Starlight Gleaming

Summary:

The story is told from the point of view of Ranji Kandikan, a junior officer in the Air Service in the Empire of Chamorro.

At High Guard War base, SLT Ranji Kandikan has moved in with interceptor pilot LT Janetta Tlacotli and her flight crew, Zinja, Cholan, and Ixma. The enemies of the Empire are Atlantis and the Aesir-Vedan Alliance. Many smaller nations and nation-blocs try to avoid being caught up in the crossfire. High Guard War base is a military enclave within the Seven Nations, an independent neutral neighbor that trades with both the Empire and Atlantis.

Women have few rights in the Empire; they must submit to those of higher caste, and in the military (Warrior Caste), to those of higher rank. Janetta has decided that each of the enlisted women on her team will wear Ranji's officer's neckerchief to show that they belong to him and thus give them some protection from unwanted sexual advances. Further, to avoid being caught in a lie if the claim is challenged, Janetta has begun sharing him with her flight crew. Janetta, having recently admitted to herself that she does love Ranji, is distraught to learn that Ranji will be leaving soon for training to become an agent of Imperial Security.

Women are forbidden from getting pregnant while in the military. For enlisted, it means dishonorable discharge and loss of all benefits, but for officers it is a death sentence. The birth control pills that Cholan and Ixma recently received from the military dispensary are discovered to be fertility drugs. Janetta takes the attempt on her crew personally. Melannee, Ranji's local contact with Imperial Security, has promised to come to the base and sort things out.

Note: there are scenes of graphic violence in this chapter.

=========================

It was still dark when I woke. I was hard and in the dim moonlight streaming in from the window, I could see my beautiful Janetta facing me in the bed, her black eyes glittering as she watched me. Her thick black hair was loose, casually framing her face. When she saw my awareness, she flashed a smile with her white teeth before leaning in to kiss me. Out of sight, I felt her hand caressing my shaft. Shifting closer, she lifted her leg over my hip and guided me into her heat. As I parted her slick folds, she sighed, then whispered, "I love you, Ranji Kandikan. Make love to me."

Behind me, Ixma was curled up against in my back. I heard the easy breathing of her and Zinja sleeping peacefully.

Janetta sighed again, kissing me gently while her hips slowly rocked to meet and envelope me. I moved easily within her warm, welcoming pussy, feeling her walls clasping wetly along my shaft. There was no urgency, just satisfaction and pleasure in being intimately connected together.

"I love you, too, my beautiful warrior," I breathed.

She put her hand behind my head and pulling me in, kissing me thoroughly.

For long minutes, we lay side by side, holding and touching while I moved within her and she moved to envelope me. In the dim light, I saw love and delight and surprise play across her face. The sweet sensation of moving within her tight, wet heat was sufficient for me, our joining intimate and satisfying. That she woke me to make love to me, tired though I was, spoke volumes about her desire for me, and I was eager to oblige her need.

Janetta's wetness soon coated her inner thighs, and then mine. She shifted, moving her leg higher over my hip. Her hand traced my jaw, then my shoulder. "You said earlier tonight that you are my man and that I am your woman."

"Yes." I smiled at the memory, even as she enveloped and released me.

"Oh, gods, you feel so good. It makes my heart sing. Tell me again, Ranji."

"You are my woman, Janetta, and I am your man. I love you, my strong, brave warrior."

She gasped and her hand moved to my hip, pulling me tight as I thrust within her slick folds. "Again. Please?"

"I am yours and you are mine. You and me, two warriors together, side by side."

Her hand gripped my hip and she pressed harder against me, taking me deeper. I pressed back, her wet nether lips brushing my groin.

"Yes! Shivers all the way .. down to my toes." A gasp. "More."

"You belong to me and I belong to you. That means I will take care of you, support you, love you." She groaned, pressing harder, grinding. My hand moved to her butt and squeezed.

"Ohhh!" Janetta arched, grinding harder against me. "So .. close."

I stroked firmer, rougher. "I am yours. You are mine! Mine, Janetta."

"Take me, Ranji. Oh! Take ... me!" She arched, pressing against me, her pussy clamping around my shaft.

"I love you, Janetta Tlacotli."

Janetta pulled me in for a passionate kiss, her breath catching as waves of sensation rolled over her. When her breathing eased, sighing against my shoulder, I slowed my movements within her slick, trembling folds.

