The Rise before the Fall

Chapter 6: Tell Me You Love Me

Aisha laid face up on her bed looking down on Augusta, who was laying half on her and half at her side, his head resting comfortably between her ample breasts. She gently stroked his hair, which elicited a soft purr on his part.

Aisha smiled, "Recite one of your Terran poems for me." She asked.

"Hmm…" He took his hand, which was resting on her abs and wrapped it around her, squeezed her tight, just for a moment. Then he eased his hold of her and gently rubbed his hand up and down her side. This time it was Aisha's turn to purr. Augusta smiled.

"Lady of my love, to whom in vassalage, Thy merit hath my duty strongly knit, To thee I send this spoken ambassage, To witness duty, not to show my wit: Duty so great, which wit so poor as mine."

Augusta lifted himself up slightly and slid up till he was eye level with Aisha. Gazing into her ocean blue eyes, he continued, "To show me worthy of thy sweet respect: Then may I dare to boast how I do love thee; Till then not show my head where thou mayst prove me."

Aisha smiled at Augusta and giggled girlishly. "I love the way you recite your poems but I have no idea what you just said."

Augusta gave a soft laugh, and then smiled wide still looking deeply into his lover's even deeper eyes.

"Marry me." He said.

Her smile vanished, replaced by a completely blank expression. She blinked once… then a second time… then once more.

"No." She said, shaking her head slightly and smiling softly.

"Why not?" He asked surprisingly unhurt by her response.

"Why do you have to ruin our fun every time by asking me that question?" Aisha responded as she gently pushed Augusta aside, and swung her legs off the bed so she could sit up.

"I don't ask it every time." He protested. "Only the past three or four times is all." He smiled.

She sighed, as she reached down to pick up her thong. They were still moist from her excitement of seeing Augusta standing next to her door earlier. She tossed them aside and got up. Walking over to her dresser, she opened the second drawer, pulled out a fresh pair and slipped them on.

Augusta, still lying on his side looked up at her and asked. "You still haven't answered my question. Why not?"

Aisha sighed again, putting her hands on her hips. "I told you before, I'm too young to get married... and so are you."

"My parents were younger when they got married, and so was your mother." Augusta threw back.

"Yes, but my mother never held ambitions of becoming an Admiral." She retorted.

"You can still serve while mated." He assured her.

"Yes, until my first litter." She responded. "Then I'll be forced to take a desk job or retire. Neither of which am I ready to do."

"So we hold off on having children, others have."

"To the shame and ridicule of their families." Aisha looked left, then right. "Where are my leggings? Oh!" She reached down and picked up her leggings, shaking out the wrinkles and turned them until they were set in the right direction; then she slipped them on.

Augusta smiled watching Aisha get dressed.

"Besides, we're still young. We don't have to worry about getting married for at least three more years." She threw out.

"But wouldn't you rather be mated out of choice rather than out of necessity."

"Yes, I would. And when I'm ready to make that choice, I will."

Augusta just stared back as she retrieved her top. Finally he said, "I see," as he got up from the bed and started putting on his own clothes. Aisha looked up at him as she finished getting on her dress and belt.

"What?"

Augusta stopped trying to button up his shirt and turned to her. "Is it you don't want to get married now or you don't want to get married to me?"

Aisha tilted her head to the side as she stared at her true love; not sure what he was asking her to choose from. As far as she was concerned, being mated always meant being mated to him. Finally it dawned on her what he meant. She gave a half smile.

"Getting married now," she paused, " to you." She faked a whisper, knowing full well that he had heard her. She then gave Augusta a big grin.

Augusta simply stared back at her. "Fine." He grabbed the rest of his uniform and started putting it on in silence.

"Oh, come on Augusta, you know I was just joking." Aisha said, giving him a small shove on the arm.

"Joking ugh." He snapped. "Do you love me?" He asked her point blank.

"What?" Aisha responded, taken aback by the question.

"Do you love me? In all the years we've been lovers since our senior year at the academy, you've never once said, "I love you." So I'm asking, do you love me?"

"I've said it. I've said it plenty of times. Every time you say it."

"No, no, you say, "I know." That is what you always say."

"It is not!" Aisha protested.

Just then her communicator rang.

"No, okay." Augusta tossed his jacket on the bed and walked over to her, taking her hands into his, he kneeled down on one knee and gazed up into her eyes.

The communicator rang again.

"Aisha my dearest, my goddess. I love you. I love you with the purity of ten-thousand virgins reciting a soliloquy."

The communicator rang a third time.

"I love you with the depths of the Great Coreen Ctarl Sea. I love you with my very immortal existence, with all my heart, I love you."

The communicator rang a forth time. Aisha, who was both loving and fearing what Augusta was doing decided to take the easy way out. Slowly, pulling her hands from his, she stepped towards her nightstand and pressed the speaker button.

"Yes, what is it?"

Augusta hung his head and dropped his hands to the ground.

"Lady Aisha, sorry to disturb you…" Her secondary comms officer apologies.

"That's alright, what is it?" As she straightened her uniform.

"A communication from Admiral Prowlus Clan Clan."

