A few days had since passed upon leaving the Massive. A course set for Irk and orders in hand, Vult was left to mull over the dilemma he faced. Their target, a fellow Irken, on their homeworld of all places, had earned the ire of their leaders. A lowly Manufacturing Drone of some unknown designation was "enticing political unrest" and deemed worthy of assassination. An action often reserved for enemies of the Empire...but how was demanding equality and fair treatment deemed malicious? How was it any different than what he sought for his own men and women beneath his command? He...sympathized with this mysterious activist and agitator, but remained perplexed. Why had he not been deactivated? The Control Brains actively monitored their species. Drones were among the lowest castes in stature and security clearance. They were beneath the highest scrutiny...yet this man lived and continued to speak out and criticize those in control above him.
What intelligence on the matter existed only served to raise more questions. There was no actionable information, only a general location and assigned duty of this particular Drone. A facility that saw tens of thousands of Drones daily coming and going between shift changes near a major metropolitan center. Tens of millions of Irken lived in this particular sector...and they were expected to find one among them. The source to the revival of this Srail Society.
Whatever plans that manifested between Vult and Corr were soon dashed on the rocks of reality. A Priority One Directive came from Devastis of all places. An emergency decree of being under attack by an unknown party of unknown strength. Devastis was by-and-large a massive, sprawling military-industrial complex. The heart of the Armada. Untold legions of soldiers trained, manufacturing facilities and assembly lines churned out a steady flow of armored vehicles, mechs, aircraft, and naval vessels...and someone had made it past its outpouring of resistance and successfully strike at its heart.
Rather than risk a mass, hysterical panic, the Almighty Tallest sent for Vult and his team to make for Devastis. Upon being reminded of the existing assignment they were on-course for on their homeworld, they were quick to nonchalantly tell him handle both at the same time. A simple solution to a not-so-simple task. To divide a small, custom-tailored unit without any real support in the field even further and expected to succeed...but dereliction of duty was not an option. Not at this conjecture for a plethora of reasons.
The two operations were split among the unit. Corr was to lead the mission on Devastis. They were to investigate the source of the attacks, locate those responsible, and eliminate them with extreme prejudice. The Empire at large could not be allowed to know Devastis was attacked. Their bulwark and jewel of military prowess and pride, vulnerable...such would inspire confidence in their enemies. Whoever was responsible had to be dealt with as soon as possible.
Vult, meanwhile, took charge of the Irk operation. Discretion took priority over violence this time. There was no need for heavy-hitters or obscene amounts of ordnance and firepower against overwhelming defenders in scope and capability. Ironically, work such as this was best-suited for an Invader. Information gathering. Espionage. Tracking. The Shadow Stalkers, while capable, were soldiers first. They were the hammer. The fist. Not the magnifying glass.
Nevertheless, Vult put together a tentative approach. The unit's marksmen would accompany him, Tuu and Kazak. The team got their fill of storming buildings and kicking in countless doors to clear rooms on Vort, it wouldn't be required here. Not if they intended to keep a low profile and locate their target without alerting them that the Empire had caught on to their shenanigans.
The only exception to that rule was Hesa. She had not yet deployed in an official capacity with the team. This would be her first assignment as a Shadow Striker, donning the advanced equipment, gadgets, and uniquely-tailored Spec Ops uniform of black and crimson. Now was as good a time as any to put her simulation training to the test in the field. She would be hard pressed to cause catastrophic failure resulting in the death of a squadmate on their homeworld among unarmed civilians.
The Ghost of Irk, already plotted and on-course for Irk, continued as planned. The team of four destined for their homeworld prepared to deploy on-approach. Having had days to rest mind and body, a plan with several contingencies, and enough firepower in the event those contingencies fell through, took inventory of their equipment and armaments. Only once the ship was in orbit of the Irken homeworld did they drop shuttle laden with Vult, Tuu, Kazak, and Hesa deploy. The rest of the unit left Irk's low orbit, a course set for Devastis to proceed as scheduled.
The drop shuttle entered Irk's pollution-choked atmosphere. A post-garden world turned into an industrial hellscape. Nature was rare as a sunny day with most of the planet's surface covered in some semblance of urbanization or industrialization. Even greater magnitudes extended deep below the planet's surface. Bleak, barren wastes intermittently interrupted by what used to be lakes, now turned into toxic pits of wastewater and run-off.
