Hekate's Call, Chapter 9

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

Crater adjusted a few objects on her desk, waiting for Ilina's response. The seats of her office were taken up by the other pilots, leaving her to stand and face them all. She'd been reprimanded before for insubordination many times, regardless of who she worked for, and she'd always stood her ground because she made the right choices.

Never had Ilina been reprimanded for gross incompetence before. Not even her mothers had given her a lecture in front of others like this.

"I'm sorry," Ilina muttered.

"Ilina Falke," Crater's voice had a deep, plunging edge to it. It demanded respect. "I am not asking for an apology, I am asking for an explanation. Your simulations, your trainings, your general aptitude all indicate your performance should be better than whatever that was."

That was referring to the small skirmish the Gestalt floated through on its way to the port colony still some distance out. Ilina was a good marksman, even if the Parting Word wasn't calibrated for it, she could still act as a mobile turret on the hull of the ship with a heavy rifle. It was the same model rifle that the Work From Home was equipped with in lieu of the heavy railgun, and even if her performance wasn't as good, she could be useful.

She would have been useful if she hadn't been dead on her feet looking like a rookie who could barely manage to turn on her machine.

She would rather admit to being grossly incompetent and stupid than what had actually happened.

Don't make me say it. Not here.

"I was distracted."

Crater sighed and stood up at her desk. It activated all her fight or flight responses at once. The door was close, she could make it. They were in the middle of deep space. Where the fuck was she going to go? She could swing, Crater wasn't combat personnel she might win that fight. But the rest of the pilots were here and would kill her before she could.

"My job," Crater's voice softened somewhat. A bit forced. She was trying to be patient, probably at Morian's request. "My job is to ensure that all my pilots are performing at full capacity. It's what makes Hekate's Call different than our parent company. They provide forces. We provide aces. An elite squad."

She slowly made her way over and placed a hand firmly on Ilina's shoulder. "I need you to tell me what distracted you so that we can ensure it doesn't happen again."

"I just finished having sex and didn't get a chance to clean up."

For the first time since she was a child, she blushed at her own sexuality spilling out to a room full of snickers and shock. If there was one saving grace, it was the awkward cough and blush on Crater's face at wishing she hadn't made the whole show of walking over and cornering Ilina the way she did.

Crater turned and walked back to her desk, composed, before sitting down and putting her head in her hands.

"A creampie?" Manya giggled, hiding her grinning face behind her face.

"What's that?" Vigil asked, deadpan. Sincere.

Before Manya could lean across the coffee table to explain, Crater put up a hand. "You can save the sex ed lesson for later. If this is going to impact your performance to this degree, take a quick shower before suiting up. Get the fuck out of my office."

The only person not to make a comment out loud was Krystyn. She'd been unsettlingly polite since the incident that landed her in the medbay. The woman just sat firm against the tide of Manya rolling about the couch in a fit looking like she was holding back a slur, because of course the imperial military poster girl was fond of them.

Ilina excused herself wordlessly, though every step brought the same humiliating feeling of those liquids running down her thighs and sticking to her pants. At least she'd managed not to cry in front of everyone else, but she would definitely cry in front of Velia. It was Velia's fault after all.

The room she now shared with Velia was getting touches of life here and there. The light was on, for one. And the sheets were clean. Unlike Ilina, Velia didn't get the option to pack anything before boarding. If they were going to get more than one trip planetside while they were berthed maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to take Velia out to buy things. A date. Their first date ever.

Velia worked at the desk, studying something. Morian suggested activity, apparently, to stimulate her. Ilina on the other hand was simply rolling on their shared bed taking her fill of Velia's scent and thinking about the date they would have.

A knock at the door. Velia answered via intercom, and then opened the door. Manya leaned in the frame with a wide, friendly smile looking at both of the occupants. She was alone, thank the stars.

"Hey there," she purred at Velia, "is Ilina still free to use? I mean, with your permission, of course."

Velia waved her in and returned to the desk.

Ilina wasn't confused or surprised by this turn of events. It was the same at the barracks. If you asked Velia you could do whatever you wanted with Ilina, within reason. There was an odd feeling in her chest about it, nostalgia and dread. They both wanted to return to the status quo. How things were before.