"My Father!" Aisha blushed. Augusta jumped to his feet, his face as red as Aisha's.

"It is a video transmission. Would you like to take it in your ready room?"

"No, no. Patch it throw here." Rationalizing that if he didn't see her, she wouldn't feel quite as embarrassed.

"Yes ma'am."

"Aisha, my princess, are you there? I can't see you." A deep and commanding voice said over the communicator.

"Yes Apa, I'm here. You can't see me because I'm in my quarters."

"Hmm, I'm going to have to recommend adding video comms in the captain's quarters aboard all destroyers." Admiral Prowlus informed her.

"Oh, Apa." Knowing full well he was just teasing her.

"So how is my little hero?"

"I'm fine Apa, just fine. How is Ama?"

Her father paused. "Better, better. It seems the moment she heard about your heroic battle she perked right up. She is so very proud of you Aisha. We all are."

"Thank you Apa. That means a lot to me." Aisha smiled; her eyes began to get a little watery.

After a brief pause from both ends, Aisha's father asked, "So how is Augusta?"

"Fine… so I hear." She lied.

"Really? I thought you would just ask him. Since he is standing right there in your room. Isn't he?"

Aisha didn't have the heart to tell an out and out lie so all she could muster was "Ugh."

"Hello Augusta, it's been a long time my son."

Almost as if by a force beyond his control, Augusta responded. "Hello Admiral Prowlus. How have you been sir?" He squeezed his eyes shut and covered his face with his hands.

Aisha threw him a deadly stare. Augusta caught it when he finally opened his eyes. The only thing he could do was give her a crooked smile.

"Its been," she throw a look over at her chronometer, "over 20 hours since we left sector Alpha 63. We should be passing Deep Space Station 14 sometime soon. After that it's just another 20 hours to Ctarl Ctarl. Will you be there to meet us?"

"Yes, I'll be there, along with quite a few others." Her father hinted.

"What do you mean?" Aisha asked, confused by her father's statement.

"Oh, nothing important. I'm looking forward to seeing you again Princess. It's been too long."

"Me too Apa. I can't wait."

"Well, see you in a little over 25 hours then Aisha. Take care. You too Augusta."

"Thank you sir." Augusta responded automatically.

Aisha turned and smacked him on the arm.

It was obvious Aisha's father heard that because he started to laugh. "Well, goodbye Princess."

"Goodbye Apa." Aisha reached over and pressed the speaker button, ending communication. Turning to Augusta, "I can't believe you. You're such an idiot."

"I couldn't help it. Your father has such a commanding voice. I just couldn't resist."

Before Aisha could insult Augusta again, the communicator rang again.

This time Aisha didn't hesitate. She pressed the speaker button. "Yes, what is it?"

"Lady Aisha, sorry for the disturbance again but you asked to be informed the moment we passed Deep Space Station 14. Well, we did just that about 3 minutes ago ma'am. We will be arriving at Planetary Space Station Onas Onas in approximately 20 hours.

"Very good."

"Ma'am?"

"Yes."

"Most of the crew is assembled in the mess hall awaiting your arrival to break out the ale."

Aisha smiled, "Very good, I'll be there in a few minutes."

She pressed the speaker button once again to end communication and turned to face Augusta again. He had already gotten his uniform jacket on and was simply adjusting it.

Sheepishly she said, "I have to join my crew in the mess hall. They've been patiently waiting to celebrate our victory."

"Yes, I know. So has my crew." He replied.

"Why don't you join us?" Aisha asked.

"No, you don't want to celebrate with an idiot do you."

Aisha lowered her eyes. "You know I was just kidding. You're not an idiot. I couldn't fall in love with an idiot."

It took Augusta a minute before it registered but when it did he looked up from adjusting his uniform and walked over to where Aisha was standing. Taking her in his arms, he looked into her eyes. "What was that you said? You said you loved me, didn't you?"

"Who me?" Aisha responded looking very coy.

Augusta just smiled and shook his head.

"Come join me in the mess hall?" She asked again.

"No, I have to get back to my ship and start celebrating with my crew as well."

Aisha raised her hands to his chest. "Of course. Will you meet me after we've reached space dock? She smiled up at him.

"Probably not."

"Oh." Her expression fell.

"I'm sure there will be some kind of celebration both at the space port and on the planet, to mark our victory. Then the High Command is going to want to conduct their routine investigation. Perhaps in a couple days we can get together again." Augusta smiled down to her, raising his hands to stroke Aisha's shoulders.

"Okay." Aisha beamed.

"Aisha… I do love you."

She paused for a moment, then rested her head on his chest and whispered. "I know."

Augusta closed his eyes, smiled softly and shook his head.

"Aisha Clan Clan, you are…"

Aisha shot her hand up and covered his mouth before he could finish. "Don't you say it." She warned.

He laughed. "I have to get back to my ship."

Her lover kissed her passionately and she returned the passion. When they broke, he smiled at her once again and winked then headed out the door. Aisha watched him as he closed the door behind him. She stayed staring at the door a few moments longer before closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath. She retrieved the rest of her uniform and proceeded to the mess hall.