A Long Time from Home Pt. 02 Ch. 08

Author's notes:

This is the continuation of A Long Time from Home and if you haven't read that, I advise you to do so. The series is self-edited, so any mistakes are mine, though I now have a proofreader, that can catch missing words ect. Thanks to Jessejames932006 for doing that.

Some of the chapters will take place in the ancient past and while I have done a lot of research for that, there might be small errors here and there. If you think you found such an error in the story, please double check to be sure that you're correct and then PM me about it, so I can fix it. :)

Due to its length, I placed ALTFH under the 'Novels and Novellas' section, but as you can see, ALTFH II is placed in the 'Sci-fi and Fantasy' section, which fits it better due to the elements of magic that's in it. At least in my opinion :)

Have fun and while you're at it, please rate the chapter and leave a comment :)

About timing on uploads

Trust me, when I say that I do the best I can to upload as frequently as I can. Unfortunately, my RL is pretty hectic at the moment, and as this is a hobby and not a job, it can take a while from time to time.

About the notation:

Mental communication is denoted by a < and ends with a >, so a mental communication will look like this: "< Who are you? >"

Some warnings:

This is erotic action adventure, meaning that there will be both sex and violence, but I don't mix the two.

This story is posted on the Literotica website and the author does not give permission for it to be reposted or reprinted anywhere else without consent.

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8 -- The week before the wedding - Part 1

Late September 2000, Oldenburg Island

While I had been busy having meetings with the individual departments, the rest of the CEO's had arrived for the wedding, which made a grand meeting with all the CEO's present possible. So far, I had used the department meetings to get a feel for both the CEO's and the division or subdivision they were running and had been impressed.

During the almost thirty years Parker had run the company, he had handpicked most of the high-level directors and used the loyalty codex on all of them. That had ensured their honesty, but beside that, they were all highly competent people, who not only excelled in their jobs, but also really loved what they were doing.

I had expected the directors to somehow resent the situation they were in, but they were blissfully unaware of the loyalty codex and enjoyed having a well-paid managing position in an efficient and successful company, which made it easier on my conscience as I transferred their loyalty to me. Not only to avoid any power struggle within the company, but also to prevent Parker's fail-safe from killing them as it slowly disintegrated, taking a significant part of their minds with it. This transfer was also the main reason for the meeting, aside from explaining how the company was going to use this year's extraordinary profit.

After Starlight Invest had been created, Parker had shared some of his vision-guided investments with both the company and its CEOs. As a result, Starlight Invest had grown extremely fast and most of the people there had regarded him as a genius when it came to business. Especially after the last couple of years, where he had orchestrated the sale of the stock in internet-based companies, as well as a few other selected companies. He had also ordered everybody else to do the same and despite protests, the mind-controlled directors couldn't do otherwise.

They didn't get rid of all of the shares before the market started to crash, losing almost a billion dollars on shares like Tiscali and pets. com, but by selling the rest when the market peaked, they had earned tens of billions of dollars. Cisco Systems, Intel, The Gab and Oracle Inc. had been sold for a mind boggling 60 billion dollars and those were just the high hitters among many other shares. After deducting expenses, Starlight Invest kept some of the money for re-investing, but the vast majority was transferred to Starlight Merchant Group as profit.

However, it wasn't only the company that made money, the employees did as well and not only those with the money to invest in stock. When reconstructing the company in the late 70s, Parker had implemented profit sharing, giving the employees ten percent of the yearly profit, while the Board of Directors shared half a percent and the owner got four and a half percent, leaving seventy-five percent to be reinvested after the ten percent corporate income tax.

Ten percent and half a percent didn't sound like a lot, but this year alone every one of Starlight's employees around the world would get an amount of money equal to somewhere between four and six months' pay in a bonus, depending on how long they have been working for the company, while the board members of the various companies under Starlight Merchant Group would get millions of dollars apiece.

I hoped the Board of Directors didn't expect the same insights in the stock market from me. I didn't have Parker's gift of precognition and despite the best efforts of Manuel Esteves and Sandra Rodriquez, I still had only a superficial knowledge about how the stock market worked.

As a result, I had quietly maintained the structure Parker had put in place: the Board of Directors ran the company, and the only time they truly needed my approval was when dealing with assets Parker had either purchased personally or deemed essential, be it shares, real estate, or anything else of strategic value.

That kept my involvement to a minimum, which suited me just fine. But even so, Parker's increasing detachment from everything outside the stock market had left a massive backlog of major deals, all demanding attention.

I had devised a plan to clear it, discussed it with the board, and secured their agreement. Now, with a few loose ends tied up, it was time to present it.

So, when the start of the meeting was over, along with the transfer of loyalty, I looked at Cedric Kerr, the CEO of Starlight Invest, and said, "Mr. Kerr, before I go into the plans for the next year, there're a few things we have to do."

"Yes, sir."

"I've reviewed our holdings in two major American pharmaceutical companies and frankly, I don't like them. Call it a gut feeling, but they're making too much money on other people's suffering and I want out of them. Both personally and as a company."

A short, slightly overweight man beside Kerr stiffened in alarm. Jakob Mathiasen, CEO of Starlight Finance and Kerr's superior, primarily dealt with banking rather than investments. He cleared his throat, clearly uneasy.

"Ehh... are you sure that's wise, sir? They generate a substantial dividend."

"I'm not talking about every medical stock we own, Mr. Mathiasen," I clarified. "Just Pfizer and Merck." I let that sink in before continuing. "Half the profits from the sale will go toward expanding Starlight BioTech."

Across the table, Nikolas Holtman of Starlight Technologies and Royston Farrell of Starlight Research exchanged thrilled glances. I ignored them and pressed on.

"I'd rather we make and sell medicine at reasonable prices than help others overcharge for it."

Mathiasen fidgeted, clearly weighing his options before exhaling a long sigh. "I can't persuade you to reconsider?"

"Not unless you have a better argument than 'they make us money.'"

He hesitated, then gave a reluctant nod. "I don't."

"Then sell them," I said simply. "I've reviewed the stock prices. We bought in at the right time, and even after expenses, we're looking at a profit of about nine billion dollars." I let that number land before delivering the final push. "Which means Starlight Research and thus BioTech get an extra four and half billion dollars to use for an expansion."

I had already instructed Sandra Rodriguez to sell off my personal stock. It wasn't like I needed the extra two billion dollars, but after my conversation with Petra about the sale of illegal medicine in Africa and Asia, I had taken a closer look at the pharmaceutical companies and didn't like what I saw. It might be my limited knowledge of how things worked, but if a medical company could earn so much money, they should lower their prices.

"Yes, sir." Mathiasen sighed and nodded, while Cedric Kerr typed something on a small handheld device, before he looked up. "They will be sold, sir."

I nodded and changed the subject. "Good. Now for something else... I have been busy looking at unfinished deals and skimming through suggestion files dating back years." I let that sink in, then continued. "There's no shortage of ideas on where to reinvest our profits. Frankly, I haven't had time to analyze them all in depth." I paused, letting their nods confirm they understood. "However, some of them caught my attention... Mostly because they fit directly into the company profile."

I turned to Royston Farrell from EcoTech. "First is Clean Harbors, Inc. Mr. Farrell, according to you, the environmental service the company provides is very good and will continue to be in demand in the future. You still stand by that assessment?"

Farrell nodded. "Absolutely. They provide top-tier environmental cleanup and waste management services, and demand for their work will only grow. We already own ten percent of their shares, and at current market value, acquiring a controlling stake would cost us about a hundred million."

"Excellent." I shifted my gaze to Cedric Kerr. "Mr. Kerr, work with Mr. Farrell on this."

"Yes, sir."

"Good." I turned to Benedicte Zaal, CEO of Starlight Hospitality. "The second company is Green Mountain Coffee. Mrs. Zaal, would you explain?"

Benedicte Zaal, CEO of Starlight Hospitality, smiled warmly. "Of course. Green Mountain Coffee supplies all the coffee for Dream Holiday and Dream Resorts. They're organic, fair trade certified, and an incredibly well-run operation. We've looked into acquiring them before, but Mr. Oldershaw vetoed it every time. Mostly because he didn't want to go into the coffee business."

"Consider it un-vetoed." I said dryly. "I might not drink coffee, but almost all of you support the proposal and I think it's time we do something about it."

"Yes, sir." She said with a smile, while the rest chuckled.

I let the amusement settle before sweeping my gaze across the table. "Ladies and Gentlemen. You're all very good at your jobs and you all have a lot of very good suggestions." They all looked at me in silence. "However, there's no way we have time to go over every proposal in detail, so this is what I'm going to do." I paused and smiled. "We do have an extraordinary amount of profit this year. With that in mind, I've made some decisions... Ebba Hartmann."

The grey-haired CEO of Starlight Alloys blinked, momentarily startled that I had singled her out. "Yes, sir?"

"I'm approving your request for a new steel alloy manufacturing plant," I announced. "Provided, of course, it follows our environmental standards."

Her face lit up in a smile that softened the years in her expression. "Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome," I replied, noting the ripple of satisfaction among the CEOs around her, those from Starlight Construction and Oldenburg Electric, whose teams would undoubtedly be involved in the project.

"Next, I want to address one more individual project before we move on," I continued. "This one comes from Oriental Real Estate."

Lee Collins, distinguished as always in his sharp suit and gold-rimmed glasses, straightened in his chair. There was a flicker of hope in his expression, which made sense. His proposal for a commercial skyscraper in Hong Kong's central district was as ambitious as it was costly. A billion-dollar investment wasn't a decision to be made lightly.

"Yes, sir?" His voice carried a note of cautious optimism.

I met his gaze and gave a decisive nod. "Build your skyscraper, Mr. Collins."

Relief and satisfaction spread across his face in a tight but grateful smile. "Thank you, sir."

"There's no need to thank me, it's an excellent proposal," I assured him before shifting my attention back to the room. "For the rest of you, I'm earmarking twenty billion dollars for investment in older projects."

Murmurs of approval and excitement rippled through the room, but I raised a hand to quiet them. "Additionally, for the next year, I'm raising the spending threshold for Starlight Merchant Group, and specifically Starlight Invest, to five hundred million dollars before requiring board approval. " I let that sink in. "Of course, the usual corporate guidelines apply, and you'll need to keep Mr. Estevez and Ms. Rodriguez informed."

I paused, scanning the table. Then, with just the right amount of weight in my voice, I added, "One year, Ladies and Gentlemen. You have 365 days to make your proposals happen within a reasonable budget. If not, I expect them to disappear."

Another grey-haired woman raised a hand. "I have a few things from Titan Aerospace's Acadia I would like to discuss with you but doing it here will only take up everybody's time. I'll send you a report after the meeting, and we can go over it later this week."

I nodded. The elegant looking woman was Margret Jaeger, General Manager of Shadow Forge, which was Starlight's prototype department, responsible for developing advanced military products with help from the other research departments. Among them Titan Aerospace's Acadia, Shark Naval Tech's Nova Division and Svalinn Defence's Phantom Guard.

As an advanced research department, Shadow Forge and the divisions under it, was one of the few divisions where Parker's Loyalty Codex had been rigorously applied to all higher-ranking members. That alone made transferring the department under my control before its leadership lost their minds a top priority, and I would have to visit them at some point for exactly that reason. The other department was Starlight Security, and I had already taken care of that.

Jaeger's role was to coordinate between these divisions, ensuring they worked together efficiently while liaising with other sectors. It wasn't an easy job, but she had executed it flawlessly for over a decade.

"There is, however, a project I would like founding for. " She continued smoothly. "Acadia is working on creating a faster version of the twin rotor Dragonfly M3 Archer, but the development will take at least two years and cost several hundred million dollars. It's a risk, but according to our calculations, we could sell at least a hundred units if we succeed."

Digging into my memory again, I discovered that the M3 Archer she was talking about was the armed helicopter I had seen in action in Costa Rica. Like so many others of Dragonfly's helicopters, it was based on a Russian design, reengineered just enough to avoid being a direct copy, then built with superior materials, modernized electronics, and more efficient engines.

Glancing over at Eric van Koppen, asked. "Your input, van Koppen?"

"I don't know." He admitted. "The calculations also show that there's a good chance it will cut into the sale of the M8 Banshee. On the other hand, the sales of both the M8 and M3 were expected to drop within the next few years, so this might be a good idea with a new and faster version." He shrugged. "As Mrs. Jaeger rightly said, it is a risk."

Thinking it over, I nodded and looked over at Margret Jaeger. "Mrs. Jaeger, move forward with development. We're going to take that risk."

She smiled warmly, inclining her head. "Thank you, sir."

A slim man in his thirties raised a hand as well. I recognized him as Jan den Adel, the CEO of Dream Voyages, a small cruise line specialized in using sailing ships as cruise ships.

I gave him a nod. "Yes, den Adel?"

He looked a bit uncomfortable as he said. "I've sent a suggestion to you, that falls outside the one-year limit." Hailing from the Island of Bonaire in the Caribbean, which was Dutch territory, den Adel had Dutch roots, and his pleasant voice had the accent to match his origins. "Have you had a chance to review it?"

I nodded again. Dream Voyages typically cruised the Mediterranean in the summer and then crossed the Atlantic to cruise the Caribbean in the winter, but Jan den Adel suggested expanding into South-East Asia and had given a thirty-page explanation to why it was a sound investment, how to execute it, and projected profits. Parker had turned him down, but now Parker was gone, Jan den Adel had sent it to me instead.

His suggestion made a lot of sense and as far as I could see, the biggest hurdle in his proposal was the price tag attached to it. He was asking for permission to build a four-masted sailing cruise ship, which would cost a hundred million dollars and take about two years to build. A timeframe that would take the project over the time limit I had set.

"Yes, Mr. den Adel, I've read your proposal," I said, studying him. "And I have to say it makes sense, but two years is a long time to wait for a new ship on an unknown route. Can we talk about this in detail when the meeting is over?"

"Certainly, sir." He said with a smile and to my surprise, there was a spike of desire from him, muted by a good deal of self-control and realism.

I swallowed a chuckle. Parker's file had stated Jan den Adel was a homosexual, but until now, I had forgotten all about it. Mostly because it didn't matter. Despite Parker's other glaring flaws, he hadn't discriminated on gender or sexuality and had picked people purely based on their skills and personality. As a result, about forty percent of the CEO's in Starlight Merchant Group were women and den Adel was just one of several homosexuals of either gender.

