We arrived back in the Dizahl System and were greeted with a pleasant event when we flew over to the shipping containers and docked to the new ship. It was Jelly's delayed birthday party.

“You made it just in time!” Hailey said loudly as she jumped up into my arms. “We were going to start without you!”

“Starting without me would be fine.” I said and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Starting without the birthday girl would be bad.” I smiled. “You're not a bad girl, are you?”

Hailey opened her mouth to say no, then she blushed a little and looked at Sandy. I looked at her as well and she sighed.

“I was going to wait until later to tell you.” Sandy said. “Your future wife tried to teach herself how to cook a meal last week.”

“How long did it take to clean up the fire suppression foam?” I asked with a smile.

“Three very long and sticky days.” Sandy said.

“Hunter, I'm sorry.” Hailey said. “I just wanted...”

“It's all right.” I said and kissed her cheek again, then put her down because we were about to meet a few more people. “As long as no one was hurt and you didn't cause too much damage.”

“We should dock to the station and have a maintenance crew check everything.” Sandy said. “I cleaned as much as I could; but, there could be damage and places that I didn't reach.”

I nodded. “We'll do that right after the party.” I said. “I hope the food heater still worked.”

“The last few days without the ability to cook definitely made us thankful for the meals from our favorite restaurant.” Beatrice said. “I would have had to go outside and use one of the thrusters as a heat source.”

I chuckled. “It would probably heat and freeze in an instant.”

“It does.” Jelly said and we all looked at her. “It made it taste better than uncooked, at least.”

That made several of us nod and we all went to the large living room to the party area.

Jelly gasped when she saw the room was full of people. “John?” She said as she saw at the closest man.

“Hey, sis.” John said and hugged her.

“What are you doing here?” Jelly asked.

“It's someone's birthday.” John said. “All I heard was 'party' and I was on the ship and on the way here.”

Jelly shook her head and looked around, then she was surrounded by her friends and family that she hadn't seen in a while. It had been a lot longer than normal, considering the nature of her job in the military and then being co-opted into monitoring Hunter the last couple of months.

“You all came?” Jelly asked with tears in her eyes. “But... but...”

“Who was going to turn down a free trip to a main system?” A woman asked and stepped forward to hug her. “I'd be crazy to say no!”

“What about your job?” Jelly asked her friend.

“We all have the 'Hero of Chofaris' excuse to take time off.” A deep voiced man said and Jelly's father hugged her. “There's not a single person on the planet that would say no when he asks for something.”

“I felt a little guilty asking, actually.” I said and Jelly turned her head to look at me. “I don't like taking advantage of people like that.”

“That's why we all agreed.” A woman who had similar hair to Jelly stepped around Jelly's father and held a hand out to me. “I'm Jennifer's mother, Jan.”

“Is this where I'm allowed to compliment you and say that I thought you were her sister?” I asked with a grin and took the offered hand and held it for a few moments.

“Only if you mean it.” Jan said and smiled back at me.

“Stop that!” Jelly said and swatted at our clasped hands and glared at me. “She's happily married!”

Jan laughed. “Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't want an old woman like me.” She said and the Presence wavered. I was sure it was about the old woman comment, because she was barely in her forties. I gave a look to her husband and he gave me a little shrug and then nodded slightly.

I nodded slightly back and then leaned in close to put my mouth by her ear to whisper. “You are nowhere near the age to be considered old.” I said, barely above a breath. “Your husband loves you so much that he's going to let me flirt with you.”

Jan took in a shaky breath and I heard her thoughts. She was both grateful and slightly afraid.

“If you weren't married, I would discretely sneak off with you.” I continued and let a touch of Presence flow into her to make her catch her breath and arouse her a little more than she already was. “We would definitely miss the party.”

When I leaned back and saw that her face was red, I smiled and turned her slightly, then I took her husband's hand and put his wife's into it. I gave him the same Presence tweak to put the two of them into sync. I leaned in close to him this time.

“It won't last long, so you better hurry.” I whispered. “The third door down the hallway is an empty room.”

