Last Exile Fan Fiction ❯ Soft Options ❯ Dark Reflection ( Chapter 7 )

Soft Options

 

Rating: NC17/X

 

By: AZ

 

Chapter 7: Dark Reflection

-

“Alex Row, sir. Good to make your acquaintance!” said the young man, firmly shaking the hand of the growing legend before him. Just behind him, his girlfriend, Euris Feilding smiled at the fair-haired pilot. “This is my partner and girlfriend, Euris Feilding.” introduced Alex, stepping aside slightly and making a hand gesture at the young woman behind him.

“Euris.” smiled the man, inclining his head as he took her hand in his own. “A pleasure to meet you.” he returned, straightening. “My partner is somewhere around here…” he trailed off, scanning the crowded room. “Ah! There he is!” exclaimed the man. “George! Hey, George!” he yelled, waving. The red-haired man made his way through the room, a pair of glasses of water in his hands.

“Hamil, making friends again, I see!” laughed the larger man. Hamil Valca joined in the laughter.

“Always!” he agreed pleasantly. “George, meet a couple of up-and-coming van ship operators. This is Alex Row, and his partner, Euris Feilding. Alex, Euris, George Head, my navigator.” he completed the introductions. George shook their hands.

“So, you two are starting into the adventurous world of van ship flying, are you?” laughed George. “What attracted you to this profession, if I might ask?” he inquired.

“The skies.” they replied together, glancing at each other. Hamil thought that the two had hesitated for a split second, but other than being a slightly odd reaction, it meant nothing to him. Whatever their reasons might be, they were not his concern.

“Wonderful, aren't they?” agreed George. “I always loved the skies, but until Hamil here came along, I had about decided that I would never get to see them up close and personal.” he shared.

“George, you would have strapped wings to your back and flown without a ship if I hadn't come along, so stop trying to make me out to be all noble!” laughed Hamil. George's booming laugh echoed through the chaotic cross-talk in the room.

“But Hamil, you are noble, my friend!” he joked. Hamil shook his head.

“I think the water has gone right to your head, George.” he counter-sniped.

“Touché!” saluted George Head, raising his glass. Turning their attention back to the younger pair before them, the two got marginally more serious. “So, why seek out a couple of relative new-comers, eh, you two?” he asked them. Alex spoke up.

“Euris and I want to be top-notch van ship operators, sir. And every time we hear people talk about the best pilot/navi pair, your names are always there.” said the young man.

“Usually at the top of the list, as well.” added Euris. Hamil and George traded looks; as well as small grins.

“Truthfully, we're still learning ourselves.” replied Hamil humbly. “But, why seek us out?” he asked.

“Sir, if we could, we would like to learn from you two all we can about van ships and being couriers.” said Alex. “If we could, we would like to apprentice ourselves to you.” he added, holding his breath as the two traded looks.

“Look, son.” said Hamil, his tone serious, “We don't have any kind of need for apprentices.” he said. Before Alex could speak again, he went on. “However, if you want to, you can come by and watch what we do, ask questions, and take notes.” he smiled at the two. The faces of Alex and Euris lit up.

“Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!” they said in unison. George shook his head.

“First thing to learn, kids, is don't call us `sir'!” he grumbled. “We already told you our names, so use them, ok?” he prompted them. Alex chuckled while Euris giggled softly.

“Ok, si…I mean, George.” he corrected himself. George clapped the young man on the shoulder.

“Good!” he approved. Glancing at his watch, he and Hamil downed their water. “It's been fun, but we have a mission bright and early, so we're calling it a night.” said the man. He and the pilot of their ship set the empty glasses on the bar and began to move toward the door.

“Come on by our place before sunrise tomorrow if you care to.” invited Hamil, the two moving through the door. “Have a good evening, you two!” he called back.

“And welcome aboard!” drifted back George's voice. It took the two a full two minutes before they realized that neither man had told them where their shop was.

-

“God, Lavie and Claus are so perfect together!” gushed Euris as the two flew back to their small, cramped house months later. They had been diligently going to the barn behind the Valca house every morning to meet up with George and Hamil, and it was very fair to say that they had not realized how much they had to learn until they had started to hang out with George and Hamil.

Early on, they had met Claus and Lavie, along with Hamil's wife, Justine. The two of them had swiftly learned that George's wife had died in childbirth, leaving Lavie without a mom for that first year. But watching the two with Justine, they had learned that Claus's mom treated both of the children like her own, with no favoritism to either. It had surprised them that even at barely five years old, the two of them were already as crazy about van ships as their fathers.

“Yes, and if they are as good as their fathers are, they will be living legends.” agreed Alex. “Did you see how Lavie and Claus were hanging on their fathers' every word?” he asked. A warm laugh from behind him was her answer.

“And they're already completing missions, too!” laughed Euris. So it was only getting glasses of water for the adults, or helping out with chores; the eagerness and seriousness with which the two handled them told the pair that they were going to become famous one day. “Though, did you notice how Lavie kept trading Claus for the `better' missions?” asked Euris, amused at the girl's deft handling of Claus.

Alex chuckled. “Yes, I saw that. She's a sweet girl, but there is this willful, stubborn streak in her.” he replied. “Reminds me of someone else I know.” he baited. A disdainful snort was Euris's reply.

“I have no idea whom you refer to, Alex Row.” she said haughtily. Alex grinned to himself.

“Of course not!” he replied insincerely. “But for the record, I was referring to your cousin.” said the young man, unable to resist needling her some.

“What is your obsession with my cousin?” came the sour reply from his girlfriend. Alex grinned, glancing in the rear-view mirror to see Euris pouting cutely at him. “I sometimes wonder if you should be dating her, Alex!” she complained.

“She's a bit young for me, Euris.” reminded Alex. “And besides, she's the princess, remember? I could never hope to marry her with my station.” he goaded.

“Oh, so you settled for the poor cousin, is that it?” replied Euris snippily. Alex sighed. Euris was sometimes touchy about the subject, but he just couldn't bring himself to pass up good opportunities to heckle her.

“I didn't `settle' for anything, Euris.” he said firmly. “I chose the girl I wanted most, and that was you, and not Sophia.” he said. Euris smiled.

“Right answer.” she purred as the silver van ship - the identical make, model and layout as the one flown by George and Hamil - settled onto the short deck next to their tiny, cramped house. The two had had to buy two apartments in a fairly old section of Norkia to house themselves and their ship, and together with the cost of buying the ship, had pretty much bankrupted them. Not that they cared; no, they had the skies now, and were already beginning to take smaller missions to earn money.

Climbing out of the ship, the two pushed it into the converted hanger area. They had gutted the second apartment and made it into a hanger for the van ship, though the tip of the boom stuck out from the back, and the simple wooden doors that closed the front of the hanger touched the nose of the craft. It was so narrow that they couldn't get in or out of the ship without pulling it out of the hanger, but it kept the ship clean and dry, which is what mattered.

Beside the hanger area was the narrow larder with the worn staircase leading up to the rooms above the entrance and hanger. At the top of the stairs was the dining, workshop and living room, and right off of that was their shared bedroom and single bed. At the end of each day, they were all to glad to fall into it for some much deserved rest. Tonight was no different.

Peeling off their flight coveralls, the two prepared for bed. As Euris draped their flying clothes over the foot of the bed, Alex ambushed her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to his bare chest. Against her panty-clad ass, she could feel his hard dick stabbing her. Her lips curved into a smile as she leaned to the side and back to kiss him. “Someone's horny.” she whispered teasingly when she broke the kiss.

