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11:50 P.M. \ Clear
Rhodes Island Landship Dormitories, Room 282
Catapult was ready for a break. Thanks to one itty-bitty misplaced grenade in the day’s mock battle with A4, Dobermann kept her over an hour later than the rest of her squad for a thorough chewing-out. Whose fault is it that Steward got brained with a dummy round and broke his nose? He should have ducked! The lecture had dragged on so long that the poor Kuranta missed out on the best eats from the cafeteria that night. She was hungry, cranky, and beyond exhausted. So why the hell can’t I chill out? Nothing worked. Not games, magazines, or even the book on fashion she’d nabbed from Orchid’s room the last time she babysat Popukar.
Maybe I just gotta have some company. Spot was a no-go. Dragging him out of his room after dark to hang out was about as easy as trying to lead a burdenbeast down a long flight of stairs. Popukar and the old lady were probably already in bed, and Midnight…? Well, I’m not that desperate yet. Some fresh air might do the trick. Operators weren’t exactly supposed to be crawling around the outside of the ship after dark without a good reason, but she’d never been caught in the act. Once she’d thrown on her jacket and her running shoes, the Kuranta set out.
Catapult stepped out from the exterior hatch and into the beautiful night that lay beyond. Though the weather was on the cusp of freezing, the skies above were clear. The stars were out, and the glow of city lights peeked out from far beyond the mountains as the landship crawled along its course. A dashing silhouette perched against the railing, a lit cigarette pinched between two fingers. It took her a moment to realize it belonged to Orchid. Shit. Well, she’s not supposed to be out here, either. Maybe we can chat. Catapult sidled up right beside her squad leader, trying to act natural. “Hey. Can I bum a smoke?” The Liberi hadn’t noticed her approach. She’d been too busy stargazing.
“...Oh, it’s you. Are you even old enough to smoke?” A gold eye peered out at her from beneath the brim of Orchid’s hat.
“Of course I am! You’ve got my file and stuff.”
“I know you can. But are you really at the age where you need a cigarette to get by at the end of a long day?”
Catapult pouted. “Just gimme one already.”
“Fine. But you’re giving me a headache.” The Liberi produced a polished silver tin engraved with a pair of graceful fowlbeasts in flight.
Figures you’d be the type to carry around a fancy cigarette case. “Ooh… Snazzy."
The Liberi scoffed. “Don’t let it fool you. All that’s inside is the cheap stuff from the commissary. This case is just a relic from my old life. Take one.” Catapult pulled out one of the familiar cigarettes, neatly wrapped in Rhodes Island’s black and blue.
“Got a light?” The Kuranta tucked the smoke between her lips. Orchid slipped her cigarette case back into her coat and replaced it with an equally fancy lighter. One of those nice Columbian windproof ones, with gold plating. It made a pleasant click when Orchid opened it, and Catapult leaned in as the tiny flame sparked up between them. “Thanks.” Catapult took a drag and exhaled, watching the smoke billow out into the evening air. “That’s a neat toy. Where’d you get it, anyway?”
“A gift from my husband.”
“You never told me you were married.” Orchid didn’t talk much about her past in Columbia, but Catapult always listened intently when she did. Despite the woman’s countless complaints about her old life, Catapult still thought it sounded glamorous.
Orchid blew out a ring of smoke. Damn, she looks cool when she does that. Like a dame in one of those old noir flicks. “...Divorced.”
“Who was he?"
“A fashion designer. We met at a runway show. I saw dreams I’d let run away behind his eyes, and he saw a version of me who weighed less and smiled more.”
“What happened?”
“I got old and tired and started working late. One night I went home early to surprise him on his birthday and found him in bed with a model from the agency he worked with. They’re lucky I decided to skip the overtime. If I’d seen that after a twelve-hour shift, I would have shot them both.” If Orchid had meant that as a joke, the bitter tone she used to deliver the punchline made it considerably less amusing. “...Instead, I had him in court the very next week. I bled that bastard like you wouldn’t believe.” Catapult could hear the pride in her captain’s voice. “That was probably the first time I ever really stood up for myself.”
Like when I blew up that vault back home. For all the good it did in the end… “So what’d you do then?”
“You’ve heard the rest before. I worked hellish hours until I got Infected and lost my job. I came here for treatment and ended up playing nanny to you misfits.”
The Kuranta’s tail swished in protest. “C’mon, we’re not that bad…”
“Hmph. You’re lucky I’m too tired to scold you.” Orchid sighed again. A deep, heavy sigh that almost made Catapult regret all the trouble she’d caused. Almost.
“I’m too tired to do anything naughty, so that works out. How’s Popukar?”
“Sleeping like a baby. I’ve got my terminal in case she wakes up, but I had to have a smoke.”
You sound kinda lonely. I guess it must be tough, looking after a kid that’s not yours all the time. “...What if we take it easy tonight, huh? You could come back to my room, have some drinks, maybe party a bit. How about it?” Catapult wasn’t sure where the question was coming from. Maybe she was the lonely one.
“Hah! You want to kick back and party with a woman old enough to be your mother?”
Catapult felt color in her cheeks in spite of herself. “You wouldn’t be my first choice, but… I guess I could use some company.”
“I thought a girl like you would have lots of friends.”
“No way. You’re the popular one. You’re super fashionable and you’ve got a cutie like Popukar to win all the ladies over. I’ve got a few folks I like to hang out with, sure, but I’m not exactly a social butterfly.”
Orchid finished her cigarette and flicked the butt over the railing. The glowing ember tumbled into the night and vanished. “...I suppose I can indulge you this time. But if you give me another headache, I’m going back to my room.”
Catapult took one last drag and tossed her own cigarette away, watching as it faded out of sight as Orchid’s had. “Deal. We’ll have some fun.” With that, the two headed for the hatch, leaving the world outside to pass by unseen.
12:05 A.M. \ Clear
Rhodes Island Landship Dormitories, Room 282
Catapult’s room wasn’t much to look at– a minifridge she’d spent a couple months’ pay on, a beat-up sofa and coffee table she’d had the boys in A6 help move in, and an entertainment center with a couple game consoles, her pride and joy. The walls were decorated with old mementos from Kazimierz– posters from the black metal scene in Kawalerielki and faded banners from long-forgotten knightclubs. The Kuranta’s music tastes had since mellowed out, and she’d never been big on watching tournament matches where all the action was suffocated by advertisements and promotions. Still, it wouldn’t be home without some reminders of where she came from– and that life at Rhodes Island was a whole lot better than serving in some backwater militia.
Orchid gave the room a once-over, a wry chuckle sliding past her glossy lips. “It’s like I’m in college again.”
Catapult immediately kicked off her boots and threw her jacket over the back of the couch. “Funny. I never made it that far. All the kids in my hometown went to the same school, and that only lasted until we were old enough to work.”
“...And how old was that?”
“I think I was… sixteen when I joined the militia? Figured it beat the hell out of busting my ass in the fields.”
Orchid was clearly appalled, but she held her tongue and swiftly changed the subject. “Do you mind if I shed a bit of clothing? I’d rather not wear all of this while we lounge around.”
“Go nuts.”
Catapult had never really appreciated how much her captain accessorized until she watched the woman remove all her accouterments. Coat, purse, umbrella, scarf, badge, and lastly, her heels. Orchid shook out her long silver hair and smoothed her feathers, offering Catapult a rare smile. “How’s that?”
Oh, shit, you’re… kinda hot. “Looking sharp, boss. Want a beer?”
Orchid made herself comfortable on the tattered sofa, crossing one leg over the other. “No thank you. A whiskey on the rocks, please.” Catapult had to resist the urge to burst out laughing at the request.
“This ain’t a fancy bar. We got beer, water, and some apple juice for when Popukar stays over.”
Orchid looked reluctant to accept any of the options, but she soon conceded. “Then I’ll have a beer. What’s the brand?”