The man didn't need any more prompting than that and pretty much dragged his wife with him out of the room. No one really noticed them leaving. I turned back to Jelly and she stared at me and didn't know what to say.

“Your mom just...”

“I don't want to know.” Jelly said and cut me off. “I really don't want to know.”

I chuckled and looked at the other people around. “I guess we should make the rounds and mingle.” I said and held an elbow out to her. “May I escort you?”

“What about Hailey?” Jelly asked and looked down to see she was gone. “What? Where?”

“She's over by the treat table with two other teenagers.” I said and pointed over my shoulder with a thumb. “Your niece and nephew, I think?”

Jelly nodded and put her arm in mine, then we did the rounds and greeted everyone that had travelled so far to be with Jelly on her birthday.

*

Jelly's father had barely gotten his wife inside the room when she grabbed him by his shirt and almost yelled into his face. “You heard him! Hurry up!”

Her husband didn't need the encouragement and had his own clothes off and started to take off his wife's. Jan let him, because she was too horny to help. She needed him and she needed him right now. He obliged her and laid her on the bed, then he entered her without any preparation or foreplay. She was more than ready for him and moaned at the much needed intrusion as he pleasured her.

The Hero of Chofaris wanted me! Jan thought and let it fill her mentally as much as her husband filled her physically.

The Hero of Chofaris wanted my wife! Her husband thought as he pumped himself into his wife harder than he had ever tried to make love to her before.

They both stared into each other's eyes as they had the most exciting sex either of them had ever had in their lives. By the time they were done twenty minutes later, they were both exhausted and laid beside each other in the bed. They had messed the blanket and sheets up quite a lot and held hands as they laid there and thought about what had just happened between them. They knew it was because of Hunter and their opinion of him raised even higher than it had been before.

They had been worried that taking in their daughter and bringing her along on his adventures might have put her in even more danger than working for the military did, then they had seen the wonderful working environment he had introduced her to. That alone made them like him. When they learned he had wanted all of her friends and family to travel part way across the galaxy to attend her birthday party, it cemented him into the upper echelons of their opinion.

The fact that he was the Hero of Chofaris was something they hadn't considered as a real factor in their opinion, until he did what he just did. The two of them turned their heads and looked at each other and they still felt the remnants of the connection Hunter had made between them.

“If you want to actually sleep with him, you can.” Jelly's father said.

Jan laughed. “Oh, goddess! Can you imagine what that would be like?” She asked. “If him just touching me made me like this... so ready for you that you didn't need to warm me up first... what would actually having sex with him be like?”

Her husband laid there for a minute before he spoke. “I'd say it would be like a religious experience.”

Jan leaned over and kissed her husband. “I just had one with you, my dearest love.”

“I'm sure he would give you another if you wanted.” He said with a smile.

Jan shook her head. “I wouldn't survive it, I don't think.” She said. “When he whispered in my ear and said that he would take me if I wasn't married...” She shivered. “The Hero of Chofaris wants me.”

Her husband laughed. “I was thinking the same thing.” He admitted. “The Hero of Chofaris wants my wife! Mine! Ha ha!”

Jan laughed, too. “Tell me you're ready to go again.”

“Darling, whatever he did to me, I'm more than ready for another round.” He said to her delight.

They ended up missing most of the party.

*

“You know the Hero of Chofaris?” Jelly's niece asked Hailey.

“I live with him.” Hailey said, a little smugly. “He rescued me and then kept me.”

Jelly's niece sighed contentedly. “That must have been so nice.”

Hailey wasn't sure that having her mother arrested as a terrorist was nice; but, she couldn't argue with the result. Getting to live with Hunter really was nice.

Jelly's niece thought about being rescued by Hunter, then a thought occurred to her. “Have you kissed him yet?” She asked. “If you're living together, you must have kissed.”

“Geez, Lok. Leave the girl alone.” Jelly's nephew said and ate another treat from the table. “She's too young to...”

“I've kissed him a few times.” Hailey admitted.

“Kissing on the forehead doesn't count.” He responded.

“It was on the lips!” Hailey said in her defense. “And on the cheek a bunch of times!”

“Cheeks don't count, either.” He said, as if he didn't believe her.