Alex dipped his fingers between her legs, finding her panties to be soaked with her slick juice. “Seems I'm not the only one.” he said, his voice deep and thick with lust. Deftly, he slipped his fingers under her lace and cotton panties at the leg to touch her directly. As he eased her lower lips apart, he felt a small flood of her juice spill from her pussy. “Horny is an understatement!” he murmured in surprise. His girlfriend was far, far past `horny'; she was well into the dripping stage.

“Can't help it.” whispered Euris between short, hot kisses. “Seeing Claus and Lavie make me wonder what our children will be like.” she confessed. Alex gently pushed a finger into her passage, earning him a whimper from the girl in his arms. “Alex, I want something more…fulfilling!” she protested, grabbing his hand and pulling free before impatiently jerking her panties off and tossing her thin shirt aside. Alex saw her inner thighs were shiny in the dim light of single bulb in the room.

Seeing that her boyfriend was daydreaming, Euris took things into her own hands, grabbing his shorts in one hand, and using her other hand to carefully guide his hard length free of the cloth barrier. Euris wanted dick - and she wanted it now, damn it! Licking her lips in anticipation as her hand emerged from the falling shorts with her prize, she gave it a swift couple of pumps, seeing a bit of pre-cum drip from the tip. “Mm.” she approved, her tongue slipping out to collect the tasty treat.

Alex felt the hot, wet tongue of Euris touch his throbbing tip, and knew that he better act fast before she took complete control of this encounter. Not that he minded her being in control, per se, it was just that when she was in control, she was damn near nymphomaniacal and tended to forget about his enjoyment. So, he tried to take control of their couplings as much as he could, if for no other reason than to avoid being fucked to death by his girlfriend. To that ends, he grabbed her and tossed her onto the bed, getting a pleasantly-surprised `eep!' out of her.

“So, you want kids, Euris?” he growled at her. She gave him a lazy smile.

“If it will get you to finally marry me, than by all means, let's get one started right now!” she leered at him, her hand finding his hard length again, pumping it even as she pulled it toward where she wanted it. Alex swiftly moved on top of her, the woman swiftly spreading her legs as he settled in, her hand guiding him to her entrance. “Come on, Alex,” she taunted him lewdly, “you know how to get me pregnant, don't you?”

“I think I can figure something out.” he growled, grabbing her shoulders and thrusting forward hard, slamming his entire length into her slick sheath in one shot. A growl of pleasure came from the woman as she locked her legs around him. Alex paused to get a better grip on her shoulders before resuming his pounding of her pussy. The young man had learned that she liked vigorous sex, and was interested in experimenting with different positions. Pounding into her full-length, he felt her comfortable grip on his dick milking him happily.

Euris had not been a virgin when he had first bedded her. It was not a complete surprise to him, though he had wished he had been her first. She was not known for her virtue, but she was also not spoken of as `easy'. Her cousin - who had been how they had met - was just the opposite. Of course, you'd expect a princess to be pure. he thought fleetingly. He could already feel her copious fluids dripping from his balls.

Euris was not loose, but she was far from being uncomfortably tight. Coupled with her generous lubrication, she was a comfortable, relaxed fit; if a wet and vocal lay. Her tendency to vocalize her pleasure had gotten them in trouble before, but neither of them minded. It was a fortunate side-effect of owning the building that they didn't have to listen to complaints or encouragement from neighbors. As the shrieks, moans and gasps grew louder, Alex rolled them over so Euris was riding him. This was his methodology for lasting longer, as it allowed her ride him, increasing her pleasure, but reduced his to some degree, allowing him greater stamina.

Grunting and growling, the woman rode him furiously, her orgasms rolling through her, but not diminishing her desire by any great measure. Resting below her, Alex grinned up at his sweaty lover as he grabbed her bouncing breasts, thumbs and fingers trapping and tormenting her hard nipples. Tweaking them, he relished the whine that escaped her throat even as her inner muscles clamped down on his hard length.

Euris felt herself orgasm yet again as his fingers tugged on her swollen nipples. Leaning back slightly to drive his hardness against her g-spot more firmly, she increased her rhythm, wanting another half-dozen or so orgasms before he couldn't continue. Cupping her breasts with her hands, she offered them to him, silently inviting him to help himself. Sitting up, Alex accepted her invitation. Starting with her right breast, he orally assaulted her tips, noisily and happily worshipping her prominent attributes. Feeling his own release nearing, he switched breasts, snaking one finger back to tickle her rear entrance. “Ch…cheater!” gasped Euris, her orgasm suddenly tripling intensity as she felt his digit tickling her rear door.

“Says you.” panted Alex. “Almost there! You sure you…?” he began. Euris growled warningly.

“Yes! I dare you to get me pregnant!” she challenged him, holding him to her.

“Do my best!” he puffed, his sack tightening as he felt her press herself harder onto his tip. Against his slit, he could feel the entrance to her womb. “Here I cum!” he hissed, his first jet going entirely into her uterus, as did the second and third. The fourth and last spurt merely flooded her already dripping passage, because Euris had begun to writhe in his grip as she felt his powerful spurts enter her womb.

“Yes! Fill me up!” screamed the woman, her eyes rolling back as the knowledge that he had just pumped her full of his cum caused another wave of pleasure to crash over her. Her head lolled back as her arms went slack. Panting heavily, Alex barely caught his balance before her sudden limpness caused them to topple over backward. Easing her down, his softening dick easily slipped out of her passage, accompanied by a small flood of thoroughly-mixed cum.

“I take it you liked that?” he whispered to her, knowing that she couldn't hear him right then. Kissing her sweaty forehead gently, the man could feel sleep already overtaking him. He barely got the sheets pulled over them before he joined his lover in sleep.

-

“What's with the toy?” asked Euris as she and Alex did some shopping in one of the smaller markets in the capitol. The young man turned to her, smiling. “Missing your childhood?” sniped the woman, hugging him briefly.

“No.” replied Alex reasonably. “I was thinking of Lavie, actually.” he said. “Isn't her birthday this week?” he asked Euris. The woman's brow furrowed, then her expression lit up.

“You're right! It's her fifth birthday day after tomorrow!” exclaimed the woman. “And Claus's was two weeks ago, too!” she fretted. “We need to get him something as well.” she declared. Alex chuckled.

“Way ahead of you, dear.” he said, fishing up a small package from inside his pocket. “Think this will suit his fancy?” he asked his fiancée, holding out the box to her. Cracking the top of the box, she looked at the high-quality flying gloves within the box. Her surprised gaze turned to Alex.

“I'm surprised, Alex. This is certainly a fitting gift.” she said. Alex smiled. Her next sentence undercut his smugness, however. “But, why gloves for him, and a stuffed ram for Lavie?” asked the woman. “Lavie is going to be flying as his navigator, you know. If you get him something like this, then you should get her something for their future as well.” she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. Alex sighed.

“Ok, Euris.” he said levelly, “If you have this all planned out, what do you suggest we get her?” he asked her. He started to put the ram back, but Euris snagged it from him.

“We have all day and the entire market to find the right gift.” said the woman airily. Moving to the shopkeeper, she began to haggle for the stuffed ram. Alex suspected that her aim was not as noble as she claimed; after all, Euris loved to shop, and she had mentioned wanting a new dress or two in the last month, so he was fairly sure that Lavie's birthday was but a convenient excuse to pillage the market.

