Mars Daybreak Fan Fiction ❯ Haunting Past ❯ Chapter 7

Haunting Past

 

By: A-Z Mark II

 

Disclaimer: I think that Sony Computer Ent. and Bandai own Mars Daybreak - maybe.

 

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Chapter 7

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“Well, I guess I should go welcome her aboard,” sighed Elizabeth as she watched the transfer sub exit the hanger of the Aurora, leaving behind Ester, Neli, Gram and Vess. Vess had a small shoulder pack over one arm, and Gram was carrying a similarly-small pack in his left hand. Absently, she noticed that he was still wearing the leather-palmed piloting gloves he had worn when last he was aboard her ship.

“Just remember what I said about her,” reminded Clara, rising and arching her back as she stretched her feline form.

“I'm trying to, Clara,” replied Elizabeth. “But I keep trying to recall exactly how you sold me on this idea,” she complained. Clara offered her a toothy smile.

“I merely suggested a possible way to break through her hostile shell,” denied the cat. “How you chose to interpret that suggestion is your own doing,” she added archly. “Besides, it's your tradition for new crew, is it not?” purred the feline.

“You just want to see her move,” groused Elizabeth.

“And you don't?” counter-accused the four-legged crewman. “I bet you she will move just like Gram did,” she predicted. Elizabeth recalled how that `test' had played out.

“Yeah, probably,” she agreed, grabbing the pair of cutlasses by her command couch, “but I hope she has as much restraint as Gram did,” she murmured. Even to this day, Elizabeth wasn't sure that Gram hadn't deliberately cut her hair band instead of her neck. And Vess shot at Gram - whom she loves, too, she recalled uneasily. Glancing at the sharp steel in her hands, she once more re-thought her choice. Still, if she changed her mind easily, she wouldn't be Captain Elizabeth. Gritting her teeth, the woman marched toward the hanger.

Behind her, Clara eagerly followed, silent on her paws, but her tail twitching excitedly in anticipation of what was to come. As the woman moved past crewmen, they saw the cutlasses in her hand and word swiftly spread about what was about to happen. From all quarters of the ship, crew came running. After all that they had endured at Vess's hands during her maniacal pursuit of Gram, they all had a certain amount of curiosity about her, and this was a good chance to learn some important things about her.

In the hanger, Ester and Neli were sticking with Gram and Vess, unsure of how best to properly introduce the two to the rest of the crew. When Captain Elizabeth stepped through the hatch, Ester spotted the two cutlasses in her hand. “Um, Captain, I don't…!” she began.

“Me neither, Ester,” agreed Elizabeth reasonably, “but it's tradition, and I don't think I need to remind you of how superstitious pirates are,” she side-stepped. “Vestemona,” she said, tossing one of the blades at Vess, who deftly caught it. “We on the Aurora have a little welcoming ceremony for new crewmen on the ship,” explained the woman, dragging the sheath off her own cutlass. Vess's eyes narrowed, her lips tightening. Gram touched her shoulder, minutely shaking his head. Offering him a thin smile, Vess shrugged off her boarding vest and plucked her gun out, handing it to Gram.

“This won't take long,” she said confidently, knocking the sheath off her own blade. Gram gave her a smile.

“Don't be too sure, Vess,” he murmured to her. “Just try to leave her alive, ok?” he asked a bit louder.

“No promises,” shrugged Vess, green eyes narrowed as she tightened her grip on the blade.

It started as it had with Gram: without warning. Elizabeth came in fast and silent, a straight lunge for Vess's chest, which the girl sidestepped, swinging the blade around in a short, nasty cut for the Captain's exposed upper arm. Twisting her arm, Elizabeth caught Vess's counter-cut on her blade, grinning as she glanced at Vess's face, only to see Vess's fist filling her vision. Gritting her teeth, Elizabeth turned her head to meet the blow with her forehead instead of her face.

Ouch! thought the woman, grunting a little as Vess's blow connected. She fights dirty! thought the woman, shifting her balance and clearing the smaller girl's guard as she stepped back. Vess was having none of that, though, as she moved forward, consuming the space that Elizabeth had just surrendered, her own cutlass coming in fast in a low jab toward the other woman's lower belly. Jerking her hips back, Elizabeth swiped her blade down on top of Vess's, forcing the blonde's blade low of her mark. Got you! she though, preparing to grab Vess's wrist with her free hand.

Unfortunately, she hadn't notice that Vess wasn't resisting the deflection, but moving with it, turning as she did, her heel catching the stout woman's knee with more force than Elizabeth cared for. “Gah!” she gasped as she felt her knee pop in protest of the impact. Sliding her foot down and behind Elizabeth, Vess folded her chest behind her shoulder and shoved forward - hard.

Ester watched intently as her captain dropped to the deck, tripped by the smaller woman's clever leg-bar. She fights much like Kuberness does, but with a grace that reminds me of Gram, the Naval Witch reflected. I wonder, was Gram holding back that time when Elizabeth challenged him? mused the small woman. I know I held back when she challenged me, she reflected. Her red eyes watched the match closely.

Even if she was caught off-guard, Elizabeth was not some cherry when it came to fighting. Using her other leg, she kicked forward hard, forcing Vess to dodge back, giving Elizabeth time to get to her feet and bring her cutlass up. Looking at Vess's cold green eyes, the older woman realized that Clara had been right - Vess was certainly dangerous. And she does, in fact, move like Gram does, recalled the woman. The young man was calmly watching the two, his lips faintly smiling.

“Vess!” came Bon's voice, the young man working his way through the crowd. Seeing Vess facing the Captain of the pirate vessel with a blade in her hand, he gasped. “Gram! Do something!” he yelled at Gram.

“It's ok, Bon,” called back Gram. “It's almost over,” he added quietly, speaking mostly to himself. Ester spared the young man a quick glance before turning her attention back to the fight. “You need a fork, Vess?” he asked, his smile growing a bit.

“No,” she replied tonelessly. “That is your secret weapon, remember?” she asked, her own lips twitching. Stepping forward fluidly, the slim blonde feinted high, blocked low, then went high again, Elizabeth following her first two moves, but being caught off guard by the reversal. Still, the taller woman - with greater reach - was able to catch Vess's wrist, turning the blade away from her neck. To her surprise, Vess bent her wrist, bringing the pommel of the cutlass up to touch the other woman's larynx as her free hand grabbed Elizabeth's hair and jerked her chin upward to expose the delicate throat.

Behind Vess's neck, Elizabeth's cutlass was pressed against Vess's back. It was several moments before the crew realized that Elizabeth had just lost a fight. Gram shook his head. “Reckless as always, Vess,” he said, stepping forward and plucking the cutlass from Elizabeth's hand before collecting Vess's own weapon, handing her back her handgun. “You still fight like a savage,” he teased her. Vess snorted.

“Blame that on a certain rogue orphan,” she replied, tucking her gun into her holster and shrugging into her jacket as she retrieved her bag from where she had dropped it. Gram handed the two cutlasses to Elizabeth.

“You ok, captain?” he asked her. Taking the two, Elizabeth watched Vess for a moment longer.

“Yeah,” she replied, “just a little surprised,” she said. Gram shrugged.

“Vess just got lucky,” dismissed the young man. Elizabeth's expression didn't change, but she certainly had doubts about that claim. Lucky my ass, thought the woman.

“Well, now that that is done,” she said, speaking loud and clear, “welcome to the Ship of Aurora, Vestemona,” she officially welcomed the blonde. Vess said nothing, standing by Gram's side.

“You move beautifully, Vess,” came the clear, high voice of Clara. Glancing over to the hatch, Gram saw that the feline had found a convenient place to watch from, easily balancing on the cargo netting that held reloads for the RBs at the ready.

“Thanks,” said the blonde. “So, where are we going, Captain?” she wondered. “And where are we staying on ship?” wondered the woman.

“Well,” said Elizabeth, turning for the hatch, “we are currently thinking of setting course for the ice fields at the south pole, but we can change that, if you have other ideas,” said the woman. “I thought that you and Vess might like a nice hot outdoor bath,” the woman said, giving Gram a steady look. Gram glanced at his watch.

