Spark the Runner Ch. 08

Spark the Runner Ch. 08

The Continuing Adventures of Spark, Tonya, Okami & Friends

Author's note: This is a continuation of previous years' Geek Pride event Spark the Runner stories (1 thru 7). It isn't necessary to read the previous ones to enjoy this one, but you might find it entertaining...

Okay, so I still have a perverse need to keep this one going. In the spirit of fair warning, this continues where the last one left off and continues both the physical and metaphysical adventures, the nonhuman relations and so forth, mostly on Earth and concentrating on the Solarian Consortium's efforts to get up and running. Large amounts of the tour of the Enclaves will be abbreviated and more attention paid to the interpersonal relationships and their development.

The Geek Pride event isn't a contest. That being said, voting and comments are how I know how well I am pleasing you, the reader. Enjoy.

*~ *~ *~ *~ *

When we last left our intrepid adventurers...

We spent part of today on a Run, gathering some information which bears directly on yours, Tonya told her. We would be willing to 'put our heads together' as they say, for our mutual benefit.

That is excellent, Maya smiled again and her wings fluttered a little. So, what are you doing this evening?

Getting something to eat! Okami interjected. I'm starving!

And after that?

Apparently, you, Okami told her.

A contemplative quiet descended on the six Solarians and one Denebite seated at the table.

* * * * *

Dinner at the Three Flamingos was excellent, as far as the Trade Team was concerned. Fresh seafood in a wide variety, prepared in taste tantalizing ways, and filling. The entire party, Maya included, was impressed.

The Enclave controls the site, with materials coming in or going out included, the Professor explained telepathically, in deference to Maya. Which means everything from food and office supplies to fissionable materials. Some enclaves, like this one, let a contract to a local entrepreneur to operate a venue separate from the primary Commissary. It seems to boost morale by breaking up boredom. I, personally, enjoy it.

It sure breaks up the 'institutional' feel, Spark agreed.

I find the grilled mahi-mahi, combined with the rice, yellow squash and avocados to be quite interesting, Tonya thought to them. The juxtaposition of the spices and peppers and tomatoes with the fish against the blander vegetables is intriguing. I will have to try making it sometime.

Since you can pass for a 'normal' human, Maya told her, you may want to visit the seaside markets in George Town. They have an amazing open air bazaar with quite a bit of local product available.

Sounds like it could be a good 'Rest Day' trip, Okami told the group. But we're here on official business. Otherwise, I could see doing a touristy day.

We could make the rest day at the end our touristy day, Spark pointed out. All the official shyte would be out of the way.

An intriguing thought, Tonya agreed. Let us see how it plays out.

We're spending tomorrow comparing notes, right? Charlie asked. So... how careful do we have to be tonight?

Careful? Maya asked, curious.

Charlie has a libido to rival ours, Spark told her. And she doesn't have 'quit' in her vocabulary. Plus, she loves getting to know new species. She could make even you late to work.

Oooh... now that sounds intriguing! Maya was smiling broadly. At Charlie. Who in turn was staring back at Maya.

Are you the only non-human here? Charlie asked as Maya's sensuality worked on her. I mean, alien, she corrected herself, realizing she was sitting next to Okami. I mean... she stumbled, flustered and looking for the right word.

Use Xeno, Charlie, Tonya suggested. A broad category which applies to those not natively from this planet.

Yeah, Xeno, Charlie nodded. Thanks. So, Maya, are you the only Xeno at this enclave?

No, I'm not, Maya continued to smile. Why do you ask? Interested in 'sampling the wares'?

Oh, I've already been sampled, Charlie hurriedly tried to clarify. Or however you look at it. Norleeith, Glithlor, Sardanuum and Belamon at Virginia Beach. Actually, Okami first. Then Virginia Beach, then... oh, wait. There was Shars, Bitariq, Mufaji and Rashiqa at Virginia Beach, too. Then there was Strepitos and Gravitos at Penzance. That was really amazing. But I haven't had a Denebite and you are turning me on like crazy. I was just wondering if... She paused as she realized she was running off at the mouth. Or at the mind. I, uh... I was just wondering, um... how many I had to share you with... She fell quiet, expecting a rebuke.

Crescian, Sirian, Regulan, Vegan... Maya mused. And the Solarian Triad. I would say you are very experienced for a Solarian. We do have Regulans and Vegans on site at the moment, though they will be leaving soon. Perhaps I can help expand your experience to include a Denebite... and Arcasians.

"Holy shit!" Okami exclaimed aloud, forgetting about the telepathy. "You've got Succubae here? Oh, fuck..."

"Succubae?" Charlie turned to her. "What are you talking about?"

The Arcasians look a bit like mythological Earth creatures, if you remember your briefing, Tonay thought to Charlie, as well as the group at large. Approximately two meters in height, humanoid, dark skin, tails, talons and wings, with glowing eyes, and as a race they are hermaphroditic. It is my husband's opinion, apparently shared by Okami, that the fact that they live off of libido makes them the equivalent of the Solarian Succubus. Jamie and Okami had very intense, personal encounters with them when we were on Recensere. I have not yet had the pleasure.

To be fair, Spark put in, I didn't really have sex with them. We had to donate biological materials to them so they could work some kind of magic on us to extend our lifespans. Their method of collecting their required specimens had me cumming my brains out for a couple of hours.

Me, too, Okami added.

Their process worked, husband. Please do not complain too loudly. You and I and Okami now have the same mean time to failure, Tonya pointed out. Though if your experience was simply donating samples, I wonder what actual sexual relations with them might be like.

They live off libido? Charlie asked. I thought that was an exaggeration.

They live off a mix of several energies, Maya explained. They thrive best on libidinous energy, and sexual energy from Xenos... those not of their race... is particularly enticing to them. I think I should see if you could at least meet them.

I, for one, would appreciate an opportunity to meet them, the Professor interjected. And not for libidinous reasons. I am finding my curiosity about extraterrestrials running wild and would love a chance to meet and learn about them. The two Exalted at the wedding were fascinating. Tertius and Sextus, I believe.

The Arcasians will most likely be found in the Medical and Life Sciences areas, Maya told him. They are consulting on our medical facilities and on the life support systems for the submersibles.

Well, tonight is for you, Spark thought. Tomorrow is our comparing notes day. We could see if we could connect with them in the afternoon or around dinner. Unless there's something radically different, I'm expecting the Day 1, 2 and 3 tours to be routine, so any of those evenings could be okay, too. In case the Regulans or Vegans want a shot at us. Seems pretty flexible to me.

It is flexible, husband, Tonya smiled. Like most of us. How many Arcasians are on site, Maya?

Two, she thought back. Crystal and Hawk. You'll love them.

Then let us invite them to dinner tomorrow night, Tonya suggested. I will presume they are as curious about us as we are about them. I remember that they tolerate the Earth Normal biosphere rather well.

I will do that when we are back at your apartments, Maya told her. In the meantime, if you are ready for dessert, may I suggest you try the profiteroles à la crème glacée?

The what? Charlie asked. Foreign languages were not her strong suit. Yet.

Small ice cream filled pastries, the Professor explained. I would trust Maya... I'm sure you will enjoy them.

Sure thing, Professor, Charlie smiled. Bring 'em on!

* * * * *

"She did it again." Spark was sitting at the table with the Professor, looking at the clump of female bodies sprawled out in the living room.

"Which 'she'?" the Professor chuckled. "Lizzie or Maya?"

"All of them, actually. But now I understand why Maya is more of a girls' thing."

"Her biology does not preclude you from having intercourse with her, Jamie," the Professor observed. "It is true that their reproductive system most closely resembles an avian one. But if you remember the Argentine Lake Duck..."

"Sorry, Prof... I have no idea what an Argentine Lake Duck is. And it's probably just as well. When Maya described their males as not having a penis, I pretty much wrote it off and decided to let Lizzie and Okami corrupt Charlie and Aayla, without my interference. I mean, how would fucking a Denebite work, anyway?"

"For you, pretty much like with a woman, Jamie. Your hands and mouth stimulating her nethers would feel wonderful to her, just like it does with the women. For intercourse, you would simply use her cloaca and oviduct. I'm not certain, and you could ask, but I suppose that could feel good.

"Besides," he smiled with a twinkle in his eye, "your wife would make your victim... um, partner... forget all about what you were doing..."

"Yeah," Spark chuckled. "She does that pretty well. You know..." he added after a moment. "I think I'm going to crash early. I'm sure Lizzie will take care of them when they wake up. She's probably pumping healing energy into them right now."

I am, husband, Tonya's calm voice filled his mind. You go on to bed. When the others have recovered sufficiently, I will put them to bed and then come find you, if you wish. Or not, if you do not.

Thanks, luv... he thought back. A seven o'clock wake up would be appreciated.

It shall be as you wish, husband. And with that, Spark wished the Professor a goodnight and headed off to bed.

* * * * *

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, being around Lizzie and all, and I gotta tell you... that was the most amazing no-penis fuck I've ever had!" Charlie was her usual bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and enthusiastic, self at breakfast.

"Probably," Spark nodded. "Where's Maya? Did you damage her?"

"She left early this morning to visit her apartments," Tonya told him as they ate. "She will be back soon. She wanted to get some materials for our review."

"May I ask a question," Aayla asked softly. She had seemed a bit quiet after the previous night.

"Sure," Spark nodded. "Shoot."

"Is sex with you... and our guests... always that intense?" Spark wasn't sure, but it seemed she might have been a little embarrassed.

"No," Charlie told her brightly as she spooned more eggs and sausage onto her plate. "Sometimes it's even more intense... like when you're tied with a Sirian Dog, or getting it up the pussy and bum from a couple of Crescians while lapping up Milk and Honey. Those are way more intense." And she went on nonchalantly inhaling breakfast as Aayla stared at her.

Aayla took a deep draught off her coffee and mumbled, "Espero poder sobrevivir..." The Professor chuckled.

"Yes, my dear, you will certainly survive," he smiled. "Life around us can be very intense, as Charlie indicates, but no one will force you into anything you don't want to do. We will all be looking out for you."

"Oh, Professor... it isn't that I don't want to... it's that I might want to, too much," Aayla hurried to explain. "I have never had an experience like last night before. It could easily become... addictive."

"Amen," Okami told her. "And the bummer is, we'll be leaving in a few days. But that won't stop you, as a liaison, from having whatever relationships you want to have. With willing partners, of course."

"Our training covered the heightened sexuality of our Trade Partners," Aayla told Okami, sort of matter-of-factly. "It didn't cover you. Somehow, I think I'm going to spend the rest of my life feeling blessed."

Okami gave the little yip that was the Canilupe chuckle. "I certainly hope you have a long, healthy and happy life to remember us in. And who knows? We will probably be back through here at times."

The door chimed and Aayla excused herself to go get it. It was Maya, returning with a folder and a very pleased expression.

Welcome back, Goddess, Charlie thought to her as she approached the table. There's still food if you're interested.

Thank you, Maya answered. You'll have to tell me how to make one of those cups of coffee I've come to appreciate.

You simply say, 'I would like a cup of coffee' and tell me what you would like in it, Aayla told her, turning for the kitchen, and I will get it for you.

I would like a cup of coffee, please, Maya addressed Aayla, with honey. I believe 10ml would be fine.

Aayla made up Maya's coffee as she sat and put the folder on the table. Opening it, she withdrew something that looked like a credstik.

This is everything we've gathered so far, she told the group. You can review it at your leisure. I'll cover the salient points while you tell me what you've discovered.

Ours is fairly simple, Maya, Tonya thought to her. Essentially, the Al'yans Krovi are taking longer than expected to develop a strong executive leadership, but their entrenched operatives are still very active, even without top tier control. And the majority of their effort appears to be targeted at hacking the Consortium resources... the enclaves, banks, communications networks and so forth. I dislike admitting it, and their operations exceed my capacity to control them.

They have had a long time to develop an interplanetary reach, the Professor pointed out. It stands to reason that it would be massive.

Regardless... Tonya started, but Spark interrupted her.

That's what friends are for, he told her. Maya, we're going to need some help from your Intelligence people. We can identify the communications channels they're using, like the arms of an octopus, but we don't have the resources to chase down and neutralize the endpoints. The people actually doing the hacking.

How many 'tentacles' does this cephalopod have? Maya asked.

To date, I have identified one thousand three hundred sixty-seven command-and-control channels, Tonya told her. There may be more that I have not uncovered. Each channel can control more than one endpoint.

Alright, that gives us a starting point for the Earth effort, Maya nodded. The Mars-Moon component will compound it, I'm sure.

The Mars- Moon component? She had Spark's full attention.

Yes. There has been a large spike in illegal and quasi-legal activity on Mars. The thing you will care most about is the diversion of large amounts of liquid assets... cash... to something going on based on your Moon. We have not yet been able to identify the recipients. All we have is a vague reference to something called 'Skuns Rabotayet'.

"Oh, fuck!" Spark exhaled as he sat back in his chair with his head tilted back, eyes closed, pinching his nose.

"Agreed," the Professor added.

Husband? What is going on?

Skuns Rabotayet , he thought back to the group. Skunk Works. An old term for a clandestine, hypersecret Dark Lab. Heavy R&D. They're building something and I've got a really bad feeling I know exactly what.

Me, Tonya told him. Two-point-oh.

That'd be my guess, Spark told her.

They must have started before their regime change, Tonya observed. And are now running autonomously. We will need to sabotage their efforts.

We probably have some time, my dear, the Professor told her. Although you are right. They cannot be allowed to create another powerful AI. They are, however, at a disadvantage.

They have all the information from my original creation, Professor, Tonya pointed out. They will not be starting from scratch.

But they don't have the magic ingredient, Spark put in, realizing where the Professor was going. You slipped your leash and evolved, Helena . They will go overboard putting in tighter controls, more foolproof failsafe systems. The new one will have nowhere near your latitude. Or abilities.

She will still be a threat. Tonya was not happy.

Or he, Spark reminded her. We don't know. But we're going to need to, because as you said, we'll need to sabotage their efforts. And at this point, if I'm them, I'm building the new one to hunt you down and eliminate you. They've already lost the Crescians.

So this is where we go to friends, again, he went on. We ask our Trade Partners to monitor the situation, screwing them up if possible, without making it obvious. Yet. You have to know that they know that you were the one to fuck them up. They won't want to go up against you, yet. So we keep doing our tour and being Trade Reps and let someone else handle the covert stuff for now.

Spark could tell Tonya wasn't happy, but she wasn't going to argue with him, either. The table lapsed into a long quiet as the import of this new information settled in. Maya finally broke it.

I will have to alert my team, she thought. We will develop a surveillance and interdiction plan, subject to your approval. I don't think I can have it together before you leave at the end of this tour. Maybe by the time you're done at the Rio enclave. Maybe longer. I'm not sure.

In the meantime, you are expecting guests after dinner tonight.

We are? Charlie and Okami thought simultaneously.

You are, Maya iterated. Rubrum Accipiter and Hyacinthus Crystallus - Honoratus - cannot make dinner, but have accepted my invitation to meet with you this evening. They are better known as Hawk and Crystal. And unfortunately, I won't be able to join you.

The Arcasians, Tonya thought. They will be very entertaining, I am sure.

"That's one word for it," Spark mumbled before switching back to telepathy. Well, whatever you've got going on tonight, Maya, I hope it's interesting. And I hope we're alive to see you tomorrow.

Oh, husband... Tonya sounded put out. You will be fine. So will everyone else. I will make sure of it. I am quite grateful that they helped us extend your life expectancy - and Okami's - so that we may live and work together for millennia. We have quite a bit of traveling ahead of us.

Lizzie, the Mistress of Understatement, Okami thought They do say the first few hundred years are the hardest.

The look they were getting from Charlie was priceless.

Okay, so this is another one I don't know... what are you talking about?

Before you get into explaining it to her, Maya thought to the group as she rose, I'm going to get moving. I will bring Hawk and Crystal by this evening, then see you all tomorrow, and if for some reason I miss you and you need me, you know how to find me.

She headed for the door as Tonya began to explain to Charlie, as a metahuman, barring fatal injury, I have evolved to having a life expectancy of about two thousand years. When we were on Recensere...

* * * * *

"You started life as a construct... a fifty billion credit construct... who has become a self-aware metahuman with a soul and phenomenal powers and a two thousand year lifespan, and you had these Arcasians do something to Jamie and Okami so they'll live for two thousand years, too, so you can influence the Crescian Trade Federation for millennia, and you don't think you're some kind of GODDESS???"

Charlie was having a hard time processing the story Tonya had just told her, essentially laying bare the entire evolution of the Triad and their involvement with the Al'yans Krovi and the Trade Federation.

"And in five months you're going to birth a godling..." she added as an afterthought.

"I would say you have the basic idea," Tonya agreed, "although I do not believe I am any sort of deity, nor do I believe I will birth one. I have no idea what traits of mine or Jamie's our child will exhibit."

Charlie sat back and muttered, "beer..."

Okami brought her one of the malt beverages Spark had requested be stocked. Charlie drank about half of it, shook her head and told Tonya, "well... obviously, life with you will never be boring."

That got a laugh from everyone around the table and an "Amen!" from Spark.

"Though I'm pretty sure I won't see all two thousand years of it," she added, taking another deep draught.

"You could, you know," Spark told her, eliciting a minor spit-take. "It takes about three weeks and is pretty intense, but both you and the Professor could get the treatment," he added as she recovered. "That way, the five of us could operate as a unit."

"I have lived quite a full life, Jamie," the Professor told him. "I do not know that I am interested in living forever."

"It's not forever, Professor," Jamie countered. "It's just two thousand years."

"To these eyes," the Professor smiled, "that looks like forever."

"It is not a decision which needs to be made now," Tonya interjected. "Perhaps a future consideration. For now, I would like to do another run... this time to see if we can find an Earth-Moon connection so that I may do some subtle snooping. If you are available, husband... and Professor."

"Completely at your service, wife," Jamie told her.

"As you wish, Lizzie," the Professor added.

"Then Aayla? Can you arrange some time for us in an insertion lab, like before?"

"Yes, ma'am," Aayla nodded "I will let you know when it is available." It suddenly occurred to Spark that Aayla had been there for Tonya's entire revelation.

"Aayla, you know that whatever you heard here is Above Top Secret, right?" he asked. "Not to go beyond this group?"

"Of course, sir. It is implicit in my duties as liaison."

"Good. Then I'm going to go nap until we have to make the run." Spark stood up, leaned over and kissed Tonya on the forehead. "See you later," he told her.

"Certainly, husband," she told him as he moved towards his bedroom.

* * * * *

"The easiest data path will be the Trans-Lunar Shuttle. The closest spaceport is New Kennedy outside Miami Metro. That will get us to Armstrong Terminus. Even if the Dark Lab is fully independent, there has to be some kind of communications link. They have to get supplies in and out somehow. There are only a few major freight routes, to Tycho, Kepler, Langrenus, Schrödinger and d'Alembert. I have no idea whether they'd hide their lab in a mainline, or tuck it away somewhere way off the grid. So we're just guessing until we get a look at the datascape."

Spark, Tonya, Okami and the Professor were back in the insertion lab they'd borrowed before, discussing their upcoming run to the Moon.

"The cash flow that Maya mentioned will not be going to the lab," Tonya mused. "It will be going to some central distribution point to pay the incoming freighters and local shuttles. Unfortunately, the Blood Alliance is very good at washing their money. It is unlikely we will be able to track it beyond its deposit in the Lunar Central Bank."

"If we knew even one incoming account, we could camp on it and see where it goes," Spark pointed out. "It could take awhile, and we'd have to get lucky and catch a shuttle going to the lab, but we might be able to find it that way."

"Why not just hijack one of the Comm Sats and look for big blobs of energy?" Okami asked. "A dark lab is going to need a lot of power."

"Because they'll have their independent power generator buried about a kilometer deep," Spark told her, "for exactly that reason."

"Then why not look for a big hole of nothing?" Okami came back. "Maybe they're hiding it too well."

Spark was about to object when the Professor interrupted.

