Ellie Blackmore, The Space Pirate Ch. 03

Ellie Blackmore, The Space Pirate

Chapter III

Ellie awoke surrounded by warm furry bodies and she smiled at the pleasant sensation. The girls had slept nearly nine hours and she felt invigorated, far more than usual in fact. The two Tuarians mumbled and complained as Ellie rustled around and slid out of bed to use the bathroom, nearly stumbling over a sleeping Lak whom was knocked out on the deck buried in a pile of blankets.

She took in his huge, slumbering form, touched that he'd given up his bed to the girls and slept on the hard steel all night long. She used the facilities, then returned to the bedside to gaze down at him again as she struggled with her feelings. She should be angry and her every thought caught up with how to escape the clutches of the pirates, yet she felt an irrational attraction for him and longed to be at his side. Remembering her vow of the prior evening, she shrugged off her mental troubles and silently stripped off her rumpled clothing. She laid down in front of him and snuggled her back into his warmth, sighing in pleasure.

She'd never done such a thing before and wondered now what had taken her so long. His arm went around her and he nestled her closer to his body while he sighed deeply in his sleep. Her hand naturally seemed to find his and she grasped a big finger in her small fist. It comforted her beyond reason and she felt safer and more secure than since she was a small child. Sleep came quickly to her despite her efforts to stay awake and enjoy his presence. A tiny smile of contentment graced her beautiful face as she dropped off to never land.

Awakened by a soft kiss on her brow, Ellie opened her eye to see Ezri wrapped in a toga like garment and beaming down at her.

"Eggs, bacon, and sourdough toast?" she asked softly, not want to wake up the slumbering giant behind Ellie. Ellie nodded and gave her a brilliant smile as a way of thanks. Dapa entered her vision and she kissed Ellie as well, her lips soft and wet as an Earthen, early morning dew. She crooked a finger at Ellie and then vanished into the bathroom with Ezri. Curious, Ellie followed and found the two conniving in low whispers. At the sight of a naked Ellie, they both got shocked looks of surprise on their faces.

"Ellie! What's happened to you? You look amazing!" Dapa whispered in awe.

"Yeah, what in the galaxy happened? Your muscles. Your cheekbones! Your hair!" Ezri squeaked out.

Alarmed, Ellie looked at her naked body in the mirror and immediately saw what the commotion was about. Her arms were more defined than ever, the biceps and triceps clearly poking out more than they ever had, even when she'd went through an intense work out phase while in boot camp. Her thighs and calves were in the same shape, much to her amazement. Her eye wandered up her body to take in her face. The cheekbones were more defined while her lips were plump and inviting. Even her eye seemed different. The orb was brilliant white and her iris was shining like a star. In the past her eyes had always had glints of green in them but now the remaining one was bright green like an emerald. At loss for words, she could only drink in the image that stared back at her and try to come to grips with the changes in her body.

"Do you think it was his blood?" Dapa asked in amazement.

"It could be his saliva. He did kiss you if I remember right," Ezri chipped in.

"Well, he gave me a drop of cum too, could that be it?" Ellie asked, while still in mild shock, shivering as she remembered the all consuming orgasm he'd given her. The three checked her out for a few more minutes with the Tuarians growing cheeky and teasing her about how sexy she was now.

Getting back to the business at hand, the troublemakers quickly outlined their plan to her, a plan that seemed like a great idea but Ellie was a bit shy about it. At her friends quiet urging, she finally gave in and prepared to sneak back in the bedroom.

On the count of five, because Tuarians were always a bit different, the three vixens rushed in the room and tackled the sleeping giant, giggling like the girls they were and tickling him until he was thrashing about, consumed in laughter.

They did their best to hold him down but it was all in vain. Ellie came the closest as she found a new strength in her arms and legs, but he still easily overpowered her. Three firm set of buttocks were firmly spanked and turned a rosy red before he was finished, and three pussies were leaking warm juices down lithe thighs.

"Wenches," he growled with a wink, "a male can't find any sleep around here."

In short order breakfast was served and while eating, Lak had a few questions.

"So, Miss Ellie. How'd you like to pick out an eyepatch today?" His look was so endearing that Ellie couldn't have turned him down if she'd wanted to.

"Of course, Captain. I'd love to."

"There's that word again," he complained.

