Merker's Outpost

by I. Christie

  Sharon shook her head.

  "This one isn't. Now, I'm not gonna argue with her since she just busted seven of the big casino tables, but I have my doubts."

  Sharon chucked with him. "She looks pretty grim," she mentioned.

  He nodded, the youthful look disappearing to be replaced by the serious face of a street-smart kid that he was. "She's alright, Doc. Rumor says she used to be a captain in the Spartans. Doesn't talk about it and will give ya a real cold stare if you ask. My uncle was like that after he returned from the wars in the Pedia Cluster, so my guess is she's seen more death than most. Sanous has quarters next to hers. Says she has nightmares. With my uncle, it just took time." He suddenly grinned. "Sanous's been requesting another shift for some time, so this worked out well for her. They gave her another shift so she can get some undisturbed sleep."

  Sharon patted his arm concerned. "I hope for her sake she does recover. Moving people around her so they don't have to hear her won't always work. And drugs aren't the answer," she finished more to herself than to the ensign, who nodded in agreement.

  ***

  *

  That night Sharon set her candle out. Sitting comfortably on a small cushion, she lit the incense and sent a protective circle around her physical form. She had no apprentice to protect her from wandering spirits looking for a vacant core to settle in, so she took extra precautions, weaving a web of protection around herself.

  Sharon's spirit form was above the Nettle observing it when she noted that another wisp of energy entered the ship at a fast pace. Curious, she followed it.

  When she entered the smaller military quarters, she found the spirit sitting across from the naked form of Harriet sitting on her small cot with legs crossed, and a flute case opened with the silver flute inside. For some time, the lieutenant just stared at the flute. The spirit form remained until Harriet shut the case without touching the flute.

  For four stan months she would witness the same thing. One night after she returned to her quarters, she sat pondering how she could meet with this spirit that came nightly to sit with Harriet.

  "Well, if you'd ask I would certainly tell you," a voice said as if it were right next to her. Then the spirit took shape and sat across from her.

  "I was wondering why you were taking an interest in Alexandra but I can see that your intentions are that of a healer." The face turned a little as if trying to see something else. Her eyes squinted and she stroked her wrinkled chin.

  "You have also visited Grandmother of the Web. You walk between the two worlds, belonging to neither."

  "I am referred to as a metradame," Sharon shared, "though I do not share the erasure of memories or the implantation of the enforcement chip.

  The old head nodded. "Your death walk was interrupted." The old woman smiled at her and then giggled like a young girl. "You…are Iwilla."

  Sharon chuckled and nodded. This woman saw past her protective spells. She had to be very powerful in the spirit world.

  "I am Gedaliaha, from NeitherWeild. You wanted to know about my Alexandra."

  "Alexandra?"

  "It's her student name. It is written that this child must go through the darkness in order that she learns to recognize the differences within it." Gedaliaha sighed and waved a protective sign in the air.

  "She has watched people about her die because they were associated with her, and for no other reason. This profoundly wounds her." Gedaliaha's eyes softened as she gazed at Sharon. "Compassion is a difficult lesson to learn without getting caught in sentimentality and it is learning the art of justice-making. She is wallowing in guilt but she will not drown," Gedaliaha chuckled. "Well, I must take my leave now. Until we meet again, my heart to your heart." Gedaliaha's physical form vanished and only a small wisp of spirit trailed out of Sharon's room.

  Gedaliaha continued to visit Harriet's quarters whenever she pulled her flute out. It was six months before she played and only a note or two before she would cry herself to sleep. It was about a year after her assignment to the Nettle that Harriet was able to play a full song. It was about an hour long and the release it gave her heart was enough to open her up spiritually and dispel the dark cloud that surrounded her. That night Sharon saw her spirit rise to meet with Gedaliaha's. In spirit, Harriet was a young child that had long orange hair decorated with beads and ribbons, and she sat at Gedaliaha's feet as if she were her student. Gedaliaha sang her a teaching song while she stroked her hair. When the song ended, Harriet's spirit drifted back into her sleeping physical form.

  Now that Harriet was able to play the flute, Sharon noticed more liveliness in her eyes when she would visit the cafeteria during her meal breaks. Harriet's opening coincided with Sharon's decision to do something to protect her from Alan Fermin.

  Sharon read the runes, searching a pattern in the web, and found Harriet at the center. Many lives were being pulled towards her for she was like a hub of a wheel, and they the spokes. But why? Sharon would have searched further for answers but she was tired. She was bone tired. There was so much to do yet, and adding Harriet to her list of people to worry about was perhaps going to be more than what she could handle, she thought ruefully. How could she protect her and work on her projects? She would have to sleep on it. An early dinner and then for the rest of the evening she would find something that would not require thinking or the use of her eyes. Sleep was her foremost option.

  The dinning hall was not filled with many people since this was the time most of the crew called twilight hours. Sharon picked up a tray and selected from the menu real food, rather than the synthesized. She was deep in thought when she tripped over the leg of a chair. Her salad heavy with dressing landed on a uniform…Lt. Harriet Montran's, as the Ladies of Fate would have it.

