Confirming Carter Bk. 04 Expansion Ch. 05

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but while I'm including some sexual content, I'm not doing long graphic scenes. I may throw in a longer scene occasionally, but I like doing the short little tease scenes as openers, or to break things up. Just trying something new.

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Interior-Bedroom

0610 Hours

Carter stirred as Larrin lifted her arm away and slipped out of the bed. She opened her eyes and watched as she moved quietly around the foot of the bed.

"Wait Larrin." Tammy said, sitting up and tossing the sheets aside, looking down at Kinai sprawled next to her.

She patted the bed beside her, then took Larrin's hand as she sat down.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Walleen...and his family." She said softly. "But you can't let it..."

"I do not. I was not to blame." Larrin said, squeezing her hand as she looked at her. "But thank you for your concern. I believe that we have made the best choice for our people. You will make it possible for the Travellers to not only survive, but to grow and prosper once again."

"From your lips to god's ear." Tammy said softly, leaning over and kissing her on the forehead.

"May I tell you something?" Larrin asked, turning so she was facing her.

When Tammy nodded, she continued.

"Were you not a queen of Atlantis, and Samantha's wife." Larrin smiled as she took Tammy's hand in both of hers. "I would ask my family to make you one of us. Your gentle ways, and practical manner would be a welcome addition to our family. And you would give us good offspring, strong sons, and beautiful daughters."

"I plan on having many strong sons, and beautiful daughters, and will need donors to make that possible." Tammy replied. "Would you allow your husbands to aid in this? They need not..."

"They will do as their queen requires, or I will take their seed for you myself." Larrin smiled.

"I'll need some too." Carter laughed as she sat up and slid off the bed. She looked over at Tammy as she pointed at Kinai. "But you need to do something about her first. She's starting to stink."

Interior-Kitchen

0630 Hours

After they had showered and dressed, they had gone into the kitchen, and Tammy had ordered food, then called down to the guard station giving orders to allow the senior staff to pass until told otherwise.

"Are you telepathic?" Kinai asked, looking at Sam and Tammy as they ate breakfast.

"No, our hearing is just very sensitive, much more so than the average human." Tammy told her.

"I'm curious why you would ask that question." Carter said. "What made you think we might be telepaths?"

"The first night I was here, we were going into the kitchen, but stopped to speak to Larrin." Kinai said. "You turned and spoke to Tammy in the bedroom, but did not raise your voice. A moment later, you acted as if she had responded to you."

"She did." Sam laughed. "She told me to get her some chocolate milk."

"There have been other instances where others have spoken, and you responded, or seemed to know what was said as they entered the room."

"Yes, I can hear someone clearly from the bedroom if I'm not wearing these." Sam said, pulling an ear plug from her ear. She sat it on the table and removed the other one, and sat it beside the first. "I don't wear them all the time. The damned things make me feel like I have a head cold."

"I don't bother with the ear plugs, I've learn to just tune it out." Tammy said.

"So you were not born this way, this is a recent change in your physiology?" Kinai asked. "It has to be, since you are not siblings, yet it affects you both."

"Yes." Tammy said, as Sam nodded.

"How did this come about? Was there a..."

"We're not comfortable discussing this subject with you Kinai." Sam told her. "We are as you see us, and you'll just have to accept that."

"As you will." Kinai said, sitting back in her chair.

"I too have noticed their hearing, strength, and other powers Kinai." Larrin said, then leaned closer as she said, "There are some on the council that believe that they are witches."

"Stop telling lies Larrin. Even in jest." Pharris said from the doorway, then held her arms out as she turned toward her.

Larrin got up and stepped into her arms, laying her head on her shoulder. They stood together, crying softly, then drew apart.

"We have suffered a great loss." Pharris said, drying her eyes. "He may not have always done the right thing..."

"Yes, he will be missed. He led his people well." Larrin said.

"We share your grief Pharris." Tammy said as she got to her feet.

"Will there be a funeral, or some kind of ceremony?" Sam asked, getting to her feet.

"It has been done, as is the way of his clan." Pharris told her. "Arrin represented the council."

"The clan elders are meeting as we speak to select a replacement." Pharris said. "They say they will make a choice within a day, but ask that you be given their answer."

She held out a piece of paper to Sam.

"What does it say?" Carter asked, reaching back for Tammy's hand.

