Starship Fafnir

When the imperial survey teams first arrived at planet Earth, they didn't expect much from orbit. The surface was covered in bombed out cities, and beyond that, irradiated wasteland all the way to the shores of the toxic seas. The theory was that the primitives of the planet, humans they had been called, had destroyed themselves in a nuclear war six-hundred years prior.

So, it was a miracle that the survey team was able to recover any viable DNA from the ruins. The biosamples were sent back to the Empire for study, and the recovered genome was complete enough to clone the species back from extinction.

Cloning had saved several sapient species from extinction in the past, but resurrecting an altogether dead race, one who it was believed had brought it upon themselves at that, raised many ethical concerns. The fact was, clones didn't have the rights of natural born subjects in the empire. Endangered species like the Threesh and the Tarine had been given a choice to go extinct or to live as second-class citizens at best, slaves at worst. Not that their descendants were given that choice, but the other option was complete annihilation by a supernova or the Singularity swarm.

Humans weren't around to give their consent to be slaves. However, other voices in the Empire thought that while the humans should have the chance to live again, they clearly couldn't be trusted with autonomy anyway, or weapons of any kind. It was debated back and forth for years, until finally it was decided that humans could be introduced back into the "wild" in small numbers at a time. So, a small batch of cloned human slaves was bred, 200,000 with a million more on the way if they proved to be a success.

The imperial geneticists had no interest in releasing an army of highly aggressive primitives into the galaxy at large, so the first generation onward were modified to be less independent and more docile. However, they proved to be very industrious, and required little to no direct guidance when they were given a task. They were also much more intelligent than they appeared, and could often keep up mentally with their masters if they had sufficient teaching beforehand.

Since they were never cloned in large numbers, and because they were mammals, humans were considered rare and exotic. So, it was only a matter of time before they found themselves in... other duties. A human slave became a highly coveted status symbol, and they usually led two separate lives, as laborers or assistants in the day, and in bed with their masters at night.

The new generation of humans had never known anything else. Oh, they knew of their forerunners, but they looked back at those humans with scathing resentment. Here they were being given a second chance.

Whether they wanted it or not.

"Commander Dothan Rhaegar, step forward," the admiral commanded. Dothan inhaled deeply then walked toward the podium with his four arms folded behind his back.

"Commander, your navy commends you for your outstanding service during the Battle of Crab Nebula-"

More like massacre, Dothan thought.

I heard that, the admiral thought back between speaking.

Apologies, sir, Dothan thought.

Just play along, Dothan, the admiral said. Dothan nodded and stood at attention, but it was clear even the admiral thought this charade was in poor taste as he continued his speech. In the opening seconds of the Battle of Crab Nebula, fifty-thousand soldiers had died in the blink of an eye. The final death toll for the battle was obviously much greater than that, but that first anti-matter detonation had been the deadliest single event in the entire history of the Imperial Military. And they had won that battle.

Dothan's ship and crew only survived by the skin of their teeth, and it was pure luck that they survived ramming that Singularity dreadnought, and half the crew still died on impact. However, it meant the end of a millennia long conflict with an enemy that couldn't even comprehend peace. The Singularity, the Great Synthetic Enemy, was finally defeated. Dothan allowed that relief to cancel out his outrage at all the men and women who had died after he was forced to take command when their captain fell.

"Therefore," the Admiral said to conclude his speech, "High Command has ordered that you receive the Star of Aurelias." It was the most prestigious award in the entire Imperial military.

And I don't deserve it, Dothan thought.

Just take the damn thing, the admiral commanded. Dothan saluted as the medal was pinned to his uniform.

"You have also been recommended for command of your own ship," the admiral continued although Dothan had already been informed of that, "Your Navy and your Empire thanks you. Congratulations... Captain." The audience applauded and Dothan returned to his seat for rest of the ceremony, wishing that his men were here to receive their recognitions as well. It dragged on for what felt like an eternity, as these things usually do, and Dothan couldn't wait to get inside out of the heat.