  "I am so sorry," Dr. Teal apologized as she looked at the salad dressing drip down the uniform tunic of her victim, hiding her amusement at how part of her question had been answered.

  "I...it's okay. I can change." Harriet was noticing how bare her unfamiliar uniform looked without the battle ribbons she was use to having. She shook her head to forget. She had just returned from a week of training aboard the Ziggy and was emotionally and physically exhausted.

  "I hope you aren't going on duty," Dr. Teal continued regretfully.

  "No, I just got back. I have a few days to recover," Harriet managed a smile.

  Dr. Teal returned the smile. She did not want to go back for another salad but she knew she was going to have to eat before she went to bed.

  "Let me get you another, I can see you're tired." A revived Harriet was up quickly. At the food counter, she used what was on her uniform to pick out the choice of salad dressing.

  Harriet had finished her own meal before Dr. Teal had entered so there was no rational reason to stay while Dr. Teal ate. Nodding a polite good night, she cleared the table of her empty dishes and returned to her quarters.

  That night Harriet dreamt that Dr. Teal and her were in a boat with rough black or dark gray waters all around them. Their small vessel was bobbing sickenly as the waves around them rose into high swells, threatening to capsize it, but instead filled it with water. However, Dr. Teal, unconcerned, related a story to her, which she was not able to keep track of for she was frantically scooping out the water with her hands.

  ***

  *

  After their first meeting, they acknowledged each other more often in the mess hall. A few weeks later, Sharon on impulse, asked the lieutenant if she would like to see one of the planet's flare-ups from the advantage of the science observatory, which had all sorts of instruments visually recording the events and adding to the drama, or so most scientists felt. Harriet accepted, not mentioning to Sharon that in her small patrol ship she observed them quite often.

  The friendship progressed into another level, which neither had expected or contemplated.

  ***

  **

  Sharon glanced at her friend, Harriet, who could barely sit still through a flute rec
ital.

  "Harriet, did she play that bad?" Sharon asked as they walked back to Sharon's quarters.

  "No," Harriet laughed softly, her face blushing. "I think it was the choice of music."

  That piqued Sharon's curiosity. Stopping outside of her quarters, she peered up into dark green eyes, seeing something interesting there. "Why are you embarrassed?" she asked softly, watching the unusual energy swirls around the orange haired soldier.

  Harriet shook her head. "Another time. It's been a very pleasant evening, Sharon. Thank you for inviting me." The blush increased in intensity, and then receded.

  Sharon wondered who she was thinking about…or should the question be 'what'?

  Harriet leaned over to give Sharon a customary kiss on her cheek, but Sharon moved her face to continue her teasing. Their lips touched, and reflexively, they kissed, moving closer as the kiss deepened.

  Gawds…her lips are so soft.

  Shaman's moon, but this kiss is igniting a harvest bonfire in me!

  Sharon could feel Harriet's heart rate increase as her fingers gently wrapped around her wrists. So, was it I who you were thinking of? Sharon slid her hands around Harriet's waist, drawing her closer, so the heat of both their bodies commingled.

  Harriet cupped Sharon's soft cheeks in her warm hands. Her tongue explored the outside of Sharon's lips. She grew bolder as Sharon parted her lips and drew in her tongue for further exploration.

  This is nice, two thought echoed.

  Harriet slid her arms around Sharon's waist, lifting her a few inches, and without breaking their kiss, entered Sharon's quarters to avoid any curious spectators. Harriet stopped just inside of the entrance letting Sharon down gently. Sharon pulled her further into the room, all the while running her hands over the athletic body and delighting in the feel of muscles under the tunic. Suddenly she wanted to feel bare skin.

  Sharon's hands slid down Harriet's waistband and tugged the shirt out of the slacks, rewarded with warm skin that jumped from her touch. Sharon groaned and began to unbutton the shirt, wanting more.

  Harriet broke their kiss, her lips and tongue leaving a wet trail along Sharon's jaw to her neck, sending chills down Sharon's back. Sharon's breath caught and then she groaned, pushing her body closer to Harriet's, needing to feel her more intimately. Harriet's shirt dropped to the deck.

  "Oh, gawds!" Harriet mumbled as she tried to slow her pounding heart and escalating need to take Sharon now.

  Sharon's mouth kissed a trail of soft feathery touches down Harriet's jaw, neck and between her bared breasts. Warm palms cupped her breasts, while tweaking the stiff nipples between thumb and forefinger.

  Harriet pushed hard against Sharon as a surge of fire ran from her nipples to her yoni. Lips latched onto Harriet's nipple, biting, sucking and fluttering her into a near organism. Her legs were trembling.

  Sharon broke her contact with the reddened nipple and gave a firm push against the officer, not releasing her pressure until Harriet fell onto the bed.

