After Bazu had gone on ad nauseam about all the different reports and status updates for the day, Jack retired back to his chambers that evening a tired and somewhat crabby man. If he'd thought being an officer in charge of a task force was a thankless position full of endless reports, it was nothing compared to being a king of your own country. He now knew more information about Andalucia than he ever wished to know, even though it did give him better insight into the state of his new country, tiring as it was.

He'd barely closed the door into his chambers and collapsed against the bed before there was a soft knock at the door. Jack groaned loudly before muffling his voice into his pillow. "No more reports, Bazu."

The door cracked open and a delightfully familiar female voice started speaking instead. "I'll remind him that next time I see him," said Kat with a giggle.

Jack turned over to face her. "Oh, it's you. Sorry about that. Just the thought of hearing another status report on slave revenues was going to send me over the edge."

Kat slipped in from the hallway and shut the door behind her. She was already dressed in her sleeping clothes, wearing the same shorts and tank top combination as before. It was a sight that he always enjoyed, seeing more of the blonde woman's body than he'd been used to. It also served to remind him just how far they've come since that first day he met her in the interior wilderness of Sorella.

"I thought I heard you come back to your room, so I figured I'd come join you. As long as that's all right?" she asked.

Jack patted his bed. "You're always welcome. You know that, Kat."

She smiled demurely. "I was hoping you'd say that."

She walked to him slowly as he sat up on his bed, his feet touching against the floor. She wrapped her arms around him as he sat, which had the effect of pushing his face against her bosom. Jack took a deep breath as soon as he felt her against him, always enjoying the sweet smell of the Galician woman.

"You feel a little tense, Jack," she said while running her fingertips over the muscles on his back. "Has it been that long of a day?"

"It's been something," he muttered. "I'm just not sure I have any idea of what I'm supposed to do here. The ceremony this morning was jarring for me. All of those people look to me for leadership here, and I don't know if it's something I can provide."

Kat smiled and caressed his face. "You can provide it. Of all the kings that have ruled Andalucia, I'm sure none are more qualified than you. You've already led men in peace and war. You have an outsider's perspective, and you're intelligent and sensitive to their needs in equal measures. You'll be a great king."

Jack gave her a lopsided smile. "I think you believe in me a little too much."

She sunk down so that she was eye level with him. "Believing in you is my purpose." Her eyes danced with emotions, as if there was more meaning beyond the simple words.

"I have missed you terribly, you know? The entire time when you were gone," he said softly. "I didn't know if you were alive or dead, and for so long, I felt like I was just chasing a shadow."

Kat pressed his hand against her chest. "There's only flesh here. No shadows."

"You have no idea how happy that makes me."

She smiled at him and kissed him gently. "As it does me. I didn't know if I'd ever see you again either, but I prayed that you would find me. Especially before that monster did anything to me." She shivered at the memory of Vertulis.

"It wouldn't have changed anything, you know? If he had . . . or you had been forced to lay with him, it wouldn't have mattered to me," he said honestly.

Kat nodded. "I know that, but I always hoped. I really do believe that I was meant for you, Jack. That's why I only want to give this gift to you. I want you to be the only man I lay with."

His fingers wrapped around her sides and pulled her closer to him. "As do I, Kat."

She kissed him deeply, moaning against his lips once her tongue greeted his. Jack's hands cupped her butt, kneading the flesh between his pliable fingers and causing Kat to push his shoulders back so she could climb on top. She straddled him on the bed as he felt his hardness pressing in between them.

Kat felt it too, subtly grinding her hips against him as only two small strips of fabric separated their desire. She whimpered softly as she stopped grinding, leaning forward to kiss him gently. "Are you going to be mad at me if I ask you to wait longer?"

Jack blinked a few times before realizing what she was asking for. Her eyes were vulnerable and passionate, but in moments like this, he had to remember her lack of experience. "No," he said firmly. "I told you before we'd go at your pace."

She kissed him lightly. "I don't want to tease you, Jack."

"It's okay," he said with a chuckle. "But I might end up seeing if the servants can prepare me a shower after this. A very cold one."

Kat started to giggle before a strange look appeared in her eye. "Or perhaps I can still help you with that?"

"How would you like to do that without me being inside you?" he asked with a funny look.

Kat gave him a wicked grin. "There are other ways to pleasure." Her hand snaked between them and wrapped around his erection. Jack groaned at the intimate contact as she slowly rubbed over it through his pants. "You may have to guide me at this, but I want to try it."

He still wasn't sure exactly what she was referring to, but he nodded his intentions anyway. He thought he might have signed up for a simple hand job, but Kat was full of surprises. Almost as soon as he'd nodded, she slid down his body until her knees hit the floor by the side of the bed. Her fingers then moved to his pants, undoing the button, and then pulling them slowly down his body.

Her eyes went wide as soon as his thickening member popped into sight, and Jack let out a groan of approval as she soon licked her lips.

"Wow," she whispered, looking at him in awe. "Is it always so . . . big?"

"When I'm around you, it is," he said quietly. "You turn me on to no end."

Kat smiled as her hand wrapped around him tentatively. Jack let out a low hiss at the contact as she explored his cock, making several smooth, slow strokes up and down. "Tell me if I do anything wrong, okay?"

Jack smiled. "I'm sure you'll be fine. Just do what feels natural to you."

Kat nodded slowly as she began to stroke him with a faster pace. Jack leaned back on his elbows to watch her, her small hand firmly encased around his erection while giving him long, full strokes. While she worked his cock, she gave him shy and innocent stares, with brief smiles that would appear on her lips. It was a combination that he found sexy and adorable at the same time.

Feeling his heart rate start to spike, Jack began to breathe heavier. "You're doing so well at that," he said a few minutes later as his hips began to thrust against her hand.

"There's something else I want to try with you," said Kat with somewhat labored breath.

"What's that?"

Without words, Kat leaned her head in closer to him and let her tongue slip out to tickle the tip of his cock. Jack groaned at the unexpected contact, causing Kat to beam with a smile. "That."

"You need to warn a man before you do something like that," he said with a chuckle.

Kat winked at him. "I thought I did!"

She then licked around his helmet one more time, all the while she kept her eyes locked on his. Jack thrust his hips forward, eager to take it further, which caused her to giggle against his cock.

"I see someone likes this," she teased, jerking him with several rapid motions.

"You have no idea," he said breathlessly.

"I'm glad that you like it." Kat continued to lick against his cock, moving to longer motions that went far beyond the tip. Her next trip went halfway down his shaft before she continued the motion all the way back up again. For several minutes, she licked away until she decided to try something new.

That something new was slipping his entire tip inside her mouth, her lips forming a suction cup while she teased at the tip with her tongue. The feeling was exquisite, and Jack was soon panting for release.

"Am I doing okay?" she asked after releasing his cock from her mouth. "Do you like this?"

He struggled not to laugh. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm about on the edge here." It was true in more ways than one. Not only was he close to orgasm, but he'd kept scooting forward to be closer to her so that his ass was halfway off the bed.

Kat giggled again and licked the helmet. "Are you going to cum for me?" she whispered sexily.

Jack nodded. "You're going to make me cum so hard for you."

Kat grinned wickedly. "And where are you going to cum for me, Jack?" She made another suction with her mouth, rapidly sucking against the tip.

"Right there," he whispered, locking eyes with her. "I'm going to fill your mouth."

Kat let him slip out before she nodded. "I'd really like that, Jack. I want you to cum in my mouth. I want to taste you. Will you fill my pretty, little mouth? Will you shoot your entire seed into my belly?"

Jack groaned as Kat picked up the pace, taking more of him than she had before. Her lips began to slide lower on his shaft as she attempted to take all of him inside. First she went a quarter of the way down before she went back up. In the next attempt, it was a third. A moment later, she had half of him in her mouth, her eyes watery as she tried to take more. All the while, she kept jerking the lower part of his cock with her free hand.

