5.3 - Burden of Authority

General Hunter wanted to heave his personal screen across the room, but instead he simply heaved a sigh. Newcomers to the station would often compliment him on how organized and easy it was to request resources from Orbital Pivot; few considered just how difficult it was to organize. As if in response to his frustration, his screen pinged with an incoming message.

Orbital Minera proposing higher quantity trade, more crysium for more mining drones. ~Sara

"Pull up import-export graph between Pivot and Minera," Hunter sighed, leaning back as the screens at his desk followed his command. He flicked to the next message.

Guy came in with over three thousand luxury chips, won't say where he got them, permission to do a background check? ~Timothy

"Response: Yes."

What's Pivot's policy on age of employment? The tests normally weed out youngin's, but we've got a promising thirteen year old who just rebuilt a Tanning-Spanly and wants to enlist… ~MkRathly

Hunter stared at the message for a moment, reading it several times without registering what it said.

It seemed so long ago that he had been a spry man, in his youth. For a moment he let himself fondly remember the days when he could leap to his feet at news of a crisis, or jog down the hallways in an emergency. Nowadays he just felt heavy all the time, less as if his muscles had atrophied and more as if each piece of his body simply weighed far more than it used to. He stared at the readouts in front of him, trying to pull his attention away from the weight in his muscles and focus again on his screens. The planetary run had been ill-advised. No matter how he wrapped his mind around it, he couldn't see a justification for Auspus to send ill-equipped rookies down to attack the Terrans on their own.

Was it some extreme method to train them up? A trial by fire? He shook his head, "Would make far more sense to send them to guard a mining run first, get them acclimated to the surface before sending them against Terrans." Errisa would've chided him if she had heard him muttering to himself.

"It makes you sound less wise old man and more doddering senile old man," she would tease. He still did it when he was alone, but Hunter tried to avoid it when around others now. Is he hoarding some military secret?

"No reason to hide military matters from another General. Unless he plans on inter-orbital warfare." He pushed the thought to the back of his mind with a shudder. The consequences of Auspus planning an attack on another Orbital were too grim to consider right now. Hunter looked up at the screen again.

"It's no good," he kept on muttering, saying the words aloud helped him to focus on the issue, "there's no scenario in which it makes sense." Discrepancies and oddities in General Auspus' behavior, slowly piling onto each other. Whether the rookies were telling the truth or not, it was clear that Auspus wasn't. The only true question was what the true circumstances of Auspus' position were.

"Every strange decision you've made has been one that only you oversee," he muttered, "if the rookies hadn't made it here no other Orbitals would get involved, so you didn't bother covering your tracks-"

Hunter's musings were cut short by a subtle red light on the desk in front of him. He nodded once and flicked a switch, activating the emergency communication channels between Orbital Academy and Orbital Pivot.

"Good evening General Hunter," General Auspus' voice sounded as young as he looked, but Hunter had learned long ago how unwise it was to underestimating the man. He had seen political opponents make that mistake, and without fail they were all currently working in small-time positions on various Orbitals.

"General Auspus, I'm glad you pinged me," Hunter's voice was gruff.

"I thought you might want to chat, my technicians tell me you've been doing some searches through our operational records."

"The records are accessible to anyone with the right clearance level. I didn't break any confidences to get them."

"Of course not my friend," Auspus replied smoothly, "I only noticed and thought I might answer any questions you might have directly, to save you the trouble of digging for them."

"Very considerate of you. Why did you send a squad of rookies down to fight Terrans?" Hunter asked bluntly.

"Their Captain had been pushing for some time to get her team more involved, to push them far beyond the typical learning curve of a rookie. Since everyone on that squad tested several years above their level, and after their excellent results in handling an attacking exothermic Drake, I decided to trust Captain Appet's judgement on their abilities." Hunter silently flicked a page of stats to one of his screens. He had already noticed the mission against the Drake, but the stats showed that perhaps sending them against it hadn't been as ambitious as he had first thought.

"That does make sense," he sighed, "heaven knows we'll need more flyers now that the Drakes are coming up faster."

"That was my thought as well, General."

