by Jay Toney
Doc hurried too undress too. The image he has of the alien woman on the infirmary's examination table excited him. Natasha is right. Doc needs her. Natasha stopped his advance. She turned the room's gravity down and stepped into a special garment, much like a sleeping bag, that is designed to keep their two bodies from drifting apart in zero gravity or microgravity. Then Natasha helped Doc into the garment, attached its tether to the wall with a magnetic anchor, and zipped it closed. Then she adjusted the gravity to zero-g.
Natasha could emulate feelings, but she had no real emotions of her own. She didn't know what pleasure is, but from her personal experience with Doc, she knew what pleased him. They made love together keeping it gentile while they floated and drifted the length of the tether line. Doc fell asleep in the avatar's arms. Natasha deactivated her avatar giving it the appearance of being asleep next to the captain.
Doc woke on the floor alone in the morning, the avatar had already restored gravity while he was sleeping. Natasha is already showered and dressed in fresh clothing. She stood waiting for Doc to give her a command. Doc showered and dressed. Then he selected a frozen meal and placed it in the oven. He poured himself a fresh cup of coffee while he waited for his meal to thaw and heat. In a few seconds, his breakfast was ready. He ate his meal and drank his coffee before turning his attention to Natasha. "Thank you, for last night. I needed it."
Natasha's avatar turned to face Doc. "You are welcome." Then she stood waiting for additional instructions.
"Have Jane and Randolph resume repairs. Give them any assistance that they need."
"Yes, Captain." Natasha's avatar turned and left Doc's cabin.
Doc poured himself a second cup of coffee, and then he put his empty tray inside of the recycler. After it is cleaned, it would be sent down a collection chute. All trash is recycled aboard starships. It is a standard practice to clean it, sort it by material, and then bundle it or place it into collection bins. The recycled goods are then sold at space stations or starports to offset the cost of servicing and docking fees. From there, the recycled goods are sold to manufacturers who process the recycled material into new products.
Doc hurried to sickbay to check on his new passenger. When he got there, she is sitting upright on her bed, finishing her breakfast. This time she was clothed in a loose-fitting hospital gown. It didn't stop Doc from envisioning her naked body.
"How is she doing this morning?" Doc asked Dr. Marcus.
"She is much better, but I am afraid that she is still dying. I can't find an explanation for it. According to my tests, she is in perfect health."
"It is what my people call the slow death. When we bond, we exchange a part of our very essence with each other. If one of us is killed, that part dies and signals the other soul that it is time to die as well. Unlike your species, our souls are not eternal and do not mend with time. I miss my bond mate and will join him soon in the eternal sleep.
Thank you, for trying to save me, but I am afraid that there is no way that your medical sciences can stop me from dying, nor can our sun god. Whatever possessions I have are yours. It is all that I can do to compensate you for your trouble," the woman said.
"My name is Doc Roberts," Doc introduced himself.
"Among my people, I am called Elaunae, High Priestess of the Sun and Moon. My temple and house are no longer. They were burned, and all of my relatives killed in a purge. Now I am simply Elaunae."
"I will see you a little later, and we will talk again." Doc needed to leave. He didn't know whether it was pheromones, the sight of her beautiful body, or the sound of her angelic voice, but something is causing his hormones to race. He needed to get out of there before Elaunae could see the effect she is having on him.
Doc hurried away from the infirmary. He hadn't seen the transport ship that Elaunae arrived in, so he went there. It is sitting on the hangar deck of the shuttle bay.
Doc boarded the small ship. It isn't much bigger than his private launch. It is designed to carry a small crew of between two and four people and could accommodate another four passengers. There are only a few personal possessions aboard the ship: a satchel filled with coins that Doc was unfamiliar with, a knife that looked like it is made from obsidian, and a six red pendents identical to the one he saw on the nightstand next to Elaunae's bed.
Doc didn't know what the pendants are, what their purpose is, or if they had any value. He put one of them into his pocket so he could examine it in greater detail later. Then he put the knife and the rest of the pendants into the sack.
Doc walked around the courier ship examining its exterior. It had been in recent combat and was hit by at least two missiles. It is a miracle that Elaunae survived. Apparently, she entered hyperspace to escape, but when she exited she had no way to slow or stop the ship. If Doc hadn't arrived where and when he did, Elaunae would have died alone in space. She and her spaceship would never have been found.
Iniguar technology is more advanced than human technology. The small transport is priceless. If the Alliance inspectors found it aboard his cruiser, they would confiscate it and penalize Doc for not turning it over to them immediately. He called for Natasha's avatar. He had new instructions for her. "Get a team together and strip this courier ship of everything that is salvageable. If the engines can be repaired remove them too. Crate the parts and label them as spare parts and add them to our inventory. Whatever we can't salvage goes out the airlock."
They didn't have enough time to cut the hull into sections that could be packed into crates. Doc already knew that most of the courier ship's hull is going to be dumped, but he couldn't chance having the Alliance find it aboard his cruiser. If they discovered anything that resembled parts from an Iniguar spacecraft, the Queen Anne's Revenge would be torn apart and searched for more pieces. Doc and his crew would be imprisoned.
