"If you're leaving you damn well better get in here NOW!" I called over the com.
The last two turned and ran up the ramp and hit the door switch as I rammed the throttles to full emergency once more. I had a feeling the engineers where gonna have words with me when I got back to the ship.
I kicked the ship on its side almost as soon as it rose up off the ground, riding the ground effect as I cut across the attackers. This low and moving this fast it shouldn't be possible for them to turn fast enough to get a lock. At five seconds to impact I nosed back up a little and gave a small sigh of relief as I saw the enemy diving for cover from the next barrage. By the time they stuck their heads back up I was out of range of their missiles and climbing for space.
"Hawk, drop three, give me a vector."
"Drop three, Hawk here, turn 138 true, nose up six degrees." I head Roeson's voice.
I checked my course and looked at the ranging data they were feeding me on the laser. The Hawk was coming down to meet me, we'd intersect in upper atmosphere.
"What's up Hawk?" I asked. By my clock we had thirty minutes until we had to burn for space before the first destroyer would be able to get us in envelope.
"We just got an update from one of our intellsats," the intellsats were cheap little things we'd drop out at the start of a mission to gather extra info and be our eyes without exposing our exact position.
He continued, "Apparently hostile one has managed to increase speed and will be within attack range in forty five minutes."
I did the math in my head, if we left immediately when I got there, it would take the hawk thirty minutes to come up to full speed. They were already at full speed. We'd be in their outer range for at least fifteen minutes.
"Understood Hawk. What are our options for recovery?"
Docking a shuttle to the external mounts was a difficult proposition when a ship was under power. Every minute saved here would be one less we'd be within range.
"Think you can put it in the shuttle bay drop three?"
"Think you can hold it steady Hawk?" I grinned to myself, I had no doubts Roeson could hold it like a rock, even in the thin air we'd be meeting in.
"Don't scrape the walls drop three, Captain says they're not due for repainting."
"Oh ye of little faith," I replied then hit the intercom to the back of the shuttle.
"Get everyone strapped in back there, backs to the front bulkhead. Gonna be a quick stop."
"Roger Pilot!" came back up at me.
"Hawk, request arresting gear, 10fps approach."
"Roger drop three. I'll have the paint cans ready as well."
I checked my nav gear. They were five miles out now, on a converging course. I slowed my approach vector, and dumped most of my fuel, just in case I crunched. I wouldn't have enough for a second pass though.
"Fuel dumped Hawk. Hold it steady. Beacon on please."
The beacon in the landing bay came on and I flew us right in into the nose snare.
"Contact!" I heard someone call, probably the shuttle bay crew, as I was slammed into my harness. I watched on the nose camera as the wall came so close it blurred. I held my breath killed all the power and ...
We were home.
I collapsed in my harness as they sealed the bay, pumped in atmosphere, and started to unload the rest of the wounded. I waited until they were all out and then staggered to my feet and out of the ship. I felt like a very limp rag, I'd been pulling massive amounts of G's all the way down through all those flips and maneuvers. I was going to have some very sore spots tomorrow. The seats in the drop ships just weren't as good as an assault shuttle's.
I had just pulled my helmet off when I was suddenly grabbed and hugged tight.
"Dialene!" It was Serge, the Lieutenant who had been leading the squad and a half I had just rescued, and who was the leader of the second platoon.
"Thanks for pulling our asses out of the fire, we owe you, and we won't forget it!" He growled picking me up and squeezing the air out of me. He was a rather well built black Jag.
"Hey!" I squeaked.
"Oops!" He laughed and set me down, "Sorry."
"That's okay hon," I smiled, "Catch me off duty and you can repay me as much as you want!" I winked and smacked him on the rump. "But I have to get back to the bridge right now."
"I'll be waiting," he purred giving my own butt a light smack.
I was in high spirits when I returned to my duty station on the bridge. Those spirits dropped quickly however as the destroyer finally got range on us.
The weapons used in space combat are many. But high power lasers, particle beams, and missiles are the primary ones used. Lasers weren't hard to defend against, sandcasters did a pretty effective job of that. Particle beams were a bit tougher to deal with. Fortunately the destroyer only mounted one, and it wasn't too powerful. In the next twenty minutes of jinking and maneuvering, they only hit us three times, and the damage wasn't too bad. If you don't count a drop ship being blown off of its mount as 'not too bad'. Being at the edge of their effective range helped that I know.
The missile battle was a lot more worrisome. We launched a lot of our own missiles and anti-missiles at them. We did some damage, and that made us feel better, but we didn't escape unscathed exactly ourselves. Roeson's piloting abilities and those of our weapon's operators saved us from anything worse then a few holes in the hull that were quickly patched once we were safely out of range.
I knew the reason we got those hits was because they'd let me go, and waited for my return. I winced when I thought about what the Captain had said just before I left.
"Well," I thought to myself remembering Serge's smiling face, "it was worth it."
I was on shift for eighteen hours straight until we entered jump. The Captain had sat there the entire time, quiet except for his orders. I had to admit he was a rock and didn't even swear when the shuttle was blown off, or we took damage from the missiles that were intercepted so close that we took damage. He finally left the bridge shortly after we made jump.
