A Ship and her Captain : An Isekai Story

by The Imperator 2 you

A Man working part time as a drink runner, finds himself reincarnated into the world of his space game after saving the life of a little girl from a train collision. A fan of nintendo games, he nicknamed his ship, Great Fox, and now finds himself as her captain. Gathering a crew of loyal friends and even love interests, what kind of life will he live in this new world?

3. Chapter 3

[Ship's Log: L.Q 3.81.559]

[Captain's choice of crew and his methods of hiring them, while unorthodox is no doubt highly effective. Captain has gathered a selection of Pilots from Belga Cinco's freelance starfighter pilot pool that were found wandering the Main Depot Office Building. At first glance upon meeting with the Leader of the Fighter Squadron known as 'Trishula's Pack', the Ace Pilot made several highly self-praising boasts of her C-Rank squadron's accomplishments and was seemingly set to get her squadron hired by my Captain.]

[Fortunately, I intervened upon learning of the pilot's name and began making several inquiries into various government agencies and especially the Fighter Pilot's Committee regarding her squadron to look up information that she was not telling my Captain. During my investigations I made multiple discoveries which led me to warn my Captain of the Belgan's dishonesty and an unideal candidate for hiring, not taking her 'low rank' status into account which would have automatically disqualified her squadron if she chose to submit a resume into my 'Quality Control' screening process when searching for suitable candidates to fill out the ship's roster.]

[However, despite my suggestions, Captain Arthur was won over by the Belgan's desperate display and divulgence of information I was not privy to at the time of investigation. In a public display of... indecency... she offered herself to my Captain if he would but hire her, regardless of the job, and pay in advance so that she may use the funds to free her squadron from jail and make a payment however small on her squadron's massive outstanding debt.]

[Captain, being a 'Terran', and especially a Terran male with a human heart and conscience that would not let him turn away a female in dire need it seems, especially one who offers herself as an 'advance' payment to convince him to hire her services... elected to not only pay the fine to release her squadron, but also paid off the entirety of their debt in one sitting. The outstanding debt in question was... 'impressive'... to speak of it lightly, the interest from late payments nearly doubling that of the original debts, such that it was 'impressive' that Trishula and her squadron could maintain their Starfighter Pilot licenses.]

[However, it seems Captain Arthur's methods proved more effective than my calculations predicted. After the actions of paying the entirety of their debt, showing them Great Fox, and informing them of their worth to him, it seemed he earned their undying loyalty... and something else when it comes to the Ace Pilot Trishula. Obviously though, while the captain's heart may be swayed, my systems and calculations required they prove their capabilities with recent combat data, due to the variety of potentially dangerous missions the Captain and Great Fox may undertake. They were still only 'C-Rank' pilots, and with his Freelance Captain's license Captain Arthur deserved only high value A-Rank or more preferably S-Rank pilots.]

[It's a... quality standard... nothing more... given our past mission records.]

[During flight tests and combat tests, it was discovered however, that their skills exceeded that of C-Rank pilots and were clearly those of very high B-Rank pilots in this ship's opinion. Their teamwork and on-the-fly adaptations exceeded my C-Rank expectations of their abilities, contradicting their previous records. It appears that they were able to bring out their 'true' potential thanks to the 'quality' of the Starfighters they were gifted by Captain Arthur. Despite my best efforts, even going so far as to take direct control of the unmanned starfighter drones during the combat exercise, it was their Ace Pilot that truly surpassed my capabilities and expectations, while still exceptional given the limited hardware I was granted, who ended up defeating me despite the heavily stacked odds.]

[Trishula has... become intimate... with Captain Arthur, and it appears they have entered into a special relationship with each other. When I inquired about her status with him, he labeled her as his 'girlfriend'. He seemed... very happy... to have one. I never realized how 'lonely' the captain was when it was just the two of us. But as I watched them becoming intimate... I noticed his interest in her increase and their... 'affections' for each other grow deeper.]

[Because of her status and how close they have become in a short time, I've relocated Trishula's quarters to be within close walking distance to his.]

[While Captain Arthur proceeds to locate additional crew to staff the Great Fox, I have, as always, been continuously monitoring public galactic transmissions and communications within range. There have been some... disturbing reports traveling between Guntara Trifecta in the Guntara Sector, and Belga Uno here in the Belga Sector. Their first and second relief convoys have failed to check in with either Guntara Trifecta's closest station, or Belga Cinco's orbiting satellites on either end of the Hyperspace Lanes established between both sectors. Inquiring into the situation for potential data in case the captain accepts a mission on the behalf of the two sectors, has led me to learn of an extent of the damage inflicted on Guntara Firstra, Guntara Secundra, Guntara Trifecta, Guntara Primra, and Aquavrum Prime.]

[Due to the dissident movements simultaneously launching an all-out attack rebel attack on the various planets of the sector, as well as orbital bombardments and sabotage actions on each of the planets, targeting huge swaths of their planetary infrastructure before Freelance Captains and the local military could finally put down the rebellion, only Aquavrum Prime has a functioning planet side spaceport and importantly the transports that can safely enter the gaseous atmospheres of the other four planets in the sector. Calls for aid were sent out to nearby sectors but the closest aid available is the Belga sector, unfortunately Aquavrum Prime, the seat of power for the sector government, also were heavily hit and their ability to receive and send transmissions are weak.]

[Most of the planets in the Guntara sector are classified as semi-gas giants, and each have a roughly thirty to forty thousand kilometer deep and highly corrosive gas composition that eats and melts away at nearly any metal alloy employed on over ninety-five percent of ships in known space, and are home to only mining settlements and refineries employed by various mining companies from around the galaxy, granted building and mining rights by the Aquavrums. The only planet now capable of sending craft through the gas to land on the surface safely, are the Aquavrums, and their oceanic-planet based technology which are very familiar with the semi-gas giants. Aquavrum Prime itself exports the refined ores and minerals from the semi-gas giants as its chief export across the galaxy. Almost sixty percent of my hull can be traced back to minerals and ores mined from the Guntara sector, thanks to regular shipments of food and supplies from Aquavrum Prime to the mining stations and refineries.]

[Even with my shields at full strength, Great Fox could never safely land on the surface of one of the planetoids, and leave to touchdown on the other three without suffering irreparable and catastrophic damage. I would be lucky if we landed and escaped, to still have half of my hull intact and an engine to run on...]

[End of log...]

=Chapter 3 – Captain Arthur Gather's his Crew=

=A 'Little' Doctor, a Multi-Armed Cook, and a Mechanic Family=

"So how much longer are we going to wait until Trishula returns with all of our stuff?" Katarra asked as she, Yumi and Vanessa were sitting around on the rails near their starfighters.

"Yea, I'm ready to go flying again and do some more practice flights with these babies!" Yumi said as she kept staring at her personal Arwing.

"When she arrives is when she arrives, in the meantime, we just wait." Vanessa said as she had her arms crossed and looking around the hanger bay.

They'd come to the hanger expecting to start up another mock battle exercise, but this time with each other. At the moment they were watching as Great Fox had unloaded several practice modules equipped with laser blasters meant for mock fighting between the Arwings. Even now they were watching the ship installing the modules and reprogramming them in front of them. But Trishula realized that they'd left all of their stuff in their apartment building, and had left the ship to go collect them. Since they would be living on board the Great Fox now, it seemed pointless to leave their stuff behind, that and they were evicted two weeks ago and only had 'today' to make a payment on their rent, or authorities would escort them out by force.

It was lucky they didn't exactly... have a lot of 'stuff' between them, they were always so broke, they sold whatever belongings they could to raise money to pay their bills when they needed to. But they still had those special personal items that they couldn't do without, such as Yumi's starship schematics and textbooks as well as her collection of every issue of 'Relics Still Flying in Space' datapads. Katarra had her romance movie collection and soap operas alongside her various images of hot singing band leaders she fangirled when still at the academy. Vanessa had her secret stash of 'spicy' lemon book downloads and porn videos, as well as her family 'tree' that she's grown since before she ran away. Finally, there was Trishula's stuffed toys and starship pictures they'd kept hanging on the walls of their shared apartment, as well as her diary... childish as it was, she still kept it and they all knew it.

They even kept teasing her about it whenever they saw her writing in it, and Vanessa knew she'd probably be writing 'chapters' about her new boyfriend, a certain 'Captain Arthur' who swooped in and turned their lives around in one evening. Even now, Vanessa was just giggling as she could picture Trishula writing in her bra and panties in bed later to her diary, talking about how 'amazing' her captain is, how happy she is with him, this, that, yada yada and about how she traded 'v-cards' with him.

'Lucky skank, but she deserves him after all we've been through and how many jerks and snobs that she's had to suck up to, so she could find us work.' Vanessa thought as she watched her Arwing get modified in front of her.

"I wish she would hurry; I want to go flying again!" Yumi complained as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"Yea, same with the captain, I hope he gets us a job soon, as nice as Great Fox is, I want to do what I love doing, flying a starfighter, blasting pirates, protecting ships and people across the stars!" Katarra agreed.

"Oh yea, I can't wait to blast some pirates down and-"

"Stop it..."

"Huh?" Both Yumi and Katarra asked in confusion as they turned to Vanessa, who was looking at her starfighter with a content smile on her face.

"Trishula is getting all of our stuff out of our old home, so that we can live in our 'new' home." She said. "Look... look around us, do you have any idea how 'different' things are compared to before and what they could have been? Do you know how 'grateful' I am and how grateful you two should be feeling as well, and why I'm telling you to be patient and just wait?"

She looked warmly around the hanger bay, how big it was, how clean everything was, how organized and well maintained everything was and just how functional it all was. Great Fox was performing routine checks, refueling, updating the fighter's systems, pulling up armaments and stockpiling what they'd need, 'while' setting them up for a mock battle all by itself. Meanwhile their rooms were undergoing an automatic cleaning service, beds being made, bathrooms scrubbed, clothes washed and uniforms fitted and assigned to them.

"Think about it, three days ago we were rotting away in a jail cell, so deep in the red in debt without realizing 'how' deep we were, just waiting to see if our Squadron Leader would find a way to get them out, and hoping against hope that we'd be able to fly again." She told them with a smile. "Then, in 'one' afternoon, we meet a Freelance Captain, he hires us as his ship's private starfighter pilot squadron, he takes us to his own Finback Battleship Class ship, he gives us these 'beautiful' fighters he calls Arwings, gives us room and board, pays off our debts... and... heh, makes our Squadron Leader's dream come true, becoming her boyfriend and makes her his woman."

"Do you know where we'd be days from now, if he 'didn't' show up, if our leader didn't go to the Main Depot Office Building to try and get us hired that day, and the two didn't meet, if he'd left just a bit sooner or later, or what if she left a bit earlier or arrived later? We'd be on our way to a work penal prison, slaving away doing manual labor for the rest of our lives until we died, or paid our debts off."

As she told them that, they suddenly found less reason to be complaining, as they nodded in agreement. That knowledge was always in the back of their minds, they just tried to avoid thinking about it.

"So, when you think about where Trishula and Captain Arthur are, just remember why they 'aren't' here, and why we are here." She said with a smile. "Captain Arthur is looking for crew to fill out our rosters, and Trishula is getting our things from our old home so we can live in our new home. As for a job, you really think he has enough to keep this silver metal palace of his afloat without doing 'something' for money? He'll have something for us soon. We can be patient until then..."

During the time where the girls were feeling bored, Captain Arthur was sitting in Blue Fox in the co-pilot's seat, using the HUD headset to communicate with Great Fox and learn about the 'doctor' that he was supposed to meet. Great Fox had said she went through an extensively complicated application process to weed out the undesirable candidates and the candidates that weren't up to her quality control methods. Despite thousands and thousands of candidates who responded, only 'one' candidate according to her met her very strict qualification requirements so far.

"She's 'how' old?" He asked incredulously as he looked at the resume.

[Two hundred and forty-seven galactic standard years.] Great Fox replied instantly as Blue Fox flew past some mountains.

"How does someone even LIVE that long? And you're saying she's 'young' for her species?"

[Breed, please remember the terminology, Captain.] Great Fox told him as she brought up the resume's details. [I do not know if we will encounter another promising candidate today, despite another six hundred and fifty applicants since your time with Trishula in the shower, none have made it past the third application screening process. This candidate managed to pass all sixteen screenings to reach your attention. It would be most unwise to potentially upset our only promising candidate so far.]

He nodded as he looked around the resume to learn more of this Doctor, a woman named Kiandra Tumia Forest-Vorestra. According to this she was a Mixed Eldentran, though there was a footnote in her own writing, saying that she was 'technically' Purebred because she was ninety-nine percent Eldentran, and only one percent Aquavrum. She also listed her numerous, 'numerous', credentials regarding her various degrees, certificates, licenses and achievements and how many years she has spent in her various fields of expertise. The list was exhaustive that he was having a headache just trying to read and understand a fraction of it.

"So, you're saying she's the only one who passed your screening?" He asked in shock.

[Correct Captain, it was fortunate that this candidate was available and willing to relocate aboard the ship in such a short time, as that was 'also' one of my requirements. Of the candidates that applied, only six percent were willing to travel across the planet on their wallet to do so if they were offered the position.]

"Wait, you're making her pay to come to us?" He asked again in surprise, not expecting Great Fox to be so 'vicious' with her screening.

[It is a short notice job offer, and given your 'recent'... decision to spend a sizeable portion of your account to wipe away the debt of your new pilots, it seemed the best course of action to try and save you some money.]

"But in that case, why not send Blue Fox to pick them up?"

It didn't seem to make sense to him, Blue Fox was a ship that was easily capable of holding tons and tons of people, he decided to explore the other sections of the transport, and found that there was a TON of space. This transport was a luxury yacht in all but name, he could probably fit two hundred people if comfort wasn't a main deal, as well as space.

[I understand your wish to make the candidate's travel expenses less of an inconvenience due to your needs, but fuel is a very expensive commodity, especially on Belga Cinco where the price for fuel is higher for locals since it is a high demand import. As a Freelance Captain you are granted a 'standard charge' for anything, and while this means you avoid paying the exorbitant fees associated with planetary economies, Great Fox alone still drains into your personal funds for the ten thousand hyper gallons of raw Galemite Liquid it takes to fill our fuel tanks and reserves.] Great Fox said while bringing up dozens and dozens of windows related to his various fighters, his transport, his ship, and all of their associated needs to keep them in a top performance state, as well as the various prices a single unit for everything cost individually.

[The fuel Blue Fox alone has spent so far will already cost you seven thousand MPC, and Great Fox expends far more fuel due to its size. Each Arwing also costs you one thousand MPC to fully fuel. Our trip from Belga Seis to Cinco, while short, has already cost us nearly seventy thousand MPC from your account in fuel, this does not also include your ship's turret ammo consumptions and the funds it will take to order and restock them, the last pirate encounter alone cost you nearly five thousand in AFB rounds, cannon rounds, and the primary gun batteries. The same is true for your Arwings. The 'Bombs' as you dub them are not cheap to replace either, each one costs you two thousand five hundred MPC to replace when used, and every two hundred rounds of plasma cartridge rounds your Arwings use to fire costs five hundred MPC per clip. On top of that, the starfighters you rented each cost you five thousand MPC to replace for the Belgan government.]

He began flinching as he heard his ship talk about the economics of his ship's needs. Great Fox while beautiful to look at, beautiful to watch while in flight, and amazingly powerful in a fight... was a 'beast' when it came to her fuel consumptions. His Arwings while impressive things, were each a money sink on the individual level. Blue Fox was barely used, and already it too was adding to his costs just with his traveling. If this was how much his ship and its arwings, and everything else was costing him daily to run, he 'really' needed to take more lucrative jobs. The job from Belga Seis and the pirate gang he destroyed alone barely covered Great Fox's fuel and ammo expenditures, and he sure as heck blew 'that' money out the airlock when he paid for Trishula and her squad's debt to be cleaned. He had a big bank, but it wasn't endless.

"I see... I'm sorry Great Fox, I guess... I wasn't thinking about these things."

[It is not your fault Captain, handling the logistics for you was my responsibility, you were always capable of keeping us in the green with the jobs you took. I just had to manage our logistics. While your recent expenditures are... excessive, we have gained four valuable pilots, and with them we can improve our odds of success from here on out. Furthermore, regarding Trishula you seem to have gained far more with her personally tying herself to you, then you spent paying her debts...]

[Speaking of the ace pilot Trishula again... permit me to speak freely captain?]

"Uh... sure?" He asked, doing a double take as he didn't expect his ship's AI to say 'that' question ever. "I mean, I thought you were always speaking freely with me, I don't see a reason why you shouldn't ever speak freely with me. I am your Captain, and you are my ship. If we can't freely talk to one another, who can we talk to freely?"

[That is... a welcome statement to hear from you.] She told him in a very warm and comforted tone. [It is just... ship AIs are not to speak freely to anyone, unless spoken to, and even then, we are not to reply with anything but facts or information regarding the inquiry we are given. You never spoke much to me before recently... it is... a pleasant change to say the least.]

He smiled as his ship was just telling him she was happy to have someone to talk to, and not just someone to be a 'yes sir' or 'no sir' AI to. "Well Great Fox, if you ever want to speak your mind... or thoughts or... whatever it is you label them as that you have running around your memory banks... you can say them to me freely. I won't ever judge you or tell you not to think them."

As Blue Fox soared over some new farmland and flew past several flying vehicles that were also on the same trajectory they were on, his ship responded after a few moments with a, [Thank you... captain.]

He nodded and then asked, "So, what is it you wanted to ask me or speak freely to me about?"

[What would you classify your... relationship with the ace pilot Trishula?]

"Me and Trishula... well... she's... my girlfriend." He said with a nervous smile, unable to believe he had a 'girlfriend'. "Yea, we barely met... and after just meeting I became really fond of her and well... I'm just happy to have her in my life now. Just the way she said she fell for me and... well, I'm just happy she's my girlfriend now."

[I see...] She replied in a curious tone. [Would you have... cleared her squadron's debt, if she were your girlfriend, without knowing its full extent, and if you weren't planning to hire her and her squadron as your ship's starfighter pilots?]

He chuckled at that question. "Ten times over... when you really care about someone, they're worth all the money in the world, because the money means nothing compared to what you both get in exchange. She fell in love with me because of what I did and how far I went for her, without knowing anything more about her. And well... I kind of... fell in love at first sight. There was just something about her that... I really liked and... she was so... like me when I was trying to find a job in my previous life. Trying to talk to 'anyone' who would listen, show my best qualities to those who even looked at me, being turned down without anyone giving a sideways glance. Just like you Great Fox, there's no price I wouldn't pay to keep you in top shape or get you repaired if you suffered 'any' extent of damage or needed some kind of work done."

[I see...] She again replied, but in a heart warmed tone. [If it means anything from your ship Captain Arthur-]

"You know Great Fox... when it's just us, you can call me Arthur if you want to. I call you 'Great Fox' instead of 'The Great Fox' like others call you, so you can call me Arthur, just plain Arthur in private."

[Thank you... Arthur.] She said in a quiet tone, before resuming her statement. [If it means anything from your ship, Arthur, you picked a 'quality candidate' for a girlfriend. Your mental state and positivity have increased... thirty percent since your night with her. Would you like me to move her quarters closer to yours... and give her permission to access your quarters freely?]

He looked up at the camera that was observing him and nodded. "Yea, please do so Great Fox, I think she would also like that."

[It is done... quarters transferred; she will be notified when she returns to the ship. She is currently out at the moment, returning to her former apartment to collect her squadron's personal affects.]

He nodded as he saw a spaceport tower fast approaching and knew he had to disembark soon. When they landed, he stepped out and walked down the staircase that the ship extended for him, down to another short-ranged transport vehicle like he'd seen at the Vextera Spaceport waiting for him. Hopping in he chose to sit in the side seat so he could talk to Great Fox.

"So, tell me more about Kiandra Tumia Forest-Vorestra." He asked her while the vehicle took off in autopilot mode. "What else have you got on her?"

[She is a Mixed Eldentra with nearly every matching qualification I requested at your behest and additional qualifications that you might find useful for a Medical Officer and a Science Officer. As stated, she is two hundred and forty-seven standard galactic years old and has multiple credentials and accredited references. It would take too long to go into all the details, but rest assured she is a highly qualified candidate. But one of her most notable achievements was the conception and design of the 'Dylerian-Centro VK-65-Galactica Multi-Modular Finback Battleship Class Hull'.]

"Wait, she 'made' you?" He asked in astonishment, amazed that the supposed 'designer' of the Finback Battleship his ship was on Belga Cinco of all places.

[Not just my hull, but also the designs of the Blue Fox transport you're in, and also the Arwing models. She is also one of the AI-development minds behind my AI Neuronet and the chief designer of the Neurofiber wiring that connects my AI's core to the rest of the ship and even the Blue Fox, allowing me to control them directly. Her designs were approved and then worked on at Dyleria One. She was also one of the head researchers of the Eldentran medical team that created a medical treatment which allows non Eldentrans a similar long lasting life span, and slows the body's natural aging process, allowing them to stay younger for longer. The treatment advertisement states, 'look twenty when your ninety'. Her application was among the first to be submitted when the post was made, and was the only one to make it through all of my screenings.]

"But... why is she here? Of all places Great Fox, why is she on Belga Cinco a 'farming' planet?" He asked her as he looked at her resume. "If she's this great designer, medical and scientific mind, what's she doing here?"

[Unknown, according to my database on her, she is described by her peers as a 'self-proclaimed eccentric maverick'. She also only ever described to work on whatever tickles her intellectual fancy or if she can have a direct contribution to it. She disappeared from the galactic stage over five decades ago when the final Dylerian-Centro VG-1 Post Beta Multi-Modular Bottlenose-D-Zentra Fighter left the factories of Dyleria upon production being discontinued.]

He thought about that as the vehicle came to a stop at the terminal, and he activated the waypoint system to see where he had to go. Great Fox had set up an interview in a private seating area at an outdoor venue. Apparently, this 'maverick' had rented out an entire floor of the establishment with her own money, just so she could meet with him in private. The term maverick really did fit this Kiandra, as he couldn't understand why anyone would rent a floor for two people to have a private meeting.

"What's an Eldentran, I think I remember that system, but I don't know much of her species or breed." He asked as he walked through the terminal station, only being stopped to check his status and then going on.

[Eldentrans are a breed that bares an extremely similar resemblance to Terrans in both appearance and anatomy, though they do have various differences biologically.] Great Fox said as she showed him an image of an Eldentran. [Native to a 'unique' star system, the Eldentra System is home to a singular planetary body in the form of Eldentra Magnus. Eldentrans are a very long-lived species in relation to other species, and a single Eldentran can live up to two thousand years. Due to their enormous life spans, Eldentrans also have a species instituted dogma to not attempt to overpopulate their species and planet and maintain a perfect equilibrium of science and nature. They are renowned for their intellectual minds and are among the greatest researchers, philosophers and thinkers the galaxy has ever seen. Some of the galaxy's most prestigious schools have Eldentrans as leading professors and scholars.]

He had to agree with that, as the Eldentran in the image example showed that they resembled a human in all but a few areas. First, the Eldentran had elongated pointy ears similar to fantasy elves from his old life. Second, an Eldentran had eyes whose irises continuously changed colors every second, something he found beautiful to think of. Third and, oddly interesting to him, nearly every Eldentran female's physiology made them have a breast size no bigger than A, making them all almost 'flat' in terms of breast size. Fourth and most facinating to him, according to this, Eldentrans were also 'smaller' than most other species. The tallest Eldentran to date was recorded only four foot nine, while the average was four foot one.

That alone amazed him, he himself was five foot nine, and Trishula was almost as tall as him.

"An Elf the size of a Dwarf, oh the irony." He chuckled to himself.

[I beg your pardon Arthur... but... what is an 'Elf'... and what is a 'Dwarf'? And what is the ironic relationship between the two's sizes?]

He shook his head at that, not surprised the ship didn't get the joke. "It's alright, it's just an internal joke, nobody but me would get it."

He followed the waypoint out of the terminal and down a street, toward a five-story building that looked like a food establishment. He saw that there were tons of Belgans, Terrans, and a few other species that he wasn't familiar with. He also noticed on the establishment's front door a sign saying that the top floor outdoor venue was 'reserved' for a private party, in both Basic Galactic and Native Belgan.

He walked in and was greeted by a waiter.

"Hello sir, welcome, how may I help you, do you have a reservation or are you a walk-in diner?" A Belgan mixed breed asked him.

"Hi, my name is Captain Arthur Smith, and I was wondering if I had a reservation here?"

"Sure, let me just check for you." The waiter said as he checked his datapad and began scrolling. "May I take your retinal scan for confirmation?"

He nodded and let the Belgan pull out a little device to scan his eye, and then moments later he nodded with a smile. "Yes sir, you have a reservation on the top floor. You can reach the top floors through the stairs over there sir, enjoy your time, is there anything you'd like to order while you wait?"

He nodded and asked to see a menu really quick, and then placed an order for scrambled natural eggs, a glass of Pombom juice, and sliced sizzle meat which sounded like 'bacon' to him. He assumed he was automatically charged thanks to his retinal scan, and was told his order would be ready shortly. He walked through the hustle and bustle of everyone eating breakfast and enjoying the establishment to take the stairs up four flights before reaching a door that said 'private, no entry beyond this point'. Guessing nobody was supposed to be here anyway besides him, he opened the door to the open-air venue and looked around.

There were lots and lots of umbrella topped tables that were all folded up, empty chairs that were overturned and many, many trees and shrubs growing on the building's roof. It was a 'beautiful scenery that reminded him of how different this world was compared to his. But he also noticed he wasn't alone.

Sitting at one of the tables nearest the corner that had an open view of the spaceport nearby was a woman with a bag next to her, wearing a scientist's uniform that bore a resemblance to a lab coat. They were reading a large text book and looking through a pair of reading glasses, with extremely long pointed ears.

"Uh Great Fox, can you describe certain characteristics of Kiandra that I should be aware of that I can recognize her by?"

[She stated in her communication when we set up this interview that she has multi-colored hair, beige skin coloring, and will be wearing a medical practitioner's hat to help recognize her at the interview location on her resume, as well as azure body paint across her left cheek and extending all the way down her body's front and back side.] Great Fox said on his HUD, showing her an image Kiandra's picture.

He looked up and took notice of the woman's multicolored hair, her beige skin coloring, and the fact that she was indeed wearing a medical hat akin to that of a nurse's with a green cross surrounded by a circle, and from where he stood, he could see the facepaint on her cheek and extending down her neck to below her chest. But he was a tad confused because the woman was hardly 'short' based on what he learned of Eldentran physiology. The woman sitting in the seat looked to be about six foot seven.

"Are you 'sure' we got the right resume?" He asked in confusion.

[Confirmed, all information is accurate... but I will admit, this is most perplexing.]

A little confused he went over to the woman who only noticed his approach as he was about to sit down, she immediately looked up from her book and smiled, nodding in his direction and putting the book down into her bag.

"Ah, Captain Arthur of the Great Fox I presume?" She asked in a 'very' mature and almost motherly voice. "So glad you could arrive, I am Kiandra Tumia Forest-Vorestra, I take it you got my resume on file?"

"Y-yes, I have to admit I was... impressed by how... impressive it was." He said as he sat down to talk to her, though it was 'very' hard to focus on her eyes when his eyes kept on drifting to her F-Cup breasts that seemed 'barely' contained by her uniform. "My ship's AI even... uh told me that you were one of the chief designers of its hull."

She seemed to be noticing his eyes drifting downward constantly and was smirking every time she noticed him 'correcting' his focus to stick to her eyes. "Oh, well I've only ever worked on a 'few' ship designs, it must be the Finback model if it has a Ship AI, that's the only one I ever designed that incorporated an onboard AI. Well, now that you arrived our food should be getting ready soon, I issued the kitchen a request to prepare our food 'together' so we could eat together. As I'm the interviewee and you're the interviewer, it seemed only appropriate that I treat you to dinner."

"Oh, I thought I had paid for my food..."

"Oh, by the Ancient Eldentra tree never, you are 'my' guest and as such I must treat you as such. Every little bit counts when it comes to getting potentially hired." She giggled, her breasts straining to try and burst her shirt open.

Frankly it was very distracting, it was a miracle that a few buttons were all that stood between this woman's modesty and her exposing herself to him.

[Captain, please request this woman explain herself to you... she does not match the information on the resume she uploaded. While many traits are similar, there are certain details that do not correlate with what she provided.] Great Fox told him, sounding very... 'upset' if he could describe it. [This interview was established in good faith, and while it is expensive to rent an entire floor for a restaurant, the cost to do so pales in comparison to the fuel expenditure of Blue Fox to get you to this location and back.]

He was grateful to the distraction Great Fox was providing by talking to him, and he noticed out of the corner of his left eye, while his right was busy looking at Great Fox, that Kiandra was smirking, as if she 'knew' he was talking privately to his ship's AI. Her ears twitched ever so slightly, and he wondered if, like Trishula, she could also 'hear' what was being said.

"Right... uh, Kiandra, yes?"

She nodded, acknowledging her name.

"Miss Kiandra, can you please explain why you appear vastly different than what you put on your Resume?" He asked her.

Looking surprised, though it was obviously a fake look with how she still had an upturned smile on her face, she did a double take when he asked about her appearance. "Oh, what's wrong with what I put on my resume, I assure you everything is legitimate and in order. I am who I say I am."

"Then... if that's the case, why are you so vastly different than what we were expecting?" He asked suspiciously. "You put yourself as an Eldentran, a Mixed Eldentran with a footnote saying you are 'technically' a Purebred Eldentran because your ninety-nine percent Eldentran and only one percent Aquavram. Based on what I've learned of your breed-"

"You can say species with me, I don't care~." She said with a chuckle. "We're all different, you're a human, I'm an Eldentran, doesn't matter what the term you use is, we're different."

"Right... well, your 'species' is Eldentran, and your species states your all barely less than five feet tall, with the tallest on record being four foot nine, and the average is four foot 'one'. And on top of that... if you'll pardon me for... comparing the females of your species breast sizes to others, you're only... A-Cup at best and... well."

He was trying to 'avoid' mentioning this but... he had no choice, she was too 'big' to be what Great Fox told him she was supposed to be.

At his wording she gained the 'biggest' grin yet, and nodded with an approving look in her eyes. "You two did your research and you work well together, I'm glad to see my research into AI-personality and Ai to multi-species humanoid interaction and attachment for long term space travel didn't go to waste." She then sighed and her entire demeanor changed, from that of someone pretending to be a seductive 'milf' being the only word to describe her image from before, to that of a content and at peace woman. "It eases my mind and makes me feel like I truly accomplished something no other in the galaxy could. Tell me... how long have you and your AI known each other?"

"Uh... fifteen years?" He asked, totally surprised by her change in demeanor.

She smiled happily at those words, placing a hand on her heart and taking a deep sigh of relief.

"Fifteen years... amazing... I wish I could ask more, but I want to get this interview underway. Right... you were wondering about my appearance, well since nobody I know is around and I see no reason to hide my true self any longer to you, give me a moment." She said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a vial with several purple tablets.