Hunter frowned. He didn't have any more questions for Auspus, but he wasn't satisfied. Even with his explanations, Auspus had lied about how many rookies had escaped. If the rookies weren't telling the truth, why would Auspus lie? Something just felt wrong somehow, in a way Hunter couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Oh," General Auspus said, as if he had just thought of something, and Hunter's stomach tightened, "I thought I should mention to you. When the rookie squad made their ill-fated attempt at a rescue, two young ladies aboard Orbital Academy assisted them, prepping the heavy cruisers and giving them clearance. In doing so they've broken quite a few of our Orbital's laws and restrictions, so as well intentioned as they may have been, we're holding them pending disciplinary action."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Hunter replied cautiously. What does this have to do with me? What's your angle Auspus, why are you telling me this?

"Two engineers, a mechanic and an administrative, by the names of Cynthia Cormorant and Samantha Barnes."

Hunter clenched his hands. He had no clue who Cythia was, but he vaguely remembered Barnes' girl being shipped out to Academy. More importantly, they were engineers.

"I was under the impression," he said quietly, forcing his voice quiet, "that in matters of disciplinary action all judgements were to be rendered on the proper Orbitals."

"I'm sorry?" Auspus had the audacity to pretend confusion, "what do you mean?"

"The General of the Orbital makes the fucking decisions Auspus," Hunter barked, his attempt at cool failing spectacularly, "I don't take judicial action on Minera miners in Pivot, you don't take judicial action on engineers at Academy, that's basic orbit code-"

"Is it really?" The man on the other end of the comm interrupted smoothly, cutting in with a quiet steel that made his voice sound like a weapon, "because I have a judicial matter on my hands General, a matter of nine rookies whose insubordinate actions placed their lives and valuable equipment at risk. They could've been killed, they could've fallen into Terran hands, we could've lost them in any number of ways, and yet they seem to be sitting safely on Orbital Pivot right at this moment." It took Hunter leaned forward in his chair, a snarl on his face. So, we've stopped pretending to be civil then? Good. I've had enough of this fucking windabout. It took him a few moments to realize that another pretense had been dropped.

"I thought you said they hadn't visited the planet, General." Hunter said quietly. "How exactly could they be captured by Terrans?" The comm remained silent for a long moment, and Hunter took a deep breath, leaning back in his chair. In a way it was a relief. "Auspus, just tell me what you're doing. If there's some kind of trouble, I can help you."

"Things are the way they are, General Hunter." There was emotion in Auspus' voice now, it was trembling with it. "The decision is in your hands at this point. The training Orbital has judicial jurisdiction over, which means you send the Academy-trained rookies back to Academy. You can't have it both ways Hunter. Unless I have my rookies back, I will proceed with a trial of your engineers on Orbital Academy. I don't need to tell you what that will imply."

He didn't. Hunter knew what it would imply; by giving up control over the two engineers, whatever their names were, he would be letting his Orbital down. Even worse, he would be showing the other Orbitals that Pivot could be walked all over.

"Why are you doing this, Auspus? What could possibly be worth what you're expending on this?" Auspus cut the connection without answering. Hunter sat in his seat, staring through his desk. The weight in his muscles pressed down into him, and he heaved a sigh as he began closing the screens he had open. His office slowly darkened as the screens flicked off. He heaved himself to his feet and trudged to the door, casting his eyes sadly around the room as he left it.

***

The General's quarters were sparse compared to the lodgings of the other officers. While he enjoyed the comforts of Orbital Pivot, Hunter was raised on Minera, and he found the sprawling multi-room quarters a bit too empty and open for his tastes. Essira was happy no matter where they lived, and so he had a single room in the very tip of the diamond-shaped orbital. When he stepped out of the elevator the lights instantly dimmed to a soothing low, and Hunter felt the weight on his muscles lessen just a bit. Essira sat in the bed, reading a screen, but she set it aside the second he entered.

"Good evening my hunter," she smiled, and the stress that had been pressing at his temples all day lessened.

"It's late," he grunted, his face not showing a hint of the relief he felt that she was still up and awake.

"I had a feeling you would need me to talk to you this evening."

"A feeling?" Hunter raised a sceptical eyebrow, and Essira smiled as she took his hand and pulled him toward the bed.