As they left the small shop, ram in hand, he had another question for her. “So, if we are getting her a more `fitting' gift, why buy the ram?” he asked her. Euris smiled at him like he was a simpleton.

“She's getting the ram, of course. But she still needs a gift for her future as Claus's navigator.” explained the woman, her tone teasingly condescending. Alex gave her a bemused look.

“So Lavie gets two gifts, and Claus gets one? Hardly seems fair.” he protested. Euris giggled.

“Of course it's fair, Alex. Lavie is a girl, and girls are entitled to more gifts than boys.” she snickered. Shaking his head, the young man allowed his woman to drag him though the market until dusk.

-

“Almost done?” asked Justine, setting her empty basket aside. Euris pinned the last of the laundry in place on the clothes line before wiping her brow.

“Done.” she said, setting her own basket beside Justine's basket. The two women were doing some laundry at the Valca's home. Things had been hectic lately, with a flurry of missions and both van ships had been flying nearly non-stop for the last week and a half. Finally, the jobs were slacking off a bit, and both of the ships had been set down for repairs, with the men working on the ships. Lavie was supposed to be helping the girls with the accumulated laundry, but had begged to help with the van ships instead. Since it was already clear that she was a better mechanic than Claus, Justine had relented.

So, the two women had some time alone. Justine had wanted to ask her friend something for a while now, and this was a perfect chance. Tossing her head toward the shade of the porch, she and Euris sat on the edge of the porch and watched the clouds move through the blue sky. “So, Euris, have you told him yet?” asked Justine, giving her younger friend a knowing smile. Euris frowned.

“Told him what, exactly?” she asked. Justine gave her a smug smile.

“Told Alex that you're pregnant with his child.” stated the wife casually. Euris gaped at the older woman.

“How did you…?!” she hissed, instinctively looking around to make sure that none of the men or the two children were nearby. “I didn't think anyone knew but me!” she protested weakly. Justine hummed.

“I know what to look for, that's all.” she shrugged. “I am a mother, you know.” she reminded the younger woman. “I judge you to be six weeks to two months along. How close am I?” she asked eagerly. Euris's hands settled over her lower belly.

“Two months next week.” said the younger girl. “I'm not showing yet, am I?” she asked suddenly, rubbing her flat belly. Justine shook her head.

“Not yet.” she confirmed. “Like I said, I know what to look for; and I was wondering what was taking you so long.” she added, teasing color into Euris's cheeks. “So, when are you going to tell him he's a father and needs to get a ring on your finger before some other handsome young man takes you from him?” she prompted.

“I'm waiting for a good time.” said the younger woman. “Maybe after the festival.” she contemplated. Justine hummed. “It's just that we're finally getting some recognition, and good jobs are coming our way. I don't want to break his concentration; that's all.” explained Euris. Justine slowly nodded her head.

“Not unreasonable, Euris.” she agreed slowly. “But won't your expanding belly break his concentration? He's a man, but sooner or later, he will notice you are carrying his kid.” warned the woman. A wicked smile crossed her face. “It is his, isn't it?” she asked snarkily.

“Justine! Of course it's Alex's kid!” she whispered indignantly. “I may not be a particularly virtuous woman, but I am loyal to one man at a time!” she protested. Justine just hummed again. Euris suddenly recalled something that she had been meaning to ask the older woman.

“Um, Justine? Can I ask you something?” asked the younger woman, her voice low as she once more looked around to make sure that they were alone on the porch.

“Of course.” replied the woman easily. Euris licked her lips before continuing.

“I know you have an active love life,” she paused, realizing how that sounded, “I mean, you make no secret of your husband's attentions, and I was just wondering, why doesn't Claus have any siblings yet?” asked the younger woman. Justine watched the sky in silence for a long moment.

“Euris, let me ask you something in turn.” began the older woman. “What do you know of the birthrate in Anatory?” she asked the younger woman. Euris frowned.

“What do you mean, Justine?” she wondered. The older woman turned to face her, her hands taking Euris's hands in her own.

“Euris, the war with Disith is going into it's tenth year already. Even without the losses from that, the number of births has been declining for years. Some say it is because of more and more women joining the military to fight the Disith, while others say that the lack of clean water and healthy food for the common people is to blame, but the fact remains that fewer and fewer children are being born.” she paused.

“Believe me when I tell you that I am taking absolutely no measures to prevent Claus and Lavie from getting a sibling, but I am beginning to think that I might not get another child. I know that some of my childhood friends are finding it impossible to conceive, and more than a few of them have died in childbirth, just like Lavie's mother did.” The older woman paused, then went on. “Because of this, you need to think of your child first, and you career second. You need to tell him soon, Euris.” stressed Justine. Euris's eyes were wide at Justine's revelation.

“I…I will.” promised the younger woman. Just then, the two heard a van ship motor come to life, followed by the cheers of the two children. Minutes later, the van ship of Hamil and George came into view, idling smoothly. Claus and Lavie were with their dads, waving from the cockpit and navigator's seat respectively.

“Justine! We're going to take it out for a short test-run! Be back in a while!” yelled Hamil, blowing a kiss to his wife. Justine waved at her family.

“Hurry home!” she called. “I'm making a special meal tonight!” she added as her husband opened up the throttle, the silver ship nimbly climbing out away from the field around the house. Justine rose to her feet.

“Shall we go see what is keeping your man from joining them in the skies?” she smiled at Euris. Smiling back, Euris rose as well, the two women moving around the house to see Alex putting the last few panels on his van ship. Seeing the two approach him, he smiled at Euris.

“Five more minutes and we can go chase them down.” he assured her. Euris smiled back.

“In five minutes, they could be half-way to Disith.” she disagreed. “You know there is no way that you can catch Hamil Valca in his van ship.” she taunted him playfully. Alex's face took on a determined expression.

“Maybe not today, Euris.” he said quietly. “Maybe not this year.” he went on. “But some day, I will be as good as him; maybe better.” he promised himself. Euris felt her cheeks warm up.

“Guess I'll have to stick with you until that day, I suppose.” she added nonchalantly. Justine just smiled at the two.

“I have dinner to prepare.” she said, turning away from them. “I'll just let you two talk privately. Right, Euris?” she said, moving off. Alex frowned as the woman moved off.

“Talk?” he asked Euris curiously. She waved her hand.

“Girl talk. Never mind!” she said. “Hurry up! We have to catch them before they get all the good jobs!” she distracted her boyfriend. Alex raised an eyebrow at her.

“Hoo! Who was just saying that I couldn't catch up to Hamil?” he asked her, resuming his work.

“Shut up and work.” muttered Euris. Three and a half minutes later, Justine heard the second ship roar off. Smiling to herself, she continued to peel the potato in her hand for the thick, rich soup she was making for dinner. When the two ships returned three and a half hours later, the fliers were buzzing with excitement about a special mission that was rumored to be coming down the line soon.

-

Alex slowly opened his eyes, finding that he was having a hard time focusing. It's been ten years since that mission, and three since I dreamed of what I used to have. he thought groggily. Why now? he wondered. A voice intruded on his slowly-gathering wits. “He is awakening, Mistress.” Mistress? Who is calling who `mistress'? he wondered, his eyes finally beginning to work. The first thing they focused on burned away all cobwebs in his mind.

