Love on the Rocks - 9. Chapter 9

A quick series of messages after I changed my shuttle flights around. I informed my parents that I now have a operating Mining Company with a brand new Ice Miner and contracts with Ernesto to buy our Ice at slightly lower than market, but that enabled me to be able to help him and provide a known buyer with product as well as keep up the goodwill with him and his family. And last but not least. Sasha’s Mom said she would have a cabin ready for me to use as I snuck onto their ship tomorrow. She confirmed Sasha would be on the Bridge tomorrow when I arrived, 6 hours earlier than planned and that he would not be told I was coming. 23:00 hours I was finally in bed after packing and responding to everyone.

By 08:00 hours I was sitting on the shuttle waiting as we pulled out of the hanger. The cabin staff made sure we knew all the rules and where the air masks were in case of an emergency. Once we cleared the station’s control space, we lined up for our first Jump. It would take a little over two hours and three Jumps to get to Westport where the Jasenka family’s ship was. I was excited and a little unhappy at the same time. Unhappy because I really should use today to work out my plans and that I have to put a little of the angry boyfriend attitude towards the crew on Sasha’s ship. I don’t like them teasing him, although he really needs to stand up for himself. I relaxed as we crossed the various sectors en route. I’ll have to get one of the business class seats next time so I could work instead of being surrounded by people who do not need to know my business. I smiled at the thought of someday owning my own shuttle and flying wherever I wanted. I fell asleep only to be awakened by the snoring of the guy behind me. I sighed. My own fault. Next time I use business class. We landed in the hangar right on time and I waited for people to depart before I departed myself and headed for baggage claim. My gravtrunk came out on the luggage conveyor and I pulled it off to head towards the ship. Several people moved out of my way when they saw the Captain’s insignia on my collar. Another nice perk of rank. I thought as I located where the ship was before entering the lift. I logged myself aboard and the Watch Stander directed me to my cabin, where I stowed my gear and changed yet again. Instead of a shipsuit, I had slipped on my Armor and wore my sidearm. I always liked the design of the Armor’s front breast plate. I had the Blood Red Bear Claws on it on the right breast. I sat back in one of the chairs and waited. Passing the time by working out the numbers for my new ship. I had twenty minutes before I would have lunch with Sasha. Now is a good time, I thought as I headed to the Bridge. Stepping on and Sasha’s Mom saw me and made a gesture with her eyes where he was on the large Bridge. Smiling with a nod of thanks as I walked over behind him. I saw the crew person he was talking to had seen me and their eyes enlarged as he saw my armor. I stepped up behind him and worked my arms around his stomach from behind as my chin settled onto his shoulder next to his ear. He tensed before I whispered.

“Keep working. I will wait right here until you are done. Then escort you to lunch.” I finished by placing the barest touch of my lips on his neck. The entire Bridge had watched this happen and had gone quiet. I straightened up and looked around before I barked.

“Carry on.” Then lowered my head back down onto his shoulder.

Sasha chuckled, “Don’t scare them.” My grin was feral.

“But, my love. That is exactly what I wanted to do. I’ll explain later.” He pushed back into me. Then swung his tablet up so I could see it. I waved at his Dad who smiled and waved back, not missing a step in his conversation with Sasha. Sasha turned his head.

“I need to move, Marc.”

“OK. Go ahead. I’ll follow.” He did, and I did too, returning to my position once he got to where he needed to be. Then he just mumbled.

“Moving.” Which we did 5 more times before his relief arrived. I caused quite the stir as the next Watch Section came on duty. I didn’t stare down this group, but word got around just like I wanted. After 5 minutes of change over, we were headed down to his parents’ cabin for lunch.

We had stopped in my cabin so I could take off my armor.

“That was a nice surprise Marc.” Sasha said after we kissed.

“I was able to get away much earlier than planned.” He held me tight as his hand rubbed the back of my neck.

“So the proposal you sent to Ernesto was accepted.” Sasha asked, as he rubbed his hands up and down my back. His bright eyes locked on mine, waiting for an answer.

“Not quite what I had originally envisioned, as I didn’t know all the numbers I needed. He had more ships, apparently. And that skewed the numbers in his favor.”

“But you worked it out. You seem happy about it.”

“Ernesto actually worked it out and I am happy with it. I am getting a new Ice Miner out of it as well as everything else I wanted.” He took a few minutes to digest the implications of that. Then he leaned in and kissed me again.

