Ambassador Gwen stepped off the shuttle and into the hanger of Port Royal station as she hung in the void near the beacon into the Delmar system. The station's outer ring measured a wide flat 40 kilometers with a central hub, and the floating structure would not have looked out of place as the centrifugal living section of a Sol-designed station. It did not have a spinning habitation section, however. Port Royal was fully artificially gravity-plated and in the final stages of systems checks and internal furnishing. The station was also built with the help of the now Ambassador Aminaira, agent of the Saurian race to humanity. It was compatible with multiple different species. It would need to be, considering its purpose.
“Ami! So good to see you!” Gwen wrapped her arms around the massive head pressed against her chest in a traditional greeting that the Saurian race had used on smaller bipedal species for millennia.
“And I, you.” Rumbled the larger being in a throaty soprano. “I did not expect you here quite yet.”
“I was in the neighborhood,” Gwen responded, “We got a message from the first convoy. They will be here a little early. In fact, they should be here right about…”
*Slip jump detected, *slip jump detected* the Klaxon warned, and the Two stepped out to the windows to see 5 human cargo ships and a Martian Corvette appeared in a swirling flash of blues and whites, trailing faint traces of plasma.
Human Cargo ships differed from their Delmar cousins in that they maximized hauling capacity while minimizing habitation. The Human ships were basically a cramped command deck and living quarters in a front squared-off prow, followed by a massive central spine designed to have cargo attached to it using the upgraded for interstellar travel, but ever venerable Conex containers. Each of these vessels could attach 1500 containers at their maximum load per container. The trailing freighter carried 3000 empty containers for Delmar to test with this season.
The human freighters also only had a 20-25 person crew depending on needs vs the 300-400 person crew for most of the rest of the galaxy. The end of the freighter’s spine housed massive set of pods holding a total of 6 final drives. A Human freighter needed only 3-4 drives to make the run up to slip space, but Humanities need for redundancy had accidentally made a vessel that could get to jump velocity more quickly than some of the USN’s capital ships. Humanity shared Delmar’s desire for simplicity, and the 5 freighters spun on their axes to present their engines for deceleration.
The Freighters blinked into view as they finished their deceleration burns and began docking for customs. Darclemus and Gwen both hated the idea of customs and duties, but it was important not to crash either of their people’s economies as this blending of technology and expertise was initiated between Delmar and Humanity. The Customs system was a known way to help prevent that, at least until something better could be hammered out.
“How is the Commander holding up?” Gwen asked softly.
“He is adjusting, I think he is more relieved than upset. He’s just not ready to admit it yet.” Ami replied, “He’s quite good at his new post though. I think being able to watch the twins grow up in person will win the day.” she finished with a smile.
The two moved on down the promenade, catching up on various subjects as they headed for Ami’s office.
——————
Gregory woke up. Even at 48, He was still a very light sleeper. The reason he awakened, stirred next to him. The slender soft being rolled over and kissed him on the on the neck before rising to his chest. She locked his lips with hers for a moment before biting his lower lip with her fangs.
Gregory chuckled and looked down to see Marg watching his features closely.
“Good morning,” he said kissing her on the forehead.
“Hi...” she whispered back, “it’s weird, not feeling your emotions.” She twirled a finger in his now full executive-style beard.
It had been several months since the two of them met. Both were widowed with grown-up children. They had slowly grown closer over that time, but last night had been the first time she had stayed.
“We need to talk, about last night….” Marg began, “I don’t know where to go from here…”
“There’s no rush” Greg said pulling her to him. “I know relationships like this are not the norm for your people. I know you will never be able to claim me. So let’s not do this the Delmar way.”
“What are you saying?” Marg lifted her head.
“We kind of already have been. If we were on earth, you would already have a title, my “Girlfriend” so how about we just keep doing what we have been. Getting to know each other. We take it slow. Last night was amazing, but we won’t have to make it the norm. You’re my girl, let’s see where it goes.”
“Ok, I accept.” she responded, and Greg chuckled at the formal tone to it.
“Now let’s go for breakfast.” he whispered. “There is a little place down the road that I haven’t tried yet.”
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“You will have final diagnostics for life support and tactical by first shift, commander.” the Young Human officer said, “anything else.”
Commander Silu Drilumerum, master under the void of the joint Sol/Delmar hub Port Royal gazed over his data pad at his first officer. The young Sudanese man’s name was Philip Kenyi, and he had taken the job of preparing and running the station with the aggressive tenacity that Silu had come to expect from Humanity.
