Star-Crossed Lovers Ch. 02

"Do I get to pick the lieutenant, sir?" The worried look had vanished from her eyes. Everyone in the room thought of themselves as an operator first and even though they had valuable knowledge to pass on, being in the field was what every SOLAR wanted. And no one wanted to become an instructor with the war still on.

"Sorry, chief," Burke said, a wicked twinkle in his eye. "I've got a special project for you . . ."

The light came on. "You don't mean—?"

"I do . . . Sub-lieutenant Kato Ikuyo! Front and center."

The young woman stepped forward and snapped to attention.

"I'll take what's behind door number two, sir."

"I thought you might, chief," Burke smiled. "Good luck."

He put one set of orders away and turned to the young officer. "You are hereby promoted to the rank of lieutenant in the Terran Space Navy. I also have your orders. You will take command of Alpha Platoon, SOLAR Team Six effective today at 1130 hours."

Her smile was cut short when he looked up at the chrono on the wall. "Sir, that's—"

"This is the best damn platoon in the best damn Team in the whole goddam Navy. It was a privilege to serve with you all. There is no other group of men and women I'd rather have at my back or trust with my life. I turn over command of Alpha Platoon, SOLAR Team 6 to you, Lieutenant Kato." Burke saluted the junior officer and flashed her a heartfelt smile. "God help us all."

"I relieve you of command, sir." The ceremonial words flowed out of Kato's mouth, even though she didn't quite believe she was saying them.

"I stand relieved."

"Attention on deck!" Chief Hayes snapped and the thirteen men and women instantly came to their feet. "SOLAR Six Alpha departing!"

Burke had intentionally sprung the change of command on the platoon. He didn't want things getting sentimental, but he also wanted to quickly make way for his very able successor.

The assembly began to break up as the platoon mixed among themselves. This wasn't goodbye; there would be a formal dinner later but this game them each and opportunity to mentally adjust to their new circumstances.

"Sir, what will you do now?" Chief Hayes spoke on behalf of the platoon.

"I don't know yet," Burke shrugged. "My orders still haven't come through. I'm going to take some leave, though."

"We heard a nasty rumour about that, sir," Martin came up and gave Burke a familial hug.

"You did?" His eyebrows went up in mock surprise.

"Hoo-yah, Lieutenant." She was trying to get him to give away the news, but his poker face was on.

"I've got another meeting with Commander Stickle this afternoon so I should know a little more by dinner tonight," Burke said.

"We'll be there, sir."

Lieutenant Burke looked around one last time at the men and women in the room. This was his last platoon command, and his operational career was probably coming to an end.

Now it was Lieutenant Kato's command.Herplatoon.

Then he turned and headed out the door. Wondering what his future held.

*************************

One week later.

"Are you sure I can't talk you out of this, Eric?" Commander Stickle asked, fastening the collar on his own dress uniform.

"Not a chance, Chuck."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," the senior officer said. "Just promise me this will be your only marriage. You don't want to spend your career supporting two ex-wives like me. And tell me one thing: How did you get theArk Royalbattlegroup pulled out of the Levari 6 operation?"

"If my name had that much weight, I'd have gotten myself assigned to Paradise Station out on 27 Tri." Eric snorted. "Maylene told me they're overdue for spacedock and that theHornetwas close enough to take their place."

"Too bad for you. If theArk Royalhad shipped out, you'd still be a free man tonight. Are you ready?"

"I guess so."

"Congratulations, Eric," Chuck stuck his hand out and Eric grasped it warmly. "You want your orders now or later?"

"You're joking, right? . . . You're not joking! You rat-fuck sonofabitch! Why didn't you tell me this afternoon?"

"Where's the fun in that?"

"Bastard."

Chuck started to reply, but then the music started and they walked out to begin the ceremony.

With his commanding officer at his side, Eric waited for his bride. He was still in his dress whites, as were as many member of Team 6 and Maylene's squadron who would fit in the small, unadorned chapel.

All eyes turned to the back when the wedding march started. Maylene walked down the aisle. She was in her dress uniform. In her arms, she carried a small bouquet of flowers. Her face was radiant. Her eyes twinkled. She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever laid his eyes upon.