Catapult nudged aside a couple cheap Lungmen brews to get at the six-pack she’d been saving for a special occasion. “Landen Monastery. Archetto made me buy some last time we had range time together. She says it’s hot shit, but I’ve never had it.” Catapult had practically been taken hostage by the strange little nun until she made a ‘contribution to the monastery’s future.’
“A first for both of us, then.”
Catapult snatched a bottle opener off the top of the compact refrigerator and opened up the beers, flopping onto the couch next to Orchid once she’d handed the Liberi her drink. “What are we toasting to, boss?” The ratty sofa was its own slice of heaven after a long day.
“To relaxation.” The older woman clinked her bottle against Catapult’s and knocked her drink back.
“Na zdrowie.” Catapult tried not to stare as Orchid polished off half the bottle in a single swig. “…Hey, don’t drink that too fast. I don’t wanna have to deal with you hungover at training tomorrow.”
A glint appeared in the Columbian’s eye. “I could drink all of A6 under the table and hardly break a sweat, young lady. A couple beers is nothing.”
“Midnight’s a lightweight and Popukar’s a kid, so it’s really just me and Spot for your competition… But I’ll take your word for it. I’m not looking to get plastered tonight.” Catapult had to admit, the rich, foamy beer easily lived up to Archetto’s lofty claims. “Anyways, boss, I was kinda wondering…” May as well ask while she’s in a decent mood. “...What’s your problem with me, anyway? I mean, I know I cause a bit of trouble every now and then, but sometimes it feels like you really wanna kick my ass.”
“...Where do I start? You’re young, you’re insubordinate, you teach Popukar bad habits, you get into trouble constantly, and that pretty face and perfect figure go to waste because you have the fashion sense of a teenage boy. That about sums it up.” Pretty face? Perfect figure? Catapult wasn’t used to compliments like that, especially from the old nag.
“Wait a minute, I don’t dress like a boy! This is my style! It’s cool!”
“Is it? A thrifty outfit like that?”
Catapult knew Orchid was right. Back home, she’d never had the chance to dress in trendy clothes. Most of her wardrobe was secondhand, bought off of merchants that passed through her hometown, selling clothes so many years past their expiration date that anyone who dared to wear them in the city would promptly be mocked out of town like the hick they were. But that didn’t matter to Catapult. When she put them on, she could pretend she was the street-smart badass people at Rhodes Island thought she was, and not a country bumpkin who knew more about dynamite than she did about dressing herself. “...Whatever. So, uh… what would you put me in, if you could?”
“What I’d like to see you in and what I expect you’d actually be willing to wear are two very different things, but I do have some ideas for the latter. There’s a few pieces from Vitafield’s latest catalog that would look great on you without giving up the things you seem to look for in your clothing.”
“That was fast. You’ve thought about this before, haven’t you?”
“...Once or twice.”
“Huh… Well, maybe I’ll let you play dress-up with me sometime if I’m in the mood.”
Orchid smiled at her again, and Catapult felt her head getting all fuzzy. “I’d like that. Making outfits for Popukar is delightful, but I prefer to work with grown women. We could go shopping together. I’ll even foot the bill if your training scores go up.”
Catapult blushed. “...Why not? Sounds like fun.”
Orchid knocked back the rest of her bottle. “Another beer, please?”
Catapult shotgunned the last of her own and stood up. “Sure thing, boss. Another beer coming right up.” Two more beers were opened and quickly found their way into each woman’s hand. This time Catapult sat back down much closer to Orchid, her loneliness getting the better of her. “So, uh… you mentioned a husband earlier.”
The Liberi’s expression soured. “And I’m not in any hurry to talk about him again.”
Catapult shook her head frantically. “No, no, it’s not that. It’s just, uhh… I was kinda curious. Y’know, between us gals. Do you still swing that way?” What the hell am I even asking?! She’s gonna kick my ass for sure.
“Why? Hoping to make a pass at the old nag?” A knowing smirk greeted Catapult.
Am I? Shit, yeah, I guess I am. I mean, she’s hot, and I’m lonely, and it’s been a while… “What if I am?” Catapult attempted to play it cool, to mixed results. She could hear the nervousness in her own voice.
“I don’t mind. But I want to know what you’ll do if I play along.” Orchid’s golden eyes were in a deadlock with hers.
“Uh, I dunno… I didn’t really think you’d say yes.”
Orchid drained her beer, set the bottle down and put a soft hand on the frozen Kuranta’s knee. “Arleta.” The sound of her real name in Orchid’s sultry voice was enough to paralyze Catapult.
“Y-yeah?”
“...I’m going to give you one chance to back out. Do you really want to do this?”
…Do I want to do this? Here Catapult was, propositioning her own squad leader, a woman she hadn’t realized she was attracted to an hour ago. As her brain wrestled with the question, Catapult’s mouth got her into trouble once again. “Uh, yeah. I wanna. Do you gotta make it seem so serious?”
Orchid’s lips drew close to one pierced ear, and she murmured Catapult’s name again. “Arleta…”
“Y-yeah?” Catapult’s voice cracked.
“Lay down.” When the Liberi reached for Arleta’s beer, she didn’t try to resist. Without missing a beat, Orchid chugged it like a sorority girl and slammed it down on the coffee table. Watching the display in awe, the Kuranta awkwardly shifted her weight around on the sofa, working her legs between Orchid’s and wrapping her arms around the woman’s back. Right. This is when we kiss… Arleta shut her eyes. She didn’t have to wait long before Orchid’s lips crashed into hers, and her head slammed back into a threadbare cushion. It wasn’t the best-tasting kiss Catapult had ever shared, but damn, did it feel good.
She wasn’t expecting the Liberi’s tongue to be inside her mouth so fast, or for Orchid to start playing with one of her ears. A stifled moan was the closest Catapult could come to a coherent sentence. That’s playing dirty! She tried to match the pace the older woman was setting, but her own tongue didn’t seem to curl the same way. You kinda taste like cigarettes… Shit, I probably do too... Orchid kept going, long enough that the Kuranta was worried she might run out of air. When Orchid’s lips departed, both women gasped in unison. “Ah…” Catapult’s whole face was burning hot.
“I will say… This is cute.” Orchid hooked a finger through the thin black choker Catapult was so fond of, tugging at it playfully. “You know how to accessorize.”
Just play it smooth, Catapult. “Heh, thanks… You’re pretty good at it too…” Oh yeah. Like butter.
“It’s coming off, though.” Orchid wasn’t gentle about working it free.
“Yeah?” Catapult could barely get a word out before the captain’s lips were on her neck. She went up and down along Arleta’s throat, leaving a dozen lipstick marks in her wake. Before long, a few love bites were sprinkled in amongst affectionate kisses, making the Kuranta squeal each time Orchid’s teeth dug into her skin. “Ha-ahhh…” She really doesn’t waste time… Is this how they do it in Columbia? Arleta’s mind was hazy, and her voice barely sounded like her own anymore. Orchid’s hand slipping up underneath her shirt to fondle a breast only made matters worse. The Liberi’s nails snuck around the edges of her bra and sank into her flesh, leaving tiny red marks behind. “Fuck, Orchid…”
“What is it?”
“You’re kinda intense…”
Orchid scowled. “I’m repressed. Taking care of a child and three adults who behave like children leaves me with a lot of stress and not a lot of alone time. Maybe if you all behaved I could keep myself regular and actually let off some steam.”
Oh, yeah. I guess she’s always looking after Popukar. “Well, uh… I don’t mind helping. With that.”
“You mean it? You’ll keep A6 in line?”
Catapult blew a raspberry. “Hell no, I meant with the sex.”
“...Make it through tonight. Then we’ll talk.” Orchid began unbuttoning her dress.
“You act like we’re gonna be training, boss…”
“You’ll sweat like a burdenbeast and be really sore when we’re finished. It’s not too different.”
