The Dispossessed, Jared/Jensen, 5/14
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Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 || ART ||
Chapter Five: The Jolly Roger
With the unerring timing of a long haul bootlegger, Jared woke minutes before they were supposed to dock. He blinked sleepily and glanced over at the other command chair. Jen’sen, changed out of his Thorian guard uniform into a gray shirt and trim gray pants, was working the controls.
“Are we okay?” Jared sat up straighter in his seat. “She should be snuggled nicely into a crater on your largest moon, Laia.”
“Yes, doesn’t look like anyone detected her. No ion trails nearby, no sign of a perimeter alert being tripped. Looks like the ship’s exactly where you left her. We’re good to dock.”
Jared took over then, easing theRumrunner into the empty berth next to the Dodo, and powered her down.
Jared grabbed the case of pearls from the mesh stow and opened the hatch while Jen’sen retrieved his bag and blanket and the two pulse rifles they’d stolen from Gar’ret’s guards. The docking bay lights had automatically turned on when the Rumrunner landed.
“Welcome to the Jolly Roger!” Jared stretched out his arms with pride as he strode to the alarm panel to turn off the secondary intruder alert system he had rigged in the docking bay.
“Quite the ship.” Jen’sen whistled in appreciation as he looked over the gleaming bay. Overhead lights illuminated the bay to an almost blinding white. It was obvious the ship was well-cared for, the deck floors freshly shined and the mechanic’s bay equipped with everything needed to fix a problem. Even a row of cleaning bots nestled in their alcoves along one wall. Everything was state of the art. Jared spoke in his comm, and the shuttle bay door eased closed with hardly a sound.
This was no backwoods bootlegger running by the seat of his pants on a broken-down scow. This was a well-oiled machine. “Bootlegging and smuggling must pay well,” Jen’sen mused.
“Won her in a card game, actually.”
Jen’sen snorted. “Rigged, of course.”
“Of course! But then, we were all cheating. I just happened to cheat the best.”
“Do you usually have a crew?”
“Well, there’s room for five crew. More if we double up.” Jared waggled his eyebrows at Jen’sen suggestively, “But no, this was supposed to be a simple courier job. It’s only me.”
“Famous last words,” Jen’sen said dryly. “Where can I stow these? Or do I need to sleep with them under my pillow?” Jen’sen had hold of one pulse rifle, the other slung across his back.
“Weapons locker is over there. And no, a deal’s a deal. Two pearls for all my hard work. My winning personality is just a bonus”
Chuckling, Jen’sen opened the locker doors. His laughter stopped abruptly. “Whoa. You preparing for a war or something?”
Jared laughed, “Or something. Can’t be too ready out in the black.”
Jen’sen nodded and stowed the weaponry.
“Come on, I’ll show you the bridge.”
Jen’sen grabbed his bag and the oseeka and followed Jared. There was obvious pride in Jared's voice as he showed off the Jolly Roger‘s amenities. She was outrigger class, normally built for high-end pleasure cruises for the mega-rich Hedonclass. The ship had almost unheard of luxuries for its passengers: a gym, a full-sized pool, an observation deck, a full service galley/lounge. Jared had removed the lower two decks of cabins, creating more storage space for his smuggling operation. With the help of a few friends in low places and a million-plus credits, Jared had turned her into something both deadly and beautiful, a luxury cruiser that could outrun almost every ship in the galaxy. And now, thanks to Jen’sen and his stillsuited friends, he had invisibility tech that his clients and enemies would kill for.
The bridge was just as spectacular, brightly lit with three top of the line workstations. “So this is it, the hub of the Jolly Roger-helm, weapons, and life support. Of course, if need be, all three can be run from the captain’s chair. I already have the route to Palish mapped out, unless there’s somewhere else you want to stop? It’s about two days at light speed.” Jared looked at Jen’sen expectantly.
Jen’sen was still looking around. “Lot of space for one man.”
“I have long legs.” Jared smiled. He could see the gleam of admiration in Jen’sen’s eyes.
Jared entered the course to Palish. Before laying it in, Jen’sen double-checked Jared’s work. Satisfied, he nodded to proceed. “We should arrive day after tomorrow, late evening ship time.” Jared did a quick calculation, “Which is early evening on Palish. My instructions are to visit a bar in Sandeel, The Saucy Deneebian, and send the Governor a wave from there to finalize delivery.”
“Why the intermediary step?” Jen’sen speculated.
“Not sure. I assume it’s because the temple isn’t actually on Sedaptus, and unless we had the goods, he didn’t want to give the location away. But at the rate we’re going I’m sure it’s an opportunity for another trap.”
Jen’sen grimly concurred. “We’ll just have to be ready for it, then.”
Coordinates plugged in, Jared led him down to the staterooms on the second level. They stopped at a red door, which opened on a small but well-appointed suite in shades of red and tan. “This is me.” The next room along the corridor had a green door, the room equally well-appointed in greens and natural tones. “Um, yours?”
Jen’sen nodded appreciatively. “Hmm.”
“There’s a replicator that can make up any kind of food or clothing you prefer. You know…” Jared glanced pointedly up and down Jen’sen’s gray-clad body. “If you need something different to wear. And if you want, we can meet up in the dining hall tomorrow morning for breakfast...”