Maylene was escorted by theArk Royal'sCAG, who was taking the place of her father for the ceremony. The citadel's chaplain presided.

The bride and groom wrote simple vows. They exchanged rings machined out of platinum and titanium by one of the Team's armourers. Holographic images of their parents stood in the corner as they watched from Earth. It was a simple ceremony and soon Eric held Maylene in his arms. They kissed as the chaplain announced them as Mr. and Mrs. Eric Burke.

A small reception awaited them in one of the mess halls. It wasn't the big elaborate wedding some people have, but it was perfect for a Navy couple. And it was the best they could do with only a week's notice. There was cake and punch, along with a little bit of liquor that was "acquired" from one of the quartermasters and snuck into the ceremony.

Eric and Maylene waited through a long line of congratulators, most of them from Sky Wing 26 and Special Warfare Group One. They circulated throughout the room, taking time to visit with her squadron and his old platoon. Both wore smiles nothing short of Armageddon could have wiped away.

At one point, Commander Stickle and the Group One CO pulled the pair aside.

"You want your orders now, Eric?" Captain Tom Harrison asked.

Maylene exchanged a worried look with her husband. Eric took a deep breath. "Let's have 'em."

"First of all, we need to get you in the right uniform," Commander Stickle said. The rest of the room had taken notice and fell silent. "Lieutenant Eric Burke, you are hereby promoted to the rank of sub-commander, effective immediately. In addition, because of your exemplary leadership of SOLAR platoons in Team 6 and Team 23, you are awarded the brevet rank of commander in the Terran Space Navy."

Chief Hayes handed Commander Stickle a set of shoulder boards, who turned them over to Maylene. She took Eric's old ones off and slipped the new ones on. Then Commander Stickle reached into his tunic and pulled out a paper set of orders.

"By order of Fleet Admiral Bernadette von Luck, Commander Special Warfare Sector 12, and Captain Thomas Harrison, Commander Naval Special Warfare Group One, you will assume command of SOLAR Team 4, effective six weeks from today," Commander Stickle said. "In the mean time, you are to take your vacation, not talk about anything other than how beautiful your new bride is, and enjoy your honeymoon."

"Thank you, sir." Burke reached out to shake the hands of the Team and Group commander. Maylene did the same and then the two shared another kiss. Her orders were being cut and she was taking her leave, too. Neither knew where they would be in six weeks, but both knew they had at least that much time together.

*************************

Three weeks later.

"How long have your parents owned this cabin?" Maylene asked, setting her bag down next to the bed. The view out the window was spectacular. Set against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the pristine lake was as picture-perfect as could be found on Earth. There were only a few other cabins around, and none of them within five kilometers.

She let out a delighted—but surprised—yelp as Eric picked her up from behind and threw her down on the bed. Maylene rolled over on her back as Eric fell on top of her. His lips pressed against hers.

"Down boy!" Maylene giggled, only putting up token resistance. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him to her.

His mouth went to her neck, his teeth brushed against her skin. She let out a low gasp.

Eric pulled back and looked into her eyes. "I love you, Mrs. Burke."

"And I love you, too, Eric," she replied. His weight pressed down on her. His lips went to her neck.

After their wedding, the pair caught a transport home where they did the whirlwind friends and family tour. They visited with their parents then went to London for a couple of days. Eric was officially in between commands and without a permanent assignment. With their carrier in spacedock for refurbishment, she was free, too. At least for a little while.

The cabin was out in the woods, far enough from civilisation to be remote, but just a flitter ride away from town if they got bored. Of course, neither Eric nor Maylene even considered going anywhere near another person for the next month.

His strong arms pulled her close. Her hands tugged at his shirt.

The door to the cabin was wide open, but neither of them cared. A warm breeze blew through the room.

Neither of the newlyweds was in any particular rush. They undressed each other slowly.

Eric unbuttoned Maylene's blouse. His mechanical fingers moved with practiced efficiency. He wasn't nearly as clumsy as a year ago and soon his bride lay naked on the bed. She had a hungry look in her cybernetic eyes.

Maylene arched her back as Eric gently ran his hands all over her body. Burn scars covered her chest, but they were healing. The skin, which had once been rough, was beginning to smooth.