Rather than be in full combat uniform and armed to the antenna, Vult wore more casual attire. A nondescript jacket and slacks common among the civilian populace. His uniform and weapons were tightly tucked away and packed in a duffle bag slung across his back. Leather gloves adorned his hands, mostly to hide the face his right was made of metal being artificial. The less they stood out, the less likely they were to be questioned or draw suspicion.
Kazak himself opted for his previous unit's uniform, still with First Sergeant insignia on it, and wearing a soft cap rather than the typical helmet. He wore minimal equipment, a belt with a couple of ammo pouches for his sidearm with his rifle slung over his shoulder. If anyone asked, he could say he was going to or coming back from the range. He packed light, a rucksack resting over his PAK with spare clothes and equipment. He left his armor on the ship, figuring he wouldn't need it on Irk of all places.
Hesa did much like Vult, wearing civilian clothes, though with a somewhat larger coat to cover her appearance. Her revolver, the only weapon she brought for this mission, rested within the coat in a shoulder holster she modified. The rest of her equipment was in a duffle of her own. She liked the figure she cut in their uniform, but taking Vult's lead would likely help her to improve some stealth skills.
Tuu, meanwhile, did much the same, though wearing some outwardly opaque, violet lensed glasses. On his end, facial recognition was running on anyone he saw, running recon for their target using local databases and looking for drones in question. It was like finding a tiny object lost amidst a great mass. With luck, they might find the drone in question before their cover blew. "The Tallest mentioned a foreman, right, sir?"
"Several. The Foremen are specialized Drones tasked with managing other Drones." Vult recited from their well-practiced playbook by now committed to memory. "There has been a steady decline in productivity from Drones in Habitation Block 451. A safe assumption would be members of the Srail Society will be found there, if not the leader as well."
"Sounds like I should start across the street." Tuu walked on ahead, "I should have a decent vantage point somewhere in there."
Kazak shrugged, he thought Tuu's suggestion was spot on. He had another idea. "If you don't mind, I wouldn't mind taking to the roofs. A lot more mobility for me, not to mention a lot of people tend not to look up."
Hesa pulled up the habitation block and looked around, "I suppose the commander and I can go lounge in this diner across the street and pretend we're friends hanging out...or something." She seemed hesitant, thinking she was still speaking more like a novice and less like an experienced operator.
"Actually-" Kazak interrupted, "if we're going to be here long term, I already have something to help us out. My old unit wasn't based too far from here. I already got the uniform. I can just requisition my old office and do…'busy work' in off shifts from our vantage point. I can probably get Tuu here a uniform out of inventory and he can pose as a Sublieutenant working in administration."
"Good call," Vult nodded. "Just don't overstay your welcome or push too hard. The spoofed credentials Vard put together for Hesa and I only go so far. Same goes for you. No one can know we're here or what we are doing. That includes law enforcement and Armada officials. We do not know how far this Srail Society extends."
"I can bluff my way through, don't worry. I still hold a high degree of respect with my men." He could always say Captain Mizak sent him back to 'man the fort' as it were, and all it would take is a simple message to his old friend to back him up with minimal to no explanation. The two built their unit from scratch, after all, a high degree of trust existed between them. "I guess that means if we need anything higher up, you're going to be relying on us."
"Well, what do you expect a couple of service drones to do? Especially one who missed her scheduled recertification." It was a similar story drawn from their run in with Tak that Vard remembered. It worked just as well for Hesa. So long as she didn't have to wear anything tight fitting.
"Good point. Well, how does Lieutenant Tuu sound, even if ever so brief and fake? Not going to let it go to your head, I hope?"
"No, not at all," Tuu replied as he continued scanning for foremen from the noted factory. "It's just a cover, not much else to it."
"Well, I guess for the time being our ranks are somewhat inverted. I'll show you around, get you acquainted."
Settling in was interesting to say the least. Kazak and Tuu found themselves not only in the office for his old scout sniper unit, but on their varied shifts partaking in marksmanship instruction of replacements. At least for Kazak it was one way to gauge the outfit he put together and how they fared on Vort. Their cover could easily be explained by some lightly doctored Armada credentials, giving them an easy pass.
Vult and Hesa, on the other hand, found themselves working in that very diner she suggested one day. Running the register, cleaning tables, mundane tasks. It grated at her, but at least she had the Commander with her. Not to mention this was much needed training…any improvement to stealth was welcome as far as she was concerned.
