Mariposa (2173)

By B.B. Irvine

The first book of an epic series following the career of a Space Fleet crewperson from "crewper" to Captain of a starship.
It is 2173, one hundred sixty years in the future, and humans using faster than light travel have colonized nearly a dozen nearby star systems. No alien intelligence has been discovered yet, and humans are now comfortable enough to start fighting each other instead of the unknown.
Science survey ship JOHN A. WHEELER is about to encounter a range of hostiles from human mercenaries to the first aliens any humans have ever met. Of the ten humans at that meeting, only two survive. One of them is Ensign Xiu-Li Chen.
Not all aliens are from outer space: the story of the Niv at Tau Ceti and why they used DNA nanotechnology to become Homo neosapiens is also illuminated.

• Language: English
• Publisher: B.B. Irvine
• Release date: Feb 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465795571

B.B. Irvine

B.B. Irvine was born in New York City in 1959. He graduated from the High School of Music and Art N.Y. (1976 music), New York State University at Stony Brook (1980 B.A. liberal arts), and in 1982 received a certificate as a Physician Assistant from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine in North Carolina. He has worked in settings including emergency medicine, AIDS research, and addiction treatment in New York City where he lives. In 1994 he earned a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do from Grandmaster Richard Chun. His novels and screenplays evidence his knowledge of people and frequently weave medicine, science, history, romance, and martial arts into the action.

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Mariposa (2173)

Spacer Series Book 01: Ensign Chen

by B. B. Irvine

Copyright 2022 B. B. Irvine

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Chapter 01 - Mariposa

IWG-SS JOHN A. WHEELER

17 January 2173 - Monday

The silver slashes of light intensified as she reached the climax. Now keep the beats steady. One, two, a two-three, four...

The young woman slicing the air in the court space of the small gym on the science survey starship JOHN A. WHEELER was of Asian heritage, somewhat more distinctively so than most humans these days. Her short swords also added to a more timeless sense, for they were butterfly swords used in an ancient Earth fighting art from Asia – Wu-Shu. It was a form that was at least a thousand years old, and when Captain D. Bert Matisou and First Officer Commander Jason Takaguchi passed through on a ship inspection and planning tour, they stopped, Takaguchi’s mouth dropped open, and they looked at each other.

What impressed Matisou was that the woman didn’t stop. She was working pretty hard – her crew T-shirt and sweatpants were dark with sweat – and wasn’t going to stop working out just because the captain walked into the gym during her P.E. time. And even he could see she was good – really good. That doesn’t mean she can actually fight with them, though, or what she’d be like unarmed... Who is she again? One of the mid-December newbies... He nudged Takaguchi. The secondary tube? Where the optics cabling would run? He was pointing to his EngDPaT screen map. It was an engineering version of the Data Pad and Transmitter unit, a duplicate of the one held by his first officer, borrowed from the chief engineer, who wanted them both back as soon as possible.

Hm? Oh, yes, Captain. That’d be... They moved off, looking along the wall.

They returned just as she finished moving and assumed a set position. She then straightened and smiled at Matisou. Please excuse me, Captain. Good afternoon. She bowed slightly, then nodded at Takaguchi. Good afternoon, Commander.

Crewperson Chen. Good afternoon. Matisou nodded. That’s very impressive, Xiu-Li. May I? He held out his hand.

Thank you, sir. Of course.

He took one of the swords and held it up. It was designed so the end of the blade could be removed and stowed inside the handle itself, making it smaller for travel. Memory metal assisted in locking it in either of the positions – and right now, it was a balanced and fully functional blade. Takaguchi, who had just looked on, now whistled. Matisou handed back the sword. Traditional form?

"Yes, sir. Wu-Wei Do; this is a wu-shu path butterfly sword. Originally from China."

Matisou whistled. Wu-Wei? That’s from the orbital and L-point construction period, isn’t it? He had already found the sword form itself impressive, but if she was also a student of the zero G martial art system called Wu-Wei Do, that made her much more seriously trained than he’d expected. He noticed she had straightened slightly.

Yes, sir. I learned it there. My mother was a hull buster after we left the South China Sea Arcology platform project.