Jen’sen stuck out his hand. For an insane minute, Jared thought he wanted to shake it, but then realized he still had a death grip on the case with the pearls. He handed them over to Jen’sen, who set them on the desk along one wall of the cabin. He opened the case, touching the pearls with obvious reverence.
Jared didn’t think it was his imagination that the pearls seemed to pulse under his touch. Jared’s hand, where Jen’sen had touched him, started to tingle.
“Or not…” Jared’s voice trailed off.
Jen’sen dropped his bag and the oseeka on the bed. He closed the cabin door behind Jared and leaned against it. “I know it’s late, but maybe we could look again at your intel on Governor Samte.” His voice was a soft growl that sent shivers down Jared’s spine.
Jared nodded mutely and moved to the narrow desk to turn on the wall screen. “Wix, call up file from Governor Samte of Sedaptus, including all information you have on Sedaptus and its capital, Mollira. As well as anything we have on the city of Sandeel. On Palish.”
Samte’s ugly face suddenly filled the wall screen above the desk, broader and heavier than Gar’ret’s. His small red eyes seemed to bore a hole into theirs. His rhino-like face was calculating and menacing, even in the still.
“Hmm. Not the prettiest Kreeg I’ve ever seen,” Jen’sen murmured, suddenly directly behind Jared, crowding him against the chair pushed in to the desk.
Jared leaned forward to scroll through the file. When Jen’sen followed, his body pressed tight against him, Jared froze, unsure what was happening. Jen’sen simply leaned in close, his voice a seductive whisper in his ear. “You were going to show me the file?”
“Right.” Jared swallowed, flustered. “I’ll project it on the wall display, okay?” He felt more than saw Jen’sen’s nod. The man’s hand splayed on the console next to the screen, while his other kept hold of the chair-Jared trapped between them. Jen’sen read quickly. Each time he changed a page, he rocked forward, rutting up against Jared’s ass. “You were very impressive today. Cool under pressure…great maneuvers.”
Jared felt a flush of desire and groaned.
“What?” Jen’sen asked, amusement in his voice. “Something wrong?” Jen’sen’s hand reached around and cupped Jared’s groin. “Too tired to go on?”
“No, no,” Jared choked out. “Exact opposite.” Jared licked at suddenly dry lips, his cock hardening under Jen’sen’s touch. Breath hitched. “We about done here?”
“With your file….yes.” Jen’sen smirked, squeezing Jared’s groin lightly again and again, fingers digging into the dampened material of his pants. He rubbed his stubbled face against Jared’s, keeping up the rhythmic kneading. Jared moaned.
“There was just that thing-”
“Uhh?” Jared’s brain was offline.
“I wanted to get back to you about it,” Jen’sen hummed coolly.
Panting, Jared caught a sidelong look at Jen’sen’s face, his eyes half closed, his eyes glowing emerald in the dark.
“What you did for my people...” Jen’sen’s hand shifted, slipping inside Jared’s loose pants. He grasped his hard cock, fondling it in his sure, steady hand.
“It was dangerous,” Jen’sen purred, fingers rolling over the head, gathering precome and smoothing it over Jared’s length. “You could have been hurt.”
“Yeah.” Jared’s neck arched back, straining for more as Jen’sen started to jack him in earnest. He closed his eyes. “I get that.”
“But you didn’t care.” Jen’sen squeezed deliberately. Jared gasped in pleasurepain. “You did the right thing. Helped my people. But next time-” Jen’sen had to stop to catch his breath.“ Next time, there might be complications…” he murmured. Jared’s loose pants were dragged down, pushed out of the way.
Soft material brushed against his skin as Jen’sen fumbled his own pants down, crowding in closer.
“Deeper penetration may be required,” Jen’sen breathed, his forehead resting against Jared’s cheek.
“Nngh.” Jared chewed at his bottom lip. “Yesss…” His head lolled back and forth on Jen’sen’s shoulder, his mouth open in a wordless sigh.
Something hard and wet nudged at his entrance.
“We’ll have to work in sync if this is to happen.” Jen’sen nibbled and kissed along Jared’s long neck.
Jen’sen tapped lightly on his leg and Jared widened his stance, leaning over the chair again for a better angle.
“Mphf.” Jared bit back a moan of discomfort as Jen’sen entered him. It had been a while since he’d bottomed, and the man wasn’t small.
Jen’sen paused instantly. “I won’t hurt you.”
Jared groaned. “No, move, please. I want to feel you.”
Jen’sen started to move. Jared hadn’t heard any lube go on, but Jen’sen’s cock was slick. Once he got used to its thick presence, it was only a matter of adjusting to the burn. When Jen’sen finally bottomed out, they both rested, Jen’sen’s breath coming hot and fast against Jared’s neck.
Jared’s erection had wilted during Jen’sen’s initial entry, but Jen’sen’s hand brought him back.
“Ready?” Jen’sen whispered, repositioning his hands on Jared’s hips. Jared took himself in hand.
“Yeah.” Jared nodded. Jen’sen slowly withdrew, thrusting back in, grazing Jared’s prostate.
“Ungh, so good. Keep going. Keep going,” Jared whined, jerking himself urgent and rough, his hips fucking back, mindless of any lingering burn. Jen’sen worked over his prostate with each thrust, until Jared was writhing, his skin slippery with sweat.