"Call it woman's intuition. I intuitively felt that my husband would need someone to hold him, and comfort him, and take the stress of the day away."

"Woman's intuition hasn't been hacking into the Orbital's database today has she?"

"Of course not! That would be against orbit law! I just had a hunch that perhaps some rookies from Academy are seeking asylum, and Auspus is trying to blackmail you into returning them." Essira grinned mischieviously, and Hunter sat heavily down on the bed.

God that smile. I would die for that smile if I had to, the General drew his face into a hard reproving expression, "Fuck orbit law Errisa, if you keep plugging into the database you'll fry yourself."

"I can't change who I am, husband." Errisa kissed Hunter on the top of his head before she knelt, pulling his heavy boots from his feet, "Nor can you. You have to accept that I am what I am."

"Hard not to feel guilty about that when you make it so easy to accept." Hunter sighed. Errisa took one of his feet in her hands, massaging the knots in them as she listened.

"I just wish I knew why Auspus is pressing this issue. The Terrans have somehow figured out how to send multiple Drakes in a year, and we've got no idea when the next attack might be. What could be so important that it's worth causing tension now of all times?"

"Perhaps it's the timing that's the clue?" Errisa's hands moved to his other foot, and the General growled appreciatively, "maybe General Auspus is counting on everyone being distracted by the threat of Terrans to seize just a little more control."

"Could be," the General agreed, "hell, maybe he sent the rookies here on purpose, told them to gain my sympathy so he could press this issue."

"No," Errisa shook her head definitely, "if you could hear the way they talk about him you wouldn't think that. They absolutely despise him."

"You watched the security feed from their rooms?" The General sighed. The smile on her face answered the question for him, but he didn't bother lecturing her.

"You can learn a lot watching twenty-one hours of footage over three prison cells, it took me about five minutes" she said, "do you want to know what I learned?"

"Someday you're going to see something you shouldn't," the General's hard demeanor broke, and he chuckled.

"Someday? Ha," Errisa grinned, emboldened by Hunter laugh, "the blond and brunette went at it the second they were alone, it was kind of cute."

She grew serious, "They have something in their cell Hunter. A crystal that they took from the Terrans."

"A weapon?" Hunter stood up, "why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not a weapon, sit back down." Errisa pulled him back into the bed, "and it's not dangerous or a high priority, it will last the night."

"How can you tell?" he trusted his wife, but Hunter couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had been plaguing him ever since he had been alerted about the heavy cruisers approaching Pivot.

"The rookies are just as in the dark about it as we are," Errisa said reassuringly, "and like I said, they hate Auspus. They're on our side."

The General sighed and leaned back into bed, and Errisa crawled in next to him.

"What would I do without you?" Hunter kissed Errisa on the top of her head, missing her short cropped black hair.

"Probably overwork yourself, have multiple heart attacks, and die," Errisa said cheerfully, turning to kiss him under the neck. He grinned and wrapped a large arm around her shoulders, squeezing her tight to him. His other hand grabbed her chin and he tipped her head up to kiss her on the lips.

"Ever the optimist," he rumbled. His hand wandered down her neck, brushing against her warm skin down to the edge of her shirt. He glanced down at her body appreciative.

"Mmm," Errisa murmured, "we definitely should." The General loved that about her, that she could all but read his mind at this point, answering questions he didn't even have to ask out loud. "Can you adjust me a little first? I'm a little off-kilter today."

"Of course." Hunter rose heavily to his feet, moving to retrieve his tools as his wife stripped her shirt off and laid down on her stomach on the bed. "Anything in particular bothering you?"

"Nothing too drastic." Errisa smiled at him reassuringly as he returned to sit next to her on the bed. He began rubbing her back, his hands calloused from years of mechanical work digging in to press at the hard areas in her shoulderblades. "That feels amazing."

"Alright, lets get this over with," The General took a deep breath, bracing himself as he picked up his instrument. He checked the small metal spike carefully, making sure there were no pieces of dirt or fuzz on the delicate sharp tip. Someday I'll be able to do this without worrying.