He nodded. I see. Matisou vaguely recalled the files on her from a month earlier, when she had joined the ship – something about her father dying in the seafloor quake that destroyed the huge arcology platform being built in the South China Sea. It made him look at her more closely, and he saw a resilience there he knew and recognized. This kid’s a fighter like I am – slow to anger, then watch out. You’re in the Science Division, right? Engineering cross-trainee?

Before she could answer the gym door slid open and an impatient looking Chief Engineer walked in. Lieutenant Commander Aria Threnody was a Niv and suffered fools madly, it seemed. Time wasters qualified, as such, even a captain; but Matisou awed her, so she merely glared at him, then at Xiu-Li, the cause of their delay here, listening closely.

Yes, sir. I’m on the systems integration team.

You’re something of an engineer, then. Matisou smiled. You know a lot about fighting, for an engineer. Xiu-Li thought about Chief Engineer Threnody standing there, one of the best engineers in the whole InterWorld Group fleet – which was why she was here on survey starship WHEELER, charting the lesser known so far from home. I am going to have to evade his blunderjab gracefully here...

Xiu-Li smiled, just slightly, which helped the next words come more prettily. Excuse me, sir. I’m a scientist who can do simple engineering, to be fully honest, sir. It is Chief Threnody who’s the real engineer here. She smiled wider – to dazzling. As for knowing how to fight, sir, well... As a scientist I’ve seen that the universe gives up little without a struggle. This study calms my mind so I can think more clearly.

Very good. Matisou looked at Takaguchi and glowered, keeping the first officer quiet, already anticipating the needling he’d be getting for not quite recalling enough details from the file – at the time she had joined the ship almost five weeks ago in mid-December the main focus for the crew had been the departure of the well liked Chandrasekhar Ray, the original ship systems integrations engineering officer, and a happy chance to get 2172’s Year End Day presents early. Xiu-Li Chen and two other Space Fleet crew had sort of slipped on board as new replacement crew and spent the last four weeks learning their duties, usually far away from the bridge (like cleaning the organic muck filters). Although he’d seen Xiu-Li up there in the big science station chair doing some overnight late watch shifts on the bridge, those were just basic introductions for emergencies and her eventual overnight watch rotations. Unlike Tealing, who was this trip’s not my favorite Ensign, she had otherwise not been on his mind – a good thing, meaning no problems. This kid is sharp. Matisou nodded at her. Well, let’s not keep you from, ah, calming your mind.

She straightened to attention and nodded her head. Aye, sir. She pivoted, came to attention and bowed toward the floor she had worked out on, then she straightened and picked up her towel, heading for the locker area as Matisou led the smirking Takaguchi and a slightly less annoyed looking Threnody out of the gym.

XIU-LI

In the locker room, Xiu-Li made a face. Correcting the Captain! Shaking her head, she opened her locker. Not my best encounter!

Still, calling her an engineer in front of Threnody – she had to set that record straight away before Chief Threnody took offense that a lowly sci-crewie like herself would dare to dream of calling herself an engineer yet (even if she did have a degree in bioengineering; it was her degree in physics that had mattered – far emissions phenomena being so very critical in remote sensor design). Xiu-Li also suspected her medic crosstraining was what had got her the slot over Applebit, who was trained in specimens sciences, art preservation, and curation, crosstrained on computer systems – but on a system older than WHEELER was running, thanks to Threnody’s upgrades! Nevertheless: Fifteen extra minutes on the beach for conduct unbecoming a student of Wu-Wei Do!

Since she had first started to study martial arts, meditation had been a part of her life; once she was confirmed as a Wu-Wei Do student, her teacher had given her a specific exercise to follow: the mental creation of an island with areas devoted to specific categories of thought or actions. Over the past ten years she had gotten a beach at high noon (for wakefulness, health, and use as punishment), and also at sunset into night (health, sleep, sex), as well as the fighting field (where she put one of her oldest visuals, her original training room, inside a shack out there), and her room (a setting for fantasies).

It wasn’t all for fun: something as tranquil as a beach image could also be used as discipline – fifteen minutes at high noon on a windless beach would make the presence of a lovely ocean just torture, although it also presented a realistic distraction as it would in real life.

Yes, it was all in her head, but it was a quite an exercise in memory to get it created, especially in an age so many relied solely upon electronic means – people rarely wrote by hand any longer. No one seemed to think they would ever lose power, especially those on the big starships using cold fusion plants for internal power.