The corridor was much cooler, and his species, aurelians, ran a very high body temperature. Finally, he had space to breathe and relax with his thoughts. The admiral didn't dare speak informally with a lower ranking officer in public, so he spoke to Dothan telepathically again.

I just want you to know, I'm proud of you.

That means a lot coming from you, father, Dothan said. It was true that Admiral Kraal was Dothan's biological father, except Dothan was tankborn. Not a clone, there was a legal distinction because he also had a biological mother, but it meant that he was essentially mass produced like a clone from eggs that had been artificially fertilized in vats. It also meant that the admiral didn't have close relations with any of his spawn. So, to hear him say that truly meant something.

What are you doing hiding inside though? The admiral asked, You're nobility now, if you don't maintain appearances you'll be eaten alive.

I will keep that in mind, sir, but I really need breathing room.

Dothan smelled food, so he eventually wandered into a sparsely crowded sitting area. Some delicious-looking cuts of meat had been arrayed out on the table and he couldn't help but lick his lips. He made sure nobody was looking, then levitated some meat into his jaws and chomped it down. It was then that he heard one of the tables behind him rattling along with a soft, sensuous moan.

There was another aurelian noble, paunch in the belly with no discernable muscle, brutally pounding his poor sex slave raw. Dothan felt the waves of pleasure emanating from them both, even when he looked away.

The slave was a female of a species he recognized but had never seen with his own four eyes, a human. They were incredibly rare since they were all clones and kept artificially scarce by the Geneticists Guild. This made them incredibly valuable and coveted as slaves, especially if they were physically or mentally modified.

This noble was making a show of brutally fucking the woman over the table, in a relatively secluded area so he could enjoy some privacy, but still in public so that everyone would know that he could afford a human slave girl. It wasn't unusual to see pleasure slaves being used like this in public, but there was a time and a place for everything. An eating area wasn't it. It was distracting and unsanitary. Dothan had no interest in watching another male have sex, so he turned around and walked down the corridor for some privacy for himself.

But he was intrigued by the slave girl, who he watched out of the corner of one of his side eyes. He had four of them, two in the front with binocular vision, and two on the sides of his head to give him a much wider field of view. He could watch her while looking in another direction and nobody would be the wiser.

She was positively tiny, almost half his height, with no natural weapons, no obvious natural defenses, and only four limbs which were thin and looked weak. He felt strangely attracted even as he wondered why. Her rear was built like an aurelian female's, so that was obviously attractive, and she had those funny bumps on her chest like a naga, and you'd be hard pressed to find an aurelian alive who didn't find them conventionally attractive. Her skin was completely smooth though, and she had a rich mane of black hair on her head. He had heard that hair was supposed to be very soft and warm from other auralians who had laid with mammalian slaves and it was considered novel in an Empire that was dominated by reptilian species. She may have intrigued him, but he didn't exactly find the human woman attractive, per se. Did he?

Hello Captain, he heard a sultry voice inside his head. He sensed a female's presence behind him, and turned around into her arms. It was his mate, Akarra. They gently and lovingly nipped each other's chins, then he slipped two of his hands into two of hers as they walked down the hall.

It's so good to see you again, he spoke to her telepathically.

I want to do more than just see you, she spoke back and fondled his crotch with her telekinesis.

Stop it! he snarled We're in public.

Akarra looked over her shoulder at the human who still getting railed from behind by her owner. By now a small group of spectators had gathered to watch while making a show of not watching. The woman could barely speak, or breathe, as she was pounded into the hard tabletop. Finally, her owner finished and shot his cum deep inside her as she passed out, drooling into her own hair.

He doesn't seem to care, Akarra thought.

You're not my slave, Dothan said.

Really, where people are trying to eat though? Akarra scoffed.

You're one to talk, Dothan thought, I've seen you jump on a pleasure slave's dick in the middle of a fancy restaurant.

I was drunk! She said, and my father had to scrub any mention or recordings of it from the network.

I can't blame him for wanting to show off his luxurious slave girl though, Dothan admitted.