"You'll be alright Hunter," Errisa murmured reassuringly, as if she read his mind again, "I'm not as fragile as you seem to think I am."

"I'm allowed to be worried when I'm about to perform surgery on my wife," Hunter growled.

"Surgery? You're so dramatic," Errisa laughed. The thin seam along her spine glowed, then separated, and the panels that made up her back silently slid apart. Taking another breath, the General carefully reached forward and began his work.

"What am I adjusting?" He asked, the spike in his hand hovering as he waited.

"I've got a twitch in my leg, so maybe my balance servo?"

"Not leg control?" The General reached inside Errisa, carefully pushing a bundle of thin wires to one side so he could see the connections to her balance motherboard.

"No, I'm pretty sure-"

"Ah, there it is," Hunter said, carefully adjusting a wire that had come loose, "you were right, it was in the balance cluster."

"It's almost as if I know myself," Errisa teased.

"Next?"

"I think my emotional core is a bit off. I'm not normally so rebellious or snarky."

"Yes you are." Hunter grinned.

"A little less green core, a little more purple? Please?" The General complied, adjusting small sliders along the sphere that controlled Errisa's different cores.

"I can move your worry down a bit if you like."

"Worry is good to have. Keeps me on my toes," Errisa shook her head, "I don't want to be the type to lounge around all day, not caring what's happening to the people around me."

"What about horniness? Should I increase that a bit?"

"No!" Hunter grinned at his wife's exclamation, "god no Hunter, I already have to masturbate once or twice a week when you've got to much work to come take care of me."

"Alright then. Anything else?"

"I think that'll do Hunter. Unless..." the General's face grew somber; he knew what she was about to ask, "...unless you'd like to open the bottleneck? Let me grow to my full potential?"

Hunter leaned back with a sigh, and ran a weary hand through his buzz-cut hair. Errisa turned, careful to not jostle any of the exposed wires coming out of her back.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly, "I shouldn't have asked that."

"It's been awhile since you've asked," Hunter's voice was just as soft as hers. It always comes down to this. "I had hoped..."

"I know. I know Hunter, I'm sorry. I shouldn't ask, it's not fair to you to..." Errisa looked close to tears, and Hunter winced at the look on her face.

"Let's get you sealed back up." He said roughly, and Errisa turned back to the bed. They sat in silence for long minutes as General Hunter carefully sealed the wires inside his wife into neat bundles of cable, and strapped them to the motherboards that kept her running. He had to pause for a moment to angrily brush his watering eye before screwing the fasteners.

"You know I love you, right?" Errisa said it so quietly that Hunter could barely hear.

"I know." It came out more gruffly than he intended.

"Just because my mind makes me push...it doesn't mean I don't love you."

"I know it."

"If I could make myself stop trying, I would." Hunter didn't repeat it a third time, he simply slid her back panels back into place, resuming the shoulder rub he had given her to begin with. It's not her fault, he reminded himself, angrily, you knew about this when you married her. She'll never stop doing what she can to get the bottlenecks removed. As if whispered in his ear, the doubt followed his thoughts. And what better way for a sentient AI to escape her restrictions, than to convince an old fool the she loves him, knowing that someday he won't be able to say no to her?

"I know what you're thinking, when you look at me like that," Errisa said sadly, startling Hunter out of his musing.

"I'm thinking that I love you," he said, gruff and terse.

"You're thinking that you love me too much," she whispered. General Hunter opened his mouth to say something reassuring, but the weight and weariness of the day seemed to press against him, and all he could do was close his eyes and lean back against the pillow. He felt Errisa settle in next to him, nuzzling against his stubbly chin and breathing a sigh.

"It must be hard, being you." She murmured, stroking his chest. "Politics, lies, backstabbing. Dealing with innocent rookies and crazy robot wives."

"Wives, plural?" The General chuckled, "are there more of you hiding around here somewhere? Because I think that might kill me." Errisa giggled, and Hunter's heart jumped in his chest.

"There's only one Errisa, darling Hunter," she said, "and she belongs to you."

"Nonsense." the General grumbled. His eyes still closed, he groped for her hand, taking it in his large paw and squeezing gently, "you're your own woman through and through."

