Star Thrust ch. 2: The Bridge Crew

The Bridge Crew

Not even two days later, and here he was. The transporter beam released him, and Hawke materialized on the bridge of the U.S.S. Bruce Campbell.

His first impression was that the ship was beautiful. The bridge was compact but well-designed, with stations arranged in a semi-circle around the captain's chair. Everything was clean, either new or recently refitted, the carpet and console exhaust still emitting that fresh-installation smell every seasoned Star Force officer knows better than their mother’s perfume. The viewscreen at the front displayed a slowly rotating view of Far Space 5 against the backdrop of Vultar's atmosphere. That was a nice touch, and he figured he probably had his new first officer to thank for that.

Speaking of which, he had a second impression as well. His second impression was that his crew was disarmingly stunning.

Four women of various alien races stood at attention in a line before him. Each wore the standard Confederation uniform, but their combined beauty made the modest design look anything but standard.

On the far left of the line stood a tall woman with tanned skin and distinctive red eyes. Her forehead and nose bore prominent ridges, and her brown hair was styled in high pigtails. These features would have made her Horukar heritage obvious if he hadn’t already studied her profile. Lieutenant Shayden Karra was her name. Her uniform couldn't hide the athletic build she was blessed with.

Next to her was a woman with vibrant green skin and reddish hair pulled into a neat bun. She had a warm smile and the kind of body that would turn heads in even the most populated starport. This had to be the Qarthi, Lieutenant Darla Yeshka. She looked friendly and approachable, maybe the most laid back and comfortable with herself of the bunch. Even so, he could see the professionalism in the way she held herself. He did not think she would be one to let him down. Good.

Third in line was the smallest of the four, not even hitting five feet tall. She had pale white skin—white in the literal sense, too. She also had solid black eyes with no easily visible irises or pupils, and two delicate antennae rose from her forehead, as much at attention as the rest of her. Her black hair fell in thin intricate braids all the way down her back, decorated with small silver beads. The Tribb. Lieutenant Junior Grade Moxani. Her antennae drooped slightly, and she looked nervous to be there, but he knew from her report that she was more than capable regarding her usual tasks. As for the rather unique parameters of his particular mission, that remained to be seen.

At the end of the line stood a petite woman with pale pinkish skin and blonde hair so light it was nearly white. Her features were sharp and angular, with the pointed ears and subtle nose ridging of a Vultarian. Her blue eyes were a shade that would be impossible for a human, almost electric. This was, of course, Lieutenant Commander Galadria Rem. His first officer. She stood perfectly still, hands clasped behind her back, her expression neutral.

She. was. gorgeous.

 It didn’t help matters that Hawke had a minor fetish for Vultarians, but she was exactly his type. Many Vultarians had tanner complexions or black hair, which he liked just fine. In fact, in fellow humans, he tended to prefer women of more, shall we say, chocolatey persuasions. But the paler Northern type of Vultarian was so incredibly uncommon out among the stars that he found them fascinating. He was told their ancestors hailed from the polar north region of Vultar. He didn’t know anything about that. What he did know is that this woman had a striking appearance that had him already fixated. If he’d had a more normal assignment, he’d have easily put his internal reaction aside or buried it completely. However, given the nature of his actual assignment, he was already undressing her in his mind.

After a pause that was just short enough not to be too incriminating, Hawke realized he'd been staring. He cleared his throat and uttered his very first spoken order.

"At ease."

The tension in the room dropped immediately. Shayden's posture loosened. Darla shifted her weight and her smile grew more genuine as she locked her eyes on Hawke. Moxie's antennae drooped slightly as she started to slouch a bit and folded her hands over her groin. Only Galadria remained more or less as she was.

"I'm Captain Jay Callahan-Hawke, though most people will call me Captain Hawke for the sake of brevity. Or just Hawke, if we're being informal." He moved toward them, hands behind his back in what he hoped was a commanding posture. "I know this is an unusual assignment for all of us. Before we get into that, I'd like to do a quick inspection of your stations. I assume you’re all ready?"

He got no complaints. They all either nodded or stood completely still.

Hawke walked down the line, pausing at each station to examine the displays and controls. Everything was immaculate as far as he could tell, though he’d never had to do a captain’s inspection before. Still, it was one of those things every cadet learned at Star Force Academy.