Over time, Tuu built up a database of foremen from Material Processing Center 12 and cross referenced them with those he and Kazak saw going in and out of the hab block. They had something to go off of, at least, based in a shared rooftop apartment across the way. The two took shifts, while one was at work with the Scout Snipers, the other kept watch. It avoided suspicion that would otherwise come with one person constantly there, something their targets would no doubt notice if they were being vigilant.
Though, their break would come not from the vigilance of their marksmen, but from the two posing service drones. Though she failed at stealth, Hesa had some skill… she overhead the talking of Senior Foreman Ghor, clearly in a hushed tone, on how their unfair treatment as drones should be rectified. While first saying that he should watch his volume and the walls having antenna as she mulled about on a day off. Playing the part well, and despite sympathizing with his cause, something that surprised her, she made some inroads and introduced Ghor to her 'coworker.'
They'd be able to meet the larger group after a month and a half of effort. Though nervous and worried about her performance, Vult assured her that she was doing fine. The two arranged to meet in an apartment in the dead of night, it wasn't Ghor's own, but that of one of his subordinates who supported him. Her dwelling was something of 'middle management', better off than most drones but lacking in opulence as to be expected of someone of the stature of, say, Aero.
Knowing where to go later, they made arrangements with Tuu, seeing as how he'd be on watch, code words for various contingencies in the mission, taking the shot among others. With both Vult and Hesa having a number of hours to burn before the meeting. She laid back against the sofa in their apartment, eyes closed with her boots on the table. "I know you were an Elite and I was Spec Ops, but did you ever anticipate missions like this?"
Vult remained calm and resolute despite the past several weeks of patient work potentially coming to fruition in a few hours. The first real lead they had uncovered since arriving to Irk. Ghor may not have been the target of interest, but he was a step in the right direction. An influencer and a man that demonstrated above-average intellect compared to the usual Drone. It was difficult to not jump to conclusions.
Rather, he ensured the team was on-alert and ready. Plans were changed. Schedules altered. All hands on deck. Thankfully, the meeting was to happen on the only day off he and Hesa had. All that was left was to play the waiting game until nightfall came.
"My missions consisted of being the first off the landing crafts and wading into withering enemy fire before being tasked with leading this unit," the Commander began, casually cleaning up their shared kitchen. "Now, I'm a frycook at a hole-in-the-wall down the block from the Armada's largest small arms manufacturing facility...so no, I never anticipated a mission like this before." He concluded amidst wiping down the counter with a smirk.
"That makes two of us," she laughed lightly and stretched. "I have to admit, I've enjoyed spending time with you, even if I haven't particularly enjoyed the work." Her feet swung off the table as she stood, walking into the kitchen. She was more relaxed in their apartment, her coat on a wall hanger, leaving her with an undershirt and her shoulder holster above the waist. "How've you been holding up all this time? I swear I've been seeing some changes, but I could be wrong."
"A welcome change of pace away from the front on Vort, I'll admit," Vult acknowledged, moving to the sink to clean what few dishes were present. He spared her only a glance as she entered the kitchen. "Well enough. The worst part about this is the demeaning duties at the diner, but it is better than being knee-deep in mud and blood. At least there's three hots and a cot here."
He hesitated at the second part of her curiosity, settling for rinsing out glasses to be dried and put away.
"What do you mean? What sort of changes?"
She started to reach for one of his arms but stopped herself. "You seem a bit...bigger, a bit more gruff too." Something more was on her mind, but she bit her tongue rather than look foolish in front of him. "Did you also have Turb...do to you what he did for myself and Aero?" At least, that was her intuition in explaining the changes.
Hesitation again. He hadn't exactly broadcasted he underwent the procedure or felt necessary to, but much like her in his own ways, it was becoming clear changes were taking place. Obvious ones. He had grown some, at least an inch, and his clothes were growing snug. That was equal parts lack of intensive PT and the hormonal inhibitor being removed. As Sula informed him, muscle mass and bone density were growing. Changing. He was maturing into an adult.
Vult finished drying the last of the dishes, putting them away before turning to face Hesa.
"I did...as did Corr," He admitted. "We felt it necessary beneath the circumstances. Being the commanding officer, I am responsible for the actions and decisions of the unit...I would be the first punished should word get out about you or Aero. My safeguard to protect you and the others."
The Corporal smiled; Vult was every bit the man she expected when she first met him back on Vort, and then some. "That's really a bold move, very bold...especially considering that there was nothing impairing you like myself or Aero." She glanced down, trying to break some of her internal tension before looking back to him. "Have there been other changes. I don't think you have this same...rather obvious chest issue that Aero and I have or I would've noticed by now."
