that wasn't too uncomfortable.

“Like this.” whispered Lavie, turning over and moving half-way on top of Tatiana. Her arms slipped around Tatiana's bare chest, and her face came to rest on the other girl's shoulder. “Now put your arms around me like I did.” she whispered. Doing that, Tatiana found that it was plenty comfortable to sleep like that. Getting a more comfortable grip on the girl in her arms, Tatiana found herself wondering if this was how it felt to Claus when he held her; or, more accurately, when he held Lavie.

With the copious amount of bare skin, Tatiana began to notice things about Lavie. She's a lot smaller than I thought she was. realized the girl. Lavie's aggressive and brash personality served to make her seem larger in the minds of people she met, which was usually an asset to the partnership between her and Claus. Other things became apparent to the blonde. She noticed Lavie's warmth permeating her own body. She noticed how soft Lavie's skin was. She noticed how Lavie's breasts fit nicely with her own. She noticed Lavie's scent.

It shocked the girl to realize that her nipples were hardening as she became more aware of Lavie's body. I'm not into girl! she panicked. So, why am I reacting to her like she was Claus?! Unconcerned with her rational mind's crisis, her body continued to enjoy itself. She could feel her groin growing hot and tingly as her breathing deepened. What am I doing?! she cried out silently. Lavie will go nuts if she finds out that I'm getting turned on from just holding her!

“Tatiana?” came a barely-audible whisper from the girl in her arms. Tatiana flinched. Lavie ignored the flinch. “I…” Lavie fell silent. Taking in an unsteady breath, Tatiana spoke up.

“What is it, Lavie?” she asked. She's going to ask why my nipples are hard and my panties soaked, I just know it!

“I can't sleep.” whispered Lavie. Tatiana wondered what she wanted her to do about that. “And I'm lonely.” added the girl. Tatiana felt her arm slide up her side to her neck, coming to rest on Tatiana's cheek. “Will you…” she trailed off; at least verbally. Leaning up, Lavie's lips met her own, Tatiana's eyes going wide in the darkness.

Her shocked reaction allowed her lips to part, and Lavie exploited that opportunity, her tongue slithering into Tatiana's mouth. Since her mind was currently locked up solid, her instincts took over, and her own tongue rose to caress Lavie's wet oral member even as her arms shifted around the smaller girl. Lavie allowed her to shift her grip since it gave her the opportunity to slip fully on top of Tatiana. It was her preferred sleeping position; and though Tatiana was in no way like Claus, Lavie found that she felt nearly as good as Claus.

Spreading her legs, she trapped one of Tatiana's between her own as she deepened the kiss. Tatiana felt Lavie's hard nipples pressing against her own breasts as the girl ground her thinly-covered sex against her thigh. Deciding that what was fair for Lavie was fair for her, she mirrored Lavie's action with her own sex, rubbing herself against Lavie's thigh. “Mm.” came the soft sound from Lavie as she broke the kiss. Lowering her face to Tatiana's neck, she kissed and nibbled on the spot where her neck met her collarbone.

Biting her lip to keep from waking Alister, If she's asleep! qualified Tatiana, she grabbed the back of Lavie's head and held her in place. The younger girl never stopped licking, sucking and biting on her delicate, sensitive skin. With her free hand, she slicked her palm over Lavie's back from her neck to her tight ass, curiously squeezing it. It was something of a disappointment to her to discover that Lavie's rear was more toned than her own. Dismissing that revelation as immaterial, Tatiana traced the curves of the other girl's ass, hips and upper thighs.

Her exploration of the other girl was interrupted by Lavie pushing her head free of Tatiana's grasp and her rising to hands and knees. Before Tatiana could ask her, Lavie grabbed Tatiana's hand and brought it to the tops of her panties, guiding the fingertips into the waistband of the thin garments. Understanding, Tatiana began to work her panties off her slim hips, feeling Lavie to do the same with her. As she removed Lavie's panties, she found her hand soaked in Lavie's arousal.

