“Hey, Hortencia! Drago!” Bear called. “The ship is waiting! Are you packed?”
“Yeah! We’re ready to go!” Drago called out, grabbing their luggage. “C’mon, Hortenica.”
“Coming, Drago.” Hortencia grabbed a bag or two as well, and loaded it into the trunk of Bear’s Aircar. “Hi, Ma’am, Sarah.” She said as she got closer.
“Hello, young lady.” Lisette replied.
“Hey! How was meeting Drago’s parents?” Sarah asked.
Hortencia thought a moment. “It was interesting, and they were really nice, but I think Drago is happy we’re going on this cruise.”
“Yeah, Kind of, Honey.” Drago said, slipping into the air car after putting the rest of their luggage away. “I think short visits might be best.”
Hortencia pouted. “I hope you don’t feel that way about my family, Drago.”
“I hope not too,” He replied honestly. “They may think I’m not different enough for you.”
“Don’t say that honey!” Hortencia said. “I’m sure mom and dad will love you to death!”
“Somehow, I knew you’d say something like that, Honey-bunny.” Drago replied, giving Hortencia a kiss.
Bear smiled, and interjected. “It is two hour drive to Whelan where the Southern Cross is berthed. Everyone belt up, and get comfortable.”
“I’m so excited!” Lise whispered to Sarah.
Sarah smiled. “I am too. I’ve never been on a cruise either.”
For the next ninety minutes or so, Lisette and the others talked about the cruise ship and its accommodations, the cabins, the various entertainments and ports they would be stopping at. It seemed luxurious. A 7 day cruise to the Southern continent, with two stopovers at some tropical islands, plus another week back via a different route, with three stops on different islands. It sounded amazing, lavish, and exciting, and by the time the crew of the Fortune’s Favor reached the outskirts of Whelan city, they were buzzing with excitement and anticipation.
They parked, and grabbed their luggage – Bear and Sarah helping carry Lisette’s heavier bags. The aircar would be safe in long-term parking by the port, so they locked it up, and approached the ship. It was a beautiful, impressive vessel – a cruise ship that hovered above the waves on a bed of anti-gravity engines, with a half dozen decks dedicated to entertainment, and another half dozen dedicated to luxury cabins for guests and crew. The ship boasted 12 restaurants, 6 swimming pools, and dozens of venues and shops to entertain, distract, and satisfy the wants and needs of the passengers and crew, from spas and salons to a holovid theater. It looked decadent and opulent at the same time, and everyone was excited.
“I can’t believe we are going on cruise, babushka. How much did this cost, to add all of us to your ticket?” Bear asked.
“Enough, Mishka, but it’s worth it. I get you for two weeks, and I hope to hear about all your adventures.”
Bear looked a little pale. “Maybe not ALL of them, babushka. But I promise, I will tell you many stories.”
The boarding process took a while, but overall it was fairly organized and moved along in a timely manner – and soon we were being escorted to our cabins. Lisette had a nice cabin to herself, and the rest of us had two cabins to share – one for Drago and Hortencia, and one for Bear and I.
“Do you think your babushka is trying to send us a message?” I said to Bear, laughing.
“If so, is not funny.” Bear growled. “Do you need a new cabin?”
“Nah. We probably aren’t going to spend much time in our rooms anyway.” I laughed. “Let’s go inside.”
Inside the room, we saw a nicely appointed cabin with a full bathroom, and a balcony with some chairs and a table, where presumably once could sit in the shade, and enjoy watching the sea go by. There was also a small sitting area, with some lovely padded chairs, and a bed big enough for two – or possibly three, if they were cosy – people. I smirked. So this is your plan, Lise, I thought jokingly. Good one.
Bear on the other hand, looked upset. “If you need new cabin, I will ask crew, Sarah.”
“No, Bear,” I began. “It’s fine. I trust you. Besides, nothing will happen unless we both want it to happen, right? So no harm, no foul? Just chalk it up to your grandmother being a bit of a matchmaker. It’s harmless, really.”
“Alright,” Bear replied. “If you are alright with it, then I will not argue. But if you feel uncomfortable, I will sleep on floor, okay?”
“Okay.” Sarah replied. “I doubt that’s going to happen, but okay.”
