A New Beginning Ch. 03

Kendrick nodded and signalled to one of the Planetary Infantry Captains to come forward.

He handed Choi the orders and sighed, "My men aren't Marines, try not to get them killed."

Choi shrugged again, unwilling to make any promises that would make him a liar.

The Captain saluted smartly to Kendrick and awaited his orders.

"How many men do you have Captain?" needing to ask as the units had recently been reformed and were slightly uneven at the moment.

"Two hundred and fifty three, Sir." He replied without hesitation.

The transfer order was for two hundred and sixty.

Before Kendrick could say anything else, Choi interrupted, "how many PG's?"

Both the colonel and the Captain looked at him oddly but the young Captain answered after a nod from Kendrick.

"Forty six." He said with a hint of confusion.

Choi nodded. "That will do it." He said firmly.

Kendrick wasn't about to argue, if the Marines would accept the PG's instead of more of his men he was willing to let them have them.

"Captain Shaw, you and your men are transferred to the 'Jean-Paul' and are under the command of its Captain." He said with just enough regret in his voice to stall any arguments from the young Captain who's eyes had widened.

Shaw saluted smartly. "Sir yes Sir." He said with an expressionless face that never the less betrayed his dislike for his new assignment.

Choi watched with a satisfied smile as Shaw gathered his troops, the Infantry sergeants shouting out orders and lining them up in 'parade' formation next to the Drop Ship.

Kendrick excused himself, not wanting to watch and having a lot to do since it looked like the General has taken off with his PG to go have a consolation fuck.

Jessica stood close by with her squad, just where Choi had left them. She tapped out a steady rhythm on her rifle butt with her nails as she looked at the quickly assembling Infantry.

Her new Combat Chip fed her information about the Planetary Infantry and how it was structured and worked.

Unlike the Marines, the PI were mainly trained for Urban warfare and peacekeeping duties. They carried a longer ranged pulse rifle that had a slower rate of fire than the more compact and lighter rifles the Marines used.

Compared to the more versatile Marines, the PI were good soldiers that lacked the variety of skills the Marines had, less aggressive and less likely to think for themselves. The PI troops required more direction and were often thought of as unimaginative and dull by the Marines.

Williams and Ramirez flaked Jess and watched too, the troops looked good and fresh, too fresh. Their body armour and uniforms were pristine and still smart.

"Pretty." Said Williams with a snort of dismissal.

"Not for long." Replied Ramirez with a nasty grin on her face.

*********

The bunk room was Darkened for night running, the only illumination came from the dimmed floor lights that ran in a long strip between the bunks, all the way down to the "Head'.

Jessica was slick with sweat and the bodily fluids of Williams, Smith and Collins. She finished cleaning TomTom's cock with her mouth and swallowed what she had gathered up.

They had taken turns as she would no longer fuck more than one at a time, having long ago decided she wouldn't act like that anymore.

Truth be told, if it wasn't for an actual NEED for sex, she would probably have gone without. But she was made a certain way and Genetically enhanced in such a way that kept her in an almost constant state of sexual arousal.

It helped that she actually liked and respected the men she had chosen and that they respected her.

Williams and Collins were already in the showers, Smith 'TomTom' lay next to her and stroked her short Auburn hair.

"Thanks Jess." He said softly.

She smiled and kissed him gently on his lips. "I needed it too TomTom."

He nodded in understanding. He was respectful of her and knew that while she wasn't like other women in the Marine Corp. it had become increasingly easy to forget she had ever been anything other than Jessica Davis.

They stood up together and walked to the showers, the area around her bunk was curtained off from the rest of the bunks, but there had been no hiding the sounds of them fucking.

Not that it mattered much, other Marines were copulating quietly or loudly as was their want, some with each other, others with one of the PG's.

In the dimness of artificial 'night', the room was otherwise quiet.

Jess walked past Suzi's bunk, she could make out Suzi's blonde hair and pale limbs as she thrashed and bucked beneath what must have been her eighth or ninth that night.

Like Jess, Suzi no longer did gangbangs, only accepting one Marine at a time into her bed. Unlike Jess, it wasn't so much that she felt wrong about it, it was more that she wanted to be like Jessica.

Jessica and TomTom entered the showers and hit the activation buttons, neither had bothered to put anything on and stepped under the steady streams of water to clean off.

As had become usual, 'Willy' stepped behind her and worked shampoo into her hair while Collins took what was normally TomTom's role, lathering her body up with Marine Issue soap that was coarse but effective.

Jess liked this part of her day or night, having herself washed by them was pleasurable in a non-sexual way that they all seemed to like and enjoy.

It did occasionally end up in sex, but that was rare now. It had become a ritual for them, respecting each other and caring for one another in a way that the other squads didn't quite understand.

It was almost like an animalistic grooming activity, reinforcing their almost family like bond.

Ramirez walked in and joined them, lathering herself up before turning to Williams and helping him rinse the shampoo out of his hair, he scrubbed her body with his hands in return and she sighed in pleasure.

"Get some?" asked Williams of Ramirez.

She nodded, "Gabby Wells." She said with a grin and a wink.

Williams laughed and they high fived, "Shit girl, I thought she was as straight as they get?"

Ramirez shrugged her tiny shoulders, the pixie like girl Marine had a small and compact body that was surprisingly strong.

"Guess I'm just THAT good." She boasted with a wink as she rinsed off.