“Maestro Delphine!” he snarled, instantly fully enraged. He tried to lunge forward to crush that delicate neck with his bare hands, but found he couldn't move. His mind recalled what had happened. That's right! She boarded my ship, and I was about to put a blade in that hideous face when something hit me. Must have been her guard, he deducted. Looking past the hated visage of the sole target of his revenge, he saw the cruel face of Delphine's bodyguard just behind his mistress, and farther back, some white-clad forms. It took him a moment to realize that they were Dio and Lucciola because Dio's expression was haunted and hardly fit the young man that Alex had hosted aboard his ship for the last couple of months. Lucciola was watching Dio out of the corner of his eye, but most of his attention was on the Maestro.

“Oh, Alex!” cooed Delphine, reaching out to touch his cheek fondly. “I was beginning to worry that Cicada had hit you too hard.” She giggled. “Such hearty stock you are, though.” she laughed. Alex focused a hate-filled glare at her, not rising to the bait. “Noting to say, Alex?” the girl asked petulantly. “I've admired you for years, and after all the trouble I took to bring you here, you won't even give me a polite greeting?” she pouted. Alex sneered at her.

“If you insist, here is your polite greeting.” he said, immediately spitting in her face. Cicada punched him before he realized the man had moved. “Ugh!” he grunted. Instead of getting mad, Delphine just smiled, wiping the spit off her face.

“Naughty, naughty, Alex.” she chided him. “Save that energy for later.” she purred, trailing a finger down his jaw to his throat, then lower. “We have lots of time to get to know each other.” she said softly, her fingers reaching his groin.

“Never.” hissed Alex hatefully. Delphine licked her lips in anticipation.

“We'll see.” she said softly, roughly squeezing his balls. Seeing him wince, she released him. “But right now, I am neglecting my other guests.” she said, seeming to dismiss him from her mind. Other guests? wondered the man.

As if knowing what he was thinking, Delphine turned back to him. “Since your Queen so rudely declined my invitation, I had to make some last-minute selections for my celebration.” she said, snapping her fingers. A clear pane of what might be glass clouded up, then cleared again, showing him a small group of white-clad men around a pair of familiar faces. “Alvis belongs to me, but the other one was a stand-in.” said Delphine carelessly. Seeing the other, Alex felt like someone had punched him in the gut again. Claus. he thought, doing his best to keep from reacting. Have I killed your son for my revenge, Hamil? he wondered.

“Why him?” asked Alex, trying his best to sound bored. “Couldn't find anyone better?” he taunted her. He hoped that Delphine was feeling the sting of missing the chance to grab Sophia, since it was his doing that had allowed the Queen and head of the Alliance to escape her grasp.

“Little Alvis seems to care for him, as does my dear, dear brother, Dio.” shrugged Delphine. “Who is he?” she asked. Alex made a split second choice.

“He's nobody. A van ship pilot on my ship; nothing more.” he said. “I must say, you have lousy taste in hostages.” he smirked. Delphine just smiled.

“We will see, Alex.” she purred. Stepping over to a small rose bush, she clipped off a shoot and moved back to him. “In the mean time, let me give you a small gift.” she said, taking the tendril of rose bush and pushing it against his side. Catching him by surprise, she stabbed him with her glove's sharp fingertips and pushed the cut end of the shoot into the shallow wound. “Much better!” she purred, moving away from him. “Until tonight, my dear Alex!” she tittered.

-

“How are my guests doing?” came a voice from behind Claus and Al. The two swiftly turned to see the woman who had kidnapped them from the Silvana approaching them, Lucciola and Dio in tow. Al hugged herself to Claus's side. Though normally a friendly girl, she feared and disliked this woman intensely. Claus steeled his nerves, silently repeating his promise to protect Al.

“Why did you bring us here?” he asked directly. The woman moved closer to him, her silent bodyguard shadowing her. Stopping directly in front of the young man, she smiled at him, touching his cheek with her gloved fingertip. Claus jerked his head away from her touch.

“Why, to see my dear brother participate in the Trial, of course!” she exclaimed happily. “And as an added bonus, you are being allowed to share in the Ceremony of the Covenant; that is a rare honor for those not of the Guild.” she added, as if it were an honor. Claus honestly didn't know what to make of this woman. She was clearly nuts, but other than that, he had no clue what was going on with her. He did know that he didn't like her obsession with Al.

“We'll pass, since we aren't Guild.” he said, watching her carefully. The woman smiled at him in a way that made him shiver.

“I insist, my young guest.” said the woman softly, once more touching his face with her hand. “But those clothes simply will not do.” pouted the woman. Snapping her fingers, she summoned two of the white-clad underlings that had accompanied her on her visit to the Silvana. “Our guests require a bath and appropriate clothing. See to it.” she said simply. The two bowed.

“Yes, Maestro.” they replied in perfect unison. Delphine turned to Lucciola and Dio.

“Well, we need to get you ready for the ceremony as well, my dear, dear brother.” said the woman, giggling in excited glee. Dio's face twisted up in terror.

“No! No, Delphine!” he screamed. “I don't want to!” Delphine just clucked her tongue.

“I know that isn't true, Dio.” she chided him. “As my brother, you want to participate; after all, no Principal of the Eraclea house has ever not participated in the Trial. Now, let's get you ready.” she said, motioning to Lucciola, who took Dio's arms and half-dragged him toward another of the strange transportation devices the Guild used. Dio's screams followed Claus and Al as they were escorted to a different location.

The two silent guards - one male, the other female, Claus noted - led the two of them to a large chamber with a central tub in it. The two blinked as they saw the size of the tub. “That's a lot of water.” breathed Claus. Al just nodded.

“Bathe. We will bring you your new clothes when you have finished.” directed the male. Not having a reason not to - and wanting to wash off the taint of the mad woman's touch - Claus glanced at Al.

“Al?” he said softly. The girl looked up at him, nodding. Claus managed a weak smile. Silently, the two undressed and moved toward the tub. Dipping her toes in the water, Al gasped.

“It's hot!” she exclaimed. Frowning, Claus carefully put his foot in the water.

“Yeah!” he agreed. “It's really warm!” he said. “Bet Lavie would love it.” he mused. Al giggled.

“She would.” agreed the girl, carefully easing herself into the water. The water itself was cloudy, and felt oddly slick to the two. “Too bad we don't have soap.” said Al.

“The water contains soap.” interjected the female guard. The two of them were standing unobtrusively at either end of the pool. Looking at them, Claus noticed that both bore the same mark on their forehead as Lucciola. A soft giggle from Al distracted him.

“This water feels funny!” she breathed, scrubbing her face. “But it smells nice.” she added happily. Claus resumed scrubbing himself clean. In silence, the two of them cleaned themselves up. When they were done, they moved back toward the steps that led out of the bath.

Without emotion, the female handed each of them a towel. Looking toward the other end of the room, he saw that the male had disappeared. Fleetingly, he thought of escaping, but where would he go? And what would he do when he got there. And then there is this girl. I think she is like Lucciola, which means that I wouldn't have a chance against her. he realized.

As he thought that, the door to the bath opened and the male returned, holding two small stacks of folded cloth. When the door had opened, Al had skittered behind Claus, worried that the crazy woman had come back. Seeing it was only the guard, she moved back to his side, but her hand still clutched his arm.