We got settled, and started unpacking. Neither Bear nor I said it, but I think we were both looking forward to this trip – both because of the luxury and decadence of it, but also for Bear to spend some quality time with his grandmother. And, I grinned, I learned his childhood nickname. Mishka. I laughed to myself. Even back then he was called Bear. I looked out of the cabin’s window, to see the ocean and a beautiful sunny day. Today looked like it was going to be a ton of fun.
* * *
We gathered at the railing of the ship about an hour later, and threw streamers at the people below waving goodbye. It was fun and kind of festive, and everyone looked like they had a good time as our ship slowly maneuvered out of the port and into the Kinnaird Ocean. The weather was sunny and bright, and even Hortencia looked like she was having a good time in the sun. She and the sun didn’t usually get along, I had noticed. We watched till the people left on the wharf were small dots, and then turned to figure out what to do next.
“Does anyone want to go swimming?” Hortencia asked. “I think swimming would be fun.”
“Da. It sounds like fun.” Bear replied, looking over at Drago and Sarah, and his grandmother Lisette.
“If Hortencia wants to swim, Herc and I are willing to oblige, right buddy?” Drago skritched Herc under his chin, and gentle cooing was heard from Herc. “He likes to play in the water, but there usually isn’t enough on the ship.”
“A swim would be nice.” I added. “What about you, Lisette?”
“I think I’ll relax by the pool with a fancy drink that has a parasol in it, and read a nice book in a deck chair. You never know – maybe I’ll meet someone?” She said, winking at me.
“Good luck, Lisette.” I replied, laughing.
“You too, Sarah.” Bear’s grandmother walked away with an impish grin on her face, and headed for her cabin.
Bear looked at his retreating babushka, and then at me. “Do you think she had anything to do with the sleeping arrangements of our room?”
“Of course she did, Bear! She booked the cruise for us.” I tried not to laugh. Even five thousand years in the future, grandmothers still push for grandkids. People don’t really change, do they, she thought.
“C’mon! Let’s go swim! Maybe someone will drown!” Hortencia said, dragging Drago with her. “I want to wear my new bathing suit.”
As Drago and Hortencia headed off, Bear shook his head. “Knowing her it is covered in skulls.”
“Yeah, or scorpions and spiders.” I laughed. “You want to go for a swim?”
“Da.”
“Then let’s go get changed.”
* * *
We splashed the afternoon away, Drago, Hortencia, Bear and I – and Herc was the star of the show, with people feeding him little pieces of neo shrimp (with Drago’s permission) to the little dragon. The pool was cool and refreshing, and I was amazed at how quickly the time passed. I was also very aware of all the eyes on me. I was wearing a one piece bathing suit, with some subtle cut outs to enhance my figure, and most of the gazes I was getting were appreciative – but some were rude leers, and I found the difference to be rather palpable. Hortencia’s new suit was also a one piece – a matte black bathing dress that looked right out of Victorian England, with skulls silkscreened onto the fabric. It was macabre and awesome, like Hortencia. Drago and Bear wore more conventional suits, and I noticed that both seemed to get a few looks from the ladies too. All in all, it was a fun afternoon of splashing, playing, and to be honest, some flirting, until we retired from the pool for dinner.
We cleaned up, and dressed for dinner in our fancier clothes – apparently Lisette had arranged for us to dine with the captain of the ship tonight, and we were expected to dress nicely. She had even arranged a seat for Herc as well. Bear was trying his hardest to give me privacy for changing and so forth, but the cabin, although nicely appointed, wasn’t very big and room was at a premium.
“You know, Bear.” I began. “You don’t need to worry so much about privacy. There wasn’t that much if any on the Hyperion. I’m used to communal bunks and showers.”
“I... I guess I was just trying to be polite.” Bear replied.
“Well, if you’re too much more polite, we’ll be late for dinner and your grandma will be upset. Scoot and get ready!” I pointed to the bathroom, and then went to my luggage and looked for clothes.
“Da, I will.” Bear got into the bathroom – which to be fair was a bit larger than the fresher on a starship by a lot – and hopped into the shower.
While he cleaned up and shaved, I got dressed, and tried putting on some light makeup. The training sims didn’t really help – I didn’t have the right ones – but access to the planetary data net and some practice on my own did help. By the time Bear was showered, shaved and dressed, I was made up, and I thought I looked pretty good.