Roeson told me to take the first rest period then, said I had earned it. I shrugged and headed off to my rack, bone tired and collasped in it.
I awoke suddenly from a dream, in the dark room. It had started out as my old nightmare, only this time, instead of dying all alone, freezing and suffocating, Sabre, Cam, and Serge showed up and laughing at my fears carried me away. I felt good. I looked at the clock, I'd only been asleep five hours, but I didn't feel like sleeping anymore.
So I hit the shower, got nicely cleaned up. I dug into my packed belongings and got out one of my special outfits, the best one I had, and put it on. I checked myself out in the mirror, I looked wonderful. Grabbing a robe, I covered myself up, and padded out of the room and down to the end of the hallway, where it ended. I rang and waited, then rang again.
"This had better be important ..." The Captain said as he opened the door.
"It is sir," I said, lightly pushing him back and stepping inside.
"Sir, I want to thank you for letting me go."
"You came here and woke me, to tell me that?" He growled half asleep.
"Yes, and I wanted to also say that I'm sorry I stood up to you on the bridge, and I won't complain if you send me back to the mines. I was disrespectful and I apologize. I do want you to know that even if you do send me back to the mines, it was worth it and I'll never regret it."
"It was worth the possibility of going back to the mines to a brothel job?" He asked eyes quirked.
"It was worth far more to me then you may ever know," I smiled and reached behind me closing the door. "And as you're going to have me tossed off the ship anyway, I thought I would thank you in the way I knew best." So saying I opened my robe and let it drop to the floor.
From the way his eyes opened and he straightened up, I could see he was interested. Of course his tail bushing up helped as well. Did I mention that my Captain was a fox? An extremely handsome and well formed one at that.
&nb
sp; "I'm not sending you back to the mines," He said looking me back up in the eyes. "So you don't have to worry about it, if that's what this is all about. You not only proved you could do it, but you're a hero to the crew now as well, for risking your life and saving the others."
I shook my head. "Sir, I may have been acting the bitch up on the bridge, but you gave me permission that you could have withheld. In the end you had faith in me. By my code, I owe you. Besides," I giggled, "You're sexy. Now if you don't want me, tell me, and I'll leave."
He smiled then and reached out for me, "Now who ever said I didn't want you?"
I may have a thing for cats, but foxes were still my favorite ...
12
I woke the next morning to the sound of the Captain's alarm. Yawning I sat up and looked around as the lights came up.
"Time for duty," I yawned again.
"Not for you," The Captain said getting out of bed and stretching. "You did combat duty, so you get three days down now, just like the rest of the assault team."
"Oh?" I grinned watching him stretch. "This must be my lucky week, three days off, I'm not getting sent back to the mines, and I managed to seduce the hunkiest male fox on the ship!"
"I'll remind you I'm the only male fox on the ship." He replied thumbing his nose at me.
"You're without a doubt the hunkiest male fox I've seen in years." I grinned, "Come back to bed and I'll be happy to show you again."
"Those damn uniforms of yours are distracting enough," he growled playfully, "After last night it's going to make life even more difficult."
"Why?" I smiled and got out of bed sitting on the edge and watching him dress. "You want me, just tell me. Trust me, I'll be more then happy to comply."
He actually blushed!
"It's not just that I’m the Captain," He began, "It's also your attitude. Yes we foxes have our reputation, but you actually live it, you don't play coy, you go right in for the kill. It's a bit different."
I sighed and helped him get his tail through his slacks. "Well, the circumstances of my rescue made me dislike being alone. Working at the mines I found that sex with another living being not only confirmed to me that I was alive, but reminded me of just how much I enjoyed being alive, and with another person. Maybe it's an over reaction, but right now it's the way I am, and if you want to do this again, you'll have to live with it. I'm sorry."
He nodded, "I know, and for now I guess I can live with it. At least you're as good looking as you are brazen!" He snickered.
"You better believe it. Sure you don't want to stay?"
"I have work to do, and I have a suspicion that you want to go spend some time with your friends back in troop country."
I nodded. "Yeah, but I'd be more then happy to make love to you again Captain," I smiled.
"It's Ron in private, you can knock off the Captain bit."
"I like Captain," I grinned, "it sounds so much more masculine. I'll save Ron for when we're off the ship."
He sighed, smiling back. "Well, I have to check the watch. Later Dia."
I got up as he left the room and gathered up my things. I took a shower and then changed into something a bit less risqué and went in search of Serge and his friends.
I didn't have far to go, I was pretty much one of the hero's of the week back with the troops. There was the usual post mission party going on, which was a pretty laid back affair, especially now that it had been going on for a day. It didn't take me long to find Serge and remind him of his promise. A few of his squad felt duty bound to assist of course, in rotation mostly. I guess I should have felt guilty for acting like a total slut, but it was just too much fun.
When I finally headed back to my room I was fully sated and nicely rested as well. Another shower and I hit the rack for a nice long nap before I had to be on duty. I felt a little sad about not having looked up the Captain on those off days, but he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon I thought with a smile.
