WARNING! This fanfic will contain explicit sex of an erotic sci-fi homosexual nature (USUK). It will also have graphic violence and swearing. You have been warned.

Starships

Chapter Three

By Pixiedust291

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"Captain Kirkland, why aren't you eating? I made them myself. They're really good."

It was their second dinner together, and Arthur wondered if he would ask. At least the American had tried to serve food that didn't need silverware. Instead of a formal meal, he had presented Arthur with a double cheeseburger. "I'm not particularly fond of fatty food." He imagined Alfred probably ate stuff like this on a daily basis. The man was probably fat and ugly. At least that's what Arthur kept telling himself to restrain his body's awakening libido. He didn't know why he found the other man so intriguing, but it had to stop.

"At least try the wine," Alfred said. "Don't the British like wine?"

"We do not mind it, but it is more of a French preference."

"Then what do the British like to drink?"

"Hard cider, rum, and beer mostly."

"I have some bear. Would you like some?"

"No, thank you."

There was a long silence then Alfred sighed dramatically "You are a very hard man to please, Captain Kirkland."

A slight twinge of pity and hurt pinched his heart. He shook his head "I will try the wine. That is, if you have not put something in it."

"Why would I do that?" He sounded genuinely confused. A cold glass was pressed into his hands. Arthur lifted the cup to his lips. It didn't smell like normal wine. It smelled sweeter, almost like apples and strawberries mixed with raspberries. The aroma was heavenly and made Arthur's mouth water. He always did have a weak spot for sweets. He took a drink. It was even sweater then it smelled. It was freezing cold on his tongue, and yet warm as it trailed down his throat.

"Is this Paradise Wine?" Arthur asked in surprise as he ran his tongue over his lips. It was a rare treat. Arthur had only had it once before, at a wedding back on his home planet. The alcohol was ungodly expensive and very hard to obtain.

"It is," Alfred answered, obviously pleased with himself.

"Where did you get it?"

"I don't really know. Roderich and Feliciano handle that department."

"So you stole it?"

"Lets use the term liberated," Alfred persuaded.

"A rose by any other name is still what it is."

"I think the line goes, 'Would not a rose by any other name still smell as sweet'."

If Arthur could he would have slapped the man. "Regardless, do you think calling it something else makes your actions any less reprehensible?"

Alfred what quiet for a long moment, and Arthur wished his could see the man's face. He had never realized how drastically important expressions were to a conversation. When the American finally did speak it was completely off topic "How old are you Captain Kirkland?"

He didn't want to answer that question so instead he said "Many people in this time have had mechanical enhancements. Augmenting is common. Thus it is impossible to tell a persona's age. A girl may look no older then twenty, and yet she has lived the span of two or four generations."

"Whatever," Alfred sighed. "We only steal what we need to survive."

"You don't need to survive. You could be living on your own respective planet."

Alfred made a sort of impatient sound "I don't consider the United States Planet as my home." His voice dropped down low "Earth. That United States is my home."

"And what about the men that live on this ship with you?" Arthur pressed.

"I thought you would have figured that out. We all feel the same. Earth is our home, not those Planets light years away."

"So you are all naturalists?" Arthur smirked. Figured. He had wondered how it was that so many people were able to live on one ship without killing one another. "You do realize the planets no longer recognize the countries on earth as their former roots."

"There was a time when they did. When they recognized that some of their people still lived on earth. Over time they have decided to ignore us. Yet they still accept our resources gladly enough." His voice was tense.

"Is that how you became pirates then?" Arthur asked "Your countries abandoned you in the throws of progress and you are exacting revenge?"

"No." Alfred's voice was no more then a hushed whisper "We were tired of being treated as slaves. We felt loyalty to our countries, so in the beginning we gladly gave them anything they needed. But their consumption grew to a point where we were not able to keep any for ourselves to survive. When we tried to keep some for ourselves we were accused to treason." He took in a steadying breath "I'm sure you are aware of The Resource Wars." Arthur nodded "Good. Then I won't have to give a history lesson. After that we were brought to our Planets, where we joined the many divisions of the military. We all met each other on different missions. It was myself and a comrade who were the first to brake away. We became pirates. After that it seemed to us that each time we attacked a ship we would run into someone we knew and they were come aboard with us. It was not our intent to have a crew, but we were not going to stop them."