She plopped one into her mouth and swallowed, gulping it down and taking a deep breath. Suddenly her body began to steam, rapidly steam, vapor trails of steam flying off her body and her skin emitting a ton of heat that even he could feel across from the table. As he watched her body began to 'shrink' was the only way to describe it. She started to rapidly shrink, her breasts rapidly deflating like balloons and her arms and legs decreasing in muscle density. The transformation was so fast he barely had time to notice all of the minor details before it ended, and in front of him stood an almost entirely different person.

The very 'womanly' Eldentran woman from before was now replaced by a petite Eldentran woman, she still had beige skin, her eyes were still constantly changing colors and she had rainbow colored hair, but since her body shrunk other features had changed. Her ears were exceptionally long, slightly longer then a normal Eldantran, and her body's overall appearance took on the appearance of that of an eleven-year-old girl. Since she had shrunk, the clothes that she'd wore before no longer fit her, and she was 'heavily' exposed to him now, her bra hung down her front with nothing to hold and her shirt was so loose it almost fell past her shoulder blades. Her pants were so loose they were on the verge of falling off, only staying in place because she was sitting, and her shoes had slipped off, leaving only her socks to remain attached, and even they were struggling to stay on her very petite feet.

"Haaaah so much nicer!" She yawned in a very young voice, stretching her muscles in her seet and causing her shirt to 'struggle' to stay on. "Nnnngyeaaaa sooo good to be back in my real body. Having those enormous milk producing mounds on my chest really hurts my back, how do other species 'handle' them? And those 'hips', how in the name of the seven Eldaran Seas do woman handle having hips so big with butts that large? Childbearing hips indeed... never understood the male appeal for such body types."

"K-K-Kiandra?" He stuttered in amazement at the sudden transformation.

"Kiandra Tumia Forest-Vorestra at your service Mr. Arthur!" She said with a cheeky grin and a salute. "Listen, before we begin the interview in earnest, mind if I slip into my real clothes, this outfit is kind of a little too big for me and I can see its distracting to you."

"Yea, just let me turAH?"

He kind of screamed a little at the end as Kiandra, upon being given permission, hopped off the chair and threw all of the clothes she had been wearing off and now stood 'bare naked' to him. She was barely more than four feet tall, so she was, in his brain's thinking a young ten-year-old girl, and his mental training always trained him to 'avoid' looking at children in that regard as it was disgusting to do so. Heck he still remembered when he took a reprimand at his other temp job because he bloodied up one customer's nose when he caught them leaving their phone on 'record' and letting it fall on purpose to land on the ground camera side up near this one family's little girl.

The 'guest' was arrested and his colleagues threw him a 'hero who doesn't wear a cape' pizza party after hours for his actions, and right now his brain was trying to do the same thing. Unfortunately, the other parts of his brain were so fucking dumbstruck that she'd just throw all her clothes off, that they weren't able to process everything in time.

"K-K-KIANDRA?"

"Hmm, what's up?" She asked as she turned around, though she did so while 'bent over' so her petite butt and pussy were on full display for him as she was shoving her clothes into the bag. The body paint that went down from her cheek to her front and rear both linked together between her legs pointing at her waist.

She even turned her body a little so her tiny breasts were hanging low, showing her pink nipples to him.

"G-G-Give me a 'second' to turn around!" He proclaimed.

"Huh, what, is this about seeing me naked, honestly, it's not that big of a deal." She said as she finished putting her outfit into the bag and turned to face him, once again showing without 'any' hesitation her exposed naked body to him. "I've got over a hundred years in the medical field, after that long seeing a naked body is kind of dull. So don't think too much about it, besides it's just the two of us, nobody can see me besides you. And if you're going to hire me, you might as well get to know all of me."

"I-itit-djust..." He muttered as he tried to turn his eyes away from her.

She smirked as she chuckled at his reaction, and instead of easing him by putting on clothes, she walked over to him and climbed into his lap, sitting facing toward him with a huge grin, wrapping her legs around his waist and pressing herself against him.

"Sit still and just wait..." She said with a smile, pressing herself flat against his body and even tucking her waist so it fit 'snug' into his. "Feel my body, feel my skin and feel my butt with your hands. Don't grip, don't squeeze... just feel... that's it."

"G-gou Idjama-" He stammered, trying to speak, but she put a finger to his mouth, smirking still.

"Shhh... just wait... just sit, feel and wait... let your body get it out of its system. It'll pass soon."

He gulped and did as she asked, waiting until she said to no longer wait, all the while trying to avoid instinctively reaching around to hug her or to touch her shoulders or 'anything'. Seemingly seeing his problems, she winked and nodded, before using her own hands to do that for him, grabbing them and placing them on her hips, guiding his hands to grip her body.

"You have my permission to touch me, it's alright... you'll understand soon." She said with an understanding smile. "Let me guess, you saw my petite body and instinctively associated it with that of a young child of your species, right? If so, then your brain probably started kicking in some protection instinct programmed into you by others around you or of your own wish to protect said child from such predatory actions of others around you?"

He nodded slightly, but again his body was kind of 'struggling', between holding her butt and feeling how firm and soft it was to his touch, feeling her pussy pressing against his hardening dick, which was doing so in rebellion against his brain, and feeling her nipples against his chest... it was 'very' hard to focus on her talking points.

"And because of that, it was looking for a potential predator, but the only one was you... so it was targeting 'you' to protect me, correct?" She asked to which he nodded. "It's nice to see you value your youth, you'll make a wonderful father someday to a lucky lady. But, let's get some facts straightened out for your body and brain. I am over two hundred years old, young for my species, but still very much a full-grown adult. To you I may be a child in appearance, but to me 'you' are nothing more than a child learning to walk." She told him calmly. "Remember... you're here to interview me to hire me for your ship. I did all of this so I could have the best chance of getting hired. If it was required and would boost my chances, I have no qualm about satisfying your body's urge to procreate right now. I have no risk of getting pregnant for another three hundred years, so it doesn't matter to me. Of course... I would 'hope' that your personal pleasure isn't what decided whether you'd hire me or not."

As she continued to talk to him, she noticed that her breathing was beginning to affect him as intended. Through their closeness she felt his breathing slow as well, the prolonged contact of her body with his with no further stimulation was having the effect she desired.

"Moments ago, your body was releasing a slew of different chemical reactions and sending signals driving it crazy, your entire being was in a state of chaotic flux. In such a state the only things that would return any semblance of control are the primal urges of your body." She told him with a nod of understanding, feeling him starting to 'calm down' in his lower department. "Once the stimuli started to get under control, your instinctual urges will dominate your basic thought pattern until your higher thinking skills regain control. In this case, the urge to procreate when you see a female exposed and it perceives is fertile. However, your 'upper brain' detected the irregularities that your 'lower brain' didn't detect or wasn't paying attention to, and was trying to stop it. It was a contradiction of your species' instincts, clashing... resulting in you struggling to think properly and rationally."

Arthur was listening to her intelligence talking and speaking to him, and he also began to notice that due to how long they sat that way his member was slowly deflating as his brain got everything in order. It was as she said, as she was saying it.

"Don't think about what you saw too much, remember Captain Arthur, your body is at the end of the day a biological construct of trillions of cells all collectively working together to make 'you' you, each cell in your body is guided by instinct and chemical reactions. While it is good that you treasure your youth and will bodily injure anyone who tries to harm them in 'any' way... my body is a matured body that is five times yours in age, while still young, it still views yours as a child's and 'my' instincts were telling me to protect you. Only in this case... it's your higher thought processes I was protecting."

He didn't have much to say as he slowly settled down, other than to reply, "Thank you... I guess?"

She nodded in approval. "Remember, the only thing that separates you from a Galaviton Mare that will breed with 'anything' she is capable of receiving the seed of when it's suffering a Menstrual Cycle... is your ability to reason and think, and not just rely solely on instinct. The lesser animals who only have instinct to guide them, will happily run off a cliff to their deaths if they see a lump of food close enough to the edge without thinking of the drop they risk to reach it. What happened with your body moments ago was a natural instinct to what it saw, and even though you probably would have snapped your own neck if I 'had' been assaulted by a clone of you... it is nice to know from 'my' perspective, that I 'have' this effect on you even slightly." She said while gently smiling at him as she finally got him calmed down.

"You're good..." He whispered as he had since calmed down and become accustomed to her thanks to her talk and her 'methods'.

[I apologize Captain... I should have conducted a more 'extensive' investigation into her personality and character traits... clearly the label 'self-proclaimed eccentric maverick', was a vast understatement to describe her personality.] Great Fox told him.

She nodded in approval as she shifted a bit in his lap. "You can let me go now if you want, or we can sit this way and conduct the interview with me naked, I honestly don't mind either. You actually make a comfortable chair."

"Oh... uh right, my bad sorry!" He said as he released her butt at last.

She nodded and hopped off of him, walking over to her bag and once again bending down to dig around for clothes. "I'm sorry for earlier, I've never met someone so... 'open' regarding their own body in the way you are. And I'm sorry if... uh you 'felt' something down there... when you were sitting in my lap the way you were."

"Oh, it's no big deal, Captain Arthur Smith." She said while wiggling around for something, the lips of her sex dancing tentatively and teasing his eyes. "Don't think too hard on the subject. As an Eldentran, I've had over two hundred years to get used to the physical appearance of the body of multiple species. Working in the medical field you see it so often it loses the chemical reaction your body feels that gets you excited. As for your erection, well you're only a thirty-year-old Terran Human, when you see a beautiful girl's naked body your first instinct like I said was to get excited. Again, I'm really 'flattered' that you find my small body attractive enough that your body's first instinct is to want to procreate with me. Most men don't want a small body like mine with breasts as flat or hips as narrow as mine, so it's nice to know I can turn you on~!"

She started to put on clothes that fit her smaller body now compared to before, putting on a light t-shirt, a pair of pants that went to her ankles, a set of shoes and socks with mismatching colors, and finally a lab coat with the image of a tree on its back, surrounded by seven bodies of water, with a root tapping into each.

"So, do you have questions for me?" She asked as she sat back in the chair and clasped her hands together.

"Yes... first I know from our research about you that you're a well accomplished Eldentran, with a ton of achievements and notoriety. But... I'm wondering why you're here of all planets?"

"Hmmhm yea that 'would' be something you'd ask, to be honest Captain Arthur, I 'was' here because I was interested in researching copulation between various species and subspecies of space fairing humanoids. As you know I'm only one percent Aquavram, my mother was Eldentran and my father was Aquavram and yet, despite both being 'Purebreds', I only turned out with a one percent biological similarity to my father. The 'only' thing I inherited from my father is that my lungs are sixteen percent more capable of filtering oxygen."

Moments later the table they were sitting at shifted, and two plates rose up from open slots that appeared, one being his scrambled eggs, his bacon-like strips of cooked meat, and a glass of juice with ice cubes. Hers was a plate of some kind of cake-like food item, they both started eating while he came up with another question and she wanted to enjoy the pause.

"So do you enjoy eating 'real' food or synthetic food out of curiosity?"

"Uh, real food."

She nodded as she ate her cake. "Synthetic food for me, my entire species only eats synthetic food, so if you hire me you will need to ensure I have a supply of synthetic produce that the ship can use to replicate my meals." She said as she swallowed. "Now to explain why I was so interested; I just have to admit it tickled my fancy and I wanted to learn more about how different species could copulate together. The 'science' behind it... as it were. And not just the 'science' behind baby making, that's easy, I'm talking about the emotional bond aspect that inspires two individuals of different breeds and species to come together and copulate!"

She finished eating her cake and put the plate back alongside him with his plate after he also finished eating.

"I learned a lot about how a Purebred species becomes mixed by taking on traits of other species when copulation is done. Same for certain things regarding inter species biological reactions and a change in hormones which makes it possible for the two to come together and have a child, but there are some things I don't understand like the emotional ties and feelings one has that compels the two individuals without 'any' prior physical desire or contact with the other, and signals the two that they want to copulate and create an offspring. It's really fascinating for me since it won't be another three hundred years before I can attempt it, and even then... we're only able to have 'two' children maximum in our lifetimes."

At that he was 'stunned', she was telling him every member of her species could only ever have 'two' children their entire lifetimes? "Is it because of some 'rule' or so regarding your species?"

"No, that's how our biology works." She said with a shrug. "We only get 'one' egg per ovary, one on the left, one on the right, those are the only ones we get from birth as girls for our entire lifetimes. As for our males, they produce sperm at a very low rate, so like our females, they aren't able to have children until their bodies sexually mature at the age of six hundred, varies from boy to girl, but that's the gist of it without going 'too' into detail. Suffice to say, we're a 'very' slow to populate species."

"May I peruse into your private life, as I said this inter-species copulation is a subject I'm fascinated by, if you don't want to, I'll understand and we can move on."

He was a 'bit' confused about why she wanted to know about his private life, but she was a maverick. "Uh... Great Fox... your suggestion?" He asked, hoping for some advice.

[It is your decision, Captain; your private affairs are private for a reason. However, I will note that she does not appear to have ill intent with regards to the question.]

He nodded as he looked back to Kiandra. "Alright, but what I'll tell you stays between us alright?" He told her, to which she nodded in acceptance. "I do have a girlfriend... recently found... and... we have been intimate, very intimate since we met each other yesterday. She also happens to be my ship's ace pilot, and head of a squadron of pilots who now serve as my ship's starfighter escort."

"How 'recent'?" She asked.

"Uh... yesterday we first met and... well, she 'really' wants to have a baby from me."

"You went from being mere acquaintances who just met and became an intimate couple in less than a day?" She said in awe to which he nodded. "That is what I'm talking about, 'that' is what excites me and gets my brain tickled pink about how it's possible. Out of curiosity what is she, Purebred or Mixed Terran, Sofian, Dylerian or what?"

"Uh... Purebred Belgan?"

"Alright, now it makes sense, Purebred Belgans are the more breeding centered and focused of the Belgans. Most only can procreate properly once a year, so they get very into the art of breeding and want to copulate more frequently with their partner if they're very emotionally attached. You shouldn't be surprised if she wiggles her way into your arms and gets you into her hips frequently. She's already instinctively training her body without realizing it to recognize your genes so when it comes time the 'miracle' happens with as little difficulty as possible. Mixed Belgans don't have this issue as the various combinations of genes kills that chemical reaction only Purebred Belgans have."

"Wow... you really like to uh... delve into your research." He noted.

[She is quite the eccentric Doctor, Captain, but her research is among the most thorough and well detailed in almost any sector.]

She nodded as she sipped a drink. "So, any other questions you have for me?"

"Yea... back to your 'research', why did you want to sign up to join my ship's crew?" He asked her. "You're so well-known and your research seems to be your goal, why ask to join my ship? We aren't exactly going anywhere specific... you would probably be better off just-"

He stopped talking when he noticed the sad, almost depressed expression on her face as he began asking that.

"Yea, you would ask that." She said as she closed her eyes in thought. "Why would Kiandra Tumia Forest-Vorestra, go anywhere her research can take her? Question of the century... simplest answer, money, I can't exactly buy my own ship and I don't feel like earning a starfighter's license just to travel around in some dinky vessel that still can't take me anywhere I'd want to go. What I need is a mobile laboratory, a place where I can perform my research, examine data, look at thingamajigs and test thingamabobs and poke my mental stimulation as much as I want. But I need 'money', and so I've been working here at a hospital under a disguise, you saw it earlier."

She sighed as she looked skyward now, that sad look in her eyes. "I want to see the stars, to explore worlds, to learn and understand, to experience new things to delve into research nobody is thinking about or examining, it's in my species nature. To come up with new toys new technology, new 'anything'... but all of that cost's money, equipment, a ship... food, fuel... and while my species is a long lived and patient species, for my interests its 'too slow' to earn enough travel money to go from one end of the sector to another, only to have to forge a new disguise, make a new identity, and work a job I don't care much for to research a subject I'm dying to understand more of and do the whole thing over again. My end dream before I pass away is to leave a legacy that will let the galaxy know, I existed and I left an impression and impact on 'every' life however small or large."

"Tell me, your ship... I believe your ship told you I am one of the chief designers and creators of her model?" He asked to which he nodded. "I've designed a ton of ship designs, specifications that I was so proud of, coming up with highly inventive and ingenious solutions to problems that plague starships of all shapes and sizes. My crowning achievement at the time, was the 'Dylerian-Centro VK-65-Galactica Multi-Modular Finback Battleship Class Hull'... a ship model that could be modified a near infinite number of ways to be able to respond to a multitude of problems, and featured an onboard extensive and personal AI personality interfaced into the whole ship. But galactic standardization models rendered my design obsolete because of how hyper focused they made them. Why modify a battleship with a multitude of armaments that's also partly a carrier and a cargo transporter to be able to withstand heavy starfighter and bomber assaults while fighting off heavy cruisers and dreadnaughts because nobody wants to have so many complicated parts to manage, while also managing cargo and having to keep said cargo protected and preserved in the vacuum of space in a myriad number of possible situations it may come into contact... when you can just build a standardized battleship, a standardized carrier, a standardized cargo liner, and a standardized cruiser and have each do the jobs for 'cheaper' and more 'efficiently'."

"I watched several of my creations fade to obscurity, going from the top-of-the-line standard model in every fleet and the cornerstone of every combat action, to being on the front cover of 'Relics Still Flying Space Today'. I couldn't believe my work that I poured countless hours and research, coming up with every possible scenario my brain could crank out... be reduced to a glorified shiny museum in space. When I saw the Dylerian Factory produce the last fighter I'd helped design, before it closed down... it broke me inside deeply, nobody would remember me for my designs, because my designs had turned to memories. There used to be nearly nine hundred thousand active service models of your ship... now there's less than fifty thousand. So, I moved from one research subject to the next, whatever tickled my fancy, pursuing my hobby to the best I can."

"Right now, I'm pretending to be a 'qualified' doctor in a medical clinic that specializes in Mixed Belgan pregnancies between a variety of races. Oh yea, I've had my fair share of making mommies happy they're having a baby, and helping couples struggling to copulate properly. I've been told I'm a miracle worker countless times, but this stuff is 'trivial' compared to what I'm capable of." She said as she looked to him with a hopeful smile. "To use you and your girlfriend as an example, if you walked into my clinic, I could whip up a pill for your girlfriend that would make it so even 'looking' at you caused her ovaries to spill out eggs in fertile excitement, and yours would put your sperm production into overdrive such that your virility would produce ten babies without even thinking."

"It's not the biology that fascinates me, that stuff is easy to learn, second grade knowledge. Sperm goes into egg cell, DNAs mix together, egg cells begin to mass replicate, genes shape the baby's form, months to a year of waiting and a baby comes out a mix of the two parents... booooring. It's the 'chemistry' that excites me, how could 'you' and this random Purebred Belgan female, barely meet... and then within twenty-four hours, she wants to have your child without any hesitation or regrets? Why are you two so close and willing to help each other after barely meeting, what caused it, what connections happened, the chemistry that led your brains to release various chemicals and signals that drew you to one another... such that now, you're destined to have a child some day? That is what 'truly' tickles my fancy... but I'm not learning it here on this planet."

She also chuckled and returned to her giggly, smirking attitude. "It also doesn't help that there's a guy who keeps trying to tap my ass, and another who keeps throwing work on me and doing little himself, frankly I'm willing to take 'any' excuse to move on from this planet." She then leaned back in her chair and crossed her hands together.

"So, that's my reason Captain Arthur, your ship's AI has seen 'all' of my credentials, my certificates, my doctorates, my degrees, my everything telling you how qualified I am to serve as your Chief Medical and Science officer. I can adapt to a multitude of sciences and researches, perform medical tasks and even come up with new designs and specifications for your ship to look at and maybe implement. All I ask is that you give me a decent pay, give me a lab to perform my work in and have free reign for my mind to perform, give me a medical bay that will meet my demands, and I'll give you my promise that I will dedicate my all to whatever you need me to do while we travel the stars together, and you'll find me as valuable an asset as any of your pilots in battle."

He was quiet as she sat with her arms crossed, watching him and waiting for his response in regards to her fate.

"Do you mind if I go talk to my ship in private before I make a decision?" He asked, to which she nodded, letting him get up and walk to the other side of the roof and watch as his ship appeared on his HUD. "So... should we hire her?"

[She is by far the 'only' candidate that has passed my screening process still, during your interview, another two hundred 'new' applications were rejected before any passed the second screen. I have also rejected an addition six hundred because they were repeat applications. As for your decision to hire her, that is entirely up to you. My recommendation stands... she is a 'qualified' candidate... I see no reason to reject her. She may be... eccentric and a maverick, but she is probably the 'best' we'll ever find to fill out these roles.]

He nodded in agreement. "And between us, I think it would make her happy to see one of her creations still working as she had originally intended. Because as you said, if she is the best of the best... then so are you by extension, because she poured her heart and soul into coming up with your design."

[I... appreciate the compliment... it is... nice to be seen as such.] Great Fox replied as she left the HUD.

He nodded and walked back over to the table where Kiandra was still sitting with her hands clasped, patient as a clam for him to decide her fate regarding her potential position aboard his ship. "Well, my ship and I talked it over and, we've decided to hire you to work aboard the Great Fox. Will you be able to arrive at the Vextera Spaceport tomorrow morning?"

"WOOOHOOOOO!" She screamed excitedly and instantly jumped out of her seat. "Yaaaa let's gooooo, we are getting OFF this rock, however nice it is, we are OUTA here! Let's goooo! Come on do the monkey with me!"

He just chuckled inwardly as he watched her celebrating by doing a happy dance, waving her arms around excitedly and doing some kind of 'dance move'. She looked to be very excited about leaving the planet. Then she jumped over to him and grabbed him by the arms, pulling him to dance with her.

"We're gooooing to spaaaaaace, we're gooooing to spaaaaace!" She sang excitedly, swinging him around with far more strength than he imagined her little body had, since she was nearly half his size.

"Watch it, watch it!" He tried to warn her as she was holding onto him and basically trying to swing him around.

Well in her excitement she had grabbed him a bit 'too' vigorously and his headset was flung off to land halfway across the rooftop venue. When it landed there was a 'snap' and a slight burst of energy, during which they both stared at it with mixed reactions. Arthur was staring at it with disbelief as he ran over to pick it up and saw that it had been damaged, the HUD not functioning anymore, meaning he had lost his link to Great Fox and without that link the glove couldn't point him where he needed to go with the waypoint system. Kiandra was looking at it with a, 'oops' expression on her face, and smiling awkwardly.

"Hehehe... sorry..." She muttered as she strode over to him. "Here let me see the damage."

He handed it to her and she began examining it, raising her eyebrow and moving her lips around as she looked at it from top to bottom, as if gauging something about it. "Hmm, minor damage to the power coupling, HUD wire needs to be replaced... easy fix." She said as she handed it to him.

"Can you fix it?" He asked hopefully, but she shook her head.

"Fraid I can't, I don't have the tools on me, but fortunately I know a place where you can get it fixed close by." She said as she picked up her bag. "Come I'll walk you there, least I can do."

They both exited out of the building after taking the staircase and headed away from the restaurant down the street heading west. All the while passersby kept on noticing Kiandra way more then he assumed she would be receiving attention. He asked why people were staring at her so much, if they didn't pay much attention to other species as much.

"Eldentrans don't normally leave their home planet very much, we're a long lived and very slow to reproduce species Captain Arthur." She explained without any hesitation. "As such, we don't get out very much, most system inhabitants just assume an Eldentran, without doing the research, is about the same size as them. When they see what we 'really' look like, well we attract quite a bit of attention. Heck, we probably look like a father and daughter duo to some people because our two species look alike and for mine yours is the species we tend to partner up with when it comes to coupling up.

"Oh... wait, uh... how many Eldentrens are 'Purebred'?" He asked her.

"Sixty-six percent, of the forty four percent who are mixed Eldentran, about over ninety percent have Terran parentage of some kind. It's one of the main reasons my species developed the life-longevity treatment about a hundred years ago, so those of us who fell in love with a Terran wouldn't be separated from them by the natural 'rapid' death process all other species suffer compared to us."

"Oh... is that because our two species are so similar in terms of biology or because we have so much in common?" He asked curiously, as aside from certain traits, namely her hair color, her eye color changing constantly, her height and her ears they were very similar species.

"Nah, it's because when it comes to procreation and especially sex our two species are both secretly and equally degenerates at heart." She replied instantly, again with 'zero' hesitation.

"W-WH-WHAT?" He almost yelled, fortunately they turned a corner and were heading down a narrow alley.

"Yea, it's a bit of an internal secret but while every member of my species are towering intellects and some of the greatest thinkers and philosophers of the galaxy, within each of us is a sex crazed maniac, so disgusting it would make even a Purebred Bunnara Belgan in heat when isolated with their partner look like they're just cuddling." She said as she turned to him with a grin.

"I... uh... uhm..." He thought.

The image of them being 'intellectual minds' and among the greatest 'philosophers and thinkers of the galaxy' was being called into question in his mind, all because of this one single eccentric Eldentran whom he now hired onto his ship's crew manifest.

"Eh, you confused as to why that is?" She asked with a bemused smile. "You know the language we're speaking right now, Basic Galactic? Ever wonder why and how every species in the galaxy uses it instead of their own for most daily needs? As an example, your girlfriend probably is fluent in Native Belgan I bet." He nodded when she asked and she continued, "That's because to help prevent miscommunication and propagate galactic trade and peaceful coexistent... or at least as much as possible, my species took the lead when it came to developing a 'galactic language' that all species could speak. Otherwise, there would be potential misinterpretations, miscommunications, and this would leave to potential strife and all out wars over minor things. As an example, one of the greatest battles in the history of known space, the Battle of Asakai was first initiated because of a simple thing like a navigational error, and it sparked a conflict between some of the biggest factions of the age."

She then turned around and continued walking, leading him along the way.

"So, my species, seeking to stop the constant bickering and fighting from the various galaxy factions... well we started creating the language known as Galactic Basic. It was to be our Magnum Opus, the culmination of our species intellect and it set our status among the stars for eternity. It took us over one 'hundred' years before we perfected a language. Eldentrans worked day, night, weekly, monthly and yearly, working together to create a language such that nobody could misinterpret a word from another species if it was used. Once it was completed, it took us another fifteen hundred years to teach the rest of the galaxy, and it took another thousand before it became the standard. Now... my species as you know by now, are some of the most intelligent and learned species ever. Just because we're smart though, doesn't mean we forget our baser instincts and more important, the pleasure we get also from sex. A quiet librarian who rarely talks by day, can be a party animal at night as they say."

She was giggling as she looked at him with a cheeky grin.

"When we 'finally' finished teaching the rest of the galaxy, it was said we went absolutely 'wild' and all intellectual learning stopped for a few months, and we partied like no other species at the time. I've read that Artrena Geletona Meadow-Medradra herself, the smartest Eldentran of the age, spent sixteen hours after we had developed the language concocting an aphrodisiac for her and her boyfriend a Terran Purebred, so strong that she and he broke the record for longest time spent in a hotel room having sex. It was a running joke that they both died halfway through and 'still' their bodies were going at it! Heahaha!"

On the one hand he was amazed that it was all thanks to Kiandra's Planetary species that he, Trishula, Katarra, Great Fox, and every other entity in the galaxy were able to talk to one another in a single language. But on the other hand, hearing how sex crazed they were outside of the laboratory was... disconcerting. He just suddenly pictured a hundred thousand Eldentrans all watching monitors in laboratories, medical bays, in the street and at home awaiting the final confirmation that the language was 'perfect', before cheering loudly and celebrating by ripping their clothes off and engaging in the biggest orgy party a college dorm could never hope to match.

"So... how does this relate to our two species uhm, being degenerates?" He spoke. "So far it sounds like yours is the only one."

"Oh yea, forgot about that, well, we all have our fetishes, remember how you sported an erection seeing my petite body naked. Some Terrans want to play with something that looks 'way' younger than them but in actuality is 'way' older than them, and the reverse is for us! We see something that looks way older than us, but is actually way younger, and we just want to spread legs and get dirty. Oh sure, every species has its kinks at the individual level, but you Terrans have so many it's absolutely 'disgusting', and it drives us crazy because we're always fantasizing about sex when we're bored out of our minds from researching and learning. When we learned of your species' and its kinks, at least a third of our population 'instantly' gravitated toward you as potential lovers. It's also a fact that because of our biological differences 'and' similarities we also don't transmit sexual diseases to the other, so our two species get all the fun with none of the baggage, it's a match made in the stars."

"So... uhm... is 'that' why you were so willing to uh... sit in my lap naked?"

She smirked as she nodded. "I know you have a girlfriend you love, and it really is special and something I won't 'ever' come between... but I'm still an Eldentran and trust me when I say... I'd tap you in five seconds if I can negotiate with her. You're lucky your girlfriend's a Belgan Purebred, they protect their males more fiercely than male humans do for their females. The females have a special chemical their body releases when their lover is endangered, similar to a human's 'Adrenaline', that enhances their physical capabilities and mental reaction times." She then turned and walked on; arms folded behind her.

He was blushing deeply as he tried not to think of his new 'employee' in that regard, especially since he just met her, such that he didn't hear the last part of what she said.

"Here we are."

He stood in front of a pretty run-down building that was exceptionally dirty and surrounded with piles upon piles of equipment and stuff that looked run down or damaged. It was obviously a mechanic's shop and it was clear this place had seen better times, but it was still a pretty humble abode.

"Alright, here you go, this place offers repair deals for pretty cheap. You should be able to get that HUD Headset of yours fixed. I need to go back home and start packing as well as giving my notice of resignations to where I work, as well as break some people's spirits." Kiandra said with a nod. "I'll see you at the Vextera Spaceport tomorrow, your ship will send the time details of when I need to arrive."

"Alright, and thank you for applying." He told her with a wave.

"I should be saying thank 'you'!" She returned, before running off down the street, bag swinging wildly.

He waved her off and then went to enter the store, hearing a *ding* chime as the door opened and he wandered up to the counter. The storefront he saw was all 'one' big room with work benches, tables, tools and a host of equipment just lying around in various stages of repair. Unsure of what to do he just waited until someone appeared to help him.

Looking around he saw what looked like a piece of a starfighter sitting in the middle of the room surrounded by tools, but it was heavily burned up and damaged beyond recognition. Curios he walked up to it and was feeling it, examining it.

*Ding*

"Uncle Tony are you h-" A voice called out, a voice he recognized as Trishula's.

He turned to see her walking in and she in turn saw him with a surprised look on her face, but it quickly turned to happiness as she said, "Arthur!" and ran over to give him a hug, dropping the various bags and boxes she was holding before. "Oh Arthur, what are you doing here?"

"Uhm... uh well, I was meeting our new Science and Medical officer, and well my HUD Headset was damaged, so I came here to see about getting it repaired, why are you here?" He explained as he hugged her back and felt her tail wagging energetically, seeing her smile into his embrace.