Was returning to the past an act of necromancy? Morian redefined what necromancy was on a conversation-to-conversation basis, and it started to affect the way Ilina thought about things. It didn't matter.

Don't get too excited. Don't get too excited. Illustrious wants to fuck me!

Ilina fumbled at her clothes. How was she supposed to do this? She didn't want to look too eager. Was she breathing too hard? Was she supposed to say anything?

Manya placed a knee on the bed between Ilina's thighs and clasped Ilina's trembling fingers tightly.

"Don't steal one of the most fun parts from me, kay?"

It was agonizing how slowly Manya stripped her. So delicately, button by button, pushing fabric aside with the back of her hands so her palms and fingers could glides across her skin. She was so close. Too close. She smelled like sweets. It smelled the strongest at her collarbone, in the plunge of her open jumpsuit. Ilina got the best look when Manya leaned forward to undo Ilina's bra. Six black pearls poked out from her skin, and one larger one in the center.

She hardly noticed in her haze being pushed onto her back and having her bottoms stripped off with the same care. Manya was making a show of it too. She brought her face close to Ilina's body as she peeled off her trousers, laying little kisses along it. It was too much.

"Now it's your turn," Manya took a half step back.

Ilina wasn't a virgin. She'd had sex before. Lots of it, in fact. She was probably one of the best laid women outside an imperial hanger. Okay, that was a bit of an exaggeration after seeing the inside of the rebel barracks. The general breadth of her experience still made how bad her hands were trembling and how many times Manya had to softly tell her to slow down or move faster so embarrassing.

Maybe it was the endless lusting and countless nights she'd touched herself to sleep in her little room at Carrion that did it. Just all her pent-up feelings. The pressure from having Velia tapping a tablet pen or shifting in her chair while she studied, just knowing that she was watching every little exchange. She couldn't look too eager. Did Velia want her to enjoy this? She offered Ilina up like this, so it wasn't her fault right? Velia's been watching, right? Right?

"Hey," Manya grasped and rubbed one of Ilina's ears. "Would this be easier if I gave you some money?"

"What?"

"You just seem really nervous," Manya continued to rub her burning ear between her thumb and finger. It wasn't helping her nervousness in any way. "I figured if we depersonalized it by turning it into a transaction, it would be easier for you. You'll do anything for money, right?"

"I can't take your money," Ilina choked. Though, the safety of a transaction and a contract did make things easier. But so would just getting to the act. This weird thing Manya had going on was driving her crazy.

She blinked at the floor before a new wave of embarrassment floated over her. Oh. That was the point. Foreplay. Ilina was pretty experienced with the deed itself, but it was usually a grab-and-go ordeal and never like this. Was this supposed to be the way it went? Was this how lovers did it?

Manya leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "Let's tease Velia a bit. I don't think she's been paying enough attention to you."

That was something she could do. Ilina was known for acting out when she didn't get enough attention Velia knew that better than anyone. Yeah. Manya was right, that would be fun. She said it would be fun right?

Manya's tail was a fascinating piece of technology. As she knelt on the bed the tail liquified as it passed between her legs, pressing up against her cunt and wrapping up around her hips. A thick, appropriately rigid phallus emerged. The devil-thing let out a moan as she stroked it in demonstration of the tight neural linking at play. For all purposes it was the real thing, only creepier.

"Can you, ah," Ilina blushed, "it's a little big. Velia's already at the limit of what I can handle."

A vicious grin flashed on Manya's face as they locked eyes. The recognition felt good. Of course Ilina could play along if she knew what the goal was. "Of course, is this better?"

Ilina reached forward and felt the phallic object shift in her hand like eager clay. It was the right length now, but, "A little thicker here. That's good."

Manya leaned Ilina gently onto her back and moved into position.

"Ah," Ilina covered her face with a hand, "are you sure you want to like this? Velia says it's hard to look at me--"

"Hush," Manya's smiled deepened as she pulled Ilina's hand away. "You're so pretty, don't hide like that."

All she could do was bite her lip as Manya slid all the way in. It didn't hurt like when Velia did it, but she was also so wet after all of Manya's teasing.