"Oops, sorry. Lak, I'd love to."

"Still a bit formal," he continued, with a hangdog look about him. Her heart melted a little and she giggled to herself.

"Sweetheart, I'd love to spend the day picking out eyepatches with you. I can think of nothing more romantic than that," she teased with a sly wink, surprised that she was growing so familiar with him.

"Ah, much better. Now I can enjoy my breakfast," he said with a satisfied smile. "Also, sweet Ellie," he continued, "There's quite a change in you this morning, have you noticed that?"

"I did! Well, the girls did first. I feel so good and full of energy. Even my eye seems to see things better," she said excitedly. "Any idea why?"

"I'd have to ask Taa to run a few tests to know for sure. You're the first female Earthling I've ever seen, much less given blood to. Does it disturb you, these changes?"

"Of course, a little bit anyway. More like surprised me. Like I said, I feel amazing this morning."

"Well, you look amazing as well, and that eye is simply stunning," he complimented.

"She sure does. I could just nibble her all over," Dapa piped in with a cheeky smile, horny as usual and seemingly unable to stop her curious tail from caressing her captain's arm. Ellie returned the caress by rubbing softly between her little green horns, bringing a gasp of pleasure and a smile from the furry beauty.

"Well, after you beauties finish feeling each other up and eating breakfast, look me up. I'll be on the bridge. Miss Ellie, wear something substantial. We're going hunting!" With that he stood and left the room, leaving the girls to wonder what he had in mind.

In the load out room next to the armory, Ellie was talking with Ezri.

"What'd he mean by hunting?" Ellie asked.

"I'd take him at his word. He always means what he says."

"So hunting on a planet somewhere for some kinda creatures?"

"I'd bet on it. He does love a good hunt. In fact, he usually takes most of the game we eat aboard the ship. Our tenderloin last night was from some critter he killed before we took your ore." Ellie nodded thoughtfully. She'd never hunted before, but knew it was a thing if one wanted fresh meat. It was a rarity on most ships as the crews preferred synthetic meat without having to kill their own on some strange planet. Apparently the captain liked the adventure, which she had no problem with as her Earthling ancestors had come from the rugged midwest of the North American continent and had all hunted to stay alive.

She liked to fancy herself a tough, independent person just like her distant relatives.

Ezri helped her pick out a dark grey uniform with built in elbow and knee pads as well as integrated light body armor. She figured it was best to stay on the safe side of things. The outfit was heavily engineered, but with her newfound strength it seemed light as a feather once she'd donned it. She topped it off with a light grey helmet, liking how it looked perched on her black head of hair.

"On to the bridge. Let's see what 'ol Cappy has in store for us," she said jauntily, and led the way to the elevator.

Lak took in her appearance with a happy smile.

"I see you took me seriously. Thank you, most beings don't initially. I think you'll make a good hunting partner." She colored a bit at his words and gave him a beautiful smile, her most genuine one yet and he gave her a wink in return.

"Dar!" he barked out.

"Yes, sir!" the first mate answered from his console.

"You have the helm. Stay in orbit until Captain Blackmore and I return."

"Aye, aye, Captain! Stay safe and happy hunting!" he answered. Lak offered his arm to Ellie and escorted her to the fighter hanger where the ship's attack fighters were tied down. As they approached, a ramp slid out of the side of the craft and lowered itself to the deck. Lak had to duck to get through the door while the header just cleared Ellie's helmet. He checked for his rifle that was locked in a rack and ensured he had several magazines of ammunition. There was also a large knife, a hatchet, and two canteens of water hanging off a nearby utility belt.

"Do I get a rifle?" Ellie asked hopefully.

"When we build a little trust, Captain Blackmore. Until then, I'll ensure your safety." Ellie rolled her eye in return, but smiled to herself. She'd expected no other answer. He smacked her ass and kissed the top of her helmet.

"Strap in, beautiful. Here we go!" he ordered. She rubbed her tight little bottom, enjoying the lingering sting of his palm, then stuck her tongue out at him when she saw him laughing silently. Smiling inwardly at his boyishness, she sat down and buckled in for the ride.

As they lifted off she knew immediately she was in the hands of an exceptional pilot. It seemed like the craft moved with his thoughts. Smooth and graceful, yet purposeful, were the words she'd use to describe the feeling. In a flash they were outside the ship and ripping towards a small, greenish blue planet that filled the viewport within minutes.