The feeling coming from his fingertips wasn't quite as tactile as he wanted, but it would do. Besides, Eric wasn't touching his wife for his benefit; it was for hers.

She moaned softly as his hands explored her body. His fingers sought the inside of her waistband and he pulled her skirt and panties down over her hips.

Maylene spread her legs and pulled Eric close to her. He fumbled with his belt as she pulled his shirt over his head.

They lay together for a long time. Their bodies intertwined. Maylene's body was warm; at least her flesh and blood parts were flush with excitement.

Eric kissed down her neck to her shoulder. His tongue traced circles along her fire-ravaged skin. She cried out softly when he bit her one nipple.

Maylene pulled Eric's mouth to hers. Her hands tugged at his clothes until he was just as naked as she was. She wrapped her arms and legs around her husband, as if to never let him go.

As he started to mount her, Maylene pushed him back.

Startled, Eric began to protest but soon found himself laying on his back, his wife above him. He looked up longingly at her, matching her stare, losing himself in Maylene's gaze.

She gently took his cock in her hand and guided it to the slick entrance of her sex. With two passes, she coated the head with her excitement and then slowly sat down on him.

Eric's eyes devoured her. He looked past her synthetic skin, bio-mechanical prosthetic limbs, cyber-optic eyes and burn scars. All he could see was the most beautiful woman in the world.

Though they only shared a few weeks together, though they came from different parts of the same navy, and though they had no idea what the future held, Eric knew he wanted to spend the rest of the life with her.

He let out a throaty growl as she sank down on him.

"I love having you inside me, Eric," she whispered.

"You feel so good," he replied. Maylene leaned forward and he took her breasts in his mouth.

He bushed his cheek into the valley between her breasts, savouring the touch of her skin. She put her hands on the back of his head and pulled him in close.

Their hips moved slowly. Together. In rhythm.

In the back of his mind, Eric made sure the power in his arms was dialed down to a level that wouldn't hurt either of them. Then he put his hands on Maylene's ass and squeezed gently.

She lifted up until only the tip of his cock was still inside her. Eric looked up and saw Maylene's head thrown back, her eyes closed.

The two froze in that position for a long moment, then she brought herself down on him with one swift stroke. Both cried out in delight.

They began to move faster. Maylene took control and began to grind her pussy on him, desperate for release.

"I missed you," he whispered as she kissed his cheek.

"I know, Eric," she replied softly. "I missed you, too."

Their lips met again. Their teeth knocked together. Her arms pinned his down. He was stronger than she was, but he didn't pull away.

He pushed his hips forward, meeting her every stroke.

Being close to her made him feel alive. Like most soldiers, Eric was always felt like he was in the presence of death. It followed him daily. Often he was the killer. Not because he like it. But because he was good at it.

Sometimes, those around him died. Sometimes, death seemed to be breathing down his neck. In a perverse sort of way, he reveled in the thrill. Death challenged him. So far, he had proven to be one step ahead.

But everyone's time ran up.Everyone's.

Maylene staved all that away. The nightmares. The shaking. The emptiness he felt when he thought about all the sailors who were dead because he gave them an order that led them into an impossible situation.

Some of the other SOLARs he served with told him how their families kept them grounded in reality. A reality where killing wasn't something to be done on a daily basis. He thought they were full of shit.

Until he met Maylene. Until he felt close to another person. Over the previous year, he missed her touch. Her smell. The press of her hair on his shoulder.

For a while, he thought they just shared a fling. That they were just two people drawn together by a mutual need. By pain. Then he found himself thinking of her as he tried to fall asleep. Her gentle touch. Her beautiful smile. The warmth of her body.

He needed her. Eric realised that the warrior within would only lead him to a lonely death, if not on some remote asteroid on the far side of the galaxy, then in some corner of the planet he called home. Surrounded by walls he built around himself that kept him from caring too much about other people, because they invariably would leave him.

When he finally had her back in his arms, Eric realised what he had been missing. Even as broken as her own body was, she restored the humanity that had been taken from him. She shared his pain. He shared hers.

And in doing so, they made each other stronger.

Maylene rode Eric for what seemed like an eternity. Her pussy was slick.

She rubbed her clit against the top of his cock. His mechanical hands gripped her ass. Her tongue traced his collarbone. He kissed her burn-scarred breasts.