Catapult blushed again. “Orchid, uh…”
The woman paused in the middle of undoing her belt. “What is it?”
I should probably give her a compliment. “You’re… really pretty. I know I call you names and stuff, but I think you’re… gorgeous. Like a movie star.”
“I’m just an office worker who eats too much cafeteria food for her own good. But it’s nice to hear you say that.” The dress fell away, letting Catapult admire a small patch of blue-tipped plumage above Orchid’s rump and a snug pair of lacy black panties, which, unlike Arleta’s, actually matched the bra she had on. The way the tight, silky fabric pinched Orchid’s belly was absolutely incredible. Even her lesions didn’t look ugly, like the cluster of foreign matter lurking between Catapult’s own shoulders.
Once she was free of her dress, Orchid took hold of Catapult’s crop top and gave it a yank. “Arms above your head. Let’s get these rags off you.” First went Catapult’s shirt, then her bra. Arleta wasn’t doing too bad in the bust department thanks to the hormones Medical had her on, but Orchid’s rack definitely had her beat. As soon as the Kuranta’s chest was bare, Orchid plunged back in. The Liberi showered Catapult with kisses, dusting her neck, her collarbone, her breasts themselves with fancy pink lip gloss. Her perfume was easier to smell now, a classy, intoxicating scent that made Catapult feel all sorts of ways.
“Hah… Orchid…” Just as Catapult was about to tell her captain how good that felt, the Liberi caught the poor Kuranta’s nipple between her teeth and tugged hard. “ Gyaaah! ” Arleta squealed. “What…What the hell was that?!”
“You’re a bad girl. I thought you might like it rough.”
Catapult could only stutter. “W-w-well, it’s not that I don’t …”
“Then I’ll do it again.”
The second time Orchid’s tongue brushed across its prize, Catapult bit her lip and let the woman work. God, that feels so good. The Kuranta had to dig her heel into the couch cushion to keep from crying out. As Orchid teased one breast, she firmly massaged the other, mixing together pain and pleasure in the perfect amount to completely ruin Arleta. Finally, as Catapult was about to beg for mercy, Orchid released her and laid her head on the winded Kuranta’s chest.
“Oh my god…” Arleta gasped. Her entire body trembled as she struggled to catch her breath.
“Did I get carried away?”
“A little bit… I don’t think I could have handled much more.” Catapult admitted.
“You did well, Arleta.” One of Orchid’s hands snaked along the Kuranta’s forearm and laced their fingers together. ”Do you mind this? Holding hands?”
“Nah. It’s nice.”
“Good. It’s not just the sex I’ve missed.”
“Heh… You’re getting soft, captain.”
“...Don’t I know it? I’ve been getting soft for twenty years. Maybe I really should see about those fitness classes.”
“What’s the matter, then? It’s me, Spot and a few of those kids from A4. Nothing too serious.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve worn gym clothes. I’d have to come up with an entirely new ensemble. God knows my old one doesn’t fit me anymore.”
“No problem, right, boss? We’ll pick something out when we go shopping together.”
“That sounds like you’re asking me out on a date, Arleta.”
You asked me first, you old nag! What the hell do you call that, then?! “Uh, yeah… I guess I am.”
Orchid looked so unspeakably beautiful, laid across her breast. “Are you serious about going out with a woman my age?”
That same, strange giddiness from before seized Catapult again. “...Yeah. I mean, I know I give you trouble, but you watch out for us. I guess I wanna try and give a little back.”
“So it’s a pity date with the middle-aged divorcee you’ve dedicated yourself to driving up a wall?”
“N-no, it’s not that. I think I realized… that I have a crush on you.” The confession spilled out so easily that even Orchid seemed surprised.
“...You’ve got a funny way of showing it, young lady. In the future, I’d rather you give me flowers instead of headaches.”
“Yeah, yeah… I know I’m trouble. But I only act up because I know you’ll stick your neck out for me every time. Maybe I’m into that.”
Orchid gave Catapult a kiss between her breasts. “Am I expecting too much, thinking you’ll start behaving if we end up going steady?”
That’s… a pretty serious question. I’d kinda be like Popukar’s mom instead of her big sister. “I like you, belly fat and all.” Catapult pinched Orchid’s side. “You can put up with my shenanigans in return, right?”
“You’ll be going on a romantic getaway to the training room with Instructor Dobermann if you make one more wisecrack like that.”
Catapult’s lips were quickly zipped when it came to the topic. “But, really, boss. How about we keep going like usual, and save time for each other at night and on the weekends? We’re still A6, right? If I become a perfect angel, it could screw up the whole dynamic we’ve got going on!”
“Oh, yes. God forbid any one of you try to be a role model for Popukar.” The Kuranta shifted underneath Orchid, trying not to look guilty.
“C’mon, I at least tell her to do as I say and not as I do…”
The Liberi did not seem impressed. “And does she listen?”
“Eh… Sometimes?”
Another sigh. This time, Orchid was smiling, though. “You know, I never expected things would end up like this.” Her thumb stroked back and forth over Arleta’s hand.
“What, between us?”
“All of it. Rhodes Island. When I heard I’d be a squad leader, I thought it’d be something out of a war movie, with a ragtag team of do-gooders relying on me for orders.”
Catapult smirked. “Oh yeah? I mean, you were halfway there with the whole ragtag part.”
“I found more than that, though.... For the first time in my life, I found a family.” Arleta quit joking around and decided to listen again. She brought her other hand up to stroke at Orchid’s feathers. “When I got the diagnosis, I thought, ‘well, this is it.’” Orchid’s weary voice betrayed her melancholy. “I’m a single woman in her forties who’ll die having run away from her dreams. Lonely, overworked, and forgotten.”
Catapult knew the feeling. She’d been worried she hadn’t accomplished much in life, especially after she saw what had happened to her hometown in her absence. “But now you have us?”
“That’s right. You all drive me absolutely crazy, but I love each and every one of you.” Orchid sniffled. “...Sorry. I might have had a bit to drink earlier. I promised you sex, and here I am, about to cry into your chest.”
“It’s alright, boss… Plenty of time for both.”
“Thank you. This has been the first heart-to-heart I’ve had in a long time.”
“I figured. It’s all good. As long as you screw me so hard I scream after this.”
“You’ll regret saying that.”
Catapult grinned. “Make me.” Oh. So that’s what this is. “By the way… I, uh… love you too, Orchid.”
“I haven’t said I’d go out with you yet. Are you sure?”
“Hey, what the hell?! You said it first!”
“I said I love A6. As for how I feel about the young Miss Arleta specifically…? I’m not sure I can say that yet.”
“That’s not fair! You can’t leave me hanging!”
Orchid giggled, gracing the Kuranta with a cute, bubbly laugh Arleta was certain nobody else in the squad had ever heard. “Can’t I?”
“You can’t! It’s mean…”
“And it’s not mean to drive your captain batty? We’re both playing the same game.”
“Grr…”
“Try asking me out. With no ‘I guess’-es this time.”
Goddamnit. You’re so pretty you can get away with this shit. “Fine… Orchid, will you… go out on a date with me?” It was so formal compared to asking to hang out with a girl she liked.
“Of course I will, Arleta.”
Catapult’s heart leapt all the way to her throat. “Hell yeah. Uh… I probably should ask. It’s cute that you call me that, but can I know what your real name is?”
“It’s Orchid. I’m content to leave the old me behind. This is who I am now.”
The Kuranta puffed up her cheeks. “How come you get to use mine and I can’t use yours?!” It’s probably really pretty, too.
“Because I’m not going to call you Catapult in bed.”
Guess that’s fair. “That’s not fair!” The Liberi silenced her with a long, passionate kiss. “Ah… Don’t think that shit’s gonna work every time, either…Mmh?!” Another kiss interrupted that thought. Despite Catapult’s protests, that trick was never going to stop working.
