that or about the money.”
The question Emi longed to ask. “What’d they do to you in your sim session? What did Dr. Graymard have the techs put you through?”
Donna shuddered as her face went from flushed to white. “Gods, it was horrible. Graymard said we didn’t make it nearly as far as you did, and we had different scenarios, but we did well enough.” She applied more lipstick as she thought about it. “Let’s just say that when push came to shove, my guys found they couldn’t make the choice to leave someone behind, even if it meant risking their own lives and disobeying direct orders. They said screw the fucking regulations and decided fighting to the death for me was their only acceptable option.”
Then Emi felt a deep wave of love from her, directed at her men. When she spoke, her voice sounded quiet. “If you made it a lot further than we did, and I know how fucking bad our sim session was, then I can only imagine how bad it must have been for you when they finally pulled the plug.”
Emi remembered screaming for Aaron as he walked away from the three of them to a certain death, sacrificing himself so Emi, Caph, and Ford would live. She remembered fighting Caph and Ford as they dragged her out of what she thought was an alien’s bedchamber.
Emi nodded as she shivered at the memory she hoped she’d never live through in real life. “Yeah. It was pretty frakking bad.”
* * * *
The crews bid each other good night at the port. Before returning to their respective ships, the three captains agreed to meet first thing the next morning to finalize the departure sequence and logistics.
Emi quickly stripped and settled in the middle of their bed. The men didn’t hesitate to join her.
Unlike their rowdy arrival romp, this gentle, tender lovemaking session found Emi cradled in Aaron’s arms while Ford went down on her. He took plenty of time teasing her until she finally cried out as she came. This time, the men were content to take turns slowly fucking her as the others held her, reminding her in many ways of the first night they spent together, although without the frenetic energy of that initial encounter.
By the time Caph went last, the men had coaxed another rolling orgasm out of her that nearly took her breath and mind away. Exhausted and sated, she curled up between Caph and Aaron, with Ford on Aaron’s other side, and fell asleep.
* * * *
The next morning, Emi was the first to awaken. She received a message from Dr. Graymard as she waited for her coffee to finish brewing. Fortunately for her, the Java Max Excel 10k coffeemaker hadn’t been a figment of the simulation. Ford, as dedicated a coffee drinker as Emi, insisted there was no way in hell, unless the Tamora Bight was blown up, that they would go without coffee.
She skimmed Graymard’s message, mostly “how are you” and status report request bullshit. Then she reached the bottom.
Dr. Stevens packs almost as hard a punch as you do.
Emi smiled. Upon emerging from the sim session and realizing that not only would Aaron not die but that Graymard had tricked them, Emi had viciously slugged the man. Her three men pulled her off Graymard and into the security of their arms. Ironically, her fighting skills had been learned in the sim, not in real life.
She sent Graymard a short reply. Better learn to duck. You still have to pair the Braynow Gaston crew.
Send.
She prepared breakfast for the men and went to wake them up. Ford tried to pull her back into bed with them, but she managed to extricate herself. “Lift sequence, babe. Don’t forget, Aar has a meeting with Elloy and Tarrence, too.”
Aaron moaned. Caph still slept, his arm slung around Aaron’s waist and his face buried against his shoulder. Aaron gently elbowed the larger man. “Wake up, big guy. Work to do. Last night was our last luxury of no night watch for a while.”
Caph groaned as he snuggled closer. “Don’t wanna.” Aaron smiled and ruffled Caph’s