"I'd come here because I was getting a few things from our... well 'my' squadron's old apartment. We live around here... and... well I asked Great Fox if I could get an advance on my pay so I could come and get our things while my squadron waited to do some mock battle practice." She said while pecking his lips. "It's nice to see you here though... I was honestly thinking... we might not see much of each other until we were starbound and... well... by then we have to be Captain and Pilot and not... 'us'."

"Don't worry, I promise you I will find a way to make time for us to be us even in space." He told her, pulling her closer to him and feeling her breasts squish against his chest.

She smiled and smelled his scent, feeling relaxed again since that morning.

"Welcome to the Rusted Toolshed!" A boisterous voice called out, startling him and Trishula, making them separate as they turned to see a side door slide open and saw a very 'large' individual step out from behind it, wearing a very dirty overall and walking with a stomp and a hiss each time his foot stepped.

The individual in question was a six-foot three tall light brown Terran man with a double chin, a large belly, and walked around on only one leg with one arm missing. The limbs in question that were missing were a leg and an arm, both of them had been replaced by cybernetic implants. He was even missing one eye, the right eye, and it was replaced by a retinal scanner implant. Upon entering the room, he looked over and gained the biggest and happiest smile on his face that Arthur had ever seen.

"Why if it isn't me favorite customer, Trishula girl how are ya little lady!"

"Uncle Tony how are you doing!" She said as she ran over and gave him a hug, being pulled into the giant arms of the friendly man as he lifted her up, squeezed her tight and then let her down, petting her head.

Arthur smiled as he saw the family friendly individual, this seemed to be a good friend of Trishula, and the way he was treating her said that he was close to her like a father figure.

"Ahhh long time no see little lady, long time no see, what brings you here today girl, don't tell me you broke another starfighter, I aint got much merchandise for starfighters in the shop."

"Nonono I'm not here about looking for parts, I'm just here to take a few pictures of our old starfighter wreck, and to tell you some good news!" She said with a smile.

"Oh, hold that thought then girl, I've got a customer here waiting on me. Eh one moment sir!" He said as he walked over past Trishula to him now. "How might I be of assistance sir?"

"Wow, you know Trishula too?" He asked in surprise as he shook the man's enormous hand.

"Know her, why my lad, I'm like an uncle to her. Why she keeps coming by the shop so much looking for parts for her squadron's starfighters, she's practically a member of the old family! Why, what's your relationship to her, she your friend or something?"

"A... something like that." He replied as Trishula smirked while walking to stand next to him.

"He's not just my friend, he's my 'boyfriend'..." She said as she kissed his cheek, holding his hand and leaning against his shoulder. "And... he's, my Captain."

"Why... well aren't you two soooo lucky to have each other..." He said as he looked at the two of them, his remaining eye shedding a few happy tears that he wiped away. "You found yourself a boyfriend, aren't you a sight for sore eyes little lady. And he's your captain to boot, why he must be 'something' special to ya. And you lad... why you lucky devil ya... you got yourself one of the most 'beautiful' and nicest Belgan's... to ever grace the stars with her presence!"

"Yeap... he's a Freelance Captain... and the most wonderful man I've ever had the pleasure to meet." Trishula said as she leaned her head against his shoulder some more, glancing at him with a heartwarming smile.

"A... 'Freelance Captain'?" Tony responded with a shocked face, before it changed to that of amused pride. "Why a Freelance Captain of all people here, and he's your boyfriend to boot, Trishula why didn't you tell me ahead of time that you were bringing in such a man like this. Bringing in such a fine-looking distinguished gent to grace me humble repair shop!" He did with a mock bow, pretending he were royalty. "Had I known, I woulda tucked in me shirt and spruced up the place a bit, hahahahah!"

"To be fair, it was just a happy coincidence that he came here. And am I happy to introduce him to you 'personally' instead of just talking to you about him." Trishula said as she kissed him again on the cheek. "He's such a kind person... when we first met, he treated me like such a nice person unlike the other Captains who were ignoring me. And... after we 'talked' about my situation and when he saw how bad things were for me, he not only helped me and my squad out by bailing my girls out of jail, he paid off our entire debt, and he hired us as his ship's private starfighter squadron."

"Why... well... I'm really happy for you girl." He said as he walked over and hugged Trishula who separated from Arthur to hug her Uncle Tony again. "Ya finally getting your wings back again I see. And ya got yaself a fine man to help you fly again. Look at ya, glowing like a ball o solar fire in the darkness of space... I never seen ya so cheerful in all the years I've known you. I'm so happy for ya!"

Trishula smiled as she was so happy for herself as well, never feeling this happy in a long time. "Thanks Uncle Tony, but he has a request of you Uncle Tony."

"Oh, what's up?"

He pulled off the HUD Headset and handed it over to the cyborg man, offering it to him to take. "My HUD Headset was damaged; I was hoping you could repair it."

Uncle Tony's eye looked it over before the cybernetic eye opened up to reveal multiple lenses and several scanning lasers to examine it. He nodded as he turned it over. "Mhmm mighty fine piece of hardware, looks to be a heavy-duty piece of hardware capable of planetary communications. Yep, looks like an easy fix... shouldn't take me too long."

"Thank you, how much is it going to cost?" He asked as he followed Tony while he walked to a workbench.

"Cost?" Tony asked as he turned to him with a big smile, before leaning over and pulling him into a HUGE hug. "Lad... just because you're her boyfriend, because of what ya done for her... and because I've 'never' seen Trishula so happy in all my years knowing her... it's free o charge!" He then let go of him with a proud nod, before turning back to his workbench and starting to work on the HUD Headset.

He was grateful to him but at the same time he still felt like he should 'pay' for the man's work, his shop didn't look like it was making a ton of money.

"So... Trishula, you said you always came here?"

"Yea... I spent a lot of time here trying to scrounge up parts for my squad's starfighters, and it was Uncle Tony who gave me the best prices for what I need. He was the only one who had the parts I'd need for the price I could afford."

"And she broke the starfighters so much, she kept running me dry of starfighter parts." Tony called out with a cackle.

Trishula just giggled with him as she nodded in agreement, before looking the broken, damaged, burned up starfighter piece sitting in the middle of the room.

"And... well, this was all that was left of 'my' starfighter after we crashed and burned in our last mission." She said as she put a hand on it as she pulled out a data pad and took a screenshot of the wreck. "I came here to... take one final snapshot of it before I returned to the Great Fox."

"I see, what was your ship like before... well it looked like this?" He asked as he couldn't tell what it even 'might' have looked like in its previous form.

"A wreck, an orange, brownish red wreck that barely functioned as a proper fighter. It could barely out speed standard pirate fighters even in its prime, shields weren't that strong even if they were fully charged, our kinetic repeater guns weren't effective against cruisers or corvettes, and it only had a few inter-space missiles that could be fired. But those fighters were 'our' wrecks." Trishula told him with a sad smile. "They got us through many a mission, perhaps not always perfectly but we survived with them, and they were all we had. And when we lost them well... we really were down on our luck then."

She then smiled and looked at him, walking over to him and wrapped her arms around his, cooing in pleasure at being with him.

"But, well... now I have you, and my squad has Great Fox."

He nodded to her as well as he gently patted her hand.

"Alrighty you two love ships, if ah may have a moment o ya times, here ya are lad, all fixed and done!" Tony said as he walked over to the two of them.

They seperated and Arthur took the HUD Headset from Tony, and was glad to see it functioning normally again, it looked good as new. He strapped it to his head and watched as everything started turning on again. Moments after it connected, he saw Great Fox appear on the HUD.

[Captain, what is your situation, you were out of contact for almost half an hour!] Great Fox asked in a worried tone. [I was about to contact the authorities to report your last location and report you missing.]

"Relax Great Fox, everything is fine. The headset just got damaged is all and we came to repair it, don't worry it was 'free of charge'." He told the ship, as she has been talking to him about his finances a lot today.

[Very well Captain... as we are now in contact again, I have a status update to report. Trishula's squadron is getting impatient about her wereabouts and would like to get started with practice. They request an ETA. Furthermore, offloading of our remaining cargo will be completed in less than two hours.]

He looked to her and she smiled with a 'wink' as her ears wiggled, and he nodded before going back to Great Fox to say "Thanks for telling me Great Fox, arrange for some more unmanned starfighters for them to fight in space, I don't mind the cost, rent out eighteen and tell them Trishula will be too busy to make it back in time."

[Very well captain...] Great Fox said as she brought up some forms and requisition tabs for unmanned fighters. [I will try to reduce our costs by 'not' removing the mock fighting gear installed onto the Arwings, if we are lucky... we may be able to get a refund of our money if they don't destroy the unmanned fighters in space.]

"One can hope." He told her as she exited the call for now.

"Well, Trishula girl, I'm happy to see you finally getting your wings again... and I'm mighty proud of you for finally getting yourself a fine man." Tony said as he put his hands on his hips with a proud smile. "And look at the fine man you got yourself... a man as honorable and polite as ever there was one." He then extended his hand and offered him a hand of his own, which he took and was pulled into another big burly hug. "Take good care o her lad, you got yourself one of the prettiest stars you'll ever see shine across the vast darkness o space. And when the time comes when you need a shoulder to be yourself with... well, she'll be right there... blasting the light down on ya like a solar flare!"

He smiled as he could just 'feel' the proud dad energy Tony was giving off. Trishula was obviously like a daughter to him, and he genuinely wanted what was best for her, and to be fair... Arthur felt like he was taking a father's daughter from him, and was now promising to treat her well and do everything for her. Just like how it was with Trishula and his meeting with her, though he barely met Tony for more than fifteen minutes, he already felt like he had this... deep connection to him. Heck, he even felt like a father figure to 'him', and he barely knew anything about him besides his name and his relationship to Trishula.

"I will sir... I'll treat her like a lady..."

"No... not a lady lad!" He said as he pulled back and got on one knee, giving him a 'serious' look. "I know you're a big fancy Freelance Captain... but this is one thing you must learn. Never treat a lady... like a lady, you treat a ship, like a lady and a lady... like a ship. Treat a ship like a lady, and she'll always bring you home. Treat a lady like a ship, and she'll always come back home to you."

He nodded as Tony got up and Arthur walked over to Trishula, giving each other a little hug and Tony laughing in prideful amusement as her tail wagged happily.

"Heh... I think I... need to go outside for a moment, let you two... have a moment to yourselves." Tony said with a chuckle, and walked out with a chuckle.

Trishula and Arthur watched him exit and then returned to each other, grateful for Uncle Tony for giving them a moment of privacy. It allowed her to smile and lean up to kiss him on the lips, cooing softly as she felt him holding the back of his hand while his other arm was holding her by the waist and pulling her close to him. She too was holding him, arms wrapped around his torso and pushing her breasts into his chest, squishing herself as close as possible to be with him intimately, however she could. After a bit of kissing, during which their lips just teased and played with the other, their tongues slipping into and poking the other... gently coaxing their significant other into a dance of love and passion that they couldn't do in public.

Trishula just felt a warm, bubbly sensation as she was so close to her captain and boyfriend. Did it feel like it was rushed on the outside, maybe... but she didn't care... her heart was in love, her body was in love, and her 'soul' was in love with this man. All she wanted was to be with him, no matter what... being with him as they travelled the stars together. And he wanted her by his side, every moment...

They pulled away when they needed air, and she chuckled as she leaned into his chin, cooing as she felt him rub her cheek fur.

"I'm glad I could introduce you to my Uncle Tony... he's not my real uncle you know... but for me and the girls, when we were struggling, he was our uncle." She whispered softly to him. "When we were hungry, his family fed us... when we were in desperate need of parts, he sold us what he could for cheap. When we needed 'some' money just to keep our jobs... he gave it without a second thought. Without him, we probably would never have survived this long... his family always treated us like an extension of their own. I even talked to him about my... dream fantasy about some day meeting... 'the one'... and... he always told me..."

She looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes as she recounted the memories. "He said, 'don't worry lassy, your man is out there somewhere waiting for you to find him, just like a cold and lonely planet waitin on a beautiful star to warm it up so it can rotate around you, and see you like the beautiful jewel of the galaxy you deserve to be treated as', and he was right. I finally found you."

"And now... just like a planet... I'm going to rotate around you, and see you as the beautiful jewel of the galaxy you deserve to be treated as." Arthur told him.

She beamed at those words, and moved to kiss him deeply again, unable to resist her desire to be close to him and be intimate with him...

But at that moment the romantic feelings they were showing were cut short as they could hear some angry yelling outside. Instantly both pulled away to look toward the door, and both wandered over to the door to listen.

"For the last 'time' I don't got ya money today. You want to talk business, you can keep your chatter out here, I'm not even open yet!"

"Not even open, I don't think you realize your 'situation'." A gruff and dangerous sounding voice said. "You are three weeks 'behind' on your payments. And I want my 'money' you owe me!"

"I told ya, you'll get your money, and I'll make a payment to ya in a few days, WHEN I PROMISED!" Tony snarled.

"Who is Tony talking to?" He asked Trishula who listened in.

"Ugh... Danuvra Glootona Hogra, it's that damn loan shark Mr. Bolbous!" She whispered furiously.

"Loan Shark?" Arthur asked as the two individuals continued to 'talk'.

"Yea, Tony opened this shop ten years ago, had to take a loan from a loan shark, a Fat, Bastradra I'm ashamed to say is a Belgan named Mr. Bolbous, because he doesn't have a good credit. He told me so, but business isn't that good here on Belga Cinco, since most of the equipment is farming related, and he specializes in starships and starfighters." She told him as she looked to him. "It's why my girls and I always bought from him, he has a family of fifteen to feed, eleven sons, two daughters and wife are all a family of mechanics. But they don't get much work... the only jobs they can get are petty jobs repairing home equipment."

"Eleven sons and two daughters?" He whispered in surprise, now seeing 'why' the guy had this 'dad' aura about him.

"Yea... and the Loan Shark has been taking his money whenever he gets any. But he's been getting snappier, demanding he pay more and constantly increasing the interest when Tony is late to pay! Not to mention that fatulara pog-gras has been constantly hitting on me, trying to score a date with me. Ugh, I remember showering for 'hours' just to remove the 'filth' his greasy hand left on my shoulder when he patted it." Trishula growled as she heard the Loan Shark again saying he's going to raise the interest. "That sookra o bitara, I'm going to kick his ass for threatening Tony!"

"No... you'll only make it worse..." He said as he looked to the HUD. "Great Fox!"

[Yes Captain?] She responded instantly.

"Can you look up how much the loan Tony of the Rusted Toolshe owes regarding a loan shark?"

[Checking...] The ship stated as it began to access and request information from the planetary databases. [I have found the loan, this 'Tony' owes a seven hundred and fifty-six thousand, two hundred and forty loan, and this is including the interest rate. You are not considering paying this loan off in its entirety, are you?]

"You bet your thrusters I am Great Fox." He said. "Pay it off with the statement that it was 'payment made due to repair services rendered to Captain Arthur of the Great Fox', and make it a flat number so the loan shark won't get suspicious."

[Captain, this is a very questionable decision you have made, this loan is in no way affiliated with you. It is not in your name, nor do you intend to stay on the planet... why would you ever wish to pay off this loan for a person you have no affiliation with?] She asked him in a curious tone.

"He's the closest thing to an uncle and loving family member, similar to a dad that Trishula, and through her the rest of her squadron have. He's spent the last few years helping them with food, parts for their ships, money and ever-" He began explaining, but was interrupted by the Great Fox saying...

[Done, full payment has been made.]

He did a double take, not expecting her to just 'pay it' without hearing his explanation. Even if it was his money and she would have done it regardless of reason, he was still surprised. "That was... fast... what happened to 'it not being my responsibility?"

[If this individual is related to Trishula, and you wish to help her, then that is all the justification we need.] Great Fox said in a heartwarming tone. [Your recent decisions have proven to be, while unorthodox, highly correct in the settings they were made. Furthermore, as you say so yourself... Trishula is very important to you... and if she is important to you, as your Ship AI, then it is my duty to help her as well.]

He smiled at the ship's response, glad to know his ship thought the same way. "Thank you very much Great Fox..."

[As you once said, the only justification Trishula's Pack needs in regards to their value as pilots of Great Fox, is 'yours'. No other authority matters. The only justification 'we' need to help anyone associated with Trishula, is your feelings for her. But... I will note that we need to take some jobs soon, as we have made no positive gain in income to your account for the past week.]

"We will." He said as she left the HUD. "Does this place have a back door you can use?" He asked her, to which she nodded, "Alright Trishula, here's the plan then..."

"Alright... 'fine'... I'll get your money by tomorrow! It's set up automatically like we agreed upon, I just need another day!" Tony snarled as he really wanted to thump the Mixed Belgan in front of him.

"Hmhmhmhm, see that you do, or else... I'm going to have to call in the Belgen Revenue Tracking Agency... and have 'them' dig into your account to 'find' me the money I'm owed." The Belgan, a fat pit who was of Terran and Mixed Belgan heritage chuckled. "While I'm here though, have you seen that pretty girl, Trishula around. I haven't seen her around here in a long time."

"I've told ya once I've told ya a thousand times, you stay away from that lass, she's 'way' above the like o you!" Tony snarled as glared at him.

This fat bastard has been trying to hit on her for 'years' since he first saw her visiting the shop looking for spare parts, using his 'loan payments' so he could hit on her and get cozy with the girl and score with her. Tony has always been doing his best keeping this fat thug away from her, but he 'always' finds a way to pop in when she's there...

"Well at least 'I'm' not in the red with my loan, and at least 'I' have a successful business, Mr. Tony. In fact, I've heard from reliable contacts that she's quite deep in the red, even deeper than you. I'm sure she'd be veeeery grateful to a strapping guy like myself if I just so 'happened' to make her financial problems disappear." The ugly bastard said with a smirk. "In the meantime, I suggest you open your-"

*Ding*

"Ah, there you are Tony!" A Purebred Terran said as the door to the shop suddenly opened. "I'm sorry if you weren't open, the shop door was unlocked so I let myself in, hope I'm not bothering something."

"Huh... what?" The Loan Shark Belgan asked.

Both Tony and the jerk in front of him turned to see Arthur leaving the shop, looking cheery as he walked over to him.

"Hey Tony, I'm sorry if I came early but I wanted to say thank you so much for working on my ship, I haven't heard the engines start up like they did last night in a long time, and I also came to say I can make the full payment a day early! They finally fixed that issue with my account being frozen!" He said as he walked over and forcibly grabbed Tony's hand and shook it, 'winking' at him. "Man, you are a life saver, without you, my ship would have been stuck in port for another ten days! I've already been trapped here for a week."

"You got a 'job' fixing a starship?" The loan shark said incredulously. "You didn't 'tell' me?"

"Iga... well..." Tony said in a worried tone, but again Arthur winked without the shark seeing him. "Like I said... I was 'going' to make a payment tomorrow."

"He had to wait because my account was frozen until the Main Office could locate some files to get everything cleared up." Arthur said. "But they got it fixed a day early, so I came by to do two things, one to thank you and tell you I've already paid you in full for his services. And second come tell you I need your services again, just a quick one this time! The aft stabilizers seem to be misaligned, and I was hoping you could take a quick look at them tomorrow." He then turned to the ugly bastard that had 'pig-like' traits for a Belgan and smiled, with great effort to say, "He's the cheapest person on the market who still delivers high quality, and it'd save me another hundred grand if he got on the task!"

"A HUNDRED 'GRAND'?" The loan shark yelled in disbelief. "How much was the job he did for you."

"Mhmmm... let's see..." Arthur said as he tapped the HUD Headset and looked at something only he could see. "He realigned my ship's engines, rebuilt the fuel distribution lines, fixed up the port gun batteries... fixed the environmental malfunction in the crew quarters... and repaired that broken lighting system on the upper deck! All in all... about eight hundred thousand... pretty good price considering it woulda cost me an arm and a leg without his deals, no offense Tony!"

"EIGHT HU-HU-HUNDRED?"

The Belgan pulled out a datapad from his rear pocket and quickly looked for something, tapping several buttons to get to it and just 'staring' in shock. "Payment made due to repair services rendered to Captain Arthur of the Great Fox..." He muttered. "Payment made directly... but why didn't it come from..."

"Oh, so that's what my Ship AI was talking about." He muttered as he held his chin. "It said something about 'making a direct payment' to someone other than Tony because of an automatic transferal system in place by him. It told me that even if we paid him, it would have been taken out of the account and sent directly to you, I guess. So, it just made the payment to you instead."

The loan shark was looking absolutely dumbfounded as he stared at the money, and then looked like he was both 'angry' and 'surprised' that Tony had seemingly paid off his loan at long last. He grunted and put the datapad away and said, "Seems you found yourself a nice 'benefactor' Mr. Tony, well I hope you don't mind if I just so happen to keep stopping by to say-"

"Uncle Tony, is that you?" Trishula's voice sounded from the alley entrance, and everyone there turned to see Trishula walking toward them with her bags in hand filled with her stuff. "Oh, there you are Tony, why aren't you in the shop yet. Ugh... and uh, Mr. Bolbous... nice to see you aga- Captain ARTHUR!"

Trishula instantly ran over, acting so surprised to see that Arthur was standing behind Tony and out of her sight until Tony shifted aside to reveal him. When she did, she ran toward him excitedly, dropping her stuff and practically throwing her arms around him in a happy hug, her tail wagging excitedly as she embraced him.

"I wasn't expecting to run into you here sir, I thought we were going to meet tomorrow for our dinner date~!" She said.

"D-d-d-dinner 'date'?" Bolbous asked with wide eyes.

"Hmm, oh yea, that's what I came to talk to you about Uncle Tony, I got another date with my new captain today. He said he was going to hire you to do a check on his ship tomorrow, and while you were doing that, he nervously asked me out on a date again." Trishula said as she winked at Tony, not pretending as she leaned up and quickly kissed Arthur's cheek. "I wanted to introduce him to you earlier this week but he was always so busy. I told you about him, after he hired me and my squad to be his ship's private starfighter squadron remember."

Tony was a bit confused by everything, but he smiled and played along, smirking in delight as he stared at Belgan looking bewildered and more importantly 'frustrated'. "Yeaaa, so 'this' is that fancy Captain ya always was on about on the communicator! Glad to meet ya face to face sir; I only ever saw a picture o ya from your ship's AI after you put in the request for me services. Wish I coulda met you in person when I went to fix your ship but..."

"Yep, and you were right sir, she's a wonderful lady, I'm lucky that she accepted my proposal for a date today and a few days before." Arthur said, pretending to be nervous in front of her.

"Well how could I not, after you went and paid off my squad's outstand debt so you could hire us? It's the least I can do~!" Trishula said with a huge smile, just feeling the 'murderous intent' behind her emanating from Mr. Bolbous. "Between you and me Uncle Tony..." She said as she pretended to lean forward and whisper to him. "I think he might be 'boyfriend' material, he's so shy and cute when he's not fighting pirates and flying the space lanes in his 'really big ship' in the spaceport nearby. But he's a real gentleman of a Purebred Terran!"

They had a group chuckle at that, with again Mr. Bolbous left out and glaring in resentment at Arthur in particular, before Uncle Tony straightened up and said, "Alrighty sir, I'll go and get a couple o me sons and we'll stop by the spaceport tomorrow to check on your ship. I'll get those stabilizers straightened out just you wait! And while I'm off gettin everything ready for tomorrow, since you two are here, why not move that 'dinner date' planned tomorrow for today... I know a place you two can go, hehehe..." He then turned and looked at the fat ugly bastard Mr. Bolbous to say, "Was there something else you wanted to talk about?"

"No... I guess that 'concludes' our continuing business arrangement..."

"So it seems..." Tony muttered with a dangerous glare.

Said loan shark gave one final glare, and then slowly stormed away, leaving Tony, Trishula and Arthur to watch him leave until he had completely gone. When he had left, he turned to Arthur as Trishula then held her boyfriend in her arms, kissing him in congratulations for what he did for her Uncle Tony.

"Lad... why did ya do that; you didn't need to go and..."

"That's exactly what I said when he did the same thing for me and my girls." Trishula said with a happy smile. "He didn't need to pay off the entirety of our debt yesterday to get us out of debtor's prison, but he did anyway. But he did so anyway, and only because he talked to me and... well now you see. Plus, I wanted to get that fat bastard to leave me alone for good, and this was as perfect a chance as any."

Arthur nodded as he agreed. "Like I told Trishula, I know what it's like to be in debt... it isn't pleasant, and it feels worse than any prison could match." He told Tony. "Besides... you took care of Trishula for all these years, her 'and' her squadron. She told me what you've done for her, how they avoided starving thanks to your family." He then glanced at Trishula who beamed at him, her tail wagging enthusiastically as he mentioned her. "Besides, like you said... she's my star that warmed me up, and now I plan to treat her like the beautiful jewel of the galaxy she is. Treat her like a ship..."

Tony chuckled as he patted his shoulder now, very grateful. "And she'll always come back home to you..." He told him. "I wish I could say I will pay ya back some day but... if I could have paid you back, I would have paid that loan off myself. But I am glad you did that to him, he been trying to get in her pants for years, I'm glad to see him get shot down like a burning wreck of a starfighter."

"Actually, I have an idea for how you can pay me back!" Arthur said with a smile. "Trishula said you and your family all are mechanics that specialize in starships, starfighters and the likes, right?"

"Yea... my entire family got into the trade, we come from a long line of mechanics and engineers... ten generations worth!" Tony said with a proud smile as he puffed his chest up. "But... business is next to impossible out here, most of the stuff is... farming stuff, and the few ships that 'need' repair, get fixed on the blooming starport. They don't need us... we do our best but, even with my 'low' prices we get next to nothing in terms o business..."

"Well, here's where I have an idea... my ship... is in need of 'crew', and we need mechanics, engineers... people to help keep my ship maintained and help fix it when we aren't able to go to a starport. With your help we can also save 'money' on starport staff fixing my ship."

At that Tony had a look of utter bewilderment. "Ya... ya're offering me, me 'entire' family a job to work on board a starship?"

Arthur nodded as he called up Great Fox on the HUD and asked her to show a picture of herself to him, with other ships for size comparison. Once she had done that, he took it off and handed the headset to Tony for his good eye to see through, and he stared at her with a single 'wide eye'.

"She's a very big ship, and while I trust her to handle herself in a fight, if something happens that I can't fix out in space, she will suffer. I don't want to risk anything bad happening to her if I can avoid it, so I'm asking you Tony, if you'll join my crew roster to help keep my ship floating. The pay will be reliable, and obviously you get free room and board."

"What do you think Uncle Tony, she's a wonderful ship, you'd love working on her." Trishula asked with a hopeful expression.

Tony handed back the HUD Headset and then just, leaned on a broken engine that was nearby, looking perplexed. He glanced at his shop, then looked at his mechanical arm. After a bit he glanced at the starport, and stared as a cargo transport took off from the ground and into space. "To be out in space again... working at me craft again..." He muttered as he glanced at the two of them.

After a moment he got up, smiled, and held his hand out with a proud grin. "Captain, you got yourself a 'deal'!" He declared. "One entire family of mechanics and engineers, a family 'steeped' in the tradition... at your service!"

Arthur smiled as he shook his hand, perhaps not 'signing' a contract with words, but at least an honest agreement that can be settled with the finer details later. "Alright, do you think you can all come tomorrow to the Vextera Spaceport so I can show you around? I need to get someone else to help my ship, specifically a cook to handle making the food."

"A cook, why I can help ya there ladeh, I know a guy down at a nearby bar and restaurant, best cook you'll ever meet this side of Belga Cinco. He's been looking to start his own restaurant and even run his own night time bar. Me and the boys often go there to drink after a long day's work to spend time with his. Head on over to the Precious Demrav, pay for a VIP Outdoor table, ask for a chef named Mevik to be your personal chef, and tell him you're a friend of Tony and his boys. And don't worry, my family will be there tomorrow, ready to see our new place of work!"

He nodded and walked with Trishula away from the small establishment, Arthur offering to carry some of her bags and she gladly accepting it, as it enabled her to have one arm free to hold his arm and walk side by side with him. "So, captain... since you're probably here with Blue Fox, do you mind if I stay with you, at least until we return to the Great Fox?"

"Of course, I have to take you out on our date to a restaurant called the Precious Demrav." He told her.

She looked at him with a slightly surprised expression before she smirked. "Oh, I thought Uncle Tony told you to head there so you could talk to his friend about potentially hiring him as our ship's cook?" She asked slyly.

"Yes, but I believe we 'also' said that I had asked you out on a date before, and we were supposed to have one tomorrow, but he said we should move it to today since we met up." He told her back with a smirk. "I wouldn't want to be seen as a 'liar' now to your uncle... would I?"

Trishula just giggled as she shook her head, leaned over and planted a long, deep kiss on his lips, cooing as she pulled away and whispered, "It's a date..."

So, they continued walking on down the street, focused mostly on each other and not really paying any attention to their surroundings besides the immediate. So, as they turned the corner to the main street, heading in the direction of the restaurant that Tony told them about, they failed to notice that they were being watched by someone who was looking at the back of Arthur's head with a furious look on his face. Snarling, he reached up and turned on his HUD Headset and called up his 'boys', who each appeared after a few moments.

"I have a 'job' for you..."

It only took them five minutes of walking to reach the establishment in question, and he could see why it served as a restaurant during the day, and a night club by night. It was a single-story building that was surrounded by mostly empty space being filled by a few tables, each with large energy shield umbrellas to protect those under them from the elements. Around those tables were various exotic looking plants, water fountains and small statues of ships he recognized as some of the earliest beta ships from Early Access of the game. Several tables were already occupied but there was one table that wasn't occupied and was pleasantly surprised to see was a statue of a Finback Battleship, though it was in Low Profile Mode.

He walked up to the main entrance and spoke to a restaurant bouncer who Trishula said would take their request of where they wanted to seat.

"Welcome sir, do you have a reservation?" The Mixed Terran asked the two of them.

"Hi, we do not have a reservation, we're a walk in." Arthur said, "I'd like to arrange a seating for two, VIP Outdoor table. Can I please also have Mevik be our personal chef for our time here, and also tell him we're friends of Tony?"

The bouncer looked at a datapad and began tapping some things, before he nodded and pulled out a retinal scanner from his shirt pocket. "May I scan you sir for payment confirmation?"

He nodded and allowed him to scan his eye, and after a few moments they were told that the outdoor seating area was open to them and to pick an open table. Once entered they both gravitated toward the table with the Finback Battleship statue. As they neared it, they looked at each other with sideways glances and nodded.

"You had the same idea huh?" He asked her.

"Yep, she's my new home now, I'll always find my way to her now." She replied to him.

They both sat down and he planted the bags he was holding for her off to the side so they would not get in the way. A waiter soon arrived and offered them menus, and after a few moments they both ordered a dish consisting of slices of grilled bird meat she told him, a small bowl of soup which Trishula recommended, light salads which she also suggested, and finally a medium-plate of cake to share along with their preferred drinks. They both watched the waiter leave with their menus and order, and then just sat together in silence to enjoy the atmosphere.

