Chapter 45
QSS Ra'allom
En route to Sector 4
Eventually they had to crawl out of bed.
Sa'rai went for the first shower. Spencer lay back, oddly energized for having his entire nervous system re-wired and having made love four…five times last night. "I have to admit, my stamina last night was surprising." He said when the water shut off.
"Really?"
"Or maybe I need to learn more about Q physiology."
"Likely." She came back in a black, silk robe and sat on the bed. "Granted I have no experience and I have absolutely no complaints, but based on what I've heard from others you're probably only slightly above average."
"I'm all right with slightly above average." He looked over at her. "Is there some political reason for all the black?" Lazy curiosity.
She smiled even as a sad look came into her eyes. "Long story. The short version is that I can't wear bright colors without waiting for a military funeral to start."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm not." She looked over as her comtab began downloading messages. "Did you mean it last night, joining my house?"
He took her hand, kissed her fingers. "Yes. Absolutely. Why?"
"Uniform regulations." She bent and kissed him lightly, "Go take a shower." With that she stood and headed out to the rest of the ship.
About three quarters of the way through his shower Spencer heard the door open. "I'm almost done." He called out. When there was no reply he finished quickly, dried off, and came out in a towel. It wasn't like she hadn't seen.
He ran right into a wall of pheromones. The rich, powerful scent just on the edge of full awareness had him instantly hard once more. And some deep, primitive part of his mind opened. He wanted that. He needed that. He had to make that his. Right now.
"I brought breakfast." Sin said.
Spencer started at the younger man standing over by the table. His delicate beauty, his lithe frame. Oh, he could take that and claim it and…
Sin looked around and smiled. "Just so you know, I consent. Sa'rai wouldn't let me in here if I didn't."
Spencer swallowed, His throat was suddenly very dry. "You mean…"
"You gonna put a ring on this or what?" Sin asked as he started pulling off his clothes.
There was no reason to stop. With two long strides he had Sin in his arms and was kissing him, hard, as he pulled him into the bed.
His.
It did not take nearly as long as he had expected. "I'm sorry." Spencer said when it was over. "Did I hurt you?"
"I'm not sorry, and no." Sin replied as he lazily stretched under him and kissed his shoulder. "But you should know that."
"I do." Somehow he knew exactly how Sin was feeling, which was lazy and very sated and entirely happy and very much in love. Which was good because Spencer was feeling all of those things as well. "How do I know this."
"I'm yours. You're mine. We take care of each other. If you're in trouble I'll know, and if it's me you will. And so on. Damn it."
"What?"
"I want to do that again but I don't think I'm up for it."
"I thought this sort of thing was uncommon."
"Kind of. Essa is also a bit of a prude. Some of us are kinky that way."
"Oh. I think I'm okay with that." Something else came to mind. "I agreed to join Sa'rai's house…"
"She said. I'm glad. We got along when we were working together and Stout Will is all right. I think we'll make a great family."
"So JJ and I went to talk to Diana Reid about this whole powers thing yesterday." Emily said.
Luke was hanging out alone in the common area of the ship. There was a crew of two up on the bridge, who had rooms up that-a-way, and Sin and a big cat name of Stout Will who he thought Sin spent the night with last night. Not going there. It was kind of like riding in Dad's RV, a little cramped but all the comforts, you just had to play nice with the family. Hell, he had his own smallish room, his own tiny bath, and decent coffee. it could be worse. Anyway, he was hanging out on a video call back with the office. "Oh? Get any idea about what's going to happen?"
"Not really. She said she didn't know if he would take after his father or not. Apparently he was pretty empowered or something."
"We did find out that they come into their powers when they lose their virginity." JJ said
"Which would explain why he's been her royal hotness' room all night." Luke replied.
"Really? You think? Okay, hold on." Penelope started typing something. "Damn it! Morgan won the pool!"
"You have a pool going on Reid's virginity?" Tara asked.
"Morgan?" Emily asked.
"Yeah. He said with an alien princess on a ship heading away from Earth." Penelope replied. "He's the closest."
"We are never going to hear the end of that." JJ said.
Luke looked up as Sa'rai came out of one of the bedrooms. "Sin?" She called out. The younger man came down from where he had been chatting with the bridge crew. "I want to know now, formally, do you consent to this?"
As Luke watched something came over Sin. He looked suddenly bashful, hopeful. "I do." He replied. "With all my heart."
"Fair warning. He agreed to join my house."
Sin broke into a grin. "Even better."
"All right then. I'll get the paperwork ready." While Sin ducked around to the galley Sa'rai came over to what they called a drink replicator and started brewing something that smelled a lot like coffee.
Luke indicated to everyone on the other end of the line to be quiet. She couldn't have seen the open screen yet. "Morning." He said. "So what does that mean, join your house?"
"I suppose it's the closest we get to the Terran idea of marriage." Sa'rai replied.
"You two got married?"
"Not yet. There's a ceremony involved."
"But you're planning on it? You know we call that engaged."
She considered as she stirred her coffee. "Yes, I suppose that would fit."
Luke looked down at the tablet, where the rest of the BAU was all smiles. "And what was that with Sin."
"He's becoming Spencer's Companion. Formally, I assume. They'll have to fill out some paperwork to make it official. And in theory Lady Garon should throw a dinner to celebrate the joining of families. Sin's is all on Earth now. I've heard her health isn't the best though."
Luke looked down to where Dave was frantically waving. "Don't worry, the BAU is family. We'll get a reception or whatever done."
"Oh good. After all this war I do like when my Nobles can have their celebrations. It's important to keep up the traditions. In many ways they're all we have left."
"I understand." The rest of the BAU was nodding. "So, he's got his powers now?"
She looked around, finally, and smiled. "Yes he does."
"What can he do?"
"I don't know yet. It's not safe to experiment on ship. We'll know when we get to Bara'cum. Excuse me." She took her coffee and headed out to the rest of the ship.
Luke waited until she was out of ear shot. "Now you all know what I know."
"Spence getting married." JJ said. "Finally!'
"He deserves to be happy." Penelope said.
"And we are going to have a proper reception." Dave said. "At least this time I have more than a day to put it together."
"No, you have a month." Emily said. "The other team will be out in three weeks."
"How are they getting here?" Luke asked. "I think her royalness only has the one RV."
"I just know there's a plan."