Searching the Iniguar spaceship gave Doc the time he needed to clear his head. He headed back to sickbay to visit with Elaunae again. She smiled when she saw Doc enter the room. Her smile softened Doc's heart.
"Is there any way to stop the slow death?" Doc asked Elaunae.
"There is one, but I have no right to ask it of you."
"Tell me, and let me be the judge of that," Doc said to Elaunae.
"There is a process that is rarely done among my people; it is called a rebonding. When one mate dies, sometimes a new person is desirous enough of the person suffering the slow death that he offers to bond in the place of the deceased person. During the bonding process, a portion of each person's souls are exchanged, and the dying soul regains its will to live."
"How is it done?"
"The process is simple. All that needs to be done is to link our amulets together and then wear them for a short time. The amulets do all of the work."
"You said a portion of our souls is exchanged. What happens when that is done?"
"A part of each mate resides in each person creating a permanent bond between the mates. During a normal bonding, it is a small portion and hardly noticeable. The most noticeable change is a telepathic link between bond mates."
"They share each other's thoughts?" Doc asked.
"It is not such a strong link, but it allows the bond mates to share the feelings that the mates have for each other."
"If that is it, then I will gladly do this rebonding thing with you."
"I wish to live, but I cannot ask that of you. It is rare that people from our species takes a human for a mate, but it does happen. I do not know how it will affect you. This is not a simple bonding, but a rebonding. Larger portions of our souls will be exchanged with each other. There will be great changes in our personalities, and some of our abilities will be exchanged as well. There is no way to control the effects. You will know a lot of wh
at I know, and I will take on some of your abilities and knowledge in exchange. The link we share will also be stronger. It may be enough for true telepathy. It is too dangerous. It has never been done between our different species. I do not know how it will affect us."
"When you say we will exchange abilities and knowledge, does that mean I will forget what I have learned?"
"No. You will remember everything that you already know, but you will know more and see things differently. It may affect your personality and change who you are."
"Don't you mean we? In my case, it is probably for the better." Doc pulled the amulet from his pocket and picked up the matching pendant on the nightstand. "How are these amulets linked together?" Doc has to have Elaunae for his wife. No one ever affected him the way that she does. He would kick himself in the ass every day for the rest of his life for not taking a chance with such a beautiful woman.
"Among my people, it is the female who chooses her partner to be, be it male or female. There is no going back once you have accepted the bond. Only in death will we part."
"Maybe not even then; human souls are eternal, and you will have a part of me in you," Doc told Elaunae.
"This is your last chance to reconsider what you are asking of me," Elaunae warned Doc. She took the two amulets and placed them back to back. The red color swirled; then stopped leaving the patterns on them identical. She placed one of the gold chains holding the pendant over Doc's head then she handed him the second necklace. Doc placed that necklace over Elaunae's head. "Now what?" Doc asked his bond mate.
"Now we are what you humans refer to as being married, only, it is a much stronger bond. Normally it takes two to three weeks for the bond to become permanent. A rebonding is much stronger and faster. It will only take hours or perhaps a day. After the telepathic link is established, we need not wear the amulets any longer. Our bond will continue to grow stronger even without them. I only wear mine to let others among my people know that I have chosen a mate. It is a symbol much like your wedding rings are."
"Now that you are no longer in danger of dying, you need not spend another minute in sickbay. The first thing we will have to do as soon as I get you moved into my cabin is to find you some clothes to wear until we can purchase some decent clothing for you. I am afraid it will have to be jumpsuits for now."
"No Doc. That is the second thing. First, we must consummate our bond."
Doc woke alone in bed. That isn't unusual, Natasha's avatar often got out of bed, washed, and dressed before Doc woke. It felt strange waking in the room alone though. Most of the time Natasha stood idly, waiting for him to give her a command.
A voice called out from Doc's closet. "Do you have anything to wear that is not black? When we get to the next starport or space station, I will have to see about getting you some decent clothes to wear." Elaunae came out of the closet wearing a pair of gym shorts and one of Doc's shirts. They never got around to finding her some jumpsuits to wear. Elaunae made demands on Doc's body that no woman ever made on him leaving him exhausted. When he woke this morning, he was happier than he recalled ever feeling. Marriage isn't so bad, and if all that his new wife wanted to change is his wardrobe, he could live with that.
The repairs to the Queen Anne's Revenge are nearly complete, and his reconnaissance team is due back. Even though Doc just got married, he has work to do. Being a pirate isn't all fun like it is portrayed in the holovids.
Elaunae insisted on helping Doc dress. Afterward, she poured fresh coffee for the two of them and heated meals for both of them. Doc's steward arrived to clean his cabin while they are still eating breakfast. Elaunae dismissed him saying, "Doc is mine to care for. Your services are no longer needed." His cabin is clean except for the bed that he just got out of. Elaunae hurried into the room and made the bed before rejoining Doc and finishing her meal. "Do all of your people live in such luxury?" Elaunae asked. "Space is limited, and the cabins aboard our starships are smaller than your closet. This space could easily house a dozen of our ranking officers and their mates."
"I am allotted a little more space than the rest of the crew."