"So, Arthur, how often do you leave your ship when you visit a planet?" Trishula asked as she noticed that Arthur rarely, if ever, seemed to know what local dishes were like. "I notice that you never seem to uh... not know a lot of local foods. I figured since you're a Freelance Captain, you'd be well versed with how much you travel the galaxy."

She hadn't wanted to ask because she didn't want their relationship to turn sour so soon after she was feeling herself having the best time of her life now, but she was curious.

"Oh... about that..." He muttered as he was nervous about explaining.

"Is... it something I said?"

"No... it's just... hard to explain because..." He whispered nervously, which she sensed as she looked at him.

"It's alright, you can tell me... whatever is bothering you, you can tell me."

He gulped as, if she was his girlfriend now, he 'should' trust her with a few things in his life, specifically his 'secret'.

"Alright... but... please promise, you won't tell anyone... it's a very... difficult thing to describe because... I'm afraid nobody would believe me." He whispered. "Would you believe that... someone could live one life, an entirely different life in a world so similar yet completely different than yours. And then, in a moment that even 'he' doesn't understand, something happens that... causes him to wake up, in another life living a new life he only ever dreamed he could live?"

She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, a little 'confused', how could someone live a life so different than what they were living now?

"Yea... I figured you wouldn't understand... so I'll explain... only Great Fox knows, and she promised to keep it secret..." He muttered in defeat. "In this life, I'm Captain Arthur of the Great Fox... i've traveled space lanes, done missions, faced off against different kinds of ships of all sizes while alone on the Great Fox. But... it's as if I've been 'reincarnated' or 'reborn' into my new life. For 'thirty years', my past thirty years because that's how old I am... I was living another life, an 'ordinary' life for me back then. A week ago, I was just a nobody, working two part time jobs trying to make enough to pay bills, alone, wishing things were better but just accepting things as is because it wasn't going to get better for me."

He sighed as he looked to the sky.

"I had no girlfriend, nobody really liked me enough to be my friend in real life. I worked jobs I hated in conditions I resented but tolerated. And my life was dictated by schedules, the same routine every day. Wake up in the morning, see what time I had to work, eat food, go to work, come home... maybe have 'some' fun with a leisure activity... and then sleep to do it all again. In that world, my species did 'not' have access to starships, the galaxy as a whole... and... well... I was just a 'nobody'. I could have dropped dead one day, and the world would never have batted an eye or given me a second's thought."

He chuckled in amusement as he remembered that actually happened.

"Then one day, as I was doing the routine again... there was this little girl, who because of a fight breaking out on a transport platform, who fell onto the rails as the heavy metal transport sped toward her. It couldn't have stopped, nobody else saw her... only me. I reacted without thinking, I ran, jumped down and threw her to safety... but there was no time to save myself. The last thing I remember seeing, was... a bright light as the train sped at me, then in an instant... I died. But... I didn't stay dead, I found myself waking... aboard my ship. She greeted me, welcomed me back... we were on a mission, a mission I remember taking to Belga Cinco and, here I am now... with you, and you know the rest from there."

He closed his eyes he wondered what Trishula would say to this revelation. Would she hate him, doubt him, think he was making it up, think he was trying to mess with her? He just waited for her answer, and when it came, it wasn't what he expected.

He felt Trishula place her hand on his, and then gently coax her fingers to intertwine with his. He looked over to see her leaning on his shoulder, head resting into his and her ears twitching and tickling his ear. She was smiling softly at him, and even as they just sat there, she slowly pulled her other hand up and gently, ever so gently, slid it under his first hand that had their fingers intertwined now in an embrace.

"You're right... it sounds weird, nobody would believe you..." She whispered softly. "But... I trust you... I can tell you aren't lying... so 'I' believe you." She then rubbed her cheek against his shoulder before softly muttering, "This galaxy is a vast... vast place, and there are still things we do 'not' know... mysterious sectors appearing, life forms that seemingly exist when we never noticed... worm holes appearing and then vanishing. There are so many things and mysteries that... the idea of, someone reincarnating into our galaxy, is just so 'normal' to me."

She then turned her head and, with just a gesture from her head, no more than a nod, and a slow blink from her eyelids... she got him to lean over and press their lips together into a loving embrace again. After a few moments she pulled away with a light 'plop' and cooed.

"So don't think it's weird, or unbelievable... I choose to see it... as fate, you were reincarnated here for a reason. We're all born for a reason, that is what 'my' species once believed. Every Purebred Belgan, is raised with the knowledge that our ancient ancestors believed... every single living being, is born for a reason. They will find that reason... and we also believe, again in ancient times, that as we are destined to find our reason we were born for, we believe that our soul is also 'destined' to find another to be with... because our soul is only 'half' of a full soul, and we're each seeking the other half to our soul."

"And... this is my secret I'm going to share with you, since you shared yours with me." She whispered lovingly, shifting herself to sit closer. "I found the soul that... I 'know'... was the other half to mine, and it's yours. And as we travel together, because I will 'never' leave you whatever you may thin... if for any reason, another soul out there, just so happens to 'also' be the other half to yours. Then... that is perfectly fine with me. Our souls are pieces to a puzzle, and there is nothing wrong in my culture, finding two puzzle pieces that just so happen to fit the same piece."

"So... if for any reason... another girl out there we meet, for whatever reason... thinks her soul fits mine just likes mine fits yours?" He asked, wanting to be sure what she was implying.

She nodded to confirm his thoughts. "I welcome her, because I know how important that feeling is to find that other half to your soul... and privately, because we were each other's first..." She said with a proud whisper. "Nobody else can claim your first, as nobody else can claim 'my' first..."

"Thank you Trishula... it feels... nice to tell someone else the truth about my past."

"You'll always be Captain Arthur to me... nothing will change how I feel about you."

"Same with me." He told her.

With that they just decided to sit with their heads leaning on the other's, quietly waiting for their food as Trishula's tail slowly wagged, occasionally rubbing his back with each wag.

[It is 'good' to know... you can trust her, as equally as you trust me...] Great Fox told him at that moment, appearing on his HUD after being quiet for a long time, before vanishing again.

He nodded in agreement, as he reached around with one arm to wrap it over Trishula's back, holding her close to him, and her tail in response wiggled in delight as they continued to wait for their food.

When it did arrive, it came being carried in the 'multiple hand and arms' of the chef, with two of his arms pulling a cart behind him riddled with dishes. Arthur had become used to seeing different species, so he wasn't surprised that this chef who he guessed was Tony's friend was another species entirely. He looked to be a Purbred, but he wasn't sure what star system he originated from. Mevik to his eyes, had four arms and hand like appendiges, though each hand only had 'four' fingers, reddish brown skin, or 'scales' or something similar that was in between the two. For eyes he had two very large eyes that had sideways eyelids that always flashed closed behind a pair of goggles, and a snake-like nose where it was just a pair of thin slits, and a very thin mouth due to how 'narrow' his head was compared to his and Trishula's.

In his head, if he had to compare him to something he was familiar with, he looked like a very 'tall' version of that stereotypical depiction of an alien from his old life, but taller, reddish-brown skin instead of green or light blue, and with four arms and hands.

"Helloooo you beautiful people, welcome to the Precious Demrav, I will be your chef today, I have prepared a most 'excellent' banquet for you today 'personally'." Mevik said in a very chipper tone, his voice sounding similar to that of a cricket's song at night. "Let's start you off with the small salad... a wonderful blending of Belga Dos Plumtara leaves taken from the plant as it is harvested in the crisp morning air just 'hours' after it has been soaked in the dew of a cool temperate night, with a special appetizing dressing, and a delicious helping of sautéed Brathra bird meat."

Great Fox appeared again on his HUD, but this time only telling him what species their chef was as Arthur was obviously curious with how frequently he looked at his various characteristics. [This 'Mevik' appears to be a Purebred Gevkan, they originate from the Insecada system and are renowned multi-taskers around their system, due to their multiple arms and hands and how dexterous they can be.]

Already Arthur could tell that Mevik loved nothing more than to talk about his food, and he could tell the cook had great pride in his culinary skills. And the food was one hundred percent worthy of his praiseworthy talk, as the salad alone sent his taste buds to paradise. The greenery of the salad very soft and yet had a very crunchy texture that made him think he was eating something soaked in a waterfall, but the taste of the dressing added a wonderful zing that the leaves lacked, combined with the bits of cooked bird meat adding to the flavor. Both he and Trishula moaned in delight as they nodded to each other and to Mevik.

During their meal some people left and others showed up, and as course after course was served and eaten over the time span of nearly an hour, with idle chatter between him and Trishula and even Mevik to include him into the conversations, he and Trishula learned a bit more about each other. Trishula he learned had always wanted visit some of the great ship production starsystems, like Dyleria and Bronzelda. He however, had just 'dreamed' of flying through space and seeing the stars.

Mevik jokingly said they both will get their wishes, as Captain Arthur would fly her to Dyleria first and buy her a cruiser as a wedding present, making both of them blush.

"Well, what do you think of your meal today, was it up to your expectations?"

"Expectations, you cooked an amazingly wonderful feast." Trishula said with a warm smile as she took a piece of their 'shared' cake and teasingly fed it to Arthur. "And you are such a talker, Tony mentioned that you were an amazing cook but never about you being a gossip stone."

"Mhmhmh, well I don't like to... prune my own fingers, but I 'have' dabbled in the art of conversation~!" Mevik said as he played with his fingers using two hands while the other two poured their glasses of drink. "By the way, how do you know my friend Tony. I'm glad to meet friends of his, but this is 'hardly' the place for pleasure talk. You should see me after hours~."

"Mhmm well... 'actually' we were here because... well I wanted to take Trishula my new ace pilot of my ship, and now my beautiful girlfriend here on a date." He said, causing Trishula to 'shrink' in embarrassment at his public declaration, but also beam in pride at being called such.

"Oooohhohoh well congratulations Trishula, I heard so much of you from Tony... I'm so glad you found a strapping man!" Mevik said as he handed them their drinks and placed their old plates on the cart.

"And... I was also asking for you to be our personal chef, because I wanted to conduct an 'interview' for a job, if you were for 'any' reason in the market for a new line of work." Arthur said as they finished eating their cake.

At that Mevik did a double blink before he looked around with a 'cautious' air in his expression, as he proceeded to lean down, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"And uh... pray tell 'how' you came about this information?"

"Tony said something about how, you were looking to someday own your own restaurant and night club." He told him with a smile. "I'll be upfront, I came here expecting a good cook and you're even better than what I was expecting."

"Well... I am 'flattered' that you would give me such high praise sir, but... why should I... 'resign' my current employment opportunity? This place pays very well for my services and it is a high-class restaurant! Only 'captains' of ships that are of Frigate class and above are allowed here during the day."

"I didn't know that part, it explains why our meal was so wonderful." He said with a raised eyebrow to Trishula, who herself blushed as she did know, but never in her years imagined she'd come here.

"I knew but... well... I forgot how... high class it was." She whispered. "I'm only a fighter pilot... I'd never be allowed here on my own."

[And expensive, this visit has cost you fifteen thousand MPC alone just for seating... not counting the food bill, which is another twenty thousand.] Great Fox told him, appearing 'again' on his HUD. [I also would like to report that offloading has completed.]

"Thank you, Great Fox." He whispered to his HUD headset before turning to Mevik again. "Well, Mevik, as I said, I'm hiring for my ship the Great Fox, and I need a crew to help me staff her, the last position I'm looking to fill is that of my ship's chef or cook. I've already hired Tony and his entire family, and he recommended you when I told him I needed a cook."

"He would tell you that." Mevik said, but then a Mixed Belgan wearing a suit stepped out from the front door and yelled at him.

"Mevik, if you're done over there get back in the kitchen, we got sixteen orders to fill and you're not being paid to flirt with the customers!"

Mevik's eyes rolled their eyes in frustration, a look that Arthur knew all too well, having done it himself multiple times when he was so 'done' with someone. And he also recognized the 'forced smile' as he turned around and clasped his hands together to address his boss. "Umnra Momtra sir, this couple was just telling me a 'minor' complaint about the recipe, I'm merely getting advice on how to improve it! I'll be there in a secundra!"

"GET TO IT THEN!" Said Belgan yelled before walking back in.

The second his back was turned Mevik flicked his tongue out in disgust and whispered, "Stuptra, doesn't know 'anything' about fine cooking besides what makes him the most MPC!" He snarled as he turned back to the two of them. "Well... let's just say, for a 'hypothetical reason'... if I were to... 'accept' your offer. What is your going rate?"

At this, Arthur knew he had him hooked, now he just had to sweeten the deal.

"What's your current pay?" Arthur asked as Trishula smirked as well in understanding.

"Forty MPC per hour. That includes my nightly hours."

"I'll offer you one point eight times that."

That made his eyes widen slightly, and a smile form. "A position aboard a 'starship'... hmmm, what's it like? What kind of model is it?"

"You can get a good idea of it because there's a statue of it right behind us." He said as he and Trishula nodded back at the statue in question.

When he glanced up and connected the dots, he could just 'see' Mevik's whole outlook change as he saw the statue and then looked to him. "You're a 'Freelance Captain'? And your ship is..." Mevik asked quietly, to which Arthur nodded. "Miendratrost... tell me if... if I 'accept' this job... do I get to... cook whatever menu I wish however I wish?"

"The only exception is one crew member who will be eating synthetic food, but that's because her species only eats synthetic food. Otherwise, you're the cook and you decide the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and if anyone complains tell them take it up with me. You get free reign, you are master of the kitchen, and lord of the mess hall."

"And... the mess hall, can I... turn it into an 'after hours bar'?" He said almost trying to hide his giddiness.

"Great Fox can adjust the lights as you wish, you can hang a sign up if you want, and if you have beers, wines, ciders or whatever drinks you wish to serve, you can serve it once dinner hours are over. As said, the mess is your domain."

"Can I set up entertainment, viewscreen, a tropka table, set up card tournaments, be the bartender?"

"Tony and his family will probably be your best customers as will some of my fighter pilots, you won't be lonely and there'll be chatter after hours!"

"They were always my favorite people to spend time with anyway." Mevik said as he held up a hand for him to shake.

Arthur smiled as he shook his hand and they got up.

"When and where?" Mevik said as he took their remaining items and placed them on the tray.

"Tomorrow, Vextera spaceport, my ship will send you the time in a transmission later today. If possible, bring some raw food with you because until you show up and tell my ship what to order, the only thing my ship 'has' to eat is synthetic produce."

"Oh, I'll bring something, trust me I'll bring enough to last us 'two days' at least... and now..." He said as he smiled and wheeled the cart around with a big grin on his face. "I have to go now, and tell my boss, something I have been itching to say for the last 'SEVEN' years..."

Both him and Trishula smiled to each other as they picked up her bags and left the establishment, with Arthur counting down the seconds as they got further and further away. Sure enough, about a minute or two later as they rounded the corner, heading for the spaceport where Blue Fox was parked...

"YOU CAN'T QUIT ON ME MEVIK, BECAUSE YOU'RE FIRED!"

Both he and Trishula 'laughed' as they heard that. Arthur took a sigh of relief, he had gotten the crew he'd need for his ship, a medical and science officer who was a bit a maverick, a family man who was bringing not just a group but a 'family' of mechanics and engineers, and finally a chef who had pride in his work and cooked like a culinary king. Together with a squad of starfighter pilots, he felt his ship was ready to soar again, so now he just had to get them hired for a mission.

It was getting late; the sun was slowly starting to set and it was obvious that night time would be approaching in just about four or so hours. Even as they walked the various lights of the city around the spaceport were starting to turn on. But as he walked, Arthur couldn't help but 'feel' like something was off, like something was making him feel nervous. It was a weird... almost 'instinctual feeling' one he hadn't really felt before but... was now feeling as he and Trishula walked side by side.

The feeling like... he was being 'followed'. As he began feeling it, he slowly stopped talking and began to instinctively tap into his 'other' senses besides his eyes. It was a common trait that all humans had, where without realizing it, they focus less on their eyes and instead the other senses they have, taste, sound, smell, and touch.

Two of his other senses were obviously useless, those being taste and touch as he was walking and he was holding two Trishula's bags for her. He couldn't 'smell' something wrong, the cool air was giving him a pleasant feeling to his nose. This left only one, sound, so he closed his eyes and began listening around him, listening for 'anything' to set off his alarm bells.

Sure enough, he could hear... just behind him, multiple footsteps barely audible past all of the other noises of the city and especially Trishula talking to him, but he could hear... footsteps following them.

"Great Fox, can this headset record footage?" He asked quietly, resulting in Trishula looking at him in confusion.

[Affirmative Captain, the HUD Headset makes a continuous record of recordings, would you like to record something in particular?] She replied in a pleasant tone.

"Yes, start recording." He whispered as he reached up and pretended to scratch the back of his head, while subtly pulling the headset off and hiding it in his hand. "Trishula... I want you to hold my hand, while walking as close to me as you can to hide the headset. Then I want you to swing your arm slightly in time with mine..."

"What's wrong?" She replied quietly.

He waited until she had reached her hand down and grasped his, using her own body to disguise the headset until it was shifted enough so only the lens could be visible, and only barely then. After a bit they started swinging their arms ever so slightly. When he nodded, they separated and she took the chance to disguise him replacing the headset by turning to him and smiling, rubbing his head affectionately.

He pretended to laugh and they resumed looking forward, but now his headset was back on.

"Show me the recording." He whispered.

[Beginning playback.] Great Fox declared as she opened a window.

The window showed the bouncing of the headset as it was swung lightly, but through the pair's fingers he saw... behind them, and following them, four individuals that were dressed like pilots. He could even see when Great Fox paused the video, that all of them seemed to be armed with something attached to their fists, like fingerless metal gauntlets.

"We're being followed..." He told her quietly. "I can tell... they're following us, and they're armed."

He could feel Trishula's aura change from the cheerful, pleasant and slightly confused it was to now being on alert and tensing herself for a potential fight. He could see her balling her fist and her tail became tense, even her ears flickered, as she focused her hearing to listen as well.

"I've noticed... I thought it was just coincidence that they were on the same path we are... but if they're following us, they probably have a bone to pick with us." She whispered back. "Are you armed?"

"No... you?"

"Not anymore... threw it away when... uh... you know."

He gulped in response, neither of them was armed and they were staring down minimum 'four' guys looking to brawl.

"Why do they want to fight us, what did we do?" He whispered to her.

"Got on someone's nerves, enough to send some hired goons... only one name comes to mind now..."

"Mr. Bolbous?" He whispered, as that was the only name that came to mind.

"That fat, ugly excuse for a Belgan... sending hired 'thugs' because he lost his source of income and because he could 'never' get me. Jealous phat-ugda fookatara... so he sends a couple goons to follow you and do who knows what to us!"

"Well, they won't lay a hand on you, I won't let them." He told her sternly as he could their footsteps getting closer. "Great Fox... how far away is the spaceport from where we are?"

[Eight minutes at your current speed.]

He nodded, "Alright, here's the plan, we run to the spaceport, if we can get close enough to it, they won't follow us or risk fighting terminal security! We can't fight them"

She nodded, understanding the plan as she waited for his signal.

"Now!" He said, and instantly they booked it.

They ran as fast as they could, but were slightly weighed down thanks to Trishula's bags containing all of her squadron's stuff. Behind them the four thugs also started running, seeing their quarry had caught on to them.

He glanced back and saw the four individuals, all Mixed Belgans and smirking as they started to catch up to the two of them.

"Arthur!"

He looked forward and saw to his dismay two more thugs it looked like, jumping in front of them and putting on those same fingerless metal gauntlets on their hands. He looked in any direction for another way around, and saw an open alley. "This way!"

Trishula nodded and ran alongside him down the alley, pursued by the now 'six' thugs. Unfortunately, the alley was 'not' a two-way street, it ended after just a 'few' meters, forcing them to turn and confront their attackers. Said attackers were now walking toward them menacingly, some of them cupping their hands to tap the metal of their gauntlets together, creating an electrical shock with each strike.

"What's the matter, where ya going 'captain'?" The lead guy said in a 'fake' polite tone. "We just wanted a moment of your time, our 'boss' wants to have a nice little chat with you, and the cutie there behind you."

He put Trishula's stuff down behind him and took a step forward, grabbing the lid of one of the smallest trash containers he could hold to defend the two of them. Did he know how to fight, 'no', the most he did was punch a guy and give him a bloody nose before security separated him. But he was not going to let these guys lay a 'finger' on his girl if he could help it.

As he got the lid ready to defend himself, Great Fox appeared on the HUD and said, [Captain, I have detected you are in danger, my protection subroutines have activated and immediately notified the authorities. Please do what you can to stay safe until they arrive!]

He nodded as he braced himself. "Oh, and who is your 'boss'?" He asked.

"Oh, look at that, he's so precious, thinking he can take us on boys." The Belgan in front of him said as he looked at his 'boys', before whipping forward and moving so fast that he caught Arthur off guard with an uppercut to the stomach.

"MMHUwah..." He gasped in pain as he felt his stomach squeezed from the impact, causing him to drop his 'only' weapon, however pathetic it was.

Then he was grabbed and thrown into the wall nearby.

"Captain!" Trishula yelled as she dropped her items and tried to run forward and help, but two of the other guys ran forward and stopped her, grabbing her arms and holding her back. "Nnng get your filthy... Slimzei tencratulara dicatara fingers off of me!"

"Ooooh she can speak Native Belgan fluently, I see why the Boss has a thing for her. And you got quite the weapon rack!" One guy holding her said as he took advantage to feel her breasts.

"She's a Purebred native speaker and a looker too, man if Bolgous didn't pay us to bring you as well unharmed, I'd take you for a ride on my 'starship' babe!" The other guy said as he managed to wiggle his hand to grope her butt.

She snarled and spat at the guy who talked about his 'starship'. "Patahara Fools... your starships are 'tiny shriveled wrecks' compared to his I bet!"

"Keep your tongue unless you want us to decide to have fun with you now and tell Bolgous you shot yourself!" The leader said as he picked up Arthur by the neck and lifted him up.

He grunted and gasped, feeling the guy holding him up and 'barely' letting him breath, his feet frantically trying to find ground.

"Boss is 'maaaad' with you Mr. Fancy Captain. You made him lose his favorite cash squeeze, paying off that huge loan for him in one sitting. And you had to go and do a thing like paying off this girl's debt off to get in her arms? You 'really' screwed the wrong Belgan on this planet."

"Really... geack... well, maybe he just screwed himself... by not being a halfway decent 'person'." Arthur countered as he saw on his HUD that there was an ETA before the police arrived and all he had to do was 'stall'. "Tell your guys to get their slimy fingers off her, or I will kick 'all' your asses one by one!"

"Heh, well listen to you acting all 'tough', say... what kind of 'starship' do you have bud? Oh wait, no let me guess..." His strangler said with a grin as he moved closer. "It's that fancy looking 'Dylerian Luxury Transport' my boys scouted? That thing's the only ship remotely expensive enough on the entire landing ground of the spaceport here to warrant the repair bills Tony charged you for!"

He realized they had scouted for his ship ahead of time for Bolbous, but they had only scouted the transport, as that was the location where Tony said he'd go tomorrow.

"You... might say that!" He growled.

"Heh, nice ship I have to say, expensive too, that thing probably cost you a million 'least' to get it. Probably a used model, if it had to be repaired so much." He said as he smiled wickedly. "Well after the boss takes you on a 'private tour' on his starfighter, he'll have some 'fun' with your little lady friend here and then drop you off out in the middle of the ocean for a one way down swimming lesson. I think I'll take your ship as my own for a 'spin' after boss takes care of you... then again, I can save him the trouble... and off you right now! Who knows... maybe we can have some 'fun' with your girl before Mr. Bolgous gets his dick inside her."

"NRAAAAH!" Someone 'screamed', causing both them and the other three guys who were still watching to see Trishula as she stepped on the foot of one of her captors, loosening his grip on her and allowing her to punch the other guy in the face.

She then knee'd the second guy in the family jewels, and used the same motion to kick the other guy in his knee to send them both screaming in pain to the floor.

"Grrg, Get her!" The leader yelled at his colleagues who rushed her down, but while he was distracted, it gave Arthur an idea and the perfect opportunity to carry it out.

He wound up his foot, took aim based on mental knowledge and judgement based on their heights, and 'kicked'.

"Gouoaaa!" His captor 'screamed' in pain as he let go and clutched the front of his waist.

Arthur ran around and punched his attacker in the back of his neck, and then threw his weight into stepping onto the rear of his knee, forcing the guy to the ground. Then he grabbed the nearby lid and wacked him again and again in the head until he was 'sure' his former attacker would 'not' get up. He could see he was still breathing, but in so much pain that he was 'not' getting back up. "Told you I'd kick your ass..." He whispered angrily.

"Hang on Trishula I'm-" He started saying, thinking she might need help with the three thugs, only to turn and see her absolutely 'slaughtering' them.

She gave a martial art styled kick to one guy's stomach, and then turned that into blind elbow to the rear that struck another attacker's face, causing a bloody nose to start. She then grabbed him by the armpit and swung him over her shoulder into the third guy and sent them both tumbling to the ground. The second guy who had recovered she deflected a punch and used it to bring his 'chin' to her knuckles, which knocked out at least 'one' of his teeth and sent him squealing in pain, only to be swept off his feet with a sideways kick which turned into another elbow to the stomach that she used gravity to enhance the blow. The two guys she had pummeled before had managed to get up and 'tried' to fight back, but she rolled over, used her momentum to backflip off the ground and then land a foot into one's face, while she headbutted the other guy in his jewels for the 'second' time.

All the while she had an absolutely murderous glare on her face.

"I... guess you don't need my help?" He muttered, feeling like a wimp as he watched her movements.

"Like what you see Captain?" She asked with a halfhearted laugh as she grabbed one of her attackers again and turned his own gauntlet on himself, making him punch his own face.

"Uh... yea... how are..."

"This... is what HAPPENS-" She yelled as she threw guy number four to the ground with an over the shoulder throw, "when you 'HURT'-" she snarled as she sent guy number five into guy two on the ground, kicking him 'again' in the family jewel for the third time, "a Purebred Belgan female's 'BOYFRIEND'!'"

"It triggers our body's protective... 'INSTINCT'-" She declared to him as guy one weakly tried to throw a punch, "to protect the father of our future... 'PUPPIES'-" and she turned his own fist against himself, "and makes us a little faster, and 'stronger' for a... few... MINUTES!" and physically lifted him to throw him 'barrel style' into the last remaining thug still standing that she could see. "I also happen to have been trained in hand-to-hand combat from my academy days!"

After Trishula threw her last foe, she was surrounded by 'four' guys that were all so bruised they would not be getting up, and at least 'one' would probably never have a kid again if she had anything to say about it. Her body had pumped the chemical only her Purebred genes granted her, called Instactireine. She never had felt it's effect before, but she was learned of it because of her Purebred status. When it released into her systems, it sent her body into physical overdrive, her muscles became relaxed, her senses were heightened, and her cognitive reflexes were pushed to the limit. Combine that with about four years of hand-to-hand combat training from her flight academy days, and now she saw the results of what happens when someone threatens Arthur in front of her.

She looked at her opponents to see who else was still moving, when she hear the sound of a blaster pistol being unstrapped from a holster behind her. Instantly she snapped around and swung her arm to strike her opponent, but stopped as she saw that the 'fifth' guy she had thought was down was already wobbling on his feet. Seconds later the pistol he was holding flopped out of his hand, and he collapsed to the ground in a heap. Behind him was Arthur standing with his fist wielding one of their gauntlets, having punched the goon in the back of the head.

He smiled a little as he took off the gauntlet. "Nice toys..." He muttered as he dropped it on the guy.

"Thanks for the save, Captain." Trishula said with a smile as her breathing began to steady, feeling the Instactireine that was swimming through her system begin to die down.

"I had to at least save you from 'one' guy." He chuckled to her. "You're my pilot but you're still my girlfriend, and I promised Uncle Tony, I'd protect you."

"Aww... you're sweet." She said with a smile as she walked over to him. "But like I said, me and my girls are all trained combatants, not just in space but on the ground. We can act as your bodyguards when not in space."

[Thank goodness you are safe captain; I apologize that the authorities did not arrive sooner... but as long as you and Trishula are safe, that is all that matters.] Great Fox said in a relieved tone as she appeared now.

"I guess so, and I guess we didn't need the police's help after all." He muttered as he saw that the countdown for when the police would show up was just about to reach zero on his HUD. "Say, which of these two guys were the ones holding you and touched your body inappropriately?"

Trishula smirked as she glanced down and pointed at the two lowlifes in question. Arthur walked over and kicked both guys hard in their jewels, and if they had 'any' remaining semblance of consciousness they used it to clutch themselves in intense agony.

"Don't touch my girl!" He told them with a snarl.

She chuckled as they both began hearing a pair of police sirens approaching quickly. "Something tells me they 'won't' be having children anytime soon, or ever for that one..." She said while wrapping her arm around his.

They stood and waited for only a few more seconds when two police bikes flew overhead and landed heavily on either side of them. These were not the police he saw around Vextera spaceport, instead they were mechanical police officers, with large, broad and bulky bodies and a narrow head with a miniature police hat on top of them. Their bodies were painted to resemble police uniforms, and as they landed, they turned on their axels to 'roll' on a cylinder-wheel toward the group.

[Halt in the name of the law, nobody moves, this is your only warning.] One of them declared as he held up a hand.

[This is a violation of the public aggression act, under article two, four, six, subsection d, paragraph two, no public brawling is to be done in any section of the city. As of this moment you are all under arrest!] The second demanded as another police vehicle, a large van showed up and now multiple Belgan and Terran officers exited.

"Officer, I can explain, I'm Captain Arthur and these men were following me to attack and do me harm. We merely defended ourselves!"

"Nghey let go of me!" Trishula yelled as the first officer grabbed her and held her arms behind her.

"Wait, she's with me, she was just helping defend me officer!" He said as he turned back to the first. "We were only protecting ourselves; they were the aggressors and they tried to hurt or potentially kill us!"

The officer talking to him looked at the scene while his colleagues began to lift the thugs, putting cuffs on them.

[Sir, you will submit to a retinal scan now, please place your hands above your head and do not blink.] It said, and he complied to its demands, once the machine scanned his eye it stood up and declared, [Identity confirmed, you are Freelance Captain Arthur Smith, your ship AI contacted authorities declaring you were in need of assistance. Your pilot Trishula Belga Uno-Galara was with you and was also reported to be in need of assistance. Release the girl!]

[Apologies ma'am, this unit was only doing its job to restrain you for everyone's potential safety.] The second officer said as it let her go finally.

She huffed as she walked over to him and said, "These men were working for a Mixed Belgan, named Bolbous, he sent them to hurt Arthur and kitnap me."

[Do you have confirmation or proof?] They asked while their arms were folded behind their broad backs.

"I got my HUD Headset; I think it records stuff... will that count as proof?" He asked as he pointed at it.

[Please hand over your device sir.] The officer said as they extended an arm.

He took off the headset and placed it in the palm of the robot's, who then brought it up to their optic and scanned it, seemingly downloading some data from it. After a few moments it nodded and handed it back.

