Merker's Outpost

by I. Christie

  "Alexandra," she returned in a low voice, her own center throbbing with the request. Now you want it quick? You're gonna wait a while.

  Suddenly, she was flooded with sensory stimulus as Alexandra opened her senses and connected them in a mutual sexual haze. The vibration was erotic and the intensity had JG trying to hold on to her will power to not give in to Alexandra's immediate need that was pounding against her swollen flower, making the ring on her lower lip hum. She could feel herself drowning in the sensations from the touch of their bodies. Alexandra's hands buried themselves in her hair, sending shivers up and own her spine as strong fingers stroked her scalp.

  Jina Gari kissed, nibbled and licked the wet thighs of her sweet victim and continued to tease, pressing her lips and tongue into the swollen and wet lips that undulated against her face. Alexandra's body was moving with greater urgency. JG finally flicked her tongue over the hard nub. Both women could feel the rising of the force that rocked their bodies simultaneously, leaving both of them spent on the forest floor.

  JG rolled partially off her, not want to break contact. Both women clung to each other letting the vestiges of their love making fade to a pleasant trill.

  JG kissed Alexandra's forehead and sighed.

  "What?" Alexandra asked her voice muffled from being buried in Jina Gari's neck.

  "Alexandra, would you be offended…if I asked you something?"

  Alexandra smiled. It was going to come up sooner or later.

  "You can ask me anything."

  "Was that almost as nice as….making love…ahh…"

  "Under the influence of the pheromone gas," she finished for her. "Two different types of sensations. Just knowing that it was a contrived affect, an obsession that…we didn't really control, takes something from it. It was fucking for the sake of release. We," she whispered seductively, "on the other hand, can drive each other crazy because we want each other. Don't you think that this is so much better than a drug that causes desire for a stranger, Jina Gari?" And, I didn't bring her into my consciousness, as I did you. Never would I do that with anyone but you.

  The major's body tingled at the voice. She let her free hand stroke her lover's body, and then moved it to her orange hair. She was glad that she had not made any moves on her as a Cadet.

  "What are you thinking, Gari?

  JG could not believe her body shivered when she called her by that name.

  "I was remembering when we were cadets and I first saw you."

  Alexandra smiled as she could now go back to those memories without experiencing the darkness.

  "And when was that?" Alexandra asked, curious if it was in the dark glen or the tavern.

  JG took a deep breath. Did the glen count when she performed the Dance? Actually, she felt her in the glen and did not see her until they were in the tavern.

  "The tavern."

  "Hmm." Alexandra was silent as she thought about it. "It would have changed a lot of things if we had met then."

  There was a length of silence as both thought on this.

  "When I first saw you in the infirmary, I did not recognize you because you changed your face." Gently she laid a palm on her cheek.

  JG smiled. "Being a recognizable personality has its disadvantages in the covert business."

  Alexandra pulled JG's face to hers and gave her a long and passionate kiss.

  Some things are better when delayed.

  Yeah.

  "So," Alexandra breathed after the long kiss ended. "Where do we go from here?" We're due for another Dance.

  JG stroked the face tenderly that was smiling at her. "This is so different than…what I'm use to."

  Alexandra pursed her lips and hesitated for a moment, then decided that they must have no secrets between them that could cause harm in the near future. "I was wondering how you could so…easily fit in the Black Rose."

  "Ah."

  Alexandra felt the change in the major as a door slamming shut; however, she could also feel other things going on so she waited.

  "End program." JG rose from the bed, accepting a robe from the butler that was ever ready. Alexandra also rose and followed JG as she moved into the sitting room.

  A good cup of strong tea would be appreciated right now, but there was only water they had brought back with them. They both settled on the couch, at either end angling their bodies so that they were facing each other.

  "I…don't really know how to explain it." JG looked up at the face that she had dreamed of often. She studied it as if trying to memorize it.

  Alexandra waited patiently, also taking this time to study the stranger's face in front of her, yet feeling the familiar deeper connection that reassured her that it was the person she had so long ago bonded with.

  "I guess it's because I have thebien genes, which makes taking on a role easy and just as easy to discontinue it and put on another." Would you believe me if I said I need you?

  Alexandra smiled, leaning forward and cupping JG's face between her warm hands. "You can fool most people, but there are some things…" she gently kissed her lips feeling hands wrap around her wrists.

  "Are you sure?" JG asked hoarsely, as her heart pounded loudly in her ears.

  "Well," Alexandra breathed huskily, "if you aren't sure yourself, you can spend some more time convincing me…but, maybe another time when we're not so tired."

  JG laughed. "You're right. I am tired…" but I don't think I can sleep right now.

  However, she let Alexandra tug her to her feet and led her back into the bedroom.

  "Lie on your stomach and I'll show you a trick I learned about putting someone to sleep, in a gentle way," she chuckled when she felt JG start to resist, pushing her back down on the bed.