Hmm... Maybe if she perfectly visualized a sand crab digging in, she might... Earn some fun – later – After the beach, Chen Xiu-Li! (Correcting the Captain! Aaah!) Oh, well. The air hushed slightly as someone entered. Xiu-Li started putting some workout things away.

Oh, hi, Jool! said Julissa Martines. She was an Ensign in the Science Division, a very good meteorologist and the expert in atmospheres, with a water geology subspecialty (evaluating past signs of water at work on rock).

Hey, Julissa, replied Xiu-Li, who was a Science Division crewper. Julissa was her senior but she had been very nice since Xiu-Li had joined WHEELER, nicest of the very nice crew (which had accepted her pretty quickly), and Xiu-Li’s bridge station trainer (the most intensely exciting thing she had done so far – and that was in the dead-of-night watch with nothing at all going on except a basic in-flight ship scan while they were routinely en route in hyperflight).

Going in, or getting done? asked Julissa, looking at the bag.

Getting done. You?

Getting a tuneChip out of my locker. She looked at the chrono and back. You going on watch?

Nope, just off. Xiu-Li closed her locker. Ouch. She wiggled her shoulders. That shower will be great!

Julissa closed her locker. I could massage that for you, if you’d like. Forbben traded my watch today for tomorrow; he’s got a shore leave approved, the lucky sh – spacebug! she scowled, then smiled at Xiu-Li. Anyway, I am suddenly off, and I find myself ready to relax and celebrate a change in routine. She did not look away.

Xiu-Li felt herself flush. Her heart began to beat harder, and she felt nervous. Was there a new possibility here? Right now it was just being a helpful friend, but... Hmmm.

If she and Julissa began to spend time together, it would be added to the ship’s rumor server – but so what? Her past affair with a male senior student during her junior year at Space University (Earth) had already been thoroughly dissected, Xiu-Li was certain – it had been torrid (and in retrospect, less discreet than they had imagined), and he had many friends in the fleet who had made fun of his early elimination from that year’s Skills And Arts Tournament at the hands and feet of his own girlfriend – but he was a good man, and they had parted as friends when he’d graduated at last. Discreet? Not really – many people had heard about that, just as they had heard about her going to the holos with Javier Nunez, the helm underwatch (and a nice guy, but a pretty cocky pilot-type who was in general more interested in himself than her – oh well).

Julissa’s nickname was Mariposa, but some called her fickle, because she moved from love to love like a butterfly to flowers. Xiu-Li had been sleeping alone for just about a year and a half now – senior year required that level of focus, and she’d been station to station until arriving on WHEELER – and well, she was ready to rejoin the human race that way. And if another lone Mariposa was inclined to flutter by her way, maybe she would, or maybe... Maybe not, it wasn’t like she was a Sister, she had never actually – ohhh, it’s so cold outside these walls, though – Xiu-Li would not say no tonight. Anyway, she was probably reading too much into it, because she had generally been a loner (except for the few she had let into her life). Julissa’s just being nice.

Xiu-Li smiled. That would be very nice, Julissa.

Julissa smiled. Great! Listen, you might as well wait, to shower off the oil as well – let me meet you at your quarters in...?

I’m going straight there. So whenever you get there will be fine. Thanks, Julissa.

MATISOU

So she says ‘to be honest, I’m a scientist who can do simple engineering!’ Matisou could just about overhear Takaguchi talking to Enronn Debitts, the helmsman and second tactical officer. Aria Threnody was at the engineering station reviewing the day logs and would be coming on as overnight watch officer.

Matisou was reasonably content at the moment. Planetfall at Cape Of Velvet was coming up with shore and exploratory leaves planned – he hoped to get some hiking and climbing done with Jason on both. He had a list of samples to collect – IWG-SS JOHN A. WHEELER was out on survey duty, after all. If they happened to return with rock samples from every major planetary range or Highest Mountain Base, well, it was all data. Besides, finding ocean fossils in the high ranges on the Earth had revealed plate tectonics. Who knew what secrets the ranges on Cape Of Velvet held?

Debitts was talking with Takaguchi, and whatever he said made the first officer’s jaw drop. This must be good, thought Matisou, getting up and stepping closer. Gentlemen? A point of interest regarding crew skills?