“Do I look okay, Bear?” I asked.
“Da, you look good Sarah. You are getting better with makeup each time I see you with it.”
“Thanks. It’s a little difficult, but I’m learning.” I checked for my handbag, and grabbed it. “Are we ready to go?”
“Anytime you wish, my lady.” He replied gallantly, and held out his arm for mine.
I smirked. I liked how he was hamming it up, and getting out of his shell a bit more. Bear was getting back to himself, now that he’d come to Burston and said goodbye to Sorcha. I gave him my arm, and he led me out towards the dining hall.
The dining room was opulent – almost decadent with its decorations. I could tell the cruise line spared no expense, and Bear escorted me over to where Lisette was waiting for us. She looked lovely in a shimmery evening dress, with some jewellery and nice perfume. I smiled and waved. It was nice to know even at her age she looked fabulous, thanks to prolong. I hoped I looked that good at her age!
“Babushka.” Bear said, releasing my arm, and wrapping his mother in a hug.
“Mishka.” She replied. “Oh my, you look so handsome, and Sarah, you’re so pretty!”
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“Thank you, Lise.” I said, smiling. I really liked being complimented.
“And I have the two loveliest women on Burston with me.” Bear said proudly.
I smiled, and so did Lise – she obviously liked being complimented too. Together we headed to our assigned table, with the help of a waiter, and were seated.
While we were waiting for the other dinner guests, I turned to Lise. “Will Drago and Hortencia be joining us?”
“No, I’m afraid not. Drago didn’t think it would be a good idea, and Hortencia thought the circumstances around her leaving the Navy might impinge on dinner. Do you have any idea what she was talking about?”
“Da. I know the circumstances. She had some plants in hydroponics against regulations, and someone ate them and got sick. It was captains son, so he threw the book at her, and she was discharged for various reasons.” Bear replied. “She is good woman, though and her ideas work. I hired her because she is damn good with engines. She will talk about it with you, if you ask – but you might not want to ask. Baba Roga is... different.”
“Mishka! You call your friend little witch? How is this friendship?”
“Trust me, babushka. She likes the nickname.”
“If you say so, Mishka.” His grandmother replied.
We waited quietly, until our table was approached by another waiter, with three more guests – A portly man who looked to be in his fifties with thinning hair, a very pretty young woman about my age with long brunette hair, and a dapperly dressed man in his twenties with an expensive wristwatch and a gold necklace around his suit, showing a medallion with a coat of arms. I didn’t recognise it, but Bear and Lisette did, and stood up to bow. I hurriedly joined them, and we waited till the strangers motioned for us to sit.
“Your Highness.” Bear said. “It is an honor to be at your table.”
“Thank you, Sir.” The younger man replied. “What is your name? Are you a Burstoner?”
“Da, your Majesty.” Bear replied. “I am Polyakov Yaroslavovich, Imperial Scout 2nd class, retired, your Highness, but my friends call me Bear. This is my Babushka, Lisette Yaroslavovich, and my good friend Sarah Kerrigan. My grandmother and I are loyal Burstoners, and Sarah is from old Terra. My friends, this esteemed gentleman is Crown Prince Alexander I. May I take it that this lovely lady is your dinner guest?”
Prince Alexander smiled, and guided the young lady closer. “You may. Kaitlin Rakovich and I have been seeing each other for some time. Oh, and our other guest is Prime Minister Andrei Sokolov.”
Bear nodded respectfully. “Prime Minister, Miss Rakovich.”
“It’s an honor to meet you, your Highness.” Lisette said.
“Thank you, Mrs. Yaroslavovich. Might I ask what brings you and your guests to the captain’s table this evening?”
Lisette blushed. “No great honor, that’s for sure, your Majesty. I recently won the Burston lottery, and this cruise as a prize, and dining with the captain was one of the many prizes.”
“Congratulations!” The prince replied. “You know, that means you’re probably wealthier than many of the nobles on Squanine. Many of the nobles squander their wealth trying to impress the crown – and as a result, many of them are land rich and cash poor. You might find you equal one or more of them with your newfound wealth.”