Then I remembered my encounter with Annika. The Dutch woman, who had been on the Island to help her son settle in at the University, with her daughter starting her second year. Over dinner, she'd casually mentioned parting ways with her ex-husband, Jan, when he realized he was gay. She had also mentioned that he worked for Dream Voyages, a sailing cruise line under Starlight Hospitality.

All in all, it meant that there was a very good chance that I had been close to sharing pleasure with the ex of one of my directors.

Pushing the thought away, I turned my attention back to the meeting. I would handle that later, if it ever came up in conversation, but for now I had a meeting to lead.

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When the meeting ended, the directors walked out talking excitingly among themselves, leaving me with Jan den Adel and Sandra Rodriquez.

Leaning back in the seat, I looked at him. "A hundred million dollars is a large bet for a small subdivision, den Adel. Do you have any other suggestions for ships that might suit the purpose?"

He didn't hesitate. "There aren't any sailing cruise ships available at the moment," he said with complete certainty. "If you're open to other suggestions, there are a couple of motor sailing yachts on the market, but Mr. Oldershaw didn't allow us to consider those, as he felt that was against the pure sailing concept of Dream Voyage."

"What exactly are those? Motor sailing yachts, I mean."

"They're hybrid vessels. Small cruise ships that use both sail and engines for sailing." Jan explained. "Incidentally, two of them are up for sale right now. They were ordered by Argo Tall Ship Cruises, which filed for bankruptcy last month. The French shipyard building them is still finishing the work, but the bank backing the project is getting desperate for buyers. My estimate is about $35 million each."

"Thirty-five million?" I raised an eyebrow, surprised they weren't more expensive. "How big are these ships?"

"480 feet long and 60 feet wide." He stated without hesitation, proving he had done his research. "Both have a capacity of 200 passengers, with a crew of 103... I've sailed on their sister ship and they're excellent vessels, not to mention that they're well-built, intimate, and a perfect fit for our concept."

He hesitated, then added, "Actually, something just occurred to me. Argo's two flagship vessels might also be up for sale through a U. S. bankruptcy court. They're about twice the tonnage and would make a strong addition to the fleet."

I leaned forward, intrigued. "Den Adel, I know about yachts, not cruise ships, and especially not sailing cruise ships. So how come they're not more expensive? A 30-million-dollar sailing yacht is significantly smaller."

He grinned, clearly enjoying the discussion. "Cruise ships, even sailing ones, are mostly built from metal, which is far cheaper than the carbon fiber and high-tech materials used for superyachts. Thirty-five million is a fair price for a small cruise ship. The flagships, though, are a gamble. Bankruptcy court sales can drag on for months, and the final price depends on bidding rounds."

I nodded slowly. While it felt a bit strange to consider whether or not to use 70 million after having been talking about billions, the fact was that Dream Voyages net profit last year had been around 30 million, making the new investment more expensive than two years of the company's profit and Manuel Estevez had drilled into me that financially each division should be treated as a separate company and be able to show a profit. On the other hand, being able to transfer money from one division to another was exactly the strength of a conglomerate like Starlight, enabling us to make that kind of investment without having to lend money from an outside bank. Being a private company just added to that since we didn't have any shareholders to satisfy and could take the long view on investments.

"Jan," I said, fixing him with a steady look. "I'm going to trust your instincts, projections and research with this one and if we're going to do this, we might as well do it right. Have some experts check the ships out and if they're as good as you say, buy both and make the expansion into Asia."

"YES!" He exclaimed, pumping his fist in victory. The exclamation was followed by a cough as he sheepishly added, "Sorry, sir."

"No need to be sorry, you have been working on this for a very long time." I said with a laugh. "I'll leave the financial and legal details to you, Rodriquez and Scott, but please get your project moving as soon as possible and look into the last two ships you mentioned as well."

He stood up, walked over and gave me his hand.

As we shook, there was a lot of happiness in both his voice and feelings, as he replied. "I'll be on it right away, Mr. Ivan... and thank you for trusting me."

"You're welcome... Oh... and Jan, don't lean too hard on the shipyard. If this goes well, we might consider getting a few more of that class. As you wrote in your suggestion, Asia is a very large area with a lot of room for cruising."

"I'll be nice." He promised with a laugh. "Bye, Mr. Ivan."

"One moment, Jan." I said before he could walk away. "During the University start, I ran into a Dutch woman named Annika, who told me she had an ex-husband named Jan. Would that happen to be you?"

He chuckled. "Yes. She visits every summer and when I talked with her last week, she did mention that she had met an interesting young man here. I just didn't know it was you."

"It was." I said with a smile. "And I'm happy that the two of you are on good terms, because I found her very sweet and charming, despite the age difference between us."

The chuckle widened into a smile. "Well, from what she said, the feeling was mutual. She was very sorry that she became ill during your dinner."

I shrugged. "It happens. It wasn't the wine that made her ill, more likely the combination of painkillers, sun and wine. I just made sure she got safely back to her friend Emma at the hotel."

Jan's smile dimmed slightly. "Yes, sometimes she forgets that she takes medication for her elbow. She plays too much tennis when she's here."

"Sorry to hear that." I said sympathetically. "Anyway, congratulations with your son's acceptance into the Aerospace program."

"Thank you, sir." He smiled goodbye and walked out of the meeting room.

Once the door closed, Sandra Rodriquez turned to me, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "I have to say, I'm impressed with your people skills, Mr. Ivan. Most new leaders take time to grow into the role, but you handle it as though you've been doing it for years."

I couldn't explain to her that being a leader, or at least my version of it, was something I had been many times during the almost thousand years I had been alive and awake on this planet. For me, leading was as natural as breathing. It was the rest that scared the crap out of me from time to time.

"Thank you, Mrs Rodriguez."

She smiled approvingly. "You also make decisions very fast." Before I could answer she continued. "In this case, I agree with you. Jan den Adel's suggestion is researched in depth. Even if it doesn't work out, we can use the ships in the Med instead with little to no loss."

I smiled back to her. "My thoughts exactly... Oh, while we're talking about ships... With Dream Weaver being chartered I need a yacht, and I frankly don't know what's available now. Could you look it up?"

She lifted her eyebrows. "Well, Dream Cat has just come out of refit, so why don't you use that?"

I did a quick memory search and realized the yacht in question wasn't owned by Dream Escapes, like the rest of the yachts, but by Starlight EcoTech.

Nodding slowly, I said. "That might work."

"Well, I'll be happy to show you around on the yacht." Sandra Rodriquez said. "It's down at Holmen."

From her tone of voice, it was clear that she liked the ship, so I nodded as I stood up and stretched. "Good idea, but I would like to look at the report from Shadow Forge first. Shall we meet in an hour?"

"Sounds like a plan. See you later, sir."

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I didn't quite make it to my office before I spotted Giles Cornell from Starlight Security waiting for me outside. His expression was calm but purposeful, which immediately piqued my curiosity.

"Excuse me, sir," he said, stepping forward. "Have you checked your emails recently?"

I gave him a small smile. "I thought I had, but clearly, I missed something important. What's going on?"

He handed me a thin folder, which I took but didn't open right away. I preferred to hear the story from him directly before diving into the paperwork.

"Agent Sheena Rao from Interpol, one of the individuals you asked us to keep tabs on, arrived in Oldenburg earlier today," Giles began, his tone measured. "She's traveling with another Interpol agent, Angie Larsen, who's currently on loan from the Dutch Algemene Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdienst, or AIVD for short."

I nodded automatically, translating the mouthful into General Intelligence and Security Service. That meant while Sheena Rao was a police officer, Angie Larsen was a former intelligence officer. I frowned slightly. My grasp of what modern intelligence officers actually did was limited, which didn't help me much here. However, since Sheena Rao was a Psychic, I assumed that this Angie Larsen was one as well.

"However," Giles continued, noting my nod, "Agent Larsen also happens to be a native of Oldenburg. Odds are, she's here because she knows the lay of the land. According to the briefing we received from Interpol, their team is here to evaluate counter-terrorism measures for the Oldenburg Gendarmerie, Starlight Security, and AIVD." He gave a small shrug. "I'd be very surprised if they find anything worth criticizing. We've got total control over air and territorial waters around Oldenburg, a Condor AEW&C from Raptor Aerospace keeping watch in the skies, constant fighter patrols to back it up, plus sea- and land-based radar and missile defense systems from Starlight Defence Tech. In short, the wedding guests couldn't be safer if they were locked in a vault."

"Good to hear," I said, trusting his expertise. I didn't fully understand all the details he rattled off, but if both he and the Chief of Police were confident in their modern security systems, I had no reason to doubt them. "Where are the Interpol agents staying?"

"At the Royal Gyldenskiold Hotel," Giles said, allowing himself a small smile.

Returning the smile, I nodded. The Gyldenskiold was one of the few hotels on Oldenburg Island, I knew. Mostly because it was the oldest hotel on the island, having been built in 1781, and for that reason was regarded by the locals, including the board members of Starlight, as a national treasure. Small, luxurious, with breathtaking views of the harbour, it was the perfect place for distinguished visitors.

"I hope they enjoy their stay," I said, imagining the two agents sipping coffee while taking in the scenery.

"Oh, I'm sure they will," Giles replied, his tone light. Then he grew serious again. "Shall I keep monitoring them?"

"Yes, but do it for their safety," I said firmly. "Agent Rao was kidnapped in Spain earlier this summer. I don't want a repeat of that while she's on Oldenburg."

"Understood, sir."

"Good." I gave him a nod of appreciation. "Thank you for the update, Mr. Cornell."

"Just doing my job, Mr. Ivan," he replied with a polite smile.

We exchanged a brief nod, and then he headed off in one direction while I turned toward my office, my mind already turning over the implications of Interpol's presence in Oldenburg.

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Back in my spacious office, I took the Acadia report that someone had delivered to my desk and placed myself on the sofa so I could read it in comfort. Mostly because I was sure it contained descriptions of a lot of technology that I didn't know anything about.

The report was several hundred pages long and would have taken me days to read under normal circumstances, but by using an Ars Mentalis trick from the Scientiam field (Baylon: 'Knowledge'), I managed to get through it in ten minutes and even remembered it perfectly.

Placing the thick report on the table, I leaned back and thought it over.

Someone had been smart enough to keep the language at an understandable level, which also made sense from a security point of view, since it described what I needed to know without going into so much detail that it was a security risk.

As a start, Acadia was done with the development of three aircraft: the PA-101 and PA-200 jets, and the M19 Libel rotorcraft, and were awaiting certification for use around the world. A process Acadia expected could take an additional six months despite that they had been at it for over a year now.

The timeline surprised me. From my talks with van Koppen I knew Titan Aerospace tested all new aircraft for thousands of hours, ensuring the planes met every regulation on performance and safety. I had more or less expected the certification to be a done deal once the aircraft were production ready, but apparently not all aircraft manufacturers were as thorough as Titan, necessitating the need for such regulations.

Drinking some water, I went back to focus on the aircraft.

The PA-101 was a small, regional jet with a twist: its wide-body design and nose-opening feature allowed passengers to board like a train, placing their luggage in the front as they entered, or have cargo loaded directly into the plane the same way as larger planes did. The relocated cockpit, perched on top of the short 35-meter hull, gave it a charming "baby jumbo jet" appearance. Tough landing gear and shoulder mounted wings enabled it to handle short, rough runways, with a 1,400-nautical-mile range ideal for regional routes. Acadia also saw military transport potential in the design.

The PA-200 was a narrow-body twin-engine jet seating 200--270 passengers, designed for longer routes with a 5,000-nautical-mile range. Its efficient engines offered excellent fuel economy, while a cargo variant (PA - C200) broadened its appeal. Airlines loved its low maintenance and quick turnaround times, making it perfect for regional and smaller airports. With enough orders to keep plants in India and Brazil busy for a year, its shorter-range variant, the PA-202, further expanded its market.

The Dragonfly M19 Libel was a tiltrotor aircraft combining helicopter versatility with airplane speed and range, that could transport six tons of cargo or twenty people. With a cruise speed of 600 km/h and a range of up to 2,500 km, it was faster and more capable than traditional helicopters. Originally a Soviet design known as the Mil Mi-30, it had been modernized and upgraded over the last eight years, resulting in a reliable, affordable craft priced at $29 million--far cheaper than the larger $70-million V-22 Osprey. While ideal for military transport, the Libel was also tailored for commercial, search-and-rescue, and other civilian applications, with four versions ready for market.

Aside from the commercial aircraft, Acadia was preparing to launch the Raptor-38 Hummingbird, a VTOL fighter jet based on the Russian Yak-41 and Swedish SAAB Draken. After six years of additional development and several crashed prototypes, the Raptor-38 was ready to replace aging Harrier Jump Jets in multiple countries, offering a modern, multirole VTOL solution.

The next part of the report was about products in development, among them better radar absorbent paints and materials, new radar systems, composite materials and much more.

Shaking my head, I let out a long sigh and finally gave up trying to make sense of it all. The information was useful, sure, but the concepts were too far from my experiences and way of thinking that they might as well have been written in another language. And honestly, the so-called 'understandable' version of the report wasn't much better, as half the words used required a basic understanding of technology I simply didn't have yet.

I needed someone who could translate this techno-speak into plain, simple terms I could actually work with. Until that happened, getting a clear overview was impossible. It was becoming painfully obvious I'd need to visit Shadow Forge in person to truly wrap my head around it.

Until that happened, I would need someone to create a clear summary in plain language. That way, I could focus on the big picture and drill down into the details only when necessary.

Standing, I closed the thick report and locked it in a secure drawer. Enough of that for now. What I really needed was fresh air and something far more familiar to clear my head... like a sailing yacht.

With that thought, I headed out of the office, hoping Petra and Rodriquez would be up for a walk.

----- Sheena and Angie -----

According to the tourist brochures Sheena had skimmed on the flight, Oldenburg was unlike any other Caribbean island. Formed by volcanic activity, it boasted towering mountains, cascading waterfalls, bubbling hot springs, and winding rivers. But what truly set it apart were the three massive natural harbours on its eastern coast, along with countless smaller bays. It was a paradise for shipping and yachting, earning the island its reputation as a maritime haven.