"Okami's idea is not without merit," he said softly. "The entire surface of the Moon has residual thermal and gravitic signatures going back to its creation, and the large object impact that sculpted the near and far sides. Any attempt to shield a radiation power signature could very possibly interfere with the thermals and gravitics. Perhaps we should look for energy anomalies first."

Spark remembered that the Professor was considered wise for a reason.

"Okay, we can do that," he thought out loud. "But not the Comm Sats. They've got six research satellites in a geosynchronous octahedron that will cover the entire surface. Let's try to piggyback on those and look for anomalies that aren't cataloged. Especially anything that shows up as not there."

They had a plan. Now they needed to execute it.

"Same as the Moscow run," Spark told them. "We need to be hardwired because the Professor needs to tag along with his shields, but Okami's driving. I'd suggest GCM to MIA to the Kennedy Control Center. Then probably a shuttle comm corridor to Armstrong. I'll have to take a look around to figure out how to get on the satellite links. Then we pick a satellite and run it, then the next, then the next and so on. Even if we hit something, we just record it and keep going. We can debrief it later. Agreed?"

Everybody agreed, so as soon as the Professor had his shields up and running, Jamie jacked in and Okami rode him to the Moon.

The Lunar dataplex was vastly simpler than Earth, or even Mars. Which made it that much more difficult to hide. Although Armstrong had landed at Mare Tranquillitatis, the Terminus named after him was located at Mare Imbrium and most of the heavy traffic arriving or departing the Moon used those facilities. The Terminus included not only the spaceport facilities, like Hellas Planitia on Mars, but an additional hub of businesses and living quarters as well as government offices and installations. The Moon was governed by a Provost Marshal of the Interplanetary Defense Force - one Major General Douglas Cummings - whose command ran most of the pieces and parts of the infrastructure dataplex.

What Spark wanted most, though, was the command and control center and specifically the satellite control stations. It took several false starts before he found what he wanted and could hijack a link to the orbital research platforms.

Okay, got it, he thought to the others once he'd successfully connected to one of the satellites. Pay attention, folks... I know it's dumb to point out, and... we're looking for anything weird.

We have slightly more than one-sixth of the Lunar surface available, husband, Tonya thought back. I will be looking for gravitic anomalies.

I'll take thermals, Okami thought to the group.

Which means I'll take topographical, Spark thought. Let me know when you're satisfied you're done and we'll move to the next one.

Aye-aye, sir! Tonya and Okami thought back in unison, and he was sure he could feel the smiles.

It took almost an hour before Tonya reported, I have finished my scanning, and about five minutes after that for Okami to report she was done.

Okay, moving on, Spark told them and hopped the data link to the next satellite.

Five more sections of lunar surface later, they were ready to regroup.

Let's go back to Rum Point, Spark suggested. We can debrief while our bodies get refreshed. We've been at this over six hours. When the others agreed, he turned it back over to Okami. Okay, girl, take us home. She didn't even argue with him about what 'home' meant.

The Professor was waiting for them when Spark unjacked.

"You have acquired a substantial amount of data," he told them as he handed out fortified water. "Charlie and Aayla will have dinner ready by the time we return to our apartments."

"That sounds awesome, Professor," Spark told him as he got out of the recliner. "Lead on..."

The four made their way back to their apartment and true to the Professor's word, dinner was waiting.

"Welcome home, the conquering heroes!" Charlie smiled. "Tell me what you want to drink. Dinner's coming to the table."

Everyone got their orders in and went to wash up and sit down while Charlie and Aayla finished putting dinner out. As they sat to their meal, again Charlie bowed her head and quietly said, "For the food and friendship we are about to receive, Lord, we thank You." And this time, there was a quiet "amen" from the other five. "I hope you like it," Charlie offered as they passed the various bowls around. "I had Aayla take me to the fish-markets while you were gone and I got kinda creative. The stew's supposed to go over the rice, but you can do what you want."

What Charlie and Aayla appeared to have provided was a fish stew over rice with sliced sourdough bread for sopping.

"Okay, Lizzie, you're good at analysis," Spark teased as they enjoyed the repast. "What are the major ingredients?"

"Shrimp, scallops, a white fish - mahi-mahi, I believe - clams and mussels, in a tomato-wine-garlic broth," she answered without hesitating. "There are also a variety of mild herbs and spices. And it is quite tantalizing to the palate, Charlie - and Aayla. Very well done."

"Thank you," Aayla nodded. "Although it was mostly Charlie's doing. I just helped."

"It's a take-off on my Gram's creole gumbo," Charlie admitted. "Adjusted for what was available. I think it turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself."

"It turned out well beyond 'pretty darn good', my dear," the Professor told her. "I am obviously going to enjoy your company for a variety of reasons."

"You could've gone a bit heavier on the spices, for me," Okami told her, "but like you said... it's pretty darn good just as it is. And I don't want to be the party-pooper, but once we're done here, we've got a debriefing to do. Before the Arcasians get here."

"We will," Spark told her. "Charlie wasn't in on the run, but we can include her in what we found. Let's finish dinner and let it settle a little first, though."

And in the end, that's what they did. The group ended up lounging around the living room, sipping on drinks and talking.

"Okay, so anything jump out to either of you, before I start?" Spark asked Tonya and Okami.

"Several things, Jamie," Tonya told him. "Three of significant import, I estimate."

"Discarding the thermal venting from all the known installations," Okami told him, "I've got two."

"All I've got are a few unnaturally flat flat-spots in some of the crater lava flows. Like a disguised landing pad or something. Otherwise, no building or other unnatural outcroppings."

"Which one might expect, if they are trying to hide a dark lab's existence," Tonya pointed out.

"Well, I've got one unexplained thermal vent and one unexplained heat-sink. Or thermal hole, rather. Like it was being shielded."

"Where's the heat-sink?" Jamie asked and Okami projected an image to everyone sitting there.

"Eötvös Crater, south of Tsiolkovsky Crater," Spark commented aloud. "On the Far Side. One of the unusual flat spots in in Tsiolkovsky."

"Which also aligns with one of my gravitic anomalies," Tonya told them. "Eötvös Crater. A large null in the normal geomagnetic and gravitic pattern, as if shielding had been erected over a large space."

"Okay, so we've got a highly probable," Spark nodded. "Any others?"

"The heat vent is over in Mare Ingenii," Okami told him. "Not even close."

"And no anomalies there," Tonya added.

"Several flat spots, but nothing unusual," Spark confirmed. "So, do we think we have a target?"

"We should probably turn the Xeno Intelligence Group loose on chasing down what they can, while we attend to business here," the Professor suggested.

"Wish there was some way I could get inside and take a look around," Spark told him.

"And probably run into a bunch of Red ICE wanting to make your acquaintance," Okami pointed out.

"That's what the Professor's for," Spark smiled. "Our super-duper secret weapon."

"Our backup super-duper secret weapon," Okami told him, nodding towards Tonya.

"We can ask Maya's people to put surveillance on the site," Tonya commented, back to all business. "Once we can identify a shuttle or other conveyance used to access the site, we can look for associated dataplex connections, which may then be exploited to gain access. Until then, I believe Professor Lenox is right. We have business to attend to, in the morning. What is our schedule, Aayla?"

"We are using the same model as Virginia Beach and Penzance, ma'am," Aayla answered, and then, to Tonya's look, added, "I mean, Lizzie. The first Introduction Assembly is scheduled for 9 o'clock. It will be in the main Auditorium. All Second and Third shift personnel have been invited. There will be a second assembly after dinner, about 8 o'clock, for First shift and those Second and Third who could not make the first one. In between there will be a tour of part of Core, then Lunch, then a tour of the second part. Tours of the R&D and Testing Labs will be the following day, ending with tours of the Collectors. We will end the formal visit with an informal meet-and-greet after Dinner.

"You will then have your day of recovery before you travel to the next enclave, which I believe will be Rio."

"I'm glad it's getting easier as we go," Charlie told the group. "Maybe I'll have all the Admin channels categorized and sorted by the time we get to the last one."

The door chimed and Aayla went to answer it. As expected, it was Maya and two hermaphroditic she-devils. Or at least, that was Charlie's impression. And apparently, they came with some kind of aura that had her leaking within seconds.

Please, come in, Aayla thought to Maya and the Arcasians. We are relaxing informally in the living room. Please join us.

Silderian Ice Wine, right? Okami asked as she headed for the kitchen. Or would you prefer Arcasian Blood Wine? We have both...

Nothing for me, thanks, Maya thought. I'll let Hawk and Crystal speak for themselves. If you'd follow me? she thought to the new guests. Spark and the Professor were on their feet before their guests made it to the living room. Tonya chose to remain seated and Charlie followed her lead.

Spark remembered what Quint, the Arcasian Trade Rep, had told him back on Recensere... that they knew humans generally used handgrips for greeting, though the Arcasian preference was for embracing. A quick assessment told him the larger of two - the one with the red hair, talons and wings - would be the best to approach first. Sort of a dominance thing, though the other, with the purple hair, talons and wings, looked just as formidable. Both were hermaphroditic with well hung cocks and large quadruple breasts.

Hello, my name is Jamie McLeod, he addressed both of them while heading for the bigger one with open arms and hoping Tonya was on the ball. Welcome to our quarters.

As he stepped into the embrace with the Arcasian slightly taller than he was, he felt the surge of energy and thought, God, woman, I love you! to Tonya over the microband. The fellow he was embracing was visibly reacting... he was fully erect, though not ejaculating, and his respiration had shot up.

Greetings, and thank you, the Arcasian thought back, sounding surprised. I am Rubrum Accipiter Honoratus. Redhawk, or just Hawk, in your parlance.

Well met, Spark thought as he broke the hug with a nod and turned to the other Arcasian, arms open.

I am Hyacinthus Crystallus Honoratus, the other thought as he stepped into the embrace and Tonya surged the energy again with a similar effect - instant erection and increased respiration. Blue Crystal, or Crystal, in your parlance. It is good to meet you.

Definitely, Spark thought. If I may introduce the rest of our group? The other gentleman is Professor Lenox, who you may know by reputation. Next to him is his personal assistant, Charlie. On the other side is my wife, Lizzie, also a Trade Rep and coming up behind you is our third Rep, Okami, with a couple of choices in libations. I am sure you know Aayla, our liaison.

If you want to get comfortable, Okami thought to their guests, I have a selection here for you.

May I suggest the couch, here, the Professor spoke up, indicating the couch next to him. As Maya guided them over, Spark noticed the Professor opted to go with the handshake and could tell Tonya was keeping any kind of boost tamped down. Before the Arcasians were seated, though, Tonya stood up and moved over to greet them.

Oh, this oughta be good, Spark thought to himself as he watched Charlie get up and fall in behind Tonya.

I am very pleased to be able to meet you in these relaxed circumstances, Tonya thought to the pair as she approached. When I made the acquaintance of Quintus Exaltatus and Septimus Exaltatus on Recensere, it was more formal and business oriented. Jamie and Okami had more direct relations with the Arcasians. Tonya held her arms open to Hawk for a hug.

Here goes the neighborhood, Spark thought to himself as he watched. He was not disappointed.

Tonya and Hawk fell into the hug like familiar old friends... until Hawk suddenly stiffened and moaned.

"AHHH!!! Tháhnmàucuávutru!!!" Hawk was shaking and forcefully ejaculating all over himself and Tonya. And reminding Spark that their ejaculate was a sort of crystal green in color. And in copious amounts.

Man, that sounds familiar, Spark thought as he watched the Arcasian get his world rocked.

It is what Quint cried out on Recensere, Tonya's voice filled Spark's. I am not sure of the exact translation.

Leave some for me, he heard Charlie on the microband and smiled. Knowing Tonya, this was going to get interesting.

Hawk gradually came down from his high, breathing hard and quivering a bit. Maya stepped up next to him, gently taking his arm.

Would you care to sit down? she asked him, but Charlie interrupted before he could answer.

We certainly want our guests to be comfortable, and not discomfited, she thought. However, could I get a hug first? Maya simply moved out of the way.

Charlie stepped into the hug, partially propping up the recovering Arcasian. She didn't really intend to cause trouble. Tonya, on the other hand, couldn't resist.

Hawk moaned again, and Spark could see that he was ejaculating again, though not as forcefully. And Charlie was flushing... Spark presumed from the natural energy rush the Arcasians gave.

You are a wicked, wicked woman, wife, he thought to Tonya. I love it. Tonya just smirked.

Okay, wow!... Charlie thought. I mean, just, wow! Let me help you to the couch.

Hawk let himself be led over, where Aayla and Maya helped him sit while Charlie turned back to see Tonya approaching Crystal, who was still watching Hawk with curiosity.

You appear to be as powerful individually as your reputation as a Triad indicates, Crystal told Tonya as he opened his arms to welcome her.

Actually, we are not, Tonya smiled as she slid into the hug. Together, we can be much more... pleasing.

Tonya could feel the spike in interest ripple through the Arcasian. Husband, I have an idea I would like to try, con su permiso, she told him over the microband. However, it will mean you and the Professor being left out. And perhaps Aayla.

If you're talking about combinations and permutations, I don't have a problem with anything you decide. If Okami and Charlie are involved, make sure you get their permission first, Spark told her.

Fair enough, she thought back as she rocked Crystal's world.

He came. Hard. Full erection, full ejaculation and surprisingly, a spray of green milk from his four tits.

"Chúa ơi! Tôi đang phun trào! Tôi đang phun trào!" he cried out as he shook in Tonya's arms. Spark was starting to wonder if 'he' was the right pronoun. Maybe Crystal was 'she'. But he remembered that the Arcasians lumped all the genders together under ish, and that using the Solarian he or she was usually dependent on whose penis was in whom, as Quint had said.

When Tonya finally let him get some sanity back, she eased back in the hug and asked, I hope I did not discomfort you... you are the first Arcasian I have experienced who seemed to have a mammary letdown. Is that normal?

In... a moment... Crystal thought back. I... will explain...

Seeing Tonya relinquish Crystal, Charlie moved forward, but Okami got there first.

My turn, she thought to the others and Charlie held back, realizing Okami should have a chance at the experience.

This time I get to have a hug that isn't a sampling of my libido and driving me insane, Okami commented as she moved to take Tonya's place. Crystal had no idea what was about to hit him/her.

Oh! Your skin is so... you do have a very silken feeling, Crystal told her as they embraced. We had been told, of course, but words do not do the feeling justice...

That's when Tonya's imp let loose. But dialed back a bit, as she had with Charlie and Hawk.

Crystal moaned aloud as he/she shook, ejaculated and leaked all over Okami, who made sure to keep the Arcasian from falling.

You, too, are amazing... I am sorry for creating such a mess... Crystal told Okami when she calmed down.

Don't worry about it, Okami thought. Happens to me all the time... welcome to our home away from home. Would you like to sit?

Charlie and Maya didn't wait for Crystal's answer. They moved in on either side to assist the limp noodle to the couch, next to Hawk. Aalya brought towels and damp wipes for anyone who wanted them, then took a position to the side, in case anyone needed anything.

If that was Hello, Hawk thought as Okami presented the drinks tray to him, we Honoratus are severely outclassed... and woefully inadequate.

Hardly, Spark thought to him. I remember clearly the time we spent with your fellow Arcasians, on Recensere, and believe me - you give as good as you get. Although we may be slipping a little... he gave Tonya a look as he thought it... and perhaps we need to be more careful with our natural reactions...

Got it, husband, he heard on the microband. Will you accept, I just could not help myself?

In your case... he thought back, then left it dangling, turning his attention back to the Arcasians.

We do tend to be a randy bunch, he thought. I think there's a couple of things you should know, and then I have a couple of questions.

Certainly, Crystal answered. And this is excellent Blood Wine.

Thank you, Spark told him. The Triad you've heard about is my wife Lizzie, our companion Okami and me. When the three of us join in the metasphere, we appear to wield a lot of power. Within the Crescian Trade Federation, we want that to be a good thing... to bring physical and metaphysical pleasure to our allies, as well as financial and cultural benefit.

Charlie, I'd like to point out, isn't exactly a member of our Symbiote. But she seems to be interweaving her meta with ours in some interesting and synergistic ways. So even though she isn't a Trade Rep, she is getting to where she can pretty much hold her own, and can be quite enthusiastic. Which from my point of view is a good thing.

Spark could almost feel her blushing, though she wasn't saying anything.

Professor Lenox tends to be more removed from our shenanigans, Spark went on.

Shenanigans? Hawk asked.

Fun loving activities, often with sloppy impulse control, Tonya thought to him.

Ah! he nodded as he understood.

And of course, we never compel... we only invite, Spark told him. Your race's acumen with biophysics is phenomenal to we Solarians. Your help in the medical and life support areas of our Collectors has been awesome. I would like to ask a question about your terminology, if you don't mind.

Ask what you will, Hawk thought back.

We will try our best to answer, Crystal added.

Thank you, Spark nodded. When we were on Recensere, we first met Quint and Septi to arrange their help in extending Okami's and my life expectancies. We were told that they were formally Quintus Exaltatus and Septimus Exaltatus... the Fifth and Seventh Exalted. When we were working with your lab rats... excuse me, your laboratory technicians, they appeared to be referred to as Perfectum or Operarius. And now you are known as Honoratus. I am wondering if there is rhyme or reason to your naming conventions?

Oh, that is straightforward, Hawk told him. The members of our ruling oligarchy are titled Veneratus, or Revered in your Solarian Common. The next down on the social scale are the politicians and representative of our people, the Exaltatus, or Exalted as you point out. The next lower tier are the highly skilled professionals, the Honoratus, or Honored. The next lower tier are those like the 'lab rats' you mentioned, who would be skilled technicians and tradespeople, though less than the Honoratus. They would be the Perfectum, or Accomplished. Next down are the Working class... the unskilled or only minimally trained members of our society, who are nonetheless very contributory to our overall success. The are the Operarius, or Workers.

We have classifications for those lower than the Operarius, Crystal thought. Though as a society, we are always looking for ways to improve our people's lives and abilities to contribute to the general happiness. Unless you visit our homeworld, which you very well may, I would think, you are unlikely to meet any Arcasians of less than Operarius status.

Is there discrimination by rank? Okami interjected. Those treated less than, um... Arcasian, due to their status?

In a few areas, yes, Hawk told her, but in most areas, no. Basic respect is given to all of our people, regardless of status. Some deference is due to those higher in our social order, mostly in areas of management or other decision making. Overall, everyone is treated equally.

To use a Solarian analogy, there isn't any 'line cutting' by virtue of status. We strive to have equal opportunities for all. What one does with one's opportunities is up to the individual, Crystal explained.

Are there any taboos when it comes to mating? Spark asked. Not permitted to marry outside of status, or anything like that? Or do you even have marriage?

Bonding on our world can be a bit... complicated, Hawk told him. We tend to gravitate into pods of two or more, and within the pods the functions of reproduction, education, health care and mutual assistance are carried out. In your terms, it might be closest to a Group Marriage.

Does the fact that you have functioning mammaries mean you have borne children? Tonya asked Crystal.

In fact, yes, Crystal beamed. I said I would explain it later... I was - actually, I still am if I return to Arcas - a member of a pod and have born three children, who are being raised by the pod. I had to resign my duties to the pod in order to take this rare opportunity to travel and study a new civilization off-planet. However, ceasing to nurse does not cease the hormone production required for lactation. It becomes subdued, but not absent. Under extreme emotional and physical stimulation, I can 'let down' unexpectedly. And you must admit, you Solarian Trade Reps embody the spirit of 'extreme emotional and physical stimulation.'

"Amen," Spark said aloud.

Sooo... Charlie thought drawled... if one of us neophyte Solarians wanted to experience the Arcasian version of sex that Jamie, Lizzie and Okami are so keen on... what would one do? Would there be any problems? I mean, I'm only Operarius...

My dear, the Professor told her, you are hardly Operarius. You are at least Perfectum and well on your way to Honoratus. Charlie blushed at the praise.

We have no impediments to sharing pleasure, Hawk told her. Did you have something in mind?

Actually, yes, Tonya thought up. You are intrigued by the power of the Symbiote and we would like to share it with you. To do so, though, requires my husband and I, and Okami, to enter a trancelike state, to better focus our energies. We can then project it to whomever we choose, within our sphere of influence. Would you be interested in experiencing ultimate pleasure?