Shayden's tactical station had weapons systems offline but primed and pre-powered, with several threat assessment algorithms running in the background. That was a common practice these days, but technically unnecessary. Still, he liked seeing it because it meant that she was keeping up with trends and training. 

Darla's helm controls were configured for quick response, and he noticed she'd already programmed in several emergency evasion patterns. Solid work.

Moxie's science station displayed ongoing sensor sweeps, and her workspace was well-organized. She had a cartoon cat with antennae as her desktop background, which was a little surprising, but it wasn’t really an issue to him. It could be a little jarring when they found themselves in a combat situation and he kept looking over at her and seeing that on her screen, maybe. 

There wasn’t much to say about Galadria's command station; it was exactly what he'd expect from a Vultarian: efficient, logically organized, with multiple backup protocols already in place.

"Excellent work," he said, returning to stand before them. "Your stations are ship-shape. I can tell you've been preparing. And I hope that means you all want to be here."

Darla's smile widened, and Shayden grunted in approval. Moxie's antennae lifted higher, and her posture relaxed fractionally. Galadria just tracked him with her eyes, but otherwise didn’t move an inch.

"Now then." Hawke gestured to the chairs. "Everyone take your stations. Let's start with introductions. I've familiarized myself with your files, but I'd like to hear from each of you directly. Tell me your name, your position, and one thing about yourself that's not in your official records."

He moved to the captain's chair and sat. The seat adjusted to his frame immediately, and he had to admit it already felt good to be a real captain, even of a small ship like this one. The bridge felt right. This was his command. His crew. But… this mission…

Galadria spoke first. "My rank and designation is Lieutenant Commander Galadria Rem, Executive Officer. My file indicates I graduated top of my class at the Vultarian Science Academy. What it does not include is that I also hold a degree in human psychology, which I pursued out of genuine interest in understanding humanity, Vultar’s closest ally. I am committed to the development of future Vultar-Terra relations. It is a privilege to serve in such a rare mission with intersections between diplomatic concerns and interbiological scientific research. I look forward to being under your command, sir."

“I imagine we’re both looking equally forward,” he replied smiling. Oh. that sounded lewder than he meant it to, and Lieutenant Yeshka’s impish smirk out of the corner of his vision definitely proved that he wasn’t the only one who took it that way. He cleared his throat.

Hawke knew Galadria had studied humans closely and had even put in a request for a ship captained by a human, but getting a full degree signified professional interest and a real devotion to diplomatic relations. He nodded. "Anyway, thank you, Commander."

Shayden was up next. "Lieutenant Shayden Karra here. I am your Tactical Officer and Security Chief. A fact about me is that I am the first full-blooded female Horukar to graduate Star Force Academy. Most Horukar to this day are trained on the job after having served several years with the Horukar Dominion. With the new pilot program allowing Horukar citizenship of Terran systems, I was able to do things the same way the rest of you did." She paused, then added, "Captain, I want to comment on something.”

Hawke nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Your file says you seized command from an incompetent superior and held a defensive position with thirty ensigns and cadets for eight hours on Nigel IV while outnumbered twelve to one. You saved thousands of lives. That's a warrior's action, Hawke. I respect that. It’s a big part of why I ultimately agreed to this mission. Our children will be the perfect soldiers."

Hawke felt heat invading his cheeks. He'd done what needed to be done, nothing more. "I, uh, appreciate that, Lieutenant."

“And you have well over a hundred confirmed ki—”

“I prefer not to revisit that mission too often if it’s alright,” he said, cutting her off. “Most recently, I was just a courier. But I do have quite a breadth of experience with a variety of missions, and I hope that some of that limited leadership experience translates to being a suitable captain for all of you.”

The Horukar nodded apologetically. “Of course, Captain. I didn’t mean to speak out of turn.”

“Nothing to apologize for,” he assured her with a smile, then turned over to the green-skinned beauty beside the security officer. “Lieutenant Yeshka?”

Darla spoke up in a warm voice that was almost sultry. "Lieutenant Darla Yeshka, Operations Officer and Helm. I'm rated for twenty-three different ship classes, but what's not in my file is that I learned to pilot by stealing my older brother's shuttle when I was fourteen. I got grounded for six months, but it was worth it." She grinned, and Hawke found himself smiling back.