Lisette brightened up at the compliment. “Thank you, your Majesty.”
“It’s the truth.” The prince said simple, and pulled out a chair for Ms. Rakovich, who sat, followed by himself and the Prime Minister.
“I’d like to thank you, Mr. Yaroslavovich, for your service.” Kaitlin said. “Is being an Imperial Scout exciting?”
“Da, it can be. Sometimes there is long periods of tedium, with many short bursts of danger and excitement. It was good life. I only left because I felt I needed to be on my own for a while. To be my own master.”
“Indeed!” replied Crown Prince Alexander. “Every man – and woman – should strive for such.”
“Would that not leave you with no subjects, your Highness?” Sarah asked, with a bit of an impish grin.
“Perhaps I misspoke,” Prince Alexander continued. “A man or woman may owe fealty to another, while still being their own master or mistress. For example, the Crown of Squanine and Burston does not tell its citizens how to live their daily lives, while the Imperial Military certainly does so. I believe that is what your companion, Bear meant.”
“It is indeed, your Majesty. I felt a wanderlust to explore. I still have my ship, the Fortune’s Favor.”
“And how did you meet the lovely Miss Kerrigan?” he asked.
“It was actually sheer chance.” Sarah replied. “I was in cryo, aboard a sub-light colony ship from Terra, headed to one of the outer worlds in the Sol system, and my ship went off course due to damage. I drifted in cryo with my crew for almost five thousand years, and Bear and his crew heard our ships’ distress call and rescued me. The rest of the crew had perished – I was the only survivor. Since then, I’ve been learning about the modern age, and trying to fit in and find a place on Bear’s crew. He and the crew have kind of become my new family – and Lisette has been very welcoming too.”
“That must have been extremely traumatic!” Kaitlin exclaimed. “Are you adjusting well? I’ve never heard of someone surviving in cryo that long.”
“It has been several weeks – months, actually – since I was rescued. I have mostly recovered, although I still have bad dreams of the Hyperion at times. Thank you, Miss Rakovich for asking.”
“Please, call me Kaitlin.”
“I will, if you call me Sarah.” I said in reply.
“Sarah it is.” Kaitlin laughed, smiling.
Before we could talk much more, Two women and a man approached our table – one of the women wearing the four gold bands on her epaulets and wrists that designated her the captain of the ship. She was tall, and fair skinned, and I estimated she was 186cm tall, and about 85kg. Well built, without being too heavy, nor too thin. Her companions were lesser officers – I presumed one was her executive officer – probably a Lieutenant Commander. The youngest woman had the uniform of a midshipman, and she looked rather nervous. As they approached, the Crown Prince and his party stood, and so did ours in respect.
“Well met, your highness.” The captain began. “I am Captain Pamela Antipov, and this is my second in command, Lieutenant Commander Boris Permyakov. This young lady is Midshipman Angela Shabalin, who will be joining us, if you don’t mind, your Majesty?”
“Not at all, Captain Antipov.” The Crown Prince answered.
“Excellent.” The captain moved to be seated, and we all took our seats. A few moments later, Prince Alexander gave the introductions, thoughtfully including Lisette, Bear and I as well as his guests.
“I hope everyone is fond of tonight’s menu. My cook tells me he expects it to be exquisite.”
“I’m eager to see it, Captain. The Southern Cross has a reputation for excellent food and accommodations.” Prime Minister Sokolov said. The Prime Minister looked askance at the Prince, and then down to his wristwatch. “Is dinner late?”
“I’m afraid so, Prime Minister.” Captain Antipov began. “There was a small fire in the forward galley this afternoon that slowed things down. It was nothing to be concerned with, and was easily put out, but it did delay the kitchens. One of my men claim it was set by a trespasser – a stowaway – but we’ve searched most of the ship and have yet to find them.”
“Should we be concerned for the Prince’s safety?” The Prime Minister asked.
“No, I should hardly think so. I suspect it was a passenger who got lost, and the fire a coincidence. If my men find anything, I will alert your staff immediately, your Highness, Prime Minister.”
“Thank you captain. You seem to have everything under control.”
“You’re welcome Prime Minister Sokolov.”