Raising her hips to allow Lavie to work her own panties off her legs, Tatiana could feel her own juice coating her thighs as the soaked garment was drawn off her legs. With both of them bare, Lavie wasted no time, moving her hand to the juncture of her partner's legs, her small, delicate fingers exploring the wet, hot folds of Tatiana's flower.

“Lavie!” Tatiana breathed as the young girl's finger swiped over her erect clit. Lavie responded by slipping a finger into the blonde's dripping pussy, swiftly followed by two more. While she hadn't done anything like this with another woman, Lavie figures that what worked for her would likely work for another woman. After all, we're both women, and the plumbing is the same. reasoned the girl. Her thoughts were interrupted by the touch of Tatiana's fingers meeting her own sex.

Oh, god! thought Tatiana as Lavie's fingers invaded her drooling sex. Not as good as Claus, but damn good all the same! she thought happily. A drop of hot, slick fluid reminded her that she had work to do as well. Reaching up, she lightly drug her fingernails from Lavie's bellybutton to her sex, noting in passing that Lavie had very little pubic hair. Finding the smaller girl's sex to be spread and wet, Tatiana slowly pressed her fingertip against Lavie's opening, feeling it slide in easily enough. When Tatiana reached the base of her finger, she could just barely touch Lavie's cervix. Tickling the girl's cervix, she was rewarded by a stifled groan and renewed movement in her own passage. Like that, do you? thought Tatiana with evil delight. Her thumb swung up and around the pubic bone arch, running right over Lavie's button-like clit.

“Ugh!” grunted Lavie, biting her lip as she felt Tatiana's thumb stroke her clit directly. Want to play it that way, Tatiana? thought the smaller girl, releasing her lip and dropping her head to inhale one of the older girl's nipples in her mouth, immediately beginning to suckle on the hard, erect tip. A wordless squeal came from Tatiana as she felt Lavie latch onto her rich coral-pink nipple. She retaliated by working a second finger into the almost too-tight sex of the shorter girl.

A single, quick, deep inhale of breath told her that Lavie approved of her actions. Switching breasts, Lavie used her free hand to assault the spit-slick nipple while her lips tended to the other. Tatiana was running toward a huge orgasm, and hoped that Lavie wasn't far behind her. “Close.” whimpered the blonde. Lavie responded by pushing her last finger into her passage and furiously pumping them in and out of her wet sex as her teeth lightly pinched the trapped nipple in her mouth.

As Tatiana came hard, she used the very last of her control to push her two fingers to the hilt in Lavie's pussy, her thumb landing directly on the girl's clit. Due to the change in her hand's position, her pinky finger came to rest on Lavie's puckered rear door. Even though it wasn't the first time the girl had felt a touch there, it surprised her, the added stimuli triggering her own orgasm. Together, the two rode out their orgasms, Lavie slowly coming to rest on Tatiana's chest like she preferred to do with Claus.

“Mm. Thanks, Tatiana.” whispered the girl, yawning. Tatiana stroked Lavie's back soothingly.

“It was nothing, Lavie.” she assured the girl, basking in her own after-orgasm glow. I never thought it could be like that with a girl! she thought, surprised at how much she had liked it. Almost immediately, she thought of the third girl in the room. I wonder what Alis would think about this? she wondered. Mentally, she shrugged. She'll find out soon enough; after all, tomorrow night is her turn in Lavie's bed! the pilot thought. Her mind returned to one of the initial questions that had yet to be answered. “Lavie, why did you want…that?” asked the blonde, absently pressing a simple kiss to Lavie's forehead.

“I've never slept alone, Tatiana.” whispered the girl, hugging Tatiana closer. “It was always Claus and I together. After our fathers and his mom died, we comforted each other by holding each other tight. Later, we started to pet each other, and then we started having sex. But we were always together.” she paused for a moment before continuing. “But now, he isn't beside me.” she finished.