"Not quite three hundred thousand will join." Pharris said. "More than forty-five thousand wish to go their own way."

"Just over thirteen percent." Kinai said softly

"They also wish that you be told that it was they, the clan elders that ordered his death."

"It doesn't matter now." Carter said. "Tell them we will welcome their new leader when they are chosen. We'd like to meet with the Traveller council as soon as possible, to receive their final answer."

"I will arrange it." Pharris said. "But if I may be excused, I have not slept, and..."

"Go." Carter said, walking over and putting her arms around her. "Rest, you can put your burden on us now. We will care for your people."

"Thank you my queen, but they are still my people." Pharris said, drawing back to look at her. "And they have never been a burden."

"What she said is true." Larrin said after Pharris had left. "Our people are not a burden. We serve because they need us too, but they care for our ships, our families..."

"I didn't mean it that..."

"I know, and that is not how she took it." Larrin said. "The thought was appreciated, I promise."

(-)

Interior-Apollo Bridge

0640 Hours

"All stations manned sir, but sickbay reports a run on aspirin and antacids this morning." Wilkins laughed.

"Copy that. I've been eating both like they were M&M's since I got out of my rack." Lorne grinned. "You have that list of coordinates for our destinations Wilkins?"

"Yes sir. Courses plotted and laid in." Wilkins replied. "We'll hit the closest one, Dorasmus first, then Moruchaan, and head home after we hit Wekeegau. Round trip time is estimated at seven hours."

"Take us out major." Lorne said, leaning back in his chair.

"Main engines at one quarter power, engaging hyperspace engines..."

(-)

Interior-Kitchen

0700 Hours

"OP's reports that the Apollo is away. They left about twenty minutes ago." Tammy said as she took her comm off and slipped it into her pocket. "They estimate the round trip at just over seven hours."

"So they'll be back in time for dinner." Sam smiled, looking down the table a Kinai.

"Tell me what's going to happen Kinai." She said. "I don't like going into negotiations blind."

"There will be no negotiations Samantha." Kinai smiled. "My partners have informed our people of your choice, and they will have your answer when they arrive."

"I thought you said there was no networking between your facilities." Tammy said. "Was that ano..."

"Yes, I did say that there is no networking between the centers." Kinai smiled. "I did not say there was no communication between them. That would be foolish."

"She got you there girlfriend." Sam grinned at Tammy, then looked back at Kinai. "But you have to admit, that is the way you made it sound."

"I was speaking to your staff, and considering how hostile Stephen was, revealing too much did not appear to be wise."

"That's true enough." Tammy said. "I don't think he's ever going to trust you considering how he met you."

"That does not matter." Kinai said. "The real question is, will you ever trust me, or my partners."

"Yes, we do." Sam said, looking over at Tammy and smiling when she nodded.

"And I have a good way to show you just how much we trust you." Tammy said, getting to her feet.

"All of you, come with me." She said as she started for the door.

(-)

Interior-Medbay

0720 Hours

"Good morning ladies." Susan said as they walked into the medbay. There were three nurses lying on beds with headsets on.

"Good morning Susan." Sam said. "Did we interrupt something?"

"I'm about to start a training session." Susan said as she turned back to the teaching machine.

"Hold up a second Susan." Tammy said as she came over. "How long will that take?"

"This module runs fifty-three minutes." Susan answered. "These nurses will be staffing the north pier med center. Today is their last day of training."

"Can I ask you to let me do something first?" Tammy asked.

"Of course. What training do you need?"

"Jumpers." Tammy said. "We need to take some up to the space station."

She walked over and took the headsets off the nurses, then walked over and handed one to Larrin.

"This is how I show my trust Kinai." She said as she turned to Kinai and held out a headset.

"I have already shown my trust by disclosing the locations of our facilities." Kinai replied.

"I know." Tammy smiled, leaning close and kissing her gently.

"Put that thing on." She told her as she put the last headset on.

Susan looked at all three of them, then tapped on the panel of the teaching machine.

"This should take about ninety seconds." She said.

"Sam, be ready to catch them is they look like..."

"I will." Sam said, nodding to Susan.

Susan pressed a button, then moved over to stand behind Kinai.

"You haven't met our friends, Larrin of the Travellers, and Kinai." Sam said as they waited for the process to end. "Her people will be joining us soon."