Finally, Moxani. She spoke softly, and her antennae twitched as she did. "Lieutenant Junior Grade Moxani. Just Moxani is fine. Or Moxie. Tribbs don’t publicly use their surnames. Whatever you prefer, sir. I'm the Science Officer." She paused, and her fingers brushed against one of her braids. "Um. The thing not in my file is that I can identify over three thousand chemical compounds by smell alone. It's a Tribb thing, but I'm better at it than most."

"That's impressive, Lieutenant," Hawke said gently. Her nervousness was obvious, and he wanted to put her at ease, so he didn’t press her further. "I look forward to working with all of you."

He stood, taking a breath. This was the part he'd been dreading.

"I need to address the elephant in the room. Or rather, the secret mission we're all aware of." He kept his voice even, professional. "I've been fully briefed on the nature of our assignment. I know each of you has been briefed as well, and you have your own reasons for signing on. Perhaps you are committed to diplomacy between our races,” he went on, nodding at Galadria, who looked blankly back at him like he knew she would. “Maybe you have reasons related to personal ambitions I don’t yet understand. Or maybe this opportunity was simply the best option available at the time. Whatever the reason, I want to say upfront that I apologize for the awkwardness of this situation. I never imagined my career would take this particular turn, and I'm sure none of you did either."

Galadria raised one eyebrow. "Captain, requesting permission to speak.”

“Granted,” he said, nodding. 

For the first time, Galadria shifted a little before speaking. “With all due respect, your impulse to apologize is inappropriate. All members of this crew are healthy adults of sound mind and body who have made their own decision, you included, sir. Furthermore, this is an important mission with significant implications for interspecies relations and the future of the Confederation. No one has done anything worth apologizing for, least of all you. Your unique genetics and ideal disposition presents an opportunity to impact the lives of not just everyone on this bridge, but throughout the entire galaxy."

Hawke blinked. “You may be overstating the impact of this mission a little.”

“No, sir, I am not. It is not an overestimation to say that, if our mission is successful, Terran and Vultari hybrids could number in the millions. It is also fair to say that if you did not take this mission, those millions of future lives would not exist. Your perfect genetics provide precisely the building block through which Star Force’s researchers can adapt future generations of the injection. It failed with over ten thousand participants before you, but it bonded with you instantly, so I was told.”

Hawke’s eyes widened. “This much information was never provided to me, Commander.”

She cocked her head. “Curious. Perhaps the impact of this mission was understated to avoid applying pressure to you beyond your personal breaking point. I am certain that the information I just related is accurate, however. Furthermore, the Vultari Diplomat, Hexodamus, who brought this mission to me, did not suggest that I keep anything from you.”

“That more or less fits what I heard, Captain,” Darla added.

“Me too,” said the Tribb. The Horukar just nodded.

“I see,” Hawke sighed. “Well, does anyone have any thoughts on the matter? Was my apology out of turn?”

Darla leaned back in her chair, her expression relaxed. "I agree with the Lieutenant Commander. Honestly, Captain, where I come from, this wouldn't even be considered scandalous or embarrassing. The Qarthi have been trying to figure out interspecies compatibility for decades, and we have a lot more of a cultural openness to our sexuality."

Shayden cracked her knuckles. "It’s just biology. We Horukar do not have reservations about sex as a species, but we are not prolific lovers either. Sex does not consume us the way it does Terrans and Vultari. It is not something we become addicted to, or something that shames us."

Galadria shifted her body slightly to look at Shayden. “So long as we are all speaking out of turn now, I would like to point out that the reason you have this attitude toward sexuality is because your men emit a numbing agent in their penises to deprive Horukar women of their climaxes. At some point, your kind had an evolutionary sexual arms race, similar to the way ducks on Earth evolved intricate barbed penises and corkscrew shaped vaginas. It is highly probable that you will experience extreme sexual bliss with the Captain.”

“And let’s end that discussion,” Hawke said, clearing his throat.

“Sorry Captain,” the Horukar muttered, but she suddenly looked deep in thought.

“Acknowledged,” Galadria said, turning back to her station.

Moxie was quiet, her antennae drooping again. She hadn’t volunteered anything, and Hawke noticed her discomfort. She'd be the tough nut to crack for this mission, he figured. Not because she was unwilling, but because she was just a good-old-fashioned shy cutie. Building trust with her would take time and patience.

