Chapter 3 - Filling out and Filling up

Alpha Shipyards, orbiting Terra Nova Prime
North Arm, Pier Five; Servicing Merdian Diviner and embarked craft.
1810 hours Station/Capital Time.
Seven Days after Tendril Tension

"Dornt gezzat guff, shiny. Ah ken whit Ah order, dornt ye feckin' cuttie me." A short woman with tight curls of red hair swore at a man twice her height on the other side of a purser's desk.

"I- what?" The purser, "Petty officer, if you're using a non standard language, it's against regulation-"

"Aam Spikin feckin' sassenach ye bapit dobber!"

"Always at the end of my shift." The Junior Lieutenant had his hands over his face.

"Problems, Lieutenant Haverdeen?" Silver eyes had read the name strip from ten meters off. Captain Sable had spoken up at two. The Lieutenant looked up and came to attention when saw the face that was plastered on a few of the new PR posters being circulated. "At east," Sable saluted back. 

"Ah, Flight Captain. It's just a little-"

"Fa th' buck ur ye callin' wee?!" Came a shout from the rather short redhead. If Sable didn't know any better he'd guess she had a bit of Hallum in her, or her mother had, at some point.

"That's some thick Traveler." Sable reeled. "Dornt frit," He held up a head to the short and angry engineer, "I've got thes." He turned back to the purser. "I'm guessing there's an issue with inventory?"

"Aye, Sir." He pointed to a screen that was facing out from the desk. "As you see, this is the order I got for parts and equipment, however a lot of the gear was grey flagged as being non-critical."

Sable leaned in and looked at some of the items, almost a third of the list, that were denied. Most of it was ground equipment, parts for habitats and other necessities that only 'Top worlds' could produce with ease. There were also engine parts that, while not usable for a Thraxi, were common place on a lot of ships flown by civilians and militia in the Expanse.

Max turned and cocked an eyebrow at the short woman, who crossed her eyes and matched his silver eyes for her green. Damn if she didn't familiar. It was to be expected, but still. "I'm signing off on all of this. Gunship CO override." He stated simply and watched the purser pale.

"Ah, Captain, are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Lieutenant." Sable kept a smile on his face, but his tone crept toward cool. "I trust my Ship's Engineer to know what to stock." He could feel the woman giving him another look up and down and the Hallum comparison became more founded in the predatory feeling he felt fixed on his arse.

"Aye, Sir. I'll need you to input your override codes here." He pushed a thick analog keypad toward Sable and after a few complex numbers, a blue light told the two officers the rest of the order was being prepped, and a message box on the screen told them that the final authorizing was being kicked all the way up to the Commander.

After collecting the receipts, Captain Sable walked beside the engineer as she entered a lift, and she slapped the button for the Outbound deck.

"Weel arenae ye th' knecht in glitzy armur?" She drawled out.

"You can save the Traveler-Cant for when your cussing out deck officers, Petty Officer." Sable put in just a bit of the rank into his voice. "Aem nae divit."

She chuckled and rolled her shoulders. "Beggin' yer pardon, Captain." She turned and offered a smart salute. "Petty Officer, First Class, Jessica T. Roan. Thanks, sir, for the help there." She added, after he returned the salute, then offered his hand for a firm shake. She smiled as her thick calluses brushed against his own, slightly worn, hands. "Not baby soft, but not bad. I hope you're not sanding those hands on my cousin's cock." She smiled wide and flashed some long canines as the lift came to a stop and the door opened.

"That'd be telling." Sable smiled back. The din of crew members of both the station and the Meridian  mixing as cargo and equipment was loaded onto the vessel.

----
Four Days after Tendril Tension

Long legs wrapped around Max's back as he plunged his cock into the waiting lips of the almost purple Valkyrie. Her toes curled as she felt him press deep and push up into her. The wetness of her cunt making it easy for him to feed every centimeter of cock into her with power and speed. Beverly moaned as she ran a hand through Max's hair.  He smiled as he went up on his toes to push a little deeper, and pulled her head closer with the hand that wasn't on her ass. 