“We should go eat with my parents. They will be happy to hear about your adventures, and I need to eat before I return to work.” Smiling as I leaned in for one last kiss before we joined his parents. Lunch was a talkative affair where everyone was happy to see me and were just as shocked as I first was about the deal I closed with Ernesto. His parents had left, and we finished up before returning to holding each other and kissing.

“I have to go back to work now. Are you going to come get me for dinner?” I kissed him again.

“Yes. I believe I will. Shall we eat on the station?” He smiled before he kissed me again.

“That would be nice. Love you. I’ll be on the Bridge again when you come to get me.”

“OK Sash. Love you. See you in a few hours.” He went back to work, and I returned to the cabin I was assigned to work on my own projects. I was working through a possible long range Corporation plan when my Link chimed. I looked at it, smiling, before I answered.

“Hey Tom. How’s it going?”

“Where are you? I thought we were going to be working on hammering that shield booster into place.”

I chuckled, “Yeah, about that. I haven’t kept you up on all the things that have been happening up here.”

“Really. Like what?” I filled him in on everything from Sasha to the new miner and all the information that Micah told me. I looked at the time and shot upright.

“Tom. I’m sorry I got to run.” He laughed.

“Yeah, we’ve been at it for almost three hours. Say hello to Sasha for me and don’t forget to introduce me.” I smiled.

“Thanks Tom, but I know you’re just happy you don’t have to hold me at night.” He roared out another laugh.

“OK. Until we meet again Marc. I’ll see you when you return.”

“Until we meet again, Tom.” I closed the Link before I hopped into the fresher to take a fast hot water shower. Then I changed into civvies before heading to the Bridge. I crossed over to tell the Jasenka’s that Sasha and I were going out for dinner tonight. They smiled and wished us a good evening. I continued across the Bridge and crew members acknowledged me with a slight dip of the heads. I smiled as I had set the tone I wanted from these people. Walking up behind him again, I stood quietly. The person he was talking with smiled in my direction, and Sasha turned his head slightly to catch me in his peripheral vision and moved back against me. I wrapped my hands around his waist again and kissed his neck as he continued his discussion.

10 minutes later, we were in his cabin. I kissed him before shooing him off to the fresher. Telling him we had reservations for dinner in 20 minutes. He smiled as he went. The restaurant was very nice and low keyed. Each table was placed, so that you had a modicum of privacy. The service was very good as was the food. Sasha glowed as he looked at me.

“How did you do that, Marc?”

“Do what, baby?”

“Not a single person said a word to me about you hugging me on the Bridge.” I smiled.

“My command style is different, and my armor shocked them. The two words, Carry on, spoken in my commanding tone, told them I wasn’t interested in their watching us. It doesn’t hurt that I wore Captain’s tabs on my Armor.” We walked hand in hand as we made our way back to the ship and my cabin. “I have to be up at 05:00 hours to catch the express back to Joshua ‘77 Station. I am pulling out again with Wanderer.” The sad look flashed across his face before he hid it behind a smiling nod.

“Does the new ship mean we will have even less time together?” I released the air I had in my lungs.

“Yeah Sash. It probably will cause us to have less time together. After a few weeks.” He nodded.

“And that’s when we will split up?” He was sad, but he would not cry. I took that as a victory.

“As boyfriends. Most likely after that. We can still be friends and I will still love you. Just not the way you want me to.” He pushed me onto my stomach and climbed on top of me.

“Can I take you this way?”

“If I can take you this way.”

“You know you can take me anyway you want, Marc. Anytime you want to.” His hands worked down my back muscles, kneading and rubbing each muscle of my back before he reached my hips. Fingers worked my ass before his head dipped down and he used his tongue. My head lifted off the bed as the low moan I produced made him raise his head.

“You like that. Don’t you, my boyfriend?” He asked in his best seductive voice.

“Yes Sasha.” I drifted as he worked my ass before he entered me.

I woke the next morning to the sound of my Link alarm. I was reaching for it when it shut off. Someone handed it to me, then cuddled up on my chest.

“Twice last night. That should hold me until our trip down the Pipe.” Said Sasha as he kissed my chest and suckled one of my nipples. I kissed the top of his head.

“Let’s go eat and then you could walk me to the shuttle?” He smiled up at me as he crawled up to kiss me. It was slow and passionate.

“OK love.” He said as he crawled out of the bed and got dressed. I dressed and grabbed my gear. Reloading my gravtrunk that we brought with us to one of the cafeterias on the station.

“Make sure you thank your parents for me again and say goodbye.”

“I will Marc. You’ll meet us at Wiessman Station still, or is that going to change?” I pulled him in tighter to my side.

“That is not changing as far as I know, unless I can meet you sooner.” I said, then kissed the side of his head. He leaned against me more as we approached the check-in for the shuttle.

