"_Attention personnel, we have reached our cruising altitude of thirty-six thousand feet, you are now free to move about the cabin, eta to Washington Reagan National is three and a half hours,"_ the gravelly voice of the pilot echoed through the PA system of the Boeing 747 as the seatbelt lights turned off and the cabin lights illuminated slowly.
The thunderous yet steady hum from the plane engines was soon accompanied by the hustle and bustle as military personnel made way for the bar and the bathroom, not necessarily in that order.
"Hrrrrrrrrghhh!" Luna grimaced stretching her arms outward, trying to work out the kinks built up from numerous hours hunched over microscopes and calibrating equipment. Her hands fell downward and burrowed between her protruding bosom and her pillowy thighs to unfasten her seatbelt, the last barrier to her freedom of movement.
"_I should have insisted on a suborbital transport for this trip, the sooner we get to D.C. the better, not to mention the seats are roomier..."_ Luna pondered as she sucked in her stomach to get more slack in the seatbelt digging into her supple waist as her hands tried to find purchase on the buckle.
Normally when flying she wore her custom 'decom' uniform that allowed both for ease of movement and support/compression of her ample "assets". But today she had that suit packed away, and instead was wearing her formal military ceremony uniform.
For Luna, her formal attire was in an ever-evolving state based on the fluctuating size of her bust and at present time her size was particularly encumbering. Ever since the discovery of her body's ability to function as a battery for growth energy Luna had found it harder and harder to not be at the center of one growth epidemic after another. The effects were readily clear in her fecund bustline protruding outward emphatically from her svelte five-foot eight frame.
Her custom made long-sleeve side-button-down jacket could barely circumnavigate her turgid fifty-eight-inch bustline forcing her to opt for a spare high-collar U.N.S.A. formal jacket modified with gold buttons overlayed on either side of the jacket with strings looping across the chasm of cleavage to hold the jacket together.
*Click* Luna unleashed a sigh of relief as the belt relinquished its firm hug around her waist and she turned to her left to check on her neighbor. "_I wonder why Hannah opted for rear seating this time?"_ Luna puzzled but quickly brushed it aside concluding that Hannah probably preferred to be anywhere on the plane was better than being stuck in first class with the higher-ups.
Further toward the front of the plane in First Class two military officials conversed both holding drinks.
"A toast, to the creation of our first super soldier!" General Bill Riggs declared jovially, holding up a glass of champagne to Oliva Carter, sitting next to him.
"Yes, and a nice redemption story for Benton don't you think? But honestly Bill, wouldn't a toast be more appropriate _after_ we give the presentation?" Oliva said as she cocked an eyebrow skeptically, reluctantly clinking glasses with the General and sipping contemplatively on her frosty mimosa.
"Redemption is right word Carter. After all Benton has cost us millions in cleanup ever since the prom incident. This breakthrough can allow people to see him in a new light!" Bill grunted grimacing after gulping down his drink aggressively.
"Slow down cowboy, we're barely halfway to DC, at this rate we'll have to drop you off in Chicago!" Olivia smirked sarcastically at Bill as he reclined in his chair, bringing his service cap down over his forehead.
"Heh, I find a little inebriation goes a _long_ way when handling our co-workers on trips like this," Bill grunted, a sheepish but content smile stretching across his stubbled face.
"Oh _please_, at least you're not related to any of your co-workers," Olivia sighed swirling her drink listlessly.
"What?! I can't believe it. Are you saying your sweet sister Ultima can be a bit of a nuisance?" Bill chuckled, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"_Ha-ha_, we get along fine, honestly I don't see her as much as you'd think, especially now with her lab schedule. She has plenty of colleagues and admirers such that she barely has time for her older sister," Olivia remarked staring longingly outside the plane window as the plane passed through thick clouds.
"By the way, have you seen Hannah? You'd think she would be up here hamming it up with the top brass to move up the ranks with this achievement."
"She probably just wanted some private time to prep for the presentation. I saw Masters seated in the back section during boarding, and Stromberg's probably with her. Those two are like sisters in a way..." Bill said, stifling a yawn.
"Well, hopefully Masters can keep the reigns on causing another growth outbreak. Hannah's deserves some recognition absent of any theatrics," Olivia crossed her arms recounting the recent series of growth outbreaks dotting her tumultuous two years working at the Killian Base.
"A word of advice, Carter, in this business, regardless of talent, nobody is _recognized_ unless the higher-ups _want_ you to be," Bill said leaning forward in a hushed tone, methodically stroking his beard stubble.
"What? Please save the riddles Bill," Olivia said exasperatingly raising an eyebrow toward him.
"Look, Stromberg is no less a loose cannon than good ole '_fast and frisky_' Masters, she just keeps up appearances better. Case in point, she cut a lot of corners in producing our latest super soldier."
"With Benton? Do you think there will be..._issues_?" Olivia trailed off nervously.
"I'm _counting_ on it." Bill's eyes twinkled from beneath his service cap before he closed them leaned back presumably to take a nap. However, soon after a figure approached from the side casting a shadow over his resting form.
"Oohh _OOOOLLLIIEEE_!!" Ultima's greeting sang out with such vigor Olivia _almost_ felt bad for Bill as he jerked awake violently, his service cap falling to the floor.