The harbour area in Rastede, the capital city, was a historic gem. Ironically named Neuhafen (Meaning 'new harbour'), it was actually one of the oldest parts of the city. Built as a series of canals stretching from the financial district to Holmen, the former naval harbour, it had fallen out of industrial use by the early 1800s when larger ships began docking at Christianshavn, the deeper harbour in the island's north. What Neuhafen lost in industry, it gained in charm.

As yachting grew in popularity, Neuhafen was reborn as one of the only places in the Caribbean where yachts could moor right in the heart of a city. The navy harbour was repurposed as a marina for larger vessels, while the canals became a picturesque network lined with brightly coloured 17th- and 18th-century European-style townhouses and warehouses. Many of the ground floors had been transformed into bustling bars, cafes, and restaurants, though plenty of locals still called the upper floors home.

Leaning against the balcony railing of her hotel room, Sheena took a deep breath, savouring the salty tang of the ocean breeze. Below her, the cobbled streets buzzed with life as people strolled, browsed the shops, or chatted in easy camaraderie. There was an undeniable air of relaxation, as if the whole city had decided to move at half-speed.

Angie had warned her that the island's pace was slower, far removed from London's frenetic energy. But seeing it first hand was something else entirely. The only people who seemed to be in a rush were obvious tourists, their guidebooks in hand and sunburns on full display.

So far, this had been one of the most pleasant assignments Sheena had ever been given. From the moment they'd landed, everything had gone smoothly. Two officers from the Oldenburg Gendarmerie had met them at the airport, and after their credentials were checked, they were whisked through the stunningly beautiful terminal and into a waiting car that took them to a charming old hotel named Gyldenskiold.

The officers had apologized profusely for not booking them into a newer hotel, explaining that the wedding had filled every room in the city's more modern accommodations. Sheena had braced herself for a dingy, second-rate experience, but Gyldenskiold had blown away her expectations.

The historic charm of the exterior gave way to a thoroughly modern interior, dripping with luxury. Her room was spacious, the bed so comfortable it practically demanded she took an afternoon nap, and the bathroom was downright stunning. It was, without a doubt, one of the most comfortable places she'd ever stayed.

Even their first official meeting had gone smoothly. Giles Cornell of Starlight Security and Chief of Police Jacco de Windt had struck her as highly competent, their professionalism a refreshing change of pace. The meeting had been brief but productive: Sheena and Angie had full freedom to conduct their evaluation, a car at their disposal, and a standing offer of assistance if they needed anything else.

Sheena's musings were interrupted by the sharp ring of her phone, pulling her back to the present. Turning from the balcony, she walked into her room and grabbed it from the table.

"Agent Rao."

"Hello, Agent Rao. I'm afraid that Sean Bakker is not coming to support you, due to a broken leg." Said the well-known voice of Newport. There was a brief pause before he added, "Instead, John Summers will arrive within a week. He's from Agent Larson's class, so he has just graduated, but I hope it's fine."

Sheena kept her voice steady, even if her gut twisted a little. Last minute replacements were not a good way to start a mission. Especially not when she was already mentoring Angie. "Not a problem, sir. The security here is excellent, so we'll manage."

"Good to hear. Take care, Agent Rao."

"Will do, sir."

The line went dead and Sheena threw the phone on the bed with a sigh. While she couldn't protest against having a specific Guardian, she didn't like the thought of someone just graduated having to deal with Ivan. He was simply too sharp for a newbie to deal with.

Her stomach growled loudly, interrupting her thoughts. Right. Food. Sheena grabbed her jacket and headed for the door. Angie was a local, and if anyone knew where to find the best restaurants in town, it was her. Hopefully, a good meal would clear her head.

-------------------------------

Since Hotel Gyldenskiold was located right in the heart of Neuhafen, Sheena and Angie had endless dining options the moment they stepped outside. But Angie, with a knowing smile, led them a few hundred meters down the cobbled streets before ducking into a charming seafood restaurant housed in a centuries-old building. The mouthwatering aromas wafting from the kitchen hit Sheena instantly, making her stomach growl in anticipation.

"So, Angie, why this place?" Sheena asked as they walked in.

"Because..." Angie began, but a loud voice cut her off.

"Angie!"

A tall, blonde young man rushed over, scooping Angie up in a bear hug and speaking rapid-fire in what Sheena guessed was the hybrid of Dutch and Danish most people on the Island seemed to use.

It also struck her how noticeable Ivan Kolba's height and blonde hair had seemed in Malaga; here on Oldenburg, it was apparently not uncommon. This man, Angie's cousin, was just as tall and sported the same fair hair.

Noticing Sheena, the man gently set Angie back on her feet and offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry for the scene, but it's been ages since I've seen Little Angie!"

"It's fine," Sheena replied with a polite smile. "I take it you're family?"

"Yes," Angie confirmed, still grinning. "This big oaf is my cousin, Finn. Finn, this is my colleague, Sheena."

"Nice to meet you," Finn said warmly in accented English before turning back to Angie. "So, are you here for family or work?"

"A little of both," Angie replied. "Now, we're starving, so we'll need the corner table on the second floor."

"Of course, follow me."

They climbed to the second-floor balcony, which felt more like a hidden garden with its lush greenery spilling from balcony boxes. Sheena took in the view: cobblestone streets, colourful rooftops, and the harbour's gentle sway. It was picturesque, almost too perfect.

She chuckled. "I guess that answers my earlier question."

"Kind of," Angie said, her smile mischievous. "It's a great restaurant, but the real reason is over there." She gestured across the street to another old building.

Sheena turned to look and spotted the unmistakable sign of Starlight Merchant Group. Through its wide windows, office workers moved about with quiet efficiency.

"Is that their headquarters?"

Angie nodded. "Yep. Some of the employees come here for lunch, too. My uncle Cas was smart enough to offer them a fifteen percent discount when he opened the restaurant."

"Clever man," Sheena said with a nod. "By the way, why does Finn call you 'Little Angie'?"

"Because I'm the shortest woman in my family," Angie replied with a shrug.

Sheena blinked, as she looked at the taller woman. "Seriously?"

"Yes," Angie said dryly, but before she could elaborate, her attention shifted. Across the street, three people exited Starlight's building.

"Is that Ivan Emilian?" Angie whispered.

Sheena leaned forward for a better look and then nodded. "Oh, yes. Seems like we're in luck." She paused. "I don't recognize the two women with him, though."

Angie studied them carefully. "The older one is Sandra Rodriquez, Starlight's Chief Financial Officer. I don't recognize the other one." She said absently, while studying Ivan Emilian, as he walked into the street. The mind images haven't done him justice.

Broad-shouldered and strikingly handsome, he walked with the kind of confidence that immediately catches the eye, while his easy smile exuded a sense of optimism and friendliness, making him seem inviting and easy to connect with.

He also had a sexual presence that made her body scream out for his attention, in a way she had never experienced before, and she understood why Sheena had gone to bed with him in Malaga despite being on duty. Her mind drifted for a moment, and she found herself wondering how his hands would feel on her body. For real this time and not a pale memory.

She shook her head slightly to clear it of the sexual images, prompting Sheena to ask. "What're you thinking?"

"That he's even sexier in person," Angie admitted, her voice low. "And you didn't mention how tall he is. He's like Finn's height."

"About 190 centimeters," Sheena confirmed, leaning back slightly to stay out of sight behind the balcony's plants.

Angie nodded slowly. That was about the same height as Alice Baker and Rita Meyers, and like the women, Emilian was so well-built, that she hadn't noticed his height in the mind-images. "Hmm ... If sex appeal was an energy source, Emilian could power this entire island."

Sheena laughed and nodded, before she answered in the same soft voice. "Yeah... he has that effect. In Malaga, we went for a walk by the beach and I couldn't count the number of hungry looks he got from women or the icy stares I got for being with him."

"Speaking of women," Angie said, nodding toward one of the women with Ivan. "Do you know the blonde in the business suit?"

Sheena glanced quickly. "No, but she's stunning. Maybe even more than the American women I've seen him with."

"Smoking hot," Angie agreed, grinning. "Half the men on the street can't stop staring at her... not that their wives are paying attention. They're too busy drooling over Emilian."

They both laughed quietly, and Angie shook her head. "I still can't believe that guy is the Chairman of Starlight but seeing is believing."

"What do you mean?"

"As I said, the older woman is Sandra Rodriquez, Chief Financial Officer of Starlight Merchant Group." Explained Angie with a little shrug. "As such, she's a rather busy woman and there is very little chance that she has the time or inclination to take a walk with anyone other than a high-ranking member of Starlight."

"Good point," Sheena admitted as Finn returned with their menus.

"Here you are, ladies," Finn said, placing the menus in front of them. "Just wave when you're ready."

"Thanks, Finn," Angie said, eyeing him slyly. "By the way, I've been living under a rock for the last six months, so I've only just heard that Starlight has gotten a new Chairman. Sit down and tell me a little about that ... oh... and what happened to Mr. Oldershaw?"

Finn sat down at the table. "You know how Mr. Oldershaw had withdrawn more and more over the last years?" He waited until Angie nodded and then continued by explaining that it had been due to trouble with his blood pressure, which had resulted in a brain aneurysm, causing him to cut back on his work. Some months ago, he had suffered a stroke which had resulted in cerebral haemorrhage and had died from it. However, he had apparently used the time between the brain aneurysm and the stroke to plan the future, and when he died his nephew, Ivan Emilian, had taken over Starlight Merchant Group.

The relatively young age of the new Chairman had worried people at first, but as the rest of the board was still the same and it seemed like Emilian continued where Mr. Oldershaw had stopped, the worry had slowly started to disappear and with the announcement of CEO Estevez' wedding people were convinced that the future did indeed look bright. That the new Chairman was less reclusive than Mr. Oldershaw had helped too.

"And what's your personal opinion, Finn?" Asked Angie. "Given this restaurant's location, I'm sure you've met him."

"I have." Finn chuckled. "But at Dekker Gym and not here. He trains there sometimes."

Angie grinned and turned to Sheena. "Dekker Gym is the best kickboxing gym on the island. It's not for ordinary fitness people." She glanced back at Finn. "So, is he any good?"

"Good?" Finn flashed a wide smile. "He's incredible. Fast, strong, and hits like a truck. If he wanted to, he could go pro."

Sheena raised an eyebrow. "Sounds impressive."

"And hot," Angie added with a laugh. "Oh, I think I saw him earlier today accompanied by Rodriquez and a beautiful dark blonde woman that I didn't recognize. Do you know who she is?"

"Not for sure," he said thoughtfully. "But it's most likely Petra Moroz, Mr. Ivan's personal assistant and girlfriend." He smiled a little. "Or one of them at least."

Sheena coughed. "He has more than one?!"

The smile widened a bit. "According to rumours, he has at least three. Petra Moroz, a dark-skinned woman named Delina and an Indian whose name I don't know... and before you ask, all of them are friends and know about each other. Mr. Ivan is a very charming person... and I guess being rich helps as well." The smile turned into a grin. "You cousin Lieke tried to seduce him before she knew who he was, but he turned her down very politely."

"Yeah, I would fucking hope so!" Exclaimed Angie and then lowered her voice again. "She's like sixteen!"

"Eighteen and a grown woman." Corrected Finn with a smirk, causing Angie to grimace.

"They grow up so fast," she sighed and drank some water. "Any juicy rumours about the girlfriends?"

Finn hesitated for a moment but then shrugged. "I've only met Petra Moroz and besides being hotter than molten iron, she's both smart and skilled. As a member of Starlight Security, she took the gendarmerie test and according to Aunt Renate she aced the shooting tests and wiped the floor with the hand-to-hand combat instructor."

Another group of guests arrived, and Finn lowered his voice. "Sorry, ladies. I need to go back to work. Will you be visiting your family, Angie?"

"Yes, as soon as I can."

"Good. See you later then."

He walked away and there was silence at the table before Sheena said. "Well, it seems like Emilian likes to have several women... but then again, we already knew that."

Angie nodded. "Yes, and it runs in the family. According to rumours, Mr. Oldershaw had one or two new girlfriends every year... usually a senior year student from the university and never a local girl, so it's not like it's going to shock people here."

They were both silent for a moment, before Sheena said. "All this information is good, but I still haven't got any idea how we do what we're supposed to do."

"True," Angie admitted, opening her menu. "For now, let's stick to gathering intel and evaluating counter-terrorism measures. But first, dinner. You have to try Uncle Cas's swordfish--it's the best on the island."

"Sold," Sheena said with a grin. "I'll take your word for it."

------ Ivan and Dream Cat -----

With the small streets of Neuhafen, it didn't make sense to drive to Holmen and after having met up with Rodriguez outside Starlight's headquarters, she, Petra and I walked towards Holmen.

The walk along the canal was, as always, a pleasure. The air buzzed with life as people lounged at cozy cafés, enjoying lunch or coffee while chatting with the ease of those unbothered by time.

Sandra Rodriquez used most of the walk animatedly describing Dream Cat, detailing the thought process and cutting-edge technology that had gone into the yacht's design. It was yet another brainchild of Starlight Research, blending Parker's love of sailing with their advanced innovations.

More than just a luxury vessel, Dream Cat was a testbed for clean technologies. Its electric engines were paired with a clever system that used the screws to recharge the batteries when under sail, supplemented by solar panels and wind generators. Every electrical system onboard was optimized to minimize power consumption, allowing the yacht to cruise for weeks on sails alone without ever touching its diesel generators. If needed, the yacht could power through rough weather using the generators, hitting a speed of 12 knots. Sandra added that plans were underway to replace the diesel generators with biodiesel ones as soon as global supply improved, with Starlight EcoTech's Costa Rica plant already paving the way.

Dream Cat was a sleek, 37-meter (121-foot) sailing catamaran, similar to Dream Weaver, the larger yacht that had brought us across the Atlantic. But where Dream Weaver embodied pure luxury, Dream Cat combined elegance with speed. Built like a racing yacht, it was one of the fastest cruising catamarans in the world.

Sandra's passion was clear as she guided us aboard. "Don't worry about your heels, Petra," she said with a smile. "The deck's made of a lightweight artificial material far tougher than traditional teak planking."

Inside, the yacht was stunning. Polished golden wood contrasted beautifully with white ceilings, while dark wood furniture made from reclaimed driftwood added a touch of sophistication. Unlike Dream Weaver's heavy use of marble and granite, Dream Cat embraced lighter materials, keeping with its sleek, modern vibe.