"No. No I do not," He huffed weakly in amusement. "...and there has been, yes." He admitted, lacking the frame of reference to be embarrassed or find it awkward to talk about. "Sula had said not to be concerned by it as it was perfectly normal."
"There been any...feelings? Attraction? Anything that would make your spooch a bit fluttery?" She genuinely wondered if there may have been some attraction there. She was dodging part of the issue, but she wasn't trying to expose her inner feelings she held for him for some time...lest she creates a gaffe mid mission and ruin things.
"Sula said that was normal as well," Vult responded, reminded of back on the ship on how Hesa behaved towards him...and how she was acting now. It gave him pause. "...you're wondering if I'm feeling like that right now. Aren't you?"
"Is it that obvious?" She scratched the back of her neck, seeming a bit nervous about this. If it were coming off like that she'd be worried he'd figure out more. Was it better for her to come out with it or to let him figure it out? She really liked him, but she wasn't sure how to explain her new feelings. "...Yeah. I guess I am."
"Seeing as you asked me outright if I've had any feelings or attractions after learning I underwent the same procedure, yes, very," He cheekily spoke, relaxed despite the subject matter as he leaned against the counter. "As for feeling that way right this moment...somewhat. It's difficult to explain. Trying to make sense of what I am feeling...what I am thinking. That sort of thing."
"It's the same way for me...I've tried to explain it to Aero but I've been at a lack of words for how to describe it. Ever since you brought me on I've talked to our guests in the brig about what's been going on." She moved a bit closer after taking a breath. "Is there anything you can explain, roughly? It may be something I've talked to them about."
Vult didn't miss her change in posture and encroaching closer into his personal space. He didn't mind. Welcomed it even. He found...comfort in it. The movement did garner his attention as his blue eyes focused on Hesa's violet.
"You likely know more about it than I do," He admitted with a small shrug. "...but just what little I've discussed with our "guests" aboard the ship throughout this transitional phase with the others...the feelings are normal, driven by hormones...a desire for companionship."
A pause.
"For...mating."
"I've had...similar desires." She stared right back, placing one hand on his left arm as she felt slightly more at ease. A quiet few moments passed as she gathered her thoughts and to reframe her mind. "They spoke of reproducing, making new generations that way. I don't think we're capable of that, are we?" There was a blink before she huffed lightly, "I really have to wonder how much knowledge might be out there about ourselves that we don't know about sometimes."
She waited again, thinking back to that rather...unprofessional moment some time ago. "Did you like the idea of what happened a while ago? That 'kiss' after that ordeal with Volx?"
"I honestly don't know if we are or not. From my understanding of what was shared, once full maturity is reached, in theory, it should be possible...but I do not know if that applies to the likes of you and I," He reasoned, not missing her subtle touch. Something he would not have paid not mind or attention to before had his undivided attention. She had his undivided attention.
"Kiss? Is that what that was?" He asked, perplexed. "Did they ever tell you what its purpose served?"
A nod in reply, "What I gave you? That was more...friendly. Something among family and even extremely trusted friends, depending on their values. For more...intimacy, and between lovers, it would be more appropriate for a kiss on the lips." She leaned in slightly, still some slight room between the two of them. She wasn't about to kiss him, or she would have went through with it. "You're quite the interesting guy, you know that?"
"Apparently so, you haven't stopped looking at me for some time now," Vult observed in a light tone. "...and you're looking at me the same way you did then, too...why is that?"
She gulped and took a breath. Perhaps it was best to be out with this after all. "I like you, Vult. Really like you." Those same words she used with Aero...she closed the distance between them, lightly pressed against him. She sighed softly, "They said it was a crush. Something that if you felt the same way and we explored things, could lead to a deeper relationship...like what Turb said he has, some sort of 'marriage'."
The sudden bodily contact caught him off-guard. Startled more than anything as he wasn't expecting it...but the warmth of her own pressed against his relaxed him. Only then did he begin to notice things in greater detail. The heat shared between them, the tautness of giving flesh beneath her clothes, the soft cushion of her bosom against his chest. The particular shade of green her skin possed and how her violet eyes sparkled in the low light of the apartment.
"Crush…" he reiterated, as if trying to make sense of it. "Why crush? To crush something is painful or destructive...this isn't painful...or destructive. It's...nice. Calming. Relaxing. Warm."