They cried out together.

The next morning, they woke up in each others arms. Over the next month, not once did they get in the flitter to go in to town. They brought enough food to last them, and the local grocery store delivered anything else they needed.

If they weren't making love in the cabin, they were holding each other outside on the porch or lying together in the grass. A couple of times they went skinny-dipping in the lake, but every night, Eric and Maylene rocked each other to sleep. All the while, they pretended that their days together weren't numbered and that the Navy didn't need them back to fight a war.

*************************

"Admiral N'Genge says they can't hold out any longer, sir," the comm sergeant said. "The fleet's pulling out of orbit."

"How far?" General Kravchenko cursed under his breath.

"At least back to Mombar, sir."

"Get me theGemini," he said, reaching for his headset. After a second, the MEF's deputy commander was on the line.

"I just got word, sir," Brigadier-General Ibrahim sounded frustrated. "I'm launching all of our supply shuttles right now. They should last you about eight days. The captain says we're going to hyperspace in a couple of minutes."

Kravchenko looked up at the holographic display of the system. He knew he only had a few minutes to get his final orders in. "Take what's left of Three-MEF back to Citadel Firestorm. We'll hold out as long as we can. Our planetary defenses should be able to hold the Federation for a little while, but we can't outlast a long blockade."

Since arriving in the system, things had not been going well. They initially had driven the Federation forces back and captured some key installations on the ground and placed some defense satellites in orbit around the planet, but over the last month a see-saw battle had placed the future in doubt for both sides. The Federation had never been driven away, though. Not until today.

Their ships were being forced to the system's other planet, where their orbital fortifications were stronger. Now it was up to the groundpounders to stick things out until reinforcements arrived.

The comm beeped. It was Vice-Admiral Tobias N'Genge. "Hold on a second, Abe."

"Aleks," the admiral began apologetically. "I hate to do this to you, but the Feds just brought in two more battle squadrons and we're getting pummeled up here."

"I understand, Toby," Kravchenko replied. He had been watching the space battle in the 3-D tank and knew how badly outnumbered the Navy was. In truth, he was amazed they had lasted this long.

"I'm sending word to all ground commanders that you are the senior officer on the planet," N'Genge continued. "They won't try to land where you are, but I'd look for them to make a push near the southern pole or on the continent just east of you. The Sixth Fleet is massing near 36 Epsilon so we won't be gone long."

He paused as his command ship shook from what sounded like a missile strike. "I'm sending every dropship I've got with all the supplies we can fit on them. We're also going to leave some orbital mines to cover you for a while."

"Get out of here, Toby," Kravchenko said. "We'll hold."

"Take care of yourself, Aleks. Sector command is pulling out all the stops on this one. We'll be back," the admiral promised. "N'Genge out."

The line went dead. "Are you still there, Abe?"

"Yes, sir," General Ibrahim said. "We're about to make the jump."

"It'll take a while to get enough Marines to take the system back. You'll have to run a blockade, but make sure the ammo keeps coming," Kravchenko's voice hardened. One by one, the Alliance ships in orbit blinked and were gone from the display as they entered hyperspace.

"Roger that. Semper fi."

On the screen, the orbital landing shipGeminiflashed and disappeared. Kravchenko let out a deep sigh as the space around the planet blinked with red dots. Federation ships jumping into the system.

*************************

One month later.

The warm summer breeze blew over Eric and Maylene. They sat on a rocking chair, wanting nothing more than to be in each other's arms. She leaned back against him. He kissed the back of her neck and down her shoulder. Both were naked.

"How do we give this up?" she said finally.

He didn't immediately reply. Instead, he just held her tight. "We don't. We'll just have to wait a while to come back."

She turned her head and kissed him.

"What will you do?" Eric asked.

Maylene smiled, a hint of mystery on her lips. "My squadron is being rotated home. They've asked if I wanted to teach for a semester at the Naval War College."

"Which will look very nice when you're up for selection to admiral," Eric said, half-teasingly.

"I'm not going to take it," she replied.

Eric did a double-take.

"I got a better offer," Maylene said, seeing the "why?" forming on her husband's lips. "Citadel Firestorm needs a sky boss. I thought I'd take that assignment."