The layout was equally impressive. The superstructure housed a saloon, dining area, den, and an open aft deck. Thanks to the taller hull design, there were extra rooms, including an entertainment space with a high-end projector and sound system, a diving center that made Petra's eyes light up, and storage for water scooters, kayaks, and two seven-meter tenders tucked into the hulls. These tenders could handle everything from ferrying passengers to waterskiing or even serving as dive boats.

The yacht boasted five cabins for guests, an owner's suite complete with an office and bathroom, and a crew area accommodating up to eight people. The remaining space included quarters for the armsmen Parker used to travel with.

Looking around, I asked Sandra, "Where's the crew?"

"While the yacht was in for refit, we used the crew to fill in on other yachts, when the crews had downtime." Sandra said. "But if you like, I can ask Captain Wolf and the rest of the crew from Dream Weaver to transfer, though you'll need an engineer from Starlight EcoTech to come along. I know Captain Wolf has seen the yacht and loved it."

"That sounds perfect," I said with a nod.

Sandra smiled, pulling out her phone. "I'll get it sorted right away." She stepped away, leaving Petra and me to explore.

Petra looked around in the saloon, while shaking her head. "This is incredible." She paused and looked at me. "Why not a motor yacht, by the way?"

"Because I like sailing ships and dislike being dependent on fuel." I answered with a smile. "Dream Cat is faster, has a longer range and more room than most motor yachts of the same size. The five cabins also allow you and the others to have your own room, when you're onboard."

"Thank you for that." She commented with a grin and looked around. "All practicality aside, this yacht feels less like a home than Dream Weaver did."

"Yeah." I agreed. "I think it's due to the design being more race-like, but to be honest I think we just need to get used to it."

"You're most likely right." Said Petra with a smile and then looked over as Sandra Rodriquez came back, closing her phone as she walked. "Done. I just need to go fix the paperwork at the office. Is there more we need to discuss?"

"Not that I can think about right now."

"Same here, so I'll get going. The sooner I get this moving, the faster you have a crew."

We shook hands and a moment later Petra and I were alone on the ship.

She winked at me, while unbuttoning her blouse. "Since this is going to be a home away from home, I feel a need to inaugurate it with some orgasms. Is that something I can persuade you to do?"

Laughing, I walked over to her and gave her a kiss. "You really know how to treat a man."

"It's just the way I am." She grinned, as she started to unbutton my shirt as well. "But to be fair, most men are fairly easy to please. Support them in what they're doing. Have the looks to make them proud to be with you. Be horny often enough to keep them satisfied and be smart enough to leave them alone once in a while." She kissed the skin on my chest, as she pushed the now open shirt over my shoulders. "Of course, me being bi-sexual so we can share women and being okay with you fucking other women is a huge bonus."

Placing my hands on each side of her head, I tilted it up and gave a soft kiss. "You're much more than that, but I do agree that it helps a lot. Now, get out of those clothes."

"Yes, sir." She chuckled.

------------------------------------------

Unit X -- A turn for the better

September 2000, Los Angeles

Zarita Alvarez' office wasn't big, but besides the obligatory desk, chair and cabinet, it was just large enough for a sofa and at the moment, she was using the sofa to relax as she reviewed the last development in her case.

One of the best kept secrets in the Diplomatic Security Service, was that DSS was tasked with the responsibility of keeping an eye on Americans with mental powers and for that purpose, a special unit had been created. So secret, it didn't have an official name, the unit consisted mostly of Psychics along with some support personnel, who had proven to be exceptionally resistant to Psychic powers. For that reason, most people connected to it called it Unit X, due to some old joke about the X-files being transferred to DSS. It was a small unit but working together with the rest of the DSS as well as the FBI and Secret service, helped get the job done.

In this case, the job was a pair of twins living in LA. At age thirteen, they weren't a threat to anyone and were mostly monitored due to potential to be future employees. The twins' use of Psychic powers had been detected largely by accident two years ago. Zarita had been handed the job of overseeing them, but very little had happened until they, along with their mother and two of her friends from USC, were abducted and subsequently rescued half a year ago, while on vacation in Spain.

As far as she knew, nothing traumatic had happened to the twins, but after they came back to their home in LA, no use of power had been detected at all and that was very unusual from two young girls who before the summer regularly used their ability to mentally talk with each other.

This had caused Zarita to look closer at the kidnapping case and despite the effort by the Spanish Police to cover things up, she had discovered that Interpol's Department 55 had been involved.

Department 55 was more or less the European version of Unit X and the two worked together when needed, so she had requested some more information from them, but it hadn't arrived yet.

The kidnapping hadn't turned the Baker family off travel. According to information from their school, Cyra and Zena Baker were going to an Island in the Caribbean called Oldenburg Island for fall break along with their nanny, staying with a friend of the family, named Ivan, who had a high-ranking job in a company called Starlight Merchant Group.

Not wanting a repeat of the kidnapping in Spain, her boss had ordered her to follow the twins to Oldenburg Island and keep an eye on them there.

Since that required that she knew where to go, she had focused on discovering more about the Island of Oldenburg and this 'Ivan' in an attempt to figure out where he lived.

The Island itself was easy enough. It was part of the Netherlands, had a population of six hundred thousand, or about the same size as the city of Boston. It had three harbours, an international airport, and an unusually high-tech economy for a Caribbean island. Banking, tech, and tourism fuelled its prosperity, giving it one of the highest standards of living in the region.

That was all well and good, so Zarita shifted her attention to the family friend named Ivan and promptly ran into a wall. Either this Ivan was paranoid and highly security minded or somebody who worked for him was, because the emails proved to be impossible to track and the phone only led to a company phone with no name attached to it.

A name search revealed that there were twelve people named Ivan on Oldenburg and no less than eight of them worked for Starlight Merchant Group and had their own apartment or house. Beyond that, the trail went cold, and with the departure date looming, Zarita was feeling the pressure.

The good news was that the analysis department had finally delivered the brief on the company she had asked them to deliver.

Picking up the folder, she took her cup of coffee and leaned back in the sofa to read. Thankfully, the analysis department had just delivered the briefing she'd requested on Starlight Merchant Group. Flipping open the folder, she leaned back into the sofa, coffee in hand, and began to read.

While Starlight Merchant Group was a privately held company and therefore not required to make any part of its financials open to the public, it was possible to get an estimate of the company by looking at the deals it had made.

The first part was a quick overview of the history of Starlight Merchant Group, starting from its founding as a trading company under the name Oldenburg Merchant Group in 1713. Initially trading in smuggled opium, tea, and cotton, Oldenburg Merchant Group soon diversified into other areas, including Investment, real estate, shipping and hotels.

The company had weathered its share of storms, including heavy losses during the Communist takeovers in China and Cuba. By the 1970s it was struggling until the death of its owner in 1975. Sold to a network of private holding companies, it was restructured, rebranded as Starlight Merchant Group, and revitalized. Assets were trimmed, operations streamlined, and the company returned to its roots, focusing on real estate, passenger shipping, and luxury hotels.

The next decade saw aggressive expansion. Starlight acquired an aerospace company in 1982, a defense technology firm in 1984, a resort chain in 1987, and even an old German car manufacturer in 1988, among several other companies. Zarita frowned as she reviewed the timeline. The timing of every acquisition and stock trade was suspiciously perfect, as if someone at Starlight had a crystal ball.

"This can't be real," she muttered, her brows knitting together. Every purchase was made at the lowest point in the market, and every sale happened right before a peak. Even their exit from the dot-com bubble was impeccably timed. It was textbook trading--almost too perfect to believe.

Her instincts weren't the only ones tingling. The notes showed that Starlight had been investigated four times in the last twenty years by the SEC, the US Treasury, and the Department of Justice. Each time, the company had come out clean, with no evidence of insider trading, fraud, or market manipulation. They'd even passed scrutiny to secure defense contracts with the US government.

One name in the notes caught her eye: Caspian Shammo. Zarita's lips curved into a small smile. Caspian was an analyst in Unit X's Threat Analysis department and someone she'd worked with before. His abilities, a photographic memory, a solid mindshield, and an unparalleled talent for connecting dots, were legendary. If anyone could make sense of this, it was him.

Setting down the folder, Zarita reached for her phone. She wasn't about to waste time trying to look into this, when a better researcher had already done that.

"Let's see what you've got for me, Caspian," she murmured as she dialled his number.

---------------------------------

"This is an unexpected pleasure," Caspian Shammo said with a grin as an aide showed Zarita into his office. A modest room tucked away in another building half an hour from her own.

Caspian, slightly overweight and dressed in casual clothes, looked like the archetypal nerd plucked straight out of a movie. Glasses perched on his nose, a computer humming softly on his desk--it was all there. But unlike the stereotypical lonely genius of Hollywood fiction, Caspian was happily married to a stunning former fitness model he'd met at a shooting club. Zarita didn't know how he'd managed to charm her, but she had a hunch his status as a master marksman had something to do with it.

"How're you doing, Zarita? It's been a while," he said, gesturing to the chair opposite him.

"Five months, give or take," Zarita replied as she took the offered seat. "And it's been fairly quiet... almost boring, really."

"Boring is good," Caspian chuckled. "When things get interesting, they usually get dangerous. So, what brings you here?"

"Starlight Merchant Group," Zarita said without preamble. She knew from experience that Caspian had little patience for long-winded explanations.

He groaned dramatically, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, God. Not again. What is it this time? Stocks? Military tech? Planes?"

Zarita blinked, caught off guard by his response. "Uh... none of the above, actually. I'm just trying to learn more about the company. It's tied to a couple of U. S. nationals I'm monitoring, and the boss wants me to check it out on Oldenburg Island."

Caspian exhaled in relief, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Sorry. You wouldn't believe how often this company lands on my desk. A while back, I made the mistake of signing off on a report about Starlight Merchant Group, and now everyone thinks I'm their go-to guy. Honestly, it's getting repetitive." He paused for a moment and asked. "You still take your coffee black?"

"Yes." Zarita smiled.

He tapped a button on his intercom to order two coffees, then turned his attention back to her. "So, do you want the long or short version regarding the company?"

"Short version," she said quickly.

Caspian nodded, his expression shifting as he activated his photographic memory. "Starlight Merchant Group is one of the largest privately-owned conglomerates in the world. We estimate they employ half a million people worldwide, with an annual revenue of around $300 billion and profits of $20 billion."

Zarita's eyes widened. She hadn't realized the company was that massive.

"They make their money primarily from investments, banking, and producing commercial and military aircraft, along with defensive weapon systems." Caspian continued. "But they're also involved in hospitality, education, construction, and countless other industries."

Before he could continue, a knock on the door interrupted him. He frowned briefly, then called out, "Come in."

A young woman entered, carrying a tray with two steaming cups of coffee. She placed them on the table with practiced efficiency, nodded to Caspian, and left without a word.

"Thanks," he said absentmindedly, picking up his cup and taking a sip before diving back in. "The two divisions that draw the most scrutiny are Starlight Invest and Titan Aerospace. Starlight Invest has been so successful that people assumed they were manipulating the stock market or used inside information. Several investigations have cleared them of any wrongdoing, though."

He paused to let that sink in before continuing. "Titan Aerospace, on the other hand, has faced accusations of industrial espionage, patent violations, and more. Why? Because they went from being a marginal aircraft producer to an industry powerhouse in record time. Faster than most companies can develop a single aircraft."

Zarita raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Okay, I'll bite. How did they do that?"

"A lot of their designs are based on data and technology they legally acquired both from Russian design bureaus after the Soviet Union collapsed, along with older research data from the Swedish SAAB, which has saved them decades of development." Explained Caspian. "Combine that with an influx of engineers and aerospace workers from the mergers in the early to mid-nineties, their own R&D and collaborations with engineers from SAAB, and they've built their own impressive aircraft."

Zarita sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "What exactly do you mean by impressive?"

"Their radar systems, missiles, and aircraft designs are cutting-edge." Caspian replied. "Not to mention their jets can operate from short, rough runways... hell, Titan Aerospace even launches them from their aircraft carrier."

Zarita nearly choked on her coffee. "Wait, what? Starlight owns an aircraft carrier?"

Caspian's grin widened. "Yep. After the Soviet collapse, Ukraine inherited a bunch of unfinished carriers and Starlight bought the smallest of the bunch for $20 million, shipped it to India for finishing touches, and turned it into the Queen Wilhelmina."

"That... doesn't sound legal for a private company."

"Oh, it is." Chuckled Caspian. "Other companies have done it too. Two Chinese companies bought carriers to use as theme parks, for less than what Starlight paid I might add, though one of those is likely getting retrofitted for military use like Queen Wilhelmina." He was still smiling as he added. "Oldenburg's laws also allow civilian vessels to be armed for defence, if a naval officer from Oldenburg is onboard, and Queen Wilhelmina is nominally part of Oldenburg Sea Guard, which makes it legal. The ship also doubles as a research vessel for Oldenburg University and a testbed for all sorts of tech from Titan Aerospace, Svalinn Defence, and more."

Zarita took a slow sip of her coffee, processing the flood of information. "That explains the scrutiny, but it doesn't really get me anywhere. I need to find someone named Ivan. Supposedly, he's a high-ranking manager in the Starlight Merchant Group."

Caspian leaned back in his chair, adjusting his glasses with an air of nonchalance. "The only Ivan I know of with that kind of position is Ivan Emilian. Could he be the one you're after?"

"Maybe," Zarita admitted, rubbing her temple. "I don't know his last name, but he's young, blond, blue-eyed, and, according to my sources, speaks Latin. Not much to go on."

Caspian chuckled softly. "That's more helpful than you think. According to my sources, an Ivan Emilian has just sent a dissertation for a degree in Ancient History to USC and like so many others that have studied Ancient History, he speaks Latin as well as a lot of other languages. In short, he checks all the boxes you mentioned."

Zarita's face lit up. "Perfect! That's exactly who I'm looking for!" She caught the slight smirk tugging at Caspian's lips and groaned. "What's the catch?"

"The catch," Caspian said, his smile widening, "is that Ivan Emilian is the nephew of the late Giles Oldershaw and a few months ago, he inherited Starlight Merchant Group, along with his uncle's position as Chairman of the Board. Oh, and since Oldenburg doesn't tax inheritance, you can safely assume he's now one of the world's five hundred or so billionaires."