Orchid broke the kiss and sat up, brushing a few locks of silvery hair out of her face. “Thank you for all of that. I don’t think you know how much I appreciate you listening. Do you mind if I take a smoke break?”
Catapult locked her arm around Orchid’s back. “Nah, it’s cool. I’ll have one with you. But, uh…”
“What’s the matter?”
“If I could just… Get this to–” Catapult began trying to fumble with Orchid’s bra. She wasn’t used to unhooking a fancy one like that, much less one-handed. “...Can you take your bra off?” Orchid sighed one of her sighs and reached back to help. Soon enough, her chest was free to breathe. The Liberi’s were bigger, rounder, and much paler than Catapult’s own. The Kuranta could see a couple veins standing out against the skin.
“...Happy now?” It was Orchid’s turn to blush.
Catapult gave both breasts a squeeze, earning a brief whine from the older woman. “Pretty damn happy, yeah. You wanna go grab your smokes while I open the window?”
Orchid slowly untangled herself from the woman beneath her. “Sure.”
Catapult usually kept the porthole in her dormitory shut. If she wanted fresh air and a scenic view, she’d go outside and get it. She drew the dusty blackout curtains she used to help with her naps and undid both of the sturdy latches holding the thick glass panel shut. Immediately, cold air flowed in, and Catapult shivered, covering her bare breasts. Orchid joined her, cigarette case and lighter in hand. Lit by the moonlight, the Liberi’s body looked like a marble statue as she took out two cigarettes and placed one between Catapult’s lips. “Hold that there.” She lit her own and set the lighter and case down on the floor.
“...What about mine?”
“I’ll show you a trick I’m fond of.” Orchid purred. She grabbed Arleta by the chin and pressed the glowing tip of her cigarette to the Kuranta’s, holding it there until the other caught the light. Catapult was so entranced that she’d almost forgotten how to actually smoke the thing by the time Orchid ended their indirect kiss. Fuck me, you’re hot. Orchid put her other hand on the windowsill, inviting the Kuranta to do the same. Their fingers intertwined once more.
A question came to Catapult. “So, uh… what were you going to do if we didn’t run into each other tonight?”
“The same thing I do every other night. Lay down in my bunk and feel very, very sorry for myself. I much prefer this.”
Catapult propped her head against Orchid’s shoulder. “Me too… I guess I was just kinda lost tonight.” Catapult paused. No, she’d been missing this for much more than a single night. “It’s… longer than that, actually. Like I… haven’t been able to connect with people emotionally.”
Orchid blew out a cloud of smoke. “Go on.”
You look way too cool. “I mean, think about it… I don’t really click with anyone in A6 when it comes to like, talking about feelings and shit. None of us do. Sure, we’d all be there if one of us got into trouble, but I can’t go to Midnight and say ‘Hey, I’m lonely and horny and I feel all weird inside because nobody really talks to me about serious shit.’”
“...No, I certainly wouldn’t recommend doing that.”
“Yeah… and most of my friends are real easy-going, like me. They’re fun to hang out and mess around with, but I’m not about to trouble them with my problems and shit.”
Orchid hummed in understanding. “But now we have each other. Is that what you’re trying to say?” The Liberi could read her like a book.
“Yeah, more or less.”
Orchid squeezed her hand. “I like that.” She took one last drag and flicked her stub into the night. “Finish your smoke. I’m going to borrow some of your mouthwash. When I get back we can get cozy in bed.”
As she passed by Catapult, Orchid paused and gave the Kuranta’s tail a tug. “Hey! The hell was that?!”
“Saddle up. You’re not going to be getting much sleep tonight.”
“Aha… Alright.” Arleta would have complained, but the words weren’t there. Orchid dipped into her bathroom, and for the first time since she made out with her squad’s captain, confessed her love, and asked her on a date, Catapult was alone. She deflated like a balloon against the windowsill, barely hanging on to her smoke. “Man…”
Catapult’s love life at Rhodes Island wasn’t anything to write home about. Apart from a few one-night-stands and drunken makeout sessions, she’d hardly had any luck at all in the romance department. I guess there’s no telling if things with Orchid are gonna turn out any better, but… I hope they do.
Orchid returned a few minutes later. She’d touched up her feathers a bit, straightening them out where the Kuranta’s petting had disturbed her plumage. “I apologize for keeping you waiting.”
Catapult shut the window once she’d thrown the butt out. “Nah, you’re fine. It gave me time to clear my head.”
“Regretting asking me out?” Orchid drew Catapult into a hug.
Catapult kissed her. “Realized I don’t regret a thing.”
Orchid guided her over to the bed and pushed her down onto the bottom bunk. “Get comfortable.” Catapult, cheeks alight, didn’t need to be told twice.
Orchid climbed atop the Kuranta for the second time, leaning in close to nip at her neck. “A-ah… Again with this already?” Catapult stammered. Orchid’s hand roamed down to her waistband, undoing the button holding up Catapult’s shorts.
“What? Do you not like having your neck kissed?”
Catapult squirmed. “No, it’s not that… It just tickles.” Orchid bit down, leaving a bright red mark on the right side of the Kuranta’s neck. “Ow, fuck…!”
“Did that tickle?”
“No… felt nice, though…” I… probably should tell her. Not that it isn’t in my file. “Um, Orchid… You know I’m… I wasn’t, uh… I’ve got–”
The woman squeezed the swelling impression on the front of Arleta’s shorts. “...This?”
The Kuranta had to turn her head away. “Yeah…”
“Look at me, Arleta.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and met Orchid’s gaze. “Do you really think I’m going to turn you down because of that?”
“You wouldn’t be the first…” Catapult could tell Orchid understood the hurt behind those words.
“I think you’re gorgeous, Arleta.”
“Ah… thanks… You’re really pretty, so it means a lot…”
Orchid kissed her on the lips. “Enough flattering me. Sit back and relax.” The Liberi rolled over beside Arleta, still laying skin-to-skin thanks to the close confines of Rhodes Island’s bunks. As Orchid worked Catapult’s shorts off her hips, she paused. “Hold on.”
The Kuranta’s heart sank. “...Second thoughts?”
“No. Your underwear is…” The Liberi snickered. “It’s interesting. I’ll buy you some new pairs when we go shopping.”
Arleta huffed. “Hey!” The Liberi gently pulled it over the shape of Catapult’s cock, giving it a tentative stroke.
“My… You’re pretty big.” Orchid’s fingers played over the head, swiping at the bead of excitement that had started to bubble there.
“Y-yeah…”
Orchid pouted. “...I’ve got more reason to be nervous than you do.”
“What makes you say that…?”
“This is my first time with another woman. You’ll tell me if I do anything wrong, won’t you?”
God, you’re sweet. “Don’t sweat it, boss…” With Orchid on her side and Catapult on her back, the two could comfortably exchange kisses as the Liberi stroked back and forth. What are you worried for? That feels really damn good… Orchid tasted much better now. Good enough that Arleta felt guilty still tasting like beer and cigarettes. “Ah…” Their tongues tangled up, and the Kuranta’s heart rate skyrocketed. I’ll be lucky if I last thirty seconds at this rate.
Orchid was the one who broke away from the kiss, looking down to admire her hand against the Kuranta’s glistening shaft. “Mm… Hold still for me…” She lifted a few locks of Catapult’s hair out of the way to expose the fleshy ear hiding beneath it. “Pierced down here, too, huh…?” Her tongue rolled over Arleta’s ear and flicked against each piercing before she began to nibble on the skin itself, kissing and nipping at it affectionately.
“Oh, fuck, Orchid… That’s really… Really… hah…” When the Liberi’s tongue met Catapult’s inner ear, she squealed. “F-f-fhaaah… Orchid …”
A quiet giggle was the only response. “Hmm?”
