Plans Best Laid

© 2019 by Walter Reimer


Thumbnail art by  rabbi-tom


The Kith was docked at Downtime Station for some crew rotation and scheduled maintenance on the sensor suite and the hyperdrive. It was two days into a ten-day stay.

The Kiss Me in the Dark arrived at Downtime during the third day, and after the cargo was offloaded the crew had three days’ liberty.

Meredith and Varan decided to make the most of it.

The palomino mare rolled off the taller vir and the two lay side by side on the bed, Meredith panting and Varan breathing hard. Varan’s prehensile tail curled around the Terran’s breasts, squeezing gently as she took a deep breath, savoring the musks in the room. “I’ve missed you, demef,” she said softly.

Meredith nuzzled the gray fur on the vir’s thigh. “I’ve missed you too, Varan. It feels so good to be with you again, and it’s good to feel Kashlanin gravity.” She chuckled and stretched, arching her back a few inches. “Makes me feel like I’ve lost weight.”

Varan laughed with her for a moment before gently unwrapping her tail from Meredith and rolling onto her side to look down the length of the mare’s body. “You have lost a little, I think,” she remarked.

“Really?”

“Yes. My tail goes around your hips farther than it did.” The vir repositioned herself so that she was lying face to face with the mare. “Aka, you said when you came to my quarters that you had something to tell me about. I’m afraid I didn’t give you a chance to tell me,” she said with a dip of her ears to show mild embarrassment.

Meredith blinked for a moment before smiling. “Yes, I recall there wasn’t much talking,” she giggled. “My mothers have asked me if I’ve thought of having children – “

“You as well? My family’s been asking, but they know I can’t until I leave active duty.” Her tail gestured a noncommittal shrug. “There’s still plenty of time. I’m not quite sixteen yet. So,” she sidled a bit closer and draped her arm over her lover, “what have you decided?”

“What makes you think I’m deciding anything?”

Varan’s feline pupils twitched a bit, widening. “I know you, beloved.” She smiled as the palomino mare frowned at her. “Come now, tell me.”

“Aka,” Meredith said, “the first thing I had to do was look at the company policy.”

“Yes?”

The mare nibbled at her lower lip for a moment before replying, “Transcosm’s policy says that they don’t mind if I get pregnant, but because of safety concerns they insist that I accept a position with them on either a planet or station until the child’s five years old.” Her ears dipped. “I can see their point, you know? Especially a ship with a working crew aboard, like the Kiss Me.”

A gentle hand caressed the side of Meredith’s face and she looked into Varan’s honey-gold eyes. “Whatever you decide, my love, I know you’ll make the right decision,” the vir said. “But I can understand their policy. Family, and especially children, is very important, and children need to be safe.” She grinned. “I have some news as well.”

“Oh?” The mare’s ears perked. “What is it?”

“I’ve put in for the promotional process for Nurdorwant,” Varan said with a happy downturn of her lips, “and been accepted.”

“Subcommander? That’s wonderful!” Meredith pulled the vir into a hug, which Varan returned. “I’ve heard you and Kiran talking about your Fleet’s promotional exams. If it’s anything like the Duty Officer rating, it must be brutal.”

“The process takes thirteen days,” Varan said, “covering everything.” The way she stressed the word danzak implied the entire galaxy, and Meredith couldn’t help but smile. “And it gets harder the higher you go. My tail shivers when I think of what the Captain’s exam would be like.” Meredith squirmed and snuggled closer as Varan’s tailspur scratched the mare’s back and buttocks. “But you can understand why - the higher one goes, the greater the responsibility.”

“I can imagine.” For a fleeting moment, the mare thought of being in Kwinton’s place.

“Besides, I heard a rumor.”

“Yes?”

Varan smiled. “I heard that Captain k’Jen is retiring.” Despite it not being a Kashlanin gesture, she winked as Meredith’s eyes widened.

“Retiring? He’s only – what, a hundred twenty?”

“Hundred and sixteen,” Varan corrected her, “and according to the rumor he’s wanting to spend more time with his family. He took some years off of active duty. He’s got three sons and a daughter by his mate.”

“So you might still be here if you get promoted.”

“That’s possible, yes.” The vir chuckled. “We might still be playing that wretched game.”

Meredith rolled her eyes. “I’m glad that you didn’t save the game last time. From what you tell me, Kirian’s attempt to play didn’t go well. I shudder to think of what those damned clowns could have done.”

Varan’s gaze went distant for a few seconds before she focused on her lover again. “Your paladin had basically died from all the damage it took. Kirian never had time to fight back.” She grinned toothily. “I suggested he start at the beginner’s level, and he dropped the matter entirely.” Both femmes chuckled, and the vir’s ear suddenly flicked. “Kras?”

“What?”

Varan raised her head, ears flicking. “What’s that sound?” Meredith couldn’t hear anything, but it made sense. They were on the Imperial side of the station, and their atmosphere was not as dense as Terran. The vir turned her head and said, “It's coming from your clothes.”

“My padd, probably.” The mare and the vir disentangled and Meredith sat up, then leaned over and scooped up her skirt and rooted around in a pocket. Sure enough, the folded computer had a blinking light on it. “Yes, that’s what it is,” and the mare unfolded the device and sat cross-legged on the bed to read it. “Fuji’s inviting us to lunch at Joe’s.” She glanced at the vir. “Interested?”

“I’d like to meet your friend, yes.” Varan slid a hand between Meredith’s buttocks and the bed and squeezed, smiling as the mare sighed. “Then you and I shall work off what we eat.”

“Ulnt, lir demef.”