"I'm yours," Errisa insisted, "all of me, every inch. This is yours," She moved his hand and brushed it down the side of her face, "and these are yours," she moved his hand to her naked breast, squeezing his fingers to make him fondle her, "and especially this." Errisa pulled his hand down across her stomach, until it nestled between her legs. Hunter growled appreciatively, rubbing two fingers back and forth across the material of her pants with a gentle motion.

"You wanted to relax, earlier, Hunter," Errisa whispered, hooking a thumb over the waistband of her pants and stretching them down a bit. Hunter's thumb brushed through her soft pubic hair, and he nodded his head. He came to the same conclusion he always did in these moments. If Errisa's love for him was faked, it was faked too well to question. If it was a farce, it was too wonderful a farce not to enjoy. He kept brushing his thumb back and forth, his fingernail grazing skin that felt soft and real as any human woman's. Errisa let him, not doing anything to hasten him, simply keeping her head resting on his chest, her own chest rising and falling rhythmically.

"Tell me about your troubles," Errisa said quietly, and Hunter considered for a moment.

"He's lying Errisa. Auspus is lying, and I don't know what to do about it."

"You do," his wife said gently. Hunter didn't respond, searching his thoughts as he ran his fingers in small circles over her mound.

He tugged very lightly at the tufts of hair between her legs, thinking on all sides of the subject and considering before he spoke.

"I don't want to get the High General involved in this," he said finally, "Orbital Pivot is my domain, and every time the High General gets involved in Orbital affairs it ends up the worse for them."

"That wasn't the case the last time, was it?" Errisa's fingers worked at the sealing clasp on his pants as she spoke, her words a little breathy as Hunter gently tugged at her pubic hair. "The last time the High General got involved in Pivot, he made you the General. That was good, wasn't it?"

"Was it though?" Hunter sighed as his wife slid the heavy material of his pants down his legs, freeing his member to harden beneath her hand. She simply held his length, possessively but still, allowing him to finish his thought. "General Yathmus was doing a fine job running Pivot, everyone in the Orbital was thriving..."

"Besides the slaves Yathmus was selling," Errisa interrupted, stroking her hand up and down once, slowly.

"Yathmus needed to be removed, I'm not arguing that, but getting rid of his whole power structure? Cutting off the head of the Orbital and sticking some young-gun Captain in their place? Sure it worked out, but I'm still not convinced it was the right thing to do, even if it put me here." Hunter slid his hand further down, and his wife spread her legs accommodatingly.

"Who knows if the High General will even get involved?" Errisa sighed as Hunter brushed his fingertips between her legs, his hands moving automatically as his brow furrowed in thought.

"Auspus is making this an issue, something far more than it should be. He's not one to state anything outright, but I think he's hinting at a declaration of war."

"Then prepare for the worst Hunter. What would you do if he was that desperate to get his rookies back?"

Hunter slid a finger between her lips, slowly moving it up and down and enjoying the scent of her sex in the room. She was matching his pace, her fingers gently brushing back and forth over the top of his cock. It was sensual and utterly relaxing, and the two of them lay in silence for several minutes, considering her question.

"I can't let him bully me," General Hunter finally said. "If I give way on this issue at the threat of war, then Auspus will take whatever he wants from me, whenever he wants it, on threat of war. Today he wants his rookies back, without telling me what they've actually done or why he wants them. Who knows what comes tomorrow? Maybe he doesn't feel like sending us the Pilots we need. Maybe he demands Pivot send more engineers or ships. I can't set this precedent, it's too dangerous."

"So you've decided?" Errisa asked.

"I've decided. Either he tells me why he wants the rookies, and gives me time to think on it, or he can fuck off. And if he decides to punish Pivot-trained scrubs for this standoff between us," Hunter frowned, "then I suppose we'll have to press back. That's my decision. I know what to do."