"You give me so much pleasure, Ranji." She kissed me, breathing heavily against my cheek. "Come inside me. I want to please you and make you feel good."

"You do please me. Your pussy feels wonderful, Janetta," I assured her.

"What can I do for you?"

"It's not you. I'm just tired is all." And I was tired. I saw the flash of disappointment cross her face. She was taking this wrong, taking this as her failure to pleasure me. When it came to love, she was full of doubt and inexperience. Such would have to wait until I was more awake. "Okay, Janetta, move under me."

While I lifted up, she eagerly shifted, wrapping her legs around my waist. Pressing back inside her wet sheath, I thrust deep, adjusted, and thrust again until I was fully buried inside her slick, tight walls. Janetta held onto my shoulders while she rocked her hips against me. I gave her firm strokes, vigorously probing her center with my hard cock.

"That's it!" she breathed. "All the way inside me." She lifted up to meet my thrusts, taking my entire length with every stroke. "Full payload, Ranji. You're on the mark, target lined up, wingman. Give me all you've got."

I held myself above her, her face mostly in shadow. The glint of desire in her eyes, the catches in her breathing. My hips moved faster and harder into her pussy.

"Mmm, so good. So deep," she murmured.

The bouncing of the bed had roused Ixma and Zinja. They moved to give us space, but my focus was on Janetta and coming inside her eager body. She urged me on with her touches, her caresses; her sighs were underscored by the wet sounds of our flesh joined and moving together. At last, the tension tightened within my balls as they slapped against her ass. Sliding my hands down, I held myself up and gripped her butt, bucking and shoving into her hot, undulating pussy.

"Yes!" she hissed. "Do it, Ranji! Do it!"

My cock swelled and grunting, I sprayed deep into her recesses. "I love you."

Janetta moaned, her legs pulling me tighter against her crotch. As I pulsed, coating her tunnel with my sticky warmth, she rubbed her hands over my chest. "I love you, too," she breathed, then suddenly shivered. "Give it all to me. My heart feels full to bursting for want of you."

When my orgasm faded, Janetta's legs released me. I braced myself above her, ready to slide out and wrap my arms around her in a return to sleep.

"Don't pull out. Move until we're laying side by side," she said. "I want to go to sleep with you still inside me." Putting her leg over my hip, Janetta sighed as she snuggled close, her head in the crook of my arm.

"Want a towel, sir?" Ixma quietly asked. "For the wet spot?"

"Thanks, but we're good," Janetta replied. She kissed my chest before taking a long breath. "We are well and truly good."

* * * * *

Morning came too early, but I pulled myself out of bed. Grabbing a fresh tee-shirt and my shorts, I put them on, then slid into my deck shoes. Since moving in with Janetta and her team, our schedules hadn't really meshed. The overlong hours of study at Tikun had cut into my exercise time. It would shorten breakfast, but I needed to do a run before I went to work. I had plenty of activity, not that I minded, but thus far it was almost entirely horizontal. I needed to make my body work. The lack of exercise was making me restless.

Janetta barely stirred when I got up, on her belly, the pillow halfway over her head. Ixma and Zinja, however, slid out of bed and were collecting their clothing when I left. Ixma kept yawning as she moved about.

On the porch, I stretched, set my watch, then started down the street at a brisk pace. With summer heading into full swing, even this early it was past dawn. The last of the starlight gleaming in the sky faded out, overwhelmed by the morning sun. Already the air was growing warmer, promising to be a scorcher later. Salt air on the breeze, I inhaled deep. It felt great to be alive and outside.

On the second block, the brisk walk became a jog. Then I ran. Houses flew by, then down along the sea wall. When the alarm went off, I ran back to the house, and while I caught my breath on the porch, checked the pedometer function. Seven rads. Not bad.

I saw through the front window that Ixma and Zinja were busy cooking. Both smiled when I entered the cottage.

"Cahault, sir?" Ixma asked, wiggling her eyebrows as she checked me out.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead. "Shower first, uniform, then cahualt."

Ixma stared.

"We'll keep it hot for you, sir," Zinja promised. Then she bumped Ixma with her shoulder.

After the shower, I was mostly dressed and at the closet selecting my shirt when I heard Janetta pad up behind me. I turned, saw her sleepy face and the thick tumble that was her hair. She leaned up and I happily kissed her.

I brushed a wayward lock from her face. "What's up, sweetheart? Aren't you on a swing schedule? You go back on duty ... is it tonight or tomorrow night?"