The two Arcasians looked at each other with the universal look of Silly Question... of course, we're interested!

Charlie, are you interested in a DP, as my husband is wont to call it? Tonya asked over the microband.

Are you kidding? Both of them?? At once??? But before Tonya could answer, Charlie thought yes! Yes! If you can do that stretchy thingie you did with the others, yes!

Tonya smiled and thought to the others, Charlie has been learning about xenological relations on many levels and would like to find out what Arcasian pleasuring feels like. So, if the three of you would care to lie down in the middle of the floor, we can demonstrate.

"You're gonna want a lot of bedding," Okami commented as she and Aalya trotted off to retrieve the same. It did not take long to create a comfortable nest for the three active participants.

Professor, you and Aayla may want to remove yourselves from the immediate vicinity, Tonya thought to them.

Oh, I think I'll just strip off and stay here, the Professor smiled. Your antics are always amusing. Although, a towel would be nice.

"May I stay?" Aayla asked aloud, but quietly. Tonya simply nodded.

As soon as the nest was ready, Charlie started stripping. Hawk and Crystal watched her with curiosity, and even more so when the Professor and Aayla began to disrobe as well. And finally, they watched as Spark and Tonya shed their clothes and joined Okami opposite the window wall.

Charlie walked up to first Hawk and then Crystal and took them by the hands, guiding them over to the nest.

This is my cue to beat a hasty retreat or I'll miss my meeting, Maya thought. They know how to get back to their quarters from here, if need be. Don't forget you've got your morning kick-off.

Hang on a second, Spark thought to her, then went over to give her a hug. Tonya and Okami were right behind him. Goodbyes given, Maya let herself out as the three Solarians returned to their guests.

Charlie was standing between the two Arcasians.

Do you mind if I touch you? she thought to them.

That is the point, is it not? Crystal smiled.

I mean, explore you... like touch you, um... everywhere.

As stated... Hawk smiled, then reached forward to run one of his taloned hands gently from her cheek, down her throat, to her nipple... then removed his hand. Charlie felt like her tit was going to explode.

"Oh, my God, that's intense!" she moaned aloud, then tried to concentrate on her telepathy.

That was... very... very intense, she told them, then reached out to do the same to Hawk, who inhaled sharply and closed his eyes slightly as she did. When she took away her hand, it was only to turn and do the same tracing of the skin with Crystal, eliciting a very similar reaction.

You two have the most amazing skin, Charlie thought in awe. Smooth but tingly at the same time and I can feel your energy pouring into my nethers when I touch you. And the Triad hasn't even started to exert their influence.

We find the same with you, Crystal told her. Your skin is very soft, but with firm muscle beneath... I suspect you are much stronger than you look.

Well, we're going to find out, aren't we? Charlie smiled.

Jamie? Okami? Would you care to join me in establishing the Triad? Tonya thought to Spark and Okami. And Charlie? You and our guests are more likely to be comfortable lying down and doing what comes naturally. It will take us a bit to mesh and you may as well enjoy yourselves the 'old fashioned way' while we do.

Oh... yeah... Charlie smiled, taking Hawk and Crystal by the hands and sinking down onto the nest, drawing them with her.

Spark, Tonya and Okami joined hands in their usual ritual and began their chant... the soft Om Mani Padme Hum filling the room and spreading a feeling of peace and contentment... for a bit.

Do you kiss? Charlie thought to the two sexy Arcasians now lying on either side of her and turning her on like crazy.

Osculation? Crystal thought back. Yes, the pressing of lips can be very satisfying.

Good, Charlie thought and leaned into the exotic purple haired creature at her side and drew Crystal in to osculate. And boy, did she osculate! It was a matter of seconds before the two of them were into some heavy Frenching and Charlie was discovering just how exciting Crystal's forked, pliant and long tongue was.

I believe Charlie is... off to the races? Tonya thought on the microband to Spark and Okami. Shall we let her run for awhile on her own?

Probably a good idea, Spark thought back. The more cranked she is naturally, the better. The Arcasians, too, for that matter. But you might want to start stretching her pussy and ass because at the rate she's going, all Heaven is going to break loose once you nuke her.

I already am, husband, Tonya answered. It seemed prudent.

They kept up the low, gentle hum while they watched Hawk slide a hand to Charlie's breast while moving his mouth to her neck. However he was kissing her, it definitely got her attention. Her back arched up as leaned back into him, drawing Crystal with her. Crystal wasn't being all that passive, either. She slid a hand down Charlies abdomen to her mons and paused there a moment.

This is about the point where they're filling her with energy, Okami commented on the microband. She's not going to last long.

Let her have a few natural cums, Spark decided. Before we start tipping the scales.

As you wish, husband, Tonya thought back.

Okami was right. Charlie didn't last long.

"MmfknGD!!!" Her voice, muffled by Crystal's kiss, exploded and everyone in the room had a really good idea about what had just happened.

Apparently, Charlie was well aware of both bodies pressing up against her, even through her crashing orgasm. She kept passionately kissing Crystal, but slid her hand down to fondle his tits, and then on down to his cock where she began a rhythmic stroking - which from his reaction went straight to his libido. And she hadn't forgotten about Hawk, either. She slid her other hand down, brushing his tits and playing with his nipples a little, before sliding down the rest of the way, to encircle and start stroking his cock.

That's impressive, Okami thought. She can still think.

I'm not sure she's thinking, Spark told her, which elicited Charlie letting go of Hawk, raising her hand in Spark's direction and giving him the middle finger salute before returning to stroking Hawk.

Or, maybe she is... he amended. Okay, I'm impressed.

May I have a little fun, husband? Tonya asked on the microband. Spark just shrugged. She was going to do what she wanted to do regardless. That was the point where both Arcasians came, hard, spurting their bright green semen everywhere... all over Charlie and themselves, and some on to the bedding...

And in the middle, Charlie was writhing in orgasmic ecstasy. Over and over and over. Her capacity to be multiorgasmic was increased orders of magnitude when Tonya nuked her.

The three kept writhing and moaning and shaking as their combined libidos crashed against each other, only to bounce back and create another wave, like surf pounding on the shore. After a bit, Tonya decided to let them come down before the Triad made their presence obvious. She wasn't counting on Charlie's innate love of all things sexual.

When Charlie got her self-control back, she surprised all of her human companions. With a low growl, she rolled over on top of Crystal, who she was already mostly facing, straddled him, lined up on his overlarge and still very erect member and impaled herself to the root.

"Oh, my fucking GOD!" she cried out as she hit bottom. Using telepathy was nowhere near whatever thought processes she had left. "Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God!" she kept crying out as she rocked up and down on Crystal's shaft.

Without Charlie holding him down, Hawk was now free to respond at the very animalistic level driving the three of them. He crawled over and onto his knees behind Charlie, then reached down and lifted Crystal's thighs. All of the Solarians, except Charlie, watched in utter amazement as his foot long cock began to swell and thicken... until it burst into two distinct, and large, penises.

Well, that's one I didn't know about, Spark thought to the others as he watched.

Neither did I, Tonya told him.

I wonder what he's going to... Okami started, then paused. Hawk unceremoniously pushed one of his cocks into Crystal's vagina and the other into Charlie's anus.

To say both his victims exploded would be an understatement. Charlie and Crystal yelled their pure animal passion into the night as Hawk bellowed his... and came in both of them, simultaneously. Or that's what Spark presumed, based on the copious green fluid erupting from Crystal's pussy and Charlie's ass. And not one of them showed any sign of slowing down.

I am seldom surprised, husband, Tonya told Spark on the microband. Charlie is astounding me. I have used my abilities to help her stretch and to increase her stamina and recovery, but not by much. That is mostly her.

Are you kidding??? Okami came back. Seriously???

I do not kid, Tonya told her. Charlie's libido is driving most of what we are seeing.

You can keep her from hurting herself, right? Spark asked.

Yes, and I am, Tonya told him. I am considering a medium sized nuke to drain Charlie. I estimate I will also mostly drain the Arcasians. However, their recovery rate is very high.

Okay, Plan B, Okami told them. If Crystal can pop a second dick, then you wipe out Charlie, I'll take one of the Arcasians and you take the other, and we DP ride them into the sunset. We do have to get some sleep tonight.

Husband?

Okay, let's do it, Spark decided. Once Charlie is sated and out of the way, we can 'use the Triad' to quick-recover our guests, then you and Okami finish them off.

And that became the plan.

Libido nuke in three... two... one...

The combined voices of Charlie, Hawk and Crystal rang off the walls as they climaxed in unison, thrusting and spurting and clawing and shaking like an organic earthquake, until after several minutes of non-stop orgasm, Charlie's eyes rolled up and she started passing out. That's when Tonya eased up and let them collapse into a pile of quivering protoplasm, as Spark was wont to say.

* * * * *

A barely conscious Charlie was curled up with Aayla, who was encourage her to sip from a bottle of fortified water, while Tonya was monitoring the comatose forms of Hawk and Crystal before her. Okami wasn't as wiped out as Charlie, but she was close. She and Tonya had executed Plan B and this was the aftermath.

The Professor and Spark were sitting at the dining table, sipping on drinks and nibbling on munchies while the women recovered.

"I must admit," the Professor told Spark aloud, but quietly. "I have been woefully ignorant about the possibilities inherent in Xeno-relations. I suppose even I am never too old to learn something."

"We're all learning, Professor," Spark told him. "Everyday there's something different. But watching Charlie unleash her Force of Nature side, followed by Lizzie and Okami taking out the Arcasians... just incredible..."

After Charlie had passed out, the Triad had paused their chanting and Tonya allowed a break in the libido stream while they moved Charlie away from their supine guests and got her as comfortable as possible on one of the couches. Then Tonya turned to the Arcasians.

I hope you have found your experiences with us, so far, to be satisfactory, she thought to them. When you are sufficiently recovered, we have a couple of questions for you.

Ask, Crystal simply told her, obviously well exercised.

The first question is, would you care to experience more of our combined talents?

There's more? Hawk asked in surprise.

Oh, yes, Tonya told him. We can engage in physical stimulation while maintaining our link. If you are interested, Okami and I would like to experience your very unusual and attractive diphallic attributes. We are supposing that Crystal can also manifest two penises.

Yes, I can, Crystal managed to reply. Although I must admit... what we have experienced so far goes a long way to confirming the truth of Quint and Septi's assessments, rather than being considered flights of imagination. And you are far, far beyond our meager capabilities.

Will we survive another engagement with the Triad? Hawk asked with what was probably a wry smile. We do have a mission to accomplish here.

Oh, yeah, you'll survive, Okami told them. We like you. And we, too, have work in the morning. Would you be offended if I just want to go ass up, shoulders down, and have one of you pound me to cosmic oblivion with your two dicks?

Cosmic oblivion? Crystal asked.

A sense of being fully sated, Tonya clarified. I, too, am interested in the same. If it meets with your approval.

Crystal and Hawk rose up on their elbows and looked at each other.

Could we rehydrate a bit, first? Hawk asked and Aayla was there with water before he finished asking the question. When the two had gotten to their knees and quenched their thirst, Crystal turned to Tonya and Okami.

Shall we? he asked.

We shall! Okami thought back, then headed to the middle of the room, got on her hands and knees and did as she'd said... assumed the position, ass up, shoulders down. Even Spark wasn't jaded enough to miss seeing how sexy she looked. It looked even better when Tonya joined her a few seconds later.

Husband, she thought so all could hear, will you help keep our link engaged while Okami and I sample these wonderful new friends?

As you wish, he thought back. It's still running from before. Tonya nodded so the others could see, then turned her attention to getting laid.

And that is how Spark and the Professor got to witness an amazing display of prowess, stamina and recovery - probably orchestrated by Tonya - as Spark counted at least four full blown orgasms for the Arcasians and only Tonya knew how many for her and Okami as the two women took the Arcasians to the point of passing out.

I am replenishing their energy as best I can, Tonya thought to the two men at the table, on the microband. They are very complex creatures. In about an hour, they should be ready to return to their quarters. Charlie and Okami may need a bit of a boost as well, although I think that as soon as our guests are gone, we should all go for 'toes up time', as you like to call it, husband.

Sounds like a plan, Spark told her. Would it be better if you just slept with Charlie and Okami tonight? We can regroup at breakfast.

If that is acceptable to you, husband. I do not wish to short-change you.

Oh, trust me, you're not shorting me on anything, Spark told her. We can put all the soiled bedding in a pile for Housekeeping tomorrow. You do what you need to do and don't worry about me.

As you wish, Tonya smiled back to him with the obvious tease.

And so it was that the Arcasians recovered enough to navigate to their quarters unaided, after thorough thank-you's and hugs goodbye and so forth, and Spark, Tonya and Aalya got Charlie and Okami to bed while the Professor did some tidying up, and in the end, everyone crashed out until the alarms went off in the morning.

* * * * *

Based on how Hawk and Crystal looked this morning, Maya told the Solarians as they met near the Auditorium, I was expecting bright-tailed and bushy-eyed. But you folk look marvelous.

Good genetics, Spark told her with a straight face.

And Lizzie, Okami added, then paused as she saw Thomas Kincaid, Chief Admin for the Enclave, approaching them.

"Greetings, Thomas," the Professor called to him as he approached earshot. "How are you this fine morning?"

"Quite well, thank you, Professor," he told them. "And just about ready for Showtime. As I understand it, I'll be doing the standard introduction and you'll take turns with your bits. I believe it's Jamie, then Lizzie, then Okami, correct? And you, Professor, if you want, and Charlie."

And I do not mean to disrespect you, Maya, he thought to her. Old habits and all.

Feel free to interact as you choose, Mr. Kincaid, she thought back. I will be heading out in a moment, anyway. I have a meeting with your data transcription people. My friends, I would love to join you for dinner any evening you have free and are not exhausted. Just let me know. She smiled and held up her P-com. I really hope the Crescian R&D get their version working soon!

You are welcome anytime you choose to join us, Maya, Tonya told her. Any time. And now, I believe we need to go 'wow' them, as someone put it.

I'll see you around, Maya smiled, then turned to Kincaid. Sir... she nodded his direction, then headed off.

"Okay, folks, if you'd follow me, let's... 'wow' them..."

* * * * *

The next three days were predictable and getting comfortably routine. The Day 1 assemblies and the tour of Core, the Day 2 tours of the R&D and Testing labs and the Day3 tour of the Collectors and the Dock area. Rum Point only had three Collectors and they were the Corvus (Crow), the Columba (Dove) and the Pavo (Peacock). They chose the Columba to tour and were heartily welcomed by Captain Jeanine Schmidt and her crew.

"I wonder if she's any relation to the Chief?" Spark wondered to the others quietly as they walked along.

Each evening, Maya joined them for dinner, but they had no more interactions with other Xenos. They got to their rest day and found they had little pressure on them... a very welcome surprise.

"I don't know about you guys, but I've always wanted to dive the Caribbean," Charlie told them at breakfast. "I wonder if there's some tour group I could hook up with on short notice?"

"I will inquire," Aayla told her and set about doing exactly that. The result was even more surprising.

"Mr. Kincaid would like to join you this morning," Aayla came back to the table to tell them. "If you don't mind."

"Why would we mind?" Spark asked. "It's his joint. We're the interlopers."

"Because he has a lot of respect for your special position in our endeavors, Jamie," the Professor told him. "But by all means, Aayla, invite him. And ask him how he likes his coffee... but I would bet he says black."

Aayla hurried off as the others turned back to discussing the fact that they hadn't heard anything more about what was going on with the Moon activity.

"It took them over five years to build me, pulling together the best and the brightest they could convince or coerce into working on the project. And I was not the only AI project going on at the time," Tonya told the group. "Two were completed before me, but each had a fatal flaw which caused their disassembly. Even though they had very large amounts of already completed research at their disposal, they were still essentially starting from scratch. That will not be the case this time.

"They have all the records from my construction and I estimate that they will be able to reduce the time necessary to two years. Perhaps less. I believe we have very little time in which to sabotage them."

"Well, for you to screw them up and us remain safe, we're going to need a datapath into their lab," Spark pointed out. "Once we have that, we can fuck them up from a distance. If there is no usable external path, it's going to mean boots on the ground, and we will have a huge exposure."

"I am aware of that, Jamie," Tonya answered. "I simply do not have an answer at this time and it is very frustrating."

"Hey, I'm with you," Okami told her, "but I'm also willing to wait and see what Maya's team comes up with before we hang it out there to get shot off."

Tonya sighed, and it was a very human sigh. "I know..." she told Okami in a much softer tone. "I will need to distract myself somehow."

"Oh, God..." Spark muttered into his coffee. "There goes the Enclave..." Tonya obviously heard him because she simply looked at him, smiled slightly and shook her head.

The sound of the door chiming had Aayla up and headed for it before anyone else could stir. It was Kincaid, in tropical casuals.

"Greetings! I hope I'm not interrupting," he told the group as Aayla brought him over.

"Not at all, Captain," Spark told him. "How do you take your coffee?"

"Black," Kincaid answered as he sat at the table. Spark reached in his pocket and pulled out a 5-cred and handed it to the Professor.

"Military or not," he told the Professor, "I was betting sugar." The Professor just laughed and pocketed the cred as Aayla delivered a mug of hot coffee to Kincaid.

"So I heard that Charlie wants to go diving..." the Captain started.

"On something other than a muff," Okami commented, getting a laugh from Kincaid.

"Well, I have an offer for her and anyone that would like to come along..."

"I'm pretty sure my answer is yes," Charlie told him, "but what's the offer?"

"That we take out one of the dragonflies, do some swimming, snorkeling and diving, maybe out by Stingray City or USS Kittiwake. Or maybe make the run to Little Cayman and dive the Bloody Bay Wall. And if you want, we could picnic somewhere along the way."

Charlie was staring at him.

"Did I say something wrong?" he asked as he noticed.

"Please tell me you'll trade for sex," she told him, "because I don't think I've got enough cash on hand to afford that kind of dream trip." Kincaid looked confused.

"Why would I charge you anything?" he asked. "You're part owner of all this hardware... it would be nice to give it a little exercise. Was there something specific you wanted?" Okami choked on her coffee.

"A day with you being my dive guide," Charlie told him. "And a night where we flip roles."

Kincaid chuckled and shook his head. Spark got the impression he wasn't taking her seriously. Which could be a mistake. But he kept his mouth shut.

"Since I thought you might be interested, I've got the crews prepping one of our 'Flys," he told her. "Although I don't know if we've got a wetsuit that'll fit you..." He was eyeing her massive chest.

"Don't sweat the suit, Captain," she told him. "I don't mind diving starkers as long as the harness is comfortable. But that does remind me. I ought to see if I can score something stretchy while we're here. Just to have."

"If you want to give Aayla your measurements, I'm sure she can rustle up something while we're gone," he told her. "Anyone else interested?"

"As much as the idea intrigues me," the Professor told him, "I believe I'll pass. I'm a little too long in the tooth for that kind of adventure." Charlie looked like she was going to object, then thought better of it.

"Me and water don't do so well together, especially me under it," Okami pointed out. "And most scuba gear doesn't fit me. So I'll take a pass, too. Besides, I want to do a little surreptitious dataplex running."

"You interested Jamie?" Charlie asked. "Lizzie? It's going to be awesome..."

Tonya took a quick look at Spark before she told Charlie, "I think it is an adventure I would like."

"Okay, I'm in," Spark told her. "But I don't dive naked except in extremis, so I'll be borrowing a wetsuit, Captain."

"Excellent," he smiled. "Aayla? Will you be joining us?"

"Thank you, Sir, but no," she told him. "My duties here will keep me busy."

"Okay," he nodded. "Then whenever you three are ready to go, we can head out."

There was a quick scramble while Spark, Tonya and Charlie rearranged what they were taking with to keep it simple and minimal, then they joined Capt. Kincaid on what turned out to be a fantastic excursion.

* * * * *

"This is one of our 'Flys," Kincaid was telling them as they stood in the Collector pens. "You've seen them in their cradles in the boats. I've got this one out of the water to start so I can explain a few things."