"Good," Errisa said in a satisfied voice, "because I have been thoroughly teased enough." Hunter grinned as his wife sat up and threw a long leg over him, straddling him at the waist. Her slick sex was warm against his cock, and now that he was satisfied with his plans he could dedicate his full attention to the feeling. He lifted a rough hand and ran his fingers through her short black hair, and she smiled in response, nuzzling her cheek against it. Hunter didn't have to move at all as Errisa reached down, stroking him a few more times as she positioned it at her opening, and then gently pressed down, taking him inside of her to the hilt. Hunter sighed at the feeling as she leaned down, pressing her forehead against his and giving him a peck on the lips.

"You're the best thing that has ever happened to me," he murmured, kissing her again as his arms wrapped around her to crush her tight against him. Errisa held him as well, rocking her hips to move him around inside her rather than thrust in and out.

"You always get so sentimental when you're in me," she smiled. "Are you ready?"

"Not yet," Hunter rubbed her back, working at her muscles even as she slowly moved her hips back and forth, "I want to lay like this for a while longer." Errisa complied, resting on him with a sigh and kissing the side of his neck.

"And I'm always sentimental," he grinned, and was rewarded with her chuckle in his ear. Feeling her tongue flick against his earlobe, Hunter closed his eyes, his hands moving up and down her back, occasionally pausing to squeeze her butt.

"Oh always," his wife giggled into his ear, "it's embarrassing really, how you're always spilling your emotions all over the place, you mushy fool." Hunter chuckled, but her voice low in his ear was making him harden even further inside of her.

"Now I'm ready," he growled, and Errisa sat up, looking down at him with lusty affection.

"About time," she smiled, and then came.

Hunter felt her body tremble, her pussy quivering around him. He grabbed her by the hips and thrust, hard, enjoying the feeling. She was so wet that he penetrated her without pause even despite her cunt's tightness, and the walls of her sex squeezed and clamped on his cock with each deep thrust. Errisa came down from her orgasm slowly, but she moved her hips to take him deeper.

"More," he breathed, and his wife smiled down at him and came again.

"Oh, Hunter," she breathed, and his hips left the bed as he tried to push into her even harder. Her second orgasm was no less intense than the first, her sex twitching against him, her face flushed, and she moaned every time he pulled away from her. She came the third time without being asked, her sighs of pleasure even louder as she leaned over him. Her breasts hung inches away from Hunter's face, and they bounced appealingly each time he lifted to slam his cock into her body. Every stress of the day was gone from Hunter's mind, blown away by the smells of sweat and sex, by the sounds of Errisa's moans and his cock slamming into her wet pussy, and the feeling of her tight walls around his entire length. He came hard, his abs shaking as he pulled her down onto him. Errisa pushed down on him, knowing exactly what to do to make him cum harder and reading his pulse and breathing rate to know exactly when.

"Oh my god Hunter, fill me with your cum," she breathed, a split second before he exploded inside her. His wife had never said those words before, but somehow she knew how to hit every kink Hunter had, sometimes before he even knew them himself. She met his eyes as he came, her fingers stroking his chest as he bucked and jerked, his mind almost blanking out at the pleasure as he filled her.

Errisa moved slowly and deliberately, letting his limp member slip out of her slowly before she lay on her back next to him. Hunter panted, trying to catch his breath as he stroked her pubic hair again, now matted with juices and sweat. His wife was smiling, not a single drop of sweat on her forehead and her breath coming out as even and measured as ever.

"Your turn," Hunter grinned, propping himself up on an elbow.

"But I already came, Hunter," Errisa raised her eyebrows innocently, "three times. Didn't you feel me?"

"Your turn for real," Hunter reached up and tugged gently on her earlobe, and Errisa gasped.

"If you like," she said uncertainly, but Hunter was already leaning over her, running his fingers down the sides of her neck.

It had taken them a long time to reach this point in their relationship, one where he could give his wife real orgasms rather than the simulated ones she could so effortlessly control with her software. Hunter had learned his wife's body clumsily and with much trial and error, and Errisa had needed quite some time before she could let go of her embarrassment and awkwardness. Hunter continued sliding a finger up and down her neck, making careful note of his pace and counting off the seconds in his head.