  It took all of fifteen stan minutes before JG's breathing slowed to that of someone sleeping.

  Thank you, Sharon, for that handy tip. Alexandra rolled off the sleeping woman and settled down for what little time she had left for sleep.

  ***

  Chapter 24

  It seemed she had only slept an hour, when the chime sounded.

  Both Alexandra and the major were immediately awake.

  "Goddess!" Alexandra breathed.

  "Good morning, and for the Goddess part…hmm, I have on quite a few occasions been called that." A voice came over the intercom.

  "Clea! What time is it?" JG asked trying to shake the fog from her thoughts.

  "Late, Major. We let you sleep in just in case you had problems getting back to sleep after the intruder alert."

  Major Zohra could hear the smile in her voice.

  Alexandra rolled over Jina Gari and headed for the shower almost laughing out loud at the muffled groan from her lover when she tugged on her nipple ring. The shower came on and JG had difficulty resisting the urge to join her.

  "What did you say, Major?"

  "Uh, what is the status?"

  "Teams are reporting in. Intruder alerts occurred in Century City too. It hasn't been determined yet if it's some of the metrasoldiers that are still loose, computer glitches…or the missing alowan. No gate disturbances so we know there aren't any alowans joining him or him leaving. The general thinks he's still here."

  "Yeah. The shamans do too and half my command staff. Did we ever get a number on how many of Alan's soldiers are still loose?"

  "No report on that yet. Maybe at the afternoon briefing. They skipped this morning due to the trouble, so you haven't missed anything yet."

  "Okay. I would like to look at the reports they've prepared so far. Are captains Chilali and Raizel available? "

  "Well, if you would unlock the door Sgt. Malta can come in and leave off a report with you. The two captains are still sleeping. They went to bed four stan hours ago."

  "Let me know when they wake. I'll open the door for Sgt. Malta. Give me a moment to shower and dress."

  Alexandra was out of the shower quickly, towel drying her short curly orange hair that was sticking out in different directions, but looked
sexy to Zohra.

  "I'll hold them off while you prepare for company, Major." She smiled a crooked grin.

  JG's lips caught Alexandra's as they passed.

  "I think you need to dress before you have the sisters in a dither at seeing their legend in her sleep ware."

  Alexandra snorted.

  The butler had her new uniform, with gold braid and new bars ready for her.

  "Helgas Moon. What a tailor you got here," she muttered to no one in particular.

  The door dinged as she pulled her boots on.

  Enter!" Alexandra called as she stomped them on and walked into the sitting room closing the bedroom door. Commander Montran stood waiting as two soldiers wearing the sister's uniform entered looking around for their major.

  "Good morning. Would you like to sit and get comfortable? Care for something to drink?" she asked trying to be a good host until their major was ready.

  One of the women raised an eyebrow. "Commander, were you not told that it is unsafe for you to drink anything that has not been prepared in the sister's kitchen?" Commander Montran smiled. "Ahh. Thank you for reminding me." She refrained from telling them that what she was offering was from the sister's kitchen. However, if they were going to treat her as 'brainless' she would go with that rather than embarrassing everyone. Silently she sighed at her awkward position of not being of use to anyone as anything more than bait.

  Another chime sounded.

  "Enter," she called again. Two more women entered carrying food and beverages. Her stomach growled its approval.

  Commander Montran laughed at the startled looks she got. Then they all laughed. By the time the food was set out Major Zohra stepped out of the bedroom with her hair bound and dressed in her uniform.

  The women saluted smartly for their major. Alexandra left the room to give the soldiers time to give whatever verbal report they needed to give Major Zohra without her presence. When she heard the door close she returned to their breakfast.

  Major Zohra watched Alexandra's face as she selected what she liked from the plates. She had changed since last night. Or was it her? Her face turned a little red when she remembered Helen's quizzical look as she received the status reports. They would all be asking the big question.

  "Did they ask you?" Alexandra asked as she carefully chewed a fruit with a pit.

  "Ask me what?"

  "If you did it with their legend?"

  JG stopped the movement of bringing the food to her mouth.

  "Are you going to let that label bother you?" Sighing she finished chewing her bread.

  "They didn't ask verbally." JG finally said. She picked up another slice of the dark honey bread and added some apple butter spread on it. "I think I'll add to the rumor though…about your sexual prowess," she smirked, and then looked up at the sparking eyes of her lover.

  "Gari!" Alexandra blushed, and shook her head. "As if…as if I'm…I think I'll just stick with one rumor at a time."

  "That would be no rumor, Lady Alexandra." Laughing, she caught Alexandra's wrist in a vise like grip over the table and pulled her towards her. "Lady Alexandra Harriet Montran," she breathed in her ear, "are you accusing a fellow officer of lying?"

  Alexandra could feel the passion in her capturer's voice and knew the pounding of her pulse in her captured wrist was telegraphing her own response.

