Final chapter, my Friends. This is another universe I can see myself revisiting at some point!
Jesse looked down at the half-portion of stew sitting on his plate and sighed heavily. Junk was sitting next to him, stabbing her ration with a bread roll. On the other side of the table, Stacie's long leg was extended and was rubbing against her lover's ankle in a soothing motion.
"I'm sorry," Chloe said as she linked her fingers together over her stomach and leaned back in her chair. "I know it sucks."
"Not your fault, Boss," Jesse shrugged. "Is what it is. We couldn't leave those guys with nothing."
"Look on the bright side," Emily added. "At least we didn't have any problems getting into the conduit this time."
Beca wrinkled her nose affectionately. "Do you always look on the bright side, Em?"
"Yes, always. It's adorable," Stacie murmured, then looked up to find four faces smiling indulgently at her. "Shut up."
"Didn't say a thing," Chloe deadpanned. Then she lifted her hand. "Alright, we have two days before we pick up more supplies. We won't starve… much."
"Meh," Cody interjected with a shrug. "Ain't that bad. Had worse."
The team was almost surprised to hear him speak. He was quiet at the best of times, but he'd been totally withdrawn since Jack's change. They knew he was missing his best friend.
"Hey," Chloe said then, catching Beca's eye. "Can we talk in private?"
"Sure," the doctor replied. She finished her last mouthful of stew, washed it down with a sip of protein shake, then followed the Colonel to a table across the room and took a seat across from her. She waited quietly as Chloe gathered her thoughts.
"So… I had a nightmare," the redhead said. "It really spooked me." Beca nodded, watching her lover's body language. Chloe's shoulders were a little hunched, her arms were crossed somewhat defensively, and her eyes were focused on the tabletop. "You were bitten and there was nothing I could do to save you. And that's why I asked you to stay behind today."
"Ah." The doctor nodded again. "I see."
Chloe's eyes lifted. "I'm not normally one for superstition, or believing in premonitions or dreams... or anything like that..." She pursed her lips and shrugged, body loosening up. "But I just didn't want to take a chance, you know?"
Beca leaned forward, fingers loosely laced together. "We can't do that," she said gently.
Fair eyebrows lifted. "What?"
"We're soldiers, Chlo. We can't stop each other from performing our duties. No matter the risk." The colonel slowly closed her eyes, Beca's words stabbing her in the heart. She was right, Chloe knew. "We must make that promise to each other. We must do what needs to be done, no matter the cost."
"No, I know," the redhead replied. "I just..." She shook her head. "Damn, Beca, when did I get so soft?"
"You're getting old," the doctor deadpanned, making her lover laugh and roll her eyes, tension dissipating a little between them. She reached across the table and took Chloe's hand. "But seriously though, being in a relationship, in our line of work, is hard. It's why I'd made the decision to not let myself get attached to people. But now that you've suckered me into loving you, we just have to take this one day at a time and make the best decisions we can with the information we have."
The colonel chuckled softly. "Ok, agreed. One day at a time." She brought Beca's hand to her lips. "Just promise me you won't take unnecessary risks?"
"I will if you will," the doctor shot back.
Chloe held up two fingers. "Scout's honor."
Beca frowned. "Huh?"
"Oh..." The redhead laughed sheepishly. "It was an old organization from... actually, never mind. I promise I won't take any unnecessary risks."
"Me too," the brunette agreed. "Thanks, Honey."
Xx
"Engaging docking clamps," Chloe said quietly into her comms. "We have you, Excalibur."
"Acknowledged, Colonel Beale. We are locked on and beginning transfer of supplies."
Emily's voice interjected. "Colonel Beale, this is Specialist Junk. I'm working with the Excalibur crew to stow the supplies."
"Thank you, Team," the colonel nodded as she locked the ship's navigation control to station keeping. Then she got up and stretched out her body. She had a lunch organized with the captain of Excalibur, so she went to freshen up in her quarters before heading to the chow hall. Chloe straightened her jumpsuit as she approached a table, at which an old friend of hers was seated. The woman got up, eyes twinkling.
"Colonel Beale."
"Captain Hobart." The two women saluted each other, then grinned and hugged each other hard. "It's been too long, Ames!"
"I've been on leave since getting back from my last deep space mission," the blonde Australian replied. "Spent some time in Sydney visiting with the family. Then headed out into the bush to take part in a crocodile wrestling competition."