We made it back to base in only two weeks. With half the shuttles gone we were running lighter then normal. I made a point of spending almost all of those sleep periods with the Captain.
"Aren't your friends going to miss you?" He teased me after several nights.
"You should know better then to believe all the rumors you hear on a ship Captain!" I mock growled and nipped one of his ears lightly.
He smiled, "Well I know you've spent a lot of sleep periods down in troop country. So what's a fox to think, hmmm?"
I huffed and pinched him, "Someone jealous?"
"Maybe. I wanted you myself though, so I can't claim my motives are pure," he chuckled and pinched me back.
I squeaked and tried to retreat across the bed. He followed and quickly pinned me down with his body.
"Well," I grinned as he started to nibble on some sensitive area's. "I hate to sleep alone, too many nightmares."
"Oh?"
I pushed his head back down, "Listen, and don't stop doing that!" I murrrred giggling as he did as he was told. "You know my past, and I'm not gonna make excuses. I don't think I have to. And with a hunk like you around, maybe I can be tempted to settle down a little!" I giggled and then squealed as he gave a few well placed nips and tickles.
I retaliated and he of course did it again, and then some. One then led to another and then further conversation was impossible for quite some time.
When we got back we were immediately informed that we'd have at least a two week layover, while they repaired the minor holes in the ship's hull, fixed the one shuttle mount, and replaced the lost hardware. What was going to take even longer was replacing the lost troops. The first mission had taken light casualties, only three KIA'd. But that second mission we had seven killed, and nine wounded seriously enough that they'd need surgery and time in a medical facility. With a third of the block to be replaced, it would take a little time to find and fit in the needed people.
I spent a lot of my time with the Captain, Ron, when he was off duty. It was fun, I hadn't been with another fox in way too long. I was surprised that they had entrusted him with his own command, not many ships have animorph captains, and I suspected fewer warships had them.
He laughed about that, "I made buyout a few years ago, partially because of luck, and a lot of being in the right place at the right time. I'd already worked myself up to exec on one of the company's destroyers. Seems that someone felt my experience and luck were worth keeping around, so they made me an offer and I couldn't turn it down!"
"Captain's of a warship must make a nice little bundle," I grinned.
"Hell, I would have paid them! I never thought I'd get anything as sweet as the Hawk. Of course when the war is over I'll probably have to return to being an exec again. But at least I've had my shot."
I nodded, "I'm still amazed that they're letting me fly combat again."
"Well you proved yourself pretty trustworthy, so you shouldn't be. Besides, I approved it and I'm the Captain."
"Oh really?" I grinned reaching for him.
"Hey, you're a hero now, I had to reward you!" He snickered and started to kiss me once again.
Yes, leave was quite enjoyable.
It was closer to three weeks before we got underway again, some of the replacement troops needed more training then originally thought to fit in with the team. We were all happy to get back underway, itching to get back into the thick of it and pay them back for the beating we took on our last mission.
The next nine months were busy. On an average we launched every three weeks. A lot of those missions were solo hit and runs, but on many we were teamed with either a larger ship providing cover against defending ships, or another frigate to increase the size of our ground force. The group we were up against wasn't as well equipped as they might have liked, and we were able to hit them hard when and where they least expected it on a regular basis. Casualties were still heavy at times, but we always gave better then we got.
The troops still loved me, one had managed to paint 'The Bitch'
on my shuttle somewhere along the way. Their love just wasn't based on my partying with them after a mission, I had cut back on a lot of that, and except for Serge and the occasional tryst with one or two of the others I mainly spent my sleep periods with the Captain now. No it was because I was relentless in my close air support missions, and had a reputation for using the chain guns on targets only a dozen yards or so in front of our advancing troops. When they heard me yell 'Down!' on the com, they ate dirt because they knew I was about to deliver, and literally right over their heads half the time as well.
At first the Captain gave me a lot of grief over it, when I came in low, I came in low! I didn't just clip trees, I clipped bushes! The troops liked to brag that I used the wings to take off enemy heads, even though it was an accident and only happened once. Idiot stood up, probably figuring I couldn't be that close to the ground.
Of course it was hell on the shuttles, I went through several, more then once bringing back bits of wood and leaves stuck in the leading edges. But I always managed to make it back to the ship. My WSO was a good kid, he learned really fast to paste the targets I gave him, which was good as a lot of times I spied a target only moments before making a pass on it. I didn't like to make a pass twice over anything, and he quickly got good enough that we rarely had to.
I got several pieces of mail from Sabre and Samantha, the first was when they heard I had volunteered for the frigates. They told me not to do anything 'stupid'. The second was telling me not to do anything stupid 'AGAIN' after they learned of my rescue mission. But overall they were proud that I had done it, and that I was doing well.
It was in one of those letters that I learned that they had adopted me, the whole clan that is. There had been some talk Sabre told me in the letter, of doing it before I had left, and after they all heard about what I had done, they all decided not to wait till I got back. So I now had a last name, I was a Romanov! I wrote back saying I couldn't wait to thank them all personally. Even Ron was impressed.
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