“Can’t… Ah…” Catapult’s brain had totally shut down. She could feel that sensation welling up inside her, the pleasure creeping up her shaft and down her spine. “Gonna…” Orchid bit down on her ear and gave it a rough tug. Just as her hand went down for another stroke, Catapult came hard. “Aah!” She cried out in a mixture of pleasure and surprise. Hot, sticky ropes of Kuranta seed decorated her belly, rolling down between her breasts as she arched her back before going limp.
“Mmm… Was that good?”
God, how am I going to look you in the eye at training after this? “Really good…” Catapult glanced over at Orchid right as the Liberi brought her fingers up to her lips to clean them. Fuck. Also hot… Catapult could only stare.
“What? I’m not getting up for a tissue.” With her hand done, Orchid put her lips to the Kuranta’s breasts, her tongue working back and forth.
“Hah… Orchid…”
“Hmm?”
Catapult ran a hand through the woman’s hair. “I can, um… help you out too, you know…”
“Do you really think I’m not enjoying this? You’re doing plenty by sitting there and looking pretty.”
“...That’s good. But I… you know!” The Liberi had moved down the bed, her lips hovering a mere inch above the thick bush of brown hair that ringed Catapult’s womanhood. In its wake, the Liberi’s lip gloss had left prints all across Arleta’s body.
“Honestly, the way you get when I touch you is adorable. All that attitude just disappears...” Arleta couldn’t deny that. There was something about Orchid that took all the fight out of her.
“W-well…”
“Maybe this is how I’ll set you straight the next time you make trouble.”
“No way! That’s… nh! Not fair…”
Orchid took Catapult’s still-throbbing shaft in her hand. “May I?”
“Please…”
Orchid started by teasing the head, giving it feather-light kisses while one free hand squeezed at the Kuranta’s thigh. “Arleta.” Orchid brushed a bit of hair out of her face.
“Yeah, boss…?”
“Hold my hand.”
Oh, god. “Okay…” Once their hands were together again, the Liberi wrapped her lips all the way around the head of Catapult’s prick, sinking slowly down the shaft. “Ohgodthat’sgood…” Catapult practically drooled the words out. And Orchid was good. “Orchid… If you… do this all the time… I swear…” Each word was a struggle for the young woman. “I’ll never… do anything bad… ever again…” The Liberi squeezed her hand as she began to bob her head, keeping her eyes fixed on Catapult’s all the while. It’ll be a miracle if I last two minutes . Her other hand cupped the Kuranta’s testes and massaged them as she worked, her nails digging in just enough to make Catapult squirm. It’s… over for me. My days as a troublemaker are done. Orchid wasn’t wasting any time. Her tongue was doing its part too, playing with the little slit on Catapult’s cockhead.
Arleta’s estimate of two minutes proved fairly generous. Within a minute, she was a mewling, panting mess, her toes curling up and her legs going rigid. “F-f-f… Really, really close… Ngh!” She finished inside Orchid’s mouth, her back arching as all her problems vanished into nothing. “Fuck…” The Liberi kept working until every drop was swallowed and every inch of Catapult’s cock was clean.
“Hah… That was… Refreshing.” Once she wiped the corners of her mouth, Orchid laid her head on Catapult’s shoulder. “Are you doing alright? You’re a bit flushed.”
“Yeah… Just… gimme… a second.” Catapult wasn’t expecting Orchid to be the energetic one, but after the best head of her life, she couldn’t hope to play it cool.
“Not spent already, I hope.”
I’m pretty close to it. “Mmh… Wouldn’t leave you hanging, boss.”
Orchid kissed her cheek. “Good. Do you happen to have a prophylactic?”
“Huh…?”
“A condom? I’m already practically a mother of four with you troublemakers, so a baby is out of the question.”
“Figured you were, uh… a little old for that.”
Orchid was not amused. “We’ll have to reschedule our date if you’d rather go train with Instructor Dobermann all weekend.”
Catapult quickly raised her hands in defense. “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! It’s a joke! I was kidding! I probably have something around here…”
As Catapult sat up, Orchid caught her by the shoulder and gave her the same stern look she’d given the young Kuranta a thousand times. “You’re cute. Very cute. Don’t push your luck.”
Catapult scuttled across the room and began to rummage around in her dresser as Orchid watched. She checked one drawer, two, then three. Finally, at the bottom of the last one, amongst her socks, she found a pair of Rhodes Island-branded condoms. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t be afraid to leave them out, but she didn’t want Popukar to stumble across one and ask her any difficult questions. “Is two enough?”
“Mmh… I was hoping to do it more than twice.”
“Y-yeah?”
Orchid opened her arms up and pulled Catapult back in. “Yeah.” Her lips went to the Kuranta’s neck again, nipping and teasing marks she’d already reddened with her teeth.
“Ngh… can I take… a breather first?” Any more of this right away and I might actually die.
“Sure. Need another smoke?” Orchid offered up her chest as a pillow, and Catapult was happy to oblige.
“Not yet. Probably gonna need one by the time we’re done. Mmh… I see why you stayed there for so long… this is nice.”
Orchid began to stroke Arleta’s hair. “It is… It’s been a long time since I held anyone like this.” Catapult was in the midst of a pretty rough dry spell herself.
“...Is it really your first time with a girl?” Arleta still couldn’t believe it.
“That’s right.”
“Did you, uh… like it?”
“I like you, Arleta. I’m not sure I’ll swear off men for the rest of my life, but a couple more nights in bed together might be enough to do the trick.”
“Hehe. That’s good…”
“Hmm…” Orchid clearly had something on her mind.
“...What’s up, boss?”
“I’d rather not keep this a secret. The two of us, I mean.”
Catapult wasn’t opposed to that. It’d be nice being able to brag about Orchid to her pals, and having such a stylish lover would probably make her some new friends. “Fine by me. You think A6 can handle a bit of romance?”
“I don’t think Spot cares. He’ll probably say ‘well, it’s none of my business.’ Popukar might need some time to understand, though.”
“Yeah, I was thinking about the little lady. If we end up… really sticking together, am I gonna have to be her other mom?”
Orchid snorted. “You’re a bit young for motherhood. But I will expect you to set a better example for her if you’re serious about this, Arleta.”
Right… We’re not just coworkers who have sex now. I really asked her out… On a date, at least. Not sure where that leaves us. “What about you? Did you ever, uh… have kids? Or try? I mean, you were married, right?”
The Liberi was quiet for long enough that Catapult worried she’d said something wrong. “...He wanted two or three. I didn’t want to quit my job and become a homebody while I still had some fight in me. Maybe I should have…”
“You think?”
“It probably would have saved our marriage. And I wouldn’t be an Infected, either. But… Who’s to say it’d have been a storybook ending like that? I’d still have gotten old and tired.”
“Yeah… Guess you can’t be certain.” Really put a pall over all this shit, didn’t I?
“Promise me one thing, Arleta.”
“Sure.”
“...I’ve run away from a lot in my life. Don’t let me run away from you.”
“Alright. What if you, uh… actually get tired of me, though?”
“You’ll be able to tell. I can promise you that.”
“Okay…” Catapult took Orchid’s hand. “So are we girlfriends now, or what…?”
The Liberi laughed another sweet laugh. “Not quite. Didn’t I tell you that you’d have to make it through the night before we had that discussion? You’ve got a ways to go yet.”
Catapult groaned. “Right…”
“But you’ve scored a date with your captain. I’d say the odds are fairly optimistic that I’ll be yours if that goes well. How many times do you think I’ve shot Midnight down?”
Catapult couldn’t even begin to imagine. “Dozens?”
“Hundreds. He ought to thank his lucky stars that I’ve never filed a harassment report with HR.” Orchid paused. “You really are wonderful, Arleta.” If Catapult knew hearing her captain call her that was going to give her so many butterflies, she’d have begged Orchid to do it sooner.
“Thanks… I like hearing that from you. Makes me feel less like some kinda screw-up.”
Orchid pinched her ear. “You’re still a screw-up. But you’re wonderful.”
“Whatever… I mean that. I’m like this because… y’know.”