“Your clothes.” said the young man emotionlessly. Unfolding the small stacks revealed an odd kind of once-piece coverall for Claus, and a gown-like outfit for Al. It took them another few minutes and some hints from the two guards to figure out how to wear the garments. Claus didn't care for the Guild emblems on the clothes, but they were comfortable enough. Al looked very cute in her clothes, but the girl looked as uncomfortable in the Guild markings as he felt.

The two guards led them back through a maze of passages, and eventually they emerged at a large dining room. Al clung to Claus when she saw that the crazy woman was sitting at the head of the table. The Maestro smiled at the two. “You two look so much better now!” she gushed. “And just in time for supper, too!” she added happily. Claus looked around, not seeing anyone but Cicada and the crazy woman. “Oh, I'm sorry, but Dio won't be able to join us for dinner - he's preparing for the Trial of Agoon. And my other guest is in such a boorish mood, I have decided to let him go without supper.” she said happily. Feeling the two silent guards prod them, the two slowly moved to the two set places at the table.

-

“Tomorrow, you will get to witness the Trial of Agoon.” said the woman after they had finished their meal. “I know it's terribly rude of me, but I have other things to see to, so I will have you shown to your room.” she said, moving off. Once more, the two silent guards herded Claus and Al toward one of the transport devices, eventually showing them through a door to a bedroom.

When the two didn't follow them in, Claus and Al turned to see the door close behind them. Probably won't open. reasoned Claus. Looking back at the room, he caught Al rubbing her eyes with the back of one of her hands. “Guess we should get some sleep.” he said, smiling at her. Al nodded at him. Silently, the two got ready for bed.

Setting their Guild clothing aside, Claus and Al crawled into bed. The Guild had whisked his military flight suit and Al's dress and balloon shorts off to god knew where, leaving them with only their provided clothes. As such, neither of them had their usual sleeping clothes. But, lack of options dictated their actions, and the two settled in together, Al clinging to Claus closely. Minutes passed in silence. Then, Al's soft voice snuck into Claus's ear.

“Claus, I'm scared.” she whispered. Claus hugged her.

“I know, Al.” he said. “I am, too, but I'll protect you.” he promised her. “And we'll find a way out of here and back to Lavie.” he added. “She'd never forgive me if I didn't bring you back to her.” he added. Al pressed her face to his chest, hugging her naked form to him.

“I don't want to know what that scary woman wants us for.” whispered the girl. Claus didn't really want to know either, but he was more interested in Al's well-being than his own. Gently stroking her soft, smooth back, he tried to reassure her.

“Shh.” he soothed her, absently pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “I'm right here, Al. I'll stay with you until we get back to Lavie and the Silvana. Promise.” he said, rubbing her back. “We'll be ok, Al.” he said, kissing her head again. Instead of her hair, he felt her skin under his lips. Al had tilted her head up to where his head was, and his kiss landed on her forehead.

“Promise, Claus?” she asked.

“Promise, Al.” he said. To his surprise, he felt her stretch up, and a moment later, her lips pressed to his. For a long, long heartbeat, Al held the simple kiss. Then, she relaxed back to rest on his chest. Claus's eyes were wide open in surprise.

It wasn't until he heard Al's soft, even breathing that he managed to process what had just happened. Al kissed me. he thought, unsure of what he felt about that fact. It kind of felt like it did with Lavie those first few times. he mused minutes later. I liked it. he thought, just before drifting off to sleep, cradling Al in his arms.

-

“How are we feeling this morning, Alex?” asked Delphine, giggling as she stroked his chest. Around his arms, legs and throat, the gene-altered roses has already twined, the drug-laden thorns buried into his flesh. “Are you feeling more sociable now?” she asked him. Alex's lips moved, but he remained silent, his eyes still holding a spark of defiance.

Delphine hummed happily, tracing a needle-point-sharp glove tip over his chin and throat. “You will tell me the Mysterions, won't you?” she said, her tone sickly sweet. “After all, you're being pumped full of the serum from my roses. And with the Reciter in my possession, I can take Exile as my own.” she said to the man. Alex's lips moved slowly.

“Never.” he managed. Delphine licked her lips.

“Don't be so stubborn, my dear Alex.” she purred. “You can't resist the serum, you know.” Alex said nothing. “I really should thank you for gathering the Reciter and the Mysterions together; it made it so much easier for me to gather them all up with my dear brother Dio.” she said. Alex's lips set in a sneer.

“Such an ungrateful one.” sighed Delphine. “If not for me, you would have lived a boring, meaningless life as a common ground dweller.” she said. “As it is now, however, you can be in the skies you so love. And even more than that, you could even be of some amusement to me.” she hinted, her tone becoming a seductive whisper. Her fingers trailed down his belly. “I do love my amusements.” she whispered, rubbing his crotch.

Alex tried his best to tear his arms free of the cross and rose vines and crush her vile neck, but found he couldn't manage the strength. Through the pounding in his ears, and the dullness in his mind, he became aware of something else. His body was reacting to Delphine's touch. Echoing through his mind, he heard her giggling. Something must have shown on his face, because her next words told him she knew what he was thinking.

“One of the side effects of the serum, Alex, is that it enhances the libido in most people.” she whispered in his ear. “After all, what entertainment can you provide if you are limp?” she finished, licking his ear. Her hand was stroking his now-hard length through his trousers. “This is much better.” she said, squeezing his shaft. Alex had never felt the kind of hatred that boiled up from within as he did at that moment.

“Maestro, the preparations for the Trial are complete. Lord Dio is ready.” came the voice of Cicada. Delphine was instantly focused on that, abandoning Alex entirely.

“Oh! My dear brother Dio is ready for his big debut!” she cooed. From behind Cicada came a new voice.

“Yes, sister. I'm looking forward to the Trial.” It took the muzzy Alex a few seconds to realize that this was Dio. Focusing on him, Alex found that he was looking at a totally different young man than he had known on the Silvana. The hollow, empty look in Dio's eyes chilled Alex. Whatever the Guild had done to him had destroyed the Dio had had known. Fleetingly, he recalled something that the chief engineer has once said about the `abomination that is Eraclea' and their love of blood sport.

Caressing Dio's face, Delphine nearly purred in delight. “Such a handsome Principal, my dearest Dio.” she breathed, kissing him deeply. Dio hummed as he returned her kiss. Alex closed his eyes, realizing that he had only one more trick to play.

-

Dio…is dead. realized Claus, holding Al close to him as below where he and Al stood with the aroused Delphine, Dio maimed and killed the other vying for the ceremonial sword that would dictate who would be Maestro of the Guild after Delphine. Whatever that…thing is, it is not Dio! Al had her hands over her face, and her face was pressed against Claus's stomach, both the young man's arms around her, cradling her head.

“Magnificent, isn't he?” bragged Delphine as Dio shoved his blade into the back of a young woman who was scrambling toward the sword. Snatching the blade out, he flipped it around and slashed open the leg of a young man about to stab him. “Such enthusiasm! It looks like another of House Eraclea will be Maestro.” giggled the woman. Below them, Dio was bathed in blood as he cut the neck of another Principal open, the arterial spray covering his face. Claus swallowed back the urge to vomit as he saw Dio smile through the mask of blood.

“Mm.” hummed Delphine, her hand moving up to caress her hard nipples. Claus felt a kind of revulsion he had never known, seeing this psychotic woman getting off on watching a senseless slaughter. I know now why the Guild didn't intervene in the Minegese battle when Lavie and I asked them to! They were getting off on the death and destruction! In an instant, Claus completely understood Alex Row and his fanatical need to destroy this woman and - by extension - the entire Guild. This madness has to stop. he vowed. I will never allow her to have Al or Lavie, or any of my friends.