“Good Morning Captain Alexander. Welcome back Sa.”

“Thank you…” I looked at her name tag. “Patricia. By any chance is it possible to upgrade to business class. I have work to do on the trip back to Joshua Seventy-Seven Station.”

“Indeed Sa. We have two left. Would you like the port-side view port or starboard side aisle seat Sa?”

“View port please.”

“Of course Sa. If you’ll just tab the pad. You’ll be all set.” My thumb tabbed the pad and grabbed my tablet case before turning over my gravtrunk to be loaded.

“Thank you Captain. We’ll begin boarding in 5 minutes. Your guest is welcome to wait with you in our lounge until you board if you like.”

“Thank you Patricia. I think he will.” I said as we walked over to the lounge. We entered and several people smiled a greeting to us as we stood near the deck to overhead view ports holding each other. I kissed him one last time.

“Remember Sasha. I love you.” He snuggled in tighter.

“I love you too, Marc. Until we meet again.”

“Until we meet again Sasha. I’ll see you in a few days.” He leaned in and gave me a quick peck on the lips as the boarding for my shuttle was called. He headed back to his ship as I was ushered into the business cabin.

* * *

“How is the honey doing Marc?” Asked Zoe as I boarded the Wanderer.

“He’s doing good. How is Micah doing?” She smiled knowingly at me.

“Ready for his trip down to Low Sec. He’s been looking at the work you have done. He thinks that if Tom can help, it should be ready in about 6 weeks.”

“That was what I was thinking when I read his reports. I talked to Tom, and he’s waiting for me to return with the parts and Micah.” She nodded as I continued. “And how is my first Captain doing on her studies?” She gave me a roll of the eyes.

“Those study guides you sent over are brutal. If I can pass them, I could fly anything.” I laughed.

“Yes. They are tough. My family wrote them decades ago. That’s the combined experiences of 7 different Captains. That’s how I passed the first try. Just because I didn’t want to look at them anymore.” That caused another snort.

“Yes. I can understand that.” She handed me the latest probe reports and scans as the crew boarded, every one of them coming to the bridge to say, good morning, Captain, before they headed to stow their gear and get to work. I smiled as I opened a Link to the Mining Foreman. Discussing what I wanted to do, which she approved. I thanked her and closed the Link as I tapped out a flight plan and course as well as a mining plan. Our scans were current as of 1 hour ago, so I doubted there would be a change. Once uploaded. I ran checks with everyone before we got underway. The undocking and Jump to the ice fields was anticlimactic. In the ice fields, I ran a scan on arrival. I chuckled as I changed our targets, and we moved through the Ice. Zoe gave me a look.

“Someone is playing with us. No problem.” She got an aggravated look about her. I raised my finger in warning.

“I will handle it. When I decide, it is worth my attention. In the meantime. Our holds are empty, and I believe it is time to rectify that little logistical problem.”

“Aye Captain.” She said with a smile.

I watched the numbers as we dropped the last of our cans for pick up. These last few hours would remain in our holds and we would offload back at the Station. I smiled as I did the rough calculations.

“Zoe. Your father is using us as a high mark that the rest of his miners need to beat, isn’t he?” She looked at me cautiously for a moment.

“Yes. I believe he is.” I snickered as my predatory grin lifted the sides of my lips. I stood walking over to the Mining Console and double checked our readouts. Then I looked over the settings. Different this time than the last two. I pointed to those.

“I didn’t exactly give him everything. Just like he didn’t give me everything. Good luck with them trying to beat our production.” I said as I returned to my seat. She was looking at the numbers again and then realized what I had done.

“You didn’t care about the doctored scans because you knew it wouldn’t matter.” The grin that formed on my face said it all. Zoe and a few other people that had been listening to us laughed.

“Very good Zoe. I always use my own scans and probes to verify what other people tell me is a fact. Lessons learned mining in Low Sec.” I spoke slowly as I was working out the course to return us to the Station.

“I’ll send the copy of our report to your father for him to display for his crews for educational purposes.” She chuckled, which turned into a full belly laugh.

“He’ll get a kick out of that. Am I allowed to tell him?” I shrugged.

“I don’t see why not. We both made out well on the deal. I’m just adding another tool to help solve your problem.” She stepped over and hugged me.

“Thanks Captain.”

“You are welcome, future Captain.” I said as I went back to work, and she returned to her station.