She hugged me and nuzzled her head contentedly against my chest. "Tonight, about Ninth Hour. I want to see those bastards get their due for trying to hurt my team. I'm going to be pissed if we end up missing it. Right now, I just needed to touch you before you go. Meet you after work?"

"Sure. How about dinner in the Commissary? That way, we'll already be nearby when things start to go down. Zinja and Ixma won't have to cook and no one has to do dishes."

I reached for my shirt and she let me go. "That'll cost ten credits at least. Maybe fifteen. Are you sure you're okay about the expense? You have a lot of money, but even a little whittling every day eventually takes its toll."

"Probably closer to twenty-five. The Commissary prices are higher than the Cafeteria. And it's fine." I pulled her close, squeezing and patting her butt as I kissed her. "You get to buy. Use the card I gave you."

"Gods, this is so weird for me, Ranji, just taking your money like that. But I get what you told me, that you want to take care of me. The idea itself is new to me. Just so you know, it goes both ways. I don't have any money to do things for you, but I so want to make you happy."

Janetta put her nose to my chest, inhaling before continuing. "You were so good to Ixma last night, and I really loved what you did to me this morning. I wish you had time to do me again before you go. I don't have much energy, but I'd lie there and really enjoy you having your way, stretching my insides and oiling my notch." She adjusted my neckerchief, brushed my cheek, then stood back. "Safe flight and safe return, my love."

When she turned to go back to bed, I smacked her bare butt.

"Ow! Hey, you!" She whipped around, hand on her hip. Her face was indignant, but there was also a smile of interest in her eyes. "I have a boyfriend now, and after I kick your ass, I'll tell him what you did."

"You do that, Lieutenant. Make sure you tell him he's a lucky man while you're at it."

"Damn straight, he is!"

Out in the main room, I filled my thermos with cahault, the chocolate coffee drink I was addicted to. I also grabbed the breakfast wrap Zinja made for me. I told them we were having dinner at the Commissary after I got off work.

I made sure I had both my new and old personal computers in my satchel before heading out the door.

Ixma tried to kiss me, but after her last kiss before work, I made her wait until I checked her for lipstick. Seeing none, I pointed to my cheek. She gave me a face, then pulled me down for a kiss. She didn't make a big fuss over it, just a good solid kiss with a bit of tongue as she broke off. Pointing to the neckerchief she wore over her hair, Ixma informed me, "I am your lover now. You are an officer, but I expect certain liberties with your person and to receive signs of affection from you. Have a good day, sir."

"Uh, you, too." I guess she told me. I glanced at Zinja.

Zinja held up her hands, laughing. "I'm good. See you tonight, sir."

Outside, I looked at my four-door ChoCac parked next to Janetta's two-seat HueCac. Both electric vehicles were now Air Service cyan blue. I was impressed by the vehicle's nano-tech ability to change its color overnight. A spin-off from the medical field, I wondered what other technological advances would manifest in the years ahead.

I climbed in and zipped off to work at Logistics, wolfing down the breakfast wrap as I drove.

After parking, I hustled inside the main building, reaching my desk with a minute to spare. Almost immediately, the normal noise of the office changed. Sounds of irritation and frustration bubbled up from other cubicles. I powered up my work computer, saw it go through its boot process, and surprisingly, saw the Imperial logo flash on my screen. "Network Maintenance" was all it said. And there it remained.

More voices expressing consternation. Standing up, I glanced around to other cubicles and saw the same splash screen. Periodic updates did happen. After all, there was a whole regiment dedicated to conducting cyber-warfare against both Atlantis and Aesir-Veda. And our enemies worked just as hard to destroy our systems. Usually, only those computers that linked to the outside were at risk. Updates weren't daily, but they were usually done in under a minute. Phrases like "Come on!" and "Hurry up!" were being heard, along with choicer phrases reserved for off duty. Senior Lieutenant Topichtwi, our unit CO, frowned on the use of coarse language at work.

After fifteen minutes, the CO called up Computer Support for a prognosis. He listened and after some terse words, he announced that all computers were expected to be down for several hours. "In light of that, and not wanting to waste the Emperor's money, you will clean your workstations. Second Sergeant Matiwatli will check you off. After that, we'll see."