“I knew it!” Lok said and put an arm over Hailey's shoulders. “Don't listen to Kol. He doesn't understand what it takes to kiss someone you love.”

Hailey nodded at the older girl. “It's embarrassing, especially with other people around.”

“Don't I know it!” Lok said with a knowing smile. “Kol caught me with...”

“Ugh.” Kol held a hand up to stop her. “Don't corrupt the poor girl with your sordid tales.”

Hailey didn't know what sordid meant and looked at the twin siblings in confusion.

“It wasn't sordid!” Lok said. “It was love at first sight!”

Kol rolled his eyes. “Only for ten minutes, then he had to leave.” He said. “What a scumbag.”

“You shut up!” Lok said.

“Just because you're sixteen doesn't mean you can kiss any random guy you meet.” Kol said.

“Do you want another knuckle sandwich?” Lok asked and showed him her fist.

“She always resorts to violence when she can't argue her point.” Kol told Hailey. “I'd be careful around her if I were you.”

“Say. One. More. Thing.” Lok said in a deadly tone.

“Are you really going to punch me in the middle of Aunt Jelly's birthday party?” Kol asked and then smiled. “One more thing.”

Quick as a flash, Lok's fist swung out and whacked him on the upper arm.

“OW!” Kol jumped back and rubbed his arm where he was sure to develop a nice bruise by tonight.

“What's going on over here?” A woman's stern voice sent a chill down their spines.

“Nothing, Aunt Jelly.” Lok said. “Right, Kol?”

“She punched me.” Kol said and ruined the cover-up.

Jelly sighed. “I'm not going to ask what caused it this time.”

“Kissing someone you love.” Hailey said and looked right at Hunter.

Hunter chuckled and knelt on one knee. “One private proof of kissing coming up.”

The five of them were surrounded by a blue solid Presence Wall. He took Hailey into his arms and held her tenderly, then gave her a kiss on the lips. He held it for a couple of seconds and then broke the kiss.

“We can't do more than that, even though you will be my wife someday.” Hunter reminded her.

Hailey's face was slightly red and she rubbed the fuzz on top of Hunter's head. Just like hers, it was getting longer and it almost wasn't fuzz anymore.

“Wife?!?” Both Kol and Lok asked at the same time.

“Her mother already approves and I even have government approval.” Hunter said to the shocked siblings. “Of course, it'll be years before we get to that point.”

“But... but...” Lok looked at Hailey and then back at Hunter. “You're the Hero of Chofaris!”

Hunter chuckled. “If you try to argue that there are plenty of other women out there that want to marry me, you can save your breath. I may date a couple of people before getting married, though.”

“As long as you tell me first.” Hailey said, quite boldly.

Hunter raised his eyebrows for a moment and then smiled. “I won't have to tell you.” He said and touched her temple with a fingertip. “You'll know it if it happens.”

“If?” Hailey asked when she felt the Presence waver slightly.

Hunter chuckled at the proof that she could tell even when he partially lied. “All right, when.”

Hailey nodded and rested her forehead against her future husband's forehead and their Presences touched as well. She had seen Simone do it and she wanted to know for herself what it felt like. It was like being hugged all over at the same time, only from the inside, and she let a long and drawn out breath escape. After only a few moments, she moved her head away and smiled.

Hailey had been a little worried that Hunter would have stopped her or say no if she tried it, and all she got from him were thoughts of acceptance and a feeling of pride that she had done it on her own and kept herself calm and hadn't tried to do more.

“Hunter, I think people are starting to wonder why they can't get at the treat table.” Jelly said.

Hunter absorbed the blue Presence Wall around them and nearly everyone was looking at them. A few were surprised to see him knelt in front of Hailey and had her in an embrace.

“We were just having a private moment.” Hunter said and let Hailey out of the hug and stood up. “Blocking the table was unintentional.”

A few people muttered something and Hunter pointed to his ears. The talking stopped and he smiled.

“She's going to be my wife in the future and I was just clarifying a couple of things with her.” Hunter said, to nearly everyone's surprise. “That's years away, so you don't have to be concerned about it.”