  ***

  ***

  *

  Harriet Montran awoke in the morning, after a stan hour of deep sleep, disorientated in the unfamiliar surroundings. Sharon woke when she felt Harriet's movements. As memories of the previous night came back to Harriet, she wrapped her arms around Sharon and kissed her neck, running her teeth along the nape of her neck, getting shivers from Sharon and a soft groan.

  "I need to get back to my quarters and check for messages," she explained as she prepared get up.

  "Just like a doctor, always on call," Sharon turned in her arms and drew her close for a soft kiss, smelling their commingled essences that clung to their skins.

  "You're right, Doc. You can always call me," Harriet returned with a grin. She slid out of bed and tossed Sharon her blouse that was draped over her cloths from the previous evenings haphazard disrobing.

  Sharon rose and drew on her robe from behind the bathing room door. She admired the athletic form of her lover as Harriet finished dressing.

  Harriet held her for a few moments sliding her hands between the folds of the thin silk robe, feeling the heat of Sharon's body. Sharon's nipples touched Harriet just below her breasts and Harriet could swear she could feel her heart beat in those pointed nubs. She realized she had to release Sharon or she would be pulling her back into bed.

  Sharon walked her lover to the door and gave her a long deep kiss before she left. After the door closed behind Harriet, Sharon smiled to herself, knowing that Harriet would be thinking about the previous evening until they were together again. Sharon laughed aloud…she would not be the only one.

  Goddess! What is this going to do to the web around her? I never saw this! But…she hesitated and sighed, I'm not going to stop it. Not unless she wants to. I need a shower. Maybe that will clear my head…and cool me down!

  Taking on anybody as a lover was not something she had ever thought about, she mused.

  Why? There are shamans that have families and students and they still are able to carry on their duties. A lover would be less stressful than a family. I had lovers when I was younger. It's part of the lessons on making love, sex and intimacy. Goddess, what a body she has!

  Sharon laughed as her body responded, leaving her tingly and flushed. It had been a long time since she felt this way. It left her giddy.

  Giddy! That is an understatement! So, where do we go from here? Why spend so much time thinking about it, and just live it? she admonished herself.

  Sharon shook the water from her shoulder length hair as if to clear the quandary from her thoughts. A lover had never appeared in her runes. Was the Great Spirit playing a joke on her? Sharon shook her head in disbelief. She had a lot of work to do and this had to happen…the potential for an intimate relationship.

  Another part of her started to get practical. Sharon could imagine where this new aspect of their relationship was going to go. She enjoyed the woman's companionship and after getting an intimate introduction to her body, she most definitely liked the feel of Harriet's body against hers, and all the other things Harriet's body did to her…but, she was mixed up with Alan's madness.

  Sharon looked at the water dripping down from the shower door.

  You're part of Alan's madness too. Didn't you just ask the Great Spirit for an answer on how to protect Harriet Montran from Alan's agents until it was her time to reenter his dark web of madness and do your own work too? But is this a good answer? She laughed at herself. Who was she to ask if the Great Spirit knew its business?

  Faith.

  Yes, faith in herself was what she needed. Faith that she could have such a relationship. The Great Spirit must think a lot of her, for here they were - lovers. Unasked for on her part…unlooked for…or was that really the case? Sharon rubbed her face in aggravation. Why was she fighting this? She felt Harriet Montran's emotions and knew she felt an emotional bond and physical attraction to her, so why not?

  ***

  ***

  *

  Harriet Montran had left a message for Sharon when she returned to her quarters at the end of her workday. Harriet was on extra duty since someone called in sick, but had left something for Sharon in her mail slot.

  Sharon could smell what it was. She found a beautiful flower resting at the bottom of her mailbox, along with a note. Until now, the only mailings Sharon received were deliveries for her laboratory. It was nice to receive a gift from the heart.

  Both women were busy the next few nights but there was a movie on the fourth evening they had previously scheduled to attend together. Harriet Montran appeared at Sharon's door on time. She was dressed casual, in a loose fitting green blouse and dark brown pants. The fabric in the pants was soft and gave a nice outline of her buttocks, while the blouse hinted at what it covered without showing any skin. Sharon's eyes traveled over Harriet's body appreciating what she was seeing. She had not finished dressing, as she had nearly forgotten the time of their meeting due to another experiment that took longer than she had
expected. She let Harriet in, sensitive to the brush of Harriet's body against hers, as she leaned to kiss her on a cheek.

  "I'll be but a minute more, Harriet," she smiled into eyes that were darkened with desire. Her own body throbbed from the brief touch. It made her wonder how long they were going to let this heat between them simmer before doing something to increase it or put it out.

  She returned to her bedroom, where she was picking out a necklace to wear that would hang so that the eyes of the observer would rest just above the v-cut of her top. She had also dotted perfume at her pulse points.

  "Harriet, can you help me with this?" she called out exasperated. She could not get the clasp right. Her thoughts were too distracted. Shaman's moon! If I want to seduce her, I'm going to have to get focused.