All That Glitters Ch. 04

Ch 4

A trial and a party, more scientific work

This chapter sees a trial and a New Year's Party. The scientists tackle a much bigger job.

Because of the amount of abbreviations in this story, I include a glossary:

Adm. Admiral, naval rank (see Cmdr.) -- above a captain

Capt. Captain, naval rank -- usually a ship's commander

CCO Chief Communications Officer, corporate position

Cdr. Commander, naval rank -- one grade below captain

CIO Chief Information Officer, corporate position

CP Confederation of Planets, referring to the losing side of the Terran Unification War, or just the War

Cmdr. Commodore, first of the admiral ranks (one star), it is followed by Rear Admiral (RAdm. two star), Vice Admiral (VAdm. three star), Fleet Admiral (FAdm. four star, in this story a Sector Commander or equivalent), and Admiral (Adm. five star, usually senior command positions such as Chief of the Navy)

Comp Communication device / personal computer, usually worn on the wrist. Everyone has one, though there are levels of sophistication above the ordinary

Coms O Communications Officer, naval position in charge of comms

CV Cargo Vessel (supply ship)

CPV Corporate Yacht, Corporate Private Vessel (i.e. CPV Liramor One)

CPO Chief Petty Officer, a naval rank, in the story it usually refers to the Boatswain, the senior enlisted rank of a ship, who literally owns the ship, he/she signed for it. The ship's captain commands, the Boatswain makes sure everything gets done

CSec Chief of Security, corporate position

Dir Director, as in Director of Operations, corporate position

EA/PA Executive / Personal Assistant, corporate position

Exec, Ex O Executive Officer, a ship's principal administrative officer. On small ships the 2 ^nd in command and Ex O can be one and the same. On large ships, they will be separate positions. Americans will tell you it's XO not Ex O, but I'm not American.

EVA Extra Vehicular Activity, in this story refereeing to a space suit for working in space

FTL Faster Than Light, referring to the multi-light year jump drive, military warships and some private/corporate yachts have a thirty-five light year jump capability, while large supply ships usually vary between fifteen to twenty light year capability

HR Human Resources, an administrative function

IFF Identify Friend or Foe, electronic identification system used between naval vessels to identify friendly vessels

JAG Judge Advocate General, military legal system of judges and lawyers

Lt. Lieutenant, naval rank, one grade below LtCdr.

LtCdr. Lieutenant Commander, naval rank -- one grade below Cdr.

Maj. Major, a military rank in the Army or Marines, equivalent to navy LtCdr.

NS Naval Ship (i.e. NS Wimple)

PSec Head of Personal Security, usually the team lead

PV Personal Yacht, Private Vessel (i.e. PV Delilah)

Ops O Operations Officer

SLO Senior Legal Officer, corporate position

SLt Sub-Lieutenant, a naval rank one grade below Lt. and one grade above Ensign

SOps Senior Operations Officer

Tac O Tactical Officer, naval position in charge of tactics

TGA Terran Union Governmental Authority

TUSN Terran Union Space Navy

VSC Veterans Security Company, a personal security company that Liea uses

There is little attempt to explain the back story in this chapter so reading the previous chapters is important to understanding what is happening.

As before, I claim sole responsibility for the story line. This story is a fantasy, with no basis in reality. Any similarity that you may perceive to current events, people, or situations real or imaginary is completely unintended. Look no further than the story line for its intent and purpose.

SaddleRidder has been instrumental in the editing process of this story. Big shout out with thanks to her for all her help, without which this story would be the poorer.

Please rate and comment. But keep your comments respectful. If you rant and rave or are disrespectful in your commentary, it will be deleted.

'Nuff said...enjoy.

Liramor-23, 109 Piscium Star System, 106 Light Years from Terra

The Tribunal was conducted two days after the return of NS Wimple to the platform. In typical Navy fashion, even if it was conducted by civil authorities, it was swift.

Four scientists were charged with desecrating the cemetery site in direct contravention of orders and with reckless endangerment to the crew of the NS Wimple by bringing an alien body aboard in an open and uncontained manner.