Zarita blinked at him, her mouth agape. "My sources didn't mention that." She finally managed, snapping her jaw shut.

"Not surprising," Caspian replied, casually. "The inheritance included the company and everything his uncle owned: Private jets and helicopters produced by Titan Aerospace, a modest estate to live on, a yacht, and a few other 'millionaire basics.'"

"Well, considering the size of the company, it would be enough for most people... and it does make him easier to find," Zarita muttered, relieved to finally have something concrete. "Though keeping tabs on those two U. S. citizens might be trickier."

Caspian snorted. "If they're with Emilian, they're as safe as anyone could be."

"What do you mean?"

Caspian's eyes gleamed with intrigue. "A few years ago, I talked to some CIA guys during an investigation. They said pirates and kidnappers avoid Starlight Merchant Group like the plague... and not by chance. In the '80s, two of their ships were hijacked, ransoms paid... then, later, every pirate involved was hunted down and eliminated. Same story in Colombia a couple of years later. Two engineers kidnapped by FARC, ransom paid, kidnappers wiped out. Five years ago, a drug lord tried to make Oldenburg a hub for drug transports. One late night, attack choppers showed up over the labs and storage buildings. When they disappeared into the night, everything was destroyed." He lowered his voice to a dramatic whisper. "Word is, you don't mess with Starlight Merchant Group. Ever."

Zarita raised an eyebrow. "And I assume none of this can be proven?"

"Exactly," Caspian said in his normal voice, flashing a grin. "Just a tale told by some spooks. That said, Starlight Merchant Group's public image is spotless. They are ethical, innovative, environmentally conscious, pay their taxes and treat workers well."

"How can a producer of military equipment be ethical?" Zarita asked with a sly smile. "Their products are literally designed to kill people."

"Fair point," Caspian replied, leaning back slightly. "But they don't make personal weapons, and while their approach does tend to irritate both the US and the Russians, they only sell to countries that comply with the UN Arms Trade Treaty and the EU Common Position." He paused for effect, a faint grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "That means they end up working with a lot of nations trying to stay as neutral as possible. Plus, since neither the US, Russia, nor China has a stake in their planes, they can't block those sales--though they've certainly tried. Take India, for instance. Back in 1995, the Indian Airforce bought fifty Raptor-27s with a license to produce them locally. Fast-forward to the Kargil War last year, and guess which aircraft carried the day? The Raptors and the French Mirage 2000s. Meanwhile, the Indian MiGs were demoted to flying escort."

Zarita blinked, unsure how to respond, and settled for a slow nod.

Caspian continued, clearly warming to his subject. "Now, those MiGs are ancient, and India will need to replace them soon. Sure, the US would love to sell them some shiny new F-16s, but there's a catch: Pakistan's been flying F-16s that we sold them back in the '80s, which didn't exactly win us any popularity points with India. Add the underwhelming performance of the Russian MiGs, and there's a real chance India could replace almost six hundred aircraft with Raptors, that're at least partly produced locally."

Zarita sighed, rubbing her temples. "Which will, of course, tick off both our people and the Russians."

Caspian chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee. "Welcome to the wonderful world of international military procurement--an unholy cocktail of politics and economics."

Zarita exhaled sharply but couldn't help a small smile. "Anything else you'd like to dazzle me with?"

Caspian leaned back in his chair, casually tapping his fingers on the desk. "Only one more thing... that trip to Oldenburg you mentioned... is that happening over fall break?"

Zarita gave a quick nod, her eyes meeting his. "Yeah, it is. Why do you ask?"

"Well," he began, leaning forward with a thoughtful expression, "getting a hotel room in Oldenburg during fall break is going to be a nightmare this year. Even harder than usual." He paused for emphasis. "I came across this article last week and it turns out the CEO of Starlight Merchant Group, Manuel Estevez, is getting married, and the wedding's being turned into a massive event. You'll need to figure out if any Americans are attending. If so, just go as a Diplomatic Security Service agent. That'll make the whole process a lot smoother. Oh, and by the way... Oldenburg is part of the Netherlands, so no guns allowed. But the upside is, their security is top-notch, and their tech is just as good as ours."

Zarita took in the information with a sharp nod. "Thanks for the tip. And the intel, too. I'll get on that." She stood, smoothing her jacket. "and unless I miss my guess you need to go home to the wife."

Surprised, Caspian looked at his watch. "Damn... you're right." He stood as well. "I need to get moving. We're going out for dinner and a theatre play tonight."

"Oh nice. What're you going to see?"

"The Lion King at the Pantages Theatre." He told her as he took his jacket from the hanger. "It got fantastic reviews, so we're looking forward to seeing it."

"Well, have a nice evening then... and say hello to Alana from me."

"Will do and have a good evening yourself."

-----------------------

When Zarita came back to the Diplomatic Security Service it was dark, but as usual there were lights in the building in several places, including some of the offices belonging to her unit.

"At least I'm not the only one without a life." She mumbled to herself, as she opened the glass doors and walked inside, going straight towards her office.

She was almost there, when a middle-aged man stepped into the corridor in front of her. It was her boss, James Smith. Tall and slim, he was wearing a dark blue suit with a tie in a lighter blue. His short hair was a light brown colour and his face would have been nice, but forgettable, if it wasn't for a pair of piercing blue eyes.

It was the eyes that did it, decided Zarita as tendrils of lust ran through her body, seemingly all ending at her pussy, making it wet. It felt like they were looking right into her soul, reading her deepest desires and it was incredibly sexy.

"Good evening, Miss Alvarez." He said with a little smile.

Zarita noticed his gaze quickly travel up and down her body, making her tremble slightly with lust.

She returned the smile. "Good evening, Mr. Smith."

"Can I have a moment of your time? I would very much like to have a status report from you." As he spoke, he stepped aside, so she could enter his office, making Zarita wet her dry lips as she nodded and walked inside. Normally, all meetings were conducted in the meeting room, so she had only been in his office two times before and each time, they had had sex. Very good, satisfying sex. Her pussy started to leak juices by the thought.

As soon as her boss had closed the door, she heard him say "Strip." in a quiet, commanding voice. "I want to fuck you."

Without hesitation and in a haze of lust, Zarita took off her shirt and opened her bra with trembling fingers. Then she kicked off her shoes and a moment later, her pants and underwear followed the rest of her clothes.

"Good." Smith said as he walked past her and turned around. "Suck my cock."

Zarita drew in her breath, moistening her lips eagerly and sank smoothly to her knees before him.

With a smile, she unbelted his trousers and drew down the zipper fly. His trousers peeled open, sliding down to his ankles.

The bulge in his underwear told her that he was already hard and when she removed his boxers, his stiff cock sprang to attention. She took it in her hands, caressing it, stroking it tenderly as she opened her mouth and slipped her lips around it, her tongue licking the underside.

Smith grunted softly, placed a hand on her head and pulled her a bit closer. "C'mon woman! Suck!"

As it had the last two times, his unexpectedly coarse words excited her. It just sounded so rough, coming from someone normally refined in his speech.

Feeling slightly dizzy with lust, Zarita cupped his balls and let her tongue play on the head, as Smith started to rock back and forth, fucking her mouth unhurriedly and steadily.

Zarita grew hotter by the second, almost hypnotized by the feeling of his cock moving rhythmically in and out of her mouth, pre-cum dripping off the end. She swallowed it greedily, its slightly tangy taste adding to her excitement.

She could feel the balls in her hand starting to tighten, just before he removed her head from his cock and took a step back.

"Get on the desk. On your back. Spread your legs." he commanded. "You can give me your report while I fuck you, but you cannot come before you're done talking."

With a smile, Zarita obeyed eagerly and lay back on the huge oak desk, with her ass just on the edge and her legs spread, giving him free access. Stepping in between her legs, Smith placed his cock between her wet lips and pressed forward, sliding it all the way in in one move.

Zarita groaned at the feeling and gripped the edge of the table with her hands, stopping her from gliding further onto the table.

"The report, woman." He reminded her as he slowly moved his cock in her wet pussy.

Summoning all her self-discipline, Zarita gave him a short, but precise report about what she had discovered so far, including the likelihood that the person the Baker-twins was going to visit, was the Chairman of Starlight Merchant Group.

Smith never stopped fucking her slowly while she talked, and she could feel an orgasm building in her body. Her pussy started to tremble, squeezing the delightful intruder time and again.

Somewhat to her relief, Smith stopped moving. "Good. Pack a bag and go to Oldenburg within the next two days."

"Yes, Sir." She replied, wishing he would start moving again and fearing it at the same time. She was so close.

"Keep it low." He ordered firmly and pushed his cock into her again, causing her to moan. "I'm sure the Europeans are there and I don't want them to know about the Baker-twins if I can help it."

"Yes, Sir." She groaned as he withdrew again.

"Make the travel arrangements... I'll sign off at the expenses." He picked up the pace, grunting "Stroke yourself."

With a smile, Zarita let go of the table with one hand, moved it to her pussy and started fingering her clitoris. "Oh Fuck!"

Smith took hold of her breasts, squeezing them, tugging lightly in the nipples. Bending over he kissed her roughly, thrusting his tongue into her mouth.

"Come, my horny little slut." He hissed as he whipped his hips back and forth furiously in a rapid, pounding rhythm. She cried out, her body trembling with pleasure.

"Uhhhhhhh" She cried, stroking her throbbing clitoris furiously. "I'mmmm commmming, sir!"

Her hips bucked as she orgasmed violently, wave after wave of intense pleasure crashed over her, as her pussy convulsed and clamped down on the dick inside her.

Smith groaned and continued to fuck her, until her orgasm faded. Then he quickly removed his cock from her pussy, stepped out from between her legs and with a swift pull turned her around, so her head was over the edge.

"C'mon, slut, take it!" he grunted as he pressed the cock into her mouth.

Still dazed from the powerful orgasm, Zarita happily opened up and sucked it in, sucking and licking as the cock went in and out between her lips, while Smith played with her tits.

He came without warning, flooding her mouth with sperm and making her moan in pleasure, as she swallowed every drop. At the same time, Smith pinched her nipples and to her surprise, the feeling shot through her body, into her clitoris and made her come again.

"Oh god!" She muttered around his cock and sucked it again, causing Smith to withdraw.

As the last two times, Smith became all polite business as soon as the sex was over, and they started to dress.

Zarita didn't care. It had been a great fuck, but besides that, she wouldn't know what to say anyway. Outside work and sex, Smith and she didn't have much in common.

"I'll clear your arrival with the police on Oldenburg." Said Smith with a smile, buttoning his shirt. "Just make the travel arrangements... Oh... and try to book a hotel near the Vasa Estate or, if that can't be done, near their headquarters."

"Yes, Sir." Said Zarita with a smile. After a year of near boredom, this assignment became better and better.

------------------------------------------

Random Encounters

Late September 2000, Rastede, Oldenburg Island

As Sandra Rodriquez had promised, Captain Wolf and the rest of the crew from Dream Weaver were transferred to Dream Cat. As Sandra had said, Captain Wolf was more than satisfied with the transfer and so was the rest of the crew, including the new electrical engineer who oversaw all the green tech on the yacht.

Since it was moored in Rastede, I was going to use it while the wedding was going on, so I wasn't depending on someone to drive me from Vasa Estate to Rastede and back, and I had moved some of my clothes into the ship and decorated the owner's suite with some of my favourite paintings, just to make it feel homelier. Like me, Petra, Riya and Delina loved the yacht and as soon as everything was ready, they asked me if they could throw a 'ship warming party' to celebrate it was ready and when I agreed, they immediately started planning a fun evening with food, song, and dance.

Like when they had planned the wedding, my presence wasn't needed nor wanted, so I decided to get some alone time in Rastede and left the yacht to get something to eat, which sounded like a relatively simple task, but wasn't.

While I had been meditating the centuries away in a cave, humankind had increasingly used chemicals in just about everything and many of their perfumes and soaps made my skin itch. It wasn't even a question about quality because some of the most expensive items itched just as much as the cheap ones. I had managed to fix the soap issue by switching to fragrance-free, allergy-friendly baby soap, but deodorants and perfumes were still a matter of trial and error.

The problem extended to food as well. For some odd reason, many eateries used modern chemicals in their cooking, which my body rejected like poison, causing me to vomit in order to rid myself of them.

At first, I had thought my sensitivity was a result of not coming from this era, but the information from Parker had revealed that both him and Curtis had suffered from extreme headaches, whenever they ate or drank something containing too many modern chemicals.

Cyra and Zena hadn't said anything about suffering from headaches, but as a chef, Alice cooked most of their food from scratch, using fresh ingredients, which might be why they might have avoided it.

Seen in that light, I was lucky my body rejected them before they could affect my brain, but it had caused some embarrassing episodes in various fast-food restaurants before I figured out what was wrong and stopped coming there.

Consequently, I had to be careful about where I chose to eat if I didn't want to throw up, so picking a place could take some time, if I didn't know beforehand where I wanted to go.

Fortunately, Sandra Rodriquez had given me a rundown on the local restaurants and most of them were safe, since they made everything from scratch, using local and fresh ingredients, so I only had to avoid those who didn't.

One of Oldenburg's quirky laws helped, too: it prohibited large international hotel and restaurant chains from owning more than one establishment on the island. The law, aimed at protecting local businesses, meant there was only one McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC on the entire island, all conveniently located near Christianshavn, where the cruise ships docked. There were also only around twenty hotels or resorts from the larger hotel chains, with the rest being locally owned.

In this case, I ended up eating at a table outside Roy's BBQ and had just finished with my favourite dish, which was a fish dish called Stjerneskud (Shooting Star), when someone said. "Ivan?"

Turning around, I discovered a short woman wearing a large straw hat standing by the entrance. It took a few heartbeats more before I recognized her. It was Isabel Mebarak, the singer and dancer I had met on the Canary Islands some months before.

"Hey Isabel." I said with a smile and waved her over.

She smiled back and walked to my table with her usual elegance. There was a new spring in her step, and the fatigue that had weighed her down the last time I saw her was gone, replaced by a spark in her eyes.

I stood to greet her, but instead of shaking my hand, she pulled me into a hug.

"Hello again!" she said warmly.

"Hello," I replied, returning the hug. "And congratulations! I take it you went to Argentina, and you and the lucky guy are now a couple?"

She laughed softly and stepped back, raising an eyebrow. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well," I said with a chuckle, "you look like a person who's happily in love." I gestured toward the empty chair. "Have a seat."