She closed her eyes as she turned her head for the kiss, catching sight of Doc watching from the table beside the hottub. The others had gone inside, it had been a very relieving couple of days, Beverly mused, right before she felt Max growl around her lips and redouble his pace. She moaned into his mouth as his tongues danced with her own and the water surged around them with each thrust and ebb. Her cock ached as hot water and cool air splashed and stung in turn against her aching lady boner. 

Silky hands wrapped around her shaft as Doc moved beside the tub.

"Need a hand, Max?" She asked, even though his mouth was still very occupied with Beverly's he managed to show assent with the bob of his head between thrusts into the blushing violet Valkyrie. With Doc's masterful ministrations added to the growing strength of Max's fucking, Beverly soon felt the sweet sting of a rising orgasm bloom into a rush of lighting that surged from her cock to her cunt up her spine and straight into her brain. Her legs shot out and Max drove his cock as deep as he could. He came, and the thick ropes of cum filled Beverly's welcoming womanhood. Hona's hands were fast to fap Beverly into further furious fits as she came from her cock and all over her breasts. 

As her skin flushed till she was nearly blue, she let her mind drift through the hot haze of orgasm. She was mildy aware that Max was supporting her head as she let her bod hang limp. His hand, and his throbbing erection, the only things keeping her upright. Her toes curled again at the thought and she felt the walls of her womanhood hug tight against the thick, rock hard, manhood with a heady suction.

The Valkyrie program might have given her a cock, but Bev loved to be ridden more than she liked to be ride. Her haze cleared enough that she recognize a wet, familiar pressure on her breasts. She looked down and saw Max licking her ejaculate off her tits. Her cock throbbed as she watched him lick her nipples, each with both tongues. She moaned as he dragged the dual organs under the swell of her breasts and up into her sticky cleavage. 

Hona just watched as her own erection patiently pulsed between her thighs.

-----

"She's a shiny babe, Cap'n." Jessica smiled as she sized up the gunship from within, after giving the outside a look over. "Cannae wait to see 'er cherry popped." 

The engine room of the Thraxi was a testment to rugged 'function over form' engineering that made the Confederation what it was. The parts all worked, worked well and could handle months of use, to days of abuse, depending on the part. The Engineer had ordered a fair share of spares for all the vitals, but plenty of 'other' material that would be more useful when running wasn't an option and shooting was the last resort.

"I'd offer you a seat up front, but I wouldn't dare try and tear you from a new engine." 

"She's not my first 'new' ship," Jessica admitted. "But she's my first being the top tech."

"You know your Wrench?" He asked. She nodded and rolled her shoulders, at the same time peeling back part of her uniform to expose the tight underlayer and her proportionately impressive chest. She started doing a close inspection of the internal elements of the engines and reactor. Most, if not all, of the moving parts could be accessed from the inside.  A certain amount of performance was lost, in the engines, by making them so accessible from the interior, but it was all in the name of maintainability. 

"He's good salt. Aquabos kid." She added, and Sable nodded. Aquabos was a planet where most of the population lived under the waves, harvesting vast quantities of easily preserved vegetation for the Confederation. As a result, most Aquabos natives had a natural affinity to serving in space, as they had no issues with living in 'pressure vessels' for extended periods.  "Know when he's supposed to get here?" She asked.

There was a clank from the port upper engine. 

"Ya-ho!" Came a thick accented voice from the panel. "No worries, Chief, I'm alreadeh deep in this lady makin' sure she's readeh to flash her ass to naught bah debris after she chews out the bobaclats what get in her way."