Hearing that, Tatiana suddenly understood something about Lavie that she had not grasped before. It isn't about sex! It's about comfort! she thought, stunned. With Claus, with Mullin, or with me, she isn't looking for sex for sex; she's looking for comfort and security. Tatiana Wisla was seeing the whole situation in a completely new light. Hugging Lavie gently, she kissed her forehead again. “Don't worry, Lavie.” whispered the girl. “Claus will be back with us soon.” she promised.

-

“Whatcha thinking about, Mullin?” asked Dunya. The two were sitting on the edge of the practice grounds, looking out of the new entrance to Horizon Cave at the night sky. They had finished their showers more than an hour before, but had come out to watch the sky for a bit before trying to get some sleep. Right now, the Musketeer and the Disith girl were sitting side by side, Dunya once more in her undershirt and short skirt, and Mullin in a fresh shirt and pants.

“I was just wondering how my former shipmates were making out, back on the Silvana.” he shared with the girl. “Lavie, Al, Claus, Tatiana, Queen Sophia and those apes they call mechanics.” he smiled slightly, remembering his time on the rogue ship.

“Queen Sophia?” asked Dunya. “You mean, the Anatory Queen who married my grandfather?” she asked him. Mullin frowned.

“Your grandfather, Dunya?” he asked her, puzzled. “What do you mean? She married King Scheer.” he said. Dunya looked at him like he was an idiot.

“Mullin, what's my name?” she asked him. Mullin blinked at her owlishly.

“You're Dunya, of course.” he replied, sharp as a cannonball. Dunya snorted.

“Yeah, but my full name is Dunya Scheer.” she watched his face as he put it together. “You're dense sometimes, Mullin!” she laughed, falling back as she laughed uninhibitedly. Sheepishly, Mullin joined her merriment, silently admitting that she had a point. Man, she sounded so much like Lavie right then, it's uncanny! he realized. Eventually, the two calmed down. Sitting back up, Dunya leaned over so her head could rest on his shoulder. “So, you crewed on a ship with the Queen?” she asked, dismissing the issue of his intelligence for the moment. “What's she like? My step-grandma, I mean.” she clarified.

Mullin considered that. “Honestly, I came aboard late, and only knew her as the Vice Captain, but she seemed a very capable officer and the crew all respected her. Al liked her, which is always a good sign, and she even managed to win over Claus and Lavie; even the Captain couldn't do that.” he noted. Those rumors make me wonder what really happened with Captain Row and Claus and Lavie. That Guild freak Dio said something about there being a connection between them, but I never heard what happened. he mused.

“Tell me about them.” said Dunya softly. Tomorrow is going to be a bloody day, and if I die, I'd like to have some good memories to take with me. she left unsaid.

“About who, Dunya?” asked Mullin, absently slipping his arm around her shoulders.

“About these people you knew so well on your old ship.” said the girl quietly. Mullin took a deep breath.

“Sure, Dunya.” he agreed. “I came aboard the Silvana after an incident at Walker's Casino, having just lost my posting and any chance of a berth on a nobleman's ship.” he paused, remembering the farce of a fight with the Goliath. “The first of them that I met was Lavie. She's only a bit taller than you, and has the backbone of a hunting cat in a hound pen. Her hair is this rich, deep mahogany color, and she keeps it bobbed short because she flied a van ship with her partner, Claus.” Dunya closed her eyes, soaking in the warmth of his shoulder as he told her of the crew of the Silvana.

“Lavie and Claus have this young girl with them, Alvis, but everyone calls her Al. She's the sweetest girl I have ever met, and those two treat her like a mix between their own child and a sibling to them. I've heard that those two were orphaned at age six, and only had each other their whole lives, so maybe that's why they have such a bond with Al. But there is a faint resemblance between Claus and Al; almost like cousins.” he frowned.