"I'm not sure…" she mused as one hand came to rest on his waist, the other on his shoulder. He was right about all of it, how it felt, especially being this close to the man of her affections. "I can take a guess at how nerve-wracking it can be. I have to admit, I was nervous about how you would react, if you would return what I was feeling or not. I suppose I can relax a bit...it seems like you just might." She started noticing the same, his good looks, even with prosthetics...his growing strength, even with the lack of regular PT. The warmth of another was...refreshing, wanted, and even something she desired for a while.
"I've wanted this for a while...I just never said anything until now." She exhaled, relaxing somewhat. It felt nice to finally get that out in the open.
The touches elicited a similar reaction from him. Feeling her hands at his waist and shoulder, his palms released the counter he was leaning on, slowly coming to rest on either side of her waist, supported by her hips.
"Probably because I didn't understand it until now. That might have had something to do with it." He huffed, relaxed despite the growing feeling of...something in the depths of his spooch. Something akin to indigestion or being generally upset from feeling ill...but in a pleasant way.
"So what happens now?" Vult genuinely asked.
She looked away, but she was still smiling. It was only a few moments to gather her thoughts before she looked back to him. "I suppose if you're up for it, we can be...boyfriend and girlfriend as they called it. We can explore our feelings for each other, see how they go. In the moment, maybe we can explore something together? We have plenty of time…" there was some hesitation after her response before her lips met his in a kiss. Her own spooch churned nervously, but as before, something felt right about it.
Before he could ask specifically what they were to explore, she answered him with a kiss. Not like the small, short one on his cheek in the infirmary, but rather fully on the lips. Her mouth, much like the rest of her, was soft. Warm. Inviting. This completely weird, alien thing felt...strangely familiar. Natural, even. As if he had full, prior knowledge of it but had completely forgotten about it and struggled to remember.
He said nothing, only trying to learn from what he was experiencing...or at the very least, make sense of it and why he felt the way he did.
It seemed so foreign for Irken, but there was something deep within...long since locked away...she pulled back from his lips, only to move down and start kissing along his jaw before moving down to his neck. It all seemed right, even if it went against everything she ever knew. She paused, resting her head against his shoulder, thinking about what else Turb and Kiara brought up. "This...mating thing that they talked about. Would you want to do that? Right now?"
Vult blinked, processing what she had said. Forthcoming and straight to the point, it seemed. So much so he needed a moment to form his own response. His posture remained the same, hands situated at her hips, holding her close still.
"I am...curious. Intrigued, even," He openly admitted at the notion, looking to her in close proximity. "...but from my understanding, mating is for the purpose of procreation...offspring. Do you feel that...wise?"
She had to mull over her own response. That is what Turb and Kiara said. Mating had that purpose to it. Though even by Turb's own admission, he wondered if Irken still had the capability to do so, given their drive for control over themselves and everything they could lay their hands on. It seemed potentially worth the risk...but even this was a bigger unknown than the changes she went through.
"Part of me says no. It's not something we know anything about or are even familiar with. Though, at the same time, we both want this, we're both curious about this." She paused to think a bit more...she liked him, and maybe this was a risk worth taking. "The other part of me says damn the consequences and wants this with you. I want to explore this with you, especially if you also want it."
"Consequences be damned is why things are so twisted up and complicated as they are," he openly admitted with a huff. "...but I, too, am conflicted...I...think I want this...but if it is going to make things more difficult for you or the others, it isn't worth it. Not at this point in time."
Her head lifted off his shoulders as she rested her forehead against his own to look him in the eyes. "So what can we do? Do we wait...do we try this? I think we could be fine. Look at us, we're bound to something. We can't even survive without our PAKs. I wouldn't be surprised if we've been deprived of our ability to have offspring."
"I want to believe that, but what if the changes made allow it to be possible now?" He reasoned gently. A hand rose from her waist to the side of her jaw, thumb stroking her cheek just beneath her eye. "You simply drawing breath is a risk all in its own right with all that has happened...I don't want to make things worse for you."
A hand rose to rest on his own, a soft smile on her face, "The only way you could possibly make it worse is to do something that could get me killed. I still appreciate that you care, it's one of those things I like about you." Her hand lightly gripped his, "I think it would be a bit more private here than on the ship...but, I trust your judgment on if we can indulge in this now or if we can wait."
She wasn't wrong in that logic. Whatever...this was would be all the more difficult to explain on the ship as it were. Keeping it discreet was another story entirely. He wasn't even sure how to describe things as they were if questioned. Feelings, emotions...intimacy...all of this was so new and different. It made him feel strange. Awkward, even. A rarity for a man full of conviction and resolution demanded of him by his station and duties.