Short black hair in tight curls hung from a head of chocolate brown skin. Bright brown eyes and an upisde down smile met the surprised looks from Sable and Jessica. "Crewman Mica Hammon. Pleasure to be aboard, Cap'n." Sable put his hands on his hips as the Aquaban slipped from the maintenance space

"Couldn't even bother to say hello?" Sable smiled as the Crewman stood, the three enlisted stripes on his orange work uniform already smudged with the grease of a fresh ship. "Already getting in there?" He asked, rhetorical.

"Labba-sue is there was some kinda bun on the last jaunt," Sable realized the words he was hearing in his ears weren't matching the swift and short movements of his lips. "So I'm making mos def we're five and five, no mistake." He'd have to get used to the words popping in and out.

"Sink me," Jessica swore, but had a smile that touched her eyes, "That's what I was planning on from the start." She pressed a key on a console and a panel slide aside.

"Well I got a ku pon dese shiny sistren," gestured to the engines and the reactor, "and I couldn' wait to give em each a proper bow, sure that everytin' fit and frock, ya nuh see it?"

"Aye, Wrench." Jessica smiled. "I'll see to the starboard 'sisters' while you get back to the port lassies." She gestured at the upper and lower engine modules in the port side of the room.

"Da sound like a fine day'a wuk to me!" He laughed and after checking to make sure his boots were properly fastened, "Real talk, sir. Pleasure to be on a ship serving with such a proper Champion." He saluted the Captain, who returned his salute and left the engineers to their duties.

Before he climbed back up into the engine spaces he turned when he saw Jessica wave for his attention. 

"Careful 'lad, Cap's ken what you saying with that," she tapped her head, "Chatterbox or not."

"Would be a snooze of a cruise if he weren't keen to pick up on that." The man laughed and climbed back into the bits of the ship.
----
The water ran down Max's back as the hot shower cleaned off the light chemicals from the hot tub. Beverly bit her lip as she lined her near blue bulb up with Max's waiting anus. It winked at her and she suppressed a chuckle as she prodded and pressed in. He sighed with relief as she began to fill his ass and she felt the tight patch of muscle that was Max's prostate before she pressed on into his ass.

Doc had opted to clean the tub before turning in for the night, so Bev had Max all to her self. As she felt he cock bottom out in his ass and her thighs slapped wetly against his butt, she smiled. Just cause she loved being ridden, herself; didn't mean she didn't like to ride an ass. 

"Certainly not an ass this good." She squeezed his cheeks and her hands and let her nails dig just a little into his flesh. He groaned as he backed his ass up against her. She let out a short off as she felt her feet brace on the textured floor, and braced herself. "That's it, babe." She rocked her hips forward and felt his balls slap against the base of her aug-cock. "Work for it." She moved slowly, only thrusting half of her cock into his ass before pulling back out again. 

Max threw a look over his shoulder. His face was flushed with pleasure and his lip worried under his teeth as her confirmed just what Bev was doing. She waggled her eyebrows and Max rolled his eyes but pushed against the shower wall as he started to fuck himself on Beverly's throbbing meat spear. With each half thrust of the Valkyrie, the Pilot pushed further until the wet slap of flesh echoed with each coital collision. 

Beverly moaned as she ran her hands through her wet hair and rolled her hips slightly to the sides, making Max shake his ass to keep up with her. She watched as he fervently fucked his pucker on her prick and despite her preferences, thrilled her all the same. Satisfied with her teasing she grabbed Max by the hips, surprising him with a sudden thrust to the hilt and started a strong and steady slam spree into his ready rear.

Her internal glands flexed and churned as they pumped a thick stream of Valkyrie jism through her cock and into his waiting ass. Beverly didn't stop her thrusts though, each pump of her hips was matched with a spray from her cock as she coated the insides of his colon with thick ropes of cum. His cock twitched underneath, shaking and cumming from the prostate stimulation and the anal experience. His thick cum flew in heavy spurts but the wet walls offered no purchase and it quickly washed away. 