"How so?" Elaunae asked
"I am the captain and owner of the Queen Anne's Revenge."
"We must break our bound before it is too late. My status is far too low for one such as you." Elaunae reached for her amulet. Doc stopped her holding her wrists. She fought to free her hands and remove the pendant.
"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met. I love you." Doc kissed her. A wave of emotion flowed into Elaunae. It is too late. The bond is complete. She felt the love that Doc had for her. It is real. She could do no less than to love him back. Elaunae is his, and he is hers until death do they part. If what Doc said about human souls is true, maybe not even then. She stopped fighting her husband and returned his affection.
They left the cabin together and headed to the bridge. Elaunae could have stayed in the cabin or availed herself of any of the ship's entertainment or recreational facilities. As the captain's wife, Elaunae has the run of the starship. Nothing is off limits to her. She told Doc that her place is at his side. Maybe, after the newness of their marriage ended, she would learn to relax and enjoy herself. Until then she is happy doing whatever she can to make her husbands life a little easier.
Doc and Elaunae walked onto the bridge together. He took a seat on the command chair, and his wife stood behind him. Natasha noticed the pendants that they are wearing and said, "It didn't take the two of you long. You just met her yesterday, and now the two of you are bonded together as man and wife."
"I told you, I met the woman of my dreams. I am fortunate to have her as my wife," Doc said.
"You have got to be kidding. You just met that babe and got hitched the same day? That is like totally rad," Devon said.
"She is beautiful. Congratulations, Captain," Jadsia said.
"Is that a Nexus model 9? She looks so lifelike," Elaunae asked her husband.
"Natasha is based on the model 9, but she is a lot more advanced. She is an experimental model using several features designed by one of our engineers, Randolph. The avatar is controlled by the starship's AI through a neurolink, but she is capable of independent function. Natasha is more lifelike than any other synth designed. Randolph continues to experiment on her, improving on her design and making her better able to blend in with humans."
Doc started reviewing the intelligence reports and reconnaissance pictures taken over the spaceport on near the capital city of Corriban III. He used the images to build a hologram of the spaceport and the surrounding buildings. Its defenses are minimal with only four weapon towers and four guard towers. Only eight assault shuttles were identified from the holographic images.
Captain Roberts shaded the buildings used for office space, repair hangers, and part suppliers in blue. It didn't leave much, but there is one large building that was regularly visited. He couldn't tell what it contained from the reports, but so far that is his target. He highlighted it in green, and he shaded the two remaining buildings were in yellow. If they had enough time, his raiders would search those buildings too.
Doc has his plan, enough of one anyhow. Keeping things simple always made for the best missions. His Marauders would attack in unison bringing down the spaceports defenses, most of his Marauders would land, and his raiders would attack the buildings and then load the ships with anything valuable while a small group of starfighters stayed airborne to defend his people.
"Natasha times up. Prepare to get underway. Have our salvage team push whatever is left of the transport ship out of the airlock. Set course for Corriban III, accelerate at 10 gravities until we reach 0.1c. Turn off all floodlights, formation lights, and anti-collision lights.
Devon, we are going in transponders of
f, no external comm signals.
Jadsia, go to passive sensor scans," Doc ordered.
"Engineering reports that they will be ready for movement in 20 minutes," Devon relayed to Doc and Natasha.
According to our course plot, Corriban III is slightly over 4.8 billion miles distant. At our projected speed it was going to take us three days to reach the planet, longer if you added the time spent accelerating and decelerating which Captain Roberts didn't plan on doing. Like the last mission, the Queen Anne's Revenge is going to do a close flyby, but this time the cruiser isn't going to orbit the planet and use the orbit to slingshot around the planet to change its vector. Time isn't as critical, and our Marauders could catch up to the starship if they missed the recovery window.
The maintenance and salvage teams gave us the signal that they are ready. Natasha powered up the drives, and the starship began its three day trip to the inner solar system. When the ship reached .1c the engines cut off, and the starship coasted towards the planet. For all practical purposes, the starship is invisible. If someone spotted the cruiser on their sensor screens, it would most likely be confused as a piece of space junk. If not, The Queen Anne's Revenge can handle the planet's defenses. The Corriban star system didn't have much of a defense force. The patrol ships that they use are spread out too far to be of much a threat. That was one of the considerations Doc used for choosing this planet to raid.
Seven hours out from the planet Devon announced, "All pilots to their starfighters." The squadron leaders were already briefed on the mission, and they, in turn, informed their pilots. Elaunae and I headed to the ready room so that I could change into my flight suit for the mission. Every morning, she helped me dress, and at night she undressed me. I thought it was just her way of showing affection and didn't say anything about it. Why should I? I enjoyed her attention.
Elaunae helped Doc undress in the ready room. It is embarrassing with her doing it in front of the other Reaper and Nighthawk pilots. It is even more uncomfortable with her helping me into my flight suit and her fussing over its fit. Quite a few of the pilots erupted in laughter. They stopped laughing when my wife undressed and took a flight suit from my locker and a helmet from the rack and changed into them on. Until then very few people knew that she is an alien, a beautiful one at that.