It was too much for him. Even though Kat had never done it before, the combination of her eagerness and his feelings for her soon sent him crashing over the edge.

"I'm going to cum," he said as he felt the first spurt rocket up his shaft.

Kat closed her eyes and locked her mouth around the tip as the first gush exploded into her mouth. She did everything she could to take down his essence, but her inexperience got the best of her, which meant several jets soon slipped out the sides of her lips and cascaded to the floor. Kat didn't quit though, milking his cock through his orgasm to make sure that she got every drop from his body.

As his orgasm ended, Jack let his elbows slide forward, laying flat against the bed and trying to regain his breath. He looked down at Kat after a moment, the woman still nursing on his cock as it started to lose its rigidity.

"Was that all right?" she asked tentatively as her fingers grabbed a dollop of cum from her chin and scoped it into her mouth.

"You were great," breathed Jack. "That was incredible."

Kat beamed with a smile. "You're not just telling me that, are you?"

Jack had to laugh at that. "Did you see how much I just came?"

She gave him a guilty look. "I had trouble keeping it all in."

"You still did great. You were amazing."

She smiled and then pushed off the floor while Jack pushed back onto the bed. She crept into the crook of his arm and cuddled up against him. "That's better," she purred once she was comfortable.

He turned to face her. "Did you like doing that as well? It wasn't too much, was it?"

She shook her head quickly. "I think I might have liked that a bit too much."

"What do you mean by that?"

Her face turned red. "I'm a little . . . soaked."

"You are?" He grinned. "Well, isn't it fair that I took care of you now?"

She rolled her eyes up in thought. "It would be entirely fair, but I'm not sure it's a good idea."

The smile left his face quickly. "Why not?"

She forced him to look at her. "It's not that I don't want that—it's just once my shorts are off, I don't think I'd be able to control myself. If I had that experience just now, with you between my legs doing the same thing for me, I can't see myself not telling you to go all the way. To put your cock inside me, Jack," she whispered.

He watched her sky-blue eyes as she spoke, and he softly caressed her side. "I wouldn't do anything unless you told me to."

"I know you wouldn't," she said firmly. "Like I said, I think I would lose control first."

He nodded as she placed a kiss against his cheek. "I'm enjoying this. As we explore our intimacy together, Jack. Never forget that, okay? Or think that I don't want you?"

"I won't," he promised.

She caressed his cheek lightly. "I never thought I'd find you at times, do you know that?"

"What do you mean, Kat?"

Tears appeared in her eyes, soon slipping down her cheeks. "I thought for so long that you just didn't exist. That I was searching for a phantom. That I was wasting my time. Now that you're here, and you're with me, I can't be thankful enough, Jack."

He smiled and pulled her closer to him. "Surely you didn't think it would be that hard to find someone to be intimate with, did you? You're an amazing woman, Kat. If not for me, someone would have snatched you up."

She gave him a confused look for a moment before her eyes settled back on him with a relaxed stare. Jack got the impression they might have been talking about two different things. "Either way, I'm thankful for you, Jack."

"That makes two of us."

She laid her head against his chest. "I really looking forward to seeing the others once they get to Septhada. Especially Vera."

Jack grinned. "I bet she's just as excited to see you. Only a few more days, and they should be here."

"It's been too long. I really miss her company."

"You're not the only one," said Jack with a nod.

"It's funny," said Kat as she traced her finger around his nipple. "Beyond Greg and Vera, I don't know much about your own people. The ones that you came here with."

"There's not many of us here right now," said Jack. "I only have two ships at the present. One of them had to be turned back around shortly after you left Sorella."

"But you do have friends on the two ships you have now?"

Jack nodded as he felt a knot begin to form in his stomach. "I do. Mostly with the officers and the commanders of the ships."

"Who are the commanders?" asked Kat. "I would like to meet them."

He shifted toward her. "For our destroyer Tiger, I have the commander, Vicky Carter. You would like her. She's a great person to have around in a bind, and very intelligent overall."

"What about your larger ship? The Destiny?"

Jack gulped. He wasn't sure how much detail he wanted to give to Kat about Abigail, especially considering that he'd just so recently been intimate with the Galician woman. Would she take offense to his relationship with Abigail?

In the end, he decided to be honest with her. "The Destiny is commanded by Abigail Wainwright. Abigail is . . . a damn good officer. A great friend as well. And truthfully, her and I have been lovers."

Kat leaned up on her elbow to look at him. "Have been lovers? As in no more?"

Jack swallowed heavily and then shook his head. "We still are. I care for her greatly."

Kat nodded slowly. "Do you care for her as much as you care for me?"

"I do," he said quietly. "And I know that may not make sense to you, but it's how I feel. I care for you both beyond words, so much so that my heart feels like it's split into two parts. I don't know if that means I'm broken or deranged, but I can't help what I feel for the both of you."

Kat studied him for several minutes behind appraising eyes. He prepared himself for the anger that should have come after that last statement. In his mind, he pictured Kat slapping him and leaving his bed in a hurry, never to come back to his side again. It was the only sensible reaction at hearing that he had feelings for two women.

Instead, she surprised him. She nodded for a few moments before a small grin appeared on her face. "So that's what it meant."

"What does what mean?" he asked, confused.

"What does Abigail look like? Does she look like me?"

Jack shook his head. "No, she's typically Javan in appearance. Long, dark hair and brown eyes. You two are rather the opposite in appearance although I can't fight my intense attraction for you both."

Kat's grin only grew wider. "Uniting dark and fair," she muttered.

Jack gave her another confused look. "What?"

"Nothing," she said while shaking her head. "Jack, I don't fault for you having feelings for another woman."

His mouth fell open. "You don't?"

"It's a bit unnatural, yes," she said with an easy smile. "But it's not without precedent, at least in Galicia."

"Men regularly have two lovers in Galicia?"

"Not just any men," she said with a simple shake of her head. "The kings of old used to have two wives regularly. Since Galicians are as much at home on the water as they are on land, it was called having a land wife and a sea wife. As Galicia grew weaker, the custom all but died out, but it's not a foreign concept to our land."

"Those are for kings though. Galician kings at that," said Jack. "What about me?"

She leaned in to nibble his ear. "Do you already forget you're a king?"

"Yeah, but of Andalucia—"

"You expend too much energy trying to outrun your own feelings," she teased. "Most men's reactions to finding out they can have two women would be much different, don't you think?"

"I worried about telling you, especially as this deepened," he said while gesturing between them. "Abigail already thinks that she can manage to share."

"A wise woman," said Kat with a giggle. "I very much look forward to meeting her."

"And I'm sure she does the same."

"We'll speak more about it another time, Jack. For now, don't get too caught up with worry. Everything has a way of working out. Trust me in this, okay?"

He nodded slowly. "I do trust you, Kat."

She caressed his cheek. "As I trust in you." She then placed a small kiss against his shoulder. "What plans do you have for tomorrow?"

"Probably another half day of listening to Bazu give reports," he said with a slight chuckle. "And figuring out what to do while I'm here."

"I'm sure you'll figure out what you need to do before we leave here," she said cryptically.

"I get the impression you know more than you're letting on."

Kat simply smiled. "I can't tell you just yet. But it will all make sense in time."

"More prophecy?" he groaned.

Kat giggled. "You trust me, remember? You just said so!"

"I do, gods help me. I'll feel better the sooner we are back on our way to Picardy again. This time, hopefully with no distractions."

She nodded and nuzzled closer to him, crushing her breasts against his body and providing quite a distraction of her own. "That would be much preferred. Although some distractions aren't so bad."

Jack grinned and looked down at her crushed tits. "You're a distraction that I don't mind whatsoever."

"I was hoping you'd say that." After a moment, her eyes rolled up in thought, while her lips pushed to one side.

