The Fifth Reich: Beyond The Stars

by J Palliser

  "Or it could be the company," Kara said with a smirk. She sat down next to Sonya and wrapped an arm around her. "Married man like him, it'd be hard not to be tempted sleeping with four women."

  "Speaking of women and holes," Casana said, leaning over the edge of the bunk to look at Sonya and Kara, "would you two please keep it in your pants while we're here?"

  "Yeah. Some of us are supposed to be celibate around humans," Zira added. "In fact, I'm a telepath, so don't even think about it too loudly."

  "Fine," Sonya agreed. "We'll try to contain ourselves until we get new quarters, as a way of saying 'thanks'."

  "Thanks for what?" Zira asked, turning her attention back to her smart-pad. "For calling us to the Armory," Kara explained. "If you hadn't called us out of our room, we would've been killed in the attack." Zira put the pad down and looked at them. "I didn't call anybody."

  32

  Thirty-One

  Commitment...

  Munich, Germany (UTC +4), Earth, 1006 hours, 2305

  Sonya was now taking a much needed, well deserved rest on Earth with Kara. Well, sort of. Sonya stepped up to the door and reached for the access panel but stopped before she touched the call button. Her hands were shaking; she was so nervous. Sonya summoned all her courage but still she hesitated, then pulled her hand away and stepped back.

  "Oh, for the love of God," Kara chuckled behind her. "What is it now?" Sonya turned, but didn't look at her. Instead, her eyes wandered over the waters of the River Isar. "I'm not scared," she said.

  "Of course not, love," Kara said sarcastically.

  "I'm just nervous." "So there's a difference now?" Sonya blushed and tried to turn, but Kara stopped her. She grabbed Sonya by the shoulders and kissed her. Kara could feel the tension in Sonya's body, and broke the kiss only when it melted away. "Now press the bloody button." Sonya nodded sullenly and turned back to the door. She reached for the panel but stopped short again.

  "Promise me something first," she said over her shoulder.

  "What is it?" Kara asked impatiently.

  "Casana never hears a word of this."

  "What?"

  "Not a word. Ever."

  "Fine," Kara laughed. Sonya pressed the button. Five months into a twelve month stay on Earth, and Kara had only just convinced Sonya to bring her here. With the Bismarck in dock undergoing repairs and a major retrofit, most of her crew had been temporarily reassigned to various positions in the Sol system. Those that would return to the ship after work was completed would return to a changed vessel. With new replicator technology, large amounts of space used previously for storage would now serve other purposes. This, paired with a slight reduction in crew size, resulted in a significant increase in the amount of living space for each crew member. And Kara judged that necessary as she eyed the slight bulge in Sonya's stomach.

  The door opened to reveal a tall, muscular man in his 60's. His black hair was speckled with grey, but youthful energy still shone in his dark brown eyes. With his back straight, his head held high, and his clothes neatly groomed and cleaned, there was no mistaking him for anything other than a Kriegsmarine officer. He looked first at Sonya, then at Kara, his eyes boring through both of them, taking their full measure in the blink of an eye.

  "Hi, Dad," Sonya said warmly. "Welcome home, Harry," he said, and wrapped his arms around his daughter. Kara fought desperately to suppress a laugh.

  ***

  Cardiff (UTC +0), 1427 hours

  "I just don't gets it," Casana moaned into her drink. "I don't gets it." "You have said that 47 times in the last 15 minutes," Dejah observed, holding a mug of Centuri tea while she sat next to the Arcadian at the bar. They were drinking in a small pub hidden in the heart of Cardiff. A soccer game was being shown at the other end of the bar and virtually all of the other patrons had gathered around to watch, leaving Casana and Dejah more or less alone. The game was apparently of great significance as the crowd was chanting and shouting so loud that it made it difficult for the two aliens to talk.

  "Because I don't!" Casana whined. "Wha' so great about thish planet?" She took a long gulp of her beer.

  "I do not understand your question."

  "It simple: why doesh everyone loves Earth?" She looked up at Dejah, blurry eyed and swaying slightly in her chair.

  "You question is based upon a false premise: not everyone loves Earth." "Yes theys doo-hoo!" Casana moaned, sounding increasingly like an infant. The outburst took Dejah by surprise, and drew a few glances from the other patrons. "Wha? They do!" she told them, rather defensively. A few more heads turned, but something happened in the game that drew their attention. Casana snorted victoriously and turned back to Dejah. "See? They 'gree!"