Pleasure sparked through him, and Jared wanted it to last forever. But after four or five more tugs on his cock, he could feel the rising tide of his orgasm. He groped with his other hand for something to brace against. His hand flattened on the Oteccase shoved to the wall. His fingers tingled when they came in contact with the pearls. He threw back his head, leaning against Jen’sen’s shoulder, eyes clenched tight as his pleasure continued to build. Then there was a spark, a jolt through his hand, and a flash of blue through his closed eyelids. Pleasure ripped through his body, and he cried out, shooting white against the back of his chair. His body tightened reflexively around Jen’sen, buried deep inside. A few more thrusts, and Jen’sen was coming as well. Another tremendous surge like nothing Jared had felt before, his whole body sparking as pleasure rushed through him, as Jen’sen shot deep inside him. Both of them cried out in unison.
Jen’sen collapsed hot and heavy against him, chest heaving. Jared was confused, lightheaded, pleasure resonating everywhere Jen’sen had touched. Jen’sen reached out and laid his hand over Jared’s, their fingers interlaced. Blissed out and flying high, Jared noted in an abstract way how pretty the Otec pearls looked as they swirled in their niches.
He moved his hand back and rubbed it against his thigh. Had he imagined that? Had the pearls really flashed and moved? He looked again, but the pearls sat there, unmoving in their box. Jared shook his head. Was this some kind of Ocacean mind trick? But the thought was lost as plush lips nibbled on his neck, mischievous hands at his nipples.
Eventually, Jen’sen eased carefully out of him. He helped Jared onto his bed and found some cloths in the bathroom to clean them both up. Gently, he stripped Jared of his remaining clothes, then undressed as well.
Jared watched him sleepily, eyes half closed. He’d seen the children in the equatta, even the slave prostitutes, but somehow, seeing Jen’sen in all his Ocacean glory was different. He couldn’t tear his gaze away.
Now that Jen’sen was free of clothes, Jared could see the gentle movement of gills at his neck. His shoulders and abs telegraphed by the skintight stillsuit were more magnificent in the flesh. Broad, toned shoulders, flat coppery nipples, and a gold dusting of freckles across his chest, matching those on his nose. Dark green fins projected from the back of his forearms. At his trim waist and well-defined Apollo’s girdle, the freckles changed to a light trail of bronzy gold scales that led down to the gold genital pouch.
He could see that Jen’sen’s legs were covered in scales, a beautiful pattern of gold and mossy green, darkening to forest green by the time they reached his calves, where more fins projected. But the texture of Jen’sen’s calves changed to gold all the way to his feet. He wondered what they would feel like brushing up against him during sex. No toes, more of a boot shape covered in gold skin. Jared blinked and reached out to grasp Jen’sen’s hip. The scales were a little cooler than normal body temperature, but surprisingly smooth and soft beneath his fingertips. He shivered and rubbed his thumb into the cut of Jen’sen’s hip, lust and awe and admiration all battling for dominance in a brain too drained to put what he was feeling into words.
Jen’sen was staring at him with a similar hungry, fierce intensity. Chuffing out a little laugh, he crawled onto the bed, carefully arranged his oseeka around Jared, and then curled up behind him. Jared could feel the soft slide of scales over his skin as they warmed on contact.
Jared dozed for a while. When he woke, he could feel Jen’sen’s fingers playing with his hair.
Jared tried to stretch, but wrapped in the oseekawith Jen’sen’s leg thrown over his and the man glued to his back, there wasn’t really anywhere to go.
As if reading his mind, Jen’sen chuckled and snuggled in impossibly closer. His hand shifted from playing with Jared’s hair to running his fingers lightly along the top of his ear. “Cashia was right. So soft,” Jen’sen whispered reverently.
Restless, Jared rolled onto his back, a rookie mistake, because Jen’sen now had better access. His lips grazed Jared’s left nipple, licking and kissing a path to Jared’s jaw. Between kisses he asked, “Explain this ‘Arghh’ thing?”
Jared swallowed, the teasing touches already reviving his interest. “It’s silly, really. See, I read too many comics when I was a kid….”
“What’s a comics?” In the dim light of the cabin Jen’sen's green eyes stared at him, a bemused look on his face. He ran a finger down the side of Jared’s neck and along his chest. Jared’s body buzzed with pleasure.
“Doesn’t matter, I talk too much when I’m nervous.”
“Must come in handy for a smuggler.” Jen’sen nibbled at Jared’s bottom lip and then moved to the lobe of his ear as his finger disappeared down Jared’s chest to pinch lightly on his nipple. Jared jolted upwards, then settled back in embarrassment. “Hmm, sensitive.” Jen’sen smirked.
“Yeah, some.” Jared wasn’t sure if Jen’sen was making fun of him or egging him on. All he knew was he didn’t want to talk anymore. He grabbed Jen’sen by the back of the neck and dragged him in for a hard kiss. Jen’sen rocked back, clearly surprised, but then he smiled and allowed himself to be drawn in, pressed his mouth to Jared’s, opening under his lips. Jared hummed in pleasure, their tongues colliding.
They finally parted with a breathless gasp. Jen’sen rolled to lie on his back on Jared’s chest, wriggling his butt on Jared’s growing erection, looking at him upside down, through narrowed glowing eyes. “And the term. What does it signify?”