The captain looked relieved when a waiter arrived and provided menus for this evenings repast. Tonight’s menu had a choice between grilled swordfish with a neo-crab Oscar spread, and a side of seasonal vegetables, or a shrrk steak with neo-crab legs, a baked tuber that looked like a potato, loaded with a seafood topping, plus a salad, wine, and dessert. It looked really nice – the kind of meal you ordered when you got a promotion at work, or a once in a lifetime reward like winning the lottery. All of us ordered, and conversation resumed as the waiters went to fetch our meals.
“May I ask what brings your Majesty to Burston?” Lise asked.
“A vacation, Mrs. Yaroslavovich. It is my thirty first birthday in three days, and I was looking to do something a little different. My father said I could leave the capital for a few months, and I decided to spend some of it on a cruise here on Burston. Your planet is quite lovely. I don’t know why father doesn’t move the capital here, to be honest.”
“If he did, I’m sure tens of thousands would arrive to cheer him. Much of Burston is very loyal to the Crown and your Father, personally.” Lise replied.
“We know, which is why I feel like I am in good hands with Captain Antipov here.” The Prince said in return.
The captain tinged her glass with her fork, and called for a toast. “Ms. Midshipman Shabalin would like to make a toast in your honor, your Majesty.”
“Very well,” the Crown Prince returned. “Please, Midshipman Shabalin, go ahead.”
Midshipman Shabalin looked utterly terrified, but calmed when Captain Antipov nodded her approval at her subordinate. She stood. “To the Lords of Squanine and Burston, long may they reign!”
Everyone nodded, and raised their glass in toast. Seeing the toast was successful, and she had not embarrassed herself, Ms. Midshipman Shabalin looked relieved, and sat down.
“Happy early birthday, your Majesty.” I said. “From what Bear has told me, your family has ruled wisely and well. I hope you have many more.”
The prince smiled. “Thank you, Miss Kerrigan. That is very kind of you.”
“What was it like, living on old Terra? Had they joined the Imperium yet?” Kaitlin asked.
“No, Kaitlin. At that time, we didn’t have jump drive, and had no knowledge of the Imperium. To be honest, many of our best scholars thought we may have been alone in the universe. I missed the end of the First Imperium, the entire Second Imperium, the Long Night, and the last thousand years of the Third Imperium, while drifting in cryo. To say I was a little intimidated by the breath of time and space I had crossed would be an understatement – and to some degree, I still have much to learn.”
“Well, it looks like you have adapted fairly quickly.” Kaitlin said, smiling.
“If I have, it’s because of the help Bear and his crew have given me. They’ve been my anchor these past few months.”
“Well, it’s good to have found such good friends.” She replied, looking between Bear and I, like she was trying to divine the nature of our relationship. “Is it interesting working on a starship?”
“Oh yes,” Sarah replied. “We’re always going to new worlds, and learning new skills. It’s home, I think – and I wouldn’t trade it for anything right now. The sims are amazing too. We didn’t have anything like that back on Old Terra.”
“They are pretty amazing. What kind of rig do you have?” Kaitlin asked.
“We have a model V virtual reality SIM unit installed on the Fortune’s favour, with terminals in each cabin, and a large library of situations and games. It is luxury, but it is nice to have fun to do when in Jumpspace.” Bear looked pleased he got to brag about the quality of his SIM unit. It did seem to be his pride and joy, right after the ship itself.
“That’s a really good unit.” Kaitlin said, fairly impressed. “Where did you get it installed?”
“Glisten.” Bear answered. “Their tech is noticeably higher than many in this region.”
“Indeed,” The crown prince interjected. “It doesn’t hurt that they’re on a major trade route, and Squanine is not, either. They get a lot of their income from Interstellar trade. That helps boost their technology – their access to the interstellar markets.”
“Yes, your Majesty. And because Glisten is an asteroid world, their technology has to be higher than most to ensure their people are safe from decompression and other space disasters.” Bear replied.
At that point the Captain broke in, and spoke to Lisette. “Mrs. Yaroslavovich...”
“Please, call me Lise or Lisette.”
“Lisette, then, on behalf of the Southern Cross, and Suchien Gravlines, I would like to congratulate you on your winning of the grand prize of Burston’s annual lottery. I sincerely hope you enjoy your cruise.”
“Thank you, captain.” Lise looked very pleased with herself. “I’m enjoying the cruise very much, already.”