His ass was another story, as Beverly held him close and brought his body up to press against hers. She kissed him, much like they'd kissed in the tub, as she came deep into him. Even with him being shorter than her, as he was, it was surprisingly easy to fuck him like this. The rush of post orgasm made it difficult to think of much else than the hot sticky warmth around her semi-hard cock, but it registered all the same.

"Did you get taller?"

---

"Hey, Cap!" Sable looked down to see the full figure of Specialist Felicity Roan walking across the deck of the mission space. She was in her tight fitting underlayer and it hugged every curve, even as the metal plugs and plates gave further protection to her vital areas. "Can I speak to you for a second?"

"Sure!" Sable called down and stepped over to a polished ladder that connected the walkway down to the deck. He placed his palms on the outer bars and took a step over the breach, quickly sliding down. He pressed his feet in tight to slow himself, but as he felt the deck under his feet. He felt the cool material of underarmor smart skin press against the back of his head. It felt stretched, like over two very large familiar portions of female flesh.

Strong hands wrapped in the material linked over his hands and warm lips kissed at the back of his neck. He freely cocked his head to give the advancing lips and freedom to roam over his flesh as the warm wetness of a tongue dragged up to his ear. He shivered an closed his eyes as Fel gently nipped at his ear and pressed her throbbing, yet restrained, member against his ass. He sighed and exhaled and with little effort freed his hands, but didn't quite push Felicity away.

"Thought you were going to wait till we were off duty to 'recuperate', Specialist?" Captain Sable asked, coolly. They were on the clock, and he wanted the ship in the air, and properly so, soon. The crew was a member shy of being flushed out, and he'd saved the 'best' for last. Felicity sighed as she backed off, but dragged her hands down to Sable's hips before rotating on a heel to stand side by side with him, her back to the bulkhead.

"I just thought I'd give you a warm up. Plus there's still work to do on the Mechs before we can even test fly them." True enough, Sable thought as he turned on his own heel, and backed his ass up against Felicity. She cooed as she felt the pressure from his uniformed buttcheeks press against her restrained erection. 

"They're literally just the frames at this point. None of the good stuff. But I saw your cousin's order sheet, you and Darling will have plenty of toys to play with."

"That's great." She smiled and crossed her arms over his chest. Then she blinked. "Wait, my COUSIN?!"

---

Meridian Diviner, Main Body, Arsenal Deck.
2210 hrs.

The forward spaces of most line of battle vessels were dedicated to either the firepower being unleashed on whatever was in the vessel's way, or honeycombed berthing spaces meant to be sealed in emergencies and act as 'buffer' for incoming attacks. The firepower of such a vessel took significant organization to run effectively, and that meant a clear order for moving ordinance to where it needed to go. From storage, to the magazines, to the guns, to the enemy; exclusively in that order.

That gave some measure of assurance to the ensign working at a terminal, his fingers furiously typing out reports and clearing out his queue before his time was up. He saved, signed and sent yet another report to its appropriate supervising officer. His sore, red eyes searched the screen for the next report but he couldn't find it. He blinked hard, swore, rebooted the screen, and there was still no new report. 

That was impossible. He'd sat down that morning and there had been forty-four incomplete reports waiting for him. The reports had been sent back from the various port officers and demanded 'clarification'. He had taken a double shift to put a dent in the reports and now they were missing. He swore and opened the outbox of his communications log and with a pen and paper beside him, tallied up the reports he'd sent out, so he could figure out which ones had gone missing.

Forty-four check marks later, he swore as the reality registered. The number on the clock told him of how late it was and he sighed.

"Impressive work, Ensign." A voice came from behind him and the young officer jumped from his seat, a hand going to his hip, but finding nothing. Of course not, he didn't go around armed, not anymore. "Relax, Daniel. Take a breath." Ensign Daniel Pallasi sighed and fell back into the swiveling seat. He closed his bloodshot eyes and took some steadying breaths. 