“Don’t keep your voice in,” Manya’s voice was so smooth. She was so hot. Her scent was making Ilina's mouth water.

“But Velia said,” Ilina squeaked uncharacteristically. She was still trying to suppress a moan when she spoke. Despite how embarrassingly it came out Manya only smiled wider.

Across the room they both heard Velia stand up from the desk she’d been working at. She marched over without even glancing at Manya and shoved a hand into Ilina’s mouth, fishing for her tongue. After she got it pinned between a pair of fingers she pulled it forward and slid a knife into her mouth.

“Has anyone ever told you,” her anger was enough to cause her voice to tremble, “that talking about other women during sex is a turn off?”

“I like it,” Manya hummed as one of her hands slid down between Ilina’s legs to play with her.

Well, she wasn’t holding back her moans now, so that was a victory for Manya. Seeing the shame in Velia’s eye was a nice bonus. The sharp of the knife kept threatening against her tongue.

Velia let her go and wiped the saliva off her knife. Manya and her locked eyes while Manya idly played with Ilina.

Velia stared at Manya for a moment at this new angle. “Do you have a twin sister?”

“No,” Manya tilted her head, “Why’s that?”

“Who’s the girl in those battle logs?” Velia’s voice sharpened, “Because it sure as hell isn’t you.”

Manya stopped for a second. Perplexed. ”You have a good eye,” she chewed on her lip, eyeing Velia up and down. “Trade secret. Can’t talk about it. What gave it away?”

“Her eyes are darker,” Velia walked towards the desk and grabbed her tablet. She excused herself with her studies, probably off to wherever she went when Ilina was busy with work or training. What did Velia do when Ilina was busy?

As the door slid shut behind Velia, Manya let out a thick, heavy longing sigh.

“I wanna keep you both,” she whispered as she started to play with Ilina again.

The next hour, longer probably, of sex was interspersed with rounds of making out. Apparently Ilina was an inexperienced kisser, according to Manya, but she promised to fix that. Three or four times? The sweet scent of Manya's perfume had faded, but between one round of deep, proper kisses and the next Ilina noticed that Manya's saliva tasted vaguely sweet.

Oh. Was that why there was this haze around her? Her limbs felt a bit like her veins had been slowly filled with lead. They were heavy.

Another kiss that pushed her slightly deeper into that haze. She traced where Manya's tongue had touched the inside of her mouth. It tasted different there.

"You're a chemical factory," Ilina panted and slurred.

A grin wider than Manya's face spread. The devil-thing seemed so tall and imposing and suddenly less human now. Scaled obsidian and night sky pearls broke up her perfect figure here and there. Was she even a person at this point?

"I really, really love you both," her voice was almost giddy, "chemical factories are super illegal though. So, swear to me you won't tell anyone, not even Morian."

Chemical factories were a banned augmentation. They served the same basic function as the chemical fabricator in the medbay, they could produce just about any substance if you knew the right sequence for how to construct it. Except chemical factories were almost entirely biological. Factories were often used in poor areas for medicine, but cheap versions of the augmentation couldn't change what they produced. The factory usually died of an overdose.

Manya probably had some augments for regulating the chemical factory. What other augments did she have?

Manya slowly opened Ilina's mouth and dribbled in spit with the consistency of honey. It tasted thicker and wasn't as sweet. Her tongue tingled at it.

"Don't swallow that just yet, let it sit for a bit," Manya purred. "I should definitely go, but we'll play some more another time. And remember, no telling anyone about my little secrets."

She couldn't swallow if she wanted to. Her body wouldn't let her. Ilina felt so heavy like she was going to fall asleep in that moment. That wasn't an option, she would drown on whatever was in her mouth.

Manya laughed from somewhere out of sight. "You folded my socks and underwear. That's so adorable! I'm so happy Liz picked y'all up. It was getting really dull around here."

The door opened and slid shut, and sometime after Ilina swallowed the mouthful of saliva and honey. She fell asleep peacefully to swirls of color and a warm, cozy feeling like floating on clouds.

Manya was really pretty.

She said she would come and play again.