  "I am not sure that they-"

  "You're right. They're not obj... obj... they're biased. But do you knows how many non-humans live on thish planet?" "Aproximately-" "Exactly! There'sh Brens, Centuri, Arcadians... you ever notices theresh a lot of kitty people, and very few doggy people?" Dejah arched her eyebrows. "I even knew a Trassian once, Iliana or Lilana or something, I can't remember her name. But she was hot! I mean real hot, like... like... and she loved Trassia, but when she came witsh me to Earth, the moment she saws it, she refuses to leave. I shwear, she wouldn't go near a shuttle or transporter tills I shwore I wouldn't makes her leaves. Can you believe that? A Trassian fell in love with thish weird, blue-green ball. I mean, it's not even that pretty. Do you know what humansh have done to this planet?"

  "Yes." "I'll tells you what theys did! Theys blew it up! And not onsh, they did it like three timesh. Harry told me about it once. I don't think she gets it, either, but she loves it, too. You should have seen her face when we entered orbit."

  "I did. I was standing between you." "Oh," Casana muttered, suddenly very solemn. She was quiet for a long time, staring contemplatively into her drink. Casana lifted the mug, drained it, and ordered another. When it came she took a long drink before putting the mug down with a long, thundering belch. Finally, she spoke again. "I just don't get it!"

  "I believe I may have an explanation," Dejah said, and Casana's eyes perked up.

  "Really?" she gasped, as though she were a child whose parents had agreed to get her a puppy. "Most races experience some catastrophic events during their development, and these events have lasting impacts on those races. For example, it could be argued that the Drac Empire's aggressive expansionism is, in part, a result of their home world being conquered at least twice in known history. Similarly, modern Trassia asceticism can be traced back the collapse of the Hodinns and the resultant mass starvation and poverty that gave rise to military dictatorship."

  "You ushe big wordsh," Casana groaned as she rested her head on the bar.

  "In this context, humans are not unique in having suffered cataclysmic events."

  "Still don't ged it." "However, humans, compared most races, recovered from these events far faster. Even today, nearly two millennia after the fall of the Hodinns, poverty is still an issue on Trassia. By comparison, humans were living on verge of extinction less than 300 years ago."

  "So, their like the ugly goose?" "I beg your pardon?" "You know, the human story about a goose that was born ugly." Casana tried to sit up, and nearly fell off her stool. "Okay, so thish goose was born, rights? And is all ugly. And all the other gooshesh teased it for being grosh. And then it growsh up to be a swan! And everybody loves swans!" Somehow, Casana managed to shout out the last sentence as clear and loud as a bell. All motion and activity in the pub stopped, and all eyes turned to her.

  "What's going on?" she said.

  ***

  Munich, 0031 hours Kara ran her fingertips over the exposed skin in front of her, smiling as they left a wake of goose bumps. Sonya's tanned skin had paled somewhat after a decade on a starship, but a few weeks under the sun had been all it took to darken it again. Kara loved Sonya's skin. She loved how it seemed to be so perfectly smooth, how it gave a sense of softness to Sonya's otherwise hard muscled body, like v
elvet over wood, how it stretched tight over her flesh. That tightness had led to some noticeable stretch marks around her growing stomach, but that was nothing a dermal regenerator couldn't handle, and Kara didn't care anyway. She ran her hand over the rise in Sonya's stomach, taking care not to press down. "Still nothing?" she asked.

  "A few jerks and twitches here and there but nothing else," she answered, her eyes still closed. "Cass said it was just the neuromuscular nerves forming or something."

  "So, are you going to get much bigger?" Kara asked, barely able to hide an evil smile.

  "What?" Sonya's eyes popped open. She did not sound amused, but then again she never did. At least not at first. "What I mean is: how many more sets of clothes will you be going through?" At times, Kara reflected, Sonya was just too easy a target. Of course, that didn't mean she was going to stop.

  "That's not real high on my list of concerns," Sonya said with a scowl. "Okay, okay," Kara said, pretending to relent. For a few moments, she just lay there next to Sonya. "It's like you swallowed a bloody grapefruit."

  "Can we change the subject?"

  "Sorry. You're just a bit... bulbous."

  "Bulbous?!"

  "Expansive? Rotund?"