Vult did not immediately respond verbally. Rather, his hand tipped her chin up ever so slightly to meet her mouth in another soft, slow kiss. Something that felt more natural a third time around. Only when he paused for breath, his other palm smoothing over the exterior of her thigh and backside did he speak again.
"Privacy and secrecy are no strangers to me," He admitted in a joking manner, giving her posterior a squeeze through her clothes. "...if we are going to try this, we should do it now and worry about what to say later. Ghor is expecting us this evening, we can't keep him waiting."
There was a slight jump at the squeeze initially and then a sinister smirk. That kiss, it felt right, maybe they were improving. She didn't mind his wandering hand, she welcomed it… "Yes, yes we should. We might have several hours, but we still need time to prepare rather than come in...however we might look after doing this." She pulled back, one hand taking his, heading to her bedroom, steel shutters staying closed as usual for absolute privacy from the outside. Nobody needed to see her...condition other than Vult.
Once inside, she started working off his shirt, practically grinning in excitement and anticipation. Even if that feeling of indigestion from nerves was rather high...she was more the former two than the latter, coupled with some natural desire that spoke from somewhere deep within her that she couldn't explain.
Hearing her agreement and parting to pull him along in tow made his insides twist into knots. It was decided. It was happening. This...mating, whatever it is. Something completely alien to either of them, yet felt familiar. Instinctual, Turb called it. A very base, subconscious thought hardwired into the brain over eons and generations. This, at one point, was meant to create offspring and produce more Irken. Procreation, as he said.
Whatever hesitation and uneasiness he held soon melted away in Hesa's private comfort. Behind closed doors in their own shared living quarters. No wandering eyes or antenna. No superiors. Just the two of them. Alone.
Following the same line of thinking, Vult aided with the methodical removal of attire. Hesa's layers of clothing soon dwindled, revealing more and more green skin.
With more and more revealed, she seemed to settle in with this unfamiliar yet familiar feeling. She was strong, expected of a machine gun toting sledgehammer, but she was supple and curvy in other ways. The lack of regular PT getting to her as well, but she did what she could given their situation. She brought Vult to her bed once the two had rid themselves of their clothes, hands gliding over his form, enjoying his muscles.
Though what she found curious was an additional appendage...she finally got the idea of what Turb was saying when he spoke of 'tab A and slot B.' She kissed his neck once, letting out a soft breath after that. "...You also extremely nervous but extremely excited?"
Having communal showers and the like aboard the ship meant they were no strangers to nudity. This was, however, the first time he had seen a female of his species nude. An adult female, at that. Hesa specifically. To be expected, she was fit, trim with muscle, albeit noticeably softer with their lack of rigorous PT they were accustomed to. She appeared...pleasing. Pleasant to the eye. Appreciative.
Standing there before her, naked, with his own skin bared for all to see, his tactile touch explored her exposed form equally so. The curvature of her shoulders, torso, waist, thighs, and "funny bumps" as they were.
"Yes...to both," he responded with a brief smile, swallowing to squash his nerves. "Are you?"
She nodded in reply at first, letting out a slight laugh to help calm herself, "More than you can believe." Seeing Vult before her was quite a sight to take in. As far as things were going there came in her mind that proverbial 'now what?' A few silent moments passed as she thought of what to do, moments that her seemed to last agonizing minutes. "I...uh...how do we do this?"
"Well…" Vult began, recollecting what little he knew on the subject through Sula and Turb, "...from my understanding, the male mounts the female…" He paused, glancing down between them at their respective bared netherregions. "I'm led to believe I...engage? Enter? Enter you with...that...assuming our species functions the same."
With that, he opted for sitting next to Hesa on the bed, taking her by the hand as he did so to guide her to join him at his side.
Hesa sat next to him, gripping his hand as she looked between them as well. "I haven't seen anything like that among Vortians, but...well, I guess? I mean, I think it looks like that. You have that extra appendage and I have this...that looks like it fits for it." This was awkward...just had to push through it was her thought. "So...I guess you take the lead?"
Vult slowly nodded in understanding as he mulled over what to do and how to go about doing it. There was no briefing or intelligence. He flew in blind on this with the exception of hearsay through unconfirmed sources. In a way, this was not unlike some clandestine operation. Certainly, the odds and stakes were not exactly planet-shattering, but it felt massive in implication. This was serious. A very serious undertaking by both of them with great implication in more ways than one.
After several moments, he lifted his head, looking to the bedspread behind them over his shoulder before turning his attention back to the purple-eyed female at his side.