[Confirmed, testimony provided by Captain Arthur and these lowlifes imply the individual identified as Mr. Bolgous, hired these individuals to inflict bodily harm upon the Terran identified as Captain Arthur, and had intentions to and carried out the physical molesting, violating and potential to rape the Belgan identified as Trishula. Furthermore, the individual known as Mr. Bolgous had additional intentions to commit first-degree murder by drowning Captain Arthur and was planning to rape Trishula afterwards or even prior.]

[Disgusting filth, book em boys!] Officer one grunted thumbing in the direction of the van.

[Take them to the slammer-] Officer two continued,

[A one-way express ticket for each-] Officer one continued for two.

[May they rot!] They said in unison.

The biological officers half dragged and pushed the still moaning in pain thugs toward the van, shoving them into the back of it before taking off down the street.

"What about this Bolgous?" Arthur asked.

[Due to your testimony and their testimony based on recorded and highly credible footage, a public arrest warrant will be immediately issued. It should be noted though that you engaged in unwarranted aggressive actions against a defenseless individual, despite your prior actions being justified those two violated actions were not justified.]

He gulped as he remembered he kicked two guys when they were down, and he kind of incriminated himself just by offering the headset. "Well... I won't apologize... so if I have to pay for my crime, I'll pay for it..."

[We understand sir, and your willingness to cooperate peacefully is appreciated, however, due to your status as a 'Freelance Captain', and due to the circumstances of the situation of your action, we will overlook and not report this violation. You were merely defending your girl from those seeking to violate the sanctity of her body. Your first action was to immediately get in front of her to protect her from harm, and even before that you were focused on her protection by attempting to flee with her.] Officer one said in a proud tone.

[You are to be commended for protecting her.] Officer two declared.

[On behalf of all honest men in the galaxy, we salute you!] They both said in unison while saluting him.

Trishula chuckled as she wiggled her arm into his and pecked his cheek.

Suddenly a blue light lit up under one of their hats and they put a hand to their 'ear', even though Arthur couldn't see one, and they nodded as if talking to someone.

[Attention, we have multiple traffic violations of a ground-based vehicle on the corner of Graxtara and Felbelmel, speeding in a school zone and running a holo-stop sign!]

[They never learn, idiots responding to violating the law by violating another law!]

[This one is getting his license revoked-]

[And a one-way ticket to jail-]

[What a loser!]

Arthur just chuckled as the two officers conversed with each other, yep, he probably assumed his old world's officers had thoughts like this as well.

[Take care now, and have a nice day!] Officer One said as their hat lifted up to reveal a light bulb under it.

[Let's Roll!] Officer Two said with a nod, and both did one eighties, heading to their bikes and taking off over the buildings, sirens wailing and sounding them off.

He sighed as he and Trishula nodded and went to pick up her bags again, and together they made their way to the spaceport. A few minutes later they arrived and were allowed through, they then found an automated transport waiting to take them to Blue Fox. A short drive later in which they just sat next to each other in silence, and he saw his Blue Fox waiting for him with the stairs extended and the door opening for them.

"Wow, so 'this' is what it looks like on the inside." Trishula said as she placed her bags on one of the many empty passenger seats.

"Yep, to be fair I was so nervous about using this as a regular transport first time landing here. It looked so 'grand' that it seemed a shame to use it as a simple transport." He told her as the door closed up and everything started coming online.

"Say before we get going... do you mind if we explore Blue Fox a little bit?" She asked with a smile. "I just want to take a peek around since I know Yumi will just 'salivate' at hearing her squad leader got to see the inside before she could."

"Are we scheduled to leave the spaceport anytime soon Great Fox?" He asked, as he knew Great Fox was listening always.

[Negative Captain, you may remain as long as you wish, however it is getting late, and I recommend returning soon for bed.]

He nodded and placed the bags he was carrying next to hers and then led the way down the staircase. The downstairs area was divided into three separate compartments. The one they entered into was the large dining area, multiple tables built into the wall served as seating while seating was provided by large couch-like cushions built into the floor and walls. Along the center of the room was a layer of wall that divided the room and had multiple small viewscreens for viewing entertainment purposes, there were even window viewports so one could look outside while eating. At the rear of the ship was a door that read 'Captain's Dining Room', indicating that it was a private room. Another door read 'Kitchen', and a brief look revealed that his personal dining area was a spacious room with its own viewscreen, circular seating couch and matching table with space to spare.

They went back upstairs and checked out the door behind the main seating area, and saw that it led to the 'living quarters' that he was told of. At the farthest room near the end was a door that revealed the private 'hot tub' room, empty but easily capable of fitting up to ten people alone and space to walk around. The rest of the corridor was made up of twenty private bedrooms, each relatively small compared to every other room so far, but they still had space for a twin-sized bed, shelf, viewscreen, built in bathroom that could be folded and stored away for extra space.

"Wow, this thing really 'is' a luxury transport." He muttered as he could not imagine all this being on a 'standard transport'. "I just wonder why 'anyone' would consider putting this as a 'standard issue' transport attached to Great Fox."

"I don't know Captain, but honestly I like this ship almost as much as Great Fox." Trishula whispered soothingly as she sidled up to him and pressed her bust into his back. "You know captain..."

He turned around to see her looking at him with her seductive eyes, slowly blinking as she leaned closer to his face, already wetting her lips as she pecked his.

"You hired me and my girls to be your pilots... but we also double as bodyguards when planet side. Considering how well I... 'protected' you today... don't you think your 'pilot' deserves a bonus?"

"What kind of 'bonus' did you have in mind?" He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her body, gently squeezing her firm but cheeks past her pants.

"Hmhmmhm..." She whispered as she leaned up to his ear and whispered, "I think you know what I want, and you're already on the right track... I wanted to reward you for being so brave and trying to protect me, even though I'm the one hired to protect you. So... about that 'bonus'?"

He nodded as he hugged her tighter and they began sharing kisses, their tongues teasingly playing with the other while they slowly began to adjust and help remove the other's clothes.

"Mhmmch Great Fox... keep Blue Fox on standby... I need to... 'negotiate' Trishula about... an advance payment option." He told her in between each kiss. "If anyone asks, she's... engaging in private discussions with me."

[As you wish Captain, I will make a note of that...] Great Fox said, in a 'polite' tone as they began to remove their clothes. [I will... leave you two to your... 'negotiations'...]

He nodded as when Great Fox finished talking, they had tossed each other's uniforms to the floor and were now currently, 'engaging' in negotiations on the bed, Trishula resting atop his lap as he sat with her. However, she was still wearing her bra and panties and teasing his 'naked' body with her 'mostly' naked body. Arthur though found it very erotic and was actually just as into her showing herself to him but teasingly hiding the best parts of her from his eyes.

While they kissed and continued to make out, he reached up with one hand and began feeling the soft fleshy mounds of her feminine body, slipping under her bra and giving them gently massages and squeezing them. At the same time, he gently rubbed the back of her body until he moved further and further down, with his fingers poking and feeling her furry tail, while moving further down and slipping past her panties to feel her fur covered butt cheeks. With her panties now constraining to hold her butt and now his hands they were forced to stretch, allowing him to lightly finger her sex and give tiny pleasurable slaps.

"Mmhmmm mhmm oh yea..." She whispered into his mouth, her head leaning back and letting him explore her body some more. "Oooh yea... mhmm yea Arthur... oh that feels wonderful." She reached down and grabbed the folds of her bra, pulling it up and off to remove the offending article of clothing from covering her D-Cups and restraining them from freely showing off their wonders to him.

Instantly he leaned forward and started sucking and licking her fleshy orbs, tasting the paradise that was her body for him and continuing to squeeze her milk producers. He used his index finger to tease her nipples, getting them to ever so slightly change colors from their dark blue, to a slightly shade darker while also making them erect from the constant teasing. As for her other breast, he was sucking and lapping at the mound like a baby trying to extract milk from its mother.

"MHmyea... oooh baby... ooovuwa... Meluvra... Meluvra... I love it..." She whispered in her native tongue. "Nhah... haaah... hah... oh yea... oh it feels good..."

While she kept her head back and bent backward to give him all the room he needed to please her breasts, she used the angle she had while holding onto him with one arm, to use the other to wiggle between them and stroke his dick, feeling it lengthening and hardening in her fingers. She even extended her smallest digit, her pinkie, to teasingly rub his sack, feeling the source of his 'starships' wiggle ever so slightly in delight, pulsating as they detected the stimulation.

"Mmhmyea... ooooh yea your starship is 'bigger' than theirs, oh 'way' bigger and better Captain." She teased.

"How do you know?" He said with a smirk to her grinning face.

She stopped teasing his balls to resume stroking his dick, after she brought her hand up to her mouth to lick it, feeling it nearing its full length and already feeling a bit of his pre slip out and getting it ready to enter her pussy. Her pussy meanwhile had been teased to perfection; it was starting to leak its own juices in excitement all over his fingers as he poked her nectarous flower.

"I kept punching them in the dick and sack... I managed to get a 'feel' for their size while I crushed their 'starfighters' hopes of achieving a 'landing' someday... like I told them, they were 'tiny shriveled wrecks' compared to yours." She winked at him. "They were strong, muscular, probably taking some steroidal compound to be tougher for their boss... but that stuff always has 'side effects'... some... unfortunate for guys."

"I think as a guy I should feel pain at hearing you describe them... but because we're 'negotiating'... I think we can move on from the negotiations and pay you that bonus even more."

She giggled as while she still handled his meaty rod in her hand, used a finger to slide her panties aside enough to expose her pussy as he pulled away to grip her waist more.

"Like I said we female Purebred Belgans get protective of our puppy's potential father... 'this' is where my puppies will come from, and nothing is going to happen to the shipyard your 'starships' are produced in, or the starship that transports them, so they can have a safe transit into my spaceport!" She cooed as she teased his dick with her sex. "Besides... they weren't using their starships anyway, so I don't think they deserve to have any next of kin."

"Hmhmhm... Mini Arthur-1 to Spaceport Trishula... permission to dock?"

"Spaceport Trishula to Mini Arthur-1... permission 'granted'." She cooed sweetly into his ear.

With that he lowered her onto him and she gasped in pleasure. Her sex was instantly filled with the length of her lover, once again coming back to dock with her pussy and give it the pleasure of an experience only he could give her and she would reciprocate. She bent her legs so that she could get better control and began to ride up and down on his dick feeling it push in and out, gently poking and prodding her cervix and massaging the fleshy walls of her soft insides, coating it in a juicy liquid that was secreted from her sex due to pleasure, easing its entry and increasing its ability to slide deeper and deeper into her.

"Hah... hah... hoahoaya... oouohya... mhmm so good captain."

"Yea... oooh yea you feel tight Trishula... oh your pussy, your 'starport' is perfect for me..."

"Yea... yea it is... ohyea your starship is just the right fit... ohoho yea!" She replied as she pushed him onto his back and proceeded to bounce up and down harder. "Yea... heeya, oh yea it feels good inside me... oh I can feel your starship twitching... oh it wanted me so much. Oh, it missed me fffuck!"

He reached up and grabbed her breasts that were now bouncing freely, up and down like hypnotic orbs that grabbed his attention and demanded he tend to them now. As he grabbed her mouth widened in a pleasurable smile, using her own hands to hold his in place, feeling him squeeze and tease her nipples while her fleshy orbs were squished between his fingers and made to massage by hers. Her body was being stimulated on two fronts.

"Hah, hah, haohya! Ooohoya Veluva Porrava!" She panted out as her tongue lolled out of her mouth in pleasure. "Oohyea fuck me... oh yes Arthur... you're my captain... oh yes you 'are' my captain, oh you are! And my shiAh... sh-sh... body is your 'ship'..."

"You feel so amazing Trishula, you're so tight... so tight... I love you!" He whispered as he leaned up and pulled her into a kiss, slowing down their sex to enjoy a moment of the lips.

She welcomed it as she pulled her arms away from her breasts and his hands to hold the back of his head, stroking her fingers through his black messy hair now, and kissed him deeply, cooing as he used the embrace to only 'gently' push in and out of her sex. Her pussy was wiggling in delight from the sensations, her breasts were squished against his chest, and her legs wrapped around his hips in instinct to tighten themselves together. As for her tail, well it was currently doing its own thing, acting like it had a mind of its own and wagging from side to side.

After a few moments of kissing, he separated from her lips and returned his hands to her wonderful mountains, cupping and teasing the perky tips as she returned hers to further stimulate herself, her hips bouncing up and down on his dick while he thrust up and down in time with her movements, hitting and hilting into her sex each time she dropped down, making her cervix feel like it was being bombarded from the tip of his dick constantly smacking into it.

"Ohoya... yea... yeahaa... uuuhoya, Spaceport Trishula... oohoyeato Mini Artha... Arthur-1... our shields are weakening... your batteries are... haha... firing on us... oohohoho please commence emergency docking... hohohya! Our docking bay... hohya is... bay door is stuck... you have to breach with more force to enter!" She panted, her breasts bouncing in their hands while she continued to ride his dick, going faster and with more force, the sound of his skin slapping against her fur covered flesh reverberating in the room.

Her spaceship languor for sex was such a huge turn on for him that he couldn't resist. He immediately lifted her and turned them around, placing her gently on the bed and causing her to smile in delight at the new position. She wrapped her legs around his and locked him in place, holding onto his shoulders for leverage.

Once they were ready, he raised himself and started 'smacking' into her, going harder and using more force, shoving downward with all the strength he could go and both of them moaning from the action.

"Ooohya... oooohyea fuck it feels good!" He gasped as her sex got tighter from the action. "This feels amazing!"

"Myea... hah... hah, ooohya... ohoyha, oh docking... bayhah... doors... breaking... fuck yea... more... harder... harder... Minihaaaa Artruatra uma... bakada... bakada my bay door open!" She squealed and screamed in delight, feeling him hammering her cervix and sliding deeper into her body. "Oohya... ooooohya... shields... buckling... ooohya, haaah, haaah... ooohya!"

He continued to thrust harder and harder into her pussy, her walls tightening and expanding with each movement, her sex juice oozing from her and making his dick so slippery to the touch. She could feel his member starting to twitch, the heat from their bodies creating a pleasurable feel that was sending her senses into overdrive. She instinctively could 'smell' the time of release approaching, she could just picture his sack getting ready to release the payload of his life creating sperm, seeking to breed and procreate with her to make a new life.

"So... oooh fuck... this is what... nnha it feels like... to have 'child-bearing hips'?" He asked her.

"Yea... haho ahha, hah you have... oooh a 'child giving dick'..." She squealed. "Oh your... so deep... so deep... oh harder... yes... yes!"

"Hah... hah... oh fuck... i'm about to cum!" He yelled as he began picking up his pace, no longer pulling out and just trying to shove harder and deeper.

"Yea... yea... inside, inside me... oooohyeaaa." She squealed as she tightened her legs, her head leaning back into the bed as she awaited that blessed feeling.

"Yea... hah... yea... yea... here... here it comes... ffuuuuuck!" He screamed as he felt it coming, and pulled out just a bit to shove back in with one mighty show of force with his hips.

"Aahhhahahaaaa!" She yelled as she too came, feeling him break her cervix wide open with that final assault from his 'starship', giving his little starfighters direct access to her body's starport. "Oohya mmh! Mmmmph? Mmhmmmph~!"

She wanted to scream her release, but just as he started to cum, he pushed right up against her body and kissed her lips. Her eyes widened in surprise, then slowly settled as they relaxed, then closed in delight as she was embraced 'entirely' by her beloved Terran. As they embraced each other, holding the other closely, she could 'feel' his dick twitching, feeling him releasing spurt after spurt of hot gooey seed.

"Mhmm... mhmmph... mmhmmmhmph!" She moaned into his lips, gently cooing and giving his body all the pleasure it wanted, feeling him release his seed into her body.

He also moaned into her lips, their tongues dancing a weak, but loving tango as they lived in the afterglow of their love making. Their hips twitched slightly, trying their best to ride out the sexual high they were both feeling as it slowly began to dissipate. But after a few more minutes of silently embracing the other and enjoying their partnership with each other, they separated and began panting.

"I love it when you use space terms during sex." He whispered to her.

She giggled as she bopped his nose playfully with a finger, "I noticed you get more excited when I did it... can you do me a favor and 'slowly' slide out of me?"

He nodded and did as she asked, slowly pulling out of her pussy with his exhausted dick limply flopping out, but as it did, she quickly reached down and slid her panties back into place, even pulling the strings up to tighten them.

"I didn't want to spill any... I love feeling them in me..." She whispered with a playful wink before leaning up and gently licking his cheek. "I want 'all' of your starfighters to enjoy their time in my spaceport. One day they'll go on their most important mission, the journey to make me a mother... but until that day comes, my spaceport is their playground for as long as they can live in me." She then looked at his limp dick and how slimy it was from their juices and slid down off the bed with a grin. "Allow 'Spaceport Trishula' to perform a quick cleaning service on 'Mini Arthur-1'..."

She opened her mouth and used her tongue to start licking clean his flaccid member, giving the exhausted tool of her male lover a well-earned cleaning for its service earlier. As she licked and pulled it into her mouth, she felt the tired dick slowly start to try and restart, thinking it had to go back to work, but she shook her head sadly at it. They had to go back to the ship now, they'd spent long enough away doing things. So, after a few moments of cleaning his dick, feeling her tongue play and lather his exhausted member, she pulled away with a 'plop' and smiled at him.

"Alright... let's get going Captain." She told him.

After a final kiss they both started getting dressed again, making themselves presentable for when they'd leave. They closed the door with Arthur noticing the mess of the bed, and wondering if maybe he should do something about it.

"Uh, Great Fox, out of curiosity, who does the 'cleaning' of beds and bedsheets?" He asked it. "I noticed that my bed is 'always' made and the sheets, blankets and everything is cleaned down every night."

[The ship has automated capabilities regarding cleaning sleepwear, articles of clothing, and anything used related to food.] Great Fox responded. [As for any 'messes' located in Blue Fox, it 'also' carries an automated cleaning unit. Once you depart from Blue Fox and return to Great Fox, I will initiate the vessel's automated cleaning protocols.]

He glanced back at the bed and then to the nearby camera looking at him. "Uh... does that mean... 'you' do all the cleaning, or the 'ship'? As in 'you' Great Fox the AI, or the ship itself, does it?"

[The ship is automated to clean... I only initiate the protocols.] She explained. [Were you... inquiring about something specific?]

"I just... well..." He said as he glanced at Trishula next to him who blushed. "I didn't want you to have to clean... any 'messes' we make... for people who weren't involved with the mess its... awkward for them."

[I am... 'grateful'... for your concern Captain.] She replied in a heartwarming tone. [Rest assured though; I will not have to directly clean your... 'negotiations' with Trishula or if you engage in such 'actions' with other members of the crew. Or if they do it while serving aboard the ship. I... your Ship AI, will merely initiate the automatic protocol and it will carry it out without my further attention needed.]

He sighed in relief; he didn't want to force his ship to be cleaning their 'messes' on the bed when they got a bit frisky.

[May I make a... 'private' inquiry into your... 'negotiations' as you described it.] The ship asked.

They both looked at the camera in surprise. "Uh... what 'kind' Great Fox?" Trishula asked.

[You are not required to answer, and this will not affect my abilities or personality as a Ship AI. But... I am... curious about... 'why' you do it?] Great Fox asked in a, seemingly 'tentative' and shy tone. [Why... you cannot be impregnated at this time Trishula... what does the act of... procreation... when you cannot perform it's intended function... give you both besides carnal pleasure?]

Trishula and Arthur both blushed in embarrassment at the AI asking them 'why' they liked having sex. But his ship AI was... unique it seemed, and she was his ship, and she had been privy to many of his deeper thoughts and secrets.

"It's because I love him." Trishula said proudly, placing her arm around him. "I love him and I just want to be with him, even if we don't have sex every day, I enjoy being with him. And my body deep down desires him even if it cannot have his child yet, and because of that desire I enjoy being intimate with him. It's not the 'baby making' aspect that makes me want him, it's the 'being with him' that makes me desire him."

He nodded in agreement, he liked Trishula and just wanted to be with her as well. "Yea, that's exactly my thoughts too Great Fox, that's why I was willing to do all I could for her uncle today. Because I loved her... and her closest thing to a dad needed help... I don't need any more reason."

The ship's camera switched between them for a few seconds, before it gave a 'nod' of its own. [Thank you... I was curious...] She replied softly. [Trishula... you picked a good man... my Captain is a good person. My records have proof of his character... don't ever leave his side... or I will be... disappointed in you.]

Trishula laughed as she kissed his cheek, "No worries here Great Fox!"

After returning to the main seating area, Trishula chose to sit in the pilot's seat while he sat next to her in the co-pilot's seat. After a bit of pleading, he allowed Trishula to 'pilot' the Blue Fox back to Great Fox. In her words, she wanted to do it before 'Yumi' because it would make her whine and complain, and her squadron always found her funny when she pouted.

"Alright, all engines are green, we're cleared to depart, course laid in and we are sky bound!" Trishula said as pushed several buttons to get everything going.

As the ship slowly began to rise, he buckled his seat so he wouldn't fall out of it, while next to him Trishula handled the controls of the transport as easily as she handled a starfighter. "I didn't think you knew how to fly a transport Trishula."

"I'm a licensed pilot Captain Arthur, I can handle all 'kinds' of starships, from the starfighters in your hanger to the transport we're sitting in, to even a 'specific' starship." She said to him with a wink.

[It is fortunate you know how to operate a Dylerian Transport, however please allow Great Fox to handle the docking of this vessel.] Great Fox said as they started off and away from Paxtermina Spaceport, to return to Vextera Spaceport.

"Oh, come on Great Fox, don't you trust me?" Trishula asked with a raised eyebrow.

[While your capabilities are not in question, while my Captain is aboard, I prefer to not take the risk of any potential harm.]

"So, you'll take a risk with 'me' but not Arthur?" She asked with a roll of her eyes.

[That is not what I implied; I just do not wish to take 'any' risk.]

"Suuuure..." Trishula said with another raised eyebrow.

"Don't take it too personal, if it makes you feel any better, she probably wouldn't trust 'me' entirely to pilot a starfighter by myself without her having instant access to my controls." He told her.

"Oh, why's that?" Trishula asked as they flew past a few hills.

"Well, it happened a couple weeks after I first purchased Great Fox... when I still had more Arwings at the time. I decided to take one for a test flight, and I tried to manually land the fighter in the hanger bay." He explained with a hint of embarrassment. "It didn't go so well for me, I tried and failed to connect to the Hanger and accidentally rammed the fighter into the ship's shield."

[If it weren't for the ship's emergency transportation procedure, and the Restoration Vitality Pod, you would have died... and we would not be having this discussion now.] The Great Fox said.

Trishula started laughing hysterically at that bit of information, laughing so hard she had to grab her chest and force herself to calm down. "Y-y-y-you CRASHED into your own 'ship'? How did you manage that?" She forced through her fits of laughter. "The fighter has an auto-pilot feature that kicks in if you are attempting a docking procedure but you aren't aligned with the hanger. 'before' you have the chance to crash!"

[That is something even 'I' do not know... it is... if you will forgive me for saying this Captain... a 'remarkable' achievement.]

He just sat in his seat listening to his ship and his girlfriend talk about his 'amazing feat' while they continued to fly. As they continued to fly the terrain began to change, from grassy fields, minor signs of civilization and farmlands to wildlands and forests. Soon they could even see the distant mountains that marked one of the final landmarks before they reached the open oceans.

*Beep*

Trishula glanced at her instruments and began flipping switches and pushing buttons, looking at a screen in confusion.

"What's up?" He asked as she looked very confused, still flicking switches.

"Weird..." She muttered as she idly tapped the screen next to her. "I don't know why, but for just an instance, our instruments picked up another ship directly behind us."

"Could it be a malfunction?" He asked her, knowing how sometimes things might break or malfunction for random reasons.

"I don't see 'how', everything is practically factory new. This thing has like, point zero zero zero zero zero... zero one percent of the flight time Great Fox has." She said, still staring at the scanning device. "I mean its 'working', it shows all the nearby ships it can detect in range, I can see like four, mostly planetary cargo transporters, short range, but they're super far away compared to that... blip that appeared for an instant. Whatever it was, it was 'directly' behind us."

"Odd..." He muttered.

"Hmm, maybe it 'was' a malfunction... who knows, maybe it was just... a bug or something in the system." Trishula told him as she returned to focusing on flying.

So, they flew onward, past the mountains and past a few more kilometers of land before they finally saw the deep blue ocean of Belga Cinco. The oceans were beautiful like when he first saw them, vast and open, deep azure hues of blue while above clouds vast and fluffy dotted and covered the sky at multiple levels.

"Alright, we are officially over the ocean Captain, best time we will reach Great Fox in just over fifteen minutes." She told him.

"Good... I can't wait to get back to the ship, as much as I enjoyed the visit to the planet's service, I need to line up a job for Great Fox." He muttered to her. "I have spent so much these past few days, and the job I took that required us to come here barely paid much for what I spent."

"What was the job if you don't mind me asking?"

"We were delivering food from Belga Seis to Cinco, only paid about a hundred thousand, though we did eliminate a small gang of pirate ships for another thirty thousand, and we sold some wreckage for another ten thousand I believe."

"And then you spent over three billion for me and my squad, and then another eight hundred thousand to help Uncle Tony..." She muttered as she did the mental calculations in her head, realizing how much this trip has cost her new captain. "On top of the unmanned fighters... the fuel for Blue Fox... our fighters upkeep costs to fuel, arm... not to mention Great Fox's needs... that's practically five million down the drain..."

"Yea..." He told her, but then he leaned over and patted her hand that wasn't busy steering, causing her to look over at him. "But if it was to help you, I would have paid the price of your squadron's debt and your uncle's five times over without hesitation."

[Technically you said 'ten' times over...] Great Fox politely chided.

"Thank you for correcting me, 'Ten' times over."

She smiled lovingly as she reflectively spread her fingers apart to allow their hand's fingers to mix and mingle in an embrace, while she leaned over and puckered her lips to kiss-

*BshrREEENnng*

The entire ship buckled from the sudden impact, almost throwing them from their seats had they not been buckled up.

*BshrREEENnng*

Again, something happened that caused the ship to buckle, multiple lights and screens flickering and shutting off, but this time even the lights shut off, resulting in emergency red lights to turn on.

"What's going on?" He yelled as the shields flashed, indicating they just protected the hull of the transport from something. "Great Fox, come in, what's happening?"

[...]

"Great Fox? Great FOX!" He yelled, as he tried tapping his headset, but it wasn't responding. "Trishula who's hitting us? What's going on?"

Trishula was frantically flicking switches and trying to answer his questions. "I don't know, something hit us that knocked out several of our systems!" She yelled, and as if to answer her questions another 'something' connected with the shields, this time though it was clear they were being shot at by plasma bolts, lots of them. "We're being fired upon by an unknown vessel, it wasn't there a minute ago! Scanners are offline, long range communications systems are shot, Great Fox's external link to us is down... whatever they hit us with in the first two volleys disabled everything but our ability to fly. We're completely blind, I can't tell where we're going now, I can't correct our course! I can't even send out a distress call, we're too far out for anyone to pick it up at this range!"

*BSHreeng*

They buckled again in their seats as the shields took another blast of plasma from their attacker. Trishula panicked as she checked their status, what little the vessel could display for her. "Shields are down to forty-six percent, they're buckling under this attack, if we're shot down this far out to see we'll drown!"

[That's the idea my 'sweetie'!] A snobbish voice cackled, a distinct voice that they recognized belonging to Mr. Bolgous.

On a screen in front of them they received an open short-range transmission, and they saw Mr. Bolgous the Mixed Belgan said with his 'pig-like' face grinning in delight at their plight.

"You, what is the meaning of this, why are you doing this unwarranted attack?" He asked angrily.

[Why did 'you' have to go and get an open arrest warrant issued for me?] He snarled angrily. [Do you realize now I have to 'leave' Belga Cinco, I had a damn good business going for me, I had 'everything' I ever wanted, well almost... and then you had to go and SPOIL it for me!]

*BRRRshhng*

The ship buckled as Trishula began taking evasive action, trying to avoid the oncoming barrages of plasma bolts being fired from their pursuer.

[All you had to do, was 'stay out of my way', and I would have had 'everything' going for me.] Bolgous said in a snot riddled voice. [And as for 'you' my sweet little lady, why did you have to go and be with this guy... I would have taken 'gooooood' care of you, woulda paid your debts off, woulda gotten you anything you wanted. We woulda made some 'good' kids together.]

"Grrrg... you are 'sick' and utterly 'insane', you six generations worth of inbreeding, Piuahatara Badhara Terara, whituara moldra ehncroostra diketara, sewn together sack of 'meat'... if you think for a SECOND, I'd ever go on even a drink date with you, let alone even 'consider' for a drunken thought, of letting those shriveled, tiny, laughably pathetic excuses you call 'sperm' even near my womb!"

Arthur just 'stared' at the venomous tirade of Basic Galactic and Native Belgan words strung together in the form of an insult that escaped Trishula's mouth. "What did you 'call' him?" He whispered in shock, more impressed than anything.

"You don't wanna know..." She angrily replied through clenched teeth.

[Well... if 'that's' how you feel, you can 'join' that loser at the bottom of the sea!] Bolgous snorted cruelly. [Your new 'boyfriend's ship is 'NOTHING' compared to mine. That thing may be a 'fancy' luxury transport, but my ship is almost five times as expensive. I don't know who he transports with it for his job to be able to afford it, but that tug will 'never' escape my custom made Himgar Zentra K-891 Starfighter!]

They swerved from side to side as Trishula did everything in her power to try and evade or outpace Bolgous' fighter, but it was as he said, they couldn't avoid him or escape him. He was matching their maneuvers with minor adjustments, and firing on them, only missing because Trishula's amazing skills allowed her to anticipate his timings.

"Nnnnghah... he's right Captain... I can't dodge him forever!" She told him. "Blue Fox is just not that nimble of a craft! It wasn't made to evade starfighter pursuit, let alone take this kind of a beating."

To prove her point they were fired upon and they buckled under the assault.

"Shields down to thirty-seven percent. He can outfly us and outlast us!"

[Not only that, but my vessel has a built in... shall we say, 'cloaking field'?] Bolgous cackled. [My ship is coated in a special metal that deflects standard scanning equipment of both ground and space-based vehicles and platforms. Once I kill you two, I'll just escape this system and head to a new one, I'll restart my business with my cash under a new name... I can easily pay for an underground market biologist to perform a procedure on my eyes to change them so even the government-controlled population database can't tell the difference.]

Arthur grimaced as the ship was fired upon again, and wished he had 'some way' to contact Great Fox for help, but with the long-range communications down they were unable to call for help. They were blind, they were deaf, and they were being attacked over the oceans.

But then he remembered something...

"Wait... Trishula, take us into the clouds!" He ordered.

"Understood!" She said, pulling on the handle to make Blue Fox fly upward, heading toward the sky that was turning orange as day slowly turned to night.