"You have something on your mind, I can tell," he said with a chuckle.

"I was hoping that on our way to Picardy, we might still be able to stop at my house along the way. It wouldn't be long, possibly even a day before we got moving again. Ever since our ship was sunk, I've had to shelve that plan."

"I don't see why not," said Jack. "Is there anything in particular you're looking to get from your house? Or just wanting the time to relax?"

Kat nodded quickly. "There are a couple items I wish to grab before we can be off again. I promise I won't take up too much time."

"I trust you, Kat. I don't think a day of distraction will hurt us at all."

Her eyes rolled up to his. "Thank you. I hope you will come to see my home as well?"

"Of course. If that's what you want, then I'm there."

She reached out to softly caress his face. "Thank you."

"I'd do just about anything for you, you know that," he whispered. "I fought a war in this country that I had no intention of being in just to rescue you."

Her eyes turned misty. "You'll never know how thankful that I am that you're in my life, Jack. Throughout all of this. I meant what I said earlier. I didn't think you existed for so long. To finally be here and to be in your arms means the world to me. You mean the world to me. That's why I want to be with you."

"And why I want you to be with you. You never stop surprising me sometimes, my mysterious Galician woman," he teased.

Kat started to giggle. "Would I be nearly as much fun if I was any other way?"

"Probably not," he said with a chuckle, while earning a swat to the ribs. He pulled her in closer. "I like you just the way you are."

"I'm glad!" She slid her fingers against his bare skin, gently caressing his arms. He looked down to find her focused on something, her fingers rubbing against a spot on his shoulder.

"I see you've found my birthmark," he said with a chuckle.

Kat's eyes flickered up to him. "Is that what that is?"

He reached over to run his fingers over the spot. It was a mark in his skin that he'd had forever, not remembering a time when it didn't blemish his flesh. Looked at from the side, it almost appeared to be a cross. Jack had always liked the uniqueness of it, even if it was a simple imperfection.

Kat seemed to be very into it however. She kept poking at it with her finger, and at one point, she tried to scratch at it.

"It doesn't come off," he said while laughing. "Believe me, I've tried."

Kat gave an embarrassed smile. "I'm sorry. It's just very odd-looking. I've never seen anything like it."

"Oh, well surely you've seen birthmarks before?"

Kat shook her head. "Not like this!"

"Well, now you have," he said with a grin. "And if you keep making me smile, you might just get to see the rest of me."

"I hope that's a promise."

"You better believe it is."

Kat gave a sigh of happiness before she snuggled back into his arms and closed her eyes. In a matter of moments, her steady breathing seemed to confirm that she'd fallen asleep. He held her tightly as she slept. He wasn't lying when he said he fought the war to save her. Something deep inside his conscience told him that Kat is and always would be important to him. For that reason, and many others, he didn't want to let go of her again.

*****

Commodore Stanhope Lucas let out a low sigh as soon as he reclined in the chair in his office. He'd been slightly winded climbing the three floors of his headquarters to get to his personal office, a fact that he no doubt blamed on his erratic diet of late. Ever since the war had started and the Occitanian fleet had appeared, his stress levels had gone through the roof, causing him to eat. The first sign of a problem was when his trousers seemed a bit too snug one morning, causing him to have to put in for the next size up.

Even after the threat to Quiller's Cove largely dissipated, Lucas still found it hard to go back to his old, frugal eating patterns. As a result, he was larger than he'd ever been before, and simple tasks like climbing the stairs made him winded more easily than it had in the past.

Resolving to start fixing that particular problem in the morning, he settled in to await his morning tea. Lt. Settler was already preparing it from the moment he saw him arrive this morning, and there was just something calming about starting your day with a warm beverage.

Sure enough, Settler arrived a few moments later carrying the steaming cup. "Here you are, sir."

Lucas grinned as soon as it was put down on his desk. "Thank you, Settler."

"You may want to enjoy that while you can. Our stores of that cinnamon tea are getting quite low."

The smile quickly left his face. "That will do me no good. When is our next supply ship due in?"

Settler's eyes rolled up in thought. "Two weeks?"

Lucas cursed under his breath. "I'll just have to make do with what we have. Anyway, do I have any messages this morning?"

"You don't, sir, but surprisingly, Admiral Reynolds does. And it's from Admiral Bancroft," said Settler before placing a dispatch on his desk.

Lucas arched an eyebrow. "What is it concerning?"

"I don't think you'll be disappointed with this one, sir. It seems that Commander Ravencross' plan seems to have borne fruit."

"Let me see that." Lucas grabbed the dispatch and read it quickly.

ATTN: REAR ADMIRAL NICK REYNOLDS

COMMANDING OFFICER, TASK FORCE 49

YOU ARE TO REMOVE THE CRUISERS STARDUST, HORTON, AND VALIANT FROM YOUR COMMAND, AS WELL AS THREE DESTROYERS OF YOUR CHOOSING. PLEASE SEND THEM WESTWARDS TO THE COORDINATES LISTED BELOW TO JOIN TASK FORCE 21.

FLEET ADMIRAL PERCIVAL BANCROFT

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, IMPERIAL JAVAN NAVY

"Well, would you look at that. The crazy son-of-a-bitch did it," muttered Lucas before waving the dispatch around. "Ravencross got those ships reallocated to Jack."

"From the sounds of it, sir, it was more likely that Easterbrook did it on his own," said Settler. "Knowing his pull with Admiral Bancroft."

"No matter how it was done, I'm shocked how easy it was. Easterbrook truly is favored," said Lucas. "Has Admiral Reynolds seen this yet?"

Settler's face contorted into a twisted smile. "No, sir."

"I daresay he's going to be in quite the rage when he reads this. Especially relinquishing command to a mere commander. He won't be happy."

"I imagine he'll be fuming, sir. And we'll be soon to find out. Reynolds should be here at any moment."

Lucas nodded quickly. "That's no matter. He should find out sooner rather than later. It's of importance that he doesn't find out my role in this, however. Let him believe it's Easterbrook and Bancroft. I don't need yet another admiral up my ass at all times. Are we clear?"

Settler nodded easily. "Completely, sir. Besides, I almost wouldn't mind seeing the fireworks from this one. The admiral has been throwing his weight around a little too much since the battle. It's about time he was brought down a peg."

Lucas managed a grin. "I also wouldn't mind seeing the effects of that. He's been harder to work with as of late, and this may bring him back down with the rest of us mortals."

Lucas' words proved to be prophetic as the next sounds that the two men heard were the sounds of stomping along the stairs and finally, a slamming door. Lucas looked at Settler with a raised eyebrow, wondering if the admiral might already know about his new set of orders.

Predictably, Reynolds opened the door to his personal office and quickly slammed it behind him. The man's nostrils flared with anger, and the expression on his face was enough to melt steel.

"Have you seen this?" demanded Reynolds, clutching a dispatch in his hand.

"I'm sure you're talking about this one from Admiral Bancroft?" asked Lucas. "A copy was sent here as well just a little bit ago."

"This reached my headquarters on the Stardust just thirty minutes ago," seethed Reynolds. "What in the fuck is this about?"

Lucas tried to maintain a straight face. "It seems these ships are needed elsewhere."

"Bullshit they are," said the admiral. "This is the result of scheming. Someone out there is trying to pull a fast one on me and steal the ships under my command!"

"Now, Admiral, we all play for the same team. I highly doubt that anyone schemed their way to this outcome."

Reynolds flared his nostrils again. "Tell me, Lucas. Look me in the eyes and tell me that you didn't have anything to do with this."

Lucas stared right back at the man. "Admiral, do you really think I would go behind your back?"

"I don't know anything right now. All I know is that this sudden change of heart came out of nowhere. Nothing else makes sense. But I want you to swear to me that this didn't come from you."