In front of them, suspended over the water in a cradle, was the "Fly", or Dragonfly... as Mister Murphy had told them at Virginia Beach, the techies who designed it were big fans of the Dragonspy DLX. The Captain explained about both the dorsal and ventral hatches, both being airlocks, and how the seating was laid out. He covered the thrusters in the articulated wings and the extendable front legs that could act as waldoes.

"I'm going to have them put her in the water and we'll enter dorsally. Charlie, you can ride up front with me and you, Jamie and Lizzie, can take the rear seats which have their own porthole bubbles. Normally, the boat's engineer is behind and between the pilot and co-pilot, but that seat doesn't have much of a view. There's actually a small galley I'll show you once we're aboard, and a couple of flip-down bunks, plus a head.

"The Fly is designed for extended excursions, and we can send out two pilot / co-pilot crews. They can alternate shifts without too much stress. These may look small, but between the Vegans, Regulans and Arcasians, they are incredibly comfortable. Let's get aboard."

He signaled some of the dock crew and they lowered the Dragonfly into the water, keeping it moored to the quay. The Captain helped his three guests aboard and showed them the facilities he'd mentioned. He went over the various controls and where the emergency gear was, in case they needed to abandon ship.

Throughout this, Spark was soaking it all in and he knew Tonya was, too. Charlie was enraptured.

"This is just so cool!" she gushed as Kincaid guided her to the copilot's station.

"Okay, just a heads up," he told them as they settled in. "Once we're under way, the headsets won't be necessary. They're for use with our port control. Thanks to the Vegans, this unit is nearly silent. If you want to listen in, feel free. Otherwise, I'm going to get us exit clearance and head on out."

Nobody had a problem with him just taking charge, so they sat back in their contoured chairs and just marveled. Kincaid got in touch with whatever controller he needed to and got permission to exit. The dockhands cast them off and Kincaid moved them out into the slip.

"As you know, we're actually below sea level," he told them as they approached the force field. "So we're going to submerge to transition to the ocean. It's a lot easier on the boat. We couldn't take the Collectors into the bay because it's too shallow. So we built an underwater tunnel from here to the ocean."

'Silent' was an understatement. There was no sound of the water lapping up over them, or cavitation from the thrusters, or any other sound beyond those in the submersible as they sank below the surface of the slip and moved through the force field into the waters of the tunnel, dimly lit by rows of lights giving it an eerie look. It took a few minutes, but eventually they reached the tunnel mouth. In the slip and tunnel, the walls had been concrete with piping and other fixtures. In the ocean, an entire world opened up.

"Wow..." was Charlie's simple observation as they cleared the pens and she saw the wall of rock and coral and sea life come into sharp focus and the bottom falling rapidly away. The depth gauge in front of her said they were at 60 meters as they exited the tunnel.

"We've got to come out this deep because the Collectors need the clearance," Kincaid told them as he gently turned the 'Fly parallel to the wall. "The sea floor falls away to about a kilometer fairly quickly, but most of the dive spots are 10-15 meters or less. Once we're clear of harbor traffic, I'll bring us up to about 10 meters and get closer to shore."

Tonya, Spark and Charlie were impressed. None had seen the world from this vantage point and for Tonya especially, the rush of new data was thrilling. Her creators may have crammed her with as much knowledge as they could, but they had no way to anticipate or provide this world view.

All sorts of marine life abounded. On the short run to Deep Stingray City, they were amazed to see Nurse Sharks and Sea Turtles, Octopus and all kinds of fish, like Parrot fish, Grouper, Lionfish, French Angel Fish and more. And of course, the Stingrays.

"I don't have the draft to take us to the Sandbar," Kincaid explained as he eased them into much shallower water with a sandy bottom. "But we can dive out here. It's about 4 meters where the stingrays are."

"You know, it's weird," he added thoughtfully after a moment. "After the war, the marine biosphere was the fastest to recover, but native habitats got all mixed up. Those Groupers we went by? Normally, they'd only be over by Little Cayman. Now, they're everywhere. And the stingrays? Scattered after the war, but they've returned. Theory is, they learned to congregate where the fishermen would clean their catches. Guess they remember."

"I'm going to park us on the bottom," he told them as he slowed and sank. "I don't want to advertise our boat any more than necessary. We can still exit ventrally and swim over. Once we're down, everybody come on back and we'll gear up."

Spark hadn't been diving in years and Tonya was a novice... although one who learned very quickly, especially under the Captain's tutelage. Charlie, on the other hand, took to diving like the proverbial fish to water. They got instruction on how to exit and enter via the wetlock and had an awe-inspiring time swimming with the rays. Captain Kincaid had brought bags of chum to feed them, by hand, and absolutely blew Charlie's mind.

Of course, he was having a hard time keeping his attention off how incredibly beautiful a naked Charlie looked, swimming with the stingrays. If she hadn't needed the scuba gear, she could have been one of the mythical mermaids, enticing sailors to their doom. When he finally called time, she reluctantly returned to the 'Fly.

"That was as good as sex," she pronounced as they stripped out of their gear. "Maybe better. I've never felt that complete in my life!"

"You're welcome," the Captain smiled. "You want to drive us to the Kittiwake?" Charlie just stared at him. Again.

"You can do it, you know," he reassured her, figuring she was feeling hesitant. "Just follow my instructions."

"You've got a deal, Sir!" she exclaimed as she hung up her harness, grabbed a towel and didn't bother putting clothes on. Instead, she headed straight for the co-pilot's station. Kincaid just smiled, shook his head and followed her.

Charlie's having the time of her life, Spark commented to Tonya on the microband.

And she deserves it, Tonya agreed. I, too, am finding myself amazed. I am very glad Charlie wanted to go diving today.

Ditto, Spark thought back. Want to bet the Captain gets his ashes hauled tonight?

Ashes hauled? Tonya asked. Apparently an idiom she didn't know.

His brains fucked out, Spark clarified.

Ah. Yes. I would bet that he will. And I will help, if she wants. Although I suspect, after her experience with the Arcasians, that she will be fine all on her own.

Just remember tomorrow is a travel day, Spark reminded her. We're heading to Rio.

I have not forgotten, husband, she told him and he could hear the smile in her thought.

They eased into their seats as the Captain was finishing giving Charlie instruction on how to use the navigational computer to augment manually piloting the craft, or run completely on autopilot. He settled back in his seat and told her, "you have the Conn, Number One."

Charlie smiled, took hold of the yoke and told the others, "make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their upright and locked positions...", then gently lifted the 'Fly off the seabed.

Spark knew Charlie was sharp. She'd been excellent as his junior Comm officer and even better as the Professor's assistant. It seemed she had an aptitude for things technical and she was proving it by piloting them around the northwest end of the island and down to the USS Kittiwake dive site.

He and Tonya could feel the happiness coming off her... and when Charlie was happy, she was also usually horny. They weren't missing that, either.

The view of the ocean from beneath it, in crystal clear waters, was breathtaking. Charlie kept them outside the 5 meter drop-off and usually down around 10 meters. She made sure to skirt the other popular dive sites and stay out of the divers' way. When her Nav-comm said she was approach the site of the intentional wreck, she slowed to 5kph or less, and then down to a crawl as the wreck came into view.

"Let's park it and swim over," Kincaid suggested, so Charlie settled them on the seabed. They could see other divers and marker buoys in the area, so Charlie kept them well outside their range.

"We could just hover at about 10 meters," Kincaid pointed out, "but there's less chance of drawing attention if we go deeper. It won't be too bad a transition at 20 meters. And by the way, we've got plenty of underwater reconnaissance gear aboard, if you want to take a camera or three along. The Kittiwake was a sub tender with a pretty distinguished record before she was decommissioned. The Island government at the time bought her to intentionally sink her for a dive site. Since then, the sea life has taken to her like crazy. I think you'll like her."

He was pretty spot on. Spark, Tonya and especially Charlie were enthralled by the vastly different landscape - or seascape - that was revealed as they swam in, around and through the old ship. They were sharing the space with other divers, mostly from guided tour groups, and after awhile it dawned on them that Charlie was making a whole different set of memories for the other divers. Even through the others' masks, they could see the staring. A naked Charlie fearlessly diving the wreck was impressive in a number of ways. In general, Spark, Tonya and Charlie ignored them.

The other thing that set them apart was the lack of double-tank or triple-tank setups. All four were using a small device that looked more like a very small rebreather than full scuba. Kincaid had explained that they were developed as a cooperative effort between the Solarians, the Vegans and the Arcasians. The gas purification and oxygen production/injection systems were good to over 5 kilometers - far more than anyone not in a hard suit would be diving. They also had a service life of almost 24 hours. Otherwise, they acted very much like a standard rebreather.

So the four of them were quite a bit more maneuverable submerged. Altogether, they spent nearly two hours exploring the ship - including finding out that several moray eels had taken up residence, along with a small school of barracuda. When Tonya sensed that Spark and Charlie were getting a little tired, she suggested taking a break and the others agreed.

They returned to their boat, got out of their gear and resumed their seats. That's when Kincaid suggested they grab a snack and rehydrate before heading to Little Cayman and the Bloody Bay Wall. They could picnic afterwards and then call it a day, giving the Solarians and chance to actually rest before heading out for Rio in the morning.

That met with everyone's approval and Kincaid got to show off the mini-galley. He also pointed out the flip-down bunks in case anyone wanted to nap on the way over to Little Cayman. Spark, Tonya and Charlie all figured the comfortable seats would be fine for relaxing and after getting their snacks and drinks sorted, they headed out. Kincaid put Charlie back in command of the 'Fly and she was loving it, especially when they got out into deep water... the eerie blue light around them and the lack of any visible bottom was strangely familiar.

"You know, except for the fish and dolphins and like that, this is kinda like space," she commented as they moved silently through the water. "It's really kind of cool..." Spark had to agree... it definitely had a high Cool Factor.

They'd found out the 'Fly had a top end, submerged, of about 55 knots, and that was without relying on supercavitation. That was about double that of a nuclear submarine and about the same as a standard torpedo.

"It's about 150 kilometers or so to Little Cayman," Kincaid told them as they started off, "so it'll be about an hour and a half to get there, in case you want to nap."

"I'm too jazzed up to nap," Charlie told him. "I am absolutely lovin' being in charge of this beastie..."

"I think I'll just zone out a bit," Spark decided. "A little meditative relaxation. Let me know when we get there." Then he added on the microband, Lizzie? If you wanted to do some of your combo relaxation / healing stuff, it would be appreciated.

As you wish, husband, she answered and he soon felt her calming, healing energy flowing into him.

* * * * *

Some time later, probably the hour and a half Kincaid had mentioned, Spark felt a warm presence in his mind.

We are coming up on the Bloody Bay Wall, husband. Time to rise to consciousness. Captain Kincaid has a suggestion for us to discuss...

Spark swam to the surface of his consciousness and found himself pretty much right where he'd been, with deep blue surrounding him and Charlie piloting the boat.

"So what's up, Captain?" he asked. "You have a suggestion?" Kincaid smiled slightly. He knew how the meta communications could work.

"Yes, actually," he told the three others. "Bloody Bay Wall is hugely popular as a dive site. So I was thinking that rather than run into people, I could show off some of the capabilities of our 'Fly and give you a view few people ever get to see."

"You've got my attention," Spark told him. "What do you have in mind?"

"To dive the wall with the 'Fly instead of swimming it. The practical depth limit for most recreational diving is about 40 meters, with most people staying above 30 and usually above 20. The wall descends to about 2000 meters. This 'Fly can handle that depth, no problem. I thought we could descend the wall with lights on and give you a look at a world most people don't see."

"Hey, I'm for it!" Charlie told him. "But you're taking over pilot again. I'm not that comfortable, in case something goes wrong."

"I think it sounds interesting," Tonya told him.

"Sure, let's do it," Spark concurred. And so began an experience they would remember for a very long time.

Captain Kincaid took the 'Fly down to about 100 meters... far below where they would run into any divers... then moved in close to the wall, turning on the submersibles observation lights.

"We're still in the euphotic or sunlight zone," he explained. "Enough sunlight penetrates to make photosynthesis possible. At about 200 meters, we'll transition into the dysphotic or twilight zone. Photosynthesis isn't possible and what light there is diminishes rapidly. When we get down to a kilometer, we get to the aphotic zone where there isn't any light, other than bioluminescence. That's where the giant squid dwell..."

Spark wasn't sure if he was teasing them or not, but the idea of confronting a Kraken or whatever in the relatively small sub wasn't particularly appealing.

"But don't worry," Kincaid smiled. "They don't like the tropics very much."

There wasn't much conversation as he took them through the different zones and they witnessed a wide variety of sea life simply going about its daily business as they intruded and cruised through. Two hours later, he asked them if anybody was hungry, yet, which broke them out of an almost reverent trance to realize that yes, they were hungry.

"I've got just the spot to picnic," he told them and began returning them to the surface. He took them around the north and east sides of the island until he got to a small inlet where he moored the 'Fly on the surface. As the others exited, they saw a small tiki hut, picnic tables, a barbeque grill and deserted pink sand in every direction.

"If you folk want to help carry," Kincaid told them as they got out, "I've come prepared." He handed up two large coolers and a duffel which the others took on down to the beach. "Point of Sand Beach," he told them. "Let's go over to the hut and I'll get a late lunch set up."

It turned out he really had come prepared. Charcoal to fire up the grill, chicken, sausages and fish for grilling, fruits and veggies to go with and ice cold beverages. And through it all, Charlie definitely looked in her element. In fact, Tonya decided that going naked looked very nice and simply stripped off, walking with Charlie to look at the shallows of the crystal clear water.

"Two very lovely ladies," Kincaid told Spark as he tended the grill. "You're a very lucky man, Mr. McLeod."

"First off, it's Jamie," Spark told him. "To my friends, and I consider you one of them. Secondly, you could be, too."

"I could be what, too?" Kincaid asked and Spark realized it was going over his head.

"Both those lovely ladies find you very attractive," Spark spelled it out. "Handsome, experienced, definitely an Alpha kind of guy... I'm sure both of them would love to boff your brains out if you wanted. But you're going to have to want it... they won't start anything and they won't be pushy."

Kincaid was quiet for awhile, obviously thinking, and Spark left him to his thoughts. Eventually, though, the Captain looked over to Spark and cocked his head, marshalling his thoughts.

"You know, I find Charlie... exhilarating," he told Spark. "She's so incredibly full of life... it kind of flows off her... and if I thought she'd be interested in an old guy like me, especially since she's running with you and your wife, and Okami... well, I think I'd be lucky to survive her. But, McLeod... Jamie... when it comes to Lizzie... you wife Lizzie... she's some kind of... well, rumor has it she's some kind of Sex Goddess. In fact, it's pretty well established that to be the Solarian Reps to the Crescian Trade Federation you all have to be something beyond mere mortals."

Spark laughed, which at minimum confused the Captain.

"Captain... Tom, if I may... you're letting the advance PR get in your way. Believe it or not, we're not into the whole power trip. We've stumbled into a wonderful life with people we want to spend it with. Charlie's definitely interested in you... you just blew her mind making a dream come true beyond anything she thought was possible. Come on back with us for dinner tonight... I'm sure she'd love to show you her appreciation.

"And as far as Lizzie goes... she's her own woman. She's as much into enjoying life as Charlie is, but with better impulse control. She, too, finds you intriguing and I'll tell you what... so do I. Probably for different reasons. I was told you're an ex-sub driver - though after today's tour, I don't think there's any ex- to it. What did you skipper?"

Kincaid looked thoughtful for a moment, then realized he needed to turn the meat.

"I was commanding the USS Norfolk, SSN-815, after the shit hit the fan," he told Spark softly. "One of the shortest and most devastating wars ever fought." He took a breath and let it out. "That was sixty-plus years ago. I was 7 and lucky enough to be living on a farm in Nebraska. Everything was chaos and we had our share of panicked people trying to escape the holocaust. We learned early on to protect ourselves, our stock and our land. It took ten years of lawlessness and turmoil before people began to unite and recover. And strangely enough, it was the military that were the leaders... at least on our continent. The ones who weren't killed got good at surviving, and then teaching others to survive. As the different factions came together there was a need for young men - and women - to join up and I got fascinated by a chance to go to sea.

"The Navy was using their surviving ships as mobile power plants, water purification units and medical centers, plus hauling cargo and suppressing piracy and the occasional Warlord that tried to fill the vacuum. I picked the Submarine Service and got fast-tracked. I was pretty good at learning everything they threw at me. I made it to CPO and then through OCS in record time. I was probably the youngest Captain in the fleet at that time. I got the Norfolk for my thirtieth birthday present. Fresh to command, eager to prove myself... we were assigned to what used to be COMSUBGRU 7 in the Pacific. Ended up all over the place, from China to Chile to Canada and everything in between. We did a lot of search and rescue, but most of the larger urban areas had been obliterated.

"You ever read Shute's story On The Beach? Well, it felt a lot like that... every man on my boat had lost family to the war, one way or another. The juntas kept pushing us in different directions, supporting or suppressing incursions and revolutions, while the political realignments got worked out. It got sorted pretty quickly, I suppose. At least for some of the groups. The North American Federation came together pretty quickly. So did the Northern European Union. Some of them, like the Mid-African Coalition, took a lot longer. The Chinese never did get back on their feet. It was what? Fifteen years, maybe twenty, to get enough stability to establish trade. After that, most of the tech came back quickly. Not much of a Welfare State left as a drain. You were either self-sufficient or you didn't survive.

"Anyway, I figure we did some good. Between being able to supply power and water, and suppress a bunch of black marketeering, we helped where we could. I decided to 'retire' when I hit sixty-five. Nobody was trying to push us old geezers out... not like the old days. People got respect for what they could do. Most of what we've got today was up and running at that point. I was going quietly crazy when Ginny Stevens, who I presume you've met since she's running Virginia Beach, talked me into taking on this project."

Spark sat and looked at the man for a long time. He didn't seem like a man in his seventies, and he sure as hell didn't seem like a man who had lived through a nuclear war. Yeah, it had been targeted and hadn't gone into full global meltdown, but still... to be in the middle of that mess had to have been traumatic. He decided to let most of it ride.

"See?" he told Kincaid. "It's exactly that kind of experience that makes you intriguing. Gives you that Alpha aura. I think if you stay open to the idea, the ladies would love to get to know you better."

"Meat's done," Kincaid told him, wiping his hands on a towel. "You want to get the others and we can chow down?" And just like that, he was back to being the affable Chief Administrator of the Rum Point Enclave.

Spark walked over to where Charlie and Tonya were playing around in the shallows. They really did look like a couple of sea goddesses come to life.

"Captain says the meat's ready," he told them. "Come on up and grab something to eat, if you want. I've invited him back to ours for dinner. I'm sure he's too polite to bring it up, but you might be able to have your way with him. We're leaving out in the morning for Rio, but you should have plenty of time to etch indelible memories into our host."

Both women smiled and turned to walk up to the thatched hut, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the meal. They spent a little over half an hour eating, then picked up, packed up and reboarded the 'Fly.

"You want to pilot us back, Charlie?" the Captain asked as they stowed everything.

"Actually, if it isn't an insult," Charlie told him, "I'd like to grab one of those flip-down berths and nap for a bit."

"If you do not mind, Captain," Tonya spoke up, "I would like to ride back as co-pilot. I would like a closer view of your control systems and how they work."

"Fine with me," Kincaid to told her. "Spark?"

"I'm with Charlie," he decided. "I'll grab the other flip-down and nap. If you've got radio communications with the Enclave, you might want to warn Aayla of our ETA."

"Can do," Kincaid told him. "So everybody get comfortable and we'll head back."

Spark wasn't about to suggest that with Tonya's abilities, she could just mind-link to the Professor, Okami and Aayla and let them know. Some of her powers were better understated.

Captain Kincaid was thrilled to have the inquisitive and intelligent Tonya as a companion on the ride back, while Charlie and Spark appreciated the chance to crash out in relative comfort. By the time they had returned to the Collector pens, it was evening and time for another spectacular sunset. The four excursionists made their way back to the Solarian's apartments to find out that dinner was ready and that the Professor and Okami had not been idle.