A lot of them relaxed at my words. A couple of them were convinced that I was taking advantage of a young woman because of my status and there wasn't really any way to convince then that I wasn't.

I smiled at them. Imagine if they knew that Hailey and I are staying in the same room and sleeping in the same bed.

The party continued on for a while and then it was time for presents, to Jelly's surprise. Her parents came in then and gave her their present as well. She accepted everything graciously and we all went into the dining room to eat.

“I didn't get anything from you.” Jelly whispered to me as the food was being served by Sandy.

“Getting one percent of the salvage wasn't enough of a present?” I asked in the same whispered voice.

“You gave me that a while ago and it wasn't even my birthday.” Jelly stopped talking and sighed. “I shouldn't be greedy like that. I'm sorry.”

“I have something for you; but, I didn't want to show up the other presents.” I whispered. “When everyone heads back to the station, I'll give it to you.”

Jelly's mind immediately dropped into the gutter and she blushed, which made me chuckle. We all ate the heated meals and everyone enjoyed the food, then the party was over and Jelly and I went with everyone to the shuttle bay and she said goodbye to everyone, told them I was actually giving her a present after they left, then she thanked them for coming. They transferred over to the tourist transport that was waiting for them nearby, and since my ship and the transport had pressurized shuttle bays, the whole thing was over in less than ten minutes.

“Whew! I'm glad that's over.” Sandy said and wiped at her forehead exaggeratedly. “That was hard work!”

“Gleas' birthday is in two days.” I reminded her.

Sandy cursed and everyone laughed.

“Don't tell me you did this for me, too!” Gleas said to me.

“Um... no.” I said and Hailey and Simone laughed at the blatant lie.

“Hunter...”

“I guess the cat's out of the bag.” I said and shrugged. “I did it for all of you.”

They all stared at me like they had never seen me before, except for Hailey. She giggled at everyone's shocked reaction.

“Now that you all know, I pretty much filled the station's guest rooms with your friends and relatives.” I said. “You can call them and visit if you want, since waiting until your parties happen would be a waste of their time here.”

“Hunter... oh, goddess.” Deborah said.

“No, I didn't invite him or his family.” I said. “Only yours.”

“That's not...” Deborah looked at everyone's faces. “Do you realize how much it cost to bring all of these people here?”

“I booked an entire cruise ship.” I said and they all stared at me, mouths open. “It was cheaper than buying individual tickets.”

No one said anything, so I turned to Jelly and smiled.

“So, do you want your present now?”

“I don't know.” Jelly said. “What could you possibly give me that...”

I took two steps to the side as I reached out, then I rested my hand on the shuttle.

“NO!” Jelly yelled.

“I've got three of the damn things and only one shuttle pilot.” I said. “I can't remote pilot them and my skills can use them, just like a normal pilot; but, I can't fly them like you can.”

“Hunter, you... you can't.”

“Sure I can.” I said. “Not only that, according to the military, they have provisions in their code for paying pilots to commission their ships into the service. They will even pay for maintenance and operating costs, as long as it's used for the military's benefit.”

Jelly couldn't say anything in response.

“Do you know why I didn't give you this during the party?” I asked. “I didn't have time to wrap it.”

Hailey laughed and Gleas chuckled, which seemed to break everyone out of the shock they were in.

“Come on everyone. Let's go clean up and get the place ready for Gleas' surprise party.” I said.

“It's not a surprise if I know it's happening.” Gleas said.

“Surprise!” I exclaimed, and that made everyone laugh.

Two days later, Gleas had her birthday party. It went pretty much the same way as Jelly's, except no horny parents or a shuttle gift at the end. I ended up giving her a nice gold bracelet with a blue focusing crystal embedded into its surface. It was a personal shield device, just like the one I had given to Hailey.

As each birthday passed, we had big parties for each woman and I gave them variations on the same personal shield gift. A brooch for Sandy, a necklace for Deborah, and another brooch for Beatrice so that she and Sandy matched. The last to get a present was Simone, and since I had already given her a personal shield a long time ago, I had a very special present prepared for her instead.