Do you ever feel guilt for creating these people, these humans, for the sole purpose of serving us as slaves? Akarra asked.

We reversed their extinction. They should feel honored to serve us in return, Dothan said.

I guess, Akarra said. Speaking of creating life, I've been trying to tell you this for days. I'm pregnant.

Congratulations to you too!

We won't know for certain until they've hatched, but you're probably the father.

How many eggs? Dothan asked.

A clutch of six.

I can't wait to meet them, Dothan said, Unfortunately I won't be here to see them hatch. I'll be back in space by that time.

But do you have tonight free? Akarra asked while broadcasting her lust straight into his mind.

For you? Anytime, he said.

The flight back to Akarra's residence was a long one, long enough that they started to have their fun early. An old game of theirs was to try to make the other cum first without touching. Telekinesis wasn't against the rules though, and Dothan went right for the throat, so to speak, and started fingering Akarra's slit from afar. He could make her feel like he was sticking his whole hand inside her, but he held back just a little and made do with his fingers.

While it was effective and had his mate squirming like a worm on a hook, she went down a more creative route. As she talked dirty to him -verbally not in his mind, telling him all the nasty things she wanted to do to him and vice versa- she used her mouth on his rigid cock at a distance with her own telekinesis.

"And then," she moaned, "You're going to breed me in my father's bed." She was practically tasting the words as they left her mouth, and Dothan could even feel her tongue on his cock even though it was still inside his uniform. Then she started growling with arousal and he felt the vibrations all through his loins.

Dothan grimaced to maintain his composure and retaliated by wiggling his fingers making Akarra's womanhood vibrate all over. She started to lose it at that point and growled even more intensely, but unfortunately that just made her throat vibrate around his cock even more. Dothan felt his legs clench, and he avoided cumming just long enough to get his cock out and shoot it all over Akarra's chest and neck.

"I win," she said breathlessly as she came right after he did.

"Maybe so," Dothan replied, "But I don't feel like I lost either, because I'm not finished yet." Sure enough, his red cock was still at full mast, and Akarra's eyes lit up as she tackled him from across the cabin. She landed on top of him which knocked the aerocar out of its programmed flight path.

"Please refrain from strenuous activity while the vehicle is in the air, thank you," the vehicle's computer said and Akarra sighed with disappointment. She regained her propriety by the time they landed and she led him by the hand up the stairs into her father's estate.

"It's okay, my father's never around," she said, "Make yourself comfortable, I'm going to freshen up and change into something more appropriate for the situation." One of her father's slaves appeared, a tripoidean. He scuttled up to them on three spindly legs then bowed to his mistress and her guest.

"Would you like something to drink, Commander Rhaegar?" the man of another species asked.

"That's Captain Rhaegar now, Shellsic!" Akarra scolded, "I realize you didn't know, but don't make that mistake again."

"My apologies, Captain," he said, "Madame."

"Don't get anything too expensive on my account," Dothan said, but Akarra wouldn't hear it.

"You are imperial nobility now, Dothan. People are expecting you to live like it," she said shaking her head, "Bring out the Arenthia, Shellsic."

"Your father's private reserve?" the tripoidean asked, "Very well, madame."

Dothan started to protest but the both of them were already gone. He snorted his frustration and started wandering around the lower level of the mansion. It had been years since he'd last visited, and some things he remembered had been moved around. A new item in particular was the floor-to-ceiling painting of Akarra's father, Baron Nesh. Dothan snarled at the man then moved along.

The baron didn't approve of his daughter taking a tankborn for her mate as he considered them barely above clones. Well Dothan was a noble himself now, far lower ranking than the baron, but next time they met he was very eager to make the old man squirm.

As he explored more, he started to grow somewhat bored, so he sent Akarra a message telepathically.

Waiting on you, he said.

I'm coming, just hold on! She said back to him.