Lucas struggled to keep his composure. The tiniest of movements could give away his feelings or his actions, and Reynolds wasn't a man that would forgive or forget easily.

"I had nothing to do with it," lied Lucas, keeping a straight face.

"This has to be the work of Jack Easterbrook," spat Reynolds as he reclined in his chair. "Only that man would know of the force we had here. He's the only one with the pull necessary to get from Bancroft what he wants. This had to have come from him!"

"Regardless of where it came from, what's done is done," said Lucas simply, hoping to lead the admiral away from threats or accusations. "All we can do is follow orders."

Reynolds grunted. "I will always follow my orders," he said quietly. "But I won't forget this. Easterbrook would be wise to watch his back after this. I may not have proof but my gut feeling is never wrong."

"What are you to do now?"

Reynolds seethed for several moments before giving a calm response. "I'll need to move my headquarters, I suppose. From the Stardust to the Paucis. And then choose which of my destroyers to give him. I don't know how I'll be able to defend Quiller's with one heavy cruiser and a few destroyers, but you better believe that I'll be keeping the most modern of them with us here. Easterbrook can have the old ships."

"What about the leaving ships? Was there any timetable for when they should leave?"

"At all possible speed," mumbled Reynolds. "I suppose we'll have to get that organized. Will you send for the commanders of the three cruisers? We'll have to give them a briefing on this."

"I'll have them summoned at once," said Lucas.

About forty-five minutes later, three men entered Lucas' personal office and offered a swift salute to the two commanding officers already seated. Lucas appraised each of them, only knowing two of them for a short time since their arrival in Quiller's Cove.

The first was Commander Pete Dawson, the commanding officer of the cruiser, Horton. Dawson was a tall man, one of the tallest that Lucas had seen, coming in at almost six and a half feet high. He was around forty in age and most of his hair was still dark despite his occupation. He had small, dark eyes, and he'd been in command of the Horton for almost a whole year now.

The man standing next to him was more of a veteran. Commander Mike Cutter was in his upper forties, and his hair was heavily tinged with gray, leading to a salt-and-pepper look that silently spoke of his experience. He had dark eyes as well, and as far as Lucas had seen, the man never smiled. He always had the same look of purpose on his face, filled with unrelenting drive and with no time for games or the simpler affairs of life. Cutter had been in command of the Stardust for almost two years now.

The last man was of course the newly-promoted Commander Luke Ravencross of the Valiant. He was the youngest man in the room, only around mid-thirties if Lucas had to guess. Yet it was Ravencross' tenacity that won the last battle with the Occitanians for them.

It was also Ravencross who helped him with the purpose for this meeting—to get the ships back out to Easterbrook.

"At ease," barked Reynolds as soon as the men had saluted. "I'm sure all of you are wondering why you're here right now. It wasn't my idea to have a meeting such as this however my hand has been forced by orders from the Admiralty. For that reason, all of you are leaving Quiller's Cove just as soon as you can manage."

"Where are we headed, sir?" asked Cutter, his face still neutral and unreadable.

Reynolds grimaced. "You will be detached from our task force, and you'll be heading due west to join Commander Jack Easterbrook as part of Task Force 21."

Cutter and Dawson looked to themselves, confusion written on their faces. Only Ravencross managed to look somewhat pleased at the matter, however Lucas had to give him credit—he did make a try at feigning reluctance.

"What about the threat to Quiller's, sir? Aren't we needed here?" asked Dawson.

"The Admiralty, in their wisdom, has decided that you're needed elsewhere," said Reynolds, picking his words carefully no doubt. "That somewhere else is in the Fourth Vector."

Dawson was the first one to look over at Luke, appraising his reaction. Of all of them in the room, he was the only man to go to the Vector and return to tell about it. In doing so, he'd created a certain mystique about him.

"Being that you're all the same rank, I'm going to request that Cutter be put in charge until you join Commander Easterbrook. He's the oldest and has the most experience," said Reynolds.

Cutter began to nod. "I can do that, sir. Is it just the three of our ships or is any other part of our task force going?"

"You'll be joined by three destroyers as well. Once you join with Easterbrook, you'll have the biggest task force outside of Java," said Reynolds with only a faint hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Sir, with all due respect, is this wise?" asked Dawson before looking back and forth at Ravencross and Cutter. "I don't mean to question orders, but from what I've heard about the Vector, it almost seems like a suicide mission."

For the first time that morning, Ravencross spoke up. "I've been there and returned. I can assure you that you're in no more danger there than you will be here. I know Commander Easterbrook personally, and I can tell you that he's a good officer. You won't be going into any more danger than you normally would in battle."

"I'm inclined to agree with Ravencross here," added Lucas. "We've had reports from Commander Easterbrook ever since he entered the Vector months ago. While he's seen his share of action, there's nothing out there now to make us assume further entry into the Vector would be dangerous for you."

Dawson then turned to face Luke. "You've been there before. What's it like?"

Luke shifted his eyes to his fellow officer. "You'd be surprised how much like home some of the lands are. One of them in particular, Sorella, reminds me of Java. Just much smaller of course. It's something you'll have to see for yourself, but I'd doubt you'd have any problem with it once we get there."

Dawson thought about that for a moment and nodded, speaking no more.

"So it's settled then," said Reynolds. "You are to prepare to leave at once. It will take you a couple weeks to make the journey into the Vector and link up with Easterbrook so you better get moving now." He then turned to Cutter. "Commander Cutter, I'll be moving my headquarters from your ship and taking up residence on the Paucis. Can you arrange for my things to be transferred?"

"Of course, sir," said Dawson quickly. "It was an honor to have you on board my ship, Admiral."

"As it was an honor to serve with all of you," added Reynolds reluctantly. "I hope no one soon forgets all that we've accomplished as part of this task force. We saved Quiller's Cove and gave the Occitanians a bloody nose that they soon won't forget. You were also part of the force that sank an enemy battleship with only cruisers. That doesn't happen much in history. You should all be very proud of what we've done together."

The three men offered salutes to their commanding officer. Reynolds stood up from the desk and saluted them in return. "Thank you for serving with me. You're all dismissed."

The three of them filtered out soon after that, leaving the two officers alone. Reynolds' shoulders slumped forward as soon as they were gone, completely defeated.

"Do you want some water, Admiral?" asked Lucas, watching his body language.

"No," he whispered. "Water won't return my task force to its former strength."

"You know, you should remember what you told the commanders before they left," said Lucas. "You have a lot to be proud about for what you've done here. I'm sure Bancroft sees that, and your next assignment will be more prestigious."

"I can only hope, Lucas. All I know is that the sting of this will last a long time. Who knows when I might receive my next assignment. For now, I'll have to be content with operating a reduced force here at Quiller's."

"Quiller's isn't all that bad," said Lucas with a lopsided grin. "I rather like it all the way out here."

Reynolds nearly snorted with laughter. "As if you had much of a choice. Bancroft exiled you out here how many years ago?"

"Nearly eight."

"Eight years of being out here, and you're rather content with it?" Reynolds chuckled to himself. "I'm not like you, Lucas. I need to get back home where all the action is."

Lucas patted the defeated man on the back. "All in due time, Admiral. All in due time."

Reynolds turned to face him, a steely glint in his eye. "I meant what I said earlier. I know Easterbrook is involved in this, and I won't rest until he's been sufficiently punished."

*****

That evening, Commodore Lucas waited until after dark before he crept out of his headquarters and headed down to the harbor. The only lighting available was from the sporadically-placed streetlights, and Lucas did his best to avoid them on his way. It wouldn't do well for Admiral Reynolds to catch him at his intended destination, and for that reason, stealth was of the utmost importance.

Once he made his way down to the docks, he sighted the Valiant at its berth and made for the gangplank. The officer in charge of security had been alerted to his arrival, quickly shuffling him onboard the ship and down into the commander's headquarters. It was only once the door was shut to Commander Ravencross' room that Lucas felt confident enough to take down his hood, revealing his face.