Below them, the slaughter was nearing its end. With a final kill, Dio left his knife in the head of the last Principal still able to struggle toward the sword and climbed the short pedestal to the sword, wrenching it free and hold it aloft as he laughed madly. In front of Al and Claus, Delphine reached her climax as she rubbed her crotch through her fancy outfit with one hand, the other teasing her nipples. “So manly!” she breathed heavily, her cheeks flushed. Turning to her captive audience, she beamed at them.

“Come, we must congratulate the heir! You must be so proud to be his friend, Claus.” she said earnestly. Claus swallowed back the reply that sprang to his lips, choosing another in its place.

“That…thing is not my friend.” he said, his voice throttled with anger and revulsion.” Delphine frowned slightly at that, and Clause felt a hand land on his shoulder. Glancing back, he saw Cicada watching him with a cold gaze. Delphine's expression cleared.

“Oh! I understand now! It is only natural for you to be jealous of Dio's accomplishment!” she laughed. “If you had been a Guild member, you could have challenged for the Sword as well, you know! It would have been a worth performance to see you two battle for the honor of being the next Maestro.” she said dreamily. Cicada released Claus's shoulder. “In any event, we need to hurry to greet our dear brother.” said Delphine, moving past the two. Gently, Claus eased Al back from where she had hidden her face, and - blocking her view of the blood-soaked chamber below - guided her after the Maestro.

I used to want to know what is going on up in my skies, thought the young man as the group moved toward where ever Dio would be emerging, but if this is what is happening in the skies, I don't want to be in them; and I know that Lavie wouldn't want to be in them either. His thoughts ran in circles, but slowly, a new idea came to the forefront; one that had been prompted into existence by Alex's words when he had confronted him over the picture that Dio had found in the Captain's cabin that showed him, a woman Claus vaguely recalled as Euris, and their fathers next to twin van ships.

A world without the guild. Without endless, pointless war. A world without limited resources, and without nobility. A world with a future. Claus felt something stir in his chest. I want that kind of world, Alex. And I want that kind of sky for us. Feeling his fingers become trapped, he looked down to see Al looking up at him, her small hand gripping his, tears in the corners of her eyes. Claus managed a full, warm smile at her. Seeing his smile, she was able to smile a small smile back. Hand in hand, he and Al braced themselves for whatever would happen next.

-

Lucciola silently picked up the broken shards of the bowl that Dio had shattered, while the shell of the man they had once known kept stabbing the table before him, blind to the fact that the bowl of soup was no longer there, a crazed smile on his lips, and an occasional giggle escaping him. Delphine and Cicada had apparently gotten an urgent summon from the Guild, and had nearly run from the room, leaving Claus, Al, Lucciola and Dio alone for a moment.

“Lucciola, why aren't you helping Dio? Didn't you say that he was all that mattered to you?” asked Claus urgently. Lucciola kept picking up the shards of the bowl.

“Lucciola, why won't you help us?” asked Al, her clear, high voice slicing through the giggling and chuckling of Dio. “You're our friend, Lucciola; help us!” she begged.

“This isn't the kind of thing I had come to expect of you, you know.” said Claus softly. “The whole time that you and Dio were on the Silvana, you seemed happy. You cared about Dio's well-being. You even helped us out a time or two. What changed, Lucciola?” asked Claus bluntly. “I'll never believe that you think that this is what is best for Dio.” he said. Lucciola stopped picking up pieces of the bowl. “That woman is trying to destroy him and make him into something like her, you know. Why won't you protect him from her, Lucciola?”

The white-clad young man stood, looking at Dio. The heir to the Guild had stopped denting the table with his spoon, and was now staring blankly at the table top. “Please.” whispered Al, clutching Claus's hand. Lucciola watched Dio for a long moment, then swiftly gathered the young man up.

“Follow me, and say nothing.” said Lucciola, his tone commanding. Claus and Al ran after Lucciola and Dio as they moved out of the room and down the corridor to a transport room. Lucciola swiftly pressed some icons and they started to drop. Claus started to open his mouth, but one look from Lucciola silenced him. Reluctantly putting his trust in Lucciola, he hugged Al closer to him.

The group had changed rides three times before they encountered their first Guild member. The startled young mad had barely gotten to blink before Lucciola crushed his throat and threw his body over a rail - all without breaking stride. It was then that Claus knew that Lucciola was going to help them. “Quickly.” said the guard, breaking into a run, holding Dio in his arms. Claus scooped up Al and the two ran flat out down the corridor, entering another transportation room. As it dropped into a dark area of the huge headquarters of the Guild, Claus wondered where Lucciola was taking them.

“Claus, it's a van ship!” exclaimed Al. Looking where she was pointing, he saw the dull-silver ship that he and Alex had been taken from the Silvana in. Lucciola seemed to be aware of what he was thinking.

“Yes. It is fueled and ready to fly.” said the young man, still holding Dio. “Take it, Al, and Lord Dio, and go.” he said, exiting the transporter and moving to the ship, where he placed Dio in the rear seat.

“But, what about you? And Alex?” asked Claus, swiftly checking the ship over in preparation for take off. Lucciola shook his head.

“There is nothing I can do for the Captain, and this ship only holds two people. Al can squeeze in, but another will not fit.” he said. “If I do not distract the Guild, you will never escape the Arbiters.” Seeing Claus's look of incomprehension, he clarified his statement. “The Starfish will get you if I do not create a diversion.” he said.

“But, Lucciola…” began Al. The young man knelt, touching her lips with his fingertip.

“There is nothing that can be done about it, Alvis.” he said quietly. Reaching under the neck of his suit, he withdrew a simple chain, slipping it over his head and onto Al. “This is my gift to you, Alvis. It will connect you to the safest place in the world.” he promised. Standing, he lifted Al up so she could scramble into the navigator's seat with Dio. Lucciola gave her one more smile before he turned to look at Claus.

“Wait for my diversion, then get them out.” he said, no emotion in his voice. “If you do not succeed in freeing them, I will kill you.” he said flatly.

“Where should we go?” wondered Claus. Lucciola shook his head.

“Anywhere but here for a start.” said the young man, cocking his head slightly. “Start your engines, Claus.” he said urgently, pulling his blade out from under his uniform. “There is no more time.” he said, dashing off. Claus scrambled into the cockpit, strapping in even as he hit the switches for the inertia starters, Claudia injection pumps and avionics. “Al, I need you to strap Dio in, then hold on tight, ok?” he said, seeing the engines gaining power steadily as the ship began to lift. Lucciola never said what his diversion would be. realized Claus. I hope I don't miss it. he worried. He need not have worried; no one could miss Lucciola's `diversion'.

-

Claus awoke to find himself in a large bed, still dressed in the guild robes he had been wearing when they had so abruptly departed Delphine's party in the skies. Sitting up, he had seen a pair of simple coveralls like he had back on the Silvana laying on the foot of the bed. Getting out of bed, he swiftly stripped off the Guild robes and eagerly climbed into the coveralls.

Now in far more appropriate clothes, he went in search of Al. Opening the door, he found himself face to face with a woman. “Oh! You're awake!” she smiled easily. In her hands, she had a pitcher of water. “Thirsty?” she asked him. Nodding, Claus accepted a glass of cool, clear water from the woman.