  "Are you going to arrest me? Restrain me…tie me up…in leather? Hmm?"

  "Blast this table," JG laughed and released her. Alexandra came around the table to grind her mouth into JG's pushing them towards the wall.

  She was not going to let Gari get away with the passion she kept igniting in her. Alexandra wondered if this was going to be as distracting as the pheromone gas. As she pushed against Gari's hard body Gari twisted Alexandra around and pushed her into the wall hard with lips still together. Alexandra's fingers intertwined behind Gari's head, bringing her face closer to hers as if she could not get close enough while Gari reexplored Alexandra's trembling thighs.

  "Gads!" Alexandra gasped when both took a moment to get some air. "We've got to finish…"

  "The Dance," JG finished for her breathing heavily. She rested her forehead against Alexandra's letting the sexual feeling lessen. For a few moments, they remained embraced letting their heart rates slow down.

  The door chimed and opened. LaDea Gedaliaha strode in and seemed not concerned with their embrace.

  "How are you both feeling?" she asked seriously, studying them and then nodding as if she had already received an answer.

  "Fine." Alexandra cleared her voice, as the major stepped back allowing them both to resume their seats at the table.

  "What's happening?" Major Zohra asked as she picked up a fruit.

  "Rear Admiral JoCastas' group found the person that Alan was using to invade dreams. She was able to reason with him by promising immediate protection for him and his family for any and all the information he has on Alan. Alan has the habit of putting the fear of death in everyone that works for him so he or she is usually too eager to take the offer of a new identity for information. He had overheard Alan talking about a program that was used to contaminate Guardian's system. Must be the virus you were talking about, Alexandra. He is sure Alan did not know he knew or he would have killed him."

  "Uh, huh," Major Zohra agreed. "Alan does not like the right hand knowing what the left hand is doing," Major Zohra remarked. "The backup system is being studied to find out if there is a pattern that can be cross checked with the primary. So far, the original program is doing fine. But it's not updated to what the outpost was before the shut down, so we're doing updates after we cross check information on what the scouts come in with their findings."

  Gedaliaha nodded her head as she rose to go. "The meeting with the shamans is for later this evening, Major. We're rather busy at the moment, but we do need to talk. Until then...my heart to yours." The door swished close after her.

  "Well, shall we go and see what the troops have been up to, Lt. Commander Montran?" Marjor Zohra asked Alexandra with a smirk. "We can use your experience as a flag officer," she added seriously.

  "Why, thank you Major Zohra. Though, I would feel better taking copious mental notes at your meeting."

  "Copious mental notes? Does that mean you plan on sleeping through my briefings?"

  They picked up the plates and were stacking them when the door chimed. "Enter!" they both called.

  The door came open and help arrived to gather up the uneaten food. Alexandra could feel Zohra's demeanor change as she faced her sisters. She stepped back from the table and waited as the women cleared the table.

  Alexandra reluctantly did the same. Startled at a change in the room, she turned to face the door. Standing in the doorway was Vanster. Her sharp intake of breath had Major Zohra spinning around.

  "Megan!" she called in surprise. Helgas Moon! They didn't tell me she was released. Who released her without telling me?

  "Good morning, Major." Vanster's terse voice returned.

  "Sgt. Vanster," she returned smoothly. "You're here for something?"

  Major Zohra moved to stand in front of Alexandra to break the eye contact between the two women.

  "I have a message from the sisters, Major."

  "We were just on our way."

  "We?"

  "Yes. Lt. Commander Montran and I," she returned firmly.

  Alexandra did not wait to hear anymore. She passed by the sergeant, resisting a shudder from the energy she had around her. Major Zohra followed in her wake and the reluctant Sgt. Vanster in tow.

  ***

  Chapter 25

  The recreation room was full of off-duty warriors, and the noise level was high until they were spotted. Zohra was sure it was Commander Montran's uniformed figure that brought the room to near silence. The sister's uniforms were dark olive green, with red trim while the Centurion uniform was dark blue trimmed in gold, with the added gold braid on her left shoulder, identifying her as a member of fleet flag staf
f. Then, it could also be the energy emanating from her trim form. Not as powerful as it had been the previous night, but it was still enough to lift the hairs on her arms. Was her energy less because they made love? She sniggered to herself at the arrogant thought. As if…

  However, she was putting out less energy, or maybe she was less sensitive to it. Mentally she added it to her list of subjects to discuss with the shamans.

  A small smile curled up the corners of her lips. She glanced at the woman beside her, who had everyone's attention. She could feel something go out from her lover. It was smooth…a connection that flowed out to the group like a stream of water over a dry riverbed. Was this what the old Sgt. Major was babbling about? What would the sisters think? However the conversations resumed after greetings were exchanged and nods. It was as if they did not notice it. Then she felt it settle around her and then connect to her.