The intent to move the body to the platform for study, in probably the same manner as they had brought it aboard the NS Wimple, meant that they could have also recklessly endangered the thousands of personnel who worked on Liramor-23.

Twenty-three separate charges of violations of Local Authority orders, Navy Law and scientific protocols were made against each scientist.

Due to the limited punishment available to station authority under Navy Law, sufficient punishment could not be imposed against the scientists. Thus, it was determined that the accused would face Court Martial at a time and place to be determined.

As the orders for the mission came directly from TUSN HQ vice through a Naval base or station, that meant they would likely be tried at TUSN HQ, or a judge and legal team would be brought to Liramor-23. The accused were placed in the brig pending a decision as to their disposition.

Dr. Hitron personally apologized to Capt. Whatt for slapping him. She explained that in the heat of the moment the suggestion that she had lost control over her personnel had caused her to react in a non-professional manner. The apology was graciously accepted by Capt. Whatt who read it into her Tribunal to show that she was contrite, even though it had not been a public apology. He also indicated that she had worked tirelessly to keep her people under control and respectful of ship's procedures during the quarantine, reminding them frequently that it was scientists who had placed the ship in those circumstances.

Dr. Hitron was left as Head of the Piscium Scientific Investigation Team but received a reprimand on her personal file and was fined C2,000 for her actions. She was very thankful to Capt. Whatt for supporting her during Tribunal. She knew that her punishment could have been much worse, including the real possibility of losing the position of head of team. That would have destroyed her career.

Dr. Hitron called the remaining members of the science team together to admonish them over the actions of the four disgraced scientists, in particular moving the body into an unprepared site and in an un-approved manner where there had been a real possibility of a breach of quarantine.

Having been subjected to the very uncomfortable actions of the ship-wide quarantine on the NS Wimple, and the subsequent scorn of the crew of the ship, the scientists did not object to anything they were told. They were grateful that the quarantine actions would not be applied to them on board the platform and that they still had the use of the platform to conduct their investigation.

The scientists quickly decided that additional protection would be necessary and would boost the autopsy laboratory on the platform to a level five containment lab vice that of a level three, despite the greater inconvenience that would place on them. They would pro-actively act as a unit and as individual scientists to ensure no compromise to the environments. They had learned their lesson. Fortunately, no one had been infected or died due to the actions of some of their own.

Their goal now was to prove that the trust they had been granted by the platform and the crew of the NS Wimple was justified. They would work hard to do just that.

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

The worlds now inhabited by humans all spun at different speeds and around their axis and around their system's stars. Whether or not the world you lived on had a twenty-hour day and a fourteen-month year, or a thirty-six-hour day and eight-month year, all humans in space worked to the same clock. Once you lifted from a planet, all space stations, constructions stations, mining platforms and ships in space where on the twenty-four-hour day of Greenwich Mean Time of Terra. This meant that despite differences between planets, mankind in space kept time with the home world.

With the many religious and civic holidays on the different worlds, work in space would cease if humankind were to observe all of them. The one civic holiday tradition that was observed by all in space was the new year based on Greenwich Time.

It was New Year's Eve, the last day of the year 2482. For two days Liramor-23 would party. Except for manning critical systems, no work would be conducted on platform. The men and women of the NS Wimple were invited to attend, an invitation they gleefully accepted.

Crews from different shifts and from the Wimple played hard during the day, competing against each other for prizes and bragging rights, while the kitchen staff of the various cafeterias and messes worked hard to prepare an evening meal befitting a New Year's Eve party. Everyone dressed in their best outfits, though the coloured jumpsuits of the platform, Miner's Blue predominating along Navy Black Undress jumpsuits, were common.

Captain Whatt and his senior officers, minus the Ex O, who was commanding the Wimple in the absence of the Captain, were dressed in Navy Mess Dress of navy black and crisp white shirts, the gold buttons and bars of rank gleaming, miniature medals pinned on their left breasts.