Eventually, Dothan wandered into a room that looked like it had been set aside for Akarra herself what with all the feminine trappings. Except he didn't remember her having a taste for the artwork that hung on the wall. There was also an exquisitely crafted instrument in the very center of the room. Dothan recognized it as a mind harp, a device which turned brain waves into audible music. He'd dabbled in mind music in the past, but his skills were a bit rusty. He moved around it as carefully as a creature his size could and sat down in the operator's seat. Then placed his hands on the strings as he remembered how to use it.

He didn't realize just how badly out of practice he was, and the tune that came from his mind made even himself cringe. As soon as he remembered the correct technique though, the noise changed into a decent melody. It was a simple one, but at least it didn't sound like the screams of the damned. Since he was tuned in to the instrument, he didn't sense the person who had snuck up behind him.

"That is much better," the stranger said. Dothan let go of the device and turned to greet the new arrival, a stunning female naga with iridescent green scales all over her body and warm red eyes. She wore a long, sheer robe that she left wide open in the front so it did nothing to contain her impeccable breasts. They reminded Dothan of the breasts on the human slave girl he had seen earlier at the promotion ceremony. Few other sentient beings actually had breasts, not like that anyway. Indeed, no other reptiles had them except female nagas. Despite this, many aurelians, like Dothan, still found them appealing, because he understood they were a mark of high fertility.

"May I help you?" Dothan asked.

"You can start by not trying so hard to make the music follow a rigid pattern," she said as she slithered over to the instrument, "Improvisation and creative freedom are key with the mind harp."

"How does a nontelepathic species tune to a mind instrument?" he asked.

"The technology has come a long way," the naga woman said, "Now any mind can interface with the music. May I?" Dothan stepped aside so she could play. Although she wasn't trying to embarrass him, the difference between her skill and his was astronomical.

"Ah, you're a professional," Dothan said after glancing at her mind.

"That's right," she said as the tune flowed out of the instrument like cool water, "I play in the royal orchestra, and when I'm not doing that, I play for the Baron."

"Is that all you do for the Baron?" Dothan asked which earned a sultry smirk from the woman.

"Good, I see you two have met," Akarra said as she strode into the room followed closely by the slave, Shellsic.

Excellent choice, Dothan thought regarding his mate's outfit and she spun around to show it to him from every angle. The sheer fabric was the same as the naga woman's, although the style was different since they had very different bodies; Akarra's was more like a long, flowing dress. It hugged her curves leaving nothing to the imagination and her entire back was bare, though that was more to accommodate her dorsal fins than to be intentionally sexy. Akarra nipped and licked him on the chin with her forked tongue, then started the introductions.

"Dothan, this is my father's new mate, Xeela," Akarra said.

"Pleased to meet you, madame," Dothan bowed slightly.

"Xeela, this is Dothan Rhaegar, he was newly promoted to Naval Captain today," Akarra said proudly, "We're a mated pair, and he's probably the father of my children to be."

"Pleased to meet you too, Captain," Xeela said as she studied his body intently.

A fine choice too, girl, he heard her say in her mind.

We can hear you, Xeela, Akarra said.

I know, the other woman grinned. It wasn't a full tooth-baring grin though which was considered a threat display by most species.

"Your drinks, Master and Mistresses," Shellsic said.

"Thank you, pour one for each of us," Akarra ordered.

"I watched the victory ceremony today," Xeela explained as she took the glass of Arenthia, "I saw you were awarded the Star of Aurelias, Captain. My condolences to your crew though, I heard that battle was extremely deadly."

"Thank you," Dothan said, "It's good to hear somebody say that, because the navy certainly hasn't."

There was no toast which Dothan was glad for because he was very thirsty. Then they all decided to move into a room with a view. The manor was built on a cliff overlooking the sea, and there were no clouds that night so the band of the Milky Way was in full view.

"Out of curiosity, where is my father right now anyway?" Akarra asked.

"Oh, he had business in the Perdian System," Xeela said.

"The slave exchange," Dothan said.

"Correct," Xeela said, "I'm sorry, Akarra, but he took the Tarine boy with him to sell."

"You mean Avro?" Akarra said with disappointment, "Aww, he was so talented and intelligent, and a lot of fun in the sheets."