Takaguchi still seemed unable to cope. But – she’s too pretty! he finally blurted, then blushed and shut up.

Matisou looked at Debitts. Lieutenant?

I was just telling the Commander about the University’s Arts Skills Tournament, said the Chief Helmsman. That was a martial arts competition.

"She won in 2171 and 2172!" cried Takaguchi.

Matisou was puzzled. In what class?

Debitts took a breath. Well, sir, they changed the whole finals process in 2170. No matter what type of skill you entered with, you ultimately compete in a worse case scenario, sometimes more than one. In 2171 they went with zero G for the final, after conventional fighting en route. She beat everyone en route, and then the finalist. He grinned. "I remember I made a friendly wager with a friend, and was he pissed when she won!"

It was unexpected? Why?

Debitts shrugged. My friend’s one of the training officers at the University. Chen entered the University on a special five year program when she was 17. For three years she was never more than a very fast, competent fighter during training exercises, who professed a non-violence philosophy at all times and seemed reluctant to actually fight. She entered the Space University Tournament after she, uhh, he dropped his voice, "Learned about the artifacts – and, well, she ‘had permission for a demonstration of her skills against the universe’ is the way my friend said she described it."

Takaguchi stared at him. She said something like that, and you still bet on her?

Debitts scowled back. I knew her mother. I suspected Xiu-Li might know a lot more than she was going to show a roomful of plain average Fleet cadets with things to prove and an instructor looking for mere perfection in basics. But not to show off, or even because she could. Her mother gave her permission, maybe even directed her.

Matisou nodded. That’s how Xiu-Li learned Wu-Wei Do. Her mother was a hull tank buster. Wu-Wei Do was an art born of loneliness, and large but contained zero G spaces in which to work out action and reaction. Not exactly a secret art, it was not one ever taught formally in any University or by any military; in fact, no one knew how to find a real teacher at all. Students had been observed and the results noted: it outmatched any military zero G combat system ever developed by either Earth orbital or Belt military combat trainers in response to the challenges of combat in a zero G environment (where Newtonian physics meant unless one knew how to grip or anchor to an opponent, a good punch – in fact, any contact at all – would send both parties flying in opposite directions).

Exactly, sir. Naturally, her mother never explicitly spoke about it to me, but we discuss fighting whenever I’m near Earth and can visit – she made the mistake of admitting she’d learned the butterfly sword as a little girl, so she never pretended she hadn’t learned a little bit of something. Debitts smiled in recollection. Matisou looked over at Takaguchi and they grinned, then Matisou cleared his throat to remind Debitts where he was. Oh, sorry, sir. It was quite a shock when a junior at 52 kilos beat the 101 kilo, 3 year past champion, and 2171 senior class Tactical cadet leader ‘Kilo Beast’ Kippsk.

Matisou nodded. Impressive. He saw Jason seemed bursting to speak. There was a problem?

"They ‘fixed’ it the next year! Tell ‘im, Enronn. Takaguchi looked at Matisou. Now, get this, Captain!"

Debitts coughed. There were some, um, speculations that they might’ve come up with a final scenario designed to eliminate her – in 2172 the finals included a free spinning ‘heavy gravity’ scenario as well as zero G, and most of the conventional fighters were going after Xiu-Li Chen, specifically.

Matisou looked at them. Anything personal about that, or all in good sport?

Debitts was shocked. No, sir! He shook his head, scowling. Her fighting style, sir, I meant to say. There has never been anything personal, sir. Not that I heard, anyway. She doesn’t seem to have ever bothered peers or officers; no demerits, good team player, gets the job done quickly and very well; even the usual group of real idiots in every year class were no worse than neutral in their comments. He again shook his head. The 2172 Testing Committee felt the universe the University is now preparing students for needed better than simple, ‘traditional’ athletic competitions. They made it into something like a war game, with a ‘raider’ scenario to reflect possible boarding actions by, umm, well, anyone – and there were a series of tactical tasks in which there was an active opposition – from the instructors as well as competitors.

I recall Commander Baptiste at the University saying he was interested in trying out something like that.