"Unless you have any objections or other ideas...maybe lay back there and get comfortable? Go from there?"
More used to taking charge with signature aggression, this was really a first. She trusted Vult, immensely, he gave her a second chance at life when the Control Brains wrote her off. This would be no different than following him into battle, in some sense. With a quiet nod she pushed herself back on the bed and laid back. After a few moments of looking at things and realizing he might need room, she shifted up the bed, legs splayed out. She swallowed before speaking, "I think this is right."
Waiting until she was situated and comfortable, he moved to join her. Turning over to his hands and knees, he crawled closer before coming to join her once more. Looming over her, he stopped once his palms, flat on the bedspread, straddled either side of her upper body. A few inches separated their bodies. The warmth emanating between them, the scent of her skin, the beat of her pulse...his body knew how to respond before he even did and it showed.
Pausing to adjust his posture to avoid strain or pressing too much weight down on Hesa, his right hand easily supported his body. His left free, it rose across her toned torso and up over the curvature of her bosom. A tentative squeeze followed as he explored, lowering his head to find her lips in another kiss. This one had experience behind it as it remained slow, but constant in pressure. Insistent, warm, and very clear in intention as his digits massaged the handful of breast being currently kneaded.
Her right hand rose to meet Vult's cheek as she indulged in the slow kiss. The warmth, the close proximity between them, she loved every second of this. A slight noise escaped her as his hand felt her breasts. She did the same thing when she started noticing them long ago. But this was desired far more than mere curiosity. She didn't stop him. Her opposite hand ran across his back, sure to avoid his PAK when she got close to it.
Their shared kiss and exploratory touches served to bring the mood to fruition. His loins craved satisfaction. They felt tight. Distant. Yearning for something. Yearning for her. To be with her. To be in her. Just as they both had assumed based on what little they knew. She wanted the same. She had to. She felt hot to the touch beneath him, hungry each time they kissed, her hands groping and squeezing harder and more insistent as time passed.
Whatever hesitation that remained soon melted away as he paused only long enough to focus on penetrating her below. Her body parted between her legs, readily accepting all he had to offer. His mind blanked, glazed over with a surreal wave of pleasure unlike anything he had ever felt before in life. Unbearably, yet invitingly warm. She enveloped him, taut and molded as if purpose-made. His breath caught, mind solely focused on what strange sensations were coursing through his nervous system at that very moment.
Violent eyes shut as she was also awash in these new feelings. She tried to stifle herself from making too much noise and attracting unwanted attention. Her body wanted this in ways she couldn't think of. Her thighs pressed against his waist for several long moments before releasing him. She pulled him into yet another kiss, lips parted as her tongue pressed against his lips. Her body yearned for even more than this initial contact, much more.
The coupling proved to deliver what she wanted, and then some. Even though neither knew what they were doing, their bodies had some idea of how to act, what to do, something long since locked away in Irken biology. The pleasure was immense for her, and the same went for Vult. The ending came with yet another strange feeling for both of them, but also overwhelming. She laid back in the aftermath, arms wrapped around him, satisfied in the moment. She stayed silent, wanting to enjoy his company even if in silence.
He laid next to Hesa, arms enveloped around her form. Strong, lingering scents he had no recollection of smelling before lingered, intertwined with their own combined perspiration of effort clinging thinly to warm, glowing green skin. His body felt weary, fatigued even, but he remained mentally vigilant and awake. His attention remained fixated on Hesa and Hesa alone. Every breath she took, the way her chest rose and fell. Her and her alone. He had almost forgotten about their pending meeting with Ghor.
"I think…" He began, a light huff of a pant followed. "I think we figured it out."
She kissed him again, lightly, smirking after, "Yeah, yeah I think we did." Was this what they were missing out on? Was the desire for control at every level so great that they sought to remove even this? It seemed wrong to be deprived of it after experiencing it. "We must be the first two Irken to have done this in...who knows how long." She enjoyed his company, even with the new smells in the room she was unaccustomed to. She closed her eyes, relaxing, feeling content, safe, satisfied. Ghor and their meeting was the furthest thing on her mind. "I'd love to do this again...especially if I could consider you my…" she paused, "boyfriend, as they put it."
His natural hand traced the contours of her hip and waist before traversing to find one of her hands to take into his own.
"I could see this happening again. I want it to. With you."