“I believe that covers it, Philip. Give my compliments to the work crews. Take the rest of the evening. Everything else is tomorrow’s problem.” Silu responded gently. He stood and reached for his walking cane, working his way around his desk to give his X.O. a handshake.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Have a good evening, sir” Lieutenant Commander Kenyi shook the older man’s hand firmly but gently before departing the office.
Silu followed the Human out, leaning on his cane as he walked down the spoke nearest his office to the circular outer ring. He wondered, not for the first time, who would get command of Traveler. He wanted to be upset that he had lost Her, but the long road he had to go through, to simply walk again, had convinced him to bow out of the Younger Man’s Game of her captaincy. He had made the recommendation that She be the first Delmar Freighter to have a Human Captain. This was part of the Treaty struck with Sol. Two of Delmar’s Freighter fleet would get Human Captains, and Two of Sol Freighters would get Delmar Captains. These two selectees would Captain 3 years respectively in their respective parts of the Galaxy then be the foundation of a Joint Training program designed to facilitate the next generation. That would take place here on Port Royal in time.
“Ah! There you are. I was about to call you.” Ami said from her Saurian style seat next to their customary table. Mari was with Her already. The two of them had become fast friends after Ami’s arrival in Delmar space. The Saurians had quickly requested her resignation from the GHO and named her Ambassador to Humanity. She was the First non-Delmar diplomat to reach out to Sol. Silu still did not understand why, as the Saurian Species were never very interested in the fringes of Unity politics.
“I made it. No need for a rescue party.” Silu Chuckled.
The three spent their evenings at the same café, overlooking the inner system. Pictures flashed; the twins were starting to try walking. Ami’s 8th Daughter had hatched another brood. Silu noticed some of the New Human Freighter Crewmen walking the rings observation balconies. He noticed a number of Human Females among them as well, cutting up with the Men. All of them had a slight Military air to them, which was to be expected.
“I hope This goes well, Everything is changing so fast.” Mari said, breaking to lul in the conversation.
“It is, we will see.” Silu responded and took a sip. Smiling at a station crewman who recognized him and gave an abbreviated salute. ‘we will see’.
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“Luv?” Mac called as he stepped into the family home.
“In here!” came a breathless reply. He peeked around the corner into the living room to see Lyrian pounding away on a treadmill at a fast jog. “How is the training going?”
“It’s getting done. The first response fleets will be ready soon. First fleet is sticking around until the rest are trained, and until the DCDF can rebuild.” Mac walked into the kitchen for some water and smelled the oven. “Roast?”
“Ya’, wanted something easy tonight. Bry and Tris are sleeping right now. I need to get back in form. Oh btw, Clint came over and ferried Concord to the R&D Airfield. Something about a refit” She slowed to a cool-down speed and chugged on a bottle next to here in the cup holder.
“Yea, they are replacing the subspace drive with a slip space one. They also want to touch up the stealth coating and refill her Munitions. I hope Clint remembered how to fly her.” Mac chuckled.
“I stuffed his ass in one of the sims to make sure.” Lyri grinned at him, “He’s rusty, but he won’t crash. He was not amused.”
Mac barked a laugh and walked up to give his Glistening wife a pec before heading for the bedroom to get into his workout gear. He missed the Jungle runs, but until the Twins didn’t need constant earth 1g, treadmills and weights at the house would have to do. He paused at the top of the stairs as His mate moved to the weights. She had almost completely lost the baby weight, but she was definitely more top-heavy because of the needed Milk production for the twins. She was eating slightly more than him right now because of her return to training and breastfeeding at the same time. She caught him staring and gave him a wink before settling in for weights.
Mac made it downstairs just in time for the first crys escaped from the baby monitor downstairs.
“Right on time.” Lyrian put up the barbell she was working with, “I was starting to feel uncomfortably full. She shifted her top and gave Mac a kiss, “Be back in a few. I won’t be mad if you pull the Roast out before I get back.” She gave him a wink and headed up the stairs to feed the twins. Mac put a quick run in with a vest to give himself 1.5 times his body weight. ‘That’s not as fun as it used to be. I guess I’ve fallen behind too’. He mused as he shut the treadmill down and pulled the Roast just as it came up to temp. The tubers and veggies were in with the roast so he set them to rest and returned to his weights.
Soon Mac was finished, and he wandered up to the twin’s room just in time to see Bryton attempting an escape from diaper change with Tris crawling around on the floor making for the now open door. “What are you up to.” he scooped her up, and she just burbled at him.