“Well, it’s this pirate thing. The comics, a kind of storybook, were about pirates, sea robbers-and their favorite way to show they agreed was to say ‘Arghh, Captain.’ But not the way Wix says it, he’s a work in progress. But more the way I said it. You get what I mean?”
“Mmm, I do.” Jen’sen hummed, and then his rich laugh filled the cabin as he leapt up and straddled Jared’s legs. “You okay to go again?”
“No, I-I’m fine. A little sore, but-yeah-” Jared hated the whine in his voice, but the reality was he’d be walking more bowlegged than Jen’sen if they kept at it. Still, he couldn’t help but wriggle with excitement as Jen’sen tossed off the oseeka so that he could kneel across his legs, a hungry look in his eyes.
Jared’s belly twitched, his half-hard cock trying valiantly to rise.
“It won’t hurt at all,” Jen’sen replied confidently as he went to the replicator and made something up. It turned out to be several lengths of velvet rope. Jared arched a surprised brow, but remained silent as Jen’sen wrapped one rope around Jared’s thighs, snugging it up so Jared couldn’t part his legs. He wrapped another just below his knees.
“I didn’t know you were such a kinky bastard,” Jared teased
“Hush, aren’t all aliens?” Jared made out Jen’sen’s grin in the darkened room.
Jen’sen jacked himself a few times as he looked down at Jared, his pupils blown with lust, gem green and glittering. All he needed was a gold trident to be Namor, Prince of the Sea, another character from Jared’s comic books. Jared palmed his throbbing cock.
“Nuh-uh, that’s mine. You don’t touch it.” Jen’sen gently pulled Jared’s hand back and rolled him onto his side, using a length of velvet to lash Jared’s hands together in front of him.
“Perfect.” Jen’sen grinned and climbed in behind Jared.
Jared wasn’t sure what Jen’sen was up to, but he clued in pretty fast as Jen’sen eased his slick cock between Jared’s thighs. With the rope wrapped tightly around them, Jared couldn’t separate his legs, and with his lower legs bound, he couldn’t even move much. It made for a tight squeeze, but Jen’sen fit. The leaking moisture from Jen’sen’s cock eased the way. His cock rutted against the line of Jared’s perineum and tapped the back of his balls.
It was unexpectedly arousing, considering Jen’sen’s cock was nowhere near his hole, but sparks were firing. Jared rocked back against Jen’sen with a moan, the confinement, the strange sensations all setting Jared’s body alight. He thought it couldn’t get much better, but then Jen’sen’s hand closed around Jared’s cock, and he almost shot his load right there.
“Who’s the kinky one?” Jen’sen teased, his lips next to Jared’s ear.
“Shut up and fuck me, you bastard.” Jared glowered. He was close, so close. Jen’sen sped up, his cock slick and hard where it rocked against the back of his balls, his thighs slapping wetly against Jared’s ass.
Jared would later completely deny the desperate, needy sounds he couldn’t stop making. Then Jen’sen rolled his thumb over the head of Jared’s cock and dug his thumbnail into the slit. That jolt of pain had Jared clenching his thighs around him. Jen’sen roared with pleasure as he came, his spend splashing against the back of Jared’s balls.
The pair of them slept again, and woke late into the ship's night. Jen’sen stretched leisurely, like a giant Frex. It had been a long time since he’d made love. Not since Che-vala. He never expected to be so attracted to this crazy bounty hunter, but the man was so much more than he had expected. Saving Jen’sen’s people, volunteering supplies. There was a kindness to Jared that all his bootlegger cunning couldn’t hide.
Jen’sen stared down at Jared’s long, taut body: the coppery skin, the sex-tousled, messy splay of hair, the light dusting of hair across his chest, a narrow treasure trail leading down to his cock, nestled in a nest of curling hair. So different from his own people.
Jared yawned and looked at him with sleepy brown eyes. “Oh, you can’t be that tired.” Jen’sen smirked. “This time I thought you could fuck me.”
He watched the look of surprise unfold on Jared’s face, his pupils darkening. Jen’sen could hear the want in his own voice, desire singing across his skin. Jared nodded jerkily, running his tongue across his bottom lip as if to speak, but only stared at Jen’sen as though hypnotized. Jen’sen brought Jared’s hands to his chest, Jared’s palms large and warm on his skin. He leaned in, urging Jared on. He began to run his fingers across Jen’sen’s body, touching everywhere, along his ribs, his legs, arms, then back up so his fingers grazed Jen’sen’s nipples, teasing and tweaking them. Jen’sen cried out and arched back. Jared laughed, going back to tweak each tempting bud one by one.
“So someone else is sensitive, too. Good to know.” Jared grinned as he continued to map Jen’sen’s skin.
Jared’s belly twitched, his half-hard cock starting to rise. Jen’sen couldn’t resist touching and jacked Jared’s growing length until he overflowed his palm, Jared’s sloe-eyed gaze never leaving Jen’sen’s face the whole time. His voice was rough with need when he spoke again. “We going to do this or what?”
Jared hummed and grasped Jen’sen by his hips, lifting him up on his knees as if he weighed nothing. Jen’sen squawked in surprise, but then grinned, guiding Jared’s cock to his rim.
“I’m ready if you are,” Jared growled.