“It's that time already?” he wondered. “Sure,” he agreed. “Sounds good,” he continued, “but I think we should head for Ligaoga first.”

“Not a problem, but any particular reason for going there?” wondered Elizabeth. Gram nodded.

“Yes,” he said. “As a matter of fact, there are a couple of reasons for going there,” he added.

-

Gram and Vess worked side by side in the galley of the Aurora, making supper for the crew. No matter how much the pirates protested it, the two were determined to take on their share of the work while aboard. Since Vess's lethal Buckler, the Flick, was unable to dock in the Aurora's vertical launch bays, it had been left in the Ship of Hope, locked down tight.

“Three days to Ligaoga,” mused Vess softly, chopping up some greens for the short salad that they planned to serve with the steak and mashed potatoes that would form supper. Gram nodded, tending to the gravy he was working on.

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Second thoughts?” he asked her quietly, glancing out into the mess hall, making sure that none of the crew had slipped in while they were occupied with the food.

“Yes, but I can't think of a better idea,” admitted the girl. “When do we tell them?” she asked her lover.

“When we get there,” replied Gram. “That way, they can enjoy their time here without a cloud over their heads,” he said. Vess nodded.

“Probably for the best,” she concurred. Minutes passed. “Shie is still a little tense around me,” she murmured to Gram. He nodded.

“What happened in Morgan Drift really got to her,” he reasoned. “Give her a little time - especially around Megumi - and she'll be fine.” After a short debate, he said what else he was thinking. “It's another reason to do it, Vess,” he murmured. Beside him, Vess stopped working, her eyes on the cutting board.

“I know, Gram,” she whispered. “It's just that sometimes, it feels like we are losing our dream, bit by bit, you know?” she asked him. Gram set the ladle down and turned to hug Vess gently.

“We haven't lost anything yet, Vess,” he disagreed with her gently. “And there is no way that I will give up our dreams - for anyone!” he promised her. Vess managed a smile for him, tilting her head to kiss him gently.

“I'm with you, Gram,” she promised him. Now and forever, I'm sticking to you like glue, she promised herself.

“Well, then I have nothing to fear, do I?” he joked softly. Vess gave a little thrill of laughter, resuming her food preparation.

“Of course not,” she agreed blandly. Gram began to lay out the steaks on the range, glancing at the clock above the door. Feeling Vess's warmth beside him, he couldn't help but smile like an idiot. All that's missing is Enora, he reflected.

Their moment was interrupted by the door hatch opening and Ester entering. “Hey, Ester,” called out Gram after glancing at the hatch to see who had come calling.

“Gram, Vess,” replied the Naval Witch. “Smells good,” she added, swallowing a mouthful of drool. Gram chuckled.

“Yes, it does,” he agreed. “Did you find us a place to stay yet?” he asked her. Ester stopped on the other side of the pass-through from the pair.

“Yes, and no,” she said. “As you know, even though the Aurora is larger than your ship, we carry a full compliment of crew, and there is a lot of gear stowed in our ancillary areas,” she explained. Both Vess and Gram were giving her bemused looks, waiting for her to get to the point.

“We have your two friends bunking in sick bay because our cabins are full. Captain Elizabeth was prepared to order some of her crew to vacate a cabin for you two, but Neli and I proposed a different solution, provided that you find it acceptable,” said the small woman.

“And that is?” asked Vess.

“We suggested that you pick from among the crew who you wanted to share a cabin with,” she explained. “Together or separately, as you choose,” she elaborated. “It would still be sharing a cabin, but at least you can choose who you want to share with,” she offered. “And, if you prefer not to share a cabin,” she said, her cheeks coloring a little, “Neli and I have volunteered to give up our cabins to you two,” she added.

“That won't be necessary, Ester,” said Vess, glancing at Gram, who nodded. “We'll talk about it after dinner and decide,” said the woman. Ester nodded.

“Just let us know,” said the dark-haired woman. Instead of returning to the bridge, she paused. “Um, my cabin is a little bigger than Neli's,” she said, her hands absently clutching each other. “And I am closer to the center of the ship, too,” added the first officer of the Aurora. “Captain Elizabeth and myself are the only ones without a room mate; though Neli has enough mechanical stuff in her cabin to make it resemble a machine shop,” she smiled wryly. “None of the cabins here - even the captain's cabin - is as nice as yours on the Ship of Hope, but hopefully, you will find them comfortable,” she added hopefully.

“It'll be fine, whatever we choose,” assured Gram. When last he had crewed on the ship, he had split a cabin with Yagami, Aki and Junior.

“Well, I guess I'll be getting back to the bridge,” said the woman, turning for the hatch.

“Supper will be ready in about a half hour, Ester,” called out Gram. “I expect to see you here, ok?” he prompted her. Ester often chose to stand watch rather than eat in the crowded dining room.

“I'll be here, Gram,” she confirmed, giving him an almost eager smile. As the hatch closed behind her, Vess glanced at Gram.

“She's a strange girl,” she said casually. “A bit young for an officer, but she seems competent,” offered Vess. Gram laughed.

“Vess, you don't know the half of it,” he said. “Ester isn't `young' for any position on a ship,” he said. “I found out when I was crewing here last that she is one hundred and forty one years old,” he shared with his lover. Vess's eyes opened wide.

“But she barely looks like she's past her teens!” protested the blonde. Gram shrugged.

“She's a Naval Witch, Vess,” he reminded her. “I guess that she ages differently than a human does,” added the young man. Vess blinked.

“A Naval Witch?” she asked, surprised. “I didn't think that any of them survived the pan-galactic war,” she wondered aloud. On Earth, they treat Naval Witches like urban legends, she recalled. “Amazing,” she breathed.

“Yes, she is,” seconded Gram. “But, we need to decide where we're sleeping,” he said to the blonde.

“Where ever it is, I'm sleeping with you,” stated the green-eyed girl. “I don't know this bunch well enough to care, one way or the other,” she dismissed the choice. “You pick.”

Gram grinned at her, slipping an arm around her waist, pausing to playfully pinch her toned ass. “So, how about we bunk with Aki, then?” he suggested evilly. Vess made a face.

“Ugh!” she replied, her tone disgusted. “I'd rather sleep on the floor than in the same cabin with that posturing ass!” she replied hotly. “Pick Neli or Ester, Gram,” she said. A moment later, her smile turned sly. “Or we could impose on Captain Elizabeth,” she suggested with evil delight. Gram shook his head.

“I'd rather not,” he said urbanely. Leaning over to her, he whispered in her ear. “Of all the nutcases on this ship, she is the craziest of the lot!”

-

Enora yawned as she peeled off her shirt and wiggled out of her shorts before grabbing a fluffy towel and entering the bathroom in her hotel room for a hot shower. It was way past nightfall, and she was just getting back to her hotel room from Granny Garma's place. It had been three days since she got to Ligaoga, and she had spent nearly all of it with Granny Garma, talking about the aboriginal history, and about the current situation between Mars and Earth. Granny Garma, she found, was surprisingly likeable.

She was also, Enora had discovered, very keen on her chief and his girls, as she referred to Enora and Vess. Every chance she got, she brought up Enora's and Gram's relationship, which Enora kept insisting was brother/sister, no matter how much she wished she hadn't made that call so long ago. Granny Garma apparently refused to accept that answer from her. So, it had become something of a game between them: Garma would insinuate, and Enora would defend.

Enora also kept checking her search strings, as well as getting occasional text messages and short vid messages from Rosetta. Enora was carefully vague about where she was and what she was doing, just in case, but she did let Rosetta know as much as she felt she could, without compromising herself or her friends. She also took the time to make two short emails to her grandfather, and assure him that she was alive and healthy. So far, she hadn't gotten a reply from him, but wasn't worried; at least, not yet. It did occur to her that she might have gone too far this time, and he might never speak to her again, but thinking of Gram and her friends on the Aurora, she felt it was a bargain if that was all it cost her.