"How's the atmosphere?" she asked curiously, noting the absence of space suits in their craft.

"Much like Earth but a little more dense. Also, the O2 levels are a bit below 19.5%, which as you know is generally a minimum for safe human habitation. I have a half face mask for you and a tank of pure oxygen. We'll set you up when we hit the ground. I shouldn't have any problems because my species can get down around 17% before we have issues." Ellie nodded in assent, then watched him closely as he tilted the fighter to the proper angle of attack for entering the atmosphere.

She was taken aback by his skills. Most pilots entered an atmosphere on autopilot, not taking a chance on bouncing off the thicker layer or coming in too steep and burning up from the high friction generated on the underbelly of the craft. He handled it adroitly while she watched his hands on the yoke, bringing them swiftly and safely to a lower altitude where he began flying it like a normal aircraft.

"Well done, honey," she exclaimed in awe. He smiled happily at her endearment and flipped the craft over in a barrel roll while she whooped in excitement.

Catching the spirit of the hunt, she began peppering him with questions about their game. He told her of the many different species down below and the ways they'd survived by adapting to predators and the ever changing environment.

They spotted several creatures over the next hour as they circled the area that he hoped would contain their quarry.

Suddenly, he banked hard to the right and held the craft in a tight orbit so she could get her eye on their prey.

"It's a Ralek!" he half shouted over the roar of the engines. "Look at the color of his skin. It's fascinating." She let a cry of surprise at her first glimpse of the creature. It's hide had nearly all the colors in the spectrum on one part or another of it's body. From bright red, to brilliant green, to the darkest black, the critter was unbelievably beautiful. It was also as large as an ore mining machine. Easily fifteen feet tall and twenty five long, it was huge by anyone's standards. The long swooping neck and equally long tail reminded her of the dinosaurs of Earth she'd learned about in ancient history class.

"We're gonna kill that monster?" she asked in disbelief.

"You bet. There's plenty of meat on it. Food for a year if we can get 'er back aboard before it spoils. Once we have it down, we'll signal for help from the crew."

Suddenly, a thought struck her. "What's this hunt got to do with an eyepatch?" He grinned and pointed down at the multihued Ralek.

"The leather that beast wears will make lots of 'em, with any color you might need to match your uniforms or civilian wear." He tapped his head with a gloved hand. "Always thinking, ya know!"

She couldn't help but smile at him. He was so sincere in his wish to make her happy that he melted her heart. She reached out to touch his arm and was rewarded with a brilliant smile, his biggest yet while she'd been around him. Leaning across, she impulsively pecked him on the cheek, surprising him so much the craft lurched sideways into a slip that had him fighting for control while he giggled like a mischievous little boy.

"Let's go get 'em, big fella!" she hollered in excitement. Lak immediately dove for the ground making her shriek in fear. Expertly, he brought the fighter to a brief hover and set it down in the long grass, then flipped off the engines.

Exiting his seat, he scrounged up her O2 tank and mask while explaining how they functioned. He strapped it on her, then wrapped the utility belt twice around her slim waist and buckled it, saddling her with the knife, hatchet, and canteens.

"Ready, lover?" he asked with a grin.

"You bet, lead on, Captain!" she responded happily.

It took nearly an hour for them to sneak up on the wily beast. They spooked it twice but they finally got close enough for Lak to line up a good, ethical shot. Ellie gasped in surprise when the plasma round took it right behind the ear and exploded in it's brainpan, blowing yellow matter and thick, goopy blood sky high. The creature toppled over, dead in an instant.

"Yes!" Lak exclaimed happily as he trotted up to the beast. "We'll eat good for sure! I love Ralek backstraps."

"Um, shouldn't we give it a minute?" Ellie asked through her half mask. "I seem to remember reading that dinosaur type critters have a rudimentary nervous system. They can be dangerous for quite awhile after we think they might be dead."

"Naw, we'll be fine. This isn't the first one I've taken," he said proudly, "I'm pretty familiar with them." He freed the knife from her belt and approached the dead beast. She followed closely behind him and watched carefully as he located it's sternum with a big thumb, then plunged the knife deep to begin gutting the animal. Ellie caught a flicker of movement from the corner of her eye just before the beast's tail spasmodically smashed into Lak's torso in a dying death throe. She heard a deep grunt as the impact flung him into her violently and she had the briefest sensation of flying before her body struck a nearby tree, then her world went horribly dark.