Anticipation sparked through Jen’sen’s body. He let himself sink down on Jared’s cock, one delicious inch at a time until he was fully seated around him. The burn, the sensation of being completely filled, the presence of Jared everywhere- intoxicating. Jen’sen licked his lips and tried to remember to breathe.
And then he started to move.
Jared gazed up at Jen’sen, his slash of hair obscuring one green eye from view as he rode Jared’s cock like a champion. Sweat covered Jen’sen’s chest, and he tugged on his bottom lip with his teeth, moaning as Jared worked Jen’sen’s cock. Jen’sen arched back, rhythm becoming erratic. “Come on, Jen. That’s it baby, you’re so close…” And Jared should be there, too, gods damn, he wanted to be there, but something was holding him back. Jen’sen started to whine, and Jared knew he couldn’t wait any longer. Jared stared up into Jen’sen’s sex-blown pupils and growled, “Come for me, Jen…”
Only when Jen’sen leaned down and purred into Jared’s ear “Arggh Captain,” did Jared come- instantly.
¤ ¤ ¤
In the morning, when Jared awoke, Jen’sen was gone. His hand groped at the empty spot where Jen’sen had curled against his back, warm and sated through the rest of the night. He couldn’t deny a twinge of disappointment.
He pushed himself up to sitting with a jaw-cracking yawn. Maybe the man had gone off for breakfast, or to look around.
Deflated, he returned to his own quarters, where even a long hot shower couldn’t lift his spirits. He tossed his Alukan finery into the cleanser unit and picked a soft blue t-shirt and pale gray leisure pants out of his closet. He left his feet bare. He loved to feel the soft hum of the Jolly Roger beneath his feet. He padded off to the galley to find something to eat.
He was unsurprised when he didn’t see Jen’sen there. Jared decided to wait a while, but when he got tired of watching the stars go by, he gave up and replicated himself a salad and sandwich. Finished his meal, still no sign of Jen’sen. Willing to give the man some space, he decided to do a perimeter check. Wix had not brought any warnings or needed repairs to his attention, but Jared had found that doing personal rounds identified problems before they grew critical.
His first stop was the launch bay to take a closer look at the Rumrunner. Even under the bright lights, he couldn’t spot any serious damage, other than the ship needing a new paint job. The fist indent Jen’sen had made needed to be hammered out, but that could be taken care of anytime. The Ocaceans had actually done an excellent job of repairing his baby.
Next he looked in on the storage bays. There were only a few items in the bays, both visible and in bootlegger hidey holes. Everything checked out shipshape and Bristol fashion. He moved on toward the observation bay.
He stopped when he heard a high-pitched chittering. He’d heard it before at the pool in the equatta. The sound echoed down the halls of the ship. He listened closer; it was coming from the pool.
Barefoot, he jogged down the hall to the pool area, curious. He strode through the doors just as a huge wave of water hit him across the face.
“Whoops!” A familiar voice came from somewhere in front of him.
Jared sputtered, wiping water out of his eyes. He could make out the blurry sight of someone in the water hanging onto the side of the pool. He blinked again. “Jen’sen-”
Jared grabbed a towel on a nearby lounge bed. “Way to welcome a guy.”
“Sorry about that. When you said you had a pool, I couldn’t resist.” Jen’sen pushed backward, out from the wall of the pool.
Jared blinked again. He had somehow expected Jen’sen to be skinny-dipping. And well, he was, kind of… and he’d seen Jen’sen’s green and gold scaled body complete with arm and leg fins-but the tail?
“Where did that….”
“Ocacean. Born and bred, remember? Always had it,” Jen’sen replied dryly. He wore an amused look on his face as he watched Jared try and process the information.
“But where were you hiding…all that?” Jared gestured vaguely at Jen’sen’s shimmering gold tail. He couldn’t take his eyes off the man: the water on all that freckled skin, the shimmery body moving so leisurely in the water, all that pent-up power and strength-and now a flashing gold tail! Jared tried to tamp down the surge of raw want that swept through his body.
Another round of high-pitched chittering echoed in the pool room as Jen’sen laughed. Then he changed register, and his laugh dropped to a more human range. The man was getting a serious kick out of the situation.
Jared looked closer. In the water Jen’sen’s ankles were linked together, like the swimmers in the tank, by two curved fins on his inner ankles. He followed the lines of fine scales to Jen’sen’s very humanoid feet, now including toes, but instead of simply ending there, long fluted fins continued on, the two together forming a powerful gold tail fin.
“Seen your fill?” Jen’sen smirked.
“Uh… It’s different in the light.” Jared swallowed.
Jen’sen grinned cockily and swam to the steps. As he came out of the water, his legs seem to automatically ‘unhook’ from each other, the fins flattening onto the ankles, so that Jen’sen had two legs again. One at a time he raised each ‘foot’ and swiped his tail fin around it, wrapping it around his calf-and suddenly he had a gold ‘boot’ which explained the difference in texture Jared had seen last night. He did the same for the other leg and climbed the rest of the way out of the pool.
Jared blinked. “Je’Ga!”
Jen’sen rolled his eyes at Jared’s choice of words. He reached for a towel to dry himself off. “I haven’t been in that much uncontaminated water for over fifteen years. On Ocacea the oceans are completely contaminated. Even the water in the equatta pond has trace elements of radiation we can’t get away from. But the sea-the seas are toxic.”