Standing under the water, she felt her body relax as the warmth worked its way through her. Sighing happily, she found her thoughts lingering on Gram. As usual, her nipples stiffened and her pussy began to tingle. Shaking her head, she concentrated on not playing with herself. You can do it, Enora, she told herself firmly. Just this once, don't start masturbating as you fantasize about Gram doing things to you, the girl told herself. So, no rubbing your nipples, and take your finger out of your…?...! Blinking, Enora forced herself to pull her hand off her breast, and then to pull her other hand away from her throbbing sex. “Damn it,” she sighed.

As a healthy teenage girl, Enora was not new to masturbating. Ever since her first trip to Mars, however, she had found herself relieving her frustrations with a regularity that was almost disconcerting. That Gram was the star of her fantasies didn't surprise her at all, and in the last year, she had found that she couldn't even recall who she had fantasized about before meeting him. A month before she had unexpectedly began her return to Mars, she had sat down one night, and tried as hard as she could to recall who it was she had had a crush on before Gram. After an hour, she gave up; who ever it might have been, she couldn't even recall his name now, nor what he looked like.

Recalling that night, Enora languidly smiled in her hotel room on Ligaoga, her finger lightly stroking her erect clit with practiced proficiency. Sighing softly, Enora trapped her left nipple with her free hand's thumb and forefinger, rolling, carefully pinching and tugging on her hard tip. “Gram,” she murmured, edging her finger into her slippery core. The girl's slim body shivered as she edged her finger deeper and deeper into her sex, pausing only when she brushed against what remained of her hymen.

A low, sensuous moan escaped her lips as she stopped her forward progress into her sex, choosing instead to edge in a second finger and stay shallow rather than push farther into her sex. Her other hand switched breasts, finding her neglected nipple was hard and sensitive. Gradually, she sank down in the shower until she was sitting on the floor, leaning back against the wall, eyes closed as she climbed toward orgasm. Her breathing quickened and roughened.

In her steaming-hot sex, she short-stroked herself, her juice-covered fingers slipping almost free of her tight passage to run over her clit before pushing back into herself, once more rubbing her fully-exposed clit on the way back in. Panting hard, Enora curled the tips of her fingers slightly, pushing harder against her pubic bone and roof of her pussy as her other hand pinches her nipple a little harder than she intended. “Gram!” she screamed hoarsely, her toes curling hard as an orgasm detonated outward from her sex. “God, yes!!” hissed the girl, seeing spots before her eyes as the warm water slowly washed her girl-cum from her fingers, her other hand limply slipping off her proud tit to lay across her hips.

Almost ten minutes passed before Enora managed to get back on her unsteady feet. Feeling her happily-throbbing sex dripping her honey down her thighs, she recalled that she had decided not to play with herself. Well, so much for that, she philosophized. Feeling better, she grabbed her body wash and once more washed herself off, noticing that her nipples were still semi-erect, and her right nipple had two small, dark spots where her nails had inadvertently pinched too hard.

A quarter of an hour later, Enora tossed her damp towel over the rack and slipped between the cool, crisp sheets of her hotel room bed. As usual, she was relaxed and feeling obscenely good after masturbating to dreams of Gram. Plumping the pillow behind her head, she snagged her PCD, making a final check for the night. Once she had been through her email, text, vid-mail and voice mail, she started to put her PCD aside, but another idea came to her. Opening up her vid-mail application, she selected an address in her list of contacts and began recording a new message.

“Hi, Hsia,” she said. “I've been meaning to get back with you, but I've been busy. I'd rather not say where I am or what I have been doing, but I want you to know that - so far! - I'm safe and sound,” she began her message. “To be honest, I was surprised to hear that I have been formally expelled,” she continued. “I was told that I was on leave of absence, not expelled, but it doesn't really surprise me; after all, that Lauren jerk is paying off the principal and the school administration!” she spat vehemently. “Uh! Don't get me started on that,” she dismissed the topic for the moment. “Anyway, I was recently doing some research, and came across a topic I'm not real good with. Since it's about medicine, I thought I'd ask you, since your family is loaded with doctors and you are taking a lot of biology and medicine courses…” Enora's message turned out to be a bit longer than she had initially planned.

-

Kuberness poured himself some wine and leaned back in his chair at his hidden base in the deep reaches of the Martian seas. For the last few months, he had been relatively low-key, taking some small jobs and some smaller game - like the Kraken-class frigate - but mostly, he had been mulling over what that insufferable fool Poe had said to him. As much as the lone wolf hated to admit it, the current situation on Mars was not to his liking. The added pressure of the `pirate hunt', as it was being called these days, was cramping his style and increasing his risk while decreasing his profits

He had taken some time recently to look over his personal situation, and to his surprise, he had found that he was wealthier than he had thought. Not that Kuberness was interested in wealth the way that Poe and Lauren were; it was just a means of keeping score of his success in pirating. Ever since his short interlude with Vess, he had been toying with ideas for when he was ready to move on and leave pirating behind him. After all, he thought, once you reach a certain level of skill before pirating loses its challenge. It was safe to say that he had long since reached that level.

Working for Lauren had given him the initial idea of moving on to other worlds to conquer - worlds that might prove to be more of a challenge to him than pirating had become. In many ways, the challenge was what Kuberness was addicted to, not the money or the violence. Any more, it was impossible to get a truly challenging engagement with anyone but the Aurora, since the other pirates avoided him and the Ship of Aurora like the plague, and the Earth Forces were too inexperienced to be any kind of meaningful challenge to him.

What does the most feared pirate on Mars do for an encore when he's ready to leave piracy behind? he asked himself. Besides his ship and RB, he had partial or out-right ownership of dozens of businesses, from restaurants on Ardena to a hotel on Ligaoga, from a SHIELD-ship outfitting company on Gateway to heavy interest in a desiccate plant at the capital. He was a silent partner to the largest import company on Mars, and was the largest supporter of explorative mining on Mars - not that any of that was in his name, of course.

Kuberness sipped his wine. With Lauren stirring things up again, he was being inconvenienced once more. The fact that Lauren had had the unmitigated gall to dare to break a contract with him further pushed his buttons. Taking the single credit chip from Gram allowed him to justify his participation in disrupting Lauren and Poe's plans for the Ship of Aurora, without having to say that it was getting back at Lauren. Recalling the talk with Poe, Kuberness smiled mirthlessly as he wondered if anyone would believe that he had sold his services for a single twenty-five credit chip to a man he once fought a duel with. Still, that young man is proving to be a bigger player than even he knows, mused the pirate.

“Interceptor,” he called out, his robotic crewman immediately moving over to him. “I need you to find a way to hack into interplanetary communications. In particular, I need you to find a way to listen in on Lauren's private communication channels,” said the man, his mind busy. “Also, see if there is any way to crack the military high command communication channels as well as the channels used by George Taft, president of Earth,” he directed. It pays to keep your ear to the wind, and to keep an eye on the political climate on Earth, as well, he thought to himself.

“Probability of success of primary parameters reasonable,” came the emotionless, robotic, processed voice of the humanoid droid. “Probability of secondary objective problematic at best,” warned the machine.

“Try it anyway,” directed Kuberness. “You can use assets as necessary, but do not allow any signal tracing to point back to me if you use secondary resources,” the man repeated his orders. “Is there any new news on the Ship of Hope or the Ship of Aurora?” he asked.

“No news or encounters reported since last search inquiry,” came the synthetic voice of his interceptor.

“Well, sooner or later, they'll turn up,” he said confidently. “Captain Elizabeth isn't one to hide, after all,” he chuckled.

-

“That's the last of them,” said Vess, draping her cloth over the hook after one final wringing. Gram put the last of the dishes back in their storage cabinet.

“Yep,” he said, closing the cabinet. Turning to Vess, he saw her covering a yawn with her hand. “So, ready to grab some sleep?” he asked her, hugging her belly to belly. Vess nodded. “Shie is sleeping right now, and Bon is playing cards with that pink-haired boy,” she began, only to have Gram interrupt.

“Junior,” he supplied helpfully.

“Pinky,” smiled Vess. “Him and some of the crew are playing poker with Neli down in the hanger. I don't know who's on watch,” she frowned. “We forgot to tell them what we chose,” she noted.

“We can do it now,” said Gram, guiding Vess out of the kitchen area, but not letting her out of his embrace. Vess sighed happily as she felt his arms against her waist. Reluctantly separating, they grabbed their packs and made their way out of the galley, heading toward the bridge. It was highly likely that their target was there, after all.