“What's this Claus guy look like?” asked Dunya, wondering why that name sounded so familiar to her. I think I have heard that name before… she thought, trying to remember.

“Claus? He's maybe a hand taller than you, sandy-blonde hair, medium grey eyes, kind of wiry. He's really laid back, which is fitting, given Lavie's aggressive nature.” he laughed softly. “He flew combat mission off the Silvana with the van ship squadron that Tatiana led, but Lavie chose to stay on the ship and work on their personal van ship and watch over Al, so he usually flied with Tatiana or Alister.”

“Tatiana.” murmured Dunya. It's right on the edge of my mind, but I can't place it! she thought, frustrated. The girl knew that she had heard those names before. “Describe her, Mullin.” she said, trying to dredge up the vague memory from her mind.

“Who, Tatiana?” wondered Mullin, surprised at her intent tone of voice. “Um, well, she's taller and older than Claus - though only by a couple of years - and she had ice-blonde hair, cut short, light grey eyes and very fair skin. Her eyes are always so cold and distant…” he began to go off on a tangent, but was interrupted by Dunya jerking upright and gasping.

“The Blondes!” gasped Dunya.

“Huh?” wondered Mullin.

“When we first migrated here, my ship crash-landed in a desert, way off target. Only a handful of us survived. We were looking around for shelter, and found this small, buried supply base with water, parts, ammunition and stores. We had been there about five days, when we saw a van ship coming toward us, real low.

“It stopped a distance off, and the two pilots got out. They came toward the dump like they knew it was there, but we managed to surprise them. They were both blondes, and while the man was wearing a military flight suit of Anatory, the girl was in a pair of worn civilian coveralls. We were wondering what to do when more migration capsules landed not too far away. The others ran to check on survivors, but I stayed to guard the two.”

A wry smile preceded her conclusion. “Well, they managed to turn the tables and overpower me. While they were discussing what to do with me, I heard their names as they talked to each other.” the girl paused, glancing away from him for a moment before continuing. “They finally decided on getting out of there in case the other Disith came back. They released me, and I ran toward the capsules to see if anyone had survived.” she finished, glad that her dark skin and the dim light concealed the color on her cheeks.

“Wow. You ran into Claus and Tatiana in the Dragon Fangs and lived to tell about it?” wondered Mullin in awe. “Those two in a van ship are bad news for whoever they are going up against.” he noted. “You know, that is the first time that either of them got shot down.” he asked her, his respect of the two clearly heard by the girl. “I have to say, though, that I am surprised that they let you go.”

“Yeah,” replied Dunya hesitantly, “I guess that were too busy or too worried about the other Disith soldiers.” she said evasively. I really don't think you want to know about that incident. she decided for him. “Besides, it was just as good; one of our ships came by that evening and picked us up for the attack on the capital.” shrugged the girl.

“You were involved in the attack on the capital?” asked Mullin, surprised. Dunya shook her head.

“No. The ship I was on got diverted to this place called Norkia, and then, the officers announced that we were now allies of Anatory.” she shrugged. “And then, I got sent here.” she finished.

“Norkia?” mused Mullin. “I think that is the town where Claus and Lavie are from.” Dunya shrugged.

“Couldn't tell you.” she said. “It was pretty much deserted, and there was a lot of damage to several places.” she paused, recalling her short stay there. “But those van ship couriers kept right on flying. The ship's captain used to worry that they were armed, but they just kept on zooming by. We never really had a problem with them.” she dismissed the topic. “Hey, Mullin?” she asked quietly, looking up at his face.

“Hmm?” he replied wordlessly.

“Will you introduce me to the others - especially Sophia! - when we get a chance?” she asked him. He had already agreed before he realized that she had said `we'.

-

“Morning.” came Lavie's voice as Alis opened her eyes. She looked over to see Lavie lying on her back on top of her sheets, naked, holding the stuffed toy ram that Al always seemed to be clutching. The girl had the toy at arms length, and was absently tilting it from side to side, making it bleat. Alister sat up, yawning.