“Since the Kreeg invaded.” Jared breathed out as he did the math in his head.
Jen’sen only nodded and laid his wet towel over one of the deck chairs to dry, slipping into the gray t-shirt and pants he'd been wearing yesterday. Finished dressing, Jen’sen glanced at Jared, “I’m starved. You hungry?” He started toward the door.
Jared grabbed Jen’sen’s arm. “Um, wait-I wanted to say I’m sorry.”
Jen’sen stared at Jared’s hand on his bicep. He glanced up sharply, a look of uncomprehending shock on his face. “W-What?”
Jared released him, his hand hot from where it touched Jen’sen. “For that stunt back there… on Ocacea. I had it in my head that I wanted to bust out the slaves. But it was you that had to deal with the consequences. I was rash, I didn’t think it through. I’m glad it worked out, though. For all their sakes. But I should have talked to you first about it, or stuck to our deal.”
Jen’sen nodded, oddly distracted. “Don’t worry about it.” He strode off without a backward glance.
¤ ¤ ¤
The Jolly Roger, was a big ship, but it wasn’t that big. Somehow, though, Jared didn’t see Jen’sen for the rest of the day. He respected the man’s privacy and only comm’d him once to confirm their arrival time at Palish the following evening. Jen’sen seemed distant, preoccupied, when he spoke to him.
Alone in bed that night, Jared continued to think about Jen’sen and his plan to save the galaxy. He’d never really cared about much of anything other than lining his own pockets and staying one step ahead of the interstellar police. Why would he suddenly give a damn about Jen’sen’s opinion of him? Grouchy finned ass. He kept going back to what Jen’sen had told him about the pearls and the Kreeg. Could this defense system with the pearls and the Crown even be possible? He tossed and turned all night, restless without the comforting warmth of Jen’sen’s oseeka next to him. Or was it the chill of Jen’sen’s absence?
In the morning Jared went to the bridge to check their progress. He found Jen’sen sitting in the captain’s chair staring at the view screen, a cup of coffee cradled in his hands. He checked the navigation logs, and they were uneventful, nothing in their vicinity, and no signs of Kreeg ships in pursuit.
“Good stuff, right?” Jared pointed at the cup. “I import it direct from Terra. Swiss Mocha Chocolate Almond coffee. It’ll get you going.”
Jen’sen nodded unspeaking, and took another sip, absorbed in something he was reading on his tablet. He looked worried, frown lines across his brow. Jared chalked it up to the coming mission. He wanted to say something reassuring, but figured he’d only make things worse.
We seem to be on course. I’ll leave you to it. I’m going to take a run.”
Jared had always enjoyed his runs, and his ship was big enough so that he could pick up some real speed, lose himself in the pure physicality of the motion. Today though, he couldn’t seem to find his stride and gave up after only one lap. He decided to take a shower, but on his way a niggling concern began to grow. He continued on to the med bay.
“Captain, sir. How may I help you?” Wix greeted him as he stepped through the med bay doors. He had worried when he’d changed the code for the AI’s voice that there might be only so much British accent one man could handle, but the accent had really grown on him.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Loret’ta, exactly. It just seemed like a good idea to double-check how his recovery was going. “I’d like a full body scan. Look for any changes since my last scan.”
“Is there anything particular I should be looking for, sir?” Wix said calmly as Jared lay on the diagnostic bed.
“Yeah, any fractures or unhealed bones, sign of concussion, that sort of thing. This last job was a rough one, I want to know if I’m fully healed.”
“Scanning,” the AI replied as a blue band of light passed over him from head to foot.
A few seconds went by, and Jared was starting to wonder, when Wix came back online.
“Anomaly detected.”
Jared’s stomach twisted. “Show me,” he responded impatiently. He sat up to view the holo monitor. A three-dimensional version of his body appeared in blue line, and the scan went through the various layers of skin, bone, and organs to stop on a nebulous blue-green mass which filled his whole chest cavity.
“What the Sho-der is that?” Jared leaned closer. There didn’t seem to be any mechanical parts, simply a weird swirling cloud, that sparkled, coating all the organs in his chest cavity.
“Unknown, sir.”
“How would we remove something like that?” Jared whispered, his hand unconsciously reaching to touch his chest. He felt tight all over. He knew what Wix was going to say even before he said it.
“Unknown, sir.”
Jared leaned forward, feeling sick. He shut off the diagnostic routine. Whatever the hells Jen’sen and his people had put inside him was like nothing he’d ever seen before. Was this some Ocacean way Jen’sen was going to compel him to cooperate? He needed to see Jen’sen, get it the Sho-der out of him right the heck now.
Jared shot out of the med bay like a bullet, heading directly to the bridge. Jen’sen glanced up when he entered. Jared barreled right into him, knocking him to the floor.
“What the Hay’ga did you do? What did you do to me? Is this some kind of revenge? Some way you’re getting back at me? Talk to me!” Jared had Jen’sen by the collar of his shirt, but Jen’sen lay passive beneath him. “Was this Loret’ta? What the hells, man!!” he screamed.
Jen’sen only closed his eyes.
“Gods damn you! Tell me! Why are my medical scans suddenly lit up like a blue firefly convention?”