“Well, well,” came the warm voice of Clara as the two stepped onto the bridge of the Aurora, “if it isn't our guests cooks!” she smiled at them toothily. Elizabeth looked over at the two.

“Hey, you two,” she said, sitting up from her couch. “need something?” she asked. Gram glanced around, seeing that Ester wasn't manning the wheel or at her station.

“We were going to ask Ester if we could bunk with her,” said Gram, “but, she isn't here,” he frowned. Ester is nearly always on watch, he recalled.

His thoughts were interrupted by noises from the bridge watch. Focusing on them, he found Clara laughing as Poipoider and Grivens grumblingly handed over money to her and Elizabeth. MAKI was making a shipboard announcement that consisted of one word: “Ester.”

“You were taking bets on where we would bunk?” asked Vess, disbelievingly. Clara nodded.

“Of course - you're part of the crew,” said the feline. “And I'm making a killing,” she added. Seeing a cat giggle was something that Gram and Vess could honestly say they had never seen before.

“So, what should be our cut?” asked Gram, smiling at Clara. The cat blinked.

“Zero, of course,” she replied nearly instantly. “It's not legal for a participant in the event to profit from their contest,” she explained.

“What?” asked Vess, clearly not buying it.

“It's like athletes not being able to profit from the games they play because it causes them to fix the games,” elaborated the cat innocently. Vess glanced at Gram, seeing the amusement on his face.

“Whatever,” she dismissed, shaking her head. “Where can we find Ester, Captain?” she asked the older woman.

“Ester is currently in her quarters,” supplied MAKI, unasked. “Do you wish to speak with her?” asked the AI.

“Nah,” dismissed Gram. “We'll just catch her there,” he said, nudging Vess, who moved through the hatch off the bridge. “See you all tomorrow,” he said, half-waving.

“Sleep well, Gram, Vess,” called back Elizabeth. Moving down the passageway, Vess found herself catching Gram's hand in her own. Silently, they moved to Ester's cabin. Touching the door panel, the two found themselves looking at a clean, clear room, brightly - but warmly - lit, with little in the way of personal property to be seen. Over on the side of the room, they found the Naval Witch making some final adjustments to the bed. Vess's eyebrows rose upon seeing the bed.

“That's a big bed, Ester,” she noted. The shorter girl flinched, turning to face them.

“Well, it was too narrow for more than one person, so I had Neli make up an extension frame,” she explained. “Once I put some storage foams mats on top, it makes it as comfortable as my single bed,” she went on. “Though, there is a small issue with sheets,” she frowned. Vess shrugged.

“We're not overly picky, Ester,” she explained. “And right now, I'm about to fall asleep on the deck,” she added, yawning again.

“Of course,” agreed Ester. “You can put your packs anywhere,” she said. Spotting some of Ester's uniforms on the wall, Vess and Gram dropped their packs against the foot of the wall and began to shrug out of their jackets. Turning back to the bed, Ester tossed back the sheets, plumping the two small pillows she had scrounged up.

“Are you on watch?” wondered Gram, seeing the first officer making needless adjustments to the bed.

“Actually, I think I will turn in myself,” said the smaller woman. Vess unzipped her one-piece suit and wiggled out of it as Gram unzipped his pants. Realizing that she was falling behind, Ester reached behind herself and unbuckled her wrap; it was the first part of her uniform to come off.

Vess watched Ester strip off her uniform with interest. “Ester, if you don't mind my asking,” she began casually, moving past the shorter girl to sit on the edge of the bed, “is that uniform normal wear for Naval Witches? And are the headpiece and cuffs part of it?” wondered the blonde.

Ester paused for a moment before pulling off her thin under-suit, leaving her naked save for the gold cuffs and headpiece. Slowly, she released the cuffs before setting aside her head ornament. Without it on, she looked a lot more human; not to mention younger. “It is,” she said, glancing at Gram as the man moved past her as well, he and Vess settling into bed, leaving her room. Touching the lighting panel, she plunged the room into darkness. “MAKI,” she called, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Yes, Ester?” answered the AI, the communication panel in her room lighting up with MAKI's icon.

“I'm going to bed now,” said Ester, “Please do not disturb me unless it is an emergency,” she directed. “And please do not monitor this cabin as well,” she directed, planning ahead.

“Understood, Ester,” agreed the AI. “Sleep well, Ester, Gram and Vess,” she said before the screen went blank. Lying down, Ester found herself next to Gram, with Vess on the far side. “The uniform I wear is what you human military types call `dress uniform', from the Special Forces unit I commanded,” she resumed her explanation. “The cuffs denote my family and social alliance, while the…” she paused, obviously mentally translating a word from her native tongue to human tongue, “headpiece is what would be considered a rank or mark of position,” she finished.

“Oh,” came Vess's voice from the darkness. “That makes sense,” she said casually. She's Special Forces, then, noted Vess, feeling Ester shift on Gram's other side. She herself was resting tight against Gram's side, her head on his shoulder. Sleep claimed her shortly after, and when Gram awoke, he had Vess's head on his right shoulder, and Ester's head on his left shoulder, both girl's arms crisscrossing his chest, his own arms cradling their warm, soft bodies against his own.

-

“Back again,” observed Vess a few days later. The Aurora had carefully backtracked through the cave network that Granny Garma had told them about, settling into a hiding hole just short of the entrance to the cave and spreading its mimetic odor-print camouflage net. Vess, Gram, Elizabeth and Yagami had boarded the transfer sub, with Aki at the controls, and casually slipped into the normal dock area of the city-ship.

Once the four primaries had debarked, Aki departed to retrieve Neli and Milhe, who had some supplied to procure and some parts to find. With the current level of tension on Mars, Elizabeth was loathe to have both her and Ester off the ship at the same time, so the Naval Witch was standing watch, with Clara and Poipoider on bridge duty. Junior was on standby, just in case.

As they had last time they were here, the foursome headed for the aboriginal settlement. Reaching it, they homed in on Granny Garma's house. “You know, the last time I was here, this crazy old woman was making fun of the Earth Forces,” snorted Vess. “I can't really blame her, but it still irked me to hear her making you out to be some kind of superheroes,” she continued. “She claimed that Earth Forces could never catch the Ship of Aurora,” she paused before continuing. “I guess she was only partially correct: Earth Forces did catch you, but they couldn't keep you all,” she shared. “I kind of wish I could find her again to tell her,” she admitted.

“Tell me what, girl?” came an amused voice from behind the four. Spinning around, they found Granny Garma smiling at them mischievously. “Welcome back, chief!” she greeted Gram before cackling delightedly.

“It's you!” gasped out Vess. Granny Garma nodded.

“Good to see you again, soldier girl,” she said to the younger blonde. “I see you cut your hair,” noted the old woman.

“Um, yeah…” replied Vess, unsure of what to say to the apparently deranged old woman.

“Garma,” sighed Elizabeth, “how long have you been back there?” she wondered.

“Oh, since you entered the settlement,” shrugged the dried-up old woman. “Well, well, if it isn't that young man from before!” Garma greeted Yagami. “Come to try your hand at the Wall of Trial?” she asked him.

“Actually, Granny Garma,” interjected Gram, “I can to ask you for a favor,” he said.

“I'd be delighted to,” replied Granny Garma instantly. Gram's lips quirked into a smile.

“Sure you wouldn't like to know what the favor is first?” he asked her playfully.

“Doesn't matter,” shrugged Granny Garma. “The chief leads and we follow,” she said, fixing him with her gaze. “Though, I think we should talk at my place,” she added. “Got some news of my own for you, chief,” she explained.

“Lead on, Granny,” agreed Gram. The surprisingly spry old woman led them to her home. Stepping inside, Gram was right behind the short aborigine woman.

“Welcome home, mother,” came Kamal's voice.

“I brought some guests,” cackled Granny Garma.

“Oh? Who is…?...!” Gram froze at the second voice. Looking up from where he had made sure he wasn't stepping on anything, he had a split second to look at the girl standing behind the couch.

“Hi,” he managed, at a loss for what to say. It was just as good; she didn't leave him any time for more chat.