"Anyway, I appreciate your understanding," Hawke said. He meant it. "I want you all to know that I take this responsibility seriously as well. I'm not just your captain. I'm also..." He struggled for the right words. "I'm also someone who feels the need to earn your trust and respect beyond the mission parameters. To humans, or Terrans as some of you prefer to call us, sex is in fact a big deal. It requires rapport, consent, and mutual respect to do right. I won't rush this. First, I want to get to know each of you as individuals, as officers, and as people."

Galadria's eyebrow raised again, but she said nothing.

"That said," Hawke continued, "we do have a mission to execute. Our official orders are to conduct exploratory surveys in Sector Nine, where we will rendezvous with our Chief Medical Officer and beam her aboard. In the meantime, we’ll begin working on our primary mission little by little. Questions?"

No one spoke.

"Alright then. Commander Rem, I'd like a full status report on ship systems. Lieutenant Yeshka, plot a course for Sector Nine, but don't engage yet. I want to review the route first. Lieutenant Karra, run diagnostics on all defensive systems. You never know what sort of mess we might warp into. Lieutenant Moxani, I want a full sensor sweep of our surroundings before we depart. Let's make sure we're ready and we aren’t going to ram into anything at full warp."

The crew responded immediately, turning to their stations. Hawke watched them work for a moment, feeling a surge of pride. They were professional, competent, and focused.

They were also really, really gorgeous.

Galadria approached him quietly once she completed her task. "Captain, may I speak with you privately?"

"Of course, Commander."

She gestured toward the ready room adjacent to the bridge. Hawke followed her inside. The door slid shut behind them, and they were alone for the very first time.

The ready room was smaller than he'd expected but well-appointed. A desk, a few chairs, a viewport showing the stars. Galadria turned to face him. Her expression remained exactly as it had been this whole time.

"Captain, I wanted to discuss our mission parameters."

"Go ahead."

"You expressed that you wanted to wait to begin the primary objectives of our mission in earnest. I personally have reservations about this decision. Logically, it would be most efficient to begin the biological aspects of our mission as soon as possible. Rapport will develop eventually. It does not need to come first. The serum in your system requires time to adapt, and the process will be accelerated by repeatedly exposing you to our sexual organs." She paused. "To be clear, I am offering my body for this purpose at any time you deem appropriate. Even here on the bridge, if necessary, though I would recommend the privacy of quarters for initial encounters. After that, it would be ideal if you could use my body as many times a day as humanly possible."

Hawke's mouth went dry. She uttered that blessed monologue so clinically, as if reciting an engine room report. He struggled to reply, but she grew impatient and tacked on something she no doubt saw as a compromise.

"At the very least, I would recommend at least one daily session with each bridge officer," Galadria continued. "This will optimize the serum's adaptive response. We should be able to conceive your children within a single Vultarian year at that rate. Or one point five Terran years."

He held up a hand as his penis jerked in his pants like a crocodile doing a death roll. "Commander, I appreciate your logical approach to the mission. I really do. But I wasn't given that strict of a timeline. I'm human, and humans need time to adjust to situations like this. Believe me, I’m going to see this mission through, and once I get the ball rolling I don’t anticipate slowing things down at all. But I need at least a night or two to get settled, and to get to know my team."

Galadria studied him for a long moment. Then her eyebrow raised. It was subtle, but he'd already deduced that the eyebrow meant she found something he said annoying.

"Is everything alright, Commander?"

"I understand your perspective, Captain. However, I must admit that your timeline is somewhat inconvenient."

"Inconvenient?"

She clasped her hands behind her back again. "I have been abstaining from manual stimulation for the past seven days in preparation for our first sexual encounter. This is to maximize the probability that you will be able to bring me to climax, which will provide the most optimal biological response for your serum. As a result, I am experiencing substantially elevated stress levels. If I seemed combative on the bridge, that is likely why."

Hawke stared at her. He even took a moment to look down at her chest. He couldn't help it, and at this point he didn’t feel like she was going to be upset about it anyway.

"I did not realize that Vultarians..." He trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence.

"Engaged in masturbation?" Galadria supplied helpfully. "It is a crucial practice for maintaining mental clarity and emotional regulation. The physical release allows us to more effectively set aside emotional responses that might interfere with logical decision-making. Without regular release, stress hormones accumulate, which can compromise cognitive function. Most Vultarian women work it into their daily routine."

"I see."