Chloe chuckled and shook her head. "Did you win?"
Amy puffed out her chest. "Of course! I'm the best croc wrestler, with or without teeth!"
The colonel knew to take a lot of what her friend said with a pinch of salt, so she pressed on. "Amy, I wanted to brief you on what's going on on Mars and to prepare you for what you're going to find."
"Ok," the blonde replied as she sobered and dug into her lunch. "Hit me."
Chloe spent the next hour going through everything that had happened and talking her friend through the medical data Beca had gleaned.
"So that's it. I know Doctor Mitchell is going to meet with your medical team herself, but I wanted to make sure you know everything I know."
Captain Hobart leaned back in her chair and patted her full belly. "Thanks, Chloe. I have to admit, I'm having a hard time believing it all."
"I know, it's kinda craycray," the redhead replied with a shrug. "Just remember, they may look unusual but they're still people and they don't want to hurt anyone, ok? Make sure they're treated right, Ames."
"Yes, Ma'am," Amy nodded.
"Shelly to Captain Hobart," a male voice interrupted.
The blonde tapped her wrist band. "Number One here. Go ahead, Number Two."
"We've finished loading the supplies and Specialist Junk has signed off on the manifest."
Amy nodded to herself. "Has Doctor Mitchell finished with the medstaff?"
"Yes, Ma'am, she's on her way back to her ship now."
"Good. Be ready for me when I get back, Number Two."
"Yes, Ma'am! Shelly out."
Captain Hobart got up and brushed the crumbs off her jumpsuit.
"Chloe, a pleasure as always. Next time, let's do dinner and get drunk."
The colonel chuckled and pulled her friend into a tight hug. "Absolutely. Safe travels."
The captain grinned and rubbed her hands together. "You too. Now I have to go. Number Two is..." She waggled her brows. "Waiting for me."
Chloe laughed and gave her a little shove. "Ew. Gross. Get out of here!"
Captain Hobart winked, saluted her respectfully and then sauntered toward the exit. Chloe followed her and headed for the bridge.
Xx
"Ok, we're back underway," Stacie said as she pulled her headset off and stretched out her long legs. "Engines are purring like a tiger."
"Do tigers purr?" Jesse asked curiously as he took his seat.
"Nope," Beca murmured, eyes on her holoscreen.
Stacie tapped her wrist band. "Can tigers purr?" she asked.
"Large cats such as tigers and lions cannot purr," her AI responded.
"Toldja," Beca chuckled.
"You're not a vet!" the leggy specialist replied.
"No," the doctor replied with a wink. "But I know a LOT of things."
"Alright, alright," Chloe chuckled. "The engines are purring like a non-tiger-like animal."
"Coulda just said kitten," Stacie pouted.
Jesse, Beca, Chloe and Emily all rolled their eyes.
"Jeez," the colonel said. "ANYWAY, we should arrive back at Earth in two days, fourteen hours. You guys have earned some time off. I'm giving you all personal time for the rest of the trip, and I'll contact you if I need you for something work related. Now get out of here and have some fun."
The crew grinned at each other, thanked Chloe and left the bridge, except for Beca who got up and went to drape herself over her lover's shoulders from behind. "What are you going to do?" she asked.
The colonel turned her chair and pulled the smaller woman into her lap to nuzzle her neck and then kiss her. "I dunno. I was just gonna keep my eyes on things here."
"The AI can do that... I have a better idea," the brunette said. "She took Chloe's earlobe between her teeth and nibbled gently. Cloe inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. "I mean... if you want to..."
"Oh, I want to..." the redhead replied on an uneven breath. "What did you have in mind?"
Beca's eyes lifted to the ceiling above them. "Want to show me that null grav spot you found?"
Light blue eyes lit up. "Oh, hell yeah!"
They got up and Beca stood aside as the colonel leapt to grab the short ladder and vault herself up into the hatch. Then she reached her hand down and pulled the petite doctor up into the space with her. They crawled along a short tunnel for a moment, which then opened into a utility space just high enough for Beca to stand in, while Chloe bent at the waist just a tad.
"Where is it?" the doctor asked, looking around. The smell of electronics was pungent in the space, but it was comforting at the same time.
Chloe pointed. "Over there. Come on." She took Beca's hand and crossed the space, but the brunette laughed as she was suddenly floated off her feet, arms waving uselessly.