"You're getting better at that," Errisa whispered, and Hunter noted with satisfaction that he had raised goosebumps on her skin. Continuing his slow onslaught on her neck, Hunter began rubbing very small circles into her forehead with another finger. It helped to picture what was going on beneath her skin as he did so, the shoots of sensation in her neck crossing at just the right time with the sensors in her head, creating a delicate bouquet of pleasure, real pleasure, in Errisa's brain. He pressed his fingers harder, digging them into her neck and forehead in a way that would be painful and uncomfortable to a human. Errisa's pain circuits in those two specific areas, both firing at the same time, would hit her motherboard at the same instant, locking up the receptors and suddenly removing every physical perception from her but pleasure for a few moments.

"Mmm, right there," Errisa's voice was steady, but she squirmed on the bed, her fingers digging into the sheets. Hunter smiled in spite of himself. Such human reactions at times.

His brow furrowed as he tried to get the timing just right. He paused and began counting, trying not to get distracted by his wife's involuntary whimper of pleasure. Errisa stayed still so that he could count without distraction, trying to base his count on her steady breaths rather than his erratic ones. ...and eight, and nine, and ten. As close to the turn of the second as he could manage, Hunter pressed his thumb into Errisa's throat, hard enough that if she were human he would worry about causing irreparable damage. If he had timed it right, the blast of pain would hit her motherboard just as the receptors reset, overloading it and transferring the sensation to backup panels; a split second of pain followed by a rush of more pleasure than a human being was physically capable of feeling.

Errisa's back arched, her fingers clawed at the sheets. Hunter sat back, satisfied, watching his wife having her own version of an orgasm. Her simulation of a human cumming was delightful in its own way, but he enjoyed this more, knowing that this type of orgasm was more "real" to her than anything they had done a few moments ago. She screamed in pleasure, a long loud moan that was beautiful and genuine, and then her body collapsed to the bed as it was overloaded, unable to do anything but enjoy the bursts of pleasure that were running through every inch of her. Her eyes went white as the high-definition displays in them blanked out, unable to handle their normal tasks and the pleasure at the same time. For a few moments she lay completely still, the only movement her lips as she whispered a single word.

"Hunter."

The orgasm lasted less than a minute before Errisa blinked and sighed. Hunter smiled when she looked over at him, adoration on her face.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," he joked.

"Don't tease me about that," Errisa said weakly, "you know I'm embarrassed by it."

"No reason to be embarrassed about your husband giving you an orgasm," Hunter replied gruffly, laying next to her.

"There is when you cum as strangely as I do," Errisa snuggled in next to him. Hunter decided not to argue with her, instead making a gesture in the air that the room would identify. The lights dimmed out, and the two of them lay in the darkness together. He stared at the ceiling for long minutes, until a small hiss indicated that his wife had fallen asleep, the tiny panel behind her ear unsealing and allowing access. After pulling up his pants and locating his shirt in a crumpled ball at the foot of the bed, Hunter rose. A quick search beneath the bed yielded the cord that came up through the floor, linked directly to the power core of Orbital Pivot, and he plugged it into the panel behind Errisa's ear before he made his way back to the elevator. As he waited for it to arrive, he gave one last longing glance behind him at his naked wife, sprawled on the bed, her bare chest rising and falling with her deep breaths. He shook his head once as the elevator door opened, and stepped inside. Still work to be done.

His screen was flashing to indicate new messages, of course. Hunter allowed himself the momentary luxury of settling into his seat before he flipped through them.

We have a custom ship request from Basura, shall we put it through? ~Aaron

"Respond: We'll have to put some designers on the job. I'll grab a list and talk to them in the morning." The computer filled out an appropriate response as he flicked to the next message.

Minera lost a few mining drones on the surface. Careless miners, not Terrans, but they aren't due for a resupply for a few months. ~Sara

"Respond: We owe General Buramis a favor, go ahead and send him a handful."

The next several messages made him lean up in his chair, his brow furrowed. They were from several different sources; security had received alerts to prepare for an escort, hangar bay had gotten scheduling requests and refueling alerts. The messages built a complete picture of what was happening, so Hunter didn't even need to read the last message, marked official and with high priority, to know what it said. He pulled it up anyway, a frown building on his face at the terse message.

Coming to Pivot tomorrow, arriving at 1300. Bringing the engineers, and a prison ship for the returning rookies. ~Auspus

***

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