Orchid quirked an eyebrow. “Do I?”
The Kuranta waggled her hips a bit. “Because of that thing. Feels like I gotta cause trouble and make a scene. Tell the whole damn world that I’m me. Catapult. A bad girl.”
“Maybe you can try being Catapult the good girl, now that we all know your name.”
The Kuranta rolled her eyes. “You really are a nag.”
“Maybe. I could be your nag, though.”
God, how do you make that sound sexy? “You know I want that…”
“I do. I’m beginning to want it myself. Although I’m sure I’ll get some looks, going out with a woman as young as you.”
“It’s no big deal, right? Let ‘em look. I won’t be looking at anyone but you.” Catapult winked at the Liberi.
“You’re charming when you set your mind to it, Arleta.”
“Hehe… I try, boss. By the way… I’m, uh… good to go if you wanna do it some more.”
Orchid gave Catapult a pat on her flank. “I thought you’d never ask. How about you show me what your mouth can do besides talk back?”
Oh, gosh. When was the last time I even… “S-sure. Get you warmed up a bit?”
The Liberi shifted on the bed, putting a pillow beneath her. “More or less. Care to do the honors?” Orchid tugged at the waistband of her lacy underwear, inviting Catapult to help get it off. The Kuranta did so at once, marveling at the curve of Orchid’s wide, soft hips. Wispy white hairs crested her mound, her excitement obvious to see. Just as Catapult was about to take a closer look, Orchid’s legs crossed behind Arleta’s back and pulled her in face-first.
“Mmph?!” A hand was on the back of Catapult’s head before she could react, trapping her between the Liberi’s legs. All of a sudden, the Kuranta was completely smothered by Orchid’s plush thighs and the strong, heady scent of her arousal as it coated Catapult’s lips.
Reflexively, the Kuranta tried to escape, but Orchid’s hand only forced her down further. “Hah… Sorry, Arleta… I can’t help myself…” Catapult’s heart was starting to race again. She couldn’t help herself either. With nowhere to go but forward, Arleta began to gently lap at Orchid’s petals with her tongue.
“Oh, Arleta… More…” Orchid’s hold tightened. Hearing the unfettered need in her captain’s voice plain as day, Arleta pushed her tongue inside the Liberi. Catapult threw an arm around each of Orchid’s thighs, feeling the smooth, pale flesh tremble beneath her fingertips as she curled her tongue back and forth. Each cry from the woman above her drove Catapult to work harder and harder. With the thick bulkheads of the landship affording all the privacy they could ever ask for, the Kuranta was delighted to add a bit of embellishment to each flick of the tongue, murmuring happily whenever Orchid moaned or twisted in her grasp. “Shit… Arleta… That’s amazing…”
“Mhm?” The Kuranta made an effort to play it cool, but she was certain Orchid could tell how much she was enjoying herself, too. I bet you’ll like this even more… Her tongue withdrew, and the Kuranta began to tease the swollen pink bud that had been begging for her attention, lapping at it softly as she gazed up at Orchid.
“Ohmygod…” Orchid clapped a hand over her mouth.
“Mmph! Mnh-uh.” Catapult shook her head as best she could while wedged against Orchid’s groin. She wasn’t about to let Orchid hide that pretty voice. Orchid, her pale complexion considerably more pink than usual, put her hand aside, using it to grab hold of the bedsheets.
“Ahh… Oh, Arleta…" Every plea was precious to Catapult, and each was rewarded with more affection. She took the Liberi’s clit all the way into her mouth, suckling firmly and prodding it with her tongue. One look at the quivering puddle of long hair and gorgeous feathers that had replaced her squad leader was enough for Catapult to assume Orchid was close. As Arleta was deliberating how best to finish her captain off, Orchid answered that question for her. With a shrill cry that sounded vaguely like her newfound lover’s name, the Liberi rocked her hips and came all over poor Catapult’s face. She wasn’t a stranger to dramatic finishes, but the amount of theater Orchid could put into her climax left poor Arleta utterly dumbstruck. It was almost as if Catapult had finished right alongside her, considering she was now covered in Orchid’s juices and gasping for air.
“Oh my god… I’m sorry, sweetheart…” Orchid sat up once she could think clearly, dumbfounded by the mess she’d made of bedsheets and Kuranta alike. “I didn’t mean to…” By that point, Orchid’s face was the same shade of pink as Midnight’s hair dye. “T-that was…” The poor Liberi was mortified.
“Hey, hey, Orchid, i-it’s alright…” Catapult spluttered a few words she hoped were reassuring as some of what she swallowed went down the wrong pipe.
“...I’ve never had that… happen before. I think I’m about to die of humiliation.”
“It’s fine, boss. It’s been a while for you, right?”
“...Much too long a while. Can I borrow a towel? I’ll dry you off.”
Arleta ran a finger over her own cheek and licked a bit of the Liberi’s excitement off of it. “Not gonna give me another tongue bath?”
“No! That’s… Entirely out of the question.”
“It’s fine… Long as you call me sweetheart again.”
Orchid, still looking embarrassed, laid back down. “Ah… That slipped out. You like it?”
“Not the only thing that slipped out of you that I liked.”
“...You’re vulgar.” Orchid whined and rolled over, burying her face in a pillow.
“And you love it.” She gave Orchid a firm spank below her tail feathers.
The squawk the Liberi let out could have raised the dead. “Catapult!” Orchid whipped back around to glower at her.
“Pfft… Sorry!” Arleta’s apology was delivered through a fit of laughter.
“You are absolutely not sorry! You’re lucky you just did so well, or you’d be over my knee already.”
“Settle down, boss. You wanna do it again?”
Orchid sighed in mock exasperation. “Yes… I do. You’ll have to take the lead, though. I’m in worse shape than I thought…”
Once she had brushed a few soggy locks of hazel-colored hair out of her eyes, Arleta mounted the Liberi, resting her cock on Orchid’s belly. “I don’t mind. You, uh, want me to put it in now?” Catapult was already hard again, finding herself shamelessly aroused by every single part of what she’d just experienced.
“Here, let me give you a hand.” Orchid reached for one of the condoms and pinched it between her fingers, struggling to tear the packaging. After a couple attempts, the woman grew visibly frustrated. “Damn it… Why do they have to make everything on this ship so hard to open?!” Catapult struggled not to laugh again at the sight of Orchid losing her temper at the wrapper.
“...Need a hand?”
Orchid threw the condom and hit Catapult in the forehead. “Yes.”
It’s just a condom, how hard could it be– The Kuranta’s first attempt to tear the condom open failed miserably. “Damn, you weren’t kidding… Ngh…!” The defiant piece of plastic slipped between her fingers, slick with sweat and who knew what else. Catapult muttered a string of colorful Kazimierz profanities and tucked it between her teeth, yanking hard on the wrapper until the plastic ripped open. “Gah… There... Gimme a sec.”
Orchid plucked the condom from Arleta’s grasp. “Hold still. I like this part.” Catapult moved forward, letting Orchid handle her again. With a much more delicate touch than she had used for the condom’s packaging, she guided the rubber onto Catapult’s shaft and unfurled it, giving the tip a pat when her work was done. “There you are.”
Arleta’s heart stopped in her chest. “Um… Orchid… Are you nervous too?”
“...I always am at times like this. I’m tempted to bolt back to my room and call in sick for a month.”
“And I’m guessing you want me to make sure you don’t.”
“Would you mind doing that, Arleta?”
“Not at all. Love ya, boss. Should I, uh… go ahead?”
“I…” Orchid hesitated. “...I don’t know. If we were going to call this all off and pretend tonight never happened… Now would be our last chance.”
“Shh… I don’t wanna do that, Orchid.”
“...I don’t either. But I’m scared out of my mind, Arleta.”
“Of what? I’ll be nice and gentle.”