"Uh... ok... wow." Beca pressed her hand against the ceiling and pushed off, tucking her knees tight as she tumbled in the null grav pocket. "This is cool. I haven't done this since..."
"The academy, probably," the redhead suggested.
"Yeah," the doctor agreed. She reached out her hand to grab the front of Chloe's jumpsuit and tugged her in, wasting no time in connecting their lips. The kiss quickly deepened, and her hand laced into the colonel's floating red hair to pull her closer.
Before Beca knew it, her jumpsuit catches were undone, and the material was being nudged over her shoulders and down her arms. Then a willing mouth was nipping at her breasts through her thin undershirt. Chloe's legs were entwining with hers and they floated gently, reveling in the softness of each other's skin as their clothes slowly floated away.
"I love you," Chloe said as she eased her hand between the brunette's thighs and her fingers into slick heat. "God, you feel so amazing."
Beca gasped softly as gentle fingertips pressed against her clit teasingly and then a little harder. "More... please, Chlo," she moaned, arms tightening around the redhead and eyes closing as Chloe's lips explored her neck and collar bones and two strong fingers slipped easily inside her. Beca's head bumped the ceiling as the fingers thrusted up hard into her and she pressed her hand against the cool metal panels to hold them both in place as a knot of pleasure built and tightened inside her. "That feels..."
She didn't even get the words out. Chloe's lips covered hers as she picked up her pace. The doctor's back bowed a moment later as the knot suddenly exploded inside her and she was swamped with pleasure.
Chloe groaned quietly as she felt the pulsing of her lover's orgasm around her fingers and, as Beca came back to herself and opened her dark blue eyes, smiled adoringly. "I'll never get tired of that, Bec."
"Me neither," the doctor grinned. "And, by the way?"
"Mmmm?"
"I love you too and I can't wait to build a life with you... whatever that looks like for us."
And Chloe was happier than she ever could have imagined she'd be.
Xx
"Congratulations on your promotion, Brigadier General Beale," General Posen grinned as she sidled up next to her friend.
"Thank you, Ma'am," Chloe replied with a salute, the new star attached to her dress uniform twinkling in the lights above them.
Beside Chloe, Beca stood at attention and saluted too. "At ease, both of you," the blonde chuckled, then pulled the brunette in for a hug. "How are you, Bec? I haven't seen you in ages."
"Good," the doctor smiled. "Thanks for asking."
"She's lying," Chloe stated. "She's exhausted and she needs some leave."
Posen nodded. "Well, you've been overseeing the resettlement of the former Mars colonists for the last six months. I'm not surprised you're exhausted. When did you get back?"
"Just a few days ago," the doctor replied. "It's been... a challenging project."
"But she's been doing an amazing job," Chloe added, proudly gazing at her partner. "Her commanding officer has been singing her praises to me."
Beca blushed prettily as she rolled her eyes. "Chlo, stop. I'm just doing my job."
The new general chuckled. "Someone disagrees or you wouldn't have been given that new, shiny insignia a couple months back, MAJOR Doctor Mitchell."
Aubrey moved between them to put a hand on their backs and guide them toward the refreshments. "Let's have a drink to celebrate. The former colonists are taken care of, you two got a promotion each and Jesse and I got engaged. We have a lot to celebrate."
Beca and Chloe both stopped walking and blinked at their friend.
"Wait... did you just say you and Jesse are getting married?" the new general asked.
Aubrey could barely hold in her excitement as she held up her left hand to show off her ring. "He came up to Station AMF last night and proposed at the observation window in the docking ring."
"That's amazing news!" Beca exclaimed. "Wow!" She joined Chloe in her examination of the ring. "It's beautiful, Aubs."
"Yeah," the redhead said through a happy sigh. "So beautiful. Congratulations! I can't wait to see Jesse. I think he said he was helping Emily move into Stacie's place this weekend?"
"That's right," Posen agreed. "I can't believe Stacie is actually settling down."
"Em's good for her," Chloe smiled. "They're so in love it's kinda disgusting."
Aubrey tilted her head and pursed her lips. "Hmmm... some might say the same about you two, you know."
Beca and Chloe locked eyes and smiled at each other.
Then the brunette reached out and laced her fingers through her partner's. "And you know what?" she began.
"They'd be right," Chloe finished.
"Yeah..." Aubrey added. "They totally would."
The End.