Luke Ravencross sat at his desk chair, watching the commodore with amused eyes. "Good evening, sir."

"Evening, Luke," said Lucas with a grin.

"You weren't seen, were you?"

Lucas shook his head. "Only by your watch officer, I'm sure. Can he keep a secret?"

"He's one of my best, sir. I'd trust him with my life."

"Excellent. Well, it looks like you got what you wanted today," added Lucas with a chuckle. "Back to the Fourth Vector you go."

Luke grinned in return. "It seems Jack's pull with Bancroft is still as strong as ever. I'm a little amazed at how quickly that order came through."

"As am I. However, you should've seen the fit that Reynolds pulled as soon as he got it."

"How bad was it?"

"Surprisingly, he didn't damage anything, although I'm sure his voice is still a little hoarse this evening."

"He'll get over it," said Luke. "Jack needs us more than we're needed here."

"Just remember to keep this between the two of us. You had the records erased from the logs like I asked you, right?"

"Of course. The last thing I need is to have Admiral Reynolds on my case."

"You may want to warn Jack about that," said Lucas. "Reynolds is convinced it all came from him."

"Well, he did have a starring role, so technically he's not wrong. But I'd like to keep it so that our names are left out of that as much as possible."

Lucas chuckled and nodded. "You and me both. Are you all about ready to leave?"

"Just waiting on the Horton to be loaded up. She only slid out of dry dock two days ago from the damage she took in battle, so she's a little behind the other ships."

"Good," said Lucas. "Are your ships as loaded up as can be?"

"With as many supplies as we can take. Why do you ask?"

Lucas tried not to smile too wide. "Because you'll need to take something else with you. Something that will require a lot more space."

*****

On the third morning after Jack was crowned as the next king of Andalucia, he awoke shortly after dawn. Excitement gripped him. According to the Sciavo, his army was close to the city and should arrive by midmorning. He was so excited to see the rest of his people, especially Abigail and Vera, that he had trouble sleeping, restless against Kat's sleeping form.

She didn't have a hard time noticing his lack of sleep. She cuddled up against him and kissed his shoulder. "Did you get any sleep at all last night?"

"On and off," he replied. "Not great though, to be honest."

Kat giggled. "I could tell. You wouldn't stop moving the entire night, and you kept waking me up."

"I'm sorry," he said with a chuckle. "You should have just pushed me off the bed in that case."

Kat grinned and then kissed him. "I thought about it, believe me!"

She remained pressed into his side as their tongues dueled with little urgency that morning. Despite the fact that her hair was a mess from the way she slept and that she had a small case of morning breath, Jack couldn't stop kissing her. Everything he did with Kat just felt right, and he wasn't one to relinquish his hold on her until he was good and ready.

"You're affectionate this morning," she whispered against his lips as their kissing finally broke. She was one to talk, as she was subtly grinding herself against his erection.

"Someday soon, I'll show you just how insatiable I can really be."

Kat moaned against his lips. "You promise?"

He nodded softly, earning another kiss from her.

"As much as I would love to stay in bed with you all day, we should eventually get up. We don't want to still be wrapped up in each other when they get here," she said.

"Why not? It might make for an interesting visual," he teased.

Kat giggled and poked him, soon after throwing her leg off the side of the bed and standing up. They still hadn't progressed to sex, and for that reason, she was still fully clothed in her sleeping wear. She gave him one last kiss as he sat up against the bed and soon disappeared into her own chambers.

Jack wiped the sleep out of his eyes as he stood up from bed, quickly approaching the window to look out of the palace. His bedroom faced the rest of the city of Septhada, and he watched as the sun began its ascent over the oasis city. It was quiet still, as mornings usually were, and he could only see just a handful of people out that early.

Probably slaves, he thought. The slaves were always the first ones out and usually the last ones in.

Now that he was king, he had a unique firsthand perspective on how slavery operated here in Andalucia. And it wasn't a pretty sight even from the top. Slaves practically ran the entire city, as well as the palace. There weren't many Andalucians who did anything more than either keep their home or fight in the wars. It was little wonder why an entire clan could pick up and move across the country, and then send its entire male population to fight. All the other work was done by slaves, enabling the males to focus solely on fighting.

A cruel system, no doubt. But how can I change it? How can I free them without completely collapsing Andalucian society?

It was a question Jack had to ponder for most of the morning. Shortly after he left his chambers, Bazu had fetched him a light breakfast and started the morning report. Jack had only just gotten his breather from that report when his Sciavo guard rushed into the throne room.

"Your Majesty, it appears your army has arrived," said the guard, gesturing to the southern approach.

"Wonderful," said Jack. "Let's go out and meet them. Come, Bazu, you can meet the rest of my friends as well."

Bazu gave him a delighted smile. "I'd appreciate that, Your Majesty!"

Jack, Bazu, and the small group of Sciavo crossed the palace grounds to the southern end of the fortress, where the cloud of sand and dust could already be seen for miles on the southern horizon. A small road led out in that direction for several days until it became a mere path, but it provided the best course for them to follow to the city.

Jack watched with a grin as the first elements of the army came into view. At the very front, he could see a small honor guard made up of Andalucian warriors and Javan marines, soldiering side by side in a partnership that had won him the throne of the country.

Behind that honor guard were the faces of those he most wanted to see. He started to wave at the group as soon as he saw Abigail's face, watching from a distance as they came closer. Vera was right beside her, as was one of the marine officers, Captain Bridge, as they began to enter Septhada.

Vera was the first to spot him, waving in return and pointing him out to Abigail. The two women soon broke out in a near run as they rushed to greet him, a movement he soon reciprocated. Meeting near the middle, Jack watched as both women came crashing into him at the same time.

"Jack! You're alive!" gushed Vera, crushing into his left side.

"We missed you so much," sputtered Abigail, crashing into his right.

"I missed you both too," he said with a laugh. "How was the journey up here? Any issues?"

Vera pulled away first and shook her head. "Not one. It's the quietest I've ever seen this country." She then made an amused face. "It was almost . . . pleasant!"

Jack chuckled more. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you both."

"And us too," said Abigail before turning to look back at the Sciavo guards lingering nearby, as well as Bazu. "Jack, is it all true? Are you the king here now?"

He nodded. "Can you believe it?"

"Scarcely at first," she admitted. "I thought it was too good to be true, but to hear your voice over the command radio and to know that you were still alive filled me with all this hope." Abigail then smacked his chest with enough force to catch him unawares.

"Ow. What was that for?" he muttered.

"Don't you ever go off and scare me like that again!" she said while pointing her finger. "You have no idea how worried we were. You didn't even tell us when you were leaving!"

"In my defense, I told you my plan," said Jack with a confused expression.

"You told us the plan but not when you intended to do it," countered Abigail. "You could've at least given us warning when you were leaving. But no, we had to find out when yours and Greg's sleeping bags were found empty the next morning. Do you have any idea how jarring that is?"

"It had to be that way, Abigail," he said quietly. "If you'd had seen me leave, I don't think you would have allowed it."

Abigail crossed her arms in front of her chest, glaring at him while she did it. It was a look that he knew well from her, even if it was hard for him to take it seriously sometimes. She always looked so sexy when she was pissed off.

"That doesn't change the facts, Jack."

He put his hands up. "I know. I apologize for the way I left. I thought it would be . . . easier to just slip away. I knew that you both would know where I was going. It was a hard thing to do regardless."

"It was just as hard on us too, Jack," said Vera quietly.

"Well, I'm sorry," he said. "The important thing is that we are all here alive. The plan worked. And I never thought these words would ever come out of my mouth, but I'm the king here now." He gestured to the palace fortress behind him. "You'll have to come inside and see the place."