“Gram!” cried out Enora, leaping over the couch and throwing herself into his arms. Gram instinctively caught her, Enora's lips sealing to his own as her arms wrapped around his neck. An indistinct time later, she broke the kiss, leaning back from him slightly. “Gram,” she all but purred.

“Enora?” came Vess's surprised voice. Blushing slightly, the Earth girl eased a bit farther back from Gram, seeing the taller blonde looking at her with a surprised and vaguely amused look. “When did you get back on Mars?” wondered Vess.

“I had to sneak back here a few weeks ago,” said the girl, reluctantly releasing Gram and stepping over to Vess. She hesitated for an instant before giving Vess a hug. After all, it's not like we're close friends or anything, she reminded herself. Vess hugged her back without any hesitation. “Captain Elizabeth, Yagami,” the girl greeted the other two.

“Enora,” smiled Elizabeth. “I must say, this is a surprise,” admitted the pirate captain. The teenager grinned at the tall, strong woman.

“I bet you can guess what my news is,” crowed Granny Garma. “So, what can I do for you, chief?” she asked him.

“I was wondering if you would keep an eye on two friends of ours,” said Gram. “At least, until our ship is repaired and we get this little problem worked out,” he said. Granny Garma nodded.

“No problem, chief,” she assured him. “I presume they are still on the ship?” she guessed. Gram nodded.

“Yes,” he said. “They are two friends from Ardena, Bon and Shie,” he began.

“They are brother and sister,” picked up Vess. “Shie had a bad experience at the Morgan Drift battle, and Gram and I think it would be better to get her off ships for a bit, and since Bon goes where Shie goes…” Vess shrugged.

“We can certainly find a use for them,” smiled Granny Garma. “Mars born?” she asked him. Gram and Vess nodded.

“Orphans like us,” said the blonde. Granny Garma nodded, glancing at Enora. For some reason, the girl glanced away, blushing slightly.

“So, what brings you here, chief?” wondered Granny Garma, sitting on the couch. “This young girl has been telling me some interesting things she learned,” hinted the old woman. All four of the Ship of Aurora crew looked at Enora.

“I found out a lot about what you asked about, Vess,” she blurted out. “I mean, it started there, but it went a lot farther,” she backed up slightly.

“Why not sit down, have some water, and let her start from the beginning?” suggested Garma, Kamal already getting glasses of water for the group. Gram sat down, and instantly, Enora was on one side, Vess on the other side of him. Seeing this, Garma began to cackle quietly. Once everyone was ready, Enora began. “It started when I was called to the principal's office…”

“…and so, here I am,” she finished almost an hour later. That's the song and dance, thought the girl, let's see what kind of reaction I get, she nervously watched the four. Gram was absently tapping his finger on his knee, while Vess's face was closed down and cold. Captain Elizabeth had a thoughtful expression on her face, and Yagami wore a resigned look. “So…?” asked Enora after what felt like an eternity.

Gram blinked at her, his thoughts having been interrupted by her question. “Thanks for the news, Enora,” he said. Looks like this is beyond just Mars and city-ships, he reflected. But, if her theory is correct, how does causing this unrest on Mars help Lauren back on Earth?

“It makes a lot of sense,” agreed Vess, her tone hard. “Political ambition is synonymous with Lauren,” she explained. I thought it was the right thing to do, back when I chose to stay on Mars, but now, I know that forsaking that name was the right choice! she thought angrily.

“You've become quite the information gatherer, Enora,” congratulated the older Captain. “I'm sure that we can put this information to good use,” she promised the young girl. Oh, you better believe we will! she promised herself. Looks like there are more plans to be made, she made a mental note.

“Hmm,” was Yagami's contribution. Poe, you have caused more trouble than you can believe with your choice to team up with Lauren, he thought sourly. I wonder if you even realize how many people are dead because of your poor judgment?

Enora managed a brittle smile. That isn't what I was asking! she thought, still edgy. “That's good,” she said, trying for an off-hand tone, “but I was wondering if I can crew with you all again,” she clarified. Ugh! If that doesn't sound pathetic, she silently winced. “It's the reason I came back to Mars, after all,” she added quietly. Gram and Vess glanced at each other, then at Elizabeth. The large woman laughed resignedly.

“Sure, Enora,” she bowed to the silent appeal. “The ship's been a bit boring since you and Gram moved on,” she added. Well, it's probably safer to have her with us than running around loose somewhere, the woman decided. “Welcome back, Enora,” she smiled at the young woman.

The sense of relief that flooded through Enora almost made her wilt on the spot, but mostly, the surge of eager anticipation overpowered it. “Yes!” she hiss softly to herself. Beside her, Gram chuckled.

“Your enthusiasm might not last long, Enora,” he cautioned her.

“I'll worry about that if it happens,” shrugged Enora. “Besides, I can't wait to see the Ship of Hope,” she said. Vess and Gram looked at each other.

“Enora,” began Gram, only to have Enora interrupt.

“I know it was damaged, but you didn't lose it, did you?!” she gasped. Instinctively knowing what Enora was worried about, Vess soothed the girl's concerns.

“No, but it will be a few weeks before she's out of dry-dock,” Vess assured her. Enora sighed in relief.

“That's ok,” she replied carelessly. “Until then, the Aurora is familiar ground to me,” smiled the girl. “Speaking of that, how are they, Captain?” asked the granddaughter of the President of Earth.

-

“Welcome back, Enora,” smiled Megumi as the hatch to the shuttle sub opened. Blinking, the girl looked out to see Megumi standing by the edge of the hanger, smiling at her.

“Hi, Megumi!” called Enora. So much for my surprise return, she thought wryly. Forgot about Megumi's talents, she spotted the oversight she had made in her plans. Swiftly climbing out, she caught her pack as Gram tossed it to her, the young man and Vess following her out of the sub. Next came the Captain and Yagami. Aki secured the hatch and dove back out of the hanger, heading back to Ligaoga to pick up Neli and Milhe and their supplies.

Beside Megumi were two others, one familiar to Enora, the other not. “Sala, good to see you again,” she greeted the familiar one.

“Enora, welcome back!” greeted the Indian-descended doctor.

“And who are you?” asked Enora, looking at the small blonde.

“I'm Shie!” chirped the girl. Gram smiled at the blonde.

“She and her brother are old friends from Ardena,” he explained. Enora smiled at the girl.

“Well, I'm Enora Taft, Shie,” she introduced herself. “Glad to meet you!”

“Hi, Enora!” replied Shie.

“Shie,” interjected Vess, “where is Bon?” she wondered. Shie pointed to the wall.

“Bon's playing with Pinky again,” she reported. Enora blinked.

“Pinky?” she repeated. “She doesn't mean…?” she began, only to hear Gram laugh.

“Yes, Junior has become `Pinky' to Shie,” he chuckled. Much to his embarrassment, he thought to himself. Enora burst out laughing.

“He must love that,” she laughed. Once she had herself under control, she glanced at Sala. “Hey, Sala, I know it's short notice…” she began. Sala shook her head.

“When Megumi told me you were coming back, I made up your old bed for you,” said the doctor. Enora nodded to her.

“Thanks, Sala,” said the girl. “I'm gonna go drop off my bag and then say `hi' to the rest of the crew,” she said to Gram and Vess. The two nodded.

“Ok, Enora,” said Gram. Kneeling down, he smiled at Shie. “Shie, Vess and I want to talk to you and Bon about something important, ok?” he said. Shie nodded.

“Ok, Gram!” she chirped. Gram took one hand, Vess took the other, and the three moved off to find Bon. Megumi watched them go, then sighed. Sala noticed it.

“Something wrong, Megumi?” wondered the woman. The girl shook her head.

“Not exactly,” said the psychic. “Gram and Vess's voices are muted, that's all,” she tried to explain what she perceived. “I think that they aren't looking forward to what they want to discuss with Shie and Bon,” she guessed.

“Should we get involved?” wondered Sala. Megumi shook her head.

“Gram and Vess are looking out for Shie and Bon's well being,” she assured the doctor. “Besides, it isn't our place to get involved in their business,” she cautioned the older woman. “It's good to have Enora back onboard,” she changed the topic. Sala smiled.