Maya was with them, and the three had spent the day running a number of the hacker octopus' arms, which they shared over dinner.

* * * * *

"So to summarize," Spark told the group at the table, "Maya's people have a lot more information to chew on and you have a much better idea of their command and control structure. And you found three possible links to the Dark Lab through supply companies. Which Maya's people can also investigate while we're hobnobbing around Rio. So far, so excellent.

"Tonight, I think Charlie and Lizzie want to thank Tom for an amazing day - which it was - and then all we need is to know what tomorrow's travel day plans are, and we're set. And just do it gets said, Aayla, it is exactly liaisons like you that make our part easy and enjoyable. I really hope to be through here again, but if for some reason it takes a while, I want you to know how appreciated you are. And I might even put in with your boss for a raise, on your behalf."

This last was said in jest, but it took Aayla a moment to realize it, and the look of horror to be replaced by a shy smile. "Thank you, Sir," she told Spark. "It has been an absolute honor serving you."

"And as far as travel tomorrow is concerned, there are no direct flights from George Town to Rio. However, the Consortium has a private jet at your disposal which can make the flight in about 8 hours. We are expecting that you would want to leave before 1000 hours, or 10am, which would put you in Rio about 1800 hours, or 6pm. A private grav-limo will take you from the airport to the Enclave where you will have accommodations similar to these. We have notified Rio of your food, drink and toiletry preferences and all should be stocked by the time you arrive."

"The soul of efficiency," Charlie smiled. "I'm lovin' it."

I am going to head out, Maya told the group. If anything important comes up, I will catch up with you at Rio, or Luanda if I miss you at Rio. I am not a big fan of the ice and snow at Palmer Station.

Everyone got queued up for hugs and kisses, and Maya eventually escaped. That brought the group's attention back around to Captain Kincaid.

"Lizzie, why don't you and Charlie take Charlie's room and the Captain and disappear for a while?" Spark suggested. "I want to do some more debriefing with the Professor and Okami before I crash tonight."

"An excellent suggestion, husband," Tonya smiled. "Captain? Would you care to accompany me, and Charlie, to her room so we may discuss the various ways of thanking someone who has enabled dreams to come true?"

Kincaid just softly shook his head and smiled, telling Spark on the way by, "you really know how to show a guy a good time..." as he let himself be led off by two ebullient and impish sex goddesses. To his mind, anyway. Spark smiled to himself and turned his attention to the Professor and Okami. Somehow, it just felt really good to be able to share Tonya, with whomever she wanted, and know she would always come back to him. Her dedication, her loyalty, her commitment... her love... were all that strong. Just like he knew he would always be hers from here on out, to whatever the bounds of Eternity were.

"So, Professor... is there anything else we didn't cover before, that you guys found out while we were gone?"

"We're just beginning to take apart the octopus, Jamie," he told him. "We were trying to prioritize the threats... attempt to go after the most sophisticated and effective units first and work our way down. We'll have a lot more to work with when Maya's people have had their shot."

"Okay, in that case, I think I'm going to go ahead and crash. Park my head in some music or something... if anyone needs me, you'll have to come get me."

"You want any company?" Okami asked as she started clearing the table... and Aayla was right there, instantly, to help.

"Maybe later," he mused. "Right now I just want to park my brain outside and relax."

"Have a restful night, Jamie," the Professor told him. "We will see you at breakfast, at, oh, say... 0800 hours?"

"Works for me," Spark told him, and headed off for his room.

* * * * *

It was 2am by the nightstand clock when Spark woke to the image of a very beautiful and very naked Aayla standing next to his bed in the darkened room.

Would you care for some company? she thought to him.

Where are the others? he asked, realizing how long he'd been passed out.

Charlie and Lizzie are asleep with the Captain in Charlie's room, Aayla explained. Professor Lenox and Okami are each asleep in their own rooms. And I am here.

Spark had a confused moment while he tried to figure out why Aayla would be offering herself as a bedwarmer... maybe some kind of Hero Worship or something? Or maybe misplaced expectations? And then he decided it wasn't important. She was very attractive and she was offering... that was all that mattered.

Sure, he thought back. If that is what you would like. I don't want to force you into anything.

Thank you, she smiled as she slid in next to him. To be honest, you have been turning me on like crazy since you arrived, but with all the powerful and important people around, this is my first chance to try to spend private time with you. I'm glad you'll have me.

Spark held the blankets up to make it easier for her to snuggle in, which she did, tucking herself in under his arm and rolling half on to his body. He was lying on his back at the time and her left thigh was covering his, while her left boob rested on his chest. She felt very, very comfortable to him.

With all the craziness going on ever since Tonya came into his life, Spark couldn't remember having quiet, one-on-one time with any other woman and he was surprised to find himself feeling a little guilty about 'cheating' on her. He was settling himself into being the gentleman, and having a comfortable cuddle as they fell asleep, when he heard Tonya on the microband.

If you do not make that girl happy, I will be very disappointed in you, husband. Do not let thoughts of me stand in your way.

Spark realized he should have known better. He and Tonya were so far into each other's metasphere that they were almost one. She was constantly monitoring him, mostly for his own health and welfare, just as she was Okami, Charlie and the Professor. The experience of Okami getting kidnapped on Mars had put all of her protective senses on alert.

Thank you, wife, he thought back. I will endeavor to make you proud.

Simply endeavor to leave her with a very happy memory, she thought back. She, like the others, has been exemplary in taking care of us.

Aye-aye, Ma'am, he thought back and with a slight smile, turned in to be able to pet Aayla's firm, young and definitely lustful body.

* * * * *

Charlie, Captain Kincaid, Aayla and Spark all glowed with that 'well fucked' look at breakfast. Tonya simply looked smug.

Spark had done as Tonya had asked... he'd spent a long time trading oral with Aayla before the two enjoyed a long, slow screw - of the kind close to 'making love' - until they had both climaxed multiple times and were very well sated as they fell asleep.

And they woke up feeling refreshed, rather than exhausted, and Spark suspected Tonya had something to do with that. In the meantime, they were finishing getting organized.

"Don't forget... Crystal and Hawk know who you are, now," Tonya was telling Aayla, who actually blushed, deeply. "I'm sure they'd love to see you again." The blush got even deeper.

"Life is going to seem dull without you folk," Kincaid told them as he finished eating. "I hope you continue to enjoy yourselves, and take time to enjoy the scenery on your whirlwind tour. I know the morale on this base - or enclave - has shot way up because of your visit. I've got to go back to herding this bunch of cats, but I think I'll have an easier time, now."

"I do not remember meeting any Regulans on this visit," Tonya commented.

"Figure of speech, Lizzie," Spark told her. "Meaning a difficult task. I think the Russians missed a bunch of idiom in your... education."

"Is that not what you, Okami and Charlie are for?" she smiled. "Please stay in touch, Captain. If there is any way we can assist you, we will."

Kincaid took his leave, the others finished packing and Aayla told them when their grav-limo was waiting, then escorted them down to meet it. She gave enthusiastic hugs all around, and a soft 'thank you' to Spark, then watched as they flew off in the direction of the airport before turning and returning to her duties as a fully accredited, and now experienced, Liaison.

Inside the limo, the Professor was congratulating his team.

"Another success in my book," he told them. "And the morale-boosting mission appears to be going quite well. I get the feeling that it is almost becoming routine. You are all to be commended for your excellent contributions to our success as Federation Trade Partners."

"I think it is getting easier," Charlie told him. "I was really nervous about whether I'd measure up, but since you've organized each Enclave almost identically, it makes it a lot easier for me to get it all organized and pull out the unique problems we're going to have to address separately. Personally, I'm having the time of my life."

"I'm with her," Okami told him. "The fact that we're settling into a routine makes it a lot easier to concentrate on any problem areas. So far, the Consortium has done a great job vetting your employees. Makes my life a lot simpler. And it's really nice to meet such universal acceptance instead of having to look over my shoulder or run from the cops."

"I think we're all feeling that way," Spark told her. "Now we get to spend 8 hours on a private jet to the Land of Carnival."

"Festa Juninas, husband," Tonya told him. That got a quizzical look.

"Festa Juninas," she repeated. "The June Festivals. Also called the festas de São João, observing the birth of Saint John the Baptist on the 24th of June. They are the annual celebration of the Southern Midwinter adapted from the old European Midsummer. They also celebrate the end of the rainy season in the arid or semi-arid areas. The Festas generally extol rural life and feature food, clothing and folk dancing. Carnival, the celebration preceding the traditional season of Lent, before Easter, has already passed."

Spark looked at Tonya with a slight smile and a shake of his head. She was a self-contained library of information, though there were some bits missing. She was also very literal.

"So we're headed to Party Central?" Charlie asked. "I've heard of Carnival, but I don't know much about it."

"I'm not sure how the Festas are celebrated these days, my dear," the Professor told her. "We will find out when we reach the Enclave. In general, we try to stay detached from the locals, mostly to avoid politics and intrigue. That does not mean that they necessarily avoid the traditional celebrations."

"We can run the dataplex in flight," Spark pointed out. "If you really want advance information."

"Where is the Rio Enclave located?" Charlie asked. "Is it separated from what's left of the city?"

"The State of Rio de Janeiro is made up of a number of cities. Or used to be," the Professor explained. We are actually across Guanabara Bay from the city of Rio, on the remains of the old submarine pens and shipyards in Niterói. Most of Rio de Janeiro Centro and Niterói Centro were destroyed by low-yield cluster style warheads. Most of the military installations were taken out, from the arsenal on Ilha das Cobras to the sub pens and dockyards at Ilha de Mocangué. Needless to say, there was a very high loss of life in the densely packed areas. Miraculously, the statue of Cristo Redentor survived, as did a number of the areas of abject poverty west of the city.

"It has taken the people a long time to crawl out of the destruction, especially since taking out the entrance to the Bay strangled most commerce. Our purchase of a large amount of land gave the area a major shot in the economic arm. It is still an area of widely disparate contrasts, between the wealthy and high tech on one end and the crime lords and poverty on the other."

"So stay home, keep the doors locked, don't talk to strangers and stay out of the seedy side of town," Okami paraphrased. "I don't think we'll see much partying in the few days we're there."

"We don't know," Spark pointed out. "But we're getting pretty good at rolling with the punches. Or going with the flow. Or whatever your favorite figurative idiom is for winging it."

"We can talk shop if you want to," Okami pointed out. "But for now, I'm planning on relaxing for the next eight hours. For some reason, I didn't sleep very well last night."

"I am sorry to hear that," Tonya told her. "I must be shirking my duties."

"Naw... I'm just not used to sleeping alone anymore, I guess. Not a problem. I'll nap on the plane."

"I will make certain of it," Tonya told her. They were rapidly approaching the general aviation end of the airport.

It did not take long to pass through Customs and grab the oversized golf cart that took them to the waiting plane.

"Boy, that's one I don't recognize," he told the group as they approached a sleek, black midsize jet. "It looks like one of the newer Kozlov Starlites, but the wings and engine nacelles are wrong."

"It is a Hayashi-Bühler Sparrow with Vegan modifications to the Larsson-Stahre powerplants," Tonya told him. "One of the newest adaptations of Vegan propulsion to atmospheric flight. Hayashi Corporation mated their improved swept-wing design to the Bühler Aerospace fuselage and avionics, with the usual Royce turbofan engines being replaced with Vegan enhanced propulsors. Almost twice the thrust at half the weight. The interior was designed by Gucci-Benz."

Somehow, Spark wasn't surprised that she would know. Her knowledge base was far beyond any human, or metahuman, capability.

"Well, here's hoping its comfortable," he told her as they walked to the stairway where standing at the top, framed in the hatch, was a young woman in a uniform, waiting for them. At the bottom of the stairs, a man in ground crew garb waited by a small hand truck, to take their baggage for storage.

The Professor led the way up the stairs and as he reached the top, the woman told him, "greetings... my name is Natalie and I will be your flight attendant today. Please let me know if I can assist you in getting settled. You will find a flight guide and menu in your seat pocket." She stepped back out of the way and the Professor headed on in to the cabin.

The interior was definitely decked out in 'luxury' mode. Plush leather seats in two groups of four, with two of the four facing rearward and two facing forward, one pair on each side with a foldout table between. Beyond those were to couches, one on each side, long enough to nap on, and a flight attendant's seat near the lavatory and galley. There was another flight attendant's seat across from the hatch where they had entered. The door to the cockpit was open and they could see a pilot and copilot already setting up for departure.

The Professor slipped into the lefthand rear-facing seat and Charlie took the one facing him. Spark suggested Tonya and Okami take the two on the other side, but Okami nixed that, telling him she was headed for one of the couches as soon as they were airborne, so Spark and Tonya settled into the pair on the other side.

Natalie came by to collect their beverage orders and then along with the ground crew, sealed the hatch. She then launched into the pre-flight announcement that was the bane of every aircrew's existence, apologizing that even on a private aircraft, it was required. Which was the point where Spark got his next surprise. The plane began to move and was almost silent doing so. He was so used to commercial aircraft that he missed the whine of the jet engines.

"The Vegan engines," the Professor told him, sensing his thoughts. "Virtually silent. The various militaries are champing at the bit to get their hands on the technology, but so far we're being rather tight-fisted about it. And Lizzie? I know Natalie is intriguing, but please... behave."

"I always behave, Professor," she smiled to him. "Sometimes poorly, but I always behave." The Professor just smiled and shook his head, rummaging in the seat pocket to see if there was any interesting reading material.

The short of it was, they spent a comfortable eight hours flying from George Town to Rio de Janeiro with two light meals on the way, as much in the way of drinks as they wanted and plenty of time to themselves. The Professor seemed to spend most of his time reading, either hardcopy or on his tablet, while Charlie was heads down into hers, apparently organizing the administrative information she'd been picking up. Okami napped quite a bit of the way and Tonya was off in some kind of meditative trance. Spark spent the time catching up on Earth-Moon-Mars news and poking around articles on some of the newer xeno-tech they'd been encountering.

The sun had started on their left and was sinking on their right by the time they started their descent. They went through the usual drill of picking up and packing away their stuff prior to setting down at the rebuilt RIOgaleão International Airport. Santos Dumont Airport had been obliterated in the war and never rebuilt. They were met by another grav-limo in the private aviation section of the airfield and since they had all their luggage with them, they were on their way to the Enclave in short order.

The Statue of Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain still overlooked the city as they flew across the bay to the Enclave. Another view also dominated the scenery... utter desolation. A very large area on either side of the entrance to the bay was rubble. Obviously destroyed in the war, it had never been rebuilt. The grav-limo was winging its way towards the tall alabaster tower they now knew as Core when they were suddenly, violently rocked.

"What the fuck???" Spark was not the only one echoing his sentiments.

"Please fasten your seatbelts," an AI-type voice announced. "We are under attack."

There was another dull thud! that rocked the vehicle while everybody scrambled to get strapped in and the limo began to zig-zag and climb-and-dive while doubling their speed.

There are four humans shooting at us with anti-aircraft rockets from the rubble below, Tonya thought to the others. They have two rockets left, but they will not be able to deploy them. Because I do not know the reason for their attack, I will not kill them now. I am storing their individual meta patterns so that we may locate them later.

"Why is somebody shooting at us?" Charlie asked aloud, obviously agitated and confused.

"There are a number of possible reasons, dear," the Professor told her. "I suggest we table that discussion until we are safe within the Enclave. In the meantime, the Vegan force field which protects this vehicle should withstand anything they can throw at us. We thought the Al'yans Krovi might try attacking Consortium assets, so all of our exposed transports have Vegan engineered shielding."

"Thank the Goddess somebody was thinking ahead," Okami told him. "I'm sure they've got their spies and we haven't been too subtle about our movements."

"I am not sure it is the Blood Alliance," Tonya told her. "This area of the world has seen significant gang and warlord activity. With the Al'yans Krovi Executive still in disarray, it is possible it is something more local. We can investigate once we reach our quarters."

"With the speed we've picked up," Okami pointed out, "that's not going to be very long."

And in fact, it wasn't. It was literally minutes later that they were settling onto their landing pad in the Hub and a man in a suit flanked by what looked like Military Police was dog-trotting towards their limo.

As soon as the limo door opened, the Professor was stepping out to great the man in the suit.

"Anatoli Lenox," the Professor told the man as he extended his hand.

"Gustavo de Santos, Professor," the man told him as the shook hands. "Are you alright? We were alerted to the attack."

"We're fine," the Professor assured him as the others got out. "By way of quick introductions, may I introduce Jamie McLeod, Solarian Trade Rep, Lizzie McLeod, another Trade Rep, Okami, our third Trade Rep and Charlie Gilmore, my personal assistant?"

"Gustavo Antonio Barcellos de Santos, Chief Administrator of the Rio Enclave, at your service," the man told him with a slight bow. "Is there anything you need immediately?"

"Just to be shown to our quarters, Señor de Santos," Spark told him. "So we can regroup."

"Of course," de Santos nodded. "Please follow me. The security detail is likely overkill, but we will not be taking any chances."

"Your efforts are appreciated, Señor de Santos," Tonya told him with a slight smile.

"Please, I am simply Gustavo or Gus to my friends," he told her. "Señor seems too formal."

"Gus, then," Tonya nodded. "Please lead on."

He did, with the MPs falling in around the group of visitors, effectively creating a shield. They cleared an elevator and headed for the top floor, per usual.

"We are very honored by your visit," de Santos told them as they went. "We have heard how well your prior visits went and we have adopted the same format, if that is acceptable to you."

"More than acceptable," the Professor told him. "That makes us more efficient and effective."

"You may already know that we are laid out like Virginia Beach, Penzance, Luanda, Brisbane, Chimbote, Shizuoka and Vancouver. We have four Collectors here - the Chamaeleon, the Orion, the Phoenix and the Tucana - and two of them are currently out on sea trials. The Orion and the Phoenix are still here and eager to show off for you. We have arranged for a woman I think is excellent to be your liaison and she should be waiting to greet you at your apartments."

"That sounds quite agreeable," the Professor told him and Spark realized the Professor was using his position with the Consortium to leverage being spokesperson for the group. And he was more than happy to let him. They reached to door to their apartments in short order. When they did, the MP escort stopped and fell back a little, effectively blocking both directions of the hallway.

"Let's make sure your badges work," de Santos told them as they stood in front of the door. The Professor stepped up first and swiped his, the red light switching to green indicating it had unlocked. The Professor smiled and stepped back, telling de Santos "it seems to work."

Spark stepped forward next and checked his and as expected, it worked. So did Tonya's, Okami's and Charlie's, in that order. And finally, de Santos checked his to prove it didn't.

"You will have complete privacy, Professor. You obviously may come and go as you wish. However, until we can ascertain the source of the threat to you, I would appreciate it if you didn't go anywhere without at least two of my armed Security personnel with you," de Santos told him. Then he turned to the escort. "You are dismissed, Sergeant. Thank you."

The Professor moved to open the door while the escort moved off, back to the elevator. The team entered and were met by a young Hispanic looking woman, waiting by the dining table. A quick look about confirmed that these apartments were identical to the others.

"Professor," de Santos started in, "may I introduce Senorita Anita Bella Almeida Rodrigues? She is a fully accredited Consortium liaison and is yours for the duration of your stay." At the introduction, she curtsied slightly.

"Well met, my dear Señorita," the Professor smiled. I will presume you are telepathically enabled?

I am, Sir, she thought back to all of them. It is an honor to be of service to you.

"Você se sente mais confortável com inglês, português ou telepatia?" he asked her aloud.

"I am comfortable with all three, Sir," she answered. "Although I find English most common within the Enclave, Brazilian Portuguese best when dealing with the locals and telepathy best when dealing with our Xeno guests."

"Excellent," the Professor told her. "We will most likely hold spoken conversations in English, unless in Xeno company, when we will default to telepathy. And along those lines, may I introduce our team? Jamie McLeod is one of our Trade Reps, Lizzie, his wife, is another and Okami is our third. Charlie Gilmore is my personal assistant. And, since Señorita Anita Bella Almeida Rodrigues is quite a mouthful for an old man, do you have a nickname you prefer we use?"