Senior personnel of Liramor-23 were re-splendid in expensive designer suits and dresses. Though none as expensive as that which Fiona Marsh now wore. Her shimmery new ball gown brought every eye in the executive mess to her, much to her delight. She would have to send a special thank-you note to Liea Samson whose gift of two very expensive ball gowns and two equally expensive and rather scandalous club dresses - that she could never wear on platform, though she did not look forward to her next visit to Liramor Prime - had arrived the day before on the last supply ship of the year.

Fiona danced with all the men present. While the ratio of men-to-women was roughly equal, it was still weighted fifty-five to forty-five in favor of the men, which meant she never lacked a partner. Despite this, she found herself dancing more frequently with a certain navy captain.

Capt. Whatt found himself once more with Fiona Marsh in his arms. He liked the feel of her in her gown. The sensation of the silky material as it moved through his hands was incredible. Especially since the material clung so tightly to the delightful form of Ms. Marsh.

The gown hugged her body like a second skin. And, like skin, it felt smooth and deliciously warm with her body in his arms. He wondered what it would feel like if he were naked and rubbing up against her in that gown.

Fiona was pressed close to Bouyé and noticed the not so subtle indication of his arousal. She hadn't expected that but was not displeased by its presence. She still had a few more dances on her dance card with other senior members, but she wanted to be in Bouyé's arms at midnight, still some minutes away. The party would begin to thin out not long afterwards, giving her more time with him.

"Save a dance for me at midnight, please?" She asked huskily of her partner as the song came to an end. His eyes shown and his smile blossomed in response. He gave her a nod and kissed her hand.

"I will be here when you need me, Ms. Marsh," he replied.

The two separated for a few minutes only to come together just before the countdown to the New Year. The pair counted down with the others and then gave the traditional kiss at the end, only the kiss was far from traditional and went on much longer than they had anticipated.

The two clung to each other dancing slowly in a circle for half-an-hour longer before Fiona noticed that more than half of the party goers had disappeared.

Without saying a word, she took hold of Bouyé's hand and pulled him into the corridor that led to the executive quarters and her private chambers.

She called up some music and they danced gently around in the bedroom. Fiona took her time to slowly remove his clothes until he was only left with a pair of boxers, heavily tented in front.

Much to her pleasure, she noted that he kept himself very fit, his strong arms held her lightly to his body. She slid her hands across his muscular chest, revelling in the feel. Her fingers slid over the well-defined abs. Washboard abs, her mother had called them, though Fiona had no idea what a washboard was. Her hands moved around his back and pulled him to her.

Bouyé finally got the chance to feel her new gown against his mostly naked skin before reaching around behind her and finding the tab of her zipper. The high-grade material meant that there wasn't even a whisper of sound as it slid down its track.

With a smile, she moved back slightly and shrugged her shoulders. The gown slid swiftly down to pile half-way down her body, bunched at her hips. Due to the tightness of the dress and wanting to feel the silkiness of the material against her skin, she had not worn a bra.

Bouyé pulled her back into his embrace and felt the renewed heat of her now bare skin against his own. He kissed her then, long and delicately, his mouth working gently against her own. The feel of his lips on her's was almost too much for the two of them and he more felt, than heard, the moan that escaped her lips.

Pushing him back, Fiona slipped her hands down and pushed the dress over her hips. It slid with a whisper to the floor. She stepped out of it, now clad only in a lacy white thong. She reached out to his hips and helped him out of his boxers, only to have him help her in turn with her thong.

With a smile, Bouyé lifted her in his arms and moved the few steps to her bed. Laying beside her, his hands moved gently over her soft skin, stirring her desire even more. Lips descended to hers and then moved outward to her ear. He nibbled gently, causing her to giggle.

His lips followed the graceful line of her neck downward until he found her breast. One hand softly fondled her left breast, while his mouth moved over and stimulated her right. He tugged on her pointed nipple, sucking it into his mouth. He worked her breasts with mouth and hand for several minutes before his hand moved down to her stomach and he slid over to trap her left breast with his mouth, briefly abandoning her right.