“Miss, there was a young girl with me, and…” he began.

“She's fine, too. In fact, she is currently with my daughter, Claus Valca.” said the woman, sounding amused. Claus frowned.

“How did you know my name?” he wondered.

“You and that little girl you flew with delivered a message for my daughter a while back. My husband told me about your adventure delivering it.” hinted the woman. “And even if you hadn't, Alvis is a very vocal promoter of your fame.” she laughed. “To hear her tell it, you single-handedly broke them out of the Guild stronghold.”

“It was more Lucciola than me.” demurred Claus. That triggered another mental note. “Dio! There was a young Guild member with us, is he ok?” he asked the woman. She sighed.

“Physically, he seems fine, but his is nearly cationic. He is resting right now.” said the woman. Claus sighed in relief.

“I know he's a member of the Guild, but Dio is a friend of mine.” he said. The woman nodded.

“Rather or not he is a member of the Guild is not my concern.” she said. Inclining her head, she led them down the hall to a grand staircase, and down a floor to another wing. Looking into the large, open room, Claus saw that there were row upon row of cots, holding Anatory, Disith, commoner and even a couple of Guild members, receiving care. Over the general din of dozens of separate conversations, he heard one voice clearly.

“This might sting.” came Al's voice.

“Al!” called Claus. Instantly, a familiar blonde head, hair once more in her familiar mushroom-shaped hair bun covers, popped out from behind a simple screen of a sheet hanging from a line.

“Claus!” she called, running to him and hugging him tightly. “You're awake!” she said, relieved. He nodded.

“I'm glad you're ok, Al. That was a rough landing, wasn't it?” he asked her. She smiled.

“It wasn't that bad.” she giggled. “Lavie told me some of your landings were a lot harder.” she added. Claus nodded.

“That's true, I suppose.” he admitted. He and Lavie had cheated death on a fairly regular basis when they had been learning how to fly. Another girl came up behind the two.

“Claus!” exclaimed the girl. Looking at the girl, her fancy dress covered by a simple cotton apron, he finally managed to put it together. “Where is the girl - Lavie? - who was with you when you delivered my message?” she asked.

“This is Duke Mad-Thane's house.” he breathed to himself. But, that's just outside Norkia! Where the hell did we come down?! “Um, Lavie is on the Silvana. I don't know where the ship is at the moment.” he admitted. Somewhere in the Grand Stream, I bet! he thought. He suddenly had a new priority.

“Is the ship we came in still flyable?” he asked urgently. The wife of the Duke nodded.

“Yes, I think it is, though it got banged up some on the way down.” she said. “Why do you ask?” she wondered.

“We have to get to the Silvana.” said Claus. Lavie, Tatiana, Alis, Sophia…

“I'll see if I can have it prepared for your departure. Where will you start your search?” asked the woman. Claus considered that.

“I guess we'll start with Norkia, and see if anyone knows where the ship was last seen.” he said. Laura Mad-Thane slowly nodded.

“I see.” she said quietly. “Will you at least stay for dinner?” she asked the two. Both nodded. Holly Mad-Thane returned to her work, helping the doctors treat the injured, while Al returned to her normal position at Claus's side.

Moving outside to avoid being in the way of the injured, the two looked out over the large water feature that dominated the front yard of the estate. Scores of heavy transports, van ships and escape pods littered the grounds, while overhead, perhaps a dozen Anatory, Disith and Mad-Thane ships were floating, all of them showing heavy damage. Crews were hard at work repairing it, though.

“What do we do first, Claus?” asked Al, looking up at him with her clear, light-grey eyes. The young man sighed.

“I'm not really sure, Al.” he admitted. “But I promise you, we will get back to Lavie and the others.” he re-confirmed his promise. The girl smiled at him, hugging him tighter.

“You and Lavie used to live in Norkia, didn't you?” she asked. Claus nodded.

“Yes. Why?” he wondered. Al smiled.

“Why don't we check on our house?” she asked. Claus blinked. He hadn't even thought about his and Lavie's little shack in months, and now, they were only a half hour away by van ship. And we have a van ship, so why not? he reasoned. We might be able to start preparing it for repairs, too. And see if anything useful is still there.

“Sure, Al. Sounds like a good idea.” he agreed. Another thought occurred to him. “Would you like to see where Lavie and I used to live? Before we moved to Norkia, I mean?” he asked. An immediate nod from the girl was hardly a surprise. Claus smiled at her, fondly patting her head.

“Ok, then! Right after lunch, we're off!” he decided. Al nodded eagerly.

-

In mid-flight, the two had changed the order of their visits, first flying up to the old home of Claus and Lavie and their fathers and mother. The house sat empty, as did the barn, the grass long since uncut and untended. Beneath the oak tree, the three headstones rested. The deeply-worn tracks from countless van ship take-offs and landings were still there, and an easy target for Claus. Dismounting, he had helped Al down, and the two had moved through the thigh-deep grass to the barn.

As expected, the barn was empty, all the bits and pieces of van ship tools and parts that he and Lavie had not carted off were gone, the stores of smoked meat and dried vegetables were also gone, as expected. Still, as Claus pointed out how it had looked, Al could picture it in her mind. After a good half hour in the barn, he and Al had moved to the house, finding it unlocked, and except for a broken window, seemingly in good condition. Slowly, room by room, the two worked their way through the house, bottom and top floors, Claus easily slipping into memory as he told Al a few incidents from each room.

Once more, Al was able to almost picture what Claus was saying, the figures in her mind's eye lacking only clear faces. Even though the house was bare of all furnishings, she could see the rooms as Claus described them. She saw the marks on the door frame where he and Lavie marked their height each year, and the patches on the wall and floor from one misadventure or another. Having entered through the front, the two finally exited the rear of the house, Claus hesitating before moving toward the oak tree and the three headstones.

“Al, this is my mother, Justine Valca.” he said quietly, gently touching the headstone. “And on this side, is dad. On her other side, George.” he was silent for a bit. “Only mother is really here, you see.” he said quietly. “They never found our fathers' bodies.” Claus knelt by the three headstones.

“Mom, dad, George,” he said quietly, “this is Alvis Hamilton. Lavie and I are taking care of her. Lavie is doing fine, and we're flying van ships together, just like you said we would. The war with Disith is over, but now, we're at war with the Guild. It may seem strange, but they were the enemy all along; not the Disith. I'm sorry that Lavie isn't here with me, but I am going to find her right now. And we will fly the Grand Stream together.” he promised them. “Next time, Lavie and I will come here together, but until then, there is work to be done.” he finished, standing. Al thoughtfully placed a wild flower on top of Justine's grass-covered grave.

Silently, the two of them made their way back to the van ship. Next stop was their home in Norkia; or, more accurately, what was left of it. With casual skill, Claus swung the twin-engine ship around and made a low circle of the house, passing between the tree and the house as he climbed and came onto his heading for Norkia.

-

The house in Norkia was as they had expected to find it: mostly demolished. Having a Guild Starfish smash through it will do a number on any house, and the small, cramped house that he and Lavie had built was no exception. From the roof to the canal beneath the house, the entire thing was opened up. The rooms above were only partially sound, and a lot of the small tools that he and Lavie had painstakingly accumulated were gone, looted or stolen.