"Thanks." She sat down, still smiling. "So, what're you doing on Oldenburg Island?"

"I live here." I answered with a chuckle and signalled a waiter. "What do you want to drink?"

"Oh, a glass of soda would be nice." Isabel said, removing her hat.

I ordered a glass of soda for her. "What're you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Mr. Lucky?"

She laughed softly at that. "I properly should, but I've been hired to sing at a large wedding and was offered a luxury vacation for two in addition to the normal fee. My friend Sofia had surgery earlier this year, so I decided to bring her here to relax and soak up some sun while she recovers."

"Let me guess," I said, smiling. "The wedding's for Manuel Estevez and Ayanna Rangan?"

She lifted her eyebrows. "Yes. How did you know?"

"Because it's the largest wedding around." I said dryly and almost shook my head over the coincidence. "Anyway, where's your friend now and is she feeling better?"

"Sofia is resting. She still tires easily, so I decided to go for a walk by myself." She paused as the waiter placed a glass in front of her. "To answer your other question about 'Mr. Lucky', Antonio is busy with his work, but we talk on the phone every day."

"Antonio... so, that's his name."

She lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "You didn't know?"

"Well, you never told me." I said with a shrug.

For some reason, that made her laugh softly and she nodded. "True that."

I looked at my empty plate and then up at her. "Do you want something to eat? This dish is amazing... Two pieces of fish, one steamed, one fried, on buttered grilled toast, with lobster and fake caviar on top."

Isabel considered that for a moment and then nodded. "Yes, please. I don't have a lot of time, but it looks delicious."

"One moment then." I got the waiters attention and ordered two Stjerneskud more, causing Isabel to chuckle. "Hungry?"

"Well, it wouldn't be polite to let you eat alone, and I'll just take a Stjerneskud more, instead of the main course I had planned." I drank some water and smiled at her. "To be honest, the main courses I've tried here can't live up to this dish anyway."

"Sounds promising." She said with another soft laughter. "Any other places I should visit while I'm here?"

"Ziggy's" I said without hesitation. "A small restaurant with live music and the best BBQ ribs in town. It's also a great place to hang out and relax with some friends."

"Nice. Any...." The sound of a cell phone ringing interrupted her and with a slightly irritated look on her face, Isabel took the phone from her bag and excused herself as she walked away from the table to answer it.

I followed her with my eyes as she walked away, noticing how effortlessly graceful she was. Her white shirt and colourful skirt swayed with each step, and I couldn't help but admire her presence.

A nicely dressed man, standing a few strides from Isabel caught my attention. Not due to his clothes, but he did a good job of staying near Isabel, without losing track of the surroundings, and I guessed that he was her bodyguard.

Activating my memory, I recalled the program for the wedding. There were several singers during the evening and two of them were female, but I knew that Shania Twain was American, so Isabel had to be Shakira, a famous Latin American singer, and a favourite of Manuel, which was why she had been hired to sing at the wedding.

I chuckled to myself. That explained why Isabel kept looking surprised whenever there was something about her that I didn't know, because anyone who opened a gossip magazine would know those details, like the name of her love interest.

The waiter arrived with the two seafood dishes, followed a moment later by Isabel, who looked to be in a better mood than when she left as the irritated look on her face had been replaced with a smile. "Sorry about that."

"No problem. From your smile, I assume that it was Antonio?"

The smile grew wider "Yes... and by the way I really owe you. If you hadn't suggested I go to Argentina, Antonio and I would've never connected."

"Nah, " I said with a wink. "You're a beautiful and interesting woman. Unless he's blind, the two of you would have hooked up sooner or later." Her eyes flickered for a moment, causing me to widen the smile into a grin. "And no... I'm still not hitting on you!"

"Oh... the mind-reader trick again." She chuckled. "Am I not your style or what?"

"The only thing about you that isn't my style, is that you're so obviously in love with somebody else." I said dryly. "Trying to seduce you would be both morally wrong and a waste of time."

"Well, you're right, but in my experience, that hasn't stopped people from trying." Isabel said as she started to eat her food. Her eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "This is actually just as good as you said."

"Yes, it's very good." I agreed and for a while, we ate and chatted about Oldenburg Island.

We'd just finished eating when Isabel leaned forward with a curious glint in her eye. "By the way, you looked deep in thought earlier when I came back. What was on your mind?"

"Oh..." I hesitated for a second, then smiled. "I've borrowed another yacht from the company. There's a party on it tomorrow evening, and I was wondering if you'd like to come. I promise there'll be more music and dancing this time."

Isabel laughed. "Good to hear! Can I bring Sofia?"

"Of course."

"Great. So, when does this party start?"

Since the women planned the party, I had no idea, so I just said. "Oh... if you show up some time before evening, it's fine. The yacht's name is Dream Cat... you can't really miss it. It's a big catamaran."

She let out another laugh, shaking her head. "Of course, it is... We'll find it."

To make things easier, I handed her one of the company business cards. "Just in case you can't find it... my number is there."

She looked at the card and read it, raising an eyebrow. "Chairman of Starlight Merchant Group, huh? No wonder they let you borrow yachts from time to time."

I smiled back. "One of the better parts of the job."

She blinked a few times. "Wait a moment... That's the same company as the one holding the wedding I'm singing at this weekend!"

"Yeah." I said with a grin. "It's the CEO who's getting married and as I said, it's the largest wedding on the Island."

"It's a small world." She chuckled.

"Indeed." A movement over her shoulder caught my eyes, but it was just the nicely dressed bodyguard changing position. "Oh, could I ask you to let your armsman over there stay ashore during the party?"

For a moment she looked puzzled and turned around to see what I was talking about. When she turned back, she was laughing softly. "Armsman? You mean my bodyguard Mateo?"

"Yeah... Sorry, I've been reading too much Ancient History and back in time they were called Armsmen." I spread my hands in an apologizing gesture. "Yes, your bodyguard."

Still laughing she nodded. "No problem." Looking around, she seemed to consider something, before saying. "Will you let your bodyguard over there stay ashore?"

Looking in the direction she indicated, I discovered a large Latin-American man standing near a table, calmly observing the surroundings.

With a chuckle, I looked at Isabel. "Wrong guess. That is not my bodyguard. If I'm not mistaken, he's guarding the elderly man with glasses sitting by the table to the right."

"Oh." Isabel glanced over. "Do you know who it is?"

"Yes. It's Mauricio Botelho. CEO of the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer." I paused before adding, "He's also here for the wedding."

"Hmm." She looked around but finally shrugged and looked at me. "I give up. Do you even have bodyguards with you?"

"Not normally, but due to the wedding, I do have some."

"Well, where are they?"

Shrugging slightly, I nodded in the direction of Su-Yan and Xia, who were sitting at a table a little distance away, looking like two Asian female tourists having lunch. "Two of them are sitting right there."

"Yeah right." Snorted Isabel, before quickly covering her mouth, looking embarrassed. "Sorry... I just find that hard to believe."

"Exactly the point." I said dryly and signalled to Xia to come over, since she was the one who spoke Spanish best.

The short and slim Chinese rose from her table and walked over to us, gracefully avoiding a waiter on the way. When she reached our table, she smiled. "Yes, Mr. Ivan?"

"Could you inform Miss Mebarak here about your job?"

"Certainly." Still smiling, she looked at Isabel. "I'm Mr. Ivan's bodyguard... or at least one of them."

Isabel sat still for a few heartbeats, before bowing her head slightly. "My apologies. I didn't believe him when he said so."

Xia's smile grew a bit wider. "Good. You're not supposed to." She looked at me again. "Was that all, Mr. Ivan?"

"Yes. Thank you."

With a nod, she turned around and walked back to Sun-Yan.

"I'm so embarrassed." Admitted Isabel when she was sure Xia couldn't hear us anymore.

I shrugged with a smile. "Don't be. You just confirmed she was doing a good job."

We talked a bit more, but Isabel had to get back to her friend, so I went for a walk in the Neuhafen area, eventually ending back at the yacht, where I had planned to relax some more.

However, I had just walked onto the ship, when I discovered Ester sitting on one of the sofa groups, talking with Riya and Petra.

As I came nearer, the Persian beauty looked up and sent me a smile. "Hello Mr. Ivan. Good to see you again."

"Hey Ester. I didn't even know you had arrived yet. How is it going?

Somewhat to my surprise, she stood and gave me a hug. "It's been fantastic. The children are getting better faster than I dared hope for, the new staff are both dedicated and competent, and with the finances in order, we can focus on the kids." She flashed a smile. "In other words, Vista Verde Internado is doing fantastic."

"And Shelly Ocampo is doing fine as well?"

"Oh yes. To a degree that when I left, I placed her in charge of the school." Said Ester and continued describing how the rest were doing, starting with the four girls I had rescued from Curtis' Villa. Christina, Jade, Anna and Ida kept improving their mental health and the arrival of the other children we had rescued had helped as well, since the four older girls would help with the younger kids, giving them a purpose.

"However," She finished. "You made quite an impression on them and they miss you."

"I'll visit them after the wedding." I promised.

"Thank you... and I know that it takes some time getting from Oldenborg to Villa Bonita and back."

I nodded. It took about two hours to get from Oldenburg to Puerto Limon, including time used at the airports. Added to that was another hour driving from Puerto Limon to Vista Verde, making it a three-hour trip.

Thinking it over, I slowly said. "That might be something I can fix." I looked over at Riya. "Do you know if Afifa or Elena can fly a propeller plane as well as a helicopter?"

The beautiful Sri Lankan thought for a moment and then nodded. "They both can. They talked about the difference when we were in Curtis's Villa."

"Do you think they'll be willing to learn a new type of plane?"

She chuckled. "As long as it's not too big. They agreed that flying passenger jets weren't what they called 'real' flying. May I ask why you're asking?"

"Because Titan Aerospace has a new craft that I think that they're going to love." I answered and explained about the Dragonfly M19 Libel and its ability to tilts it propellers, transforming it from a helicopter to a plane. An ability that would allow it to take off from the helipad on the Vasa Estate and fly directly to the local airfield near Villa Bonita... or Vista Verde's large courtyard, which would cut the travel time down to about one and a half hours.

"Nice!" Exclaimed Ester but then frowned. "What is Titan Aerospace? I don't think I've heard about that company before."

"Oh boy." Mumbled Riya, making me nod. Ester had used her time working with the children in Vista Verde and thus had missed most of the information the other had.

"Sorry to interrupt." I heard Petra say from behind. "But you have a phone call, sir. Jan den Adel of Dream Voyage."

"Saved by the bell." I chuckled and looked at Riya. "Do you mind giving Ester an explanation on Starlight? Then I'll arrange lessons for Afifa and Elena later... I really need to take that call."

"No problem." She smiled.

"Thank you." I stood and walked over to Petra who handed me the phone, before I walked inside the yacht for a little more privacy, gesturing Petra to follow.

Jan den Adel had taken the first plane to France to look at the ships he had talked about, but I was still surprised with the speed he was moving. With a nod, I took it, switching to Dutch as I said. "Hello Jan."

"Hello, Mr. Ivan." He replied in the same language. "Sorry to disturb you, but I'm in France to look at the two motor sailing yachts we talked about and they passed inspection with flying colours." He said in a very enthusiastic tone of voice. "Shall I proceed with the deal?"

Since I had already told him to do that, I wondered why he called but then remembered that we never got a price on the ships. "What do they want for the ships?"

There was a slight pause, before he said. "72 million dollars for both. I had hoped to negotiate it, but 36 million per ship is the lowest they can go."

"Are the ships worth it, Jan?"

"Yes, sir!" He said with a laugh. "They're beautiful, well-built and ready to sail. I brought our usual insurance people along with me and they're ready to insure it at the normal conditions with no reservations." He paused. "However, they need to know what to call the ships, as they only have work names for them right now." There was a slight pause. "I would like you to name them, sir... You gave the go-ahead for this."

That took me by surprise. "Seriously?"

"Yes, sir. To be honest, I'm having a hard time coming up with names that aren't currently in use and I hope you have some suggestions... Especially since they're meant for the Asian and Russian market."

A myriad of possibilities ran through my head, but as I discarded anything to do with the distant past and mythology, the number dropped drastically until only a few remained.

"Since they're going to sail in Asia, I would call the first one Táohuā, which is Mandarin for Peach Blossom."

Jan den Adel was silent for a moment and I imagined him testing the name out.

"That's a perfect name." He finally said. "It even gives us a symbol to use."

"Good." Looking at Petra, I smiled widely. "I would like the other one to be called Húdié or Babochka. Whichever you choose. It's Mandarin and Russian for Butterfly."

Petra snapped her head around and looked at me wide-eyed, mouthing 'what?'

"Babuska?" Asked Jan den Adel in the phone.

I laughed. "No. Babuska means 'Grandma'. It's Babochka."

"Ah, sorry about that." He went silent again, while Petra was still signalling to me for an explanation. I ignored her, as Jan came back. "You know, sir, at first, I didn't like it, but after saying it a few times, it somehow feels right... and again, it gives us a symbol to use."

"Good. Anything more?"

He chuckled. "Yes. Who's going to be the ship's Godmother?"

"The ship's what?"

Den Adel laughed and explained that a ships Godmother was by tradition one or more females present at the christening of the ship. She, or they, was supposed to bestow good luck and divine protection on the ship as well as give a part of their personality to the ship.

I shook my head slightly in wonder and amusement. It was a tradition dating back to Ancient Times, I just haven't heard that it was still in use. "Well, I do have some in mind, but don't the French have some suggestions? And what about yourself for that matter?"

"The yard won't suggest anything until our negotiations are done, but I would like my niece Sharon to be Godmother of one of the ships."

"Okay. Here's an idea. I pick one for each ship and so do both you and the shipyard, if they want to. That way everybody's happy."

"Works for me." He said with a chuckle. "Do you have any names yet?"

"Yes, Karen Chai for Peach Blossom and Petra Moroz for Babochka."

"Oh, I don't know the first one, but Miss Moroz is a perfect choice." He said with amusement in his voice. "She's gonna knock them flat."

"I agree. Now, get the deal signed, Jan. Then we can work out the details."

"Yes, sir."

Petra was still looking intensely at me when I handed her the phone. "Normally, I don't ask, but this time, I think I need to know."