  "Bitch," Sonya muttered. Kara turned and looked her straight in the eye.

  "Moo."

  Sonya couldn't help but snicker. "Why do I put up with you?"

  "Haven't a clue," she smiled back, and slipped a hand down between Sonya's thighs.

  "Oh, god," she sighed. "I've been hot all day. It's like I'm a fuckin' teenager again. Damn hormones." "I can see that," Kara smiled back. Sonya's panties were moist, and the heat coming from between her legs was intense. Fingers pressed down on the wet fabric, rubbing in a slow circular motion around, but not on, Sonya's clit.

  "No, don't tease me," Sonya whimpered, writhing under the sweet torment of her lover's fingers. "Shh," Kara hushed her, and slid her hand under Sonya's panties. Sonya squealed quietly when she felt a finger dive into her, and buried her face in Kara's neck. She instinctively nipped and kissed the flesh at her lips, but coherent thought had abandoned her, and Kara knew it. Her finger pressed deeper, curling up to hit that magic spot she knew so well. Sonya tensed in Kara's arms and balled her hands into fists. Her breathing was ragged and frantic, and her body was quaking. Sonya was already close, and Kara wasted no time sending her over. Kara had known that Sonya had been desperately aroused for most of the day, and had hoped that by getting her off quickly she could calm Sonya down.

  She was wrong. As Sonya began to come down from her orgasm Kara tried to pull her fingers from Sonya's dripping folds, only to have Sonya stop her. Sonya grabbed Kara by the back of the neck and pulled their lips together in a crushing kiss. Meanwhile, she took hold of Kara's wrist and forced the redhead's fingers deeper in, using Kara's fingers to fuck herself. Sonya's grip on her wrist was so tight Kara thought she might bruise, but she didn't try to stop Sonya. Instead, Kara let herself be taken and gave her body to satisfy Sonya's need.

  Muscles clenched around Kara's fingers and she heard Sonya's breathe catch. Sonya lay frozen for a few moments, Kara crushed up against her before she went limp. Kara felt hot liquid flowing over her fingers, heard Sonya's shallow breathing, and felt their hearts racing. It was exhilarating. It always was.

  "Feel better now?" Kara whispered, nipping playfully at Sonya's ear.

  "I need to taste you," she growled back hoarsely.

  "Well, if you insist." Kara slipped a hand between her thighs, but Sonya had other ideas. "No. Sit up," Sonya blurted out, much to Kara's surprise. Having Kara sitting on her was not one of Sonya's preferred positions, mostly because whenever they did it Sonya's hair would get trapped under Kara's legs. But before Kara could ask if she was sure, Sonya started to push and pull her into position, so Kara dutifully obliged. She sat up and carefully moved Sonya's long black locks out of the way before throwing one knee over her lover's head.

  Even before Kara had settled into position, she felt Sonya's hand on her thighs, pulling her hips down. A jolt of pleasure flashed through her when Sonya went straight to her clit, and the redhead had to grab the headboard to steady herself. Sonya attacked her pussy with enthusiasm, and seemed to be licking and sucking everywhere at once. She had already been quite wet, but now Kara could feel her juices start to flow in earnest.

  Sonya was more aggressive than usual, and it was all Kara keep from screaming loud enough to wake Sonya's parents. Her first orgasm came in a matter of seconds, taking her by surprise. She doubled over, hitting her head against the headboard, and had to bite her lip to stay quiet, but Sonya didn't seem to notice and certainly didn't slow down. Kara felt a tongue press into her and teeth graze her clit, the pleasure taking her breath away.

  She felt Sonya shift beneath her, and suddenly Kara was on her back. Her hair was in her eyes, but something covered her face before she had a chance to brush it aside. It was warm and wet and filled her nose with a powerful, familiar scent. Kara's mind was blank for a few moments until she realized what it was: Sonya. They had reversed position and Kara now felt Sonya's strong hands on the back of her head.

  Kara's mind was still racing from her orgasm, and her instincts led her to lick. Sonya was grinding down on Kara's face so hard, and her grip was so tight, that Kara had no control over where she made contact. Instead, she just stuck her tongue out and licked at whatever was there. She felt Sonya rock back and forth, dragging Kara's tongue up and down her slit. Kara could hear Sonya moaning on top of her. The sounds were low and rumbling, almost animal, filled with unbridled lust.