Bryton was already starting to dose into a milk coma as Lyri finished burping him. Soon the two of them were back in their shared Crib. Apparently Delmar Twins were rare, but tended to need to sleep together to stay calm for the first year or so.
“So, when am I going to lose you to Legion.” Lyrian asked, somewhat somberly as they sat down with their food.
“Not for another year at least. First fleet is going to be playing training Cadre for the foreseeable future. For both the DDF and for Legion. We also have to wait for the probes to reach their destinations to drop their beacons... That’s going to take a while even if they hug the Relativistic barrier to get to their coordinates” Mac explained between bites of food, “Wait, is this Cheyenne? Is it safe?”
“It is when diluted like this. I wanted to give it a shot, I like it so far. We will see how I survive later, but it should be safe.” She said. The roast was fantastic, and Lyrian had become very good at cooking meat indoors. She left the open fire cooking to the Men.
“Tomorrow I am headed out to Port Royal with Greg and Marg. Those two seem to be getting serious.” Mac shrugged, “Anyway, He doesn’t know it yet, but While I will be taking first fleet. He will be in command of the entire Combined forces. His Expeditionary force will be folded into System defense until they can rebuild.”
They finished dinner just in time for another feeding. The Twins were between Delmar, and Human infants. They were developing their motor skills for movement very quickly like a Delmar child, but their brains and cognitive ability would develop more along the lines of a Human child. They would Have fewer instinctive cue’s than a Delmar, but more than a Human. Icario believed that if they lived in 1 human G for the first year, and the house was kept at 1g, they would be Grow to be Human Strong. For now, they were just little bundles of eat, sleep, mess, cry, and occasionally burble. The two little ones were fed and put to bed. Mac and Lyri crashed out into bed until the next feeding.
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“You look Terrible,” Greg chuckled as Mac met him at the Port Royal shuttle.
“Lyri is a saint... The little ones are always hungry, day or night.” Mac grumbled, nursing a cup of coffee.
“I remember my son, becomes a distant memory until they start making it through the night. “For you, that should come a little earlier with them being half Delmar.” he chuckled, patting the young father on the back, “Don’t worry my son, this too shall pass. I haven’t seen Clint in a while, how is the poor bastard.”
“I don’t think I could do what he is without going mad. He cares for those two a great deal. To be willing to let them pick which one he marries? … I don’t know if I could do it.” Mac shuddered at the thought.
“It’s very inhuman, I’ll give you that. But the ‘when in Rome’ factor of the greater galaxy is going to be something we will just have to adapt to. So, what brings you to Port Royal.” The older man asked as they lifted off. it would be a 2-hour flight to the beacon and the Station being built to serve as an all-purpose hub, diplomatic site, and defensive stronghold.
“I’m taking delivery of some equipment for First fleet, they won't tell me what it is. Probably just to keep away from prying ears. You?” Mac feigned ignorance.
“New orders. Ambassador Gwen got a new message from Sol.” Greg shrugged.
The small talk continued until they were docked. Mac got a message from Clint asking to use the Lass’- *Of course! You know that* he responded before stepping into the station.
“See you later Mac, drink after?” Greg called.
“Maybe just one. Dad adulting is best done sober.” Mac laughed back.
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“James Mackenzie Grarzia?” The harbor master asked as the Young Human male, maybe a bit worse for ware, strolled into the hanger with a combination Void/G-suit slung over one shoulder.
“That would be me. Just Mac is fine. I'm assuming whatever I’m picking up involves one of these?” He indicated to the suit.
“It would. You are aware of the Raptor’s currently in use in this sector? Well, this one is yours. However, I am told to give you this packet and to say, “Watch this before you kill your dumb ass”. The middle-aged Delmar Harbor master winced at the phrase.
“I smell Nitro. I’ll watch the tutorial.” Mac walked to a quick changing area to cha….
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A K’Claram flagged Freighter dropped out of subspace and burned for the Station, firing its weapons. The Escort Corvettes on either side of the station opened fire, instantly cutting the unidentified craft to pieces, but three escape pods were fired. The pods bore the scars of the crude reinforcements common among pirates, and they slammed into the side of Port Royals observation ring. The life pods carried the entire skeleton crew of the doomed freighter. 5 K’Claram, 3 Thermians, stepped out of each pod. The last pod to hit carried an extra passenger. A large Lycan man with a pronounced mechanical Wheeze... Port Royal was still 2 weeks from fully operational. The Armories had been installed and stocked, but the security personnel were to arrive in two days.
Each of the boarders carried 2 laser pistols and a laser rifle. They opened fire on everyone they saw.