“Excellent. Please let me or one of my crew know if you have any troubles at all.”
“Thank you, Captain.”
At that moment, before we could continue the table banter, dinner arrived on the arms of nearly a dozen waiters and waitresses, and in moments luscious plates of delectable food, soups and salads were placed before us. By consensus, we all began to eat, and for some time most conversation ceased as we enjoyed our dinner.
Shortly after dinner, some fancy music began, sung and played by a small, well dressed band that was ensconced across the dining room on a small stage. A dance floor was present, and I could see a number of well-heeled cruise guests getting up to go dance on the dance floor. Prince Alexander took Kaitlin for a dance, and Bear and I watched the dancers wheel and cavort. It looked fun.
“Are you going to dance, Mishka?” Lise asked.
“I... I hadn’t thought of it. Would you like to dance, Sarah?”
“Sure, Bear. I think it would be fun. I warn you, I don’t know the steps.” I said.
“Neither do I, I suspect.” Bear responded, laughing. “I will do my best to not stomp on your feet.”
He stood, and led me towards the dance floor, and for the next hour or so, we danced – some close, some more vigorous and athletic. It was fun, and on the close dances, I could smell Bear’s scent – a mix of cologne and his scent, I assumed, and I had to assume he could smell mine. I wasn’t ashamed to say he smelled good, and I enjoyed dancing with him – and despite his protestations, he seemed to be an excellent dancer – much better than myself. Most of the time I just followed while he led, and at the end of the hour, we were both pleasantly winded.
I also had noticed that about twenty minutes ago, Prince Alexander had danced with both Captain Antipov and Lisette, albeit not at the same time, and Lisette looked overwhelmed with emotion – happy emotions, but still overwhelmed and awed.
The evening in the end was a smashing success, and sometime around 11pm, Bear, Lisette and I gave our polite excuses, and retired for the night.
* * *
Back in our cabin, Bear and I undressed, and got into our night clothes... for him, a pair of boxers and a T-shirt, and for me a pair of light sleep pants and a T-shirt. It wasn’t fancy, but it was comfortable. I wiped off the makeup I had donned, and was pleasantly surprised when Bear complimented me as I did so,
“You were lovely out there tonight.” He said.
“Thanks Bear. You were handsome too. The dancing was nice.”
“I agree. You are light on your feet.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “And you are a much better dancer than you let on. More sims?”
“Yes and no. I got better playing sims, but I learned when Sorcha took me dancing. She loved to sing and dance.”
“Ah. Well, I enjoyed it too.”
“Good. I am glad you did, Sarah. Did you see my babushka’s face when Prince Alexander asked her to dance? I thought she was going to faint!” Bear smiled at the memory.
“Yeah! I think she’ll remember that dance for as long as she lives!” I said, smiling too. Lisette looked very happy tonight.
“How did you want to do the sleeping arrangements?”
“Well, I thought I would get one half of the bed, and you the other half.” I said.
Bear shook his head. “No – I meant, do you want me to be on top of the sheets, or something else?”
I looked at Bear for a moment, trying to find out if he was serious. From his waiting stare, I had to assume he was. “Um. I thought you would be under the covers, like me – you know, so you wouldn’t get cold?”
“I was just trying to give you some privacy, Sarah.” Bear replied.
“Not needed, but thank you. C’mon, let’s get some sleep. I know nothing is going to happen unless we both want it, so don’t worry about it big guy! It’s just a bed, and we’re both grown adults.” I slipped under the sheets to show him I meant it. A few moments later he joined me.
“I just feel my Babushka may have manipulated us, and I didn’t want to upset you.”
“Bear,” I said, rolling over to face him. “It’s practically a Grandmothers job to play this kind of prank. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine, I promise.”
He smiled, and for a moment I felt warm inside. I had been feeling that way a lot tonight. Bear reached over and turned out the lights, and the light of the moon came in the cabin’s window through the luxurious curtains. It was a beautiful night. I could feel his closeness on the bed, and he gently put his arm over me.
“Is this okay, Sarah?” He asked.
“It’s fine, Bear.” I said, snuggling a little closer. “It’s nice. Good night.”
“Good night.”
And together, we drifted off to sleep.