“Yes, it is,” she agreed as the two made their way toward sick bay, where a card game lay unfinished.

-

“Wow!” breathed Shie, looking out over the aboriginal settlement. She was riding on Gram's shoulders, and so, had a good view of the settlement that dominated Ligaoga. Beside the two, Vess and Bon stood, letting the girl take in the sights. Gram and Vess were planning to spend a couple of days here with Granny Garma and Shie and Bon, to acclimate the two before heading out with the Aurora. Bon and Shie would stay in the settlement with Granny Garma; at least until the current crisis was dealt with - maybe longer.

“Wait until you meet Granny Garma,” chuckled Gram, patting Shie's thighs. Shie giggled. Beside them, Bon frowned.

“I still don't know why I can't come with you two,” he mumbled to Vess.

“Because it is going to be dangerous, Bon,” said Vess firmly. “And since you are the man of your family, your duty is to protect and support Shie,” she reminded him, mercilessly using his pride against him. “Besides, you'll like Granny Garma,” she promised, thinking of the old woman's wicked sense of `fun'.

“Well, let's go meet this `Granny' person, then,” grumbled the young man. Together, the four moved into the settlement. Shie was completely taken with the place, excitedly trying to look everywhere at once. Bon looked around, seeing some opportunities here and there. Gram and Vess tried to keep their minds off their problems for the sake of Bon and Shie.

“Granny Garma?” called out Gram as they arrived at the house. Almost immediately, the small, wrinkled woman appeared before them. Bon blinked, seeing that he was taller than Granny Garma.

“Chief!” she greeted him, highly amused by the annoyed look that flittered across Gram's face. “So, these are the two,” she went on, not giving him a chance to say anything to her. “We'll get along famously,” she promised, clapping Bon on the shoulder hard enough to rock him. “Let me show you where your house is, Chief,” she said, tossing her head.

“Gram has a house?” wondered Shie, from atop Gram's head. Vess glanced at Gram as well.

“First I heard of it,” denied Gram. Cackling delightedly, Granny Garma led him farther into the settlement, the landscape rising as the houses thinned. Eventually, they reached one house that was set back from the rest, but still clearly part of the settlement. Looking around, Gram noticed that this house was the highest one in the settlement, and had a clear view of the hill he had climbed with Garma on his back.

“This is the home of the Chief,” said Granny Garma solemnly. Seeing the look on Gram's face, she broke up in laughter. “You got me, Chief,” she admitted. “This is just a home that is vacant.” Her laughter stopped and she fixed him with a steady look. “And yet, Chief Gram, it has all the traditional requirements of the home of the Chief, so it really is your home,” she said seriously.

“Wow! Gram's a Chief!” giggled Shie, loving the idea. Gram swung the girl down from his shoulder.

“Let's take a look inside, shall we?” he suggested to the others. The other three followed him inside as Granny Garma led the way.

As with the other aboriginal homes, this one was sparsely furnished, but comfortable, with very few modern amenities. Looking past the main room, the group found two small rooms, joined by the basic bathroom. The beds were made of Martian rock slabs covered in a thin layer of bed foam. Comfortable, really, once one was used to them. Vess and Gram looked at each other, smiling.

“So, it is suitable, Chief?” teased Garma.

“Yes, Granny Garma, it is,” conceded Gram. The old woman chuckled.

“Of course it is,” she said. “You are aboriginal at heart, after all,” she crowed. Gram and Vess dropped off their bags in one bedroom, and Bon and Shie put off their bags in the other. Granny Garma glanced at Bon and Shie. “What say we get started, you two?” she suggested.

“Get started with what?” wondered Bon. The wizened old woman pushed her face up close to Bon's face.

“With having some fun, of course, boy!” she cackled eagerly. Bon suddenly felt very nervous. I think this woman might be crazier than Gram and Vess put together, he worried silently. “Come on!” urged Garma. “There're things to do, and people to meet!” she exclaimed grandly. Gram and Vess shared a smile as they followed the woman and the siblings out of their house.

True to her word, Garma had dragged the four of them all over the place, and before the day was done, Bon had two jobs, Shie found herself in school with the aboriginal children of the settlement, Gram and Vess found their home provisioned and established, and Granny Garma even conned Bon into trying to climb the Cliff of Challenge. Egging him on, she told him that Gram had climbed it with her on his back, then fought off the entire city. Vess had had to stifle a giggle as she listened to Garma spin her tale. It had to be one of the most biased and self-serving stories she had ever heard, but damn if it wasn't entertaining.

Dragging themselves back to their home that evening, Vess carrying a sleeping Shie in her arms, the two of them felt that their choice had been the right one. Not only would Bon and Shie be free of whatever consequences might fall on them from the events in Morgan Drift, but they would be off the pirate ship, and therefore less likely to become pirates when they matured. Having been pirates themselves, neither Gram nor Vess wanted that for Bon and Shie, though a small part of each of the lovers had liked the excitement and adventure.

Once Bon and Shie were settled in, Gram and Vess moved over to their bedroom and got into bed. Cuddling up next to Gram, Vess wrapped her arms around him, basking in the feeling of her bare skin on his bare skin. Feeling him slip an arm under her back, Vess grinned in the darkness as she rolled over on top of him, kissing him as she settled into position. Against her bare sex, she could feel his dick go from semi-hard to harder than steel. Absently undulating her hips against his hard length, she could feel her slick juices begin to leak from her inner core.

Gram's hands rubbed down her back, across her waist and settled on her firm ass, massaging her two cheeks as Vess rubbed her hard nipples against his bare chest. As she did so, she felt the amulet he wore brush against the upper swell of her tits. Chief Gram, hmm? she thought to herself. Well, I guess I should treat him like my chief, she thought hungrily. Pushing herself up off his chest with her arms, she reached back and stroked his hard dick with one hand, while guiding his hands to her waist with her other. The feel of his slightly rough hands rubbing her belly was intoxicating to the blonde, and her groin practically exploded with arousal, her slit nearly instantly flooding with her juice. “Foreplay?” she husked to her lover.

In response, Gram seized her hips and lifted her up, his girl-come slick tip popping into position. Giggling softly, Vess balanced herself as Gram began to lower her. “Guess not,” purred the girl happily, swiftly reaching down to spread herself open for him with two fingers. As wet as I get around him, I probably shouldn't bother, but I love it when I hold myself open and can feel him sink right into me! she thought, her mind clouded by her hormone-driven lusts. “Ah,” sighed the girl, biting her lip as she felt his wide, thick tip kiss her opened passage before splitting her open, claiming her once more as his lover. “Gram,” she mumbled. “Yes, Gram, fuck me,” she murmured, her hips twitching as she felt him drive deeper into her, her body weight steadily forcing him into her soaked sex.

Aiming to please his blonde lover, Gram pulled her down by her hip bones, his tip pushing against her cervix as he bottomed out in her pussy. “Vess,” he hummed languidly, feeling her hot, slick grip on his sensitive member. On top of him, Vess began to grind her hips on his, causing his unbending length to swirl inside her. Gritting his teeth, Gram rubbed her belly with his thumbs, circling her bellybutton and lower. Beginning to pant, Vess used her thigh muscles to begin to move up and down on his shaft, her breath coming faster as she climbed toward release.

Beneath her, Gram worked one hand down from where he had been rubbing her belly, past her neatly-trimmed blonde patch, to right above their joined bodies, his thumb sweeping down delicately to run over her clit, which was swollen and protruding from under its normal cover. Feeling this, Vess keened. Harsh panting told Gram how close Vess was to her orgasm. Grinning to himself, he made a second pass over her hyper-sensitive nub.

Knowing what Gram was doing, Vess flung her arms back, grabbing his knees and leaning back, the change in angle forcing his dick against the front of her sheath, right over her G-spot. Having increased the angle, she could now use a more linear stroke, the better to lengthen her build to release. Of course, there was a drawback to doing this: Gram could now fully access her clit. Naturally, he took advantage of that fact to mercilessly work her button, nearly immediately throwing Vess into her orgasm.