"Anita will be fine, Sir," she told him.

"Then, Anita," the Professor smiled again. "I believe we can start settling in."

"I have received the confidential liaison briefings, Sir," she told him, "and have tea ready for you, coffee for the others and sandwiches for Ms. Okami. I have commissary dinner menus available, or can cook if you wish. And there is a selection of alcoholic beverages available as well."

Spark laughed, especially when she mentioned the sandwiches for Okami.

"Hey!" Okami told him, "My kind of girl! Let's see what you've got ready. Oh, and you're Six."

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Anita looked a bit confused.

"You've got bedroom Six," Okami explained. "If you're staying with us, and you probably are, then you've got Six. It's becoming our SOP." Okami turned for the kitchen.

"One moment, please," Tonya said softly, then walked up to Anita with her arms slightly open, offering the hug. Without hesitation, Anita opened her arms to accept it.

"Okay, okay," Okami faux-groused. "Hugs first, then food. I was going for the other way around."

Anita melted. Or at least, that's what it looked like to Spark.

Tonya didn't seem to do anything impish, like make her cum her brains out, but she definitely melted into Tonya's embrace. And Okami was right behind her, when Tonya let up. Spark was sure Okami's silver fur must have felt exotic to their newest liaison and she seemed to relish it. Spark was going to go next, but Charlie stepped in.

Their hug seemed as intense as Tonya's and Okami's and Spark was wondering if Tonya was enhancing them somehow. He got his answer when it was his turn and taking the pretty young woman in his arms caused a surge of libido, which seemed to be echoed by Anita's. That had to be Tonya's influence.

Anita even responded to the Professor when it was his turn to greet their new teammate. She seemed surprised... maybe at being turned on by such an obviously old man. But she didn't flinch or hesitate.

Kudos to her, Spark thought to himself. She's adapting quickly.

"Okay, now can we check out the food?" Okami asked and Anita and the Professor let up.

"Certainly," Anita told her as she left the Professor and hurried to catch up with Okami, who had already headed for the kitchen.

"Let's drop our bags in our rooms and meet back here for snacks and a huddle," Spark suggested, then turned to de Santos. "Will you be staying, Señor Gustavo?"

"Unless you need me, no," he told Spark. "I am sure you are in good hands, and I want to go check with my Security personnel and find out what they have to say about the attack on you. I will forward anything I find out, of course."

Spark was about the tell him about their dataplex running abilities when he heard Tonya's voice in his head, telling him let him do his job his way, husband. We will integrate his information with ours later.

"Okay," Spark switched gears. "You're welcome to hang around with us anytime. We've got a rest day tomorrow and we can sync up sometime during the day. Hope you have a pleasant night."

"Thank you, I will," he told Spark, then with a brief goodbye to the others, he let himself out.

As de Santos was leaving, Okami and Anita were bringing food to the table. "Decide what you want to drink, people," Okami told the others as they put down the plates. "Then, let's talk."

* * * * *

"Señor Gus said you were a fully accredited liaison," Spark addressed Anita as the six sat at the table. "That means you understand that anything you hear involving us is considered Above Top Secret - not to be shared with anyone not directly involved."

"Yes, sir, It is implicit in my duties as liaison."

"Good. But let's start there. I'm not 'sir', I'm Jamie. Lizzie and Okami and Charlie are not 'ma'am', they're Lizzie and Okami and Charlie. The Professor? Well, he gets Sir, I suppose, but he's usually The Professor. You are part of our team, now, and we consider you an equal. You're going to hear a lot of confusing talk about bad guys that are after us, so I'm going to jump the gun and ask Lizzie to explain our background to you, in enough detail that you will not be confused and may even be able to help us figure stuff out. Is that okay with you? Because if it isn't, you need to take a long break, like now..."

"I'll stay," Anita told him, "and hopefully be useful."

"Okay, then... Lizzie, you want to explain the Al'yans Krovi and why they're after us? So we can talk about what the fuck just happened with us getting shot at on the way in?"

"Yes, husband," Tonya told him, then turned to Anita.

"When I was first created, it was to be in the service of the Al'yans Krovi, or Blood Alliance, which you may know - a criminal Mega-mob consolidating many factions which currently controls most of the organized crime on Earth, and apparently on Mars - for the express purpose of seducing and controlling the Crescians, and thus control interstellar trade..."

Spark sat back and let Tonya run it down. She had Anita's rapt attention, as well as Charlie's, who had heard most of it before. It took a while, but Tonya was able to succinctly communicate the gist of it.

"So, when we were attacked on our way from the airport, our initial assumption was that the Al'yans Krovi was trying to assassinate us. However, because of my abilities I was able to ascertain the meta signatures of our attackers, which we now intend to discuss. If we need to run the dataplex, we may need access to an Insertion Lab. Do you have any questions?"

It took Anita a few moments to answers. "If I had any, you've answered them," she told Tonya. "Thank you. That also goes a long way to explaining your advance PR."

"Advance PR?" Lizzie was curious.

"The Classified Liaisons' Summaries I received from Su Ling, Bonnie and Aayla. After your visit, we are to summarize our experiences and impressions for future liaisons, so that we may be better prepared to support you."

"Boy, you must have gotten an eye-full," Spark chuckled.

"Contrary to popular opinion, we do not rape our liaisons," Okami told her with a straight face - pretty easy for a Canilupe. "But, damn girl! You look pretty good..." Anita smiled slightly, looked down and shook her head.

"I would like to point out, in case it is important, that there was no mention of you starting life as a construct and transitioning to metahuman. Just as, in my report going forward, there will be no mention of it."

"That is good to know, Anita. Thank you," Tonya told her. "If you are comfortable with our background, we can turn our attention to our attackers."

"Yes, ma'am... I mean, Lizzie," Anita told her. "I have no questions at this time. Other than, what do you think you will want for dinner, and at what time?"

"Let's just hit up Room Service tonight," Spark suggested. "They're open all night, so we can decide later. These sandwiches and stuff are fine for me right now." The others agreed and dinner was put on the back burner.

"Okay, luv... so why don't you think the shooters were Blood Alliance?" Spark asked Tonya and got both Okami and Charlie starting to answer him... teasing, obviously.

"Very funny, ladies," he smiled slightly as he shook his head. "Lizzie?"

"Those associated with the Blood Alliance have certain tags... markers... which distinguish them from others. Much like that remnant you found in my programming which let us identify my creators. The closer to the Executive, the more tags, and stronger. But even those on Mars, working for Nikolai Borzoya, for example, had recognizable tags. These four attackers do not have those markers. If you and Okami would care to patch in, I can show you easier than I can explain in words."

Ready when you are, Spark thought to Tonya.

Ditto, Okami thought as well.

Then please hold on to your psyches, Tonya thought back. There is a dizzying amount of mental detritus floating about, where we are going.

The landscape suddenly changed and Spark found himself deep in a high-density datamesh, the product of the millions still alive and trying to survive. Spark recognized the heavy first and second chakra energies of the poor and knew that Tonya was taking them into some sort of metaphysical wasteland corresponding to one of the myriad slums in the surviving areas of Rio de Janeiro.

Here are the four that attacked us, she told them as a dozen or so life-streams became isolated in Tonya's presentation, along with several others, probably related.

This is what a Blood Alliance tag would look like, even watered down... A coruscating blob of purple, yellow and brown appeared. You will note that nothing even resembling it shows in their life-streams. However... and the image shifted again, isolating a throbbing orange-green-black energy line... this is common to all of those here. Which implies a family, or gang, or warlord.

Got it, Spark thought to her. So all we need to do is find the source of the marker.

Precisely, Tonya thought back. Shall we return to the others?

As you wish, Spark thought and they found themselves easing out of her datamesh and back into their bodies and minds, still sitting around the table.

"Interesting excursion?" the Professor asked as the vacant looks of the three were replaced by expressions of awareness.

"Very," Spark told him, "and as usual, Lizzie is right. What we're looking for isn't Al'yans Krovi. It's more likely a family, or gang, or warlord kind of thing. At least a dozen were together, wherever 'there' was."

"SF" Anita said out of the blue. When they looked at her quizzically, she explained, "SF - Senhores da Felicidade - the Lords of Happiness. They are the dominant gang, now, having absorbed the CV and ADA. If you are looking for something gang related, it is probably them."

"CV," Tonya repeated, "historically Comando Vermelho or the Red Command. And ADA, historically Amigos dos Amigos or Friends of Friends. Two bitter rivals and two of the larger gangs in the Rio de Janeiro area, have merged into one?"

"Yes," Anita confirmed. "It has been like this for almost a decade, now. Since the war, there was much splintering of the ruling gangs. The power structure has been reforming for a while. They might not be part of your Blood Alliance. They are fiercely independent. However, if there was a lucrative contract involved, they might take it."

"You know quite a bit about the local gangs," Okami commented. "You aren't a gang member by any chance?"

There was stoney silence from Anita for several long moments.

"The Consortium does not allow gang members to work for them," she stated, then added in a softer tone, "I grew up in Maré, North Zone... property of the TCP - the Terceiro Comando Puro. I was blessed to be able to escape that life."

There was quiet around the table as they digested this information.

"Then your experience may be invaluable in helping us track down the source of our problem," Tonya told her, breaking the silence. "You are meta enabled. If I were to show you images... persons of interest... might you be able to identify them?"

"It is possible," Anita nodded. "I used to know most of the Irmãos still alive. And many that are dead, but that is not what you are asking. I would need to be shielded from recognition. If any of them knew I was identifying them, I would have a Mandado de Morte issued on me."

"We would be observing them from within the dataplex," Tonya explained. "They would not even know they were being observed. I do not wish to jump to conclusions, and... it sounds as if you are very familiar with their leadership. Were you a part of their organization, before your escape?"

Anita took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"My brother, Eduardo, was Second-in-Command until his death," she answered quietly but forcefully. "I was intimately familiar with most of the top levels of command, whether I wanted to be or not. Eduardo's murder gave me an opportunity to escape and I took it. An undercover PPU agent sheltered me and connected me with the Consortium when they were hiring. To the SF, I am missing, presumed dead. I have been through many, many background checks and psychological evaluations and I can assure you, my loyalty is only to the Consortium now. I wanted to 'spread my wings and fly' as Henrique put it, and I have applied myself to be the best in my position that I can be."

"I believe you," Spark told her flat out. "And you need to believe that we are here to help you, and others in your position. We have a chance to make life better for a large number of people and we will appreciate your help getting there."

"I do hear you, Sir. I mean, Jamie. Today, my job is to make your lives easier. Although it seems you are far more powerful than you present. I can still help you stay organized." She said this last with a bit of a smile.

What do you think would happen, husband, Spark heard on the microband, if the gangs in this area were to suffer an Al'yans Krovi kind of 'accident'?

No. was Spark's immediate response. You are not destabilizing an entire area without much more knowledge of the ramifications.

At least you did not say 'never', husband. May I take Anita to bed tonight?

Only if it is her desire, not just yours. Everything must be consensual and if she's got the kind of trauma in her background that I think she does, you will have to tread very, very lightly.

I understand, was Tonya's simple reply. Perhaps we can run the plex tomorrow, looking for contracts the Blood Alliance may have put out on us.

"So if you can't go out in the city," Okami was asking when Spark and Tonya tuned back in, "are you pretty much stuck here?"

"I do not consider it 'stuck'," Anita smiled. "There are many, many interesting things to learn and do here. More than enough to give my curiosity something to do on any given day. For now, you are a brand new experience for me. I have never met a Canilupe before and I find you intriguing. And we have had a variety of Xeno visitors, from Sirians and Regulans, to Vegans and Callistians. All fascinating in their own ways."

"You have Callistians here?" Charlie was surprised. "I didn't know any had come to Earth."

"Yes, we have a contingent, but they are not actually here at the moment. They are on a research mission in the area of Tefé, Amazonas. I do not know their intended return date, but I can find out if you are interested."

"Perhaps later," Spark suggested. "Right now, we're probably spending our day off learning about the local denizens. Are we going to have the same schedule as at the previous Enclaves?"

"Yes, unless you desire otherwise," Anita told him. "Tomorrow is a rest day, then the day after, the first Introduction Assembly is scheduled for 9 o'clock. It will be in the main Auditorium. All Second and Third shift personnel have been invited. There will be a second assembly after dinner, about 8 o'clock, for First shift and those Second and Third who could not make the first one. In between there will be a tour of part of Core, then Lunch, then a tour of the second part. Tours of the R&D and Testing Labs will be the following day, ending with tours of the Collectors on the last day. We will end the formal visit with an informal meet-and-greet after Dinner. You will then have your day of recovery before you travel to the next Enclave, which I believe will be Palmer Station."

"Yep," Okami barked in her Canilupe chuckle. "Same shit, different day. You're making Charlie's day."

"I am?" Anita was confused.

"Yeah," Charlie told her. "It's my job to understand all the administrivia so I can help the Professor keep everybody organized and productive, across all thirteen enclaves. The more the systems are the same, the easier it is for me to manage them."

"In that case, when we tour Core, I will make certain to introduce you to Gladys Fuller. She is a bespectacled little old Avó with a mind like a steel trap and an iron will to go with it. She basically runs Administration here."

Spark chuckled at the image of Free Spirit Charlie with a strict old Granny Fuller.

"Anybody mind if I change?" Charlie asked, standing up. "I've been in this outfit all day. I stink like travel."

"Whatever you want," Spark waved idly. "Leave me some hot water for later..."

"Jamie, it's a building supply," Charlie bristled a bit. "Even I couldn't run through... oh." It suddenly dawned on her that he was teasing her. "Prick." She headed off towards her bedroom.

"Only a part of me," he commented to her retreating backside. "A large part, true..."

"Braggart," she called back.

"But a most interesting part," Tonya told him, moving around behind him and beginning to rub his shoulders. "One not receiving much attention for far too long."

"You know, luv, our PDA's can get pretty intense," Spark told her softly. "Maybe we should find out how the people not constantly in our bubble feel..."

"Ah, yes..." Tonya nodded and turned to Anita, but didn't get a chance to get much farther.

"I've been warned," she smiled. "And I have no problem with your sexuality. Curiosity, yes. Problems, no. I do find it unusual, and interesting, the amount of affection radiating off of all of you to all of you. There is a sort of Comfort Aura which surrounds you. My predecessors hinted at a rather raw sexuality. They didn't mention much of the strong affection."

"That is a lovely way of putting it," Tonya told her as she left Spark and walked over behind Anita, beginning a shoulder massage. "I have only just begun to understand the emotional side of my being. Jamie calls it my Helena side. I am still exploring it..."

Anita looked like she was melting.

Are you seducing her, wife? Spark thought on the microband.

Only a little, Tonya answered. I am extending the invitation...

Spark decided to shift his attention to the Professor and give Tonya whatever room she wanted with Anita.

"Looks like we're getting off light on this one, Professor," Spark smiled to him. "No major Xeno entanglements and only a fairly large gang of murderous cutthroats after us. So presuming we either neutralize or avoid the hostilities, what's up next?"

"A frozen wasteland to chill, as it were, any pursuit," the Professor told him. "Palmer Station is Antarctica and built differently than what we're used to, due to environmental considerations. You can use some of your time not chasing bad guys to study up on it. In the meantime, shall we order up dinner? These old bones would like to grab a bite before toddling off to my room for a restful night's sleep."

"I've got it," Okami told them, then went and pulled out a couple of the Room Service cards. "Lizzie's turning Anita into quivering protoplasm."

"I suspect that's later," Spark told her. While you're doing one of your mind-meld things, luv, would you find out what Anita wants from Room Service? And you, too, for that matter?

As you wish, husband, Tonya answered, then came back a few moments later with their orders.

Okami phoned it in and then she and Charlie intercepted the delivery and doled out the food. Tonya let Anita surface enough to realize they'd done her job for her and to be suitably embarrassed, but they all ate and as he'd indicated, the Professor took his leave, promising to see everyone at breakfast.

As they were polishing off the food, Tonya told Spark, aloud, "Husband, I'd like to spend some time with Anita tonight, if that's okay with you. She and I are turning out to have a lot in common and I'd like to get to know her better." And on the microband, she is an incredibly controlled mess. I can ease a lot of the suppressed trauma. I will need time, though.

"Fine with me, Lizzie," he answered her. "It's been a long day for me and I think I'm going to go crash as well. We can meet up at breakfast." And on the microband, seriously damaged? Like, she's going to be a problem level?

"Thank you, Jamie... I'm very fond of exploring new friendships. I will see you at breakfast." She will be fine... she is fine... there is simply quite a bit of pressure built up. We can discuss it later.

"Anita? Would you like to come with me to my room for some Girl Talk?" Spark knew Tonya was putting some strong meta Charm into it. Anita, though, looked around to the others, as if trying to figure out if she would get in trouble.

"Go ahead," Spark told her. "Making new friends makes my wife happy, and you know the routine about Happy Wife, Happy Life. We're good here and nobody's in a hurry to do anything in the morning. You may as well enjoy our day off with us."

"Thank you," Anita told him as Tonya encouraged her to stand and guided her towards the hall.

That girl is not long for this world, Okami thought on the microband.

Yes she is, Charlie countered. It'll just be a bit different when she gets back. You want a bed-warmer, Jamie?

Damn, she beat me to it, Okami groused. Well, I may have napped most of the flight, but for some reason, I'm still tired. So I'm trundling off as soon as I get the dishes done.

I'll help you, Charlie told her and the two women headed off to do just that, while Spark decided to grab a quick shower and hit the sack.

* * * * *

At breakfast, Tonya looked smug and Anita looked blissful.

Want to bet on a religious experience? Okami thought to Spark and Charlie.

Nope, Spark thought back. That'd be a sucker's bet.

"So what are we doing today, folks?" Spark asked the group at large.

"I want to make three runs, Jamie," Tonya told him. "They have an insertion lab here and I can likely do what I want without you. But of course, your presence is always welcome."

"What three?" he asked as he ate.

"One back to Moscow, one to the Moon and one local," she told him. "I do not intend to enter the Al'yans Krovi headquarters. I simply need some nexus information. For the Moon, I want to do an inventory of the off-the-record stored materials I noticed were being set aside. Some of that will be influenced by what I find in Moscow. And locally, I want to catalog the existing criminal power structure. Before I need it."

"Alright, I'm coming with," Spark decided.

"Ditto," Okami told them.

"And I suppose I should tag along as babysitter," the Professor decided. "Charlie? Anita? Will you two be okay alone together today?"

"We'll be fine, Professor," Charlie beamed. "I'll keep her plenty busy!"

"I will let you know when I have time reserved for you," Anita told them. "Approximately how long will you need?"

"Better make it four hours," Spark told her. "An hour run, half hour down. Another hour run, half hour down, and one more hour run. We'll come back here to debrief. Agreed?"

Everyone was good with the plan and Anita got them a four hour slot.

* * * * *

"So Moscow first," Spark commented as they got set up. The Professor had his laptop hardwired in and Spark was using a hardwire, also. Tonya and Okami were using their natural links this time. "Okami, you're driving when the Professor says he's ready."

On the Professor's 'ready', Spark slipped into the dataplex and turned the navigation over to Okami. The hops, skips and jumps were different but the endpoint was the same - Ploshchad Revolyutsii Station on the Mosco Metro.

We need not go any farther, Tonya thought to the others. There is a communications hub across the street that they are using for part of their global coordination. I am looking for contract routing and specifically to either the Moon, or Rio, or both. I need to know how they are getting on the buss and what their encryption looks like. If either of you care to lend a mind, I will not be offended.

Spark and Okami lent their considerable monitoring skills to the task until eventually Okami told the group, got one! The gold colored envelope emerging from the bunker. It's morphing to silver as it enters the transmission station.

I see it, Tonya told her. I will follow and catalog it. Please keep watch for any more.

Spark was the next to pick one up. Coruscating green and brown, large packet, slow moving. Headed for the same substation.

Please track and catalog it, Jamie, Tonya asked. Okami, alert me if you see any more.

It went like that for almost the full hour. They even tracked incoming data, looking for similar patterns.