"Yes, you do." I agreed and told her that she would be lending her name to a new ship as well as becoming that ship's Godmother.

"Don't I get a say in this?" She said with a smile. "Can I even see the ship?"

I was about to say no, when I remembered Jan den Adel had sent me some pictures of the sister ship he had been on. "Yes... come."

We walked over to my stateroom, where I started the computer up and opened the mail with the pictures. "There you go!"

Petra sat down in the chair, staring at the screen for a while, with me looking over her shoulder.

Despite being bulkier than a pure sailing vessel, it was a sleek modern sailing vessel with a white hull that gleamed under the sun. Its four tall masts rose high, each supporting large, full sails to catch the wind, propelling it smoothly across the calm, deep-blue sea. The design blended classic sailing aesthetics with contemporary luxury, featuring spacious decks and a streamlined structure built for both comfort and efficiency.

"That's a lovely ship..." Petra said, echoing my thoughts. She bit her lower lip for a moment. "I can't do this, Ivan. I'm not famous or anything and that ship is too pretty for a no-name like me."

I blinked in surprise as I realized that the normally confident Petra actually meant it and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't underestimate yourself. To me you're like this."

With that, I projected my feelings into her. How incredibly beautiful, sexy and tempting I thought she was. Her intelligence and sense of humour, that only made her even sexier and my respect for her opinion due to her sound common sense. My enjoyment in her friendship and my appreciation of how she always seemed to know when I could use a hug, a kiss or the feeling of her fabulous body against mine.

Petra blinked a few times as she received my feelings and then looked at me slack jawed, as her eyes teared up. It took her a few heartbeats to get her voice under control, but then she softly said. "I don't know what to say... except thank you."

"Petra, if anything, that ship is not worthy of you yet, but by lending it your spirit, perhaps it will be at some point."

"Oh, shut up." She mumbled as she dragged me in for a hug. "You're making me shy."

I chuckled and hugged her. "You're a much better person than you think you are, so no, I won't shut up."

------------------------------------------

Ship warming

Late September 2000, Rastede, Oldenburg Island

One undeniable advantage of hosting a party on a yacht was the ease of shifting locations. As soon as the last guest stepped aboard, Captain Wolf powered up the silent electric engines, guiding us out of the bustling harbour. Moments later, the sails were unfurled, catching the sea breeze. In less than thirty minutes, we were anchored in the serene, crystal-clear waters of Vasa Bay, the shallow bay outside Vasa Estate, far from tourists and wedding guests.

I spent much of the sail lounging on the plush sofa set at the aft deck, talking with Isabella and her friend Sofia Vergara, which was mostly due to Sofia.

It's not often that I see a woman and know that I just have to have her, but Sofia was one of those rare cases. She simply oozed sex appeal and while Isabel had said that Sofia was here to recuperate from surgery, it must have been something minor, because she looked to be in perfect health.

Long dark hair cascaded down her shoulders, creating a nice frame for a beautiful face. The wide mouth and full lips fit the rounded shape of her head perfectly and she had a very bright smile.

The form fitting dark green dress she was wearing didn't hide the shape of her body in any way and only enhanced the impression that the rest of her was just as spectacular as her smile.

Tall and slim, but extremely voluptuous, Sofia had an hourglass figure, but what really drew the eyes was a huge set of well-formed breasts that sat high and proud on her chest. The curve of her hips ended in a pair of long, nicely shaped legs and she walked with a confidence that somehow just made her even sexier. To top it off, she was intelligent, funny to talk with and an excellent dancer.

As the yacht anchored, the sunset bathed the deck in gold. While guests gathered around the BBQ buffet, Petra sidled up to me, her eyes fixed on Sofia with barely disguised admiration.

"Oh... My... God," she murmured in Ukrainian, her voice a hushed mix of awe and envy. "Sofia has to be one of the sexiest women on the planet."

"Agreed," I replied, piling lobster onto my plate. "It's rare to see someone rival you and Delina, but she's unquestionably in your league."

Petra shook her head with a small, self-deprecating laugh. "Cute, but I'm not that sexy," she said, nodding toward Sofia, who was laughing with Isabella nearby.

I shrugged, leaning in with a teasing smile. "Yes, you are... and if there weren't so many people around, I would have spanked your ass for not believing me."

Her cheeks flushed, but she grinned, poking me with her elbow. "Promises, promises," she teased, then tilted her head. "You want her."

"Yes."

"Can't really blame you. She's smoking hot." Petra glanced at Sofia again, her curiosity barely hidden. "Do you think she's into women?"

I hid a smile by turning my head and getting some salad. For some reason, Petra found the idea of hitting on a straight woman extremely embarrassing and usually asked me, before she even considered making any moves. "Well, I don't know about Sofia, but as I said last time, Isabel is straight."

Petra groaned softly, but her grin stayed in place. "Will you tell me when you know for sure?"

I looked at her and shook my head. "Nope. Not unless she's only into women or I've already seduced her."

Petra blinked in surprise but then chuckled. "Fair, I guess."

Our conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a slim and elegantly dressed middle-aged woman at the buffet. She would have looked like a typical Hispanic woman, if she weren't several shades darker in the skin. It was Angela Scott, Board member and the Chief Legal officer of Starlight Merchant Group. Next to her stood a good-looking blonde woman, around the same age as Scott. I recognized her from her file as Dr. Heidi Schultz, a surgeon who worked at one of the hospitals on Oldenburg Island and Angela Scott's partner through the last ten years.

"Hello, Mr. Ivan. Thank you for the invitation." Angela said smoothly, her tone friendly yet businesslike.

I sent her a smile. Angela Scott was sharp as a razor and had a great sense of humour and I always enjoyed talking with her. "Hello, Miss Scott and you're welcome." I looked at Heidi Shultz. "That goes for you too, Miss Schultz."

That caused a laughter from Angela as she looked at her partner. "I told you Mr. Ivan would know who you are."

"Yes, and you were right." Said Heidi and in her voice, I heard a bit of the same German accent as Captain Wolf. She nodded towards me. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Ivan."

"Likewise." I looked from one to another. "Are you enjoying the party so far?"

"Oh Yes. It's nice to get out of the office!" Said Angela and hesitated, before saying. "However, we need to talk about business for a moment. I promise it will be short."

"Please go on."

"Well, as you know, we're selling off some of the larger yachts." She started.

I nodded.

"Emily Hall, the lawyer brokering the Dream Quest II deal for the buyer, refuses to accept any offers I make, so you need to assign another lawyer to that deal." She stated matter-of-factly.

That didn't make any sense to me. "Why does she refuse to deal with you?"

She grimaced, but like the rest of Starlight Merchant Group's Directors, Parker had used the Loyalty Codex on her, and she couldn't lie to me. "Officially, we don't get along. Unofficially, she's a racist as well as a homophobe and as I'm a coloured lesbian, I'm everything she doesn't like. There's no way that deal will go through with me on it." She sighed. "I've talked it over with Mia Jensen and while she agrees on my opinion of Ms. Hall, she thinks the best course of action is to leave the deal to someone else."

I nodded to her assessment of the situation and thought it through. Born and educated on Oldenburg, Mia Jensen was the Chief Governance Officer of Starlight and besides ensuring that everything inside the company went according to Oldenburg law, she was also the expert in how other companies conducted their business.

However, in this instance, I had to disagree with her and I really didn't care about other companies. Angela Scott was very good at her job and didn't deserve being treated like that.

More to the point, the laws on Oldenburg Island regarding same-sex sexual activity was extremely liberal, reflecting the laws of both Scandinavia and the Netherlands. In short, being engaged in homosexual activities had been legal since Oldenburg, like Netherland, had adopted the Napoleonic Code almost two hundred years ago, and finding a native homophobic Oldenburger was close to impossible. According to Mia Jensen, it did cause friction from time to time when dealing with other nations and apparently, this was one of those times. What ticked me off, was that Emily Hall was an American and really should know better.

I placed my plate on the table and turned towards Petra, who wordlessly handed me a phone. According to the weekly updates, the buyer, a rich American named James Hunt, had offered 26 million dollars, while we wanted 28 million for the yacht.

Activating my memory, I recalled the number of James Hunt from the file and called him, going through several assistants, before I finally got Mr. Hunt on the phone. His assistants had clearly explained who I was because he immediately said. "Hello, Mr. Emilian."

"Good Evening, Mr. Hunt. I'm sorry to call you directly at this time, but I have an offer for you regarding Dream Quest II."

If he wondered why I called him seemingly out of the blue, he hid it well. "Sounds interesting, Mr. Emilian. Do continue."

"I'll accept your offer of 26 million dollars on one condition."

"Yes?"

"I want your lawyer Emily Hall off the deal. As in totally gone. I don't want a single dollar from this deal to go to her, nor will she be involved in any deal made with Starlight Merchant Group or its subsidiaries ever again."

There was silence in the phone for a moment and out of the corner of my eye, I could see Angela and her partner look at me with eyes wide in surprise.

"May I ask why?" Hunt asked.

"Because people who can't see past other people's skin colour or sexual preferences when brokering a million-dollar deal, are not the kind of people Starlight Merchant Group wants to make deals with... ever."

There was another moment of silence, before Mr. Hunt said. "I see, and I happen to agree on your principles, Mr. Emilian. We have a deal. Have your lawyer send the papers directly to me."

"I will. Nice doing business with you, Mr. Hunt. Have a pleasant evening."

"Likewise, Mr. Emilian."

Closing the phone, I handed it back to Petra, who accepted it with a grin on her face. "Fixed?"

"Fixed." I nodded and looked at Angela. "Miss Scott, please send the papers directly to Mr. Hunt with a price of 26 million."

"Yes sir." She said and then added. "Mr. Ivan, I have to point out that there's a good chance Dream Escapes have just sacrificed 2 million dollars to give Emily Hall a lesson, she in all likelihood will never understand."

I shook my head. "I disagree. Mr. Hunt drives a hard bargain, and we would have ended at 27 million anyway. The other offer we had was 23 million, so all I did was to ensure we got the better offer. However, word will get out and while Mrs. Hall might not learn, anybody who deals with Starlight Merchant Group will. More importantly, while I can't cure stupidity, I can most certainly make sure that nobody treats my people unfairly."

Angela Scott nodded slowly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." I said with a slight bow. "Now go enjoy the party."

When they had walked away, I glanced at Petra. "Quick question. How did you know I wanted the phone? You handed it to me before I even asked for it."

The beautiful Ukrainian laughed softly. "Because you had the 'Oh, Hell No!' look in your eyes... I knew that you would do something and being here on the yacht, that meant by phone or the communication centre and as it was me you were looking at and not Delina, I guessed the phone."

That made sense, so I nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She said in a tone of pleasant surprise. "And now I'll go eat my food, unless you have more million-dollar deals to finish or employees to stand up for." She nodded in the direction of the table where Sofia was sitting. "Are you coming?"

Looking over at Sofia, I sighed. "I'm tempted, but I better go mingle a bit first."

It really was a good party, I decided an hour later, while leaning against the bulkhead on the aft deck, looking at people dancing. Manuel Estevez was swinging his fiancé around and Ayanna looked better than ever, obviously being in a good mood. Dancing beside them was Angela Scott and Heidi Schultz, who looked like they were having fun. Sandra and her husband Ziggy were also dancing, looking like they had done it all their lives, which they probably had as dancing seemed to be a favourite pastime here on the island, along with swimming, fishing, and sailing.

The same did Delina, who was dancing with Petra and I noticed that while Petra was good at many things, the Gambian was a much better dancer. Both Jan den Adel and his male partner, Piet, were on the dancefloor, but not with each other. Jan was dancing with Esther, while Piet was dancing with Isabel.

The sight of Sofia strolling towards me, made me smile. She really was a gorgeous woman.

"Hello, Mr. Ivan. Is there room for one more?" She asked in soft, fluid Spanish when she got near enough.

"Sure." I replied, gesturing toward the chair next to where I was standing. "Have a seat or stand up, as you like."

She smiled warmly and leaned casually against the bulkhead beside me. "If I haven't said it already, thank you for inviting me. This is a truly lovely party, and the yacht is extraordinary."

"Thank you." I looked at her. The dancing must have taken its toll on her, because I could feel her tiredness almost as something physical. "No offence, Sofia, but you need to lie down a bit."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"You're exhausted," I said with a light shrug. "Your lips are dry, your beautiful hazel eyes have lost their earlier spark, and you've already thanked me for the invitation twice. All classic signs of fatigue."

For a moment, she looked like was going to protest, but instead she sent me a weak smile. "Shak warned me that you read people like that." She sighed. "You're right. I am tired."

"Take a short nap," I suggested gently. "An hour of rest, and you'll feel like a new person. The party will still be in full swing when you wake up."

She hesitated briefly, then nodded. "A nap does sound good."

"I'll have Irena show you a room, where you can sleep in peace." I signalled to Irena Valdez as I spoke and explained the situation to her when she came over. The stewardess nodded and guided Sofia to the living area of the yacht, while I walked over to join the people on the dancefloor.

As always, dancing was a lot of fun and I managed to dance with most of the ladies before a quick turn made me collide with Riya, who was walking towards a table, balancing a plate of seafood. I did avoid knocking her to the deck, but the content of her plate landed on my clothes, smearing seafood all over them. Laughing over my own clumsiness, I apologized to her and went down to my cabin to change clothes, walking over to the closet as soon as I entered and dropped the dirty shirt and jacket in the washing bin, before looking at what else to wear.

The soft sound of cloth against skin made me look around and to my surprise, Sofia Vergara was sitting upright in my bed looking at me wide-eyed. In the semi dark cabin, she looked extremely sexy, as she sat there with the bedcovers wrapped around her.

"I'm so sorry." I said in Spanish as soon as I got over the surprise. "Somehow Irena forgot to inform me that she had placed you in my cabin."

She was silent as she regarded me for a moment, before she smiled. "No worries, Mr. Ivan... and thank you for the advice. Sleeping helped a lot."

Looking at her, I nodded with a smile. "I can see that. The sparkle in your eyes is back."

That caused her to laugh. "I think it's the bed... If I had known that yachts had beds this good, I would have started sailing years ago..." She nodded towards a wall. "... and the paintings here are beautiful."

As all the paintings in the cabin were mine, I bowed slightly. "Thank you."

She must have thought that I thanked her for commenting on my taste in art, because she looked at one of the pictures. "Do you happen to know where that landscape is? The one with the bay that is."