Yes, sir. Debitts grinned. "In 2172 Danilo Chaves entered Earth Space University. He was raised in a family that ran fully traditional anthropologic martial arts schools teaching ancient Wing Chun, then he added boxing in middle school, and passed through opponent after opponent in every division across all years in the fall and spring terms throughout his first year. He grinned – like a wolf. In the June 2172 Finals, 102 kilo Danilo ‘Sticky Death’ Chaves, a freshman regarded as unbeatable – as it seemed Xiu-Li never did any fighting until the day the tournament started, so she wasn’t seen as even in training for it – came in against 55 kilo Xiu-Li Chen in her senior year." Debitts chuckled.

Matisou grinned at him. Your friend lose again?

Yes, sir. No one scored a point. In fact, that was Chaves’ only goal, in the final round – just get a single point.

Matisou looked surprised. "She’s that Chen?"

Yes, sir. Debitts grinned. "You have heard of her."

Matisou was thoughtful. "Yes – but I did not expect that Chen to be on my ship in the Science Division." Usually people who trained in the martial arts tended to gravitate into the Tactical Division, as Tactical seemed a good career match for those already so inclined.

Debitts looked just slightly mournful. No, sir. She’s never made tactical one of her career track interests – she’s been strictly science and medical. He looked at the forward viewscreen array. She said she felt she needed to demonstrate she was prepared against the unknown, but she does not believe in fighting.

Like a Niv Paxian. Takaguchi looked at Matisou. If she graduated the University after five years, why isn’t she an ensign? He raised his eyebrow at the captain. That would have been the usual rank at graduation for anyone with good grades and record, especially in the Five Year Program.

Matisou sighed. "We had a crewper-rank opening on WHEELER. I couldn’t take an ensign in science, and she isn’t quite hard ‘engineering’ enough for that Division. Once two candidates were announced, one opted for his true rank over an opening, and so Chen joined us – at a crew rating." He looked at them.

No one said anything, but everyone was pleased with Xiu-Li for making a tough career call; they all recognized the kindred spirit they shared with her (it cleared her with Takaguchi forever – he’d gotten reports from all of his people on how good she was; even Threnody had been impressed, and now his last lingering question had been resoundingly answered).

Anyway, continued Matisou, she’s crosstrained as a medic. You know how much we need those – and she’s doing a good job with the integration team. Ray told me he asked a friend to pick the best, and that’s what I’m hearing. He chuckled. Sounds like she’ll be promoted to ensign soon enough.

"In science, Debitts sighed. My Division can’t seem to get a break these days."

XIU-LI

Xiu-Li’s quarters were near the gym and she got her things neat and tidy before Julissa chimed the door ten minutes later.

Julissa had a kit bag in her hand. She took out a plasbottle of scented oil, another bottle of aromatic scent and several small fingerbowls. Candles were frowned upon in space except for profound ceremonial or memorial occasions; their use was permitted but required a lengthy form, filled out well in advance (or else the open flame was subject to FIRE protocols, which had turned more than one romantic situation into an full ship alert UNKNOWN FIRE THREAT [!DRILL!] before folks got the idea all of the rules had to be followed on this one). Next came some lightcubes and two plasglas muscle rollers – one shaped like a dolphin.

Julissa pulled the couch coaster off the couch/sleep platform, took a silky tarpaulin from her kit bag, and spread it over the platform. Lie down, okay? On your stomach, said Julissa. She smiled.

Xiu-Li lay down gratefully – she’d spent her last watch running the new optic bundles up and down every accelerator tube arm around the engine core section. She watched Julissa pour aromatic oil in the fingerbowls, which she then placed around the room on top of her light cubes. It wasn’t scented candles, but it certainly relaxed the room.

Julissa saw Xiu-Li stretch like a cat and heard the sigh, almost a purr. Julissa grinned; Xiu-Li had looked so tired and sore Julissa had felt it all the way across the locker room, but Xiu-Li was one of those matter-of-fact hardcore Fleet types who thought one was supposed to feel crappy half the time or the Service wasn’t getting proper work out of her. Julissa had actually heard two of the guys kidding around about how one wished, "Xiu-Li would take my cable up the arm – she knew the recabling project was one of the sorts of chores they put all newbies on, to see if they had an aptitude for crawling through the hull spaces in search of sensor mounts and junction spaces, or climbing up the antimatter arms to see if they had a head for heights. She knew Xiu-Li had been climbing Mt. Jeffries for eight hours, with or without some snotty (or surly) engineering type along, one of the Niv Wrench Dogs."