Feeling his girlfriend succumb to her climax, Gram smiled to himself, concentrating on blowing his load into her. Sitting up, he seized her tits in a loving grasp, spreading his legs so she ended up on her back. It was a bit awkward to work his knees under him without removing his dick from her spasming passage, but he managed it, taking a grip on her waist as he did. Lifting her hips, he nudged her legs forward as he leaned over her, giving him the deepest access to her he could manage.

Vess, through her orgasmic bliss, felt Gram changing their position, and other than a lazy, smug smile, she didn't resist at all. As long as he keeps fucking me, it's all good, she thought hazily. No sooner than Gram had gotten settled than Vess's eyes widened, feeling his swollen tip pushing hard against her cervix. The feeling of that was indescribably good, if tinted ever so faintly with pain. Sucking in a breath, Vess felt another orgasm sweep through her as she imagined what was happening inside her. He's pushing right against the entrance to my uterus! she thought to herself, turned on by the idea. When he cums, it's going to flood right into my womb, she realized, a smaller mini-orgasm rolling through her on the heels of her second orgasm. If it weren't for the steri-plant, I could get pregnant tonight.

That thought both alarmed and further aroused her. Feeling Gram's pace pick up, she realized that he was about to fill her with his cum. Seeing a mental picture of her womb being flooded with sperm caused a hot shiver to run through her body. “Give it to me, Gram,” she whispered hoarsely to her lover, her body writhing in need. “Cum in me deep, lover,” she panted wantonly. Hearing her tone and words, Gram had no choice but to give it to her, leaning his upper body back to drive as deeply into her as he could, releasing four big shots and a few smaller ones directly into her unprotected womb.

“Vess!” he grunted as he felt the last of his seed flow into her. Some unintelligible sounds was his reply. Panting himself, he struggled to lift her limp upper body, pulling her back over so she was once more laid bonelessly over his chest, much like a soft, warm, slightly-sweaty comforter. Kissing her forehead, then lips, then her throat, he settled her in place. In her pulsing sex, he could feel himself gradually soften, though, thanks to her wide-spread legs, he wasn't likely to slip free of her passage. “Love you, Vess,” he murmured into her ear.

“Same,” managed the girl sleepily. Together, the two drifted off to sleep, warm and content in each other's arms. Unnoticed, a small blonde head slipped back into the common bathroom.

-

Morning found the house more or less quiet. Gradually waking, Vess found herself alone in bed. Feeling a twinge of unhappiness at that, she dismissed the minor annoyance as she felt the throbbing of her sex. Tossing back the blanket, she gingerly straightened her body, bending over to visually and tactilely examine her sex.

As she had expected, her lower lips were slightly swollen and still puffy, redder than usual, though not in any way hurt. Carefully touching herself and easing her lower lips apart, she saw and felt a small dollop of mixed cum ooze from her passage. I know Gram came a lot more than that, she thought, easing a finger into her tender and sensitive passage. Other than a large amount of girl-cum, she didn't see much Gram juice come out. Sorting through her memories, she realized that nearly all of his load must still be in her uterus. Taking a breath, she pushed her finger in until she felt her cervix. Ever so carefully, she checked her cervical crown, finding it to be free of obstruction and open.

Smiling to herself, she carefully got out of bed and moved to the bathroom. After a pit-stop at the toilet, she got the basic shower going, find that the solar-enhanced warm water was plentiful. Stepping into the shower, she swiftly scrubbed herself clean before taking a moment to relax under the spray. Smiling to herself, she fondly recalled last night. Oh, I definitely want more of that! she thought lasciviously. Dipping her head under the spray, she scrubbed her face, though the satisfied smile stayed in place.

“Morning, Vess,” came the rough voice of Bon. Wiping water from her eyes, Vess turned to see Bon dropping his towel over the rough stone hook next to her own. The young man stopped before the toilet to relieve himself.

“Morning, Bon,” chirped Vess, in an almost obscenely good mood, thanks to the attention Gram had paid her last night. “Don't forget to put the seat back down,” she reminded him.

“Right, Vess,” he said guiltily, having forgotten. When Vess had shown up to take care of them while Gram concluded his business with the Aurora, she had taken it as a personal goal to teach him better bathroom manners than he had had before. Finished, he moved over to the shower. “Join you?” he asked her. “I'm running behind for work,” he frowned. Vess nodded, making a little room.

“Sure, Bon,” she said. “Seen Gram this morning?” she asked, handing him the soap. Bon nodded.

“Yeah, he stepped out about a half hour ago, said something about Granny Garma and him having to see someone,” said Bon, scrubbing his chest. “He said to tell you that he would be back soon if you woke up before he got back,” he added.

“Oh,” said Vess, a bit irked that he had gone somewhere without her, but not overly surprised. Besides, it felt good to sleep in, filled with his cum, she thought happily. “Shie?” asked the blonde, feeling Bon's arm brush her side as he reached for the shampoo.

“Sleeping,” he said. Vess frowned.

“Her first day at school will be starting soon, and I don't want her to be late,” the blonde said. Bon didn't answer, since his head was under the spray. When he had finished rinsing the shampoo out of his hair, he responded.

“I'll get her up,” he said, shaking his head. “I'm done here,” he added, starting to turn toward his towel. Vess grabbed his arm.

“Bon, you are not done here,” she said firmly. “You haven't been in here five minutes,” she stated. She had learned quickly that Bon tended to cut corners when he thought he was running behind. Most commonly, he just slathered some soap lather on his arms, legs and chest before dashing off, but Vess - who had always been far more fastidious about cleanliness - found that as bad a sin as leaving the toilet seat up. “Late or not, you need to get clean or what is the point?” she reminded him, grabbing the soap.

“But Vess,” began Bon. “I'm going to be late for work!” he protested. Vess just snorted.

“Then you will be a few minutes late,” she shrugged. “At least you will be clean,” she added resolutely. “I'll help you,” she added, building up a lather from the bar of soap. Keeling, Vess turned Bon with one hand, working her soapy hands over his back with great speed and ease, moving over his hips and dipping around to his groin.

“Vess!” hissed Bon, feeling her hands begin to lather up his dick and balls. Vess ignored his protest.

“Should have done it right yourself, then, Bon,” she said unsympathetically. Using one hand, she stroked it over his already-hard length, making sure that the foreskin peeled back so she could clean the tip and undersides of his glans, while her other hand carefully fondled his nuts. Massaging the soap suds into his skin, she found herself comparing Bon to Gram.

Though none of them knew exactly how old Bon was, the common guess of both she and Gram was about sixteen, while Shie was generally believed to be eight or nine. Neither of the two were large, so it was hard to judge by physical appearance, but since Bon had pubic hair and his voice had changed, the two felt relatively sure that he was well past puberty, while Shie was clearly not past puberty yet. Gram's age was a bit of a guess as well, but he and Vess agreed that he was about twenty one or twenty two, while Vess was relatively sure that she was nineteen; maybe twenty.

Bon's dick was less than half as long as her Gram's was, but he was easily twice as thick, maybe more. His balls were slightly smaller than Gram's, though not by enough to really notice. Whichever girl sleeps with him is going to have some stretching to do, thought Vess absently, her hand not big enough to completely close around his thick member. Hooking her fingertip, she circled his wide, almost flat tip between the foreskin and crown. “Vess,” groaned Bon.

Blinking, Vess realized that she had let her mind wander. “Sorry, Bon,” she said, caressing him once more before starting to withdraw her hand.

“Vess!” squealed Bon. Spinning around, he grabbed her hand, pulling it back to his dick. Looking at his facial expression, she suddenly realized what the problem was. “Please,” he begged her. Feeling a little foolish at her own oversight, Vess gave him a half-smile.

“Guess it would be faster if I did it,” she allowed, seizing his shaft once more and swiftly, skillfully pumping the short, thick shaft. Since she was kneeling on one knee, she was almost at the same height as him. Bon had a good view of her bare tits and her partially revealed sex. Sighing happily, he drank in the sight of her bare body, his release building like a nuclear mushroom.

God, Vess is so sexy, he thought. He had been thrilled when Vess returned to their life after several years away, and he had taken every opportunity to ogle her; the blonde girlfriend of Gram had become his favorite masturbatory icon, in fact. During their baths, he had contrived to touch her or get her to touch him as often as possible. Now, face to face with her, her slick hand pumping his hard-on, he could have sworn that he was in heaven. Hope Gram never finds out, a small part of his mind observed.