Staring at him out of defeated green eyes, Jen’sen whispered, “We’re mated.”
Jared’s grip on Jen’sen’s shirt went lax, and he stumbled back, hitting the floor of the bridge, his feet splayed over Jen’sen’s supine body.
“Mated? What do you mean, mated?” he said faintly.
Jen’sen turned his face away. “I had my suspicions, but I’d hoped I was wrong. It wasn’t until you grabbed my arm that I understood it had actually happened. I don’t know how Ocacea could betray me this way.”
“What happened?” Jared’s voice trembled. He wanted to shake Jen’sen, keep shaking him until he said something that made sense. Instead he clenched his fists so hard, he thought bones would crack.
Jen’sen scrubbed his hands over his face and sighed. “When I handed you the two Otec back on Ocacea, they sparked. In Ocacean mythology if the Otec spark when lovers touch them, it means they were meant for each other. The pearls did that, they bonded our souls together. But this has not happened between an Ocacean and another species for millennia. I didn’t think it was real.”
“Well, can’t we unbond? Cripes, Jen’sen, we aren’t even friends, how could we be mates?”
“The Otec are never wrong, and the bond cannot be reversed. Even now your body is changing-becoming Ocacean.” Jen’sen pushed himself up to sit, his legs crossed. He looked weary, as exhausted by the news as Jared.
“I’m going to turn into a gods damned merman? No. No no no no no no. This can’t be happening. You have to be wrong. There is no way a souped-up pearl is going to rule my life.”
“No, not a full Ocacean, but a hybrid of some sort. I suspected something had happened that night, so I spent the rest of the evening poring over our few remaining archives. I found no new answers, and for the next few days you had no signs of any change, so I thought it was simply a weird coincidence. But then when we made love, we started to share pleasure…Then this morning when you grabbed my arm, I could feel you. I knew.”
“And you couldn’t have let me in on your little suspicion sooner? Jezzba, Jen’sen! So what the Hay’ga is going to happen to me?”
“According to lore, humanoid mates never develop fins or scales, but you should gain the ability to breathe underwater, and your lifespan will be greatly increased.”
“I’ll have gills? How soon will I have Je Ga do gills! I need to meet with the Governor, remember, and not be looking like a fish when I do!”
Jen’sen shrugged helplessly. “The lore isn’t very specific.”
Jared sat there, unable to take his eyes off Jen’sen’s gills, opening and closing in a hypnotic, metronomic rhythm. Unconsciously he reached to touch his own neck; soon he was going to have those. "No frackin’ way.”
He shook his head to clear the image. He tried to focus on what else Jen’sen had said. “And I’ll live longer? What does that mean? With today’s medicine, I could expect to live to two hundred, easy.”
“How old do you think I am, Jared?” Jen’sen said, wearily rubbing his forehead.
“I don’t know, maybe forty?”
“I’m over eight hundred cycles old. Almost nine hundred by galactic standard, as Ocacean days are longer.”
“Holy Sha-do. That’s...a bit more than I expected. And here I’d been thinking about early retirement. Okay, gills, long life, maybe stuck with you, but Ocaceans have divorce, right?”
Jen’sen chuckled mirthlessly. “Ocaceans do, but not soulmates.”
“How can you know all this for sure? Maybe the scan was wrong? Maybe the spark was static.”
Jen’sen shook his head, but didn’t argue. “Touch my hand, Jared.”
“What?” Jared rubbed his now sweaty hands on his pants legs. “Why?”
“Just do it. It will tell us for sure one way or the other.” Jen’sen stretched out his hand, palm up.
Jared blew out a breath. He put his hand in Jen’sen’s, watching carefully, glancing back and forth between Jen’sen’s face and their joined hands. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but there was no spark, like the Otec had given off. Maybe this was a good thing. Maybe they weren’t mates at all.
[[ This is the final gift Oceana gave to soulmates above all others. The gift to speak without words. ]]
Jared’s head reared back, and he snatched his hand free as if bitten. He had heard Jen’sen’s voice clear as a bell, but Jen’sen’s lips hadn’t moved.
“How did you do that?” Jared’s voice was so low he wasn’t sure Jen’sen could hear him.
“The bond. As we grow closer we won’t even need to touch to hear each other. You try.”
Jared licked his suddenly dry lips and touched Jen’sen’s hand again. {{ Can you read my mind? }}
[[ No, only what you ‘think’ to me. ]]
“Holy Sha-do, this is too freaky.” Jared let go of Jen’sen’s hand and lay back on the cool floor. “I think I’m going to be sick.” His stomach twisted, and Jared jumped to his feet to get to the recycler in time, heaving up his coffee from this morning.
He stood hunched over the recycler unit, retching repeatedly. Eventually even the dry heaves stopped, and there was nothing left. Panting, he tried to catch his breath, staying there in case of a repeat performance. In the background, the replicator hummed. Jen’sen was there with a cool cloth for the back of Jared’s neck and a cup of water to wash his mouth out. Jared rinsed, spitting the foul water into the recycler, repeating before taking a clean sip.
He closed his eyes, letting the cold on the back of his neck soothe away some of his panic, not quite willing to let go of the recycler just yet...
“I’ll set us up for orbit around Palish. We can worry about going down there tomorrow. This is a lot to take in.”