"Yes." I answered with a slight smile. "It's Vasa Bay. Right here where we are... It's the view from my terrace."

"Oh." Her almost perfect lips made an O for a heartbeat, before her hazel eyes flicked back to mine. "You painted this!"

"I did," I said simply. "It's a hobby... something to relax my mind."

Laughing a soft deep laughter, she shook her head. "You're a man of many talents, Mr. Ivan."

"Just Ivan," I corrected with a grin.

"Only if you call me Sofia," she countered with a wide smile and at the same moment, I started to feel desire emanating from her. I didn't know if it was something I had said that had brought it along or if it had been there for a while and I was only discovering it now, but it was there.

"It would be my pleasure, Sofia."

For a moment, she simply looked at me, her gaze steady, her lips curling into a slow smile. "Tell me, Ivan... are you the kind of man who can keep a secret?"

"From anybody else than my private assistant, yes." I said truthfully. "But she doesn't gossip."

She nodded slowly and got out of bed, still wrapped in the covers. Without saying anything, she walked over to me.

Feeling her desire, I simply reached out and dragged her into my arms, enjoying the feeling of her soft voluptuous body against mine, which almost immediately caused my cock to grow hard.

Sofia clearly liked the feeling and pressed herself against me.

"And why..." She started, softly kissing the skin of my chest between words. "... can't... you... keep... secrets... from... your... personal... assistant?"

My fingers trailed down her back as I answered, "Because Petra's my friend and she thinks you're the hottest person on the planet. Thus, she's sure to ask me about this and in general I don't lie to her." I smiled. "I agree with her assessment, by the way. You are one of the hottest persons on this planet."

"Oh..." Sofia looked up with a smile and was about to say something, when I kissed her tempting lips, tenderly teasing her with my tongue. My hand drifted to her hair, feeling its softness between my fingers, echoing the softness of her skin under the other hand.

The bedcover fell from her as her hands slid to my pants, opening the belt and unzipping the pants.

A moment later she pulled down both my pants and underwear, causing my hard dick to spring forth. Gentle hands closed on the shaft and massaged it softly as she radiated need.

Breaking the kiss, she whispered. "I need this... inside me... now." And started to pull me towards the bed, while walking backwards herself.

I followed her. Apparently, she slept in the nude, giving me an opportunity to admire her curvaceous naked body in all its glory, but it was the breasts that drew the eye. She had some of the largest and beautifully shaped breasts I had ever seen, the dark red areolas almost perfectly round, encircling hard nipples of a slightly darker shade, that were pointing temptingly towards me.

When we reached the bed, she winked at me with a smile, gave me a kiss and sank to her knees in the same motion. Then her warm wet lips closed around the head of my cock, tongue licking the underside. I groaned in satisfaction. Sofia not only radiated sex, but she also clearly loved it as well.

Running one hand along the shaft, while the other teased my balls, she kept using her mouth on me, taking more and more into her mouth, while licking the underside. Then she changed tactics, using her hand to caress the head, while she ran her wet mouth up and down the shaft, covering it with her saliva.

When she was satisfied, she stood up and gave me another passionate kiss, as she let herself fall on to the bed, dragging me along with her, whispering. "As I said, I really need it... now."

She lifted her legs and crossed them behind my back, as a hand sneaked down between us, grabbed my cock and placed it between the wet lips of the pussy. Normally, I dislike skipping foreplay, but as the old saying goes, there's more than one way to shave a sheep, so I pressed forward, sliding my dick into her. With all the saliva she had spread on it, combined with her juices, I was able to go all the way to the bottom in one slow move, discovering that her pussy fit my dick like a glove.

"Huuuuh!" Sofia groaned as she smiled with her eyes closed.

Instead of starting to fuck her for real as she obviously expected, I took hold of her hands with my own, lowered the angle of my hips a bit, so my pelvis connected with her clitoris and started to make small circular movements, massaging her clitoris, while my hard dick moved slightly inside her. Giving into temptation, I lowered my head to her magnificent breasts and showered them with kisses and licks, before wrapping my lips around one of the nipples, sucking and licking the hard nub.

With a moan, Sofia tried to move her hips against me to make my dick go in and out, but I limited her moves by putting more weight on her hips, so instead she started to move her hips in a circular motion in the opposite direction of me. That not only increased the speed of the massage of her clitoris, but it felt like it made the head of my dick move in circles around her cervix, while her pussy massaged the shaft, which was an awesome feeling.

"Mnnnn." Sofia moaned dreamily. "Good."

Instead of answering, I moved my mouth to the other nipple, kissing my way there, before taking it into my mouth. It might have been my imagination, but it felt like her nipples grew a little and became extra hard.

I continued that way for a while, but with the height difference, it was slightly awkward, so I kissed and licked my way up her chest and neck until I reached her mouth.

Just as I kissed her, I pulled my dick almost out of her and then slowly slid it back into her hot, tight pussy. Sofia's eyes flew open as she broke the kiss with a "Yessssss!"

Still going slowly, I withdrew again, but instead of slamming it back in, I waited a little while with the head of my dick at the opening, enjoying the massage her movements was given it, before I thrust it into her twice, stopping with my dick deep inside her and my pelvis on her clitoris.

I was still holding her hands, but despite the limited leverage, she managed to swirl her hips faster, rubbing against my pelvis as her breath slowly started to deepen.

The feeling was so good that I held my position, enjoying the feeling of a hot wet pussy making circles on my dick and her hot body against mine. Without breaking the connection with her clitoris, I began to fuck her, using only the small movements changing the angle of my hips gave.

The response was immediate, as the muscles started to clench and unclench in a pulsing rhythm, making it feel even better.

Leaning down, I found her mouth with my own and a heartbeat later, we were kissing again.

That seemed to heighten her lust even more and she moaned into my mouth, as her body started to shiver under me and caused me to lessen the weight I had put on her hips just a bit.

Sofia felt it and instantly began to rock her hips back and forth excitedly, adding more power to the small thrusts I was making.

"Uhmmmm." She groaned into my mouth as the shiver in her body increased. Breaking the kiss, she panted. "Fuck me... I can't keep doing this and I'm soooooooo close!"

Nodding, I started fucking her for real, using long hard strokes and grinding my pelvic bone against her clitoris on each downward stroke to help her along.

Sofia's legs strengthened their grip around me and a moment later, she cried out in pleasure as her orgasm ripped through her. Her pussy clenched around my cock, but I kept pounding into her, as her body shakes and spasms beneath me. A flood of juice gushed around my cock, lubricating it even more, as I kept on fucking her.

A wave of Vis energy left her and as usual, I absorbed it without even thinking about it.

"Ohmygod!" Sofia groaned, looking at me with eyes wide in surprise as another orgasm, more intense than the last one started to build. Then she pressed her face against my skin as she exploded for a third time, muffling her scream of joy as the orgasm sent thunderous jolts of pleasure throughout her body and made her pussy spasm around my cock.

I had expected her to relax the grip her long legs had on me, but when that didn't happen, I simply rolled onto my left side, turning her lower body in the process, so I lay on my side facing her, with one of her legs trapped under me, the other locked around my hips and my cock still buried in her.

The new position freed one of my arms and I used it to grope those huge, soft breasts, enjoying the feeling of the hard nipples against the palm of my hand to go along with the feel of her soaked pussy clenching around my dick, as I slowly moved it in and out of her.

Her eyes closed in pleasure, she moaned slightly, clearly enjoying my caresses, the slow movements and the pleasure it was giving her.

She really had a fantastic body to go with the beautiful face, I decided and ran my hand over the soft skin of her side, hip and leg, caressing every part of her body I could reach.

We stayed like that for a while, but feeling a growing impatience in her, moved my hand to her well-shaped ass and picked up the pace. Almost immediately, the impatience was replaced by a slow building pleasure, her moaning increased and hips started to rock with the rhythm again.

I realized the caressing and the slow initial pace had made me forget all about self-control and I was rapidly getting closer to coming.

That, however, might be for the best. The energy Sofia had regained by sleeping had been used up by us sharing pleasure, and she was starting to get very tired.

"I'm going to come soon." I warned her in a whisper and groaned as she tightened the muscles of her pussy around my dick. Opening her eyes, she sent me a brilliant smile and said, "Yes... Oh... Come in me... Ahhh ... It's safe."

With a smile, I nodded and moved my arm under her leg, giving me a better hold on her ass. Then I used that hold as leverage as I started pounding her again.

Her hips moved faster and her smile turned into a grimace of pleasure. "Oh yes!"

I silently agreed. The feeling of going back and forth in her slippery wet pussy was fantastic and the way she moved her hips caused my dick to rub against the sides of her pussy, sending shivers down my spine with every thrust.

None of us lasted long after that. It was simply too good to last and a moment later, Sofia snatched a pillow and pressed it against her face to muffle the sound of her scream, as her body writhed and shook, causing my balls to boil over and I emptied myself in her with a groan.

Normally, I make sure that I don't give off any Vis when coming, but this time it was the opposite. I made sure to return enough Vis to get her energy levels back up and used a technique to ensure that she could actually absorb it, so it wouldn't go to waste.

Carefully, I moved so I could lay down on the bed next to her, lazily caressing her body while giving her time to catch her breath.

It took some time for her to cool off, but finally she removed the pillow from her head and looked over at me, her dark eyes gleaming with renewed energy. "That... was... fantastic!" ´

I agreed, but didn't have time to express it, as Sofia reached over and dragged me in for a kiss. It was slow and indulgent, a lingering appreciation of the moment. Enjoying the feeling of her voluptuous naked body against mine, I returned the kiss.

We stayed like that for a while, tangled in each other, until she finally stretched like a satisfied cat and rolled onto her back with a grin. "God, I really hope nobody heard us... otherwise, it's going to be embarrassing walking back into that party."

"If you're worried about the noise, forget it." I said with a slight smile as I enjoyed the sight of her voluptuous body, as she lay there in total relaxation. "The cabin is soundproofed for comfort and that goes both ways. You would have to stand right outside the door before you can hear anything going on in here."

"Oh, that's nice!" She said with a smile and sat up, brushing a hand through her tousled hair. "I would love to stay here and cuddle with you, but we better join the party before it's too late."

"You're most likely right." I said with a sigh and swung my legs off the bed.

"You go first." She said with a wide smile. "I need to take a quick shower first if that is possible."

"It is." I said as I stood, gesturing towards the door. "The bathroom is in there."

As I stood and moved toward my discarded clothes, I felt her eyes on me. I turned just in time to catch her watching, an amused smile curving her lips.

"You do know you're a hunk of a man, don't you?" she teased, resting her chin on her palm.

That made me laugh. "Not really something I think about, but thanks," I said, stepping into my pants. "And you're still one of the hottest women in the world."

She grinned, stretching her arms above her head. "Yes, you keep saying that."

As always, the sight of a naked woman stretching sent tingles of lust down my spine as I watched her big, fabulous breasts and I could feel my dick hardening in my pants. Unfortunately, while Sofia looked fit and healthy, she wasn't and I doubted she had the energy for much more, so I just stared in admiration, as she slipped off the bed and walked across the floor towards the bedroom, unconcerned about her nakedness.

Just before stepping inside, she glanced back at me. "See you up there," she teased before disappearing behind the door.

With a chuckle, I shook my head as I buttoned my shirt. She really was something. With a thought I activated the cleaning Ars Mentalis, making sure I didn't smell of sex, and left the cabin.

The party was still in full swing when I arrived at the deck. Laughter and conversation mixed with the rhythmic pulse of the music filled the air as people danced, sipped cocktails, and indulged in the lavish buffet. The warm sea breeze carried the scent of salt and grilled seafood, and the yacht swayed ever so slightly beneath our feet, adding to the relaxed atmosphere.

"I like this party." Perta told me some time later, when we met at the portside sofa group. "Food, dancing and fun, without people being too drunk."

I nodded in agreement and drank some of my cider. "Yes, people do seem to be having fun." As I glanced around, my gaze landed on Isabel by the buffet. She was selecting seafood with delicate precision, her golden curls catching the light, but something about her posture wasn't right. Her usual electric energy was muted, her expression distant.

"Though not all of them. Excuse me." I told Petra and walked over to Isabel.

The petite blonde singer looked up from the food with a smile as I came nearer. "This food is wonderful."

"It is," I agreed, then studied her for a moment. "Which is why it's strange that you look like you're miles away from here."

She blinked, then let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "I swear, I don't know how you do that... reading me like an open book."

I stayed silent, waiting.

With a small sigh, she placed her plate down. "I usually sing in Spanish, but I've been working on an English album... and I keep wondering what people will think. What if they don't like it?"

"Oh, you're afraid of criticism?"

She rolled her eyes, but there was a flicker of vulnerability beneath the bravado. "Afraid is a strong word," she admitted, "but yeah... And I bet you're about to hit me with some cliché like 'trust yourself.'"

I shook my head. "No. I have no business giving you advice about your music."

"Hmmmm." She looked thoughtful. "Can I at least have your opinion?"

I pretended to think, then flashed a wicked grin. "Well, I think you're highly intelligent and absolutely smoking hot."

Isabel gasped in mock outrage and smacked my arm, again reminding me of my sister Pandora. "No, seriously!"

I chuckled and thought for a moment before saying. "Alright, sing with honesty and passion and you'll do fine. When you sing, you're talking to people's emotions and while cultures may vary, people by and large feel the same all over the world... Oh... and remember to be yourself and stick to your own style of music, no matter the language. If you're like everybody else, you become forgettable... at least as a musician."

She went quiet, considering my words. Then, with a slow nod, she smiled. "You know... that's actually really good advice. Thank you."

I bowed slightly. "You're welcome."

She laughed. "Okay, now that you've solved my existential crisis, let's get a drink."

"Your wish is my command." I told her.

As we made our way toward the bar, the music shifted, the pulsing rhythm taking on a sultry Latin beat. Isabel perked up, her hips already swaying instinctively to the melody, her natural rhythm undeniable.

Before we reached the bartender, she stopped, tilting her head at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You know... drinks can wait."

I raised a brow. "Oh?"

She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the dance floor. "Let's dance."

I hesitated for a heartbeat. "Are you sure? I'm not nearly as good at Latin dances as you are."

She laughed, tossing her golden curls over one shoulder. "You'll do fine."

-------------------- To be continued ----------------------

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