Sable watched as the younger officer found his keel, it was taking a moment and Max reflected on what he'd read of the Ensign. Born on Pallas-V, Mother died during childbirth from internal injuries, and still a Jane Doe, presumed to be a runaway from some branch of the ECC; father unknown. Top of his class, but opted to delay the war college or command tracks, he served on Resolute Sword for her previous 'show the flag' cruise and had been offered a chance to stay on after proving not only an excellent book keeper for munitions, but a crack shot with kinetic cannons and missile systems. During the battle, he had taken command over one of Resolute's dorsal double barreled turrets, and its two meter cannons. Three of the enemy's ships sunk to his shots exclusively. 

He had been on one of the last escape pods out, cramming other pods to capacity with younger crew members before a Valkyrie had carried him into the last launch in the line. His nerves looked worn and Max was surprised he'd passed inspection to return to duty. Then again, maybe he was just that eager to reclaim Resolute.

"Captain Sable." The ensign addressed him. "Good to meet you. I'm late for my posting, I take it?" He asked, a hoarse laugh punctuating his question. Sable shook his head.

"Not at all, we're right on time. Good of you to clear out the gunners' paperwork." He applauded the man's work.

"Most of the people who signed off on the stuff in the first place seem to be in far off postings with crap turnover for messages so I figured I'd just do the work and get it done. Sooner we ship out, the better." Well that answered that question. "Never seen so many people cycle out of a ship without their being a battle or an inquiry." He yawned and held up a hand to cover his face. "Sorry, sir."

"No worries. There's plenty to talk about, but how about you break in your new bunk before that?" Daniel smiled and pushed his glasses up, the short cut shaggy hair shuffling as he did.

"That sounds alright. I could use some shut eye." He admitted, and Sable wondered if Fel would have competition in her stating of the obvious.

---

Dragon Slayer, Berthing Deck.

Beneath the living space where the crew would eat, chat, and plan as their mission progressed, several chambers were arranged in stacked pattern on either side of a hall that might be narrow for someone as tall as Darling, but was otherwise comfortable. Each module held two bunks, a pair of desks, and enough closet and cabinet spaces to accommodate two individuals extended periods. There were enough berths for sixteen people, plus the captain's suite, which was more like one and half again the space of the other berths, to accommodate an office space for one on one meetings.

Each berth could separately be ejected as an escape module, or the entire section could be separated from the bottom in a case of catastrophe. 

Bunking had been first come first served, and there was just enough extra space where most of the crew didn't have to share their bunks, but not all. Rosaline and Pix were now neighbors, and Max did the math that any less space and they'd probably be bunking together and oh the scandal that would cause in the noble halls of gossip. Diana had taken the berth across from Rosaline, and other directly adjacent to the Captain's berth, for herself, but was keeping half clear in case the crew situation changed. 

Next to Diana, and across from Pix, David had opted to bunk with Doc Hona, who was happy to share the space with the ensign. It didn't take long after he started moving his kit in for them to strike up a conversation that was still going strong when Hona closed the door to the berth.

Fel and Darling were across the hall from one another and both were, for the moment, bunking alone. Fel liked the idea and was taking advantage of the space while she had it, furnishing it with the kit that wasn't locked down as well as a few posters and other 'morale' items she'd picked up during leave. Darling was in much the same position, but the Valkyries agreed that unless they took on a Hallum crew member, it would be a tight fit bunking with the Aug-4. 

Mica had introduced himself like a gentleman when he knocked on Verily's door and asked Beverly if she would mind sharing the space with him. She had not, and had invited him in, with gusto.

Jess had taken the final berth for herself, and had falling asleep shortly after making sure the ship's showers were in working order.

--- 
Twelve Days after Tendril Tension
Meridian Diviner Commander's Briefing Room
0925 hrs

"How's your crew doing, Captain Sable?" Commander Feoras asked. Even though he knew the answer, it was for the benefit for those present, familiar and new, at the Meeting table.

"We're up to speed, Sir. There were a few bumps to iron out, but the work up runs gave us plenty of opportunity to bring everything in line."