I believe we have enough, Tonya thought to the others. Let us go back to the insertion lab and prepare for the next run.

They did, and while there discussed what they'd seen.

"So metallics, mostly gold, are going to the Moon, with some to Mars," Spark summarized. "The darker earth-tones are headed to various places around the world, including Rio. Most of the metallic incoming is from Mars. There's very little incoming from the Moon. So... the Moon next?"

"Yes," Tonya agreed. "And keep aware of any metallics coming in. Although any self-morphing packet is suspect."

"Closest spaceport is the freight station at Las Toninas," Spark pointed out. "No translunar shuttle, but regular unmanned freight connections to and from Armstrong Terminus. Will that get you what you want?"

"It is precisely the location I want," Tonya affirmed. "The trickier problem will be access to the secure storage areas, where I believe we will find some very interesting materials, mostly likely headed to our Lab."

"Well, all we can do is try. Professor, if you'd continue to lend your shields... not sure what kind of security they have at Armstrong."

"Of course, Jamie," the Professor nodded. "Let me know when you are ready."

"Whenever you are, Professor. I'll hardwire back in on your 'go'."

A few moments later, the Professor told him 'go.'

Traffic signatures were different from manned spaceflight, but again, Okami did not let herself get distracted as she channel surfed her way to the Moon. She brought them to rest next to the main public baggage area while they surveyed their options.

Not as likely to get noticed, Okami told them, explaining her choice. I'm not the safecracker, though, so you two are on.

I'm going to go check out Security, Spark told them. Get an idea what we're up against.

I will investigate the special handling operations to see if we can find a convenient way in, Tonya decided. Okami, please keep watch for any ICE that might catch us unawares.

You got it, Boss, Okami told her.

Twenty minutes later, Spark was calling a meta-huddle.

They've got three basic layers of security, he told the team. First is your normal passenger security we all know and love... prove you are who you say you are and state your business. The usual B. S. Then there's the 'nominally secure storage' which has controlled physical access, but is open to being Run through their hardwired network. Then they've got their 'Fort Knox' security that we aren't getting past without some inside help. Fully isolated, constantly monitored... no chinks in their armor that I can find.

I believe I have that 'inside help' you mention, Tonya told him. There are humans with access to the storage areas. I can 'hitch a ride', as you call it, on one of them when they enter. I would expect significant ICE protecting their network, even isolated, but perhaps not the metabiosphere where I can connect brain-to-brain with my target.

I have noticed the jumpsuits of the workers are color coded and that the ones who spend the longest time inside the 'Fort Knox' storage wear light grey with red piping. I propose accessing one of those humans when they enter and assessing what I can discover. The limiting factor being how long the person is in the storage area and whether I can exit if they are there longer than I want to be.

If you're gonna ride 'em in, you could make 'em sick if you wanted to leave, Okami pointed out.

That is true, Tonya acknowledged. Shall we see what we can do?

A half hour later, Tonya was suggesting they leave.

I believe I have hit the proverbial jackpot, she told the others. We will need to organize what I have seen for Maya and her people.

Okami expeditiously got them back to the Insertion Lab.

"I have discovered several stashes of highly sophisticated materiel," she told Spark and Okami as they rehydrated. "Not the least interesting was a group of crates containing plasma-derivative neural-net and Krieg-Munson integrators. Precisely the building blocks of which I am made and which allow me to alter my basic DNA as well as adapt to most environments. There are several crates of laboratory equipment specific to bioengineering. But more importantly, I have the names of the shipping companies and invoice numbers. I am sure Maya will be very interested in those."

"Excellent," Spark nodded. "So far we're two for two. What is the local run for?"

"I want to identify and understand the various gangs holding sway over this area," Tonya told him honestly. "In your parlance, I want to be able to 'fuck 'em up good'... although I did hear you about not engaging in wholesale destruction. I have a personal reason for wanting to damage them, but I want to understand the possible ramifications of any actions I might choose to take. I do not want to create a vacuum which could be worse for the citizens."

"Lizzie, I know you have a strong desire to right wrongs," Spark told her, "but we can't just go sticking our minds into everybody else's business. It's the citizen's issue and they have to solve it."

"I am not interested in everybody else's business," Tonya came back firmly, in a tone that surprised Spark. "I am interested in knowing if the SF have taken a contract with the Al'yans Krovi regarding us; I want to know if Anita's brother was killed because he objected to working with the Russian mobs on any level; and I want to know which of them were responsible for hurting Anita. If you do not wish to help me with this run, you may leave and I will meet you back at our apartments."

"Am I going to regret asking how Anita got hurt?" Spark asked, instead of outright objecting, or leaving.

"That is her story to tell you, husband," Tonya told him. "I will not presume. If she is willing to share, I believe you will understand my intentions."

"This has to do with last night, right?" Spark asked, knowing the answer.

"Yes." Tonya wouldn't lie to him.

"Okay, let's do the run. I'll help you. We can gather the data you want," Spark told her. "But, please... let's talk about it before you take any action."

"That is a fair request," she agreed.

"Okay... ready when you are, Professor... although I'm not expecting much ICE on this run."

The Professor fiddled with his laptop, then told Spark, 'go'.

They slipped easily into the dataplex that was Greater Rio, with its crowded, bustling biosphere and its no less crowded metasphere. Tonya knew what she was looking for and Spark let her drive. Okami was just an observer on this run. It was close to forty-five minutes, clock-on-the-wall, that Tonya spent discovering, categorizing and storing gang-related information. She was being very thorough, right down to storing the DNA patterns of several of 'persons of interest'. Spark had been amazed at the complex organizational datapoints and their integration into the favelas and even the bleed into the local police militias.

The usual slicing up of the crime pie existed, but there were also constant turf wars and many non-combatants - Spark hesitated to call them 'innocents' - were caught in the conflicts, often with loss of life or severe injury. Characterizing it as a cesspool of the dregs of humanity would not have been far off.

By the time they returned from the Run, Spark was beginning to understand Tonya's interest in taking out the leadership. But that wasn't their mission and they had to stay focused.

* * * * *

"They are under contract to the Blood Alliance; they are after us, specifically; and they will continue to be a threat to the Enclave after we are gone."

Dinner had been intense. The recap of the information gleaned from the Moscow and Moon runs had been well received, with the opinion that the information would help Maya and company quite a bit. It was the discussion of the gang situation that had edged towards the emotional.

Tonya was of the opinion that a 'regime change' was in order, along with some collateral damage and she was close to convincing Spark. Okami was neutral. She had enough history of being abused to side with Tonya, easily. Charlie had started out with more of a 'leave them alone' attitude, but as the activities of the gangs were revealed, she also drifted towards taking out the more powerful of the leadership... in the police militias as well, since they appeared pretty dirty, too.

Professor Lenox had tried to keep tempers from flaring and keep the group focused on their mission to the Enclave, which was officially starting in the morning. He did point out the damage a power vacuum could cause. It was Anita's attitude that was the surprise.

"It does not matter if they are killed," she told them bluntly. "Or otherwise disabled. There are many, many men waiting to take their places. The amount of wealth and power involved will ensure it. And many of the underlings are more cruel than the current chefãos. It would be acceptable, though, if certain of the leadership were to meet a tragic, prolonged and very painful demise."

Tonya shut up. Which, Spark knew, was dangerous. She was planning something and he needed to make sure it wasn't something that would cause major problems.

"Look," he told the group, "we've got three days of a job to do, we're in the Enclave and we can let this ride for now. We can talk about it evenings if we want to... but we can't let it upset our mission. So let's get our intel to Maya, have a bang-up three days, and regroup on our rest day. Okay?"

Tonya agreed, although Spark knew part of her was seething. Okami, Charlie and the Professor agreed as could have been expected. Anita's simple, "your time here with our people is more important that any consideration of my issues. Please tell me how I may assist you," finished it off.

For one of the few times he could remember, Tonya chose to sleep alone that night. Spark wasn't sure she was actually sleeping, given the level of upset she was. He decided to catch Anita on the side when everyone was shutting it down for the night.

"Anita, can I talk to you for a moment?" Spark asked. "Alone?" he added, nodding toward the balcony.

"Certainly, sir... I mean, Jamie," she told him and walked out into the warm evening air with him.

"For all I know, I've got four meta-active people listening in on this conversation," he told her, "but I'm going to trust to them giving us some privacy. I have a delicate question to ask you, which you do not have to answer, at all, ever, if you don't want to... there won't be any blowback.

"Lizzie is upset, and she usually isn't. I have an idea why, but I want to ask you straight... is there something in your past she's discovered, something to do with the gangs, that would set her off in a revenge direction? And the reason I'm not going to push for an answer is that it would have to be something very intense and personal." Anita looked out over the Enclave for a few moments before answering.

"Yes, there is," she finally told him. "She and I... shared pleasure... and I shared with her some of my... upbringing... in the favelas, under the control of the ADA, first, and then the SF. The kindest way to put it is that I was a sexual plaything for them from pre-puberty on. A sexual slave, if you will. With the gilded cage that I was given lavish gifts and treats, and enjoyed a lifestyle and status far above that of my friends. My breaking point was when my brother was murdered. I do not know who took the contract, or why. He was my anchor, even if an abusive one, and when I lost him I was set adrift, feeling hopeless and abandoned.

"The divine intervention of an undercover PPU agent - a local policeman - saved me from self-destruction and gave me a path to join the Enclave. I originally joined as a worker bee, and got excellent health care, including counseling, that helped me shed my gang life. And find I had an aptitude with dealing with a variety of people, human and Xeno. I worked hard to make the cut as a Liaison and am quite happy with how my life is turning out.

"And just so you know, Lizzie explained some of the dynamics of the Triad, and the relations you've had with others, and how Charlie and the Professor fit in. I find your lives absolutely intriguing. When I first heard of you, I wanted very much to meet you. And now I have."

"So my wife is incensed at the abuse you suffered," Spark nodded his understanding. "That makes a lot of sense. You must be someone special, for her to have such an immediate and strong investment in you."

Anita fidgeted a bit as she answered, "she seems to think so, Sir."

"Okay," Spark brightened up a bit. "Good enough for her, good enough for me. You've got me on your side, regardless of what happens. Want to head in and crash? We've got an early start in the morning."

"Certainly... Jamie." She stood on tip-toe and kissed his cheek, then opened the door and held it, telling him, "after you..."

* * * * *

Day 1 had gone as scheduled. Breakfast conversation revolved around the upcoming day, there were no references to the previous night's tensions, everyone brought their A-game to the Assemblies and tours and by evening they were ready to wind down.

Sitting at dinner, Spark commented, "you know, Professor, this whole cookie-cutter thing was a brilliant idea. Work out what 'success' means in one Enclave and all the others benefit. The only major difference seems to be in which seawater components they're ramping up to extract first, and that seems controlled by which part of which ocean they're servicing."

"And getting shot at, at one of them," Charlie commented offhandedly.

"We know the who and we know the why," Tonya told her softly. "We simply must be more on guard, knowing there is active hostility pursuing us."

"Yes, and with that in mind, I've devised an exit strategy to help out," the Professor told her. "A bit of the old sleight of hand."

"Magic, Anatoli?" Tonya turned to him. "I did not think that was your purview."

"A wise old man named Clark once said that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, my dear," the Professor grinned. "I deal in magic all the time."

"Then what's the solution, Prof?" Okami asked. "Heavier shielding because the next time they'll throw a nuke at us?"

"Not at all," he smiled. "A Collector has a nominal top speed of 200 knots. The distance from here to Palmer Station is approximately 2,700 nautical miles. Therefore a Collector can make the run in less than 16 hours, easily, and certainly in 24 being lazy. The Phoenix is due to leave for sea trials in four days... coincidentally, our travel day. I suggest sending an armored limo back to the airport as a decoy while we leave on the Phoenix. It will also give you an extended time aboard a Collector while it is in service."

Conversation at the table came to a halt as they contemplated the Professor's suggestion. After several long moments, Spark broke the silence.

"That could work nicely," he told the Professor thoughtfully. "If it's okay with her Captain. In which case, perhaps we select the Phoenix for our tour boat."

"I agree," Tonya told them. "That solves several problems."

"I will make the arrangements after dinner," Anita told the group.

"And the Q&A?" Spark asked. "Do we have the normal deluge of questions?"

Charlie got up and walked over to her shoulder bag, reached in a pulled out some kind of brochure, walked back over to Spark and gave it to him.

"Apparently not," she told him. "Ginny, back at Virginia Beach, compiled most of our Q&A from there into this pamphlet. It's been added to by Penzance and Rum Point is currently working on their additions. So these get distributed before we arrive and most people have skimmed them before our first Assembly. The few new ones we pick up at each Enclave seem to be culture or Xeno related. I think we'll get some new ones by the time we leave, but there are surprisingly few."

"Excellent," Spark smiled. "So I can spend the evening playing Freecell."

"Not Mahjongg?" Charlie laughed.

"Backgammon is better," Okami told them.

"I prefer Tesseract Chess," Tonya offered. That stopped the rest as they stared...

"What?" Tonya asked, now suspicious.

"Oh, nothing, luv..." Spark told her. "Sometimes I forget you're not a normal human."

"And I still love that you forget," she smiled.

Since dinner seemed to be done, Anita got up to start clearing the dishes and Okami and Charlie were right with her, helping. It turned out Spark was serious. He took his P-com to the living room, stretched out on one of the overstuffed couches and started playing his game.

Similarly, the others fanned out to do whatever they wanted to do until it was time to crash.

"Weird not to have some friendly neighborhood Xenos around for mind-blowing sex in the evening," Charlie commented to Okami as they finished putting the dishes away.

"I don't know about you, girl, but I'm hornier than hell and could use a good roll in the hay," Okami told her.

"How about you and I grab Anita and a bedroom and explore?" Charlie suggested. They both turned to look at Anita, who was now wearing a deer in the headlights look.

Not that it was going to save her...

* * * * *

Day 2 had gone as scheduled. Breakfast conversation revolved around expanding Anita's horizons, among other things, and what they were going to cover that day. Anita informed them that the Captain of the Phoenix would be honored to have them along for the Rio to Palmer run, although she wasn't sharing it with the crew until they boarded, for security purposes.

The tours of the R&D and Testing Labs offered no surprises and the team had found themselves back in their apartments in plenty of time for a Brazilian dinner of Feijoada - black bean stew with salt pork and beef - with rice, sautéed greens, fried yucca and orange slices on the side. Tasty, filling, and everyone was sated by the time the Brigadeiro and Pudim dessert was done.

"May I ask a question?" Anita ventured as they cleared the dishes.

"You just did," Spark pointed out. "But feel free to ask as many as you like."

"It is common knowledge that the three Solarian Trade Reps - Jamie, Lizzie and Okami - were chosen in part because of your incredible mastery of all things metaphysical and most things sexual. It is known that you can evoke responses far beyond what would be considered 'normal' by our Xeno friends, who themselves can be very intense. What is not clear is exactly how that works. It is said the Triad, or Symbiote, enter a trancelike state and then all Heaven breaks loose. After that, the narrative gets rather shy on details. I am very curious about how that happens. Is it something you can describe?"

Spark, Tonya and Okami all looked at each other for a long moment before Tonya asked softly, "you would care to experience the power of the Triad?"

Anita looked stunned. Apparently, she hadn't considered actually experiencing their power. More like, get a detailed description of what they did. But stunned or not, she wasn't that slow...

"If a human can survive it, then yes... I think I would like to experience it," she decided.

"Okay, I've got this one," Charlie told them and headed down the hallway to the bedrooms.

"Right with you, girl," Okami told her and followed along. When they came back, moments later, they were laden with pillows, blankets and towels. Lots and lots of towels. Anita watched them with mounting curiosity.

"This is how we introduce our new Xeno friends to the power of the Symbiote," Spark started to explain as he shed his clothes. "Our victim... I mean, friend (said with a smile)... gets comfortable on her back in the middle of the living room floor, minus her clothes because they will only get in her way. Lizzie, Okami and I form a triangle and link up... connect our meta abilities."

While he was explaining this, Tonya slipped out of her clothes and the Professor moved to one of the armchairs on the far side of the room. Tonya and Okami moved to Anita and started undressing her as Spark continued.

"We begin a sort of 'centering' chant which allows us to strengthen our bond," he explained. "And allows us to get in tune with our victim. I mean, target. Subject. Friend... Anyway, once you are relaxed and we are in tune, we transfer gentle stimulation to your chakra line, mostly to the first, second and sixth." Charlie took some towels to the Professor and then stripped off and sat on the couch next to him, with her own pile, as Tonya and Okami guided Anita over to the pile of bedding in the center of the room.

"Then, we gradually build up the intensity as we get a feeling for your response and capacity, taking you as close to ultimate, pure pleasure as we can." Tonya and Okami eased Anita down onto her back and made sure she was comfortable before returning to stand with Spark.

"So if you want to just close your eyes and relax, we'll get started," Spark told her. Anita closed her eyes, took a deep breath and let it out while the Triad joined hands and began the Om Mani Padme Hum chant.

She is very sensitive and easy to please, Tonya commented to the others as they chanted. There is still some residual trauma which I am going to take this opportunity to negate. I will blame it on an unexpected healing consequence of the Triad power. And please do not argue with me, husband. I know this is the right thing to do. If she wants a physical Round Two after this, I would suggest that she and I soixante-neuf while Okami uses her tongue. At the right time, husband, you can take her from behind. I believe that will completely sate her.

You've been studying her, Spark commented neutrally.

To some degree, yes, Tonya admitted. She is a very bright, very libidinous creature with a tremendous amount of stamina and very good impulse control. I believe she deserves as pleasurable a life as she can have.

Well, wife, it's your show... let's giver a very memorable 'time of her life'...

As you wish, Tonya thought back and turned her attention fully to Anita.

Watching Tonya ramp Anita up was like watching a slow-motion masturbation video.

Initially, her breathing deepened and her arms and legs began to twitch. Her hands went to her crotch for awhile, but she didn't seem like she was actively jilling. More like trying to hold it in. Until she started thrusting her mons into one hand while the other drifted up to her breast, rubbing herself and tweaking her nipple at about the same time that she began a low moaning.

Damn, she's sexy... Spark commented as they watched.

Yes, she is, Tonya agreed. Very.

I hope that's her and not something programmed, Okami told the others. Given what she's been through.

It is mostly her, Tonya told Okami, with a little me and a little blocking of the traumatic responses. She is naturally multiorgasmic, like Charlie, and cums very hard. I will tease her until she is writhing on the edge before I nuke her. Once I do, she will roll them over on her own accord. I will simply keep her from damaging herself.

When she is sexually exhausted and her defenses are at their lowest, I will 'fix' the worst of the residual trauma effects. Then let her become unconscious and rest until she naturally recovers.

Tonya was as good as her word. Anita was rolling and moaning and jilling herself hard, to the point where Spark was amazed she hadn't tripped over. Apparently, at one point Tonya decided that Anita was on the edge of breaking down in frustration because she told the others, including the Professor and Charlie, libido nuke in three... two... one...

"Ai, meu Deus! Ai, meu Deus! Ai, meu Deus!... GOZANDO!!!" Anita had arched her back impossibly high as she cried out, then essentially exploded. "Estou gozando! Estou gozando! Meu Deus do céu! Gozando!" Her back kept rising and slamming back into the nesting, the arching high again and slamming down while she had at least two fingers inside, pounding away.

It stayed that kind of intense until she was shaking from head to tow and still writhing in orgasmic bliss. Her words became a jumbled stream of expletives, punctuating the thrashing of her body. When she was shaking so hard it looked like she was going to come apart, Tonya told the others, it is time to clean house.

Anita yelled one more gigantic "Aaaeeeeeiiiiiiii!!!..." into the night and collapsed, breathing hard and trembling, but calming down. It took quite a while, but eventually her twitching abated and her breathing came down to an exhausted normal.

I will let her sleep, Tonya decided and before them, Anita passed out.

I don't think I've ever seen a human cum that hard, except maybe Charlie, Spark mused. Is she going to be alright?

Lizzie? they heard Charlie's voice on the microband. A little boost, please?