“I know... But–” Catapult silenced Orchid’s doubts with a deep, tender kiss. When Orchid’s arms closed around her back, Arleta knew she’d made the right choice. With some effort, she matched the rhythm of the Liberi’s tongue as it danced against her own. So this works on you, too…? The kiss lingered much longer than Arleta had expected. Each time the Kuranta started to pull away, Orchid would squeeze her tightly, pleading silently for more.
Might be able to do this part with my eyes closed… It’s like riding a bike, right? Catapult took hold of her cock with one hand and slowly lined it up with Orchid’s entrance by feel. Orchid put a hand on the Kuranta’s hip, helping her find the right spot. A slight thrust forward, and just like that, Arleta was inside her captain. Finally, their lips parted. “Hah… That alright, boss?”
“Mm. It’s good… Hold still a second.” Catapult did as told, savoring the warmth of the woman beneath her as she took a deep breath. Suddenly, a loud smack broke the relative silence of the dorm room as Orchid slapped Catapult’s bare ass.
“Kurwa!" The Kuranta yelped, and Orchid cackled gleefully.
“...Sorry, sweetheart. Couldn’t resist some payback.”
Catapult’s tail swatted Orchid’s hand like a bothersome fly. “Hmph...Are we doing this or what?”
“Whenever you’re ready, Arleta…” Orchid’s expression seemed much more fragile than the steely glare she wore as A6’s captain. The Kuranta’s cheeky grin was nowhere to be found, either. Catapult slowly pressed her hips forward, laying herself atop the Liberi at the perfect angle for her lips to meet Orchid’s neck. “Hah…” The woman beneath her shuddered. At first, they were a confused tangle of limbs, but as Catapult sought out Orchid’s hands and laced their fingers together, things began to fall into place. Orchid’s legs hugged the Kuranta, completing their embrace.
Oh, that’s amazing. A shiver ran down Catapult’s spine. It was as if every part of her and Orchid were one. Not willing to give any part of her body a break, Arleta tried her best to kiss Orchid the way the Liberi had been kissing her all night. Catapult showered the woman’s elegant neckline with pecks and love bites as her hips ground out a slow, steady rhythm. Thankfully, Arleta was a decent copycat. In mere seconds, Orchid was completely at her mercy, letting out soft, needy cries like none the Kuranta had ever heard before.
With each thrust, Orchid’s hands would clench against Arleta’s, her well-kept nails pinching the Kuranta’s knuckles where they made contact. It hurt, but Catapult didn’t mind the pain when the rest of her body was drowning in pleasure. Despite the bit of rubber separating them, it felt amazing. She’d aimed to keep a relaxed pace, but Arleta knew it wasn’t what either of them wanted. Unable to help herself, Catapult was soon making deep, greedy plunges with her cock, much to their shared delight. “Fuck, Orchid… I’m really not going to last long like this…” Catapult panted, taking a few shallow breaths before she bit down on the Liberi again.
At first, Orchid couldn’t muster an intelligible response with the Kuranta lavishing her neck. It was lost in the panting and moaning. “Fff… ‘s okay…” The Liberi managed a half dozen breathless words on her fourth try. “Keep going… Arleta…”
I never knew I could love the sound of my own name so much. “Can do that… just fine…” Nothing was going to stop Catapult now. There was the same tingling in her shaft that always happened, a creeping, swelling tension already on the verge of bursting, but that didn’t explain the rush of emotion inside her heart or head or wherever Arleta kept those things. God… It’s like I wanna tell you I love you again and again. Arleta could feel Orchid clench tighter and tighter with every thrust as their tempo reached a fever pitch. The Kuranta reached her limit, and then blew past it.
“Oh… Arleta… That’s… Ah!” Catapult opened her mouth to respond, but all that came out was a cry to match Orchid’s as their bodies tensed up against one another and came undone with a shared sigh. Every bit of Arleta’s consciousness was washed away by the overwhelming climax, slowly returning to her as the heat of her load pooled against her cockhead.
“Ah… Orchid…” Catapult’s head rested loosely on the Liberi’s shoulder as Orchid turned to meet her gaze, their foreheads touching one another.
“Arleta…” The two women kissed. It had little of the depth or passion of the ones before it, but it was by far the most intimate, shared in that moment of pure bliss. “Hah…” As they separated, Orchid’s golden eyes flitted about, taking in every detail of the woman she’d made love to.
“Fuck… Want me to take it out?” Catapult was getting bashful, too. Orchid nodded weakly. “Alright… Ngh…” Catapult tumbled off the Liberi with a groan once she was free, the condom still dangling from her tip. “Sorry, boss… I’m spent. I know we said we’d… do it all night.”
Orchid’s head lolled to the side, still holding onto Catapult’s hand.. “You’re… fine. I am too. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
“Like I would. You were… probably the best I’ve ever had, Orchid.”
“You were… maybe my best, too…”
God, that’s a shock. I was making most of it up as I went. “Really…?”
“Mhm… I shouldn’t be surprised. Driving me crazy seems to be a specialty of yours.” The two women shared an exhausted laugh.
“And I’m just getting started, boss.”
Reluctantly, the Liberi sat up. “You look silly, talking with that on.” She gently tugged the used condom off Arleta, dropping it into the trash can next to the nightstand.
“Thanks…”
“Of course.” Orchid took a deep breath. “...I need another smoke. Do you mind?”
“I’ll have one too. We can sit by the window.”
Orchid got to her feet and examined the mess that ran between her legs. They’d both forgotten about toweling themselves off in all the excitement. “God. I can’t believe I embarrassed myself like that.”
“You’re fine, don’t worry about it. Grab your cigs. I’ll pop the window open again.” Now that it was late at night, the air coming in from outside was positively frigid. As Orchid rooted around for her smokes, Catapult shivered and gazed out at the city lights in the far distance. As the Liberi drew close, case and lighter in hand, Catapult leaned back against her with a little smile.
“...You know what, Arleta?”
Catapult glanced over her shoulder. “What’s up?”
Orchid wasn’t smiling. “I think I’m going to quit.” Without another word, she threw the thin silver box out the window.
“H-hey!” Catapult poked her head over the sill to see if the case had cleared the rigging, only to watch the golden lighter zip past a moment later. Both sailed over the edge of the landship, towards their final resting place in the wastes below. “Orchid… Are you sure about that?”
The Liberi suddenly hugged Catapult tightly. “No! I’m not sure! I’m not sure about anything! I’m forty-two and dying of Oripathy and I just slept with a woman twenty years younger than me and now I have to worry about a thousand things at once! Am I going to get reprimanded? Are you going to hate me for this later? Am I going to hate myself? I… I don’t know…” Orchid trailed off.
“It’ll be fine…” Catapult wriggled out of Orchid’s grasp and spun around to hold her face-to-face. “Who cares how old you are? I sure as hell don’t.”
“You really don’t mind a woman my age?”
“...Hard to mind when neither of us are gonna make it to retirement.” She didn’t like to think about her Oripathy, but Catapult knew the prognosis wasn’t good. She’d be lucky to see her thirtieth birthday. She didn’t know how long Orchid had, but those lesions on her wrist weren’t a good sign.
“That’s…true…” Orchid was getting choked up.
“Ah, shit, I didn’t mean it like that…”
The Liberi sniffled. “It’s fine… Better to be realistic about these things.”
“Yeah…” Tears began to well in Catapult’s eyes, too.
“Arleta... Do you know what I’m most scared of?”
“What’s that…?”
“...I’m scared I’ll be all by myself, at the very end, when I’m withering away in some hospital bed. That I’ll have run away so many times that there’s no one left to hold my hand and see me off…” Arleta had never heard her captain’s voice so frail. For all her fears and worries and regrets, nothing terrified Orchid as much as the thought of dying alone.