"That's good to hear." Susan smiled. "Oh, Dr. Keller has completed the main modules for the medical systems, but I guess she already told you that."

"I haven't spoken to Jennifer in a couple days." Carter told her. "Well, not socially."

"I heard about the drill." Susan said. "Just so you know, I keep six pints of your type on hand here. I told them I only had two when they called over for it, because I knew Ronin would bring you here first."

"Does Jennifer know that?" Carter asked.

"Does she need to?" Susan smiled.

"No, I guess she doesn't Dr. Arbann." Sam laughed.

Tammy shook her head as she took the headset off, smiling over at Susan.

"She still hasn't done all the training you have either, has she Dr. Arbann?"

"I do new lessons every day maam." Susan replied.

"Good." Tammy grinned. "Keep her a couple of steps behind you. Make her play catch up. But keep your teams up to date on anything new you find."

(-)

Interior-Space Station Cremonius

0745 Hours

"Next stop, jumper bay." Tammy said, then grinned at Sam. "Or do you think we should go over to the jumper plant and get some fresh ones?"

"Let's just go to the jumper bay." Carter laughed. "If we go over to the jumper factory without our teams, Ronin will spank both of us. We won't be able to sit down for a week!"

Tammy nodded as they walked down the corridor to the porter. She pulled her comm from her pocket, pressing the button as she put it on.

"Tammy to Zelenka." She said. "Are you on Radik?"

When he responded she said, "We're going up to the space station. Do you want to go?"

She smiled, nodding as she listened.

"Ok, meet us in the jumper bay. We're on the way."

(-)

"Where is Col. Sheppard, or the pilots?" Zelenka asked as he came up to them.

"You're looking at the pilots." Tammy grinned. "We just got the training."

"You're riding with me." Larrin told him as she turned toward the jumper on the left. "Let's go."

"But...you have never..."

"You better get going Radik." Tammy said as she started up the ramp of the jumper in the middle. "I don't think she's going to wait."

Zelenka looked at the jumper that Larrin had boarded, then back at Tammy. He hesitated, then ran up the ramp as it started to close.

"You good?" Sam asked Kinai.

"I am eager to see." Kinai grinned.

"Then let's go." Tammy said.

(-)

"Follow the leader girls." Tammy said as she put her jumper into a roll. "Loser buys the first round at Korra's."

"I'm in." Larrin said, pulling ahead of her and imitating the roll.

"And I." Kinai said as she let Larrin drop back then took her place while doing a series of rolls.

"Nope, you're out. You broke the rules sweetie." Tammy said. "You have to do exactly what I do."

"You did not say that." Kinai protested.

"Follow the leader." Tammy said slowly. "The name speaks for itself. You never played that game as a kid?"

"I did not play games as a child." Kinai said. "I demand another turn."

"Too late." Larrin said. "We're approaching the station."

"Copy that." Tammy said. "Take us in Larrin. Kinai, you follow, and I'll take up the rear."

"Bay six, the lights are still on." Larrin said. "Go easy on it, and don't scratch my new space station...Tammy."

"She's calling you out." Carter grinned, looking over at her.

"I'm not taking the bait." Tammy said, "She'll kill me if I put a dent in that station."

"Chicken." Carter laughed as she watched Larrin put her jumper down in the docking bay, with Kinai following a few seconds behind.

"I don't think this thing is going to fit..." Tammy said, slowing as she approached the station.

"It does look kind of tight." Carter muttered.

"Wave off...wave off." Larrin shouted. "You're going to hit..."

Tammy applied reverse thrust and turned the jumper sharply to port. The jumper bounced as it hit the deck and slid to a stop behind the other two.

"Are you going to be able to get the door open?" Carter asked as she got out of her seat.

"Let's see." Tammy said as she hit a button on the panel then shut the jumper down.

"I can't believe you did that." Larrin laughed as she came over and stood at the foot of the ramp.

"Me either. This bay looks like it will hold three jumpers, but I could tell I wasn't going to..."

"That was my fault." Larrin grinned. "I parked too far over, then Kinai did too. We need to learn to put them closer together..."

"This will work for now." Carter said as she walked down the ramp. "We'll just take this one when we leave. You can move the other two later."

"I think we'll put two jumpers per bay." Larrin said as they walked up to the other jumpers. "That will make unloading easier."

They saw Zelenka still sitting in his seat, his hands on the console as he stared straight ahead.