She smiled wide, just like she's seen Aero do many times, "And I with you." Rank didn't matter here, not that she would care right now. She fell for Vult because of who he is, not because of power. Her hand gripped his in kind, "Whatever happens, wherever we go, I'll be by your side."
"Not like you got much else choice now," Vult teased in a lighter tone, smirking at her. "Just need to remember you're still a Corporal and I your commanding officer when the others are around. I can't give you any preferred or special treatment. Should this continue...whatever this is or going to be...we need to be discreet."
A chuckle came first. She knew Vult wasn't the type to give her special treatment, but she figured this would be an outcome. This was rather...illicit as far as the Empire was concerned. "Of course, I wouldn't ask that of you anyhow. Besides...what the others don't know can't hurt them, hm?" She smirked back at him.
"In theory, but as we've both seen what keeping secrets from them has led to," he sighed, looking up at the ceiling as he laid beside her, hand briefly loosening from Hesa's to wrap his arm around her shoulders and pull her closer to him. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing? Looking out for the others and taking the extremes I have, I mean."
"In the time I've known you?" She was the newest inductee of the team. Only months before did they meet back on Vort and everything led to here, in each other's arms. "I think so. You obviously care a lot more about us than anyone in the Armada clearly does. I'm a walking example of that. You have a good sense of things, where we're going. I trust you. Pretty sure if any other team came in there that day I'd have been shot because of orders. You take risks, but they sure pay off."
She smirked after giving him a quick kiss, "Then again, I might also be a bit biased in your favor."
"The Armada cares only for itself. Our leaders, for themselves. Selfishness of the highest magnitude," He observed in retrospect with his newly-discovered freedom of thought and will. "Were it not for the threshold of operational command being so vast for the unit at my discretion, we would likely have all perished on Vort through Grimm's campaign. Dead and forgotten like so many countless others to share a similar fate. A fate I do not want to befall those that have instilled great trust in me."
"You think that maybe these guys Ghor is working with might have some sort of point?" She had every reason to sympathize, as she would otherwise be long dead. The leaders of the Armada lost her respect ever since she's been captured, only confirmed when weeks later she finds she should be dead. "I know right now we have to help those poor saps in the field who don't know what we do, but I'm starting to wonder if they might be right about some things."
"I don't know," Vult sighed, having racked his mind over that for some time now. Memories of the conversation had with Corr prior to arriving on Irk weeks ago played back in his head. "No government or its leaders are without fault. Even Vort struggled many times politically before our arrival. We are so few and billions of others would suffer greatly for our actions. There is no simple solution to this. All I know is I have a limited amount of control over our future and I take full advantage of it to ensure we all make it through whatever comes our way alive…"
He lifted his artificial hand towards the ceiling between them, observing it in the low light of the room. His cybernetic digits fluidly articulated, silent servos and gears moving and whirring beneath the surface as he opened and closed his cold, metal hand.
"...and intact."
"Really makes you wonder if this is the cost of free will…" the constant checking against what they think to be right, hard decisions to get the team out alive and intact...but the weight over time, it really seems like it would start to weigh down. "Better to feel this turmoil than blindly follow orders. I'll take all this any time." She glanced over her shoulder at the clock on a night stand, they still had some time before the meeting before they needed to get ready. All the more to enjoy Vult's close proximity. "I'll definitely also take what we just did over that." She shot him a smirk after turning back around.
Vult smiled back at her as his hand came to relax once more. "Corr quoted some text. I can't recall where it is written or by who, but one of our ancestors put it best: "It is better to die a free man than live as a slave"...I am beginning to see there is more to that than simple historical reference...and why knowledge is so tightly controlled."
He sighed, sitting up with a small stretch. The gnarled scar just below his PAK where he was ran through by the captured Janitorial Drone many months ago that nearly killed him was visible. Off to one side, narrowly avoiding the spine. The man had been faced with death many times, yet through some miraculous means, survived each encounter. He was yet to blink when greeted and called upon whatever manifestation that ended life for them.
"As much as I would like to lie here with you for the rest of the evening, we needed to get ready. I want to make sure Kazak and Tuu are in position and ready before the meeting. We may only have one chance at meeting whoever is behind this."
Hesa noticed the scar, whatever caused it, it only added to the fact that Vult was tough, and rather hard to kill. "We'll have plenty of time for that, after all...even if we have to be rather quiet about it for a time." She pushed herself up, giving him yet another kiss before getting out of bed and grabbing some fresh clothes from her wardrobe, headed for the bathroom to get cleaned up, stopping at the door to look at Vult and smile before leaving the room.