Vera gave him an eager smile, her disappointment with him already forgotten. "And here I thought the idea of you being clan chief was strange enough. But the fact that you're king here now is absolutely ludicrous."

Jack chuckled. "I'm still getting used to it myself." He then turned to Abigail, whose anger hadn't been forgotten so easily. "Come up with me, okay?"

She slowly nodded as she regarded him with guarded eyes. "Don't ever do that to me again, Jack."

"I promise," he said, taking her hand. "Do you believe me?"

She studied him for a few moments before slowly nodding her head. "I do. You're lucky I love you."

Jack smiled. "Yes, I am. Come, let's get a camp set up for the entire army. It looks like most of them are catching up to us now."

The long trail of warriors and marines had finally caught up to the trio as relieved Javan faces saw their commander for the first time in weeks. Jack could only wave and grin as the men let out a loud cheer at seeing him, many of them whooping and hollering long after passing his spot. It wasn't long until Captain Bridge neared his location, offering a crisp salute upon seeing Jack.

"Commander, you're looking well," said Bridge with a cheeky smile. "It's good to see you again."

"And you, Captain, and you," said Jack, pushing forward to shake the man's hand. Bridge was one of those officers who had worked his way up through the ranks, only attaining his current position upon the death of his predecessor when they were still stuck on the plateau. "How are the men? Are they well? Are they in good shape?"

"As best shape as can be," said Bridge. "Especially now that no one's trying to kill them every second of the day."

"That is a plus," said Jack with a chuckle. "It looks like the war here is over."

"And are those guys on our side now?" asked Bridge while pointing to one of the Sciavo, his wicked sword glimmering in the sunlight. "That'll take some getting used to."

"All under my command," confirmed Jack.

Bridge let out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad to hear it. Where's Major Vaughn?"

"Back at the fortress. Come, we have much to discuss. Bring Captain Reynolds with you, and once the men are settled, come up to the fortress."

"Will do, sir!"

Jack directed the army to the position to set up camp, greeting many of the faces that he hadn't seen since he left in the process. Chief among them were his deputies for each clan, Samir for the Numratha, Abel for the Muthada, and the trio of Masud, Wabu, and Hafiz from the Burlada. Once he extended the same invitation to them as he did with Captain Bridge, Jack went back up to the palace to find the rest of the group, a broad smile still prominent on his face. It was good to see all these familiar faces once more after so much turmoil.

If his smile could have gotten any larger, it would have at the first sight that greeted him when he stepped back into the palace. Greg and Kat had been waiting for the arrival of the others in the main entry hall, and the very first thing he saw was Kat and Vera wrapped up in a hug, tears streaming down both of their cheeks.

"I never thought I would see you again," cried Vera as the two blonde women held each other. "You have no idea how happy I am to know that you're alive."

"Alive and well," said Kat happily. "Jack's been taking good care of me." Her last words earned a flicker of recognition from Vera as she eyed Jack right behind her. Vera whispered something into Kat's ear, which made her nod in confirmation. It gave Vera a reason to hug her even tighter.

"I felt so helpless when they grabbed you back on the Swordfish," said Vera. "I just panicked and had no idea what to do so I ran and hid. I'm surprised you're even still happy to see me."

Kat shook her head quickly. "You did what you had to do to stay alive. No one can blame you for that, least of all me. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. My heart fell when I saw the ship burning out of control as the slavers sailed away. I thought you were a goner."

Vera smiled. "I would've been if not for Jack and Greg. They led the rescue party that saved me."

"That's also how we figured out what happened to you," added Jack from her side. "And where to go looking for you."

Kat nodded her head confidently. "Do you see, Vera? It was all for good purpose. Our meeting here was not by accident. The fates guided us to this very spot."

Before Jack could roll his eyes at another whisper of prophecy, he turned to watch Abigail hug Greg, chatting like old friends about all that had happened since their separation. It felt too good to have all of those he cared about the most in one room again.

Well, almost everyone, he thought while remembering Luke and the crew of the Valiant. He hoped that wherever they were, they were safe and hunting Occitanians.

Once Abigail was done talking with Greg, she slipped over to his side and wrapped her arm around his. Turning to look at her, he could see that she was watching Kat and Vera chatter excitedly to themselves, catching up on all the events of the previous few weeks. The gaze in Abigail's eyes was locked firmly on Kat, and there was something behind them that Jack had never seen before. Could it have been jealousy?

"Is that her?" she asked, leaving no doubt to whom she was referring. "Is that Kat?"

Jack nodded in response, and walked closer to the two Galician women. His heart pounded fiercely at the first meeting of the two women, hoping that their private sentiments would still rule the day after their initial greeting. Kat seemed to notice that Jack had moved closer, her eyes locking on Abigail as they appeared at her side.

"This meeting is long overdue," said Jack. "But it's time it happened. Abigail, this is Kat of Galicia. She's volunteered to be our guide as long as we're in the Fourth Vector, and she's a large part of the reason why we're in Andalucia in the first place."

He then turned to Kat. "Kat, this is the commander of the Destiny, Abigail Wainwright. Her and I have sailed together for months, and there's few people in the world that I trust more."

Each woman seemed to study the other for several moments, leading to a degree of tension that was heavy enough that Vera had to step away, leaving the three of them with their own private moment. Jack watched with apprehension as they sized each other up, and he tried desperately not to let thoughts of each woman cloud his mind. It was a make-or-break moment, and if just one of them decided the other didn't measure up, this could have all been for naught.

"Jack has talked about you at length to me," said Abigail finally, extending her hand in greeting. "I look forward to getting to know you on my own, especially given how important you are to him."

Kat smiled kindly. "As he has spoken of you. And your status," she added, flickering her gaze between Jack and Abigail. "I know it's something we'll have to iron out in time, but I'm certain that we can come to an acceptable arrangement."

Abigail smiled in return. "When the time is right, we'll talk about it more. For now, it's a pleasure to meet you, Kat. And I'm glad to see that you're alive and well after all this time."

Kat nodded her head eagerly and cast aside Abigail's handshake, only to press in to hug the other woman. The shock was clear on Abigail's face at the gesture, leading her to giggle in surprise as she put her arms around the other woman.

Kat then took the time to whisper something into Abigail's ear that Jack couldn't make out. Whatever it was that she said, it took some time to convey, and he watched as a range of emotions played out on Abigail's face. Finally, once Kat pulled away, Abigail gave her an eager nod, and the two women started to giggle to themselves.

"Everything all right?" asked Jack nervously, looking at the both of them.

Kat turned her attention to him finally. "Everything's just perfect."

Abigail then added, "although I'm sure your life is about to become much more interesting."

Jack arched an eyebrow. "What does that mean."

Both women giggled. "You'll just have to find out later!"

Jack gulped heavily as the two women conspired. His personal life was about to take a very interesting turn.

*****

"So where do we go from here?" asked Abigail to the rest of the seated group. "Is the plan still to go to Picardy?"

It was about an hour later, and Jack had assembled everyone into one of the palace meeting halls for an impromptu discussion on their next course of action. Joining him were not only Abigail, Kat, Vera, and Greg, but also both marine captains, the Andalucian deputies from the three clans, and also, Bazu in his role as vizier. All of them represented leaders and advisers from all parts of his forces, and Jack wanted a frank discussion about their future before leaving Andalucia.

"That's the plan at least. Although, I'm not sure how soon we'd be able to leave here," said Jack.

Samir, who was up until that part rather quiet, chirped in next. "My king, it is rather unusual for the high clan king to leave the country. Not to doubt your actions or question your leadership, but it just doesn't happen here in Andalucia. I'm almost afraid of what might happen if you leave."

Jack pursed his lips. "Do you think it might lead to rebellion if I'm not around?"