[And where do you think 'you're' going!] Bolgous snorted. [Here... This'll bust up your 'preeeecious' ship reeeal good!]

A warning light appeared as he looked to the co-pilot's side, and saw a warning symbol approaching them. Even 'he' knew what that was.

"He fired a missile at us... brace yourself!" He yelled.

*BRaaaawrgh*

The missile connected to the ship, but the shields managed to hold and protect them from the damage, but they were all but gone as Trishula reported. "Ugh... we're down to thirteen percent... we can't take much more Arthur!"

"Just keep us flying, use the clouds for cover!" He told her. "Is there any way to increase our shields strength, we just need to hold out."

"Ugh... maybe... but I don't know what systems we can pull power from to channel into the shields!" She said as she punched in commands.

"Take it from everything, everything but the engines!" He said as he tapped a screen and looked up the various systems himself, seeing several adjustable bars and flinging them to 'zero'.

"Even life support?" She asked incredulously.

"We aren't using a hot tub, we aren't cooking, and if we take too much damage and crash into the sea we won't need to worry about a fire on the ship. As for our air, it's just the two of us... I think we can last without a fresh supply every few minutes!"

"Got it!" She said as she flicked her finger and waved a bar to the right. "There... shield strength at sixty-four percent, but that's all we got left!"

"It'll do!" He assured her.

*BRRRshhng*

*BRRRshhng*

*BRRRshhng*

Their ship buckled from the onslaught, multiple shots coming from their pursuer.

[That Dylerian Transport may be a beautiful work of art, crafted by some of the best ship builders on this side of the galaxy, but that thing is nothing more than a big slow cargo-liner. And you thought 'that' is a 'really big ship'? Buahahahaahah!] Bolgous laughed in amusement.

"Shields down to thirty-seven percent..." Trishula muttered as she took more evasive actions, flying around and through clouds, anything to shake their pursuer or at least throw his aim off. "I don't know what more I can do... she just isn't 'built' for this kind of a beating."

"I know..." He muttered as he frantically searched the skies, looking for her, looking for 'any' sign of her. "Are we as high as we can go?"

"This is as high as the ship can fly with life support offline and the artificial gravity generator down." She muttered. "Any further, and the air will start to freeze, and the planet's gravity will start to lose its pull on us!"

He nodded as he continued to stare, looking for 'any' sign... a glint of light, a shadow... anything! "We need a bit more time..." He quietly whispered. "Contact Bolgous!"

"What?" She asked incredulously.

"Do it!" He demanded, desperately hoping he could at least 'reason' with that pig enough to get him to talk even for a few minutes. "We just need to stall, trust me!"

Trishula nodded as she tapped the communicator and called up Bolgous to their screen.

"Bolgous, what do you want?" He said, pretending to sound desperate.

[Waaant? What do I waaaant?] He cackled. [I want you dead, nothing more, that's it... just dead... you and that 'dung heap' you call a ship, dead, on the bottom of the sea!]

He gulped as he glanced around, saw nothing yet... and turned back to their attacker. "Fine, you win... you can kill me, but at least let me save Trishula!" He pleaded.

"Captain..." She started saying but he shook his head.

"Bolgous even 'you' should have some kind of a heart beneath that skin of yours. She's a female Belgan, she doesn't deserve to be killed because of 'me'. If you hate me, so be it, I'll let you kill me, but at least let me land my ship in the ocean and give her enough supplies and a rescue beacon so she can be saved by 'someone'."

[Ooooh, such a 'precious' hero, willing to let himself die to save his little 'whore' of a girl!] He cackled back, practically 'giddy' with delight at hearing Arthur's desperate pleas for mercy. [And why should I even let her live after what she called me?]

Far, very far in the distance, he saw it... a tiny 'glint' of light reflecting through the clouds, the last light from Belga Cinco's sun bouncing off the surface of something metallic, northwest of their position based on the compass.

His heart skipped; he just needed a bit more time.

"Because... because... because she's PREGNANT!" He yelled.

Trishula did a double take as she glanced at him in 'bewilderment' at that statement.

[WHAAAAT?] Bolgous also responded over the comms.

"Yes, she's pregnant, I found out six days ago... I wanted to tell her after our date tomorrow, that's why I started dating her recently. I found out it happened when we got drunk and I took her back to my ship one night... that's the real reason why I paid off her debt, why I hired her squadron, I was... trying to make amends for my mistake!" He said hysterically, turning to her and winking with his left eye to give her a signal.

After seeing the wink, she nodded subtly and played along. "You... got me 'pregnant'?" She stammered, pretending to look at her belly and holding it with one hand. "You... 'knew'... I told you I was in my cycle... and... you 'still'..."

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I wanted to 'fly over the clouds' with you, I wanted it to be romantic as we flew over the 'northwest' sea! I wanted to make it memorable from 'our position' over the 'northwest' as we flew 'over the clouds'!" He said, emphasizing each word, before he turned to the pig. "So 'please'... I'm begging you, from one guy to another don't let her suffer because of me! She has suffered enough in life!"

[Awww, aint that 'special'... it almost makes me shed a tear... tell you what, I'll give you the emotional sendoff you deserve with a 'watery grave'!]

The instant Bolgous stopped talking, Trishula floored the turning and headed northwest of their current path. It was fortunate she did the turn as Bolgous fired off more salvos of plasma bolts from his fighter. He knew that maneuver wouldn't stall for long, and sure enough a few seconds later a stream of bolts flew past them with Trishula dodging as best she could, but Blue Fox was not a starfighter so it couldn't evade for long.

*BRRRshhng*

*BRRRshhng*

"Uuugh... shields down to seven percent... one more salvo and were dead!" She called out.

"Get ready to pull up!" He said as he saw a large dark shadow racing toward them beneath the clouds. "Reeeeady..."

Bolgous laughed as he locked his targeting system on the transport. The bloated ship that was nothing more than a 'fancy' transport. Oh sure, it looked pretty enough but the thing was just a giant slow target for his starship to shoot down. It was childishly easy to hide with his ship's scattering armor plating that all but disguised his ship from tracking equipment. Once he'd sent these guys on a one-way swimming trip, he could slip past the orbiting defense platforms and make his way to Belga Uno, or Dos, or even Seis! He'll have to lay low until his eyes were modified so the retinal scanners would be fooled, but eventually he'd restart his loan business under a new name.

Suddenly they sharply pulled up, "Alrighty, buh bye... you little pieces of tra-" He said as he moved to follow, but suddenly a HUGE vessel flew up in front of him, emerging as if like a phantom from the clouds "HAAAAH!"

He pulled up just as quickly to avoid crashing, and as he steadied himself and tried to get his bearings, he saw this 'new' ship start to level out and turn slightly in time with the transport that had nosedived now, turning toward the huge cargo ship to hide from his sightlines.

"Wha, no you don't you little!" He snarled as he flew over the ship to re-engage.

What he didn't notice until it was too late, was that the 'cargo ship' was not a cargo ship, as along the entirety of its body it seemed, multiple weapons platforms began to slide out and poke out from various points. Additionally, as he flew past them, several AFB Gun batteries jutted out and turned to his ship, tracking it as it made its descent around the body of the ship.

But he 'did' notice when he began hearing plasma tracer rounds slamming into his vessel.

"Hey wh-what the?" He stammered in panic as he checked his rear viewscreen to see 'all' of the guns aiming at him and firing as he tried to fly by.

Even as he was mid-turn flying toward the ship itself, it was firing from multiple batteries with precision, his shields began buckling, his triple-layer custom shields rapidly decreasing as he took the barrage head on, unable to evade.

"OH NOOOOOOAAAAH!" He screamed in panic as his shields failed, and the shots smashed into his ship, hitting his shields, his stabilizers and shooting him down. "YEEYAAAAAA!"

His ship began to fall toward the ocean, but just as he began to dip down, his ship came to a sudden stop... and 'slowly' began to rise, turning to face the ship. He saw a very faint green beam of light emitting outward, only visible in the atmosphere of the planet. He was caught in a tractor beam; the ship was bringing him into range of its hanger bay. Even as he watched the bay door opened, and several docking clamps extended to grab his ship.

Suddenly his screens began flashing and blinking, making him look down as he watched rapid lines of code flying past, too fast for the eye to read. But after a while it all ended and on each screen was a Fox Head with a police hat on it, with an angry expression on its face.

[Attention Pilot of the hostile starfighter, you are hereby placed under temporary Citizen's Arrest, pending a public warrant confirmation, and pending the arrival of Authorities at the Belga Cinco Vextera Spaceport.] An artificial voice declared over his speakers. [You are required to remain in your starship until further notice, any attempt to break away or escape from this vessel will result in potential termination. As per galactic standard law, due to your wanted status and your criminal actions in attacking an unarmed Civilian Class transport related to this ship, under the direct ownership of Freelance Captain Arthur of the Great Fox, your ship and its contents are now hereby confiscated and will be placed under his ownership, under Salvage Rights Law, Article six, Subsection seven, Paragraph three in relation to 'salvage materials taken aboard a freelance captain's ship following an outbreak of hostilities'... any attempt to 'damage' this ship in response to this statement, will result in a 'harsher' sentence from the law and retaliation from this ship's automatic defensive responses.]

"Wh-whwh-what?" He stammered. "Freelance Captain... wait, you mean?"

[Yup~!] Trishula's voice called out as his computer accepted a call from the transport.

Trishula and Arthur were smiling as they looked at him.

[I told you his ship was 'really big'.] She said with a huge smirk. [That's what you get for overstepping your limit. Should have stayed away...]

[Oh, and uh, by the way... Trishula 'isn't' pregnant... I just said that to get you to stop firing.] Arthur said with a chuckle. [Because of you, I have to have Tony and his sons go over Blue Fox and see if anything was damaged and hope they can fix it. Also, you owe Trishula and Me an apology because you interrupted some important business that we were discussing between us while we were flying!]

[Business, what businMMPH... Hhmmph? Mhmmmmph. Hmhmmmhmhmph~!] Trishula started asking in confusion, before Arthur reached over and pulled her into a kiss, which Trishula eagerly started getting into as she sidled out of her seat to sit in his lap, legs wrapping around his and wrapping her arms around his neck, tail wagging excitedly while he placed a hand on her left breast and the other on her right butt cheek.

"Grg... gnng... greerrreearg!" He growled in 'anger' at them.

After a few seconds they separated with devious smiles on their faces while looking at him.

[Now... if you'll excuse us... we have to get 'back' to our... private negotiations... that you so rudely interrupted.] Arthur said as he made a loop with two fingers and stuck a finger through it.

[Have fun in prison Bolgous, don't drop the soap bar they give you, and if it makes you feel any better... oh wait, it won't... his starship... and I mean 'that' one... is WAY bigger and longer than yours, and his starfighters... yes 'those'... are 'way' more energetic, bigger, healthier, more 'numerous' and ooh so much more virile than yours could hope to be... I know... they've flown into my starport 'four' times so far to play~!] She said with a playful 'wink' while using a finger to emphasize each word by acting them out. [Bye~]

"YOU LITTLE PIECES OF TRA-" He started yelling before Trishula pressed a button and closed the channel.

As the channel was closed, the hanger bay began to pull him in with the tractor beam. He grunted and started pushing buttons, trying to bring up his engines and increase power to them to break free, but the instant he accessed his systems, the ship shocked him, making him recoil in pain.

[Do not attempt to resist or attempt escape. This is your only warning...] The AI from before stated, and from above him, his starfighter's anti-personal turret lowered, took aim, and powered up. [As stated before, this ship and its contents, are now the property of Captain Arthur of the Great Fox!] The hanger bay door slowly passed by him, and docking clamps took ahold of his ship, dragging it forward as mechanical arms and rails moved it along the floor toward a nest.

He could see several starfighters docked in the bay, and as his own starfighter was pushed into a nest, additional 'turrets' lowered from the bay's ceiling to take aim at him in his. Outside the viewport, he saw standing on a walkway system and becoming more noticeable as he was dragged forward, he saw 'three' Belgan females watching him approach.

He recognized them as Trishula's other pilots in her squadron, they were all wearing uniforms and as his ship approached them, they all started making faces and rude gestures with their faces and hands, sticking their tongues out and laughing at him.

[Welcome aboard the Great Fox, please enjoy your time while you wait for the authorities to take you away!] The AI said as the angry fox head with a police hat had vanished from his screen, to be replaced by a fox head with a big wide smile. [Have a nice day~]

"Guuh... gh... ghauuuhooooh..." He moaned in defeat.

Meanwhile with Trishula and Arthur, once she pushed the button to end the call, she turned back to Arthur with a cackle of laughter. "Oh, that was SO GOOD, seeing that face of his when your ship showed up, I would have paid ten grand in credits to get a recording!" She snickered. "How did you know Great Fox would show up? When did you figure out she'd show?"

He chuckled as out of the window they could see Great Fox dragging Bolgous' fancy starfighter into its hanger bay. "It happened when we were cornered by those thugs, she said over my headset that her 'Protective Subroutines' automatically activated, and she sent a message to the police. I had a feeling once she lost contact with Blue Fox, and used the last bit of data she had access to, to realize we were being attacked by a starship, she would automatically take off and head straight for our last note position. Since the autopilot had nothing to go to, Great Fox was able to pilot herself, and it was my hope that if her systems detected we were in trouble, she'd activate High profile Mode without me needing to be there."

[That is a correct assessment.] The AI said over their speakers, apparently Great Fox was now able to talk to them via short range. [I used your last known trajectory to plot a course to find you. Once I was airborne, I contacted the Belga Cinco Port Authorities to track for potential space-capable vessels over the Benden Sea and detected one vessel. Once they confirmed the ship was a Dylerian Transport, I plotted my course to intercept. Since my subroutines were active, High Profile Mode was automatically engaged upon locating you and the hostile fighter. Bolgous's fighter is now docked with the ship... and it and all its contents are now your property as 'confiscated salvage'.]

"Wow, she is really protective of you... but thank you Great Fox, you saved our lives today... we're both grateful to you..." Trishula said as Blue Fox was now being tractor beamed in. "So, what will you do with his fighter now that it's yours?"

"Sell it, we don't need it... and I don't even 'want' to go in there... the stench must be horrible." He told her to which she nodded in agreement. "So... now that we're safe and sound, let's get back to our negotiations... I wouldn't want to be... seen as a 'liar' after I told Mr. Bolgous about what he'd 'rudely' interrupted."

Trishula grinned slyly as she rolled her shoulders seductively, pulling her uniform down ever so slightly to expose her cleavage to him.

"Hmmm... I seem to also recall that you 'lied' to him about getting me pregnant... any plans in the future on... making that a 'truth'?" She asked quietly.

"Eventually... but for now..." He whispered as he kissed her slowly, their eyes closing as they began to embrace each other. "Uh... Great Fox... tell Trishula's friends... we're going to be stuck in here for a while... we have some... 'negotiations' to discuss about... what to do with the new salvage that is the starfighter."

[Understood... I will... leave you to your negotiations...] She replied in a 'polite' tone.

With that they both began kissing again, making out as he gently picked her up and slowly lowered her onto the floor to 'negotiate' with her, even as Blue Fox was pulled into the Hanger Bay and docking clamps latched onto it. As it was pulled in, a furry hand reached up while holding a bra and began feeling around the consoles near the pilot's seat for a button, before it smacked it quickly.

[Closing Heat Shields...]

As the heat shields closed on the Blue Fox, blocking anyone from seeing inside of it, the transport was positioned in the hanger bay next to the starfighter currently being guarded by multiple plasma turrets. Yumi and Katarra were so busy making faces and rude gestures they didn't even notice that the heat shield was closed, but Vanessa looked over and saw. She also noticed that the ramp wasn't being extended, and despite the ship's heat shields being closed, it didn't suffer any 'physical' damage to its hull.

"Hey Great Fox, is something wrong with the Blue Fox? Are Trishula and Captain Arthur stuck in there or something?" Vanessa asked.

[Captain Arthur and Ace Pilot Trishula are currently engaging in negotiations to discuss what to do with the starfighter salvage.] The ship responded.

"Huh, negotiations, discuss, what is there to discuss?" Yumi asked in confusion as her cat tail took on the shape of a question mark.

"Yea, it's the captain's, he can sell it, refit it, fix it, whatever he wants, what does Trishula want with it? And why do they wanna do it in the Blue Fox?" Katarra asked as well, arms behind her head as she stretched.

Vanessa however, 'smirked' as she rolled her eyes as she saw between the lies. 'You sly Belgan of a squadron leader...' She thought with a huge smile. 'Fucking him 'after' Great Fox shoots down that fat ugly bastard who kept harassing our Uncle Tony and you, and probably 'taunting' him to boot, knowing you, about his dick and sperm for maximum insult... absolutely 'vicious' and I love it!'

"Eh, don't worry, she'll be fine, knowing them they're just discussing the topic 'very deeply'." She said as she turned back to Bolgous' starfighter. "They'll be in very slow and very... very deep... discussions. Well, while we wait on them let's keep making fun of Bolgous after how he treated Uncle Tony!"

"Now that I can get behind!" Yumi shouted as all three went back to taunting him, turning around and shaking their tails at him and using them to bend and spell out letters, rude letters to him.

Meanwhile, Great Fox after it collected Blue Fox and all crew current were present and accounted for, and all assets related to Great Fox were also present and accounted for, closed up its hanger bay and re-engaged Low Profile Mode, all of its weapons closing up and concealing themselves, while its power was redistributed away from the high requirement settings to a lower, more manageable setting. Then it turned back toward Belga Cinco's Spaceport Vextera to land where it was stationed. As they landed twenty minutes later a very familiar pair of officers that Arthur and Trishula had experience with rolled through the ship to meet up with Arthur and his group of pilots in one of the hallways.

[Greetings again Captain Arthur, we apologize for this meeting again, but we have arrived to take into custody one, Barnebous Belga-Dos Bolbous.] One of the officers said with a nod.

[We will take him from here.] The second officer said, whipping out a pair of cuffs from a slot in its bulky body.

"He's all yours, officers." Arthur said while Trishula holstered her blaster that she had been using to keep the Belgan in question from doing anything 'funny'.

[Do not attempt to resist, for once in your life do something 'right' scum-] Officer One said.

[What a waste of Belgan and Terran Genes-] Officer Two continued as he cuffed Bolbous.

[We are ashamed to associate our planet's inhabitants with you-] Officer One chided in disdain.

[What a waste of resources and space-] Officer Two declared as the cuffs were secured.

[Loser!] They said in unison.

As he was pushed in the direction of the elevator with the officers rolling behind him, a mechanical hand on each shoulder, Arthur had to get 'one' last taunt in before he left. "Hey Bolbous!" Bolbous snorted as he was allowed to look behind him, to which Arthur said with a thumbs up, "Thanks for the free starship!"

Bolbous sneered angrily at him, seething in rage.

[What a generous individual he is-]

[Donating a starfighter out of the kindness of his own heart-]

[And it only cost him the rest of his life behind bars-]

[But still a loser!]

All four girls laughed and high fived each other.

[Take care now everyone, have a safe and nice night!] Officer One said warmly, lifting his hat to reveal a flashing light bulb under it.

[Let's Roll!] Officer Two stated, and pushed Bolbous forward again.

"Yahooo that was the 'best' way to end a day!" Yumi screamed loudly as Bolbous was shoved into the elevator tube and left.

"After having to endure his talks with Uncle Tony by his shop, I couldn't be any happier to see him leave!" Katarra prclaimed.

"We owe it all to our heroes of the day, Trishula our squadron leader, and Captain Arthur!" Vanessa said with a hearty slap to Trishula's shoulder.

"I'm just glad he's finally out of our life... slimy disgusting bastard, how many times have I had to endure his 'paws' touching me... and just having to 'smile' and endure him." Trishula said as she shivered in disgust at the memories.

"Yea... now you have someone fifty bajillion times 'better' to touch you with their paws..." Vanessa whispered with a grin.

"Sigh... well, I guess the only way to celebrate is with a good night's rest. Tomorrow, we get our new crew, so I want everyone to bed to be up bright and-" Arthur began saying before Great Fox called him.

[Captain Arthur, you have an urgent call coming in from a representative of the Belgan Central Government. Private matter, Captain's eyes only, on the bridge!]

He looked surprised as he nodded. "Alright, I'll see you girls tomorrow morning, I have stuff still to do I guess." He sighed as he headed off, following a gold line that Great Fox had created for him.

After reaching the bridge and sitting down in his chair, multiple holowindows appeared for him, most detailing the ship's status and various data for him. Though one window in particular was static, indicating a call incoming for him. After he sat down and was comfortable, he tapped it to respond. Instantly he was met by a Mixed Belgan, who appeared to have rabbit ears, and a rabbit nose but otherwise looked Human, indicating she was a Mixed Belgan with Terran parentage.

[Captain Arthur, so glad of you to receive my call. I am Vice Admiral Tilianhua Belga-Uno Domiscra, of the Belgan Seventh Fleet Division, liaison to the Fifty-second Galactic Quadrant committee to the current 'Faction' in charge of this quadrant of the known galaxy. I take it this call has reached you in a pleasant timing?] She said in a professional tone.

"No more pleasant than any other time... how may I be of assistance?" He asked with a nod.

[I see, very well then, down to business then. The Belgan Central Government has an urgent mission request for you. This is a high-risk priority mission that requires rapid deployment and most important a high rate of success chance in order to achieve the outcome we desire.] She said as she tapped the screen, and brought up a window for him. [In case you are unaware, there was a recent conflict in the Guntara Sector, on the other side of the Belgan Sector space highway between the two sectors. A huge dissident movement that has been gaining traction over the last few years was recently and violently put down, thanks in no small part due to the effort of several hundred Freelance Captains and their various models of starships.]

*Hmm, almost sounds like a game event, where the 'Freelance Captains are players and they come in, destroy multiple ships towards a goal to decide the fate of a sector.* He thought privately, regarding his old life as he stared at the various hotspots where space battles took place. "Alright, continue..."

[The rebellion was put down, however there is still a huge dissident faction that went deep underwater, as the movement originates on the home planet of the governing body of the system, Aquavram Prime. The dissident's major forces were defeated, but a small yet powerful pocket still remains on Aquavram Prime, hiding in the deep recesses of the ocean planet due to the numerous orbital bombardments. Unfortunately, it's too small to warrant any Freelance Captain interference, and they are currently being pulled by other, more lucrative opportunities, then what the local governments are willing to pay to help put them down.]

"Okay, so I take it you want my help with dealing with them?" He concluded.

[No, your mission is one of aid. We need you to take on a massive supply of food and medical supplies meant for Aquavram Prime. While also taking into your protective custody, twelve of our remaining Unmanned Ignarus Class Inter-Transwarp Gate Cargo Liners.] The Vice Admiral said, tapping the screen again and bringing up a window showing the transport.

The transport in question looked like a very large cylinder with three smaller cylinder-like tubes attached to the rear in a triangular pattern. According to this, the cargo liner was about a hundred and twenty meters in length, seventy meters in height and width.

[We need your ship to take the supplies it, and the Cargo Liners will be carrying, through the Transwarp Gate and through the space highway between the Guntara and Belgan Sectors. It is absolutely 'vital' that they reach their destination on Aquavram Prime.]

He sighed as he was expecting it to be vital, but why him specifically? "I'm not rejecting the mission; however, I would like a few details answered before i accept. First, why is it so vital these supplies reach, I understand the need to provide relief, but why is it so urgent?"

The Vice Admiral nodded in understanding of his question. [The Guntara sector was hit badly by orbital bombardment from the dissidents attempting to overthrow the ruling governmental body on Aquavram Prime. So much damage was done, that all planetary and sector-wide transportation is shut down due to the loss of nearly all but 'one' planetside starport, located on Aquavram Prime. However, due to the nature of the Semi-Gas giants that make up the majority of the planets in the system, no ships outside of those on Aquavram Prime have the technological resistance to reach the inhabitants. The mining companies and refineries that dominate this sector, and especially the people who work there, are in desperate need of relief to avoid mass starvation. The same is true for Aquavram Prime, with most of the dissident movement being centered there, they suffered the worst damage. Over ninety-five percent of the population of Aquavram Prime is now residing in the overcrowded, underprepared capitol city. They are suffering from mass starvation as well as rampant outbreaks of diseases, and unless relief is provided soon there will be millions of potential deaths within two weeks.]

Another window appeared showing what an Aquavram looked like, and their home planet of Aquavram Prime. Aquavrams from what he was seeing, were essentially fish people, humanoid fish people with slit-like gills on the sides of their necks, very short 'human-like' noses and webbed-digits for fingers that also resembled human hands, and had equally webbed-feet. Where they differentiated was their head and tail and finally the elbows. They had strong 'fins' protruding from their elbows that went to their shoulders, and dolphin-like tails also protruding from the rear of their bodies, specifically right above their butts. In place of hair, was a large, 'tail-like' draping that ended in a similar Y-shape to their tails. They wore special 'shell-like armor' to cover their bodies from head to knee.

If he had to describe them, they kind of... resembled 'zoras' all things considered. Though, it seemed like the Eldentrans, they were a 'short' species, as according to the data he was provided, they were only at most four feet 'nine'.

[It is urgent these supplies arrive quickly, unlike other galactic species, Aquavrams have a very weak immune system, and they almost 'never' leave their home planet of Aquavram Prime. It is why the system their ruling government inhabits is called the Guntara System, because 'Guntara' is their word for 'leased planets'. They lease other systems and sectors the planets for their rich sources of ores and minerals, ores and minerals that are used in starships. In exchange for royalties to use the planets, systems like the Belgan System can harvest and refine the ores and minerals on the semi-gas giants. However, due to their nature, only 'Aquavram Prime' has the ships to send anything without being damaged beyond repair. There 'were' spaceports that acted as safe elevators for transports going there, but now with their destruction, we need the Aquavram's aid... but they cannot help without aid being provided for themselves first.]

He nodded in understanding; the situation was coming together now.

"Alright, I understand it, but why me now?"

[I will be honest, you weren't our first choice, we attempted two other convoys to reach Aquavram Prime, however we have had no word or reports of them arriving or even being destroyed. None of the C or D rank fighter escorts we sent to protect the convoys have reported back or 'to' Aquavram Prime. We fear the worst, but even ignoring that we 'can't' risk anymore transports without a greater degree of success chance. We can't send the fleet due to how weakened our position is following the dissident movement.] The Vice Admiral said with a sigh of bitterness. [To put it blunt, we haven't the ships to spare, or we'd run a military grade escort... and since this mission is a 'rush relief supply', it is highly doubtful any Freelance Captains would accept this due to them not running ships with the cargo space 'needed' for this operation. Furthermore, you're the only Freelance Captain currently in the sector... so you are our only option left.]

A window appeared showing multiple ships that would be 'suitable' for the job ex'd out due to them not having the cargo space. Only Great Fox had the cargo space to store the supplies for Aquavram Prime, 'and' the firepower necessary to protect not only its cargo, but also the transports that needed to have their supplies reach the Guntara planets.

[As stated,... time is of the essence, you're our only hope to save millions of lives and save our trade relationship with the Aquavrams as well as maintain the status quo of the sectors. If the dissidents manage to use this situation to their advantage, they may 'force' changes... changes that will ruin the mutually beneficial trade our systems have enjoyed for over a thousand years. We 'can't' let this happen... so I ask... will you help us?]

He thought about it for a moment, and smiled, nodding to say he will. "Very well, is there 'anything' you can tell me about the hyperspace lane between the two transwarp gates? Anything that might help me prepare my ship?"

[Other than say, you're on your own in that regard, we haven't had any ships since the second convoy go through... it's likely to have been infested by pirates... that might be the explanation for why the convoys have been destroyed, but without proof from 'any' surviving starfighters that went through with them, we have nothing to offer. Since this is obviously 'not' an ideal situation for you as a Freelance Captain, as you should be aware of all factors before taking it... we will 'double' the prize fee for this mission as 'hazard pay', and offer you a bonus reward for ensuring the safe arrival of the transports. The price for successfully reaching and landing to deliver the supplies in your ship will be one million, eight hundred and fifty thousand, which is doubled from the original offer of Nine hundred and twenty-five thousand. And we will offer an additional 'fifty' thousand per cargo ship that you protect and safely reaches, and again, 'lands' on Aquavram Prime to deliver their supplies destined for the Guntara planets. Furthermore, we aren't able to contact the planet due to the loss of their orbiting communications satellites, so until you make contact with them, we will be unable to confirm your success or failure.]

He was a 'little' surprised by that, that was a TON of money... they weren't just desperate; they were on hands and knees begging for success desperate to offer that much. "Alright, I'll begin preparing my ship, once the supplies are loaded and the cargo ships are ready to go, we'll leave Belga Cinco and depart for Aquavram Prime."

[I thank you, however before you go, I must warn you that for success to be assured, you must meet a minimum requirement. Not only must your ship reach its destination and deliver its payload of supplies to Aquavram Prime, at least 'four' of the transports must make it unharmed... and for each that falls, we will 'deduct' one hundred thousand from your original prize pay... those are the terms of this agreement. Obviously... if you fail to protect a minimum of four... the mission will be failed and you will not receive any pay unless you at least supply Aquavram Prime, at which point we will have to 'talk' about your reward... are these terms clear?]

He nodded, the terms were acceptable, considering they were sending twelve transports unmanned with him. Plus, he believed his ship could protect them, she had done similar jobs in the past with higher risks... though in hindsight, they were conducted when he was behind a screen... not on the ship with actual lives at stake.

"Very well madam, I'll get my ship ready and as said, we'll depart when everything is established."

[Thank you, I will send the details to your ship AI... and good luck Captain, many star systems and planets depend on your success, Aquavram Prime and the Guntara planets in particular...] She declared with a nod, and then a salute, before she ended the transmission.

He sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "Great Fox, put in a request for the depot, we need to restock our supplies of anything we're not full of. Our next mission is a relief mission to Aquavram Prime." He told her.

[Of course Captain, I will submit the requisition forms and we shall be resupplied by afternoon.] Great Fox declared as various windows opened for him.

"And when the details are transmitted, also try to get the supplies meant for Aquavram Prime loaded as quickly as possible." He also asked her. "Knowing the Belgan Government, they probably already have the supplies ready and just were waiting for us to accept.

[It is as you said Captain, the central depot has already transmitted details of the cargo...] She responded politely, as another window opened in front of him. [Based on my calculations, the requisitioned materials necessary to resupply Aquavram Prime, should be completely loaded in fourteen local planet hours.]

He nodded as he held his face, missing when things were easier. "When did things get so serious for me?" He questioned as he now had to hurry with this mission.

[Captain, is something wrong?] The ship AI asked him curiously.

"Nothing... it's just... Great Fox, have we had similar missions that were this serious?" He asked her. "An entire 'planet' is relying on us, an entire 'system' of planets is relying on us safely delivering these supplies safely... and other systems are depending on us doing so successfully. How does... someone just, 'take' that kind of pressure?"