For the next two hours, I worked at no great speed, dusting, wiping surfaces, and competing with others for cleaning supplies. Having arrived less than three months earlier, there really wasn't a lot of cleaning to do. Afterward, I poured myself a drink from my thermos, put my feet on my desk and sipped cahault. Linking both of my personal computers by a data cable, I began moving personal data from the old laptop to my new machine.

Matiwatli came by and stood at the doorway to my cubicle frowning. I raised my eyebrows. "I'm done," I informed him.

The sergeant seemed to know his job, and as my CO's main support, he could make things difficult. However, while he no doubt saw me as green, I was still an officer and he treated me respectfully. Matiwatli, though, was a far cry from my experience with Senior Sergeant Itznacoco at Tikun War base. He glanced around my cubicle. I could see he was thinking about trying to give me more to do, but then he shrugged. "Good enough, Lieutenant."

After lunch, the CO had Matiwatli call Computer Support again, and was duly informed the network would be unavailable for the remainder of the day.

Once I finished with the data transfer, I unhooked the cable, and set the old computer to wiping the free space clean while I poked around on the new laptop. I discovered a folder entitled "Security Tools," but it was password protected. Presumably there would training on its use down the road. I relaxed, drank more cahault, and confirmed the settings on the programs I used had migrated successfully.

A sergeant looked out the window. "There's a lot of air traffic over the base today." He opened the window and the barking sound of distant rotors could be heard more clearly.

"There's two transport helos coming in for a landing at the Parade Ground," observed another gawker.

"Hey, those birds are from the 92nd. That's Imperial Guard, based at Tenochta War base. Something big is going on."

The Lieutenant and his sergeant went to the line of windows and stared outside for a bit. "I was going to cut you loose today," the CO said at last, "seeing how we're dead in the water. I'll call Command and Control, find out what they advise. Until then, you are to remain within this building."

There were several groans, but none that were too loud. A few moved chairs and parked to chat. Here and there I could hear cards being shuffled and the rattle of dice.

When the old computer was done, I powered it down and put it back into my satchel. I then opened my mail on the new machine. The server was down, of course, but I had a couple of long messages already downloaded from my father to go through. One was a math refresher, while the second outlined some of the physics questions he wanted me to respond to.

A blinking message indicator in the status bar caught my attention. "Access granted," it flashed before fading out. I glanced at my office computer. It was still frozen with the maintenance screen displayed. Then a pop-up, saying I had a new message from Capisco Travel Guides. Curious, I opened it up.

"Information confirmed from other sources. Casting the nets. -- M."

Over by the building entrance, I heard someone mention my name. I stood up and looked. Two troopers in black powered armor made their way to me.

Their shoulders sported the blazing sun patch of the Imperial Guard, and below that, the snarling dire wolf insignia of the 92nd regiment. A sergeant and a corporal. Both carried Tlokan Razors, an 8.5mm heavy assault rifle on their shoulders. Short swords and heavy stunner pistols on their hips. I shut down and secured my personal comp and thermos into my satchel.

"Sublieutenant Ranji Kandikan?"

I nodded. "You found me. What can I do for you?"

"Come with us, sir."

My CO, Senior Lieutenant Topichtwi, also arrived. "Is there a problem here?"

The armored sergeant turned to him briefly, then turned back to me. Topichtwi, ignoring the slight, asked, "Anyone you want me to notify, Kandikan?"

"Thank you, but no, sir." I put on my garrison cap and shouldered my satchel.

As we left the building, a dozen more troopers entered Logistics and Supply.

Outside the building, in the already hot morning, I saw other squads of armored soldiers heading in different directions. Anyone not in the company of the Imperial Guard moved quickly and with purpose.

We marched over to Command and Control and went inside. A few armored troopers stood guard at various points. Air Service staff at their desks looked nervous, watching us pass with a mix of relief that it wasn't them and fear for what was happening around them. The two Air Service Security I saw looked sullen, underlain with fear.

I had been in C&C before. We passed the conference rooms that Air Service Security had used when they questioned me about the alien attack during my arrival. But then we headed in a different direction, to an area I hadn't seen before.

At the Base Commandant's office door, the sergeant rapped twice.

"Enter!" was the reply.

The office was what one would expect, filled with expensive furniture and the walls covered with awards and honors for the general. I noticed that the Air Service general was not at his desk, though. Instead he was seated in a guest chair. His grey hair braided and hanging to his mid-back, and his sharp features looked up at me as we entered his office. Overall, the general just looked plain unhappy.