And the same was true for Arleta. The moment she put her finger on the trigger to settle her last debt back home, Catapult burned down every bridge left for her in Kazimierz. There wasn’t anything left for her there. She had no family and no friends, and the hometown she had loved to hate was completely transformed. Everything Arleta remembered was gone. The fountain square, the tiny patches of farmland, even the vault she’d blown sky-high. I put my ass on the line and tried to make a change for all of us. The bravest thing I ever did, and it turned out to be a total waste. If I keep going like this, I’m gonna be gone and forgotten like everything else. “Hey, Orchid…?”
“Arleta…?”
“When it’s time for us to go… Wanna be there… for each other?”
“I think… I do.” The Liberi’s slender face was lit by the landship’s exterior lights, and Catapult could see the tears falling down each cheek. As she embraced Orchid, the Liberi clung to her desperately. Orchid couldn’t say a word. She could only sob as the wind whipped against Arleta’s back. How long have you needed to cry like this for? Every bit of hurt inside of Orchid came pouring out, all at once. “I’m sorry… Arleta, I’m so sorry…” The tears streamed down Catapult’s naked body as the Liberi bawled her eyes out. Catapult had never considered herself a great shoulder to lean on, but she knew well enough to keep holding the woman until she cried it all out.
“I’m not going anywhere… Don’t worry.” I mean that. I figured a lot of shit out tonight. About you. About myself. And about what I want. The whole time, Arleta kept whispering the same few words, until Orchid ran out of tears. She could only swallow and sniffle and cling to the Kuranta shakily. Arleta’s own eyes were watering after that, but she’d somehow held it together. “So it’s a date then, huh…?”
“The last date of many, I hope…”
“Sounds like you’re asking me out.” Catapult teased.
Orchid fell silent.
“C’mon, boss… You call me a young lady, you gotta treat me like one.”
“...I suppose I do, don’t I?”
“...Damn straight.”
“Arleta… I…” Orchid stopped short. “...To tell you the truth, I’ve never asked anybody out before.”
“Well, I’ve never been asked out before. Maybe we’re perfect for each other.”
Orchid sighed. “Or a disaster waiting to happen.”
“Oh, come on, boss… Save that talk for when we’re training.”
The breeze from outside gently ruffled Orchid’s feathers as both golden eyes studied the Kuranta. “Arleta… I suppose I should be honest with you.”
“Uh, could you try not to be too honest? Dobermann nearly chewed my damn ear off today…”
“I’m afraid you’re getting the truth. I admire you a great deal, Arleta. No, more than that... I envy you. In you, I see a girl willing to follow her heart, no matter the cost or the consequences. It drives me crazy, but… I love it, too.” The Liberi chuckled. “I sometimes think about how much better my life would be if I was half as brave as you. Of all the exceptional people I’ve met here at Rhodes Island, I think you might be the most special of all.”
Damn it… I thought you’d go for short and sweet… “Orchid…” Arleta’s lip quivered, and tears ran down her cheeks. Nobody but Raz had ever said they admired her before. And that was Raz, damn it. She’d known the guy since they were kids. Of course he was gonna have something nice to say when she was on the run with a price on her head and the time came for a final goodbye.
But here was Orchid, saying something even kinder, barely knowing her at all. And after a lot more shit than she’d ever put Raz through. She couldn’t think of many people with a better reason not to like her than the captain who’d had to bail her out of hot water a thousand times. And still, Orchid saw something beautiful in her. “D-damn it…” Arleta cursed herself as she fought back tears.
A sympathetic smile played across Orchid’s lips. It was her turn to offer comfort. “Hang in there, Arleta. I’m almost done… All that’s left is to ask... Will you be mine? Will you stay with me for what little time we have left?”
“Y-yes…I will…” Catapult blubbered.
“...Good. Thank you, Arleta. For tonight. For everything…” The Liberi’s lips gave each tear-streaked cheek a kiss in the place of something left unsaid. A few simple words Orchid wasn’t brave enough to speak yet.
Arleta gave in and wept. For herself, for Orchid, for the tragic promise they’d just made. At some point, she’d given up hope of ever finding love in her last few years of life. Hadn’t been in the cards. No big deal. Catapult was happy to pretend she’d never wanted anything like that in the first place. To bottle up all her loneliness and disillusionment until Orchid came along and popped all that tension like a cork. This was what she had yearned for. A place to belong, and someone to belong to. There hadn’t been room for either back home. Orchid held her tight and murmured quiet words of affection. It took quite some time for Arleta to cry herself out, too. “Thanks… I needed a night like this.” Catapult sniffled and dried her eyes. “Feel good to let it all out?”
Orchid smiled thinly. “Better… than the sex. Can we… lie back down? I’d like to fall asleep in your arms, Arleta.”
“...Good idea. Any longer over here and I’m gonna freeze my ass off.” Catapult closed the porthole and secured it tightly before making her way over to the bed, arm-in-arm with Orchid. The sheets were warm, damp, and reeked of all the things they’d done to one another, but neither woman had the strength to clamber into the top bunk. Catapult fell in first, laying spread-eagle as Orchid crawled into her arms. Once the Liberi had gotten comfortable, Arleta pulled up the blankets and held Orchid close. I didn’t know I was into you a few hours ago, and now I think I’d marry you on the spot.
One half-lidded eye peered up at Arleta as she gently smoothed out a few strands of Orchid’s long silver hair. “Do you want to talk?”
“Do we need to?” I know how I feel about you. Pretty sure I know how you feel, too.
“No… But… I have to thank you, again.”
“Hey, it’s no worries. I had fun. Just gotta–” Catapult strained her arm and tapped the light switch next to the bed, plunging them into a deep, pleasant darkness. “There we go.”
“So did I…” Orchid mumbled. “...I think you’ve stolen my heart, Arleta.”
“Don’t ask for it back. I’m holding onto it.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. Now… good night, Arleta.” Orchid yawned, and Catapult echoed it. She was utterly wiped out after the sex and the crying and all the soreness from the day’s training. With the last of her strength, Arleta brought Orchid’s hand to her lips and kissed the back of her palm.
“...G’night, Orchid.” Catapult laid back and let out a deep breath. Even after that workout, she felt better than she had in years. Like Orchid fits into my heart perfectly. The last piece of a puzzle I didn’t know I was trying to solve. Catapult would have called herself a dumbass for not realizing sooner, but that was a hard thing to do with Orchid’s warmth melting away her every thought. After only a few minutes, Arleta was fast asleep in a deep, tranquil slumber.
8:10 A.M. \ Slightly Cloudy
Rhodes Island Landship Dormitories, Room 282
As a few rays of morning light shone in through the porthole, Arleta awoke alone in her bunk, sprawled out amongst discarded clothes and rumpled sheets. “Ow…” The Kuranta’s head was pounding, and her entire body ached. For a split second, Catapult was almost convinced she’d had a strangely vivid wet dream, but a glance down at the wide array of lipstick stains, hickeys, and bite marks littering her midriff reassured Arleta that it had been very real. That, and the fact that the room still smelled of sex and cheap cigarettes. Orchid must have gathered her belongings and snuck out sometime before Catapult woke up. Bummer… I was hoping she’d take a shower with me. At least she tidied up on her way out… The beer bottles had all been thrown away, and Arleta’s jacket was neatly folded on the coffee table.
Swearing under her breath, Catapult climbed out of bed with considerable effort. Though she longed to admire Orchid’s lipstick a bit longer, a cold shower was definitely in order. Just as she hobbled her way towards the bathroom, Arleta spotted a small note on the coffee table, penned in the Liberi’s thin, flowery handwriting.
Showered and went back to take care of Popukar. Didn’t want to interrupt your beauty sleep. I’ll come by tonight after I put her to bed if you’d like to talk. (And whatever else)
XOXO, Orchid
P.S. Did you know you snore? (I think it’s adorable)
P.S.P.S. Training starts at 9:00. Don’t be late.
Catapult groaned as she read the last sentence. “She’s such a nag.”
But she’s gonna be my nag from now on. And that doesn’t sound half bad.