So Julissa had been surprised that Beckett – big, not supposed to be bright Beckett – had snapped out, "No talk like that ‘round here, son. She cut a whole day off the job just today alone." He had been the engineer along, and was usually a surly-type, but evidently Xiu-Li had impressed him.

Addams had thrown up his hands. Sorry, big guy! Addams was a pretty-boy glib talker, not too bad on the job, but a terrible Service climber and personally shallow.

"S’not like that, neither!" growled Beckett, scowling, and Addams moved along before his mere presence got Beckett any surlier (Addams was clueless that Beckett had a boyfriend and Beckett didn’t want any crew rumors to start about he and Xiu-Li)… The oil Julissa had put in the palm of her hand poured slowly over Xiu-Li’s bare golden back.

Mm. Wow, Xiu-Li sighed. Mm-mm. As soon as Julissa’s fingers dug in, Xiu-Li murmured and stretched again for a moment. Grrgrrgrrrr. The muscles played and danced against Julissa’s fingertips, then Xiu-Li sighed and relaxed completely. Rrrrr... She continued to purr periodically as Julissa went to work, aware how the air had suddenly heated.

Well – Julissa was uncertain what she wanted to do, exactly. Given how much work she had put her body through today, Xiu-Li might be tired, or... It would just be embarrassing to be clumsy and shot down because she was sort of stumbling along...

Mmmm... Right there, murmured Xiu-Li.

Here?

Mm-Mm-Mmm! Ooo!

Julissa was using a shiatsu point for a pressure technique that was painful, but after her initial yelp, Xiu-Li was silent as Julissa worked on the sore muscle and on what her approach to... Hmm. Did you have to climb the arms today, Jool?

"Mmm, yeah. Oh, it seemed so, I dunno... Powerful up there, but I know it’s in my head."

A lot of steep climbs, though.

Yeah... Mmm... I hear the Captain and Commander Takaguchi are some serious trekkers and climbers.

Mm-hmm... Did you run across Addams anywhere today? I was looking for him earlier.

Yeah. I think he’s doing a double split watch.

D’you think he’s cute?

In a vacant way, yeah. Like a holo-model.

Julissa giggled. Ouch.

He’s nice enough, but he’s just not that pretty, you know? I’d bet he spends more time fixing his hair and uniform every day than the both of us combined. Not quite my type.

Oh really?... Well, who is your type?

Xiu-Li turned her head and looked at Julissa. Anywhere, or just here on the ship?

Julissa’s heart sank slightly. Well, she’s not a ‘Sister.’ Here on the ship.

Xiu-Li turned her head down again so Julissa could work on her neck. Herkle; the Captain; Javier Nunez – but I’m not ‘fast’ enough to be his type – ohh... Aria. Xiu-Li giggled. Her eyes. I think she has the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen. Oh, sorry, that’s not nice.

Hmm – Aria’s eyes? Well – Probably still not a ‘Sister,’ Spacedamn it! Dopey Jimmy Herkle? said Julissa, feeling Xiu-Li giggle under her fingertips. Okay, I know, yeah, okay, he’s got a lot more character than Addams – but as far as looks go? Julissa snorted. I mean, be serious.

Looks aren’t everything, said Xiu-Li. Look at me – fairly standard Earth female, family origin China, which gives me my eyes, hair and... She giggled. When I was a senior in the University, I heard one student tell another that I looked like a Niv professor and the other one said, ‘Male or female?’ Xiu-Li laughed. I’ve never had a man complain in bed about a spacedamn thing yet.

Julissa gulped and said, Well, your back is done. Why not roll over and let me judge myself?

Xiu-Li giggled and rolled over onto her back, eyes closed, a cute smile on her face. She wasn’t as busty as Aria Threnody or the communications officer, Ensign Tania Manda... But Xiu-Li’s slightly taller, leaner frame was beautifully proportioned, with muscle tone in every major area, the result of martial arts. Her heart shaped face was now damp, serene, not the hard face of serious, sharply blank self-denial she always wore out on deck. See what I mean? asked Xiu-Li.