There was a cough beside him. "Mixed metaphors," after another cough, Captain O'Reilly smirked behind his fist. Sable flashed a grin with a bit of edge to it. 

"We're ready for the Mission, Commander." Max answered, blandly. A few of others at the table chuckled, but all four of the new additions were reserved. Major Henrick Davos, in command of the Red Riser gunship, was a steely looking man with fresh scars on his face. Sable had thought the scars matched up well with the battle marks of his vessel. He'd greeted Sable tersely prior to the meeting's start, along with the other three new arrivals.

"Good to hear, Raven." He leaned back and addressed the room,"After you sent that report on your Valkyrie squad's 'connections' in the Expanse, I requested the other gunship captains, as well as the Colonel's squad leaders," he nodded at the Marine Colonel, "and see just how many leads we might have into the Expanse." His smile leveled out. "Sadly, fewer than we'd like, but still enough that we have several good starts, in our assigned stretch."

"It may be best we don't have too many of these leads." An officer with accent at home in the tundras chimed in. Her Captain stripes looked worn on her uniform, along with the navigation certifications on her chest. "We don't want to spread ourselves thin if something actually turns up." Captain Ana Vuelero crossed her arms in front of herself. 

"If something turns up, Ma'am." Sable spoke up, "It'll be better to have a lighter presence that won't set off a potential powder keg."  His words brought a few nods from the officers, the Chief, and Major Davos as well.

"True, though we are the same rank, Sable." She tapped her own Captain's devices. Sable shrugged.

"I'm still a bit shiny." He admitted, before his eyes turned toward another new face, a Marine Captain with a mechanical arm. Sir Nigel Hornback.

"Young Captain Sable did bring up rather pivotal point, Sir." He addressed the Commander in accent rich in nobility and silver spoon feeding. "If, no I should say When," and he emphasized the word with level of certainty Sable found concerning, "When we find Resolute. Should she be in hostile hands, and should those hands be of an Expanse government, what are our orders?" He brought the question to bear, and all eyes were on the Commander.

"The Rules of the Expanse apply." Commander Feoras spoke without hesitation. "We start something, they all band up and finish it. But if an Expanse world attacked us, or is holding OUR personnel or vessels, they stand alone."

"Someone's fucked up then," An engineer cocked his head. "Those ships definitely were old makes, but gathering that many and with bug-guns; someone's bound to have seen something."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Sable spoke up and got a few raised eyes, he was really chatting up this meeting. "Expanse has a lot of green worlds and plenty of space to live, and people flock there. It's still space, though. Plenty of cold rocks and barren moons to hide an anchorage you don't want anyone to know about."

The thought brought a sobering hush to the room, before the Commander brought the meeting to more mundane matters.

---

"That was well played, Max." Feoras said, after the meeting had concluded.

"Sir?"

"Resolute's additions, they're all a little high strung."

"They seem so, at least, Sir."

"They don't just seem it, Max."

"Sir, If a Doctor told me something in Captain's confidence, is it breaking it if I trust in Commander's confidence?"

"Since that Doctor and you as a Captain are both my subordinates, I don't think so; especially if it's for the wellness of the crew involved."

"The night I rounded up all the crew, Ensign Pallasi decided to bunk with Doc Hona."

"Brave soul." 

"Aye, well; they started talking, and the next day, Doc tells me that after a point Daniel broke down."

"Is he still fit for duty."

"Aye, sir. It's just that, and looking at the reports I'm sure of it, Not all of the crew were able to reach the escape craft, sir."

"That's not quite it, Max."

"Sir?"

"The new Engineering officer-"

"Petty Officer Bronski?"

"Yes, he was on the deck when the signal was given. A number of the escape craft, almost immediatly after the retreat order was formalized, had major malfunctions, Max."

"Sir... Did any of these malfunctions include exploding black boxes?"

"According to Bronski? Every single one."