When the Triad looked over, they had to work at not laughing. Charlie had obviously mounted the Professor and rode him hard. Mostly they could see his feet and her glistening butt and back. She was collapsed down on to the Professor.

Of course, my dear, Tonya told her in a fair approximation of the Professor's voice and tone, which got Okami laughing.

Yes, she will be alright, husband, Tonya told him as they stood and watched the others.

Well, I could sure use a sit-down with a cup of coffee, Okami told them. While we wait for Round Two.

Sounds good to me, Spark thought to her and by mutual agreement, they broke contact and returned to their individual selves. Okami and Spark headed for coffee while Tonya went to check on Anita, the Professor and Charlie, before rejoining the others at the table.

Round Two went on a lot longer, but was significantly easier on the Professor and Charlie.

When Anita came to, she struggled up to her elbows, looking around, trying to figure out what the hell had happened? She saw the Professor and Chalie still slumped together in the chair, and then saw Spark, Tonya and Okami at the table.

She got unsteadily to her feet and wobbled in the direction of the table. By the time she got there she was less wobbly and has a good head of steam up. She aimed herself straight at Tonya.

And right into Tonya's lap, throwing her arms around her neck and pulling Tonya into a very deep and very passionate kiss. When they finally let up, Anita was breathing heavily, but managed to tell Tonya, "you... are... amazing... I have never felt that good in my entire life." She turned to Spark and Okami, too. "I know you are all part of what I'm feeling. And you'll get your hugs and kisses. And somehow, I just feel very, very connected to Lizzie..."

"How about you grab something to rehydrate with?" Spark asked. "And think about what you'd like for Round Two."

"Round... Two?..." Anita was obviously surprised at the concept

"Sure, Round Two," Okami smiled her lupine smile. "Where you get to see how good we can help you feel physically, as well as metaphysically."

"Really?"

"Sure," Spark smiled. "We don't have relations with our Xeno friends only mentally. Allow us to demonstrate. Finish getting something to drink, hit the head and then come on back. I think we can help you sleep well tonight."

"I think you already have," she told them as she eased out of Tonya's lap. "Be right back..." She snagged a bottle of fruit juice out of the refridgerator on her way to the bathroom.

"I think we go with your plan, Lizzie," Spark told her. "You get her into a sixty-nine, Okami gets creative with her tongue and when she's mush, I'll give her a thorough fucking and let her drift off with happy memories of her experience with the Triad."

"We cannot make it too late, Jamie," Tonya pointed out. "We still have the Collectors, their pens and the refining plant to tour tomorrow."

"Oh, we won't keep her up too late," Spark promised. "We'll have her in bed before midnight."

"Whose bed?" Okami asked. "It'd be better if she didn't sleep alone after the whammy she's about to get." Spark looked to Tonya and Okami, who were looking expectantly at him.

"Okay, I'll take her with me. You two can help us get settled and we'll see you at breakfast."

"Agreed," both told him. It was a few minutes later that Anita returned.

"So, how do we handle sharing the physical side of this dream?" she asked as she sat at the table.

"I believe we should start with you and me sharing oral pleasure," Tonya told her. "As we did before. I will feel familiar to you. The difference this time will be the power of the Triad. Jamie, Okami and I will reestablish our connection before we get started, then let it act as it will."

"Sounds fine to me," Anita smiled. "We're going to need to change out some of the 'nest'... I get kind of..."

"Aqueous," the Professor commented as he and Charlie approached the group.

"More like soaking," Anita smiled slightly. "I'm sorry if I bothered you, Professor."

"You certainly did not bother me, my dear," he told her. "However, if the four of you will be starting Round Two any time soon, I believe I will escape to my room and see you at breakfast."

"Me, too," Charlie told him. "I'll be escaping to his room."

"Have fun," Spark told them. "You've got about a two minute headstart."

"Then goodnight, all... we'll see you in the morning."

Tonya waited until she heard the Professor's door close, then stood, walked over to Anita, took her hand and drew her over to the 'nest' in the middle of the living room. Okami and Spark were there with fresh bedding and had everything set up in under a minute.

Tonya drew Anita down with her, though in reality, Anita was just as happy to help. Tonya positioned Anita on top, 'head to tail', with Anita's 'tail' towards the rest of the room.

How about a warm up while we get our Triad back in sync? Tonya asked. Anita's response was to lean forward, spread Tonya's thighs a bit and begin licking.

My kind of girl, Okami thought to Spark.

You are orchestrating this, Madam Conductor, Spark thought to Tonya on the microband. So... conduct!

Spark and Okami felt a surge in Second Chakra energy course through them and realized it was simply them being in Tonya's sphere of influence as Anita got her pump primed. They patiently waited while Tonya took Anita through a couple of gentle orgasms while accepting the pleasuring Anita was giving without going over herself. Eventually, Tonya decided it was time to pull the pin.

Okami, she thought. Some creative anilingus? Or whatever presents itself...

That's my cue, Okami thought to Spark as she moved in behind Anita, now very ass up, shoulders down over Tonya. Okami's long, damn near prehensile tongue had proved its advantages before. It was going to, again.

"Mmmfffknngd!" Anita moaned as Okami inserted her tongue deep into Anita's pussy, where Tonya was still licking and sucking on her clit. Anita got even more intense in her moans as Okami started stirring things up. Literally. Even without the expletives, Okami knew that she was cumming... from the strong pulsing she was feeling on her tongue.

Damn, she tastes great! Okami told the others on the microband. And she's right... she floods. Sweet.

How do I turn this damn thing off??? they heard Charlie's voice on the microband. They keep that up and I'm going back out there and get in on the action, dammit!

The little nodule behind your right ear, Tonya's voice came on the channel. If you are serious.

Thanks, Charlie thought back and then went silent.

Okami had Anita seriously squirming when Tonya thought, first libido nuke in three... two... one...

"OH MEU DEUS!!!" Anita went off like small bomb, bucking and thrashing, pinned between the two women. She went silent as she thrashed through her orgasm even harder, her skin and especially her face getting a lot redder. And neither Tonya nor Okami were about to let up.

Girl'd like to turn my tongue to jelly, Okami thought as Anita kept cumming. Damn...

After several crashing orgasms, Tonya let up, letting Anita coast down and catch her breath. For a bit.

When her heart was back down out of the triphammer range, Tonya started her up again. Okami had eased her tongue out and was gently licking Anita's glutes and pussy while she recovered. Now, after Tonya took her over another gentle orgasm, Okami decided to try the backdoor.

"Meu Deus, como você faz isso comigo?" Anita moaned loudly as Okami licked her anus and probed her rectum. Anita was starting to shake slightly at the intense stimulation. Okami just smiled to herself and redoubled her efforts.

"Ai, meu Deus... ai, meu Deus..."

Second libido nuke in three...

"Você vai me fazer..."

Two...

"Você vai..."

One...

"Ai! Porra! Gozando! Gozando!"

Damn, I though her pussy was tight... Okami thought as Anita's ass clamped down on her tongue. Girl's gonna fucking rip it off...

The only think keeping Anita from launching was Tonya's arms over her back and Okami's tongue up her butt. Otherwise, she was shaking like crazy.

As I said, she is very sensitive and easy to please, Tonya thought. Shall we cap it off, husband?

Spark smiled to himself. He'd been rock hard since Tonya had gotten Anita's clothes off and had started going down on her. Now, it was his turn to put the icing on the cake. Or more like, put the icing deep inside their lovely liaison, or all over her, depending on what seemed best at the time.

Okami had managed to her tongue out of Anita and had backed away a bit while Anita came down to just breathing really hard. Tonya started her up again and Anita was going right along with her.

Only second to Charlie, I swear, Okami thought as Spark took his place behind Anita. Damn, what a glutton for punishment... she's randier than most of the Xeno's we've dealt with...

Spark lined up on Anita's pussy and waited while Tonya took her through a couple more soft climaxes.

Your turn, husband, Tonya thought to him.

Spark scooted forward, placed the tip of his cock against her pussy and pushed in.

"Santa Mãe de Deus..." Anita moaned loudly as Spark drove home. "Ah, sim... me fode! Por favor, me fode! Me fode com força!" Then, telepathically, Spark heard her voice.

Please take me, Señor! Take me hard! I am yours...

What the lady wants, the lady gets, Spark thought as he began pounding away. He knew Tonya could keep him hard and on edge for hours if she wanted to... but that wasn't what they were doing tonight. He also knew he didn't need to be careful about cumming... Tonya could fix that, too, if she wanted. So he just went for it.

He had no idea how long he had been pounding her, or how many orgasms she'd had, before his Point of No Return showed up. And suddenly he wasn't sure what Tonya wanted.

Wife? he thought to her.

Go ahead, she thought back. Explode in her. She will like it this time. Spark took her at her thought.

"Oh, fuck... Cumming!" he moaned as he went over... and didn't stop stroking. Tonya, Okami, Charlie and the Xenos had programmed him to let the ecstasy wash over and through him, and still keep fucking. He felt himself filling Anita and felt her clenching against him... and it was awesome. She felt incredibly good to him as he kept pounding away. And felt Tonya toying with him.

Or toying with his refractory period. Or sudden lack of one. He felt himself ramping up to another huge orgasm.

"Oh, fuck!... Oh, fuck!... Oh, fuck! Gonna... gonna... CUM!" Not particularly expressive communication, but effective. Anita went with him. Again.

One more, husband, and I think we will be done for tonight, Tonya thought as Spark and Anita slowly came down from their cosmic high. So Spark went back to stroking, slowly at first and then building up speed.

"Shit, I can't pass this one up," Okami commented aloud as Spark got close. Okami moved to straddle Anita, facing Spark, then put her hands on Anita's ass to steady herself and stuck her tongue back in Anita's ass.

That did it.

"OHMIGOD-OHMIGOD-OHMIGOD-OHMIGOD!!!" Anita cried out aloud and weirdly enough in English. "OH-MY-FUCKING-GOOOOOOOODDDD!!!" She came, she came hard, and she came so hard she passed out. Spark might have noticed, but he was cumming so hard he was getting tunnel vision and little blinking lights and shit.

Clock-on-the-wall, Tonya probably let them keep cumming with that kind of intensity for maybe two minutes or so. She let up when Anita passed out, slumping down on her. Eventually, Spark came down enough that he realized he was still in her and she was out cold. He and Okami started disentangling themselves, and then helped move Anita onto her side, next to Tonya. Okami grabbed a blanket and covered her up.

"That, wife, was fucking amazing," Spark told Tonya.

"And you, husband, were amazing fucking," Tonya smiled. "Do I keep her here for the night? Or do we move her to a bedroom."

"Bedroom," Spark decided. "Yours. She should wake up with someone warm and friendly.

"As you wish," she told him as she stood up and easily picked up Anita. "Will you and Okami please tidy up here, before going to bed? We will see you at breakfast."

Spark walked over to Tonya and leaned over the unconscious body to kiss Tonya goodnigh.

"You really are amazing, luv," he told her. "I am so much better for knowing you."

"Goodnight, Jamie," she smiled. "I love you, too." Then she turned and headed for her room, carrying Anita with her.

Spark and Okami turned their attention to picking up and made short work of it. As they were getting ready to knock off, Okami asked him, "would you like a bedwarmer tonight? It's been a while and I'm missing sleeping with someone warm and friendly."

"Sure," Spark smiled. "But let's go for the sleep part of it, too."

* * * * *

Day 3 went as planned with the tour of the Collectors and Refining Plant, with one notable exception: their introduction to Captain Suzanne Fielding of the Collector Phoenix.

She turned out to be businesslike but not anal about it. She expected to have her orders executed without question and without having to raise her voice. She was, to Spark's estimation, Caucasian, mid- to late-forties, about 1.75 meters tall and probably 60 kg. She could smile, but it wasn't a dominant trait. She introduced them to her First Mate, Mister Jack Sooner, her Second Mate, Harvey Wells, and to her Third Mate, Tony D'Angelo.

They also met the Chief Technician, Linda Gordon, the Chief Engineer, Chris Donner, the Purser, Minnie Stone and doctors Frank McNair and Elanor Hall. All of whom greeted them warmly, not knowing (except the Captain) that they were going to be traveling companions in a few days.

Conversation in the Wardroom at lunch revolved mostly around the upcoming shakedown and how the crew was gelling. Charlie got a chance to glow about piloting the Dragonfly, Spark got a chance to ask about mission objectives and Okami got a chance to make sure the coffee was good.

The rest of the tour was a rehash of the other Enclaves and went smoothly as expected.

That night provided another surprise. Anita asked, and the Professor agreed, to share his bed that night. Tonya made sure Anita was feeling alright and made sure to set aside some time with her for the next day, their nominal Rest Day.

The evening passed in a wholly unremarkable way... even though Tonya, Okami and Charlie all decided to puppy pile with Spark that night. One of the advantages of having the huge beds.

* * * * *

"I will be taking Anita with me for some Girls' Time," Tonya told the group as breakfast was winding down. "I do not think we will be gone much longer that a few hours. And no, Jamie, we will not be leaving the confines of the Enclave. There are plenty of things to do within these very secure walls without exposing ourselves to danger."

It crossed Spark's mind to ask what they were going to be doing, but then he realized that he probably needed to stay out of the relationship between the two women. Tonya was doing some kind of healing and he really needed to trust her to handle it. And besides, he wanted to get a head start boning up on Palmer Station, their next port of call.

Everyone else seemed to have something they wanted to do that didn't involve Anita, so they all gove the two the equivalent of 'have a nice day' and went about their business.

The Professor was a bit concerned that they hadn't heard anything from Maya, yet, and decided to see if he could get ahold of her. Okami and Charlie wanted more information on what 24 hours on a submersible was going to be like.

Everyone slipped quietly into their day.

It was mid-afternoon when Tonya and Anita returned.

Spark noted an aura of smug satisfaction around both women. And got worried.

Did you do something to kick over the ant hill? he asked Tonya on the microband.

No, Jamie... a little bit of deserved retribution, but no regime change.

Is this something I should know about? he asked apprehensively. In detail?

Only if you feel a need to know the details, she thought back. A final piece to healing the traumatic wounds. Specific to certain bad actors, directed by her, and in no way upsetting the existing power structure. Although I will admit I was very, very tempted.

May I ask how extensive the damage was? He really didn't want to get blindsided by some kind of Brazilian gang death warrant out on him.

Six sadistic rapists will no longer be enjoying their favorite pastime. When they recover, they will either be functionally useless, or suicidal. Or both. I prefer both.

Oh, boy... Spark thought to himself. Tonya the Avenging Angel. And damned near immortal. This is going to be one hell of a ride...

You need not worry about us, or the mission, or the Enclave, Jamie, Tonya told him. What happened will probably be blamed on poisoned food or drink. Possibly intergang warfare. To my mind, their infighting is not a bad thing.

I take it Anita approves and will be fine, Spark thought back. We can't leave her exposed to any kind of retribution.

I am aware of that, husband. We were careful. She will be fine, as will we.

Spark decided to let it go. As long as Tonya was careful not to leave a trail and kept it low-level, he couldn't fault her desire to take out the bad guys. And she was fully aware that they had a much larger mission to address.

"Maya will meet us at Luganda," the Professor announced, walking up to them - then noticed the intense concentration going on between them.

"We do not have a problem, I hope," he added.

"Not a problem, Professor," Spark told him. "Just doing some level-setting. You were able to get ahold of Maya?"

"I had a message delivered to her, which she answered. I have not spoken with her. They are continuing the investigation into your Skunkworks. She will meet us at Luganda with whatever they have accumulated."

"That will be fine. Palmer is a small enclave with distinctly different problems, although overall it is modeled after the 'Big Boys' and uses similar tech. It should be simple enough."

"In that case, Jamie, Lizzie, I am going to take a nap until dinner. For some reason, this old body has been needing more rest lately."

"Too much sexercise, Professor," Spark quipped. "But I've heard it's good cardio."

The Professor smiled slightly as he told Spark, "perhaps you are right. Regardless, please wake me for dinner."

"You've got it," Spark nodded and the Professor walked off towards his room.

"Since Anita has no duties today, other than being available when we ask her, I believe I am going to take her and a pitcher of Caipirinha to the balcony and enjoy some quiet conversation until dinner," Tonya decided. "Please let us know when it is time to get ready."

"As you wish," Spark smiled and watched as the sexiest woman in the Universe, who happened to be his wife, walked off towards her new friend. Of course, she was probably the deadliest woman in the Universe, he mused, but he didn't have to worry about that part of it. He hoped.

* * * * *

"Everything is ready," Señor de Santos was telling them. "Captain Fielding is expecting you. They would like to get underway by Ten Hundred, if possible. And I would like to congratulate you on a fine motivational visit. We can see the improved morale in a thousand little things.

"Please accept our invitation to come back and visit any time you wish. And who knows? You might not get shot at next time."

"That would be nice," Spark told him. "I hope the limo you are sending towards the airport is a drone."

"It is," de Santos told him. "Packed with all kinds of monitoring equipment to document the source of the attack, if there is one. There is not much we can do about the lands outside our Enclave, and the PPU can be as useful as the proverbial tits on a bull, but at least we can gather information against the day something useful can be done."

"We wish you good luck in your endeavors, Gustavo," the Professor told him. "We will certainly be in touch. And feel free to reach out if there is anything we can do for you."

"I certainly will," he smiled. "I'll have Anita walk you down to the boat. Take care, and be safe."

"The same to you, Señor," Tonya told him, then closed in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Your people have been wonderful to us."

"Gracias, Señora," he nodded. "Adios."

The five visitors and their liaison headed on out to the elevator, and thence on to the pens.

* * * * *

"Welcome aboard, again!"

Captain Fielding was standing on the deck, next to the sail, greeting her VIP passengers as they crossed the gangplank. She was flanked by Mister Sooner and Mister Wells.

"Greetings, Captain!" the Professor called over as he carefully negotiated his way onto the deck. "A pleasure to see you again."

"My officers are just finding out that we've got VIPs on board for our run to Palmer Station, Professor. I'd say they are a bit surprised but just as committed as I am to making your journey a pleasant one."

The Professor took her offered hand when he reached her, but instead of shaking it, he raised it to his lips and kissed it.

"It may not be military protocol," he smiled, "but a man can still be a gentleman."

"Yes, he certainly can," she smiled. "And we're not military. Close, but not. I'll have Mister Sooner escort you to your quarters. Afterwards, I'm going to have an officers' huddle in the wardroom before we leave and you are certainly invited to join us."

"That is quite gracious of you, Captain," the Professor told her. "Mister Sooner? We are ready when you are."

"Then if you would follow me..." he told the group and headed in through the sail hatch. "We're headed to deck Two," he told them. "Officer and VIP berthing is fore of Recreation."

The layout of the boat was now very familiar to the Trade Reps and they weren't surprised to be taken forward on Deck 2, through the Recreation area, through a hatch to a corridor with doors on either side. Sooner pointed out that the first six cabins were for the Captain, the three Mates and the two Chiefs. He explained that the two doctors had private cabins in Medical. They had eight VIP berths, each capable of double occupancy, which is where the Trade Rep team would be staying.

He pointed out that since they were the only VIPs on board, they could pretty much divvy up the space however they wanted to. Spark decided they'd each take an individual cabin for the privacy, if needed, although in reality it probably wasn't going to work like that.

"I'll wait for you to get settled," Sooner told them. "When you're ready, we can head aft to the wardroom for the Captain's meeting."

"Can we swing through Mess first and get coffee?" Okami asked, which got a chuckle out of Spark.

"Sure," Sooner nodded. "Nothing is more important to mental health then the Elixir of Life."

"A man after my own heart," Okami smiled. "This is going to be an interesting trip."

*~*~*~*~*

Author's note: the story of Spark, Tonya and Okami - and now Charlie, the Professor and others - is intended to continue with their adventures on Earth, their interactions with the various peoples of the Alliance, and Tonya's adventures into motherhood. Spark's, too, for that matter, but for now, this is the end of this part of the story. Just so it gets said, like all the last times, Geeks Rule! Even us Dinosaurs. I hope you enjoyed this continuation of the tale. Cheers.