  And then she was gone. The weight of Sonya's body simply vanished. Kara was suddenly alone on the bed, and opened her eyes to see what had happened. Sonya had disappeared completely, and for a moment Kara was both confused and afraid. Then she noticed the bathroom door was open, and she heard quiet gagging sounds coming from inside. "Of course," she laughed to herself as she threw on her robe and walked on somewhat unsteady legs over to the doorway.

  Inside, Sonya was bent over the toilet, heaving her guts out. Kara knelt beside her and gathered her hair behind her head. Sonya glanced at Kara for a split second before turning and retching again. Her whole body contracted, curling up into a ball and only barely keeping her head over the toilet. Kara did her best to keep Sonya steady, rubbing her back and shoulders in an attempt to comfort her stomach. When the heaving finally stopped, Sonya pounded her fists on floor and screamed.

  "I fucking hate this!" she bellowed. "I hate this puking, I hate being pregnant, and I hate you!" she continued, glaring at Kara.

  "What did I do?" she laughed, knowing full well what the answer would be.

  Sonya's eyes narrowed accusingly. "This was your idea, you bitch! You put this baby in me-"

  "Technically, Dr. Moon did that," Kara pointed out. "It was your goddamn DNA!" Sonya roared, her face turning beet red. "Your fault! You! Oh shit..." Sonya heaved, and threw herself over the toilet just before she vomited again. Good a time as any, I suppose, Kara thought to herself, and opened the small package she had left in the robe. She fingered the contents of the package as she waited for Sonya to relax again.

  "So, love, I was thinking," she began as Sonya panted and hung her head. "We've been together for a while now. I've met your parents, I've knocked you up, I-"

  "So you admit it!" Sonya snarled. "Guilty indeed," Kara said with a smile before continuing. "I was thinking that perhaps we might..." She let her voice trail off, and showed Sonya the object in her hand. Sonya immediately threw her head into the toilet and heaved yet again. "Oh, lovely," Kara sighed, and waited patiently. Sonya spent another few minutes clinging to the toilet, heaving violently until she could no longer sit up. Finally, she hurled herself at Kara, arms wrapping around her and squeezing.

  "I love you, baby. I'm so sorry. I love you," she cried, hanging limply from Kara's body.

  "Is... that a yes?"

  "'Yes' to what?" Sonya asked, pulling back.

 
; "To this," Kara laughed, and lifted the small gold rings in her hand. "Oh," Sonya muttered, gazing blankly at the rings. Kara stared at Sonya. Sonya stared at the rings. Neither of them spoke.

  "Love?" Kara finally asked, as her nerves began to give.

  "Huh?" Sonya looked up absently. "Oh, yes. Of course, yes. But..."

  "But what?" Kara asked, her heart in her throat.

  "Can you get me some pickled mangos? With walnuts?" Kara shivered.

  33

  Thirty-Two

  Cardiff, 2131 hours "Let's just get this over with," Sonya grumbled as she and Kara walked through the front door of the security station. It had taken longer to get to England than expected, and Sonya's dressing was interrupted by a bit of vomiting. An hour after receiving the call from the Cardiff Police, though, they had arrived to bail out Casana and Dejah.

  "Who do you think started it?" Kara asked with a smile.

  "Cass," Sonya growled without hesitation.

  "I don't know, have you ever seen a drunk Centuri?" she laughed. "There's no such thing," Sonya replied as they stepped up to the front desk. "Lieutenant Commander Mueller and Lieutenant Morgan, here for Lieutenants Shen and Dejah," she told the Kriegsmarine Security officer at the desk. He directed them down a long hallway towards the holding cells. "You get Dejah. I'll talk to Casana."

  "Yeah, sure," Kara scoffed. "You go find Dejah, and I'll get Cass." They were being held in separate areas, so Sonya and Kara had to split up. Kara turned down a long hallway lined with holding cells. Most were empty, their force fields deactivated. A few near the front, however, held a handful of Academy cadets, all of whom looked extremely hung over. At the end of the hallway was one other active cell, and inside was Casana, lying face down on the cot.

  "How's it going?"

  Casana did not respond. "Cass. Casana. Lieutenant Shen!" Kara yelled, but she didn't move. Chuckling to herself, Kara deactivated the force field and stepped into the holding cell. "Wake up, Cass," she said, gently shaking Casana's shoulder.