Samir shrugged. "It could, Your Majesty. As a people, we're not known for having the coolest heads. Some clans might see your absence as a power vacuum that they could fill."

"Are there any clans or clan chiefs that we might want to keep an eye on if that were to be the case?" asked Jack. "Are there any known troublemakers that we should be watching?"

Samir looked over to Masud and Hafiz of the Burlada before looking back at Jack. "Most of the southern clans that were involved in the war are heading home now. I don't think you would expect much trouble from them, especially given the casualties they've suffered."

Masud then added, "my brother might have been one of those troublemakers were he still alive. Yet we of the Burlada are loyal to our clan chief and king."

Jack nodded his thanks before turning to look at Bazu. "What about the reports you're getting of the northern clans? Do we have any to watch out for up there?"

Bazu grabbed the scroll with his latest report and quickly read through it. "That situation keeps developing, sire. Those two clans are still on the move, the ones we discussed before. What's even more strange is that they aren't going to war. The two clan chiefs have a blood alliance between them. It looks most unusual."

"Do you think they could be turning hostile against us?"

Bazu shrugged. "It's too early to tell, sire. But it doesn't look good."

"Keep eyes on them and let me know if they show any signs of turning on us," said Jack.

"Perhaps we should keep the army at ready should we need to march again," added Captain Bridge. "It wouldn't do any good to let the clans go home, leaving us nothing to confront these northern clans with if they start trouble beyond the Sciavo."

"That's sensible," said Jack before looking back at Bazu. "These two clans to the north. How large are they?"

"Two of the larger clans, Your Majesty. They rival the Burlada in size," said the vizier.

"It will do us no good to plan for anything without figuring out what these two clans are up to," said Jack finally. "I don't want to leave here only to find the situation destabilizing the moment my feet leave shore."

"I will send a regiment of the Sciavo north to observe," said Bazu. "They will be able to get a more accurate report on the ground."

"We will send scouts as well, Your Majesty," added Masud.

"Good, keep me informed," said Jack before another voice had the chance to speak up.

"Jack, what about the slaves here?" asked Vera pointing out one of the servants in the room who was at this very moment refilling the drinks of those in the meeting. "Now that you're the king, aren't you able to give them their freedom?"

Even though her voice was soft and her question moral, it sucked the life out of the room. Bazu gasped, and the three deputies of the Burlada started to mutter angrily to themselves.

"I don't know much about this woman, Your Majesty," said Wabu of the Burlada. "But the simple idea of freeing the slaves can't even be contemplated. You would crash our society as we know it."

"It's not the most moral of institutions, Wabu," said Jack. "Vera has a point."

"Morality has nothing to do with it, sire," said Abel from the other side of the table. "Andalucia runs on the backs of slaves. Slaves do everything here. About the only thing they don't do is warfare, which is left up to the individual clans."

"So you're saying that by freeing the slaves and making each clan take more responsibilities previously held by the slaves, there would be less time for warfare?" asked Jack with an arched eyebrow. "Who would argue against that?"

"Anyone who grew up in this society and realizes it can't be changed at the drop of a hat," said Masud quietly. "Your Majesty, this is something that needs to be thought over well. Morality should come last in a question of this importance."

"Or it should come first," said Abigail before crossing her arms. "Andalucian society seems to be well-known in this corner of the world. The way things are with the slavery here is repugnant."

"Foreigners may think that way until they see things firsthand," said Abel with a shrug. "What exactly are all these slaves to do once they have their freedom? How are they to feed themselves? Most don't know anything about farming, and Andalucia has poor soil anyway. They won't have any money so how will they take care of themselves? What about the free people? What will they do?" Abel then turned to face Jack. "This isn't a question with an easy answer, Your Majesty. Andalucians and their slaves are tied together as one. I urge you to think this through before you do anything."

Abel and the others had brought up fair points. What would all the slaves do with the freedom? They had no starting point, and many of them had no other skills besides being a slave. Jack didn't want to leave the island in more turmoil than he found it, but if he intended to continue with this line of thinking, he'd need a plan.

"We'll talk more about the slavery issue later," said Jack, earning a look of disappointment from Vera. He spoke directly to her next. "There's many things to consider. Let me look at this problem from a few different angles until I can come up with a good solution."

Vera folded her arms in front of her. "That's fine, I guess." It was obvious her heart wasn't in her statement.

Funny enough, while all the Andalucians lined up on one side of the issue, and the Javans plus Vera lined up on the other, Kat had been oddly silent during the entire exchange. Jack's eyes flickered to her to watch her expression. She wore a neutral face as much of the argument went back and forth, but never offered up anything for rebuttal. Even despite her time as a slave, he had a hard time discerning how she felt just by her face alone.

The rest of the meeting went on, and was only adjourned after it was decided that they'd have to wait out the movements of the rogue northern clans. The rest of the day was spent much more casually as Jack set up his guests with their rooms before finally retiring for the night. He wasn't in his room much more than five minutes when there was a soft knock at the door. Smiling to himself, he wondered if Kat was ready for bed.

Instead, his eyes feasted on Abigail as soon as he opened his door. She looked incredibly demure in her uniform with the top button undone and her dark hair spilling off her shoulders. It had been too long since the last time he'd been intimate with her.

"Miss me?" she asked quietly as she slipped inside his room and tossed her arms around him.

"You have no idea," he growled, picking her up as she gave an excited cry and wrapped her legs around him. He carried her to his bed and laid her down, placing kisses all over her neck, chin, and finally lips. Abigail kissed him with passion as her hips began to gyrate against his own. She made the sexiest moan every time his lips raked against her skin and soon she was panting.

"It's been too long since I had you inside me, Jack," she said as she locked eyes. "Not knowing whether you were alive or dead, and all of this distance from you nearly killed me."

"It's okay now. No more distance," he said finally, kissing her lightly. "I'm here with you now."

Abigail giggled and looked around. "I'd never thought I'd get the chance to fuck a king in his palace."

Jack chuckled. "A lot has changed since we arrived in the Vector."

"That it has," she said while pulling at the buttons on his uniform. "No more talking right now. Just fuck me, Jack."

Feeling his desire take over, Jack mauled at her uniform, not satisfied until her top was completely off. He threw the jacket on the floor as soon as he was able, attacking her tits with passion as Abigail gave throaty words of encouragement. Releasing her bra, he bent down to take each nipple in his mouth, sucking on it until it grew thick and erect. Abigail raked her fingers through his hair, helping him shimmy out of his uniform as well.

Jack kept up the display of desire until it became obvious that Abigail had stopped moving. Hazarding a look up to her face, he saw that she was watching the door. He turned his head, his heart nearly stopping as he saw what she was looking at.

At the door, her face watching them through the gap, was Kat.

For a split second, Jack almost panicked. "Kat, I—"

However, Abigail shushed him almost right away. "No, no, it's fine, Jack. It's okay." She then turned to look back at Kat. "Please come in."

Jack looked back over to watch the blonde woman process the statement. With tentative motion, she entered the room and shut the door firmly behind her.

Jack felt his confusion rising. "What's going on?" he asked, looking between them.

"Something that needs to happen," said Abigail. "Especially if all of us are going to consider this arrangement. I asked Kat to come here five minutes after I did."

"You did?" he asked, turning to look at Kat who nodded her confirmation.

"Abigail and I had a lot to talk about today. She asked me if I was willing to share you," said Kat, stepping closer to them. "Of course, you know my feelings on that matter, Jack, but she didn't." The blonde woman sat on the bed, only a couple feet away from the half-naked couple.

Abigail's finger pulled his chin back in her direction. "And you know I'm willing to share with her. But for this to work, there can be no jealousy. No sneaking around, and no secrets. I haven't had you inside me since you left, and I've been aching for this. But it would be unfair of me to deny this night to Kat, especially if she feels for you as I do."