"That still does not explain why you feel it is alright to steal?"

"Everything the Planets have, or the majority of it, was made on earth by us and yet the Planets refused to even acknowledge our existence. Earth is nothing more then one huge market to them."

His logic was complicated and hard to follow. The moment Arthur felt he understood one thing something to counteract it would pop into his head. "So that gives you the right to steal Paradise Wine?"

"I don't know. Does it?"

"No."

"We try not to target small, independent shippers. We try to concentrate on only major between planetary suppliers, especially ones that ship to outside this galaxy."

"It's still thievery."

"Yes and No. You would be surprised how many people are in on it. Switzerland for example. Did you know they offer safe port to any pirates who agree to their non-violent terms for the duration of their stay?"

Now that, Arthur did not know; but he did not find it hard to believe. "And what about the rest of your crimes?" he pointed out "Torture? Kidnapping? Rape?"

"We are not rapists, and my god you love to use that word. We only hurt those that prove too difficult to handle." For the first time, Arthur detected real anger in his voice. "Some pirates do, I am sure. But our crew has never raped or permanently hurt anyone."

"What about this Ivan I keep hearing about? Is he just made up to scare us?"

"No, he's real. Scary too if you get him angry. We have only had to send prisoners his way twice. And each time it was because the prisoner wounded one of my men, specifically Toris."

"Toris?"

"Yes. The man is as kind as they come. We all feel there is no reason or excuse for injuring him- especially when you could just push him out of your way."

"And kidnapping? You can not tell me you have never practiced that."

Arthur could swear he could hear the American grinding his teeth "Obviously we do," Alfred said. "Ransom tends to wield a very high profit."

"Higher then stealing?"

"We do some legitimate shipping to. Geez. Do you assume we board everyone and take everything we want by force and-"

"Don't you."

He groaned "Yes, some of it. We also have some female crew members that are rather adept at convincing unwary shipmen to give us any code we desire."

"You have women aboard this ship!" Women. Oh dear god, what had they had to endure? He said a few, so there must only be a handful of them of a ship of nothing but men. Arthur growled.

"Yes, and I see that frown. So before you go throwing the word rape in my face for the hundredth time, no. They have never been touched... well, except by the men they are dating."

Arthur's frown deepened. What? So the women were not licensed companions or something even less reputable? He had said that all the people on this ship had joined his crew willingly. Maybe it was possible the women had too. Arthur sighed in exasperation. "Whatever you say it's still wrong."

"Wait- having women on bored or the thieving?"

"The stealing!" Arthur yelled. "Such philanthropists," he said dryly "You make it sound like you have no choice, or that it's really not all that bad a deed. Taking is no way to live."

"Slowly dying of starvation and watching your home being destroyed by its own people is no way to live either." Alfred bit back with so much venom Arthur felt as if he had just been slipped. He swore. Arthur then heard the beep of a communicator "Toris, come up here now please." By the tone in his voice Arthur wasn't surprised when Toris showed up at the door not a moment later.

"Y-Yes Captain America?" Alfred grabbed Arthur's arm roughly and pulled him to his feet, turning him toward the door.

"What? I don't agree with you so you send me away?" Arthur couldn't help by gloat that he'd finally pissed him off on some level. Hearing his angry voice was such a change from that continuous laughter of his.

"You British manage once again to be as stubborn as an ass. You have managed to take all the fun out of trying to seduce you." Arthur wanted to grin. He wanted to be happy, but he wasn't. He tried to tell himself he wasn't disappointed. Didn't he want the American to leave him alone? Did he? "Even pirates have to make a living Captain Kirkland."

"And stealing is the best you can do?"

"We don't make the rules. Every commodity of value is doled out in little chunks to the highest bidder."

"And I suppose someone may as well cash in on it?"

"And who do you hear complaining! The countless planets who we sell to? No. The ship captains who get a cut of the profit? No. The only people complaining are the damn regents, but only because we're taking back what they think they've stolen with absolute impunity from everyone else." Arthur was roughly shoved into Toris' arms. "Goodbye Captain Kirkland. Enjoy your stay in the medical bay."