His hand slid over her mound and further down, Fiona opening her legs to give him access. He soon found the wetness between them. Fingers teased her, sliding along the slippery lips, gliding through them to toy with her inner cavity, sliding up and finding the nubbin near the top. His fingers toyed with the nubbin, his mouth her nipples, sending her into spasms of pleasure.

He swung his legs over, Fiona welcoming him between hers. She hugged him tight as he gently entered her. The motion was slow but continuous and she sighed lustily as he glided inside. Their lovemaking was long and tender, neither in a hurry to bring it to an end. But, in the fullness of time, that end came in a mutually blissful manner.

The two cuddled together and fell asleep, not waking until well into the next morning. After all, they had no work that day so still had time to play.

Hotel Eclipsa, Liramor Prime, Thirty Light Years from Terra

Liea walked out into the hotel's entrance area dressed casually, if you could call designer pants, blouse and jacket worth over a thousand credits casual. She moved to the reception desk and asked for the manager.

"I find myself in need of an assistant for several days. Is there anyone here that you could lend me to help with some issues until after the New Year?" She asked. "I will, of course, pay for the service."

The manager brought forth four of his 'best' people for her needs. All were young men.

"Sir, I am a woman and, while I do enjoy the attention and company of young men, there are times when a woman is a preferable companion." She said. "I spoke with Lissette Blanche the other day and found her to be quite informative and helpful. Would you allow her to assist me?" She didn't tell him of the personal efforts that Lissette had gone to in acquiring many of the specialty items that Liea desired, the perfume Ballimer's Moon being the first of a few select items that Lissette was capable of tracking down.

"I would be remiss if I did that, madame. She is not one of our better employees. Letting her serve you and having her fail in something of importance to you would not reflect well on the hotel, madame," he intoned.

"Nonetheless, your selection of only male assistants does not please me. I would prefer the aid of a female rather than that of a male. In fact, I would prefer the assistance of Ms. Blanche. Should she not live up to the grand expectations of the Eclipsa, you may fire her." She gave the manager a no-nonsense look that told him she had made up her mind. The manager saw that challenging her decision would not place him in a good position with the client. He wisely relented.

A pleased Liea headed back to her room, Lissette in tow. She was somewhat curious as to why the manager did not think highly of her as she had found her helpful and concerned for her welfare when they had spoken before.

"What was that all about?" she asked of her new aid once the door was closed.

"The manager has 'amorous' intentions towards me that I have not responded to in a manner that pleases him. He has given me less than stellar performance reviews in the last few months, trying to pressure me to relent. If I could, I would resign and move to a new hotel, but I would need a good letter of recommendation that I am sure he would not provide," Lissette stated.

"Unfortunately, since he is the manager, it is difficult to make a complaint against him. So, I'm stuck here until next year when he is moved, or until such time as he finds someone else to harass."

"Do you get paid well here?" Liea asked.

"I don't get paid as well as I would like, but better than the average worker. Though that could change if the manager continues to give me lower than expected performance reviews. I could lose my seniority and go back to being a simple receptionist vice a shift lead," Lissette lamented.

"If you don't mind me asking, how much do you make as shift lead and how much is the average wage here?" Liea wanted to know.

"The average wage is C2,240 a month or fourteen credits an hour based on a forty-hour week. I make C3,000 as a shift lead, about eighteen credits seventy-five an hour," Lissette told her. "It gives me options."

"Did I make a good choice in asking for your as my aid?" Liea asked pointedly.

"I worked the concierge desk for close to a year before being moved to reception. As I have already demonstrated, I am familiar with all kinds of things that people could and would ask for from that desk and, more importantly, how to find them.

"As shift lead, I am sort of a mini-manager. Not as well placed or knowledgeable of hotel functions as an assistant manager but I have a broad knowledge of how the hotel and its personnel function. Besides taking care of and assigning duties to the people on my shift, my primary duty is that of a trouble-shooter dealing with the petty problems of the hotel's clients. Considering how rich some of the clients are, their pettiness is often embarrassing.