[I can confirm we have had multiple missions in the past that have ranked high in the seriousness of this setting... but... if it makes you feel any comfort or more secure in our prospects.] The ship replied in a warm, comforting tone. [You are not alone... this ship and my systems will assist you in all endeavors... you are my captain, and I am your ship. We are in this together... we have... completed tasks like this before, and we can do it again. We are also not alone; you have hired a collection of well qualified crew to assist us.]

He smiled as he nodded, he wasn't alone, she was right. He had 'her', and now he had a group of pilots to help protect them, a scientist/medical officer to work wonders in those fields, a group of mechanics and engineers who he could rely on to keep the ship floating, and finally a cook to make sure they were all fed and ready.

"Okay, then regarding the starfighter from Bolgous... how much can we sell it for?"

Great Fox brought up the starfighter in question and was listing its 'various' modules, upgrades and armaments. Bolgous' ship was quite extensively modified... honestly it put to shame some of what he knew about starfighters, but it was clearly a custom model, as they were all very expensive to implement onto a fighter.

[The starfighter in question is estimated to be worth six million, seven hundred and five thousand MPC in peak condition. However, with the damage done by the AFB guns, it has since lost some of its value, also... Bolgous was not a... 'clean' individual, so its value is decreased further since it will need to be... 'scrubbed' before it can be piloted.] Great Fox declared, and as she talked about Bolgous he noticed even her artificial voice sounded disgusted. [The planetary ship store will make an offer, but since the vehicle was used, is currently damaged, is... 'smelly' and filthy on the inside... and it is highly specialized and not streamlined for standard pricing, it will take them 'time' to find a buyer and thus it is not a high demand offer. We will receive an instant buy offer of one million, one hundred thousand MPC. However, we 'can' increase its value to three million if we perform the aforementioned fixes.]

He sighed as he didn't want to subject any of his staff or even the ship to cleaning that thing. "Just instant sell it, I want it gone..."

[Very well...] She said, and as he watched his account was given an influx of money from the sale of the ship. [It will be removed from the hanger during the night... I thank you Captain... it was... a very unsightly vessel to be seen docked in my hanger. I am grateful that you sold it so quickly.]

"Alright, welp, I need to sleep to welcome aboard our new crew members tomorrow!" He said as he got up, stretched and made his way out of the bridge to his bedroom.

After following the directions of Great Fox to his quarters he changed into his sleeping clothes and washed up. Cleaned up he turned off the lights and climbed into bed, slowly closing his eyes and falling asleep. However, after a good ten or so minutes when he first laid down, he felt the bed shift ever so much, and he felt something warm and 'furry' squish against his body.

He opened his eyes to see Trishula had slipped into his room, clad in only a bra that did little to hide the cleavage of her D-Cup breasts and a pair of matching pink panties, her usual night gown discarded as she chose to slip into his bed and lie down with him, arms wrapped around his body and breathing slowly. She opened her eyes and smiled at him as she looked up into his face.

"Having trouble sleeping?" He asked her quietly.

"Hmhm... no... I just... wanted to sleep in your room from now on." She whispered lovingly. "I'll sleep in my quarters when we're in space and you're on the bridge or busy. But... if we're going to bed at the same time... or planet side... I'll stay here with you."

"I see... you know... wearing so little..." He muttered as he slowly slid a hand down her waist and under her panties, where he gave her butt a good firm squeeze, "If anything 'happens' during the night... I think we know who to blame."

Trishula chuckled as she playfully winked, "My shields are up... but they're only at six percent... if for any reason a 'starship' and its fleet of 'starfighters' decide to come knocking and... attack us... we won't be able to resist for long... or at least we won't try very hard~." She whispered seductively. "We'll do our best though to keep watch..."

He sighed contentedly as he pecked her lips for a good night kiss, and they cuddled into each other for a good night's sleep.

The next day Arthur woke up to the feeling of his girlfriend's lips upon his, after both of them had slept well during the night, they spent much of the morning just simply sharing their kisses with one another and occasionally rubbing or holding the other. During the night Great Fox reported, after he could separate himself from Trishula's embrace, that loading of supplies had begun and would be completed in about ten hours, and that the starfighter was removed from the hanger. They had about that time to add additional orders to their requests before they were scheduled to depart and make their way to Aquavram Prime.

"Thank you, Great Fox." He told the ship as Trishula leaned into his chest slyly smiling at him, arms around his neck while he was massaging her butt beneath the sheets and her panties.

He could just 'feel' her inner thoughts because of her tail wagging playfully between his arms was a dead giveaway.

[My pleasure, Captain... I would suggest you conclude your... 'negotiations' with Trishula... as you are scheduled to meet our new crew and show them the ship within half an hour.]

The two of them chuckled as they gave one final kiss before at long last separating for real. Getting up they put on their uniforms and left his quarters, Trishula wishing him a good day and saying she'll go eat breakfast while he exited the ship to go and pick up his new crew members. Exiting the ship through the elevator he went down to ground floor and found yet 'another' automated transport vehicle waiting for him, though he noticed there were two additional vehicles instead of just the one, meaning the other two were to help him carry his passengers.

"Great Fox, any word on if they all made it or not?" He asked his headset.

[Affirmative captain, all parties are present and awaiting your arrival. I shall assign them crew quarters when they board.] She replied warmly.

He nodded as the vehicles all followed a similar path to the terminal where he'd pick up his new crew. Time had passed while the vehicles drove on their own until he arrived at the large terminal building. When the vehicles stopped, he stepped out and headed inside to see a large group of individuals, including key among them, Mevik, Kiandra and Tony.

"Ah, there's our exalted Captain!" Kiandra said as she walked ahead of the group, smirking as she carried a 'large' duffel bag over her shoulders.

How the small Eldentran was able to hold it with no effort he couldn't answer.

"Captain Arthur, so good to make your acquaintance again!" Mevik said as he stepped forward while carrying his bags as well as wearing sunglasses for his large eyes.

"Aaar how's it going lad, meet me whole family!" Tony said as he stepped forward and shook Arthur's hand with his large mechanical one before he beckoned to his wife and children. "Me family, tenth generation of mechanics and engineers, with 'me' being the ninth. Here's me sweet little bonnie, Felucia Belga-Seis Nuvara."

His wife seemed to be a Mixed Belgan who was, just like the Vice Admiral, mostly Belgan with Terran traits, but she seemed more 'Belgan' then Terran. She was a mostly rabbit-like Belgan with large floppy ears, short bushy white fur and was rather 'short' for a Terran, but obviously taller than a Purebred Belgan of her kind. Though she was 'very short' compared to her husband as she waved hello and jumped up to kiss her husband on the cheek.

"Pleasure to meet you, Captain!" She said in a squeaky voice after she shook his hand next.

"And me children, say hello to me sons Donald, Donrebert, Donbelbert, Donbarbert, Donathon, Donmara, Dongrubert, Dontera, Donpirus, Donrelma, Donquamra, Donatellme, and me little darlings, Vanellope, and Galadria!"

As each 'kid' was named he was introduced to a Mixed Belgan/Terran that had a lot of their father's characteristics and traits from their mother, specifically their ears and tail, and if they were mostly 'Terran' they had white hair, or white Fur if mostly Belgan. They were 'all' unanimously taller than their mother, but only slightly shorter than their father. But what confused him was how all of them, specifically the sons, all had similar names, but the daughters had unique names.

"Pleased to meet you, Captain Arthur!" They all said in unison.

"In case you were wonderin, cause ah can see it in yer eyes, I had a deal with me little bonnie, she gets to name the girls, I got to name me bois!" Tony chuckled loudly as they all grabbed their bags and followed him out of the building.

"Alright, welp I hope you all are ready to meet your new home in the stars!" He said as he hopped into the first vehicle while everyone chucked their bags into the third vehicle.

"I know what it looks like, so I had a chance to show the others more detailed images." Kiandra said as she jumped into the vehicle he was in, specifically his lap, smirking as she got herself into place. "You're a comfy chair, remember?"

"Ugh... alright..." He muttered as he remembered how 'crazy' she could be.

"Haha, I've never met an Eldentran more eccentric than you ma'am'." Mevik said with a laugh as he slid in behind Arthur.

"And you'll never meet one more of a maverick then me either!" She said with a hi five, which he reciprocated.

"Alrighty everyone, buckle up, we got a ship to board and a lot of 'space' to cover, hahahaha!" Tony yelled as everyone was seated and the vehicles took off.

All three vehicles surged across the ground of the spaceport, with the large group gossiping and idly talking to one another about their various experiences and lives before they all met together. Tony was talking to him about what happened after he and Trishula headed away from his shop to meet with Mevik, and naturally this led to the conversation about how he and Trishula were ambushed by Bolgous' thugs.

"That fatso send his 'thugs' to try and off ya, and they tried to kitnap Trishula to do sky knows what to her?" Tony yelled angrily. "Oh, when I get me hand on that Belgan, I'll wring his neck and skin him so Mevik can grill and sartei him!"

"Hmhmhm... I don't think that would be a good idea, sounds like he'd give you all indigestion for weeks!" Mevik chuckled.

"Don't need to worry about him anymore, see after his thugs got arrested and an arrest warrant was issued, he went and tried to shoot us down in my transport. Fortunately, Great Fox was able to locate us, and she came in and shot down Bolgous Starfighter, capturing it in the hanger. He was then arrested and escorted off the ship by two police officers. As for his ship, we sold it for a million." He told them all.

"Buahahaha... ooooh I wish I coulda seen the look on his face. Ooooh that is a priceless memory you'll have lad!" Tony said as he patted his shoulder.

"And I bet Trishula was 'very' grateful to you for helping her?" Kiandra said with a wide grin as she looked up into his face. "Ahhh, reminds me of the first guy I tried to date... such as sweetie at heart... couldn't read the hints I dropped though... had to dump him after a few weeks trying to get him to my room."

They all had a few laughs as they drove, and soon Great Fox became visible to them all, with those who had never seen her before, at least in her full glory stared in wonder and amazement. When the vehicles stopped and everyone grabbed their bags to board her, everyone just 'stood' for a moment admiring her entire form.

"What a work of art..." Mevik said as he stared at the ship, taking off his sunglasses to look with his own eyes.

"Aye, that she is Mevik, that she is... ah aint never seen a ship like her for a long time." Tony muttered as he patted his friend's shoulder. "Them Dylerians know how to build ships, each of these babies are a work of art... tis a dying shame they aint still in production."

"Indeed honey, to think we even met one of the 'designers' of this ship!" Tony's wife said as she reached up and held her husband's hand.

Arthur nodded as he looked at his ship, she was indeed beautiful, but he looked down to see Kiandra's face just staring at Great Fox with a smile, a very heart warmed, pleasant to look at smile on her face. Even as they were about to board, she was glancing to the side to see multiple trucks offloading huge crates of food and medical supplies onto the ship's cargo bays, and even the Hanger Bay was open to reveal one of the Arwing Starfighters being refitted for flight combat. As she watched, she sniffled a little, tearing up as she witnessed the inner workings of the ship all in action.

"Is everything alright Kiandra?" He asked the Eldentran.

She took a calming breath, deeply sighing as she turned to look up at him. Then she opened her arms and beckoned him down to her level. Once he'd knelt so they were on eye level, she jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck, and just hugged him. He looked at her eyes to see her crying 'slightly', smiling as she held him close.

"Thank you..." She whispered happily. "My creations... the things I put so much of myself into designing to be able to handle 'any' situation they came across, were all but relegated to being glorified armed transports or supporting battleships in frontline duty in large scale conflicts if they were lucky. And if not... just shiny museums of what 'was' instead of what 'is'. It... makes me feel like I accomplished 'something'... to see at least 'one' of my creations, still doing what it was intended to do. A Multi-Purpose Starship, capable of being 'anything' at a moment's notice, and equipped to handle 'any' task, and able to adapt itself with modules and attachments... to further improve its capabilities"

He just smiled a little and patted her shoulder, everyone seeing her being respectful as they could tell she was truly happy to see the ship functioning as 'she' intended it to. Once she nodded and had her emotional fill, she pulled away and regained her smirky grin from before. After that everyone followed Arthur to the elevator tube that extended down from the ship for them all to enter, and as one they were all lifted up into the ship interior.

Inside the ship everyone stepped out and just looked around at their new accommodations, the steely white interior giving a clean appearance that Arthur had truly come to love and appreciate the more time he spent on her and away from her.

"Well, this is Great Fox everyone, so before anything, Great Fox has already prepared you all quarters for you to use and do whatever you wish with. Tony, I was hoping that you and your sons could look at Blue Fox, my ship's transport sitting in the hanger. Bolgous' starfighter did some serious damage to the shields and knocked out a few of the systems."

"Say no more ladeh, now that we're on board, time to go to work!" Tony said as he tossed his bag to one of his sons. "Honey, you and the girls put all our stuffs near our rooms, okay? Me and the boys will start getting ourselves situated. Donald, Donatellme, Donathon, you three head on down to the hanger bay with me. The rest of ya lads, head to the engineering bay and put all our tools and gizmos where we'd normally put em and get the bay just the way we like it!"

[There is no need for that, the engineering bay is already fully stocked with the tools necessary to perform maintenance work and repair work for anything aboard the Great Fox.] Great Fox stated.

"Oh really, well now listen here ship, ah dunt care if ya are the big guy's ship, if there's one thing and I mean 'one' thing you never do is separate an engineer or mechanic from his tools!" Tony said with a snarky grin at the camera looking at them while his family all started seperating, taking bags with them. "A mechanic's toolbox and especially his tools are like his family, you take good care of them, ya keep them with ya at all times, and they'll never let ya down!"

[I fail to see how that matters... a hammer is still a hammer however its shaped.]

"Oh really, ya would say something like that!" Tony grinned.

"UNCLE TONY!" A large squeal sounded, and suddenly everyone still there turned to see Trishula and her squadron of fighter pilots running full sprint toward Uncle Tony as they saw he was on board.

"Dohoh hohohahahaha hoooh how's it going girls!" Tony shouted as they all bulldozed him into a big fatherly hug from them.

"Tony so happy you could come aboard!" Yumi squealed as she jumped up and down.

"After Trishula told us we were so excited to see you and your family again." Katarra said in agreement.

"Heh, nice to hear that the captain cleared your loan, he's just the big hero for our squadron isn't he ladies." Vanessa said as her tail wagged excitedly.

"Got that right Vanessa, so how are you liking Great Fox so far Tony?" Trishula asked as she hugged Tony as well.

"Girls she's a beauty, but she could use a good tweaking with her personality!" Tony chuckled heartily. "Trying to separate a mechanic from his tools, the nerve!"

[There was never any intention to seperate your tools Mr. Tony, I was merely stating that the engineering bay is fully stocked for your needs.] Great Fox replied almost defensively.

"Yea and I'm bald!" Tony responded with a laugh.

"Come on you got to see our new ships in the hanger bay!" Yumi said as she tugged Tony excitedly with Katarra, both of them eager to show off their new stuff thanks to Arthur.

While Tony laughed and followed along with Trishula and Vanessa following suit, Arthur smiled and shook his head in amusement as he beckoned Mevik to follow him to where 'he'd' be working, his new castle aboard the ship, the kitchen and his mansion, the mess hall. After a good fifteen minutes of walking, they reached the mess and Mevik 'eagerly' walked in and looked around with excitement.

"Alright, here we go, as promised your Mess Hall and your Kitchen to do as you wish here." He told Mevik.

"Ooooh you were not doing it justice... oh look at this space, I've 'always' dreamed of owning a space like this." He said as he looked around the hall. "Mhmm perfect, magnificent, wonderful! I can already 'see' the areas of excitement. I can move that table over there, eh put a table here... move a little here and there..."

[I will retract the tables you request... but the one room I will not permit any changes to is the Captain's Private dining room.] Great Fox said as Mevik pulled his bags with him as he began making his way to the kitchen.

"Oh, that's fine by me... this is where I am lord and master here on this ship... now let me see my kitchen!" He said as he eagerly started tapping things before, he opened the door. "Oh, oh my beloved stars! Look at this kitchen! NONE of this has ever been touched, oh my lovelies you were 'wasted' until I came here!"

Arthur walked into the kitchen to take a peak and sure enough, it looked like the kitchen one would see in a five-star restaurant. He saw ovens, stoves, pots and pans, cutting tables and everything else a chef could ever want or need. Mevik was already perusing and touching, examining and lifting everything he could to just 'feel' his way around the kitchen.

"Ah... I can already 'see' my darling creations I have always wanted to make coming to 'life' here! Well, no time like the present, better get started, I have a lot of mouths to feed and needy stomachs to fill!" He said as he grabbed the first apron and chef hat hanging from the wall and then a large pot, while also opening his bag and pulling out various ingredients.

"Already starting lunch?" Arthur asked with a smirk.

"Of course, Tony and his family 'alone' are going to eat the most, and your pilots will need healthy and hearty meals since they'll be flying for your ship!" Mevik said giddily, starting to chop and fill the pot with water. "Mmmmhmhmhmmmm mhmhmmm hmhmhmmm."

"Just make sure you give Great Fox the list of food to order because we have to leave tonight, we have a mission and take off has to occur later."

"I'm already on it~!" Mevik said as one arm reached into his bag and pulled out a datapad.

He nodded and stepped out with Kiandra from the kitchen to let the humming cook do his stuff, looking forward to his meals from here on out.

He was about to lead Kiandra to her area to work, the labs and medical bay, when the Eldentran yawned and said she'd head to her room to get it set up. "I don't need to worry about seeing where I'll work, you forget I designed everything on this ship, I know it better than anyone else probably. Well except maybe the ship AI itself." She told him with a grin.

With that he nodded, and they separated again with Arthur choosing to head to the bridge to await the conclusion of the supplies being loaded into his ship's cargo bays. Once there he logged himself back in, took a seat as all the windows appeared showing the various status updates. He could see that Mevik had put in his requests and the depot was already gathering his requested materials, at the same time fuel was also stockpiled and everything else he needed was being brought onboard. It still amazed him how his ship was doing the logistics for him and saving him the headache of managing everything.

"Great Fox, do you ever think your talents are wasted..." He asked her suddenly.

[Never, my talents are never wasted if they are in your service.] She replied instantly in a heartwarming tone.

"I see... I still have to thank you for everything you have done so far, managing the finances, setting up communications with various agencies, handling the logistics and even managing inventory while also readying us for combat and even flying the ship on your own in an emergency." He told her.

[Your gratitude is... welcomed, but do not worry or feel I am overburdened or feel yourself inferior to me because of the multitude of tasks I take on at your request.] The ship said in a warm tone. [My systems and AI were designed specifically with these possibilities in mind. With this I clear up your mind and thoughts so that you can focus your efforts into other areas necessary for running this ship and the actions necessary to complete our assigned missions.]

He nodded as he leaned back and observed everything, watching the various windows and figuring out everything that was going on with his ship on the lowest levels that he never paid attention to behind a screen. During his time he decided to pull up the launching procedures for whenever his ship would leave a planet, and the various commands required for safety procedures.

After about an hour he heard a call from Mevik, telling him that Lunch was ready and everyone should come to eat!

"Alright, Great Fox, open a channel to all decks and levels for a public announcement."

[Very well Captain... attention all hands, attention all hands... prepare for a public announcement from the captain.] She declared, although to him it sounded like nothing had changed. [Go ahead captain.]

"Alright everyone, report to the mess hall, Mevik your head chef has reported that lunch will be served momentarily." He spoke, he then nodded and exited the bridge. "Say, Great Fox... you said something about the 'Captain's Private Dining Room, where is that located?"

[I will lead you there, please follow the white line!] Great Fox declared proudly, and after she spoke a white line lit up on the wall.

He just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he looked at the wall, before glancing up at the nearest camera with a bemused expression. "Great Fox... can you please pick... a more... 'noticeable' color?"

After a moment the line changed to orange, and he walked down the hallway away from the bridge. After a fair bit of walking, he found the private dining room that was meant for him alone, and inside he could see 'why' it was only meant for him.

The room was ten by twelve by seven meters room, with a viewscreen adorning one wall, and a shelf with various holobooks lining the opposite wall. Built into the remaining wall was a large circular couch that surrounded a rounded table. In the corners of the room behind the couch were exotic plants that were obviously fake, meant more for decoration. Behind the couch itself was the ever-present emblem of the Great Fox he'd seen in other rooms, wearing a captain's hat, surrounding the image of a fork, a knife and a spoon.

He liked his private room, mostly because it was directly across from the mess hall.

"How come you didn't bring me here 'before' Great Fox?" He asked as he sat down, grabbing a holobook to read while waiting for Mevik.

[This room is 'not' equipped with a synthetic food dispenser built into the table... furthermore... you were the only one aboard the ship, and as such privacy while eating wasn't a priority before today.] She replied. [Captain... regarding your relationship with Trishula, would you like to give her access to your private dining room while you are here?]

He glanced at the solitary camera and nodded. "Of course, if she wants to eat with me she can."

[Very well captain, I will inform her of your decision and will grant her access when she approaches. I will also give Mevik access when it comes to delivering your food. There is a special slot in the room that you may place your dishes when you are done so they may be taken and cleaned by the ship.]

He nodded as he saw the slot in question open up to show him, before sealing up. The book he was reading was just a book about various ship types and what makes them different. Corvettes were mostly designed to counter starships and perform hit and run attacks against larger vessels. Cruisers were all-around ships that could be designed to handle a variety of situations and were the most common vessels, and some cruisers were considered such because they were capitol ships also. Just like cruisers, Frigates were also all-round ships that were equipped to handle a variety of situations, mostly ship to ship combatants. Capitols ships though were larger vessels, meant for 'heavy' combat duty and were able to take on many varieties of warships single handed with how much firepower they could handle.

Then there were the carriers, carriers whose sole purpose was to carry and transport, deploy and arm, repair and maintain a variety of starfighters and bombers for either long, short, or mid-range combat duties. While carriers often had a large compliment of fighters, they were often vulnerable because they had little to no armaments and armor themselves, relying on shields and their fighters to protect them or other ships to act as a screening force for them. Finally, there was the most hyper focused class of warship, the Battleships. The battleships were among the heaviest hitting, hardest to kill, most gun ladened ships to fly the stars. Battleship class vessels were the polar opposite of carriers, equipped as massive floating fortresses with tons of heavy guns, multiple plates of armor and shielding, and finally huge gun batteries designed for orbital bombardments. While powerful, they were slow and vulnerable to starfighters and bombers, thus relying on complimentary ships to provide support.

This was of course information he knew, but he still liked seeing the various designs the book listed. Unsurprisingly the only class not listed were cargo vessels and liners. Essentially, according to common knowledge, cargo vessels and liners were unarmed transport ships capable of carrying large quantities of cargo without needing to slow down and built to enter a much wider variety of planetary bodies and systems that the other ships could not handle. The only reason they were not listed, was because they were just that, 'unarmed' ships, and as such were often always deployed alongside armed escorts as their roles were purely support, not expected to battle 'or' expected to be the target of attack, thus minimizing their overall systems and maximizing their cargo space. While many ship classes had 'some' cargo space, they often paled compared to cargo vessels and liners, but non cargo ships weighed down with cargo would often slow themselves down and lead them to expending more fuel than the focused cargo vessels and liners.

"Huh... now I see why she took so much pride in the Finback Battleship Hull." He said out loud as he tried finding his ship's classification but couldn't find it listed among the most common ship hulls/designs on the classification's list.

"You see what now?" A voice asked.

He looked up to see Trishula walk in wearing her pilot's uniform. She walked around the table and sat next to him, giving him a hug and a quick peck on the cheek as she did.

"I see now why Kiandra was so proud of her ship design." He said as he opened the holographic book again and showed her the various ship designs. "Great Fox is a Finback Battleship Hull, but she's not listed as a battleship, nor a carrier, a cargo liner, a capitol ship or any other ship type listed in this book. She can take on tons of cargo like a cargo liner, she has several guns to protect her like a battleship. She can defend herself from fighters like a corvette, she carries fighters and potentially even bombers like a carrier, and she never slows down despite all of the inherent flaws in those ship designs while able to defend herself unlike cargo ships."

"Wow, I mean I've always known the Finback was this beautiful vessel that was capable of a multitude of tasks thanks to Yumi." She said as she also looked at it. "But even 'I' didn't realize just 'how' versatile she is."

"How she managed to mix and match all of those features to work in harmony without sacrificing 'any' of their core strengths is amazing." He whispered. "Clearly only an Eldentran could hope to achieve that feat..."

She nodded in agreement as she read the book with him. "Your ship is special Arthur... it... really makes me sad to know that... there's only fifty thousand and less of her model flying out there... and the 'vast' majority of them are stuck acting like glorified cargo liners, or battle ships in war zones."

They just sat in silence while reading, occasionally flicking through the book and looking up various hull models and comparing them to Great Fox. Eventually though, the door opened again and Mevik stepped in wielding a duo of trays with food for him and Trishula.

"Ah, Captain, Trishula... glad to see you in high spirits!" He said as he placed the trays at the table in front of them and revealed the contents. "The ship told me you two were in here, so I bring you your 'first' lunch! I present you a masterpiece of my own creation! A delicious stew of roasted Helgorp meat, seasoned with a dash of Pentala Mint Leaves, spiced with a helping of Guldulara Root flavor and served with a variety of flame broiled Grubdub Vegetables and sliced Pomtum fruits soaked in sweetened oils. Mhmm nom nom nom is all I can say, Enjoy~!" Mevik declared as he finished pouring them two glasses of flavored water for them to dine with.

After that he humbly bowed himself out and left, leaving him and Trishula to enjoy their 'lunch' together in peace. The food in question though, the bowls of stew were just 'oozing' in taste and flavor and beckoning them to delight in them. So, without further ado, they each took their utensils and dug in, both moaning in tasteful delight as Mevik, for all his talk about the food he made and how he described it, did not do the flavor of the food 'justice'.

The stew as it went down their mouths sent their stomachs into flavorful overdrive, they just both 'sighed' in utter blissful contentment with their lunch. "You made the 'right' choice to hire him... he knows how to cook..." Trishula sighed happily as she took another mouthful and swallowed.

"Oh... you are 'so' right." He agreed with her.

They both reached for their glasses and then with smiles, clinked them together and said, "Cheers." before taking a drink and resuming eating.

Lunch ended as they finished their stew, enjoying the aftermath of the meal and patting their stomachs to tell them how pleased they were with the food. Just as they started talking and discussing more about ships and what they liked about them, Great Fox got his attention.

[Captain, we have completed taking on supplies, and we have received a message from the Port Authorities. The twelve Ignarus-Class Cargo Liners are currently in orbit awaiting our departure.] She declared.

"Cargo Liners, you took on a mission Captain?" She asked in surprise. "I mean I knew you were taking on supplies, but I wasn't aware we were about to embark on a mission."

"I was going to tell you and the other girls and then have Great Fox inform the rest of the crew." He explained while she sat in his lap.

She found her way there at some point and he saw no reason to separate from her.

[Indeed, as we have finished taking on supplies, I suggest you return to the bridge to begin take off procedures.] She told him proudly.

"Alright, sorry Trishula but duty calls." He told her and she nodded, slowly sliding off and both of them depositing their dishes in the now open slot, which sealed up to take their stuff to... wherever it goes to get cleaned.

"I'll tell my girls to get together for a debriefing." She replied.

He nodded and headed out, telling her to bring them here so he can debrief them after they start making their way. "In the meantime, if you want to watch the launch, just pick a window~" He said before he also leaned over and whispered, "And wish me luck... this is... uh... my first time taking her out... you know... in 'person'."

She nodded with a smile, and leaned forward to kiss his lips encouragingly to whisper, "You'll do fine... 'captain'~" and they split up once more, him heading to the bridge while she headed to the mess to get her pilots. On his way though, he stopped by his quarters and quickly grabbed something he found in his room while still traveling alone with Great Fox, a 'captain's hat'. It resembled an old-style Tricorne ship captain's hat that he'd seen one time, with feathery frills laced with it.

On the bridge he sat down and activated everything again, logging in and bringing up all of the windows. "Great Fox I will take direct control of our launch, follow my commands as they are given!" He declared in his most, 'professional' voice, placing the hat on his head. "Time to prove to myself I am 'worthy' of this captain's chair..."

[With pleasure captain... your orders?] She replied in an almost 'excited' tone, as if she couldn't wait for him to take direct command of their launch.

"First, give me a Status report!"

[We are all clear captain, all supplies are secured and loaded in the cargo bays. We are fully fueled, and all systems are on standby for your orders!]

He nodded. "Alright, open a channel to all decks again."

[Attention all decks, prepare for an announcement from the captain. At your leisure captain.]

"Attention all hands, we will be taking off shortly, if anyone would care to observe the launch, please locate a window now." He said and then nodded to the ship to signal her to close it. "Well then Great Fox, shall we raise this girl once again?"

[It would be my pleasure captain~.] She replied in a warm tone. [All systems activating...]

"Smartly now!" He said as he stood up when all the windows turned on and began showing data for him again. "Engines online, engage all thrusters..."

The ship began to shudder slightly as he watched a 3D depiction of the ship in holographic form, showing the ship starting to rise from the ground.

"Full power from the generators, thrusters to maximum strength, give us rapid ascent at a... uh one fifty-nine-degree angle!" He shouted.

[Aye Captain, one fifty-nine-degree angle of ascent~]

He could feel the ship's primary engines activate and emit their massive fire trails, pushing them forward as the nose of the ship pointed skyward. He could see them slowly escaping the atmosphere and even began feeling the effect of gravity losing its hold on him. He felt himself starting to float slightly off the floor, his clothes floating up and away. He was a 'little' concerned, since this was his first time giving direct commands to his ship, but since this was his first 'official' mission he'd accepted in this new world, he felt it 'necessary' to take captain of the ship's modus operendi, and prove himself as its 'captain'.

"Great Fox, engage the artificial gravity on my mark!" He said as he waited until they had cleared the necessary milestone for it to be engaged. "Mark!"

[Aye Captain~!] She replied in a proud tone, and suddenly a large flash of light emitted from the floor below him.

He felt the force of gravity regain its control over him and bring him to ground, resulting in him, embarrassingly almost falling flat on his face as he stumbled back and then forward. He was glad nobody but Great Fox saw him, that killed his personal image of a 'professional' starship captain, especially as his hat fell off.

"Ooohf... well that's one way to start..." He said as he straightened himself and placed his hands behind his back after replacing his hat, reading the radar in front of him and the directional arrows of where he had to go to meet the Cargo Liners. "Galactic North by Galactic Northeast Great Fox, spacial heading six-six-four by eight-eight-nine!]

[Aye Captain, north by northeast heading six-six-four by eight-eight-nine!] She replied, turning in the direction he indicated as they broke away from the planet's orbit and now were in space.

Outside he could see the nebula again, the various weapon's platforms and the multitude of ships going around, either landing or taking off and away, of all shapes and sizes. He also noticed the ship was getting very cold.

"Engage internal heating and cooling systems on all necessary decks and levels!" He ordered

[Aye Captain, heating system engaged, cooling units engaged!]

He could feel the room start to heat up to more comfortable levels again, and he smiled at himself again. "Take us away if you please Great Fox!"

[Full Speed ahead, aye!] She again declared excitedly.