We had secured the miner, and I said my goodbyes to the crew. Returning to my cabin on the station, I worked out the latest of my shipments back to Low Point Station. Between that, working on my studies, as well as signing up for a new exam. I was busy the next few days. I made it to lunch over the Link with Sasha and his parents. They had some of my gear, about 10 cubics of parts, already loaded aboard from one of the locations they were at. They were also picking up the Crystals from Vandermain Station before heading to Wiessman Station, where I would meet them. A stop at Bergheim Station in the Versaran Sector. Then down the rest of the Pipe to Moria Sector and Low Point Station. I was able to put Tom on payroll as Engineer 3rd as Micah was coming in at Engineer 1st. He was preparing and doing small modifications on the ship according to the specs that I received from Ernesto. I was also looking into drones since I can’t mount actual weapons. I’ll need to talk to Uncle Fran about that. I’ll have to wait until the ship is ready to sail before adding the armaments. I sat back and smiled as Mom had sent me my schedule of events I had to attend. I was on the list for the Low Sec Guilds annual meeting over in the Baldries Sector. I was looking forward to that more than anything else. I would also come up to High Sec again for a meeting at Wallas Station. I sent off a request to Sasha to send me an updated schedule for the next 2 months for the Sara Maru. He sent me a message back.

“Your parents gave you your schedule?”

I replied, “Yes. I am trying to figure out our schedule.” He responded immediately.

“I will get it from my parents. Love you.” I smiled and sent him.

“Love you too, Sasha.”

* * *

I had been finishing up the last of my work for the night when my Link chimed a Comm’s alert. I glanced and smiled as I tapped the reception tab. My holoview came to life with the three smiling faces of my favorite triad.

“Hi big brother.” Hugo started as the other two said hello too.

“Hello little brother, Janek and Rory.” I paused as my head tilted to one side and my lips puckered before I spoke again. “Makes me wonder what mischief my beloved triad is getting into now that would prompt you calling me so late?” That was all it took, and Rory laughed as Janek turned red. Hugo snickered at the two of them before I heard him whisper.

“See. I told you he would know.” My eyes locked directly on Hugo’s.

“And what, little brother, is happening now?”

“Rory wanted to come visit you again, and we said it was OK.” Now it was my turn to laugh as Rory gave me the most adorable pleading eyes.

“He’s spending too much time with you two. Picking up your evil ways. I should bring him here, if just to spank him for damaging one of my expensive fighters.” His eyes went wide as he nodded his head yes. “But.” I hesitated for a second to ensure I had their attention. “I have a boyfriend and, unlike the twins, he wouldn’t understand.”

“You have a boyfriend again? What happened to friends with benefits?” Asked Janek, looking rather displeased. Definitely, the three of them are rubbing off on each other.

“Long story short. He is friends with my family or his family is at any rate. Sasha couldn’t handle the fact I didn’t fall in love with him like he did with me. So. For the next few months we are dating and he is already learning he didn’t truly love me. It was more akin to lust.”

“That sounds like what you would do.” Said Janek as he hugged Hugo and Rory to him.

“It seemed like the best answer at the time, so my family would not be mad at me too.” I glanced at another screen. “When are you heading back this way?” Rory and Hugo looked at Janek.

“Should be the end of the month. Will you be around?”

“Good question. Easy answer is, I don’t know. Hopefully. I miss the three of you.”

“We miss you too, big brother.” Replied Hugo as the other two nodded.

“Send me your schedule, Janek, and I will see if I can squeeze a visit in at some point.” Janek’s head turned as I heard the tapping of keys.

“You are busy again?” Hugo asked.

“Yes. I have a new Ice miner now and the mining vessel Bear Claws is getting an overhaul.” Hugo smiled before he explained it to the other two as my Link chimed a message. I popped it open and compared their schedule to the one I was looking at. It was too much information at once, and I set it aside for the moment.

“I’ll have to look at it later to figure it out.” I said and saw the disappointed looks before they vanished. Hugo’s eyes closed momentarily. A few heart beats later I felt the nudge on my implant. I smiled as I allowed it to connect. I felt the feelings of the three of them hugging me as I returned it to Hugo. He had shifted to the middle and hugged the other two to him.

“Hug and kisses for them too, from me, little brother. I’ll see the three of you as soon as I can arrange it.” I felt happiness as they hugged and kissed each other. Which I returned through Hugo. “Love the three of you. Until we meet again, my beloved triad.”

“Love you too Marc. Until we meet again.” They replied almost in unison. I smiled before the Link disconnected. I did miss them. Just like I missed the twins, too. Nice to see they are all dating again. I tapped out a message to Jessica to check on her. She’s off with Aunt Gloria and Uncle Fran at their facility on Utopia.