Seeing the young man's eyes fixed on her tits, Vess silently sighed. Won't be long now, she thought absently, feeling his thick, short dick twitch. Bringing up her other hand, she peeled back the foreskin before rubbing his exposed, sensitive glans with her free palm. “Vess!” gasped Bon, his nut sack tightening as he grabbed her shoulder for support, her hands suddenly covered in sticky white goo. Feeling hot spurt after hot spurt splatter against her palm, Vess's eyes widened a little. He had a lot in there, she thought to herself. After the seventh spurt, it stopped, leaving Vess's hands covered in cum. Bon was breathing heavily, blushing a little.

“Um…” he managed a few moments later. Vess pulled her hands off his dick, rinsing off the thick white coating on them before grabbing the soap and lathering them up again.

“Wash off the rest,” said Vess, handing him the soap. “And hurry up and get going,” she added, scrubbing off her hands and arms. Bon hurriedly did as she instructed and not three minutes later, he was out of the bathroom. Before Vess knew it, she heard his voice as he left, and a few moments later, Shie came into the bathroom, rubbing her eyes. “Morning, Shie,” said Vess, smiling at the girl.

“Morning, Vess,” replied Shie, pulling off her sleeping shirt. Stepping into the shower with Vess, she giggled as Vess began to help scrub her down while she carefully washed her hair. Minutes later, as Vess prepared to step out and dry off, Shie had a question for her. “Vess, what were you and Gram doing last night?” she asked the older blonde. Vess felt some color touch her cheeks.

“You saw us?” she asked, already suspecting the answer. Shie nodded.

“I went to the potty, and heard you, so I looked in, and you and he were playing. What game were you playing?” wondered the girl.

“It's a little hard to explain,” began Vess. It's called `get fucked senseless by your studly boyfriend', Shie, and I want to play it again! her pervert side chimed in. Shie pouted.

“You said to ask you, not Bon,” she reminded the girl. Vess smothered a sigh.

“Ok, Shie,” said the girl. “You know that Gram and I lovers, right?” she asked. Shie nodded. “Well, when a couple are lovers, they do things like that together,” she went on. Shie nodded, waiting for more. “When they do things like that, it feels really good, and they tend to forget about anything else but doing that,” concluded Vess.

“What is `that'?” asked Shie, still confused. “It looked like Gram's thing was poking your thing,” she noted. Vess had to bite her tongue to keep from playing that back at Shie.

“It was, Shie,” she managed with great restraint. “You see, his thing goes into my thing, and it feels really, really good,” she managed with a straight face. Shie considered that.

“Gram's thing is pretty big,” she said skeptically. “It didn't hurt?” she wondered. Vess shook her head.

“No, it didn't, Shie,” she confirmed. “It did hurt a little the first time or two, but after that, it felt so good, I can't even describe it.” Seeing the look on Shie's face, Vess decided to just dive in.

“Shie,” she began, “I think it's time to tell you about sex,” she said. Shie smiled up at Vess.

“Sure, Vess!” she agreed eagerly. Gathering up her thoughts, Vess swiftly laid them out in order in her mind before beginning to explain it to Shie.

“I know that you know that boys and girls are different down there,” began Vess, seeing Shie nod. “They are different because they are meant to join together in a certain way,” continued the girl. “You see, when a boy gets excited, his penis - what you call `his thing' - gets hard, growing longer and thicker. This is so that he can push it into the girl's vagina - what you call `her thing'. With me so far?” she asked Shie, who eagerly nodded.

“Yes, Vess!” chirped the girl.

“Since you're a girl, I'll skip the details on the boy's penis, since you won't need to know more about it for a while,” she decided. “Between your legs, you have two lips,” she went on, only to see Shie frown.

“Lips?” she wondered, squatting to look between her legs. Her eyes met Vess's, confused. “I don't have any,” she said, clearly upset. Vess smiled at her, patting her head reassuringly.

“Yes, you do, Shie,” she soothed the girl's concern, “they just aren't quite developed,” she assured the girl. Shie's eyes lit up.

“Like my tits?” she asked eagerly. Vess schooled her face not to react.

“Yes, like your breasts,” she said. She's been listening to Bon again, I see, she thought fleetingly. Shie sighed in relief.

“I want breasts like yours, Vess,” she informed the older blonde, looking wistfully at Vess's not inconsiderable rack.

“We'll see how you develop,” hedged Vess. “But back to what I was saying,” she returned the topic to her sex-ed class, “you have lips down there that cover your vaginal entrance and clit,” she went on. Shie's look was blank. Sighing, Vess eased down so she was squatting. “Here, Shie,” she said, hiding her resignation, “I'll show you,” said the girl. Shie intently studied Vess's tender groin as the girl explained how a girl was set up.

“Vess?” came Shie's voice when the older girl had finished her basic explanation.

“Yes, Shie?” replied Vess.

“Does Bon know about this?” wondered the girl. Vess flashed back to earlier that morning.

“Yes, he seems to,” said Vess, her cheeks coloring a little. Stepping out, she shut off the shower and began to dry off, Shie doing the same. Exiting the bathroom, she glanced at the time. “Shie,” she called, dropping her towel and getting into her one-piece suit. “You need to get dressed quickly; you're going to be late,”

“Ok, Vess!” came the unconcerned reply from the smaller girl. Tossing on her jacket, Vess stepped into her boots before swiftly crossing through the bathroom to find Shie struggling into her dress. Helping the girl, Vess grabbed her hand and lead her into the main room, finding Gram standing there with a basic breakfast ready.

“Hurry up and eat, Shie,” he said, smiling at Vess. “Vess and I will take you to school,” he said, offering his girlfriend a cup of coffee. Gratefully, Vess drained it. Together, the two walked Shie to the aboriginal school, where they found that they weren't all that late. Once they were sure that Shie was settled in, the two made their way back toward the house, holding hands as they walked.

“Gram?” asked Vess, glancing at him.

“Hmm?” he hummed back in reply.

“When did you come back?” she asked. Gram grinned at her.

“It was right about the time you were explaining what a clit was,” he said. Vess's cheeks colored.

“Jerk,”

Gram shrugged. “Truthfully, Vess,” he said, slipping an arm around her waist, “I'm glad you handled that one,” he admitted. Vestemona leaned her head over toward him. Seeing their house come into view, she smiled as an idea hit her.

“Well, I suppose I should give you a test; to see if you know about clits,” she purred in his ear. Gram smiled at her.

“I'd love to,” he murmured back. “But, are you sure you want to do that right now?” he asked, gently cupping her sex through her thin suit. His touch on her swollen sex made her flinch - both because she was still overly-sensitive, and because she was still horny to a degree. Vess was torn. Damn it, I want to feel him inside me again, but I'm still really sensitive, she pondered.

“Maybe we should wait until tonight,” she regretfully decided. “So, tell me about what you and Garma did this morning,” she turned the topic of conversation away from sex; if only until that evening.

-

“Welcome back, you two,” said Ester as Vess and Gram climbed out of the transport sub. Both smiled at the small woman as they felt the Ship of Aurora lift and accelerate, leaving the cover of the caves.

“It's good to be back,” said Gram honestly.

“Bon and Shie are safe and secure?” asked Ester. Vess nodded.

“Yes,” she confirmed. “Bon is working and Shie is going to school,” she elaborated. “It's for the best, really,” said the girl, absently touching Gram's hand. Gram squeezed her hand in response.

“I agree,” Ester assured them. “So, where are we off to, Gram?” asked the Naval Witch. Gram considered that.

“So far, we don't really have a set agenda,” he mused. “Have you, Captain Elizabeth and Enora figured out anything yet?” he wondered. Ester hummed.

“We have some theories, but as for an agenda, no,” she answered. “For now, we are heading for the outdoor bath,” smiled the small girl. Vess blinked.

“Outdoor bath?” she wondered. Ester shared a smile with Gram.

“Didn't you know?” she teased Vess carefully. “The Aurora has an outdoor hot bath.”