Exploring the house, Al found the room where she had slept - Claus and Lavie's bedroom, she now knew - gutted, but with several things still remaining. Books and photos were scattered around, and Al decided that Lavie would want the photos, so she gathered them up. With greater familiarity with the history of the two, she was able to identify some of the people in the pictures, swiftly determining which was Lavie's father, and from that, she determined who Claus's father and mother were. Now, she could see the faces from the stories Claus had told her.

Carefully stacking the pictures and tying them securely into a bundle, she tucked them into her skirt for safe keeping. Looking at the books, she saw that most were damaged by water, save one. On the cover was a hand-drawn van ship, and below it was written `Van Ship Manual - by Lavie Head'. Intrigued, squatted and began to look through it. Diagrams, notes, reminders and several crossed-out and re-written parts littered the pages. It wasn't until Claus called her that she realized that she had been intently reading and studying the thing.

Carrying the book, she scampered down to join him in the search for food. As they checked the kitchen area, they discovered that the bread and vegetables were done for. Once more, knowing Lavie all his life came to the rescue as Claus managed to find the stash that he knew Lavie kept. So, supper was smoked meat and water; hardly fancy fare, but enough to keep hunger at bay. As they finished up, Al showed Claus the book that she had found.

As she had thought, it was a book that Lavie had written as she learned about van ships. Claus told her that Lavie used to fly with that in her lap, studying it and making notes. As time passed, she had stopped carrying it, since she didn't need it any longer. With darkness falling, and no light to speak of, the two of them managed to get the van ship more or less under what remained of the house, and looked for a spot to sleep. While they knew that they could likely return to the Mad-Thane estate, they chose not to do so. Both were eager to find Lavie.

Having decided to sleep on the floor of the hanger next to the van ship, Claus and Al rummaged around in the wreckage for materials for a bed, coming up with a couple of blankets and some odd bits of padding for a narrow, cramped pallet. The sun had long since set when the two of them called the pallet finished. In the dark, they got ready for bed. Claus unzipped his coveralls to let in some cooler air, and Al wiggled out of her dress, leaving her in the under shorts that Holly had gotten for her when she gave her the dress. They were similar to the ones that she had worn before, but were shorter, closer-fitting, and thinner.

Getting comfortable, the two settled in for the night. Al ended up in Lavie's position, on top of Claus, her bare chest resting on his bare chest. As Claus got comfortable, he wrapped his arms around her small frame, one across her shoulder blades, and the other across her hips. Al leaned up and kissed him like she had the night before. Without hesitation, Claus returned the simple kiss, though Alvis held it a lot longer this time than she had last time.

“Good night, Claus.” said the girl when she released the kiss.

“Good night, Al.” he replied, smiling in the dark. Al rested her head on his chest.

-

Morning found Al still resting on his chest, his arms still around her. In the morning shadows, it was still nearly dark inside the demolished home, but the two were stirring. Claus awoke first, finding that he had shifted in the night, putting a hand on Al's thinly-covered rear. For her part, Al had shifted down some, her legs on either side of his hips. Claus found that this put her right against his morning wood.

Shifting around as he tried to get his hard member into a less uncomfortable position, he managed to get it out from under her under shorts-clad hips, but now, it was standing straight up, rubbing against her groin. Just below his shaft, the zipper of the coveralls was pinching his flesh.

His shifting managed to wake Al, who looked up from his chest, rubbing her eyes with one hand. “Good morning, Claus.” she said, leaning up to kiss him again.

“Good morning, Al.” said the young man, starting to move again. Al hugged him.

“Can we stay like this for a little longer?” she asked him, absently rubbing her hips against his. The feeling of her cloth-shrouded sex rubbing his hard member was feeding the fire of his arousal. “It feels good.” she said. Claus wasn't going to argue with her; it did feel good. Lavie and I were about her age when we started doing stuff like this. he mused.

Remembering his start with Lavie, Claus began to rub Al's back, getting a soft giggle from the girl. “I like that, Claus.” she said, leaning up to kiss him again. Claus moved ahead, rubbing her rear through her shorts. A soft sound came from her throat as he did so. Carefully, he worked his way over the curve of her butt cheeks and to her groin. A gasp came from her when his fingertips brushed over her sex.

“Al? Are you ok?” he asked her. She nodded, eyes wide.

“That felt really good! Can you do that again?” asked Al. Claus carefully slid a finger along her covered sex, the girl shivering in his arms. A mew came from the girl's throat. Claus couldn't help but chuckle.

“Lavie reacted just like that, Al.” he confided. Al was breathing faster.

“She said it felt good.” she shared. “She also said that it felt a lot better without anything in the way.” recalled Al, moving her hands to her hips and beginning to work her shorts off. Her progress was stopped by Claus's hard length holding the shorts in place.

“Here, let's try this.” said Claus, lifting her up and turning her over before settling her back onto his chest, her back now to his chest. She kicked off her under shorts, wiggling around until she was back like she had been before, Claus's hard length between her legs. Rubbing her sides, Claus moved back to her smooth slit, carefully exploring her. Nearly immediately, he felt the bump of her clit.

A happy squeal came from Al when he discovered her clit. Smiling, Claus began to work on her in earnest, very quickly causing her to orgasm. “Claus.” she purred happily as she rested from her very first orgasm. Feeling a throbbing between her legs, she reached down to explore this strange thing. Feeling the tip of Claus's manhood, she marveled that he could fit it in Lavie, who wasn't much bigger than she was.

Exploring it with her small, soft hands, she heard him groan. “Did I hurt you, Claus?” she worried. Claus shook his head.

“No, Al. It feels good when you do that with your hands.” he said. Slowly, Al began to stroke his hard dick.

“Like this?” she asked. Claus sighed.

“Yes. Like that.” he agreed. Al happily began to increase her pace. As she did, she felt a hot, slick fluid beginning to coat her hands, making it easier for her to pump his shaft. Claus began to pant. Al moved her slick fingers up to the tip and found the source of the hot, slick fluid.

“Al!” gasped Claus, his hard organ suddenly jerking in her hands. Al was surprised to feel hot, thick fluid rain down on her bare chest, abdomen and groin. Her hands were now completely covered in think, slippery fluid. Al's eyes went wide.

“Claus, what happened?” she asked, worried that something was wrong. Claus chuckled.

“It's ok, Al. Remember a bit ago, when you suddenly felt really, really good?” he asked her. Al remembered that clearly.

“Yes.” she said. Claus continued.

“Well, that's called an orgasm. This is my orgasm.” he explained.

“So, you liked it?” she double checked. Claus reached around and rubbed her nipples gently.

“Yes, Al, I liked it a lot.” he assured her. Al rolled over and kissed him.

“I'm glad!” she said happily when she pulled back. “But, what do we do with this stuff?” she wondered. Claus chuckled.

“Well, Lavie and the other girls like to eat it.” he suggested. Al, curious about that revelation, collected some on her finger and cautiously touched it to the tip of her tongue. Making a face, she swallowed the small amount of cum.

“It's salty and slimy.” she said. Carefully, she extended her tongue for another try. Maybe I just have to get used to it. she decided, making a mental note to ask Lavie about it. The two decided that they should just get some water and a cloth and clean it up. They had barely gotten that done when the pendant that Lucciola had given to Al began to glow.

“Lavie?” asked Claus, speaking to the pendant for lack of any other idea where to speak. A moment of static, then a welcome voice came back from thin air.

“Claus? Is that you?”