Some time later she awoke, painfully aware of a tugging on her recently broken arm. She opened her eye to see a nasty creature gnawing on her, luckily the cast hadn't been removed yet and was protecting her from serious injury. It growled and whined, shaking it's head as it tried to bite deeper. She froze in shock at the sight of the thing. It's long yellow teeth dripped with what she thought was venom as it worried her arm. It had six legs and a stubby tail that wagged about with its movements. It was also covered in nasty green scales that glimmered in the light of the planet's brightest moon. In just a few seconds she recovered from her shock and started thinking with a clarity that she'd never had before. In a flash she drew her hatchet and chopped it down between the creature's eyes. Blood and gore showered her upper body as she worked her hatchet loose and hacked at it again and again until it ceased moving.

Nimbly, she hopped to feet and surveyed her immediate surroundings, then froze in alarm. Lak was laying on his belly ten feet away with his limbs splayed wildly about him. She found herself hoping that none of them were broken badly. To make matters worse, she counted eight of the green predators like the one she'd killed, ripping and tearing at the Ralek carcass.

Quiet as a mouse, she slid over to Lak's side and picked up his rifle, hoping beyond hope it wasn't protected by a user-only microchip. She quickly shouldered it but it didn't come alive like her own rifle would have. The chip implanted in her hand wasn't recognized of course and would only work for her rifle. Cursing Lak roundly for not giving her a blaster, she checked him out quickly, finding that he was unconscious but breathing steadily.

He was laying on his right arm while his left was flung out to the side. She held the rifle close to his hand and it vibrated, then a small LED lit up near the safety. When she pulled it a foot away, the rifle went back to sleep. At least he had a chip in both hands, probably imbedded in his index fingers, she thought quickly. Most soldiers and men of combat did the same, in case one hand or arm was rendered useless they had a backup in the other.

Checking on the predators, she saw a couple of them creeping up on her and Lak. Her thinking hadn't slowed down much, but at the sight of the critters it kicked into overdrive.

"Sorry, honey," she murmured as she drew her hatchet. She ripped the glove from Lak's left hand and rapidly located the chip in his index finger, then splayed his fingers wide on the soft ground. One of the creatures growled, then broke into a run and she knew she had only seconds to act. She chopped down hard, cleanly amputating his index finger. Still on autopilot, she jammed the bloody finger in her mouth, then brought the rifle to her shoulder as she spun around to confront the charging predators. Luckily, the microchip was close enough to the receiver and the rifle buzzed, coming to life just as she pulled the trigger.

A bolt of plasma took the charging beast in between the eyes, blowing his head to bits. She followed up with seven more rapid shots, knocking the remaining critters down one at a time as they ran at her, growling and chattering in anger. As she swept the rifle in a semicircle searching for any more threats, she became aware of the bloody stump leaking blood onto her tongue. Seeing no other threats, she spat it on the ground, hacking and coughing at the coppery taste left on her tongue.

Feeling faint, she plopped down on her ass and closed her eye. A wave of heat swept over her and she thought she'd throw up her breakfast. She took deep breaths to fill her lungs with oxygen, then realized her mask had been dangling from its harness for who knows how long.

She slapped it over her mouth and inhaled deeply, sighing in relief as the fresh O2 filled her lungs. The ambient light seemed to get brighter, but she knew the moon was setting, making her wonder why. She also felt a huge wave of energy flow over her, making her think Lak's blood in her mouth was having a massive effect on her faculties. The thought made her remember his finger and she picked it up, then stuffed it in her breast pocket for safekeeping and also further use if needed.

Rolling Lak over revealed an armband that she knew performed several different functions. She scrolled through the applications imbedded in it until she found the one for the emergency beacon locator that was housed onboard the fighter. She quickly activated it and waited a few seconds until it flashed a "message received" signal from the orbiting pirate ship. His bloody stump caught her eye and she immediately felt bad for not addressing it sooner. She hacked a sleeve off her uniform and used it as a bandage, tying it tightly around his hand to staunch the flow of blood.