“Good morning, Lavie.” said the fellow navigator. “Tatiana?” she asked delicately.

“Shower.” said Lavie, her eyes on the toy. “She said that Sophia wanted to speak with her. I was going to work on the van ship, but…” she twitched a shoulder. “Just can't, you know?” she murmured. Alis silently thought that she was beginning to see.

“Are you…” she paused, licking her lips before continuing, “…ok?” she asked the other girl. Lavie didn't immediately reply.

“No, I'm not. I want Claus and Al.” whispered the girl after several minutes. Alister wondered what would the best thing to do. Deciding on a change in topic, she cast about for something to use as a diversion. Her eyes rested on the toy in Lavie's hands.

“I'm sure that Al will be happy to have her toy back when Claus brings her back.” said the long-haired girl. “I wonder where she got it?” she prompted.

“Easy.” came the distracted reply. “I gave it to her.” said the younger girl. Alis blinked.

“You gave it to her?” she echoed. Lavie nodded.

“Yeah. It was mine, when I was younger than she is. That first day, she looked so lost and frightened and alone, I decided that she needed it more than me.” said Lavie, a small smile touching her lips. “I was right, too.” she whispered to herself.

“So, was that a gift from your father, then?” wondered Alis, feeding the new conversation as best she could. Lavie shook her head.

“No. I got it from this guy who was always hanging around our fathers. He gave it to me.” said Lavie, her smile dimming. Alis wondered where to go next to keep her going.

“Do you know who this guy was?” she asked Lavie. A very strange and dangerous smile touched the young girl's lips.

“I forgot his name for a long time, but recently, I was reminded of who it was.” she purred. Alis waited to see if she would go on, but when she remained silent, Alis pressed the issue.

“So, who was it? Anyone I know?” asked the other girl. Lavie nodded.

“Mm.” she hummed. “You know him.” she said, sitting up and swinging her feet over the edge of the bed to face Alis fully. Her eyes has a strange look in them. “It was Alex Row who gave this to me.” she said, her eyes locked on to Alister's eyes. The other girl's law fell open.

“The Captain?!” she sputtered, shocked. Lavie nodded.

“Yes. Back then, he and this woman were always flying missions with our dads. He and the woman gave me this ram. I think that our dads and them were good friends, because when they tried to fly the Grand Stream, they took Alex and his woman with them.” Lavie paused. “It was Alex who told Justine that he was the sole survivor.” she added grimly. And then he just walked away like there was nothing more to do there! she silently snapped. Her feelings about Alex were mixed, and right now, with Claus and Al missing, she was far from a rational examination of those feelings. At any moment, she might hate him or like him, understand him, or revile him.

Across from her, Alister was trying to process the information, but kept getting error messages. Alex was not know for things like giving little girls stuffed rams, or even smiling. He had ordered the Silvana to fire on Claus and Lavie. He had also made arrangements for them to receive ship crewman wages for their time aboard. It's almost like he can't decide if he likes them or hates them, the way that he treats them. Another thought occurred to her. Maybe…he just doesn't know how to make it up to them for what happened. Her thoughts were interrupted by Lavie's voice.

“Sorry, what was that?” asked the girl guiltily. Lavie didn't seem to have noticed that Alis wasn't listening to her.

“I said, the ship we fly - the one that we thought was our fathers' ship - was his ship.” Her smile grew warm and far less frightening as she continued. “But, like I told Claus, it is our ship now; every last bit of it!” she declared hotly, setting the ram aside and fluidly standing. “I'm gonna grab a shower and some food, and then, I'm going to finish repairing it, because Claus and I will fly the Grand Stream in it!” she swore, grabbing her towel and all but marching out of the cabin. Behind her, Alister Agrew wondered if she would ever have the kind of strength that Lavie had just given her a peek of.