"You coming Radik?" Carter called.

Zelenka jerked, looking around, then getting to his feet.

"Are you okay Radik?" Larrin asked as he came down the ramp.

"I do not like doing aerobatics." He said, flushing slightly.

"Never fly with me Mr. Wizard." Tammy laughed.

"Let's go look at your quarters Larrin." Carter said as they headed for the porter. "Have you moved your family in yet?"

"They have been delayed, and it will be several weeks before my ship will be free." Larrin said, her disappointment obvious. "I had to move them to another area to cover for a ship that became disabled."

"No perks for being related to the boss huh?" Tammy grinned as they stepped into the porter.

"My senior wife will not allow it." Larrin said as she tapped a series of symbols on the panel. "She believes it is a leader's duty to ensure the wellbeing of the clan before her own."

"I think I'm going to like her." Carter smiled as the doors opened.

"She already speaks highly of you." Larrin said as she led them down a corridor. She stopped at a door and put her hand on the panel. "Pharris has been relating stories of your selflessness in dealing with your own people."

"I wouldn't call us selfless." Tammy said as she stepped through the door and looked around. "We live pretty well...and it looks like you will be too."

"You will not think that when there are eight people filling this space." Larrin laughed, plopping down on a long plush couch.

"I will be on the OPs deck." Zelenka said from the door. "I need to check the schematics for..."

"That's fine Radik. We'll let you know when we're ready to leave." Tammy told him.

"This is nice Larrin." Carter said, looking in doors as they swished open in front of her. She stopped at one at the end of the hall, looking inside. "Have you seen the office yet?"

"Yes, I need to rearrange it, and I may need more terminals." Larrin said as she got to her feet and walked down the hall to join her.

"This room is twice the size of my office, and there's already five terminals in here." Carter said, looking at her.

"There are more than ten terminals in our quarters on my ship, and there is no separate office space." Larrin laughed. "Most are in use around the clock."

"I have six terminals in my quarters on Moruchaan, Simeon has as many, if not more." Kinai said. "It is not unusual for me to use three or four at the same time."

"The world you mentioned is one of the stops the Apollo is making today." Carter said. "Simeon and the other person..."

"Dorja. She is our cousin."

"So Durrim Samar is a family business?" Carter asked.

"Yes, Matrei is our younger sister, and Norjon another cousin."

"Something else we need to keep to ourselves." Carter said softly.

"Yes, the family relationship and our linage are not widely known even within Durrim Samar." Kinai said.

Carter looked at Larrin, and she nodded as she said, "I see no need to speak of it."

"My next question is, are you going home with Simeon, or are you going to stay here in Atlantis?" She asked.

"I will do as my queens command, as I follow the wishes of my family now."

"It sounded to me like they do what you want them to do." Tammy said.

"Simeon and I, being the oldest, generally take the lead in family affairs." Kinai said, "But we listen to all when managing the group. I informed my partners of my intention to come to Atlantis after the Wraith attack, and they all consented. They have been coming to see my point of view as we learn more about you."

"Let's take this out to the living room where we can be comfortable." Carter said as she stepped through the door. They followed her down the hall and took seats around the room.

"I do not have any refreshments..." Larrin said.

"That's fine Larrin. There's water in the jumpers if we need it." Tammy said, laying out on the couch and laying her head in Sam's lap.

"I want you to stay." Carter said, looking over at Kinai.

"Me too! Can she sleep with us?" Tammy laughed. Carter ignored her as she went on.

"I'd like to put you to work." She said. "First by bringing us up to speed on just what Durrim Samar does, or can do. Second, by helping us with the androids. You seem very knowledgeable about them."

"No more sex toy?" Tammy pouted, looking up at her.

"How you answer that last question will determine how cooperative I will be with your first two requests." Kinai said, smiling at Tammy.

"You want to be her sex toy?" Carter laughed.

"And yours." Kinai said lightly. "The life of an academic, which is what we are, is abysmally boring. I have had more fun in the last three weeks living in Atlantis than I have in almost a century. The last three days with you have been a refreshing change to the stuffy life I normally lead."

"I'll have to think about it..."

"She's gonna do it." Tammy laughed, getting to her feet and dancing in front of the couch.

"Let's think about it up on the OPs deck." Larrin said as she stood up. "I'd like to see what Radik is doing, and there's more training I'd like to do..."