"It's not quite the same though," said Jack quietly. "Her and I haven't . . . gone all the way yet."

"Even still, you've been intimate in your own way, right?" asked Abigail, looking at both of them. Jack and Kat both nodded silently.

"That's what I meant by that. If this is to work, there can't be any secrets." She then leaned up and offered her nipple to his lips. "Trust me," she whispered. He nodded and slipped it between his lips and sucked on it lightly. "I want Kat to stay with us right now. I want her to get an idea of how strongly I feel for you. And how strongly you feel for me. And when the time comes, I want to see that firsthand for myself between the two of you. If we do this, I want to do it right." She then turned to look at Kat. "He does this so well by the way. I love how he teases my nipples."

Kat smiled and slid closer. "I'm looking forward to finding out myself."

Jack finally turned to look at Kat. "Are you okay with this? Are you sure this is what you want?"

She locked eyes with him, her gaze strong and her purpose clear. She nodded her head. "You are what I want, Jack." She then circled her finger around the three of them. "This is how it's meant to be."

He moved away from Abigail's chest to kiss Kat, who threw her arms around him and kissed him with a serious dose of passion. She pressed her body in tightly against his before releasing him a moment later. "It's her time tonight, okay? Pleasure her, all right, Jack? Then when the time comes, you can have me too."

He nodded and turned back to Abigail. She was panting heavily now as she slipped her trousers off, letting them fall on the floor. Her fingers swiped under her lace-covered sex, and even from a few feet away, he could see her fingers glistening with evidence of her arousal.

"I think she needs those pulled off," said Kat in his ear, pointing at her panties. "What do you think?"

Jack nodded slowly as Abigail lifted her butt off the bed to help him. After hooking his thumbs along the sides, he pulled them down quickly, exposing her hairless mound for his eyes to feast upon. He licked his lips, aching to taste her once more, hungry for her body.

Abigail hissed as his lips made contact with her slit, his tongue flicking against her labia. "Oh, right there. How I missed this, you have no idea, Jack."

He wasted no time diving into her pussy with hunger, feasting on her clit like it was his only life source. Using his fingers as well as his tongue, he made her squirm and moan as her neglected quim received lavish attention. To his side, Kat watched from a safe distance away, her eyes glued to Abigail's pussy and completely entranced by the sight in front of her.

Soon enough, Abigail pushed him away gently while letting out a sigh of delight. "I need you in me, Jack. Right now. Please don't make me wait any longer." She sat up in a hurry, wrapping her arms around his back and pulling his mouth to hers. Abigail moaned against his lips as she tasted her own delectable juices, all the while letting her hands slip inside his trousers. She made quick work of them, pushing them down in a hurry to free his erection.

She cooed as soon as her hand wrapped around him. "There he is. Oh, how I missed him," she said with her eyes trained on him.

"It looks like he missed you too," he whispered. His cock throbbed in agreement.

"I know exactly where you can put him." Abigail laid back down on the bed and spread her legs wide. She used a hand to pull her labia apart, her slick, wet lips open for invitation. Jack lined up the tip of his purple helmet with her slit.

Right before he slid in, Abigail turned to face Kat. "This is my favorite part."

The dark-haired woman let out a low sigh of approval as Jack pushed in, sinking his cock inside her hole. Abigail was just as wet and tight as he remembered, a burning oven of slick arousal as he pushed the first several inches inside. He felt the bed shift as Kat came closer still, watching as his cock disappeared inside her. She looked down to Abigail.

"How's it feel?" she asked quietly.

"Heavenly," purred Abigail. "You really should try it."

"Soon," promised Kat, before looking back to Jack. "Soon," she repeated, the promise heavy on her lips. She reached out and kissed Jack longingly before taking her place back on the bed. Jack watched as her hand slipped between her thighs, and several moments later, she could be heard with rushed breathing and small quivers as she watched the pair move together.

Once Jack was fully inside Abigail, he wasted no time setting up a smooth and steady rhythm. Abigail was in no mood for slowness. She eagerly pushed back her hips to meet his thrusts, her passion turning wanton in the blink of an eye. Her panting was immediate and urgent, and her hands were attracted to her nipples as she took the full force of his pounding.

"That's right, baby. Fuck me so good. God, I love your cock, Jack," moaned Abigail as the bed began to squeak at the intensity of their movements.

Jack felt like he was in a dream. Not only was he locked in intercourse with the stunningly gorgeous Abigail, but he had the other woman in his life right beside him, silently pleasuring herself to the sight of them fucking. It was a surreal experience, filled with pleasure, and bound to make him explode with full force.

Just when he was getting close, Abigail pulled herself away from him and bounced up on the bed. "I want you to fuck me from behind, Jack." She then turned to look at Kat. "He loves my ass. I think he'll cum harder if he gets to watch it. Isn't that right, Jack?"

"I do love your ass," he said quietly, as he reintroduced his cock back into her tight passage, his hands gripping at her cheeks.

"One of the first things he said to me was that he liked my ass," moaned Abigail. "Do you remember that, Jack? When you first came aboard the Destiny?"

"How could I forget," he said forcefully as he began to ram himself deeper inside her. Abigail stopped talking coherently a moment later, too caught up in the passion of the person thrusting into her from behind. The sounds of their hips meeting soon echoed across the room, joined by steady pants from Kat as she rubbed herself to the sight of their coupling.

Jack knew he was going to be a goner soon. Abigail simply felt too good, and fucking her from this angle was allowing for deep, masterful strokes. The tightness of her pussy squeezed him every time he went deep, coaxing his orgasm from deep within.

"I'm going to cum," he groaned, pistoning his hips against her soaking wet pussy.

"Inside me," she managed to yell out before she completely collapsed, her body shaking in quivering orgasm at the thought of his seed flowing deep inside her.

A few moments later, he made that idea reality as he pushed in deep, letting a torrent of sperm gush into her womb. They held themselves together tightly as every ounce of him emptied inside her before he was able to fall to the side, a completely spent force.

"Oh my god," moaned Abigail, thrusting her butt into the air. "That was so good."

"Yes, it was," agreed Jack before he gestured to the other side of the bed. "It looks like she's not done yet though."

They both focused on Kat as her mouth dropped open, her eyes closed as her furious fingers rubbed herself to fruition. Her other hand had slipped in between her shirt and your skin, no doubt teasing her nipple as her orgasm approached.

Jack and Abigail didn't have to wait long. Kat let out a low mewl of satisfaction as she came, slinking back against the bed as her mouth finally closed, only to be replaced by a small smile. With a shy gaze, she finally looked back to the two of them.

"Did that feel good?" he asked, watching her flushed cheeks and measured breathing.

"It was really nice," breathed Kat. "Just what I'd been needing."

Abigail giggled. "You can say that again."

Kat soon joined her, and the three of them let out some serious post-coital laughter. It was only after it died down that Kat looked over to the two of them again. "Now what?"

While the question was short, the meaning was much more intense. She wanted to know what the sleeping arrangements would be for tonight. For a split-second, Jack pondered what to do. The last thing he wanted to do was to ask anyone to sleep by themselves, but he didn't know if they would both be okay to sleep with him. Surely after what just happened, it wouldn't be a big deal, but what if it was?

In the end, he did what he wanted to do.

"Now, we sleep," said Jack firmly, gesturing for Kat to join him on the bed. Abigail didn't bat an eyelash as she scooted over to make room, taking the side against the wall while Jack took the middle. Kat smiled demurely as she laid down on his other side, soon cuddling up against his chest and laying her head against him. On the other side, Abigail did the same while he wrapped the both of them up in each arm.

Holding the two women just felt right, and Jack felt a sense of completeness that he'd never known before. The girls didn't seem to mind either, as their soft breathing a moment later seemed to indicate their content. In having the both of them, he had happiness.

Finally.

And he wasn't going to let anyone or anything take them from him.