You’re beautiful, Xiu-Li. Julissa began to massage Xiu-Li’s outer hips and flat belly. Those cadets were just being mean. She started to work her way down Xiu-Li’s thigh. Do you have a favorite martial arts kick?

Mmm... Side kick is most efficient, but my personal favorite is a jumping spinning hook kick.

Ooooh. That sounds dangerous. Julissa was wondering how to best follow up the Aria’s eyes reference.

Mmmm... Thanks, Julissa, Xiu-Li sighed and looked at her. "You’ve been really nice to a junior sister," she said very carefully, then she started laughing at Julissa’s expression.

You-you – spluttered Julissa. You’re a – I’m – Julissa rolled her eyes. "You are such a tease, Xiu-Li." She giggled.

"I’m sorry. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a chance to meet and be with anybody – you know how crazy senior year is, and with WHEELER as a dream slot out there somewhere. Anyway, I thought from the beginning you were the nicest one of a whole bunch of nice people, and – mmpf!" Julissa kissed her, fingers running over her warm skin. Xiu-Li sighed and shivered, Julissa holding her as they kissed...

Moments later, Julissa sighed and shook her head. You know that, as your senior sister, I am not going to allow such teasing to go unpunished.

Xiu-Li tensed slightly, then relaxed. I am sorry, sister. Perhaps a sharper declaration might have led me to the obvious, for I was uncertain, and too tired to see. My apologies. How may I serve you?

Julissa blushed. She’s right. Feisty of her to put it that way... Hmm... I will be clearer in the future. I understand you spent your whole watch on the fiber optics project?

Yes.

And you didn’t even get to shower yet.

N-no. Xiu-Li swallowed and shivered. The massage was really nice. Thank you, Julissa. Xiu-Li was a bright pink now.

Julissa giggled. Now, do we agree you teased your senior Sister in a deliberate manner?

Xiu-Li nodded. Yes, m’am. She sighed, then smiled. Why not?

Any statements in your defense?

Julissa, you are so beautiful I was afraid to say anything... Because I’m new around here. Because I only kissed a girl, once, but I’ve never really been a Sister – I just learned what to say, and I’m lonely enough tonight in my cozy room moving through cold, vast space that I took a chance, and refuse to resist your throwing yourself at me...

You can... Can call me Lissa, if you want to, Xiu-Li. Julissa said softly, and then she touched Xiu-Li’s cheek. "I mean, all that ‘domme’ stuff is sort of fun to talk, but really, I’m… She shrugged. You know –"

Lissa. Xiu-Li reached up and put a finger over Julissa’s lips.

Chapter 02 - Regarding Niv

IWG-SS JOHN A. WHEELER

21 January 2173 - Friday

XIU-LI

They were en route to Cape Of Velvet, 21 light years south of Earth. After Velvet, they would next visit system HD-19373, just over fifty three light years from Velvet, for a re-survey mission. Hyperflight took time, and these were two star systems farthest from Earth; at a ratio of one week of time for every four light years of distance, it was a five week long trip to Velvet from Earth.

It was Xiu-Li’s longest trip in hyperflight so far. She had studied past naval history, and had decided JOHN A. WHEELER was closest in function to an aircraft carrier-sized submarine, with the vacuum of space on the other side of the hull, not crushing watery blackness. Just as on a long underwater submarine cruise, they spent many weeks to months cut off from the outside, and then re-emerged to a busy universe. Five weeks – thirty five days, just over a month – was a long time. Toward the end, it took a toll: Chief Engineer Aria Threnody went crazy for a night, after drinking. It was at a private officer-level anniversary party.

Xiu-Li’s watch time the past days was spent trying to fine-tune the vast net of sensors while they were in use – not easy – and the runs had task points which required her availability for as much as 30 hours straight through, although she did get two thirty minute naps. But her trips for coffee and the endless prowls of corridors and Jiffi tubes meant she saw the Tactical Quick Response Team responding to round up an intoxicated Niv female who was just headed toward her quarters to sleep it off, and Xiu-Li could hear what happened next.

It sounded as if Threnody had subsided in her singing (in a very beautiful but very loud voice of) a truly obscene song – after the Tac Q.R.T. lieutenant asked her to. Then as she