"I am capable of continuing to abstain for a maximum of two more days if needed," she said. "However, I wanted you to be aware that my current state may affect my performance slightly. I am experiencing some difficulty maintaining complete emotional control."

Hawke ran a hand through his hair. This was not a conversation he'd ever expected to have with his first officer on his first day of command.

"Commander, if you need to... address that situation, you have my permission to take personal time. Your wellbeing is important."

"That would defeat the purpose of the abstinence," she said patiently. "However, I appreciate your concern. I will manage as I am until you are able to begin the mission in earnest."

"Alright." He wasn't sure what else to say. "Was there anything else?"

"Yes." She tensed a little. "When you are ready to begin the biological portion of our mission, I request that you start with me. I am the most experienced officer on this crew. Though I lack sexual history, I am the least likely to be emotionally compromised by the encounter. I can provide you with feedback on your technique and help you adjust to the physical requirements of interspecies copulation. And afterwards, I can help the other officers mentally prepare if needed."

Hawke didn’t know what to make of the matter-of-fact way she talked about these things. "I'll take that under consideration," he managed.

"Additionally," Galadria said, "I should inform you that Vultarian women have significantly higher body temperatures than humans. You may find the experience mildly uncomfortable at first. I will do my best to regulate with supplements, but there are biological limits to my control."

"Right. Higher body temperature. Got it."

"Also, touch telepathy is possible during intimate contact, though I will not initiate it without your explicit consent. It can be... overwhelming for those unaccustomed to it."

"Touch telepathy," Hawke repeated. His mind was spinning to keep up.

"Correct. Skin-to-skin contact allows for the sharing of thoughts and emotions between Vultarians and other intelligent races. During sexual climax, the effect is significantly amplified. Some find it enhances the experience. Others find it invasive."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Galadria tilted her head slightly, studying him. "You are experiencing anxiety, Captain. Your heart rate has increased, and your pupils are dilated. This is a natural human response to sexual discussion. However, I want to assure you that when we do engage in intercourse, I will be patient with you. I have studied human sexuality extensively, and I understand that you may require additional time and stimulation to maintain arousal with a non-human partner."

"That's... thoughtful of you, Commander."

"It is merely logical." She turned toward the door, then paused. "One final thing, Captain. I have been monitoring the body language of the other officers. Lieutenant Yeshka is eager and comfortable with the mission, and she finds you exceedingly sexually attractive, as I do. Her culture also makes this mission morally uncomplicated for her. Lieutenant Karra respects your reputation and is willing to follow your orders without question, but you should expect her to be rough when you allow her to lead. Lieutenant Moxani..." Galadria's expression shifted slightly, just a tiny furrowing of her brows. It was almost imperceptible, but it happened. "She is frightened. Not of you specifically, but of the situation. Once she is comfortable, I can sense that she will embrace the mission, and you, but she will require considerable time and emotional support before she can participate eagerly. You might want to prioritize building rapport with her, if you are concerned with such things."

"I got that impression."

"Good. Then you are more perceptive than I gave you credit for." She moved to the door. "We should return to the bridge."

"Commander?"

She turned back.

"Thank you for being direct with me. I know this situation is unusual, but I'm glad to have an officer who can approach it objectively."

She nodded her head, and though her expression remained unchanged, Hawke got the feeling like she was smiling in gratitude. "You are welcome, Captain. I believe we will work well together in all aspects of this mission."

The door slid open, and they returned to the bridge. Hawke settled back into his chair, trying to focus on the task at hand. His crew was working efficiently at their stations. Darla hummed softly to herself while running calculations. Shayden's fingers darted across her tactical display. Moxie's antennae swayed gently as she analyzed sensor data.

This was his crew. His ship. His very unusual mission.

Galadria took her station beside him, posture perfect, expression neutral. But he noticed her fingers drumming once, very briefly, against her armrest. He wondered if that was a hint of her sexual frustration leaking through the cracks.

"Captain," Darla called out. "Course plotted for Sector Nine. Ready for your review."

"Send it to my display, Lieutenant."

The data appeared on his screen. He studied it, forcing himself to concentrate on trajectories and fuel consumption and potential hazards. Normal captain stuff. Things that didn't involve his first officer who internally reeling from the fact that he hadn’t fucked her yet.

This was going to be a very interesting mission.

"Course approved," he said. "Prepare for departure. Let's take her out."