“You think? Shadoo! One great night of amazing fucking does not mean we’re meant to be, or something like that.”
“We are stuck with each other now, Jared of Pada’le-ki. The pearls are never wrong.”
“But what if they are?” Jared had to ask, side-eyeing Jen’sen.
Jen’sen shrugged. “Ocacea is never wrong, but we may kill each other proving it.”
¤ ¤ ¤
Jared thought he would have trouble falling asleep, but he was out almost as soon as his head touched his pillow. At some point he woke and found himself cocooned in the now familiar oseeka. But there was extra warmth there as well, soft puffs of breath flowing over his neck and shoulders. Jared tipped his head back and found Jen’sen himself spooned against him, asleep on top of the blanket, his head nestled against Jared’s neck.
In another life, he should have been freaked out, but instead he found Jen’sen’s solid warmth comforting. He readjusted the oseeka around him and fell immediately back to sleep.
The next time he woke, still nestled in the warm folds of the blanket, Jen’sen was gone..
Jared stretched and tried to figure out how he should feel about this whole new development. It’s not like he had never wanted to get married, have kids, and all that. And he had to admit that he found Jen’sen more than a little attractive. There was chemistry there, sure, but this was all a bit sudden. Being forcibly paired by some magical sea pearls with a kidnapper from a completely different culture, let alone race, was a bit much.
The only thing he could do right now, though, was wait and see what happened. Maybe Jen’sen was wrong. Or maybe this was a scam of some kind, some way to get him to cooperate more readily. Then he remembered the shocked look on Jen’sen’s face when he grabbed his arm at the pool...
Whatever was going to happen, he couldn’t lie in bed all day. Jared checked his chronometer. It was almost noon ship’s time. He’d slept through the previous afternoon and the night without moving. Weird, but whatever. He pushed himself up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He’d always been one to take things as they came. No reason to change now. Even if he was mated to Jen’sen, at the end of the job he could take his two energy pearls, buy a small planet, and never have to think about Jen’sen or Ocacea again. Even remarry. I mean, it was a big universe, who would know?
Feeling a little more optimistic about the future, he headed to the galley for something to eat.
Jen’sen was there when he walked in. He rose immediately, watching Jared carefully.
“Hey.” Jared raised a hand in greeting.
“How do you feel?” Jen’sen asked.
“Well, calmer about the whole thing. I wasn’t sure if I was poisoned or dying or what. Being mated wasn’t really on my radar.”
“And now?” Jen’sen said carefully.
“I don’t know what to think. I’m just going to keep moving forward, do the job I signed on for. Both jobs. And figure it out after.”
“But-”Jen’sen started to speak.
“But what, Jen’sen?” Jared slammed down the tray he’d picked up. “What choice do I have? Seems like I need to get to Sedaptus before I sprout gills. I still have my job, you still have your mission. What else can I do? I can’t sit in my room and worry about what might happen. And right now I’m hungry. Starved, actually.” Jared rummaged through the galley selections and quick-zapped a meal that would make a Regorian weightlifter blush.
He plunked down his tray opposite Jen’sen’s and started to eat right away. “I don’t know why I slept so long, that’s crazy. And now I’m starved.”
“That’s what I was trying to tell you. The changes will take a lot out of you for the next little while. Your body is being rebuilt from the inside out. You’re bound to feel more hungry than usual and need far more rest. I don’t think you should go down to Palish. I can do it.”
Jared was stuffing his third piece of toast with scrambled egg perched on top into his face. “Can’t, the wave needs my thumbprint. And who knows who the Governor has paid to watch out for my arrival? There’ll be spies.”
“I can use my Thorian bodyguard uniform again, shadow you.” Jen’sen rose to refill his coffee cup.
“Okay,” Jared continued to eat as he talked, “but I think we shouldn’t look like we’re travelling together. Maybe you go first, do a little recon at the bar, let me know what I’m walking into?”
Jen’sen returned with a fresh cup of coffee and a tall, cool glass of milk for Jared.
“You’re acting like I’m pregnant or something,” Jared scolded, but took the milk all the same, swallowing half the glass down.
Jen’sen ignored Jared’s protests and stayed on target. “Do we go in two different shuttles?”
Jared considered for a moment, “No, if something goes pear-shaped and we have to hightail it out of there, I’d rather not risk losing a shuttle. Maybe I can drop you off at the eastern side of the city. Then I dock on the western side, at the cliffs overlooking the sea. No one will put one and two together. You’ll probably get to the bar first, it’s on the south side of the city. I’ll send the co-ordinates to your comm link.”
Jen’sen nodded and took another sip from his cup.
“Liking the coffee?” Jared asked, enjoying this new, more communicative Jen’sen.
Jen’sen nodded over his cup. “You weren’t kidding when you said it was the best thing in the galaxy.”
“Mmm, thanks,” Jared said, finishing off his glass of milk.
“Did the Governor tell you why you had to send the wave from this particular bar?”
Jared shook his head and said, between mouthfuls, “No idea. It’s a bit weird, right? I won’t have the pearls with me, so it’s not an issue of stealing them. Maybe I should double-check the Jolly Roger's defenses before we leave, in case they try to board the ship while we’re gone.”
“Good idea,” Jen’sen said, watching him over the brim of his cup.
¤ ¤ ¤
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