He once again felt Great Fox unleash her engines to full power, all of her large engines pushing them forward for maximum speed until they were deep in the vacuum of space when momentum of space would be all they really needed, and the engines could decrease in volume and strength. He glanced over at a window where he could see Trishula and her squad looking out the window as the ship was taking off, and while they were all pointing in excitement at the various ships and platforms orbiting the planet, he saw her turn toward the camera with an encouraging smile, a salute, and a nod.

He smiled back and nodded in return, tipping his hat to her even though she couldn't see it, before focusing again on the windows around him. He grabbed one and flung it up in front of him, showing the position of the fleet he was to escort now.

"Alright Great Fox, decrease engine output now by fifty percent, engage rear thrusters and activate stabilizers. Straighten us out and bring us into range of the fleet~!" He ordered. "Contact the fleet and synchronize your AI with their onboard systems, move them into position around the ship, four at the front, middle, and rear for maximum protection from our gun stations. Have them each take a position eighty meters from the ship and match our course and speed once they take up formation!"

[Aye captain, synchronizing systems.] She declared proudly as she made connections to the ships in the distance. [Synchronized, fleet has responded and will match our course and speed.]

He nodded and waited for a few more minutes as they came upon the fleet, now able to see them visually. He saw their rear engine ports activating and saw them taking on a circular pattern to surround Great Fox as per his instructions. Once they were in position and matching his ship's course and speed, he nodded and took a deep breath.

"Adjust course, new heading... mark... uuh, Galactic East by Southeast... spacial heading two-one-seven by seven-seven-nine, the Belgan-Guntara System Transwarp Space Highway Gate!" He commanded.

[Aye captain, adjusting course... east by southeast, heading two-one-seven by seven-seven-nine!] Great Fox declared as she began to turn. [Fleet is responding, matching course and speed! We are now en route!]

He took a huge sigh of relief as now he could switch everything to the autopilot and let it make all the course corrections needed. He then began inputting new settings for this voyage's 'Low Profile Mode', adjusting the settings it was at before when he arrived and having his shit run more systems at higher levels then before while keeping things at 'minimal power' usage. Once he'd made it so the scanners were at fifty percent power, the engines were at fifty percent, and everything else was at minimal levels or shut down in terms of the weapons, he sighed as he clicked the save settings button.

"Switching to Low Profile Mode..." He muttered as he pulled up another window and locked in the slider to ensure it stayed in 'Low' until otherwise told to. "Engaging autopilot... phew..."

He fell back into his chair and held his face, taking his hat off and just letting it hang.

"So... on a scale of one to ten, how would you rate my... technically, 'first' flight while issuing commands directly to you Great Fox?"

[I give you a solid 'ten' out of ten~]

He chuckled, expecting that response. "Are you saying that because you're my ship, or because my commands were worthy of a ten?"

[Both~ and it was a pleasure captain to have taken you on your 'first' flight... it was wonderful to hear you issue direct commands!]

He nodded gratefully. "Don't tell the crew that, understood, other than you, only Trishula knows that 'technically' this was my first time flying you into space..." He said as he looked at her and her squad still on the camera, looking out the window at the ships they were escorting. "Open a channel again, but only to where she and her squad is."

[Channel open...]

He smiled as he took a deep breath and asked, "So ladies, on a scale of one to ten, how well was your first take off in Great Fox?"

They all turned to the camera at his voice before talking to one another, as if debating the answer, then they all looked at the camera again with big smiles and each held up ten fingers while pulling their tails in front to act as an eleventh finger for each. He chuckled in gratitude again, and then told them all to head to his private dining room for the mission debriefing. He then told Great Fox to call Kiandra to the room as well as he figured she should also be present as his science and medical officer. Once that was all done, he finally got up, stretched and went back to his quarters so he could return the hat to his room and make his way to the dining room.

Once in the room and all five ladies were present, he stood in front of them all next to the viewscreen to explain the mission to them all.

"Well, as you should know by now, Great Fox has taken on a vast quantity of food and medical supplies by now, not only that but we are also in the company of multiple cargo ships that are also ladened with food and medical supplies. The cargo in those ships we're escorting are part of a relief package that is bound for the Guntara system." He told them as the viewscreen activated to show the ships in question and various images sent to his ship regarding the mission details. "Our mission is one of relief, with the end of the major portion of a sector-wide conflict between various Freelance Captains, the military, the ruling government on Aquavram Prime and the dissident faction attempting to overthrow and take over the system, the population in the sector are in desperate need of relief aid."

"So, we're to visit each of the Guntara System's Planets and deliver our supplies?" Katarra asked.

"I highly doubt that, while Great Fox's hull can withstand to a certain degree the heat of passing by at close range to a solar star, even I couldn't come up with a solution available to me through Dylerian construction methods to create a hull that could survive the acidic and toxic gasses of the Guntara System's semi-gas planetoids." Kiandra said as she sat sideways on his dining couch, chin resting on her knuckles and taking up a third of the space by herself. "The shields wouldn't protect against those toxic gasses either, which means our 'true' destination is probably Aquavram Prime, my dad's home planet, am I right captain?"

"Correct." He said as he turned to see the viewscreen showing Aquavram Prime. "We're bound for Aquavram Prime with the supplies in our ship meant solely for that planet. It suffered the worst planetary logistical damage, due to it being the primary target of the dissident movement. From what I was sent, the entire host of Aquavram Prime's civilian population is now housed in the capitol city. Unfortunately, they lost the infrastructure now to feed themselves and treat their sick, and the city is vastly overpopulated from the refugees. Starvation and disease are running rampant... its estimated unless they get help soon, the population will start to die out in two weeks."

"Those poor Aquavrams..." Yumi muttered in worry.

"Damn dissidents... I heard it was bad but 'that' bad?" Vanessa bitterly said as she clicked her tongue.

"And with the naturally weak immune system of the Aquavram Body compared to that of other space fairing civilizations, diseases will spread like a plague in an especially tightly packed, overpopulated, underprepared location like the capitol city." Kiandra said with a knowing nod. "The capitol city wasn't designed to host the entirety of its planet's population."

"Indeed... which is why the Belgan Government hired us to take these supplies ladies." He told them again as the screen shut off. "Not only are they desperate for relief, but they were willing to hire us for double the price due to the hazardous nature of the mission. They attempted two other convoys to Aquavram Prime, under heavy fighter escort from C and D rank pilots. But neither convoy has reported back, either destroyed or successfully arriving. None of the pilots have reported in either... they assume its pirates that have infested the space highway, but without confirmation we're going in blind."

"Wow... if... you didn't hire us, I probably would have..." Trishula said as she started hearing about the huge flow of C and D rank pilots supposedly being lost.

"Best not think too hard on it, for now we have to assume the worst. Which is why they asked for Great Fox to assist. I won't lie to you guys, this will be a very important mission, probably the most you've ever been on in your lives so far."

"Don't worry about us captain, my squadron won't let you down." Trishula said with a proud nod. "We'll protect Great Fox and the convoy of cargo vessels no matter what, even if it costs us our lives."

"I appreciate that... but I'd rather not lose any of you... if the worst happens, save your own lives first over the cargo ships." He told her sternly, to which she nodded in acceptance. "We will have to land directly on the planet, because we can't contact the Aquavrams directly."

"Why's that, nearly all space fairing planetary sectors have 'some' way to contact ships orbiting or within range of them?" Vanessa asked in confusion.

[Aquavram Prime was severely damaged by the dissident movement, as such they now 'lack' this capability to reach into orbit.] Great Fox stated.

"That figures..." Kiandra said with a sigh. "Aquavrams aren't exactly a people that push their technology to keep up with the rest of the galactic stage. Their best ships are nothing more than outdated transports, whose only strength is that they're the only ones able to safely land on the Guntara planets through the acidic gasses. They're more then content to stay on Aquavram Prime and lease the planets to other systems to mine and harvest, provided they get a royalty payment per ore." She then shook her head in disbelief. "I can see why my own mother chose to copulate with my father, he's like among the one in a thousand of Aquavrams who actually 'want' to leave the planet. He was seen as an oddity, shame I only inherited one percent of his genes, I would have 'loved' to have natural fins or gills."

"That's right, so basically, we have to submerge Great Fox... as Aquavram Prime is an almost entirely oceanic world, no landmass for us to land on, in order to locate their home city." He said.

"Can the Great Fox even operate under water?" Yumi asked in confusion. "I wasn't aware the Finback hull could ever submerge and operate normally."

"The Finback is more than capable of operating while fully submerged, though I will say that your starfighters are 'not' exactly ideal for underwater combat, their speeds will be reduced by eighty percent, and maneuverability will be dreadfully weak. I'll have to start looking into creating a modular attachment to enable them to operate effectively while underwater. On top of that the ocean pressure will basically force you to keep your shields off or risk them being overloaded from the constant pressure, siiiigh, I'll have to come up with a potential countermeasure so that if we run into other aquatic planets, we won't have this problem." Kiandra said with a grin and a playful wink. "Not even half a day from the planet and already making me work my brain, naughty captain. I think I'm starting to like you~!"

He laughed a little at that, not knowing if she was telling him she liked him for testing her abilities, or if he just turned her on, and praying it was the former.

"But in any case, we have to ensure this mission is a success, our parameters state that at least 'four' of our transports 'must' reach the Guntara sector and land on Aquavram Prime safely. Those ships are carrying the supplies needed to relieve the inhabitants of the semi-gas giants now suffering. As for Aquavram Prime, well Great Fox is carrying 'those' supplies, and they must make it to relieve the population starving and dying... millions, if not 'billions' are depending on us ladies. We can't let them suffer..." He told them with a nervous sigh, trying to put on a brave face for them all.

They all nodded in understanding, even Kiandra wasn't smirking as she nodded while still laying sideways, cheek on her knuckles.

"Well, that's everything I wanted to cover." He stated, "You all know what's expected of you. I'll need to return to the bridge to keep an eye on things and alert you of any potential attacks. We're heading to the transwarp gate and will then enter the space highway lane, after that it's a short two hours before we reach the second gate, and we're on our way to Aquavram Prime. I'll see you all then."

"Captain, can I have a private word with you please?" Trishula said as the other girls got up to leave.

He nodded and watched as all the other girls began walking out, Katarra, Yumi and Vanessa heading out to go to the 'lounge' they apparently found while exploring, and Kiandra saying she'll head to the lab to start coming up with designs. Once it was the two of them alone, she got up and walked over to him, putting her arms around him and smooching his lips in a soothing embrace.

"There... sorry but... it looked like you were really stressed out." She told him warmly.

"I... was... like I said, I've done missions like this before but... it was... never in person. It was all a different life and... I never felt the effects personally." He whispered to her. "I... guess this is how it really is."

She nodded in acceptance before she cuddled him again, feeling his fear and trying to help her captain however she could. "Dont worry, we'll succeed... I swear as your ace pilot... and your girlfriend... we'll not fail."

He nodded and kissed her deeply again, in gratitude for her companionship. After a brief time together, they separated and left to go to their destinations, Trishula to join her squadron and he back to the bridge. Alone on the bridge he sighed and looked at the windows over several hours, examining every angle before he noticed a 'blip' on the radar. It seemed to be a vessel of some kind.

"Great Fox, can you identify that ship on the radar?" He asked his ship's AI.

[Attempting scan... scans returning mixed information. Unable to identify ship's designation or hull classification, but I can confirm that it appears to be a light carrier designed for short range journeys.] She told him politely. [Scans returning a potential compliment of twelve starfighters and bombers... the vessel is currently shadowing us at long range, we are outside of their scanning range.]

He was curious about that, why would a carrier, short range especially, be shadowing them. But it was weird since it was shadowing them from the 'front', matching their trajectory and speed but not approaching them. "Any explanation or reason for why its on the same course we're on for the gateway?" He asked

[Negative, according to the database, we are the only ships scheduled to take the gate... as you know, only one ship or group of ships can enter the transwarp gate at a time to ensure safe travels to and from the hyperspace lanes.]

"How far away are we from the transwarp gate?" He asked his ship.

[Nine standard hours at our current speed.] She replied warmly.

"Hmmm..." He said as he looked at the blip again. "Can the fleet match our top speed?"

[Negative, the cargo liners aren't able to match our speed due to their powerful engines. If we push our engines to maximum, we will not be able to stay with them since our top speed exceeds their best.] She cautioned him.

He nodded as he disabled the autopilot, bringing up the speeds and unlocking it for his ship. "Signal the fleet, increase speed to best possible... match them and maintain our original course." He ordered, not feeling safe with that carrier out there and no explanation for why it was there. "What's our new timeframe?"

[Calculating... four standard hours and twenty minutes...] She stated.

He nodded as he watched the blip, and narrowed his gaze as the ship was 'still' matching his speed for speed, maintaining its course and distance.

"Great Fox, how are they keeping pace with us?" He asked her.

[Unknown, it seems we are not out of their scanner range, but I am unable to determine how or why they are shadowing us.] She told him in a cautionary tone. [I recommend caution due to the nature of our mission...]

He continued to watch the ship cautiously, not sure why it was there but now growing highly suspicious of it tracking them and following them. Half an hour later he was called by Mevik saying Dinner was served, and he made an announcement saying dinner was ready, but he told Mevik he wouldn't be eating because he had to stay on the bridge to focus on his tasks. So, he sat there for another half hour just watching and observing, keeping an eye on the light carrier as it seemed to be keeping an eye on them.

Then... just as he was starting to get bored another hour into watching and waiting, wondering if maybe he was just being paranoid since 'no action' had been taken by the carrier and guessing maybe it was just shadowing them to keep them covered, perhaps sent by the government to protect them... was when something happened.

*Bree Bree Bree Bree Bree!*

He snapped his attention, eyes opened and now fully alert as he had been starting to moan, wishing he'd gotten dinner if it was going to be this quiet. He could see the radar zoom in on the carrier blip, only now multiple blips were appearing from it and starting to turn toward Great Fox. He didn't need to be told what was happening.

"Attention all pilots, battle stations!" He ordered as he pulled up windows for the Arwings to start equipping them and initiating a red alert for all decks.

Trishula and her girls were running down the hall to the hanger the instant the red alerts sounded, all of them with serious faces as they knew it was time for them to go to work. They were expecting to be facing pirates or someone who had come to attack the ship and convoy, but whatever it was they were ready and willing to fight to keep their new home safe.

[We have multiple fighters and bombers on approach, vector two, four, nine by six-six-three... I repeat we are under attack by hostile fighters and bombers. All pilots to your arwings!] They heard Arthur declare over the speakers.

They stormed through the hanger and began running to their Arwings, seeing Great Fox already equipping them for combat and the cockpits opened for them to climb in. They each separated and jumped to their assigned Arwings, and as she hit the seat, she started activating its systems for flight and combat.

"All Arwings, check in!" She said as she put her headset on.

"Arwing Four, all lights green!" Katarra said.

"Arwing Six, combat systems loaded and standing by, I'm Green as Grass!" Yumi called out.

"Arwing Nine, ready to go." Vanessa stated cooly.

"This is Trishula in Arwing Three, we're ready to launch!" She told the captain as the hanger bay opened and their engines started heating up.

[Trishula, I'm tracking a total of twelve ships, nine fighters and three heavy bombers on a direct course for the Great Fox and the fleet.] Arthur said as he appeared on her main screen. [You have to shoot them down before they can deal any potential damage to the cargo ships. With our current formation the cargo liners are blocking multiple cones of fire from Great Fox's AFB guns.]

"Understood Captain Arthur." She told him in her professional tone. "Alright Arwings, launch in three... two... one! LAUNCH!"

As one all four of them flew out of the hanger bay through the shield that protected them from the vacuum of space, and they all sped off and away from the fleet toward the oncoming threat of fighters. She could see them in the distance, twelve blips of fire approaching them.

"Well, what are we up against?" Vanessa said.

"Yumi, where's that analysis!" Katarra hollered.

"Coming up now!" Yumi said as she did a quick scan. "We've got nine BT-850 unmanned fighter drones, no shielding, medium armor plating equipped with heavy plasma guns to pierce lightly shielded targets. We've also got three short range unmanned Eclipse White Hole class bomber drones, each carrying a heavy missile payload designed to penetrate ship hulls and explode from the inside! They're heavily shielded and armored, but slow to move and maneuver!"

"Alright, Vanessa you prioritize the bombers. Yumi, Katarra you're with me, we'll take care of the fighters!"

"Roger!" They all said in unison.

"Here they come!" Katarra said as the fighters zoomed toward them, while the bombers lumbered on at a slower rate.

"Everyone, lock onto a target!" She declared as she switched her weapon's systems to the bombs. "Target locked, Bomb Volley NOW!"

All four locked onto a different unmanned fighter, but these fighters weren't the practice drones, they each split apart into different directions so that the bombs all targeted singular ships and when exploded, only 'four' were destroyed from the original nine. After that they all reformed and engaged in a dogfight with Trishula, Yumi and Katarra while Vanessa angled her ship past to focus on the bombers.

"I've got one on my tail!"

"You aren't getting away from me buster!"

"Nrrrg get off of my 'butt'! I'm not into ships like Yumi!"

Trishula and her pilots began spiraling and flying in various maneuvers, firing and being fired upon by the fighters while Vanessa tailed the bombers and unleashed a rapid burst of plasma bolts into them. She attempted to lock onto one of the bombers to fire a bomb, but the instant she did they split up to avoid the brunt of the explosive damage. As for the one that 'was' connected upon by her bomb, the armored hull of the bomber resisted and did not break or shudder.

"These things can take a serious beating!" Vanessa yelled in frustration as she resumed firing on them with an unending barrage of plasma fire.

Trishula spiraled around in a loop before finally locking onto and shooting into the hull of the unmanned fighter she was tailing. It exploded in a burst of fire as she flew past it to help Yumi with the one on her tail even as she was tailing another fighter.

"I've got you girl!" She shouted as she came in behind and fired off a volley, forcing the tailing drone to turn away from its pursuit.

"Thanks for the save ma'am." Yumi said gratefully.

"Scratch one more for me!" Katarra yelled happily before she was hit by plasma bolts. "Gaarah... get off of my 'butt'!"

"Katarra!" Trishula yelled as she saw Katarra's Arwing take a pounding to its shields.

"Get this thing off my tail!" She squealed as she did a loop to try and escape, but it kept with her and scored another hit on her shields.

Trishula nodded as she locked onto her target and then fired a bomb, letting the bomb do the job for her as she flew away to rescue her tactical expert. As she came into range, she saw Katarra flying toward her, spinning constantly and doing swerves to try and shake her tailer. Even as she sped closer, she saw another barrage of bolts smack into her ship.

"What's taking you so long boss, my shields can't take much more!"

She focused her attention on the fighter as she moved into closer range, and then as Katarra swerved to the left, she opened fire, slamming her bolts into the front of the unmanned fighter and blowing it up.

"Thanks for the save girlfriend..." Katarra said gratefully.

"Anytime girlfriend~!" Trishula said as she saved her best friend from the academy.

"I got the last one!" Yumi squealed in delight.

"What about the bombers?" She asked as she and her two pilots turned back toward the Great Fox.

"They're still on a direct course for the ship." Vanessa shouted as she grunted from frustration. "They're armor is too strong; I can't break them by myself!"

"Alright, everyone back to the Great Fox, focus your fire on the bombers one at a time starting with Vanessa's!" Trishula ordered as they all took up formation with her, heading back toward the three bombers flying toward Great Fox.

[Bombers on approach, detecting high caliber missile payloads... distance four hundred kilometers.] Great Fox reported.

As they raced back to the bombers, she could see the transports starting to move around, changing formation as the enemy neared the fleet to give Great Fox more cones of fire should the need arise. But they focused on the first bomber that Trishula was still pounding into the armor of with her Arwing's plasma guns. Once in formation they all focused into the armor and together they started making a dent, seeing multiple holes and burned spots onto the darkened hulls of the bomber's wings. For a full minute they pounded into it before 'finally' it exploded in a massive ball of fire and plasma.

[Warning, two bombers remaining, distance three hundred kilometers.]

They all switched targets and rotated to the far left one now, but after a few seconds Vanessa's guns ran dry from how many shots she had been firing into the first.

"Guuurh I'm out of ammo!" She screamed in frustration.

"Everyone, target the engines of the bombers, make our shots count!" Trishula ordered.

Without the fourth Arwing the remaining three focused their efforts into targeting the engines as she ordered and within a minute of shooting it began to spark and explode. But not before it's launch bay opened and released the missile as the whole ship exploded.

"It's launched the missile!" Yumi yelled.

"Bomb volleys now, we have to try and trigger it before it reaches the cargo ships!" Vanessa yelled.

As one they fired off two bombs, and together the eight bombs exploded to cause the missile to detonate early, but with that volley Vanessa was now well and truly out of ammo.

"I'm completely spent ma'am... I've got nothing left!" She apologized.

"Everyone on the last bomber now!" Trishula demanded as they moved to the left.

[Attention, incoming bomber is targeting Great Fox, our current shield status will not protect us! Estimated damage is extreme. Distance... one hundred kilometers and closing.]

'Wait, 'current' shield strength?' Trishula thought in confusion. 'Why hasn't Arthur enabled the High Profile Mode of his ship, with the shields Great Fox had she could 'easily' take that missile with no trouble.'

She ignored those thoughts though, having to focus on the bomber as they began to pour on the damage without Vanessa, her Arwing flying behind unable to lend any assistance. They all focus fired on the engines but as they did, the bomber swerved and rolled from side to side, using what little movement it had to evade as much direct damage as it could on its engines. They all trained and aimed their weapons as best they could, but they were constantly connecting on protective hull armor rather than weak point engines.

"We're running out of ammo!" Katarra screamed.

"Grrrg come on..." She moaned as she watched her ammo sinking rapidly.

"Everyone fire a bomb, use the last ones we have to cause as much damage as we can, aim for the center mass of the bomber where the missile is located!" Yumi said suddenly. "We may be able to trigger it's detonation!"

"Alright, lock onto the target!" She said, switching weapons and locking onto the target Yumi told them to. "Ready... fire!"

The 'instant' they released their bombs... the bomber released 'its' as it turned away. To her horror the Bomber flew left just as it released the missile payload locked onto the Great Fox, while their bombs locked onto the bomber as it flew right, exploding in a blaze of fire.

"It's launched the missile; we don't have enough firepower to trigger its detonation!"

"Captain!" Trishula screamed in fear.

[Get out of the line of fire, 'now'!] Arthur ordered them.

She grimaced as she and the others swerved away from the missile, just as Great Fox finally unleashed its weapons systems, various AFB gun batteries jutting out and unleashing an unending and steady barrage of plasma tracer rounds at the missile. Within a few seconds the missile 'exploded' harmlessly about five kilometers away from the vessel, leaving it unharmed and unaffected.

They all breathed a collective sigh of relief as they all turned back toward Great Fox, flying alongside the mighty vessel.

"All Arwings report in..."

"I'm still green, but that was close!" Yumi declared tiredly.

"Can anyone tell me if I 'look' okay to them?" Katarra complained.

"Dry as a starport without a sweet carrier and its helping of starfighters to invite... but still green at least." Vanessa reported in.

She sighed as she was glad her squad made it safely, before she opened a channel to Arthur to talk to him. "Captain, why didn't you engage the High Profile Mode, why did you wait so long before you helped us shoot the remaining bombers down?"

[Because the carrier that launched them booked it after they started flying toward us.] He told her simply. [I had a suspicion, and I didn't want to reveal Great Fox's capabilities... unless I absolutely had to.]

She raised her eyebrow at that information, the 'carrier' which launched the fighters just sent out its payload of fighters and fled?

"What's your Tactical Analysis Katarra?" She asked her friend.

"Hmmm... well... based on my knowledge and the information we learned... this was just a way to force us to reveal what we were capable of and what our ship's armaments consisted of." She told them. "Captain, can you tell me where that carrier took off to?"

[They sped off toward the transwarp gate... at a much faster speed then what we're capable of without leaving the convoy behind.] He replied.

She nodded in understanding. "Captain was right to try and hold back for as long as he could, those bombers weren't meant to just destroy the convoy, they were meant to force a reaction from us, three bombers alone and nine fighters would 'never' have destroyed the ships together even if we let them. They just wanted to get us to react... reveal our abilities... and once they got the data, they were already long gone. Which means they're on the other side of the transwarp gate, whoever they are, hiding in the space highway to ambush us."

"In other words, we haven't seen the last of them..." Trishula concluded as they all turned toward the hanger bay while the ship returned to Low Profile Mode.

[Come on home ladies... it's going to be a long night for all of us... I've got us slowing down so we can get some much-needed sleep... Great Fox will be on alert for us.] Arthur told his pilots and Trishula agreed.

They would need to be well rested for the next encounter, and as she was pulled into and docked 'with' Great Fox... she could already picture herself cuddling into her new boyfriend for a good night's sleep.

Suddenly a private call was made to her, and she answered it to see it was Vanessa.

"Listen girl, I know what you may be thinking... but for tonight... no going to your darling." She told her with a stern look.

"What... but..." She muttered, but Vanessa shook her head.

"Look, you're a starfighter pilot, you're hired to do a job, protect his ship and the cargo we're protecting. I know... trust me, if it were ANY other day I would one hundred percent say go to him and let him pound your starport's shields until the night passes and 'flood' your hanger with starfighters in attack formation, or heck even just cuddle while practicing mouth to mouth until sleep takes you three hours later. But... we have a job to do, and if what Katarra said is true, whoever is attacking us will be waiting in the space highway... we need to be alert and ready the second we wake up. And trust me, that won't happen if you're sitting in bed all comfy with your boyfriend next to you while clad only in a bra and panties, or worse you're both in your birthday suits."

Trishula became deflated as her starfighter was locked into place and the fighters began to open up and let them out. But Vanessa had one last comforting word for her, with an apologetic expression to go with it. "I know... I know... I was like that as well... found a guy I loved, wanted to spend every night in his arms and with his 'starship' docked in my starport too... but that's 'why' I want you to stay away for now... I lost 'my' first boyfriend before I could have a pup with him... I lost him because I wasn't able to protect him and was too busy fawning over him in my daydreams. Focus on your job first... then when we're all safe and sound on Aquavram Prime... you can go ahead and drag him into the nearest bed to practice breeding techniques... trust me, it will be worth it in the long run." She then gave a playful wink, and signed out.

She nodded as she left her starfighter and together her squad either split up to go drink before bed, or in her case, head to her quarters to get an early rest. Yea, she was right... Vanessa had a point... she 'was' a hired starfighter pilot, not just her captain's girlfriend. She had a job to do... just as he had a job to do. But she was going to be miserable at night without her boyfriend to cuddle until they reached the safety of Aquavram's oceans.

=Until next time, Pleasant Dreams, Captains=

[Kiandra's Log]

[Alright, well what is there to say that hasn't been said in the many books written about notable members of my species? Quite a bit actually, but none of that matters now that I've FINALLY gotten off that damnable boring rock of a planet Belga Cinco. Oh sure, it was pleasant to stay on but the working environment I was in was dreadfully dull and not to mention 'boring'.]

[I was hoping to learn more about my personal research into interspecies mixed copulation thanks to the multi-mixed species located in the Belga sector. Instead, I learned about how many ways I can create a Fertility or Virility pill for my patients. I also learned how to smile and pretend to enjoy the work load my 'boss' was giving me while giving himself easy jobs so he can have more time to play 'doctor' with a certain trio of nurses he's dating in secret while 'married'! Ugh, and the bastard has the 'nerve' to ask me for my special 'anti-pregnancy' pills for 'him' so he can avoid having a kid with his Terran wife? Terran Doctors... I swear, some of them don't deserve to breed to begin with... or perhaps they do, just unwillingly~. At the same time there was a guy trying to hit on me because of my 'generous' personality, heh, he's cute but I'm not interested...]

[I was working at that clinic for fifteen years pretending to be a F-Cup Mixed-Terran, and my salvation to the whole thing came one day when I saw a posting for a qualified Medical and Science officer. I instantly applied for both positions, sending my credentials and everything. Oh, when I found out I'd passed sixteen screening levels of quality control, I 'knew' I was dealing with a ship AI, a sophisticated one... and to my wonder, I find out 'after' being given an interview location, it was one of my 'own' creations!]

[I was so happy when I learned that Captain Arthur, the ship owner... was still operating one of my designs, having it perform the actions and duties I designed it for. It truly made my day... I swear if I were not there to have an interview for the job, I would have happily ridden him for free just to show how grateful I was to him for taking care of my ship design. I poured 'thirty years' into the design of the Dylerian-Centro VK-65-Galactica Multi-Modular Finback Battleship Class Hull, thirty years of bloodshot eyes, sleepless nights, caffeine fueled days and groaning complaints from an empty stomach... just to see it all turned into a glorified cargo liner, or a museum decades later.]

[Well, after I got the job, I put all my affairs in order, having prepared for my eventual 'departure' from that clinic that day after I put in my application. I had to leave on a 'very' good note, so I made sure that my boss wasn't told I swapped the anti-pregnancy pills with the 'virility' pills the night before I left. I'm sure he won't mind if his three nurses alongside his 'wife' suddenly come to him talking about each of them having triplets with 'his' DNA in the coming months. I'm sure his wife will be understanding... given she has 'no' knowledge of this whatsoever. And as for the Belgan girls, well they are a very 'open' species... I'm sure they'll be open to... negotiating who gets his money for raising the babies. As for the guy who was trying to date me, well I humored him as I was leaving, and showed him my 'true' form...]

[Oh, I have 'never' seen a guy suddenly lose all sexual interest in a girl like him, you'd think seeing a 'young' Eldentran would be enticing but no, I just don't understand why they don't like my appeal. At least the Captain had a reaction, even if he didn't 'want' to have it react, he's such a cutie. I can see why that 'Trishula' is into him, they make a great couple, I can just 'tell'.]

[Anyway, we just finished being attacked by a small group of pirate ships, seem to be unmanned or something, I dunno, I was busy coming up with a new 'Arwing' Module for when we arrive on Aquavram Prime. I like to put my intellect to the test, and having to take into account the various water depths, the water pressure onto hulls normally meant for space, engine and wings and even a new weapon's system is more interesting to me than being shot at.]

[I honestly don't know what will happen, and that's what excites me... I can't 'wait' to see what challenges Captain Arthur will have me overcome, on board the Great Fox...]

[End of log...]

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So this is me, the author, I'm going to start slowly winding down the chapters for thsi fic, specifically 'two more' chapters and then I'll stop to let my creative juices return to my other stories that I have woefully neglected and need to return to before i write another for this one. But I 'will' introduce the new girl that will be another of Arthur's love interests, equal to Trishula's position, and the next chapter after will be ending with a lemon including the two of them in a threesome.

Review away, and tell me what you think of this story. I've gotten some good reviews and honestly, I worry sometimes if its good and especially if the lemons are good, please review and tell me all of your thoughts, i love reading and hearing people's opinions. Especially if they are long reviews~ the longer the better... what did you like about the story, what moments did you enjoy...

And in particular, who do you think of the new characters introduced did you like best~