All cleaned up and done, Jess and the rest returned to their bunks. Jess dressed in her PT's and headed out of the bunk room. She didn't require as much rest as the others and jogged along the corridors of the 'Jean-Paul'.

It was quiet throughout the massive vessel, the constant thrum of the engines was comforting to her as she jogged along and nodded to the few members of the crew that were still awake and moving around the ship.

There was never a time that someone wasn't about. A ship as big as the 'Jean-Paul' normally had over two thousand crew and just over five hundred Marines.

She neared the hanger bay and had to slow down, the security scanners here wouldn't let her into the hanger without clearance.

Her slower pace let them scan her and open the doors without her having to actually stop. Once inside she ran faster, the wide open space allowing her to sprint and burn off her excess energy.

Fucking just three wasn't really enough, running it off was the best she could come up with as she was unwilling to make it more than that a night.

Besides, she thought she had come to understand the looks from Hank, she suspected he didn't like to think of her doing it at all.

Connors watched her run past his Drop ship, he liked the way she moved, lithe and in perfect balance as she seemed to glide along the floor at a blistering pace that he knew he couldn't match.

Her one-piece PT suit didn't hide her magnificent body, in fact it seemed to accentuate every curve and line.

As she approached for the third time, he jumped down from where he had been tinkering with the thrust manifold and waved her over.

She slowed to a jog and then a walk as she got closer.

Jess saluted smartly, "yes Sir?"

Connors returned her salute, "Off Duty chat Marine." He said after retuning it. Letting her relax and know that he wanted her to talk normally.

She smiled, "You're up late Sir?"

He grinned, "This old bird needs a lotta TLC to do what I ask of her." He replied as he touched it's dull metal with affection.

Jessica cocked her head to one side with a sudden idea flashing through her head.

"Teach me?"

"To Fly?" he said with a laugh as he eyed her up and down a little lustfully.

"Why not? I think I can handle it." She said with a grin.

He shook his head, "You're a Marine." He replied as if that was explication enough.

She shrugged, "How about you give me a flight manual then? If I learn it and prove it, will you show me then?"

Connors actually thought about it as he realised she was serious.

Combined with the fact he really wanted to fuck her and found her incredibly hot, he nodded.

"I'll do you a deal." He said

"okay, what deal?"

"Flight manual and a lesson, but when we get to Jericho Station, you go on a date with me."

She eyed him carefully and made a few connections.

"You want sex for lessons, sorry... NO." she shook her head emphatically, she might be used to sex, but she wasn't about to trade her body like that. She had gained too much self-respect to allow herself to go backwards now.

He held up both hands.

"Whoa, whoa, I didn't say that or mean that... I said a 'Date' and I meant it, lemmie get to KNOW you."

She was puzzled, she had been on a 'date' with Hank, it had been nice. Which was very different to the 'dates' she had had to endure as a PG when in basic.

"Why?" she asked, wondering and wanting clarification, still unsure which kind of date he was talking about.

He shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous tick? She didn't know him well enough to read him.

"I'll be honest, I find you seriously hot, but you are also interesting... I just want to get to know you and if anything else happens, then it does. BUT, I think we could have a fun time either way."

He seemed genuine and she nodded and held out her hand.

"Okay, deal. When do I get my lesson?"

He opened up the cockpit door and lent inside to retrieve an info pad.

"Here, you finish this, then come to me and I'll give you that lesson." He said as he handed it over with a smile.

She nodded and waited for a dismissal, even if this was an informal off duty chat, she knew the Regs.

He did too but had forgotten himself for a second, with an embarrassed half salute he said, "Dismissed Davis."

Her lips quirked a little as she returned it, "Sir yes Sir." She replied before turning on her heel and walking a few paces before resuming her run.

As she ran, she thought about it, strictly speaking he was fleet and could date her, it wasn't approved of though. Fleet and Marines didn't make good partnerships in the eyes of most.

The difference in Rank would also be frowned upon. But that wasn't a big concern to her yet, they hadn't even been on the date yet. Everything was nebulous at best.

'Dating is different in the real world' she thought to herself.

There were reams and reams of Regulations regarding relationships and she had read them all, trying to find out where her and Hank fitted in. So far she had yet to find a loop hole for what she wanted, which was to get closer to Hank.

She wondered how he would react to her going on a date, would he be angry? Would he approve? She didn't really know as she had no concept of being faithful. And still wasn't sure what exactly they were to each other.

*******

The 'Jean-Paul' docked briefly with the 'Francis V' to exchange a few key personnel, both were older Battle Cruiser class vessels, almost equal in size and armament.

However the 'Francis V' only had a skeleton crew and was heading back to E3 to be decommissioned, older and with many malfunctioning systems, she was of little use now. What she did have was spare munitions and a few remaining engineering experts that Captain Rawlings could very much use.

Captain Jane Sharpe sat with Rawlings in his ready room, sipping some very nice E2 Vodka.

"This is very good Jerry, got any spare?" she asked with a wink.

"Last bottle Jane, this stuff is rare as fuck." He answered sadly.

She shrugged, it had been worth a try. Especially as she was letting him strip her ship for anything still working and potentially useful.

Friends since Cadets, she was willing to help. She knew the shit storm he was about to fly into, her own ship had suffered and fought it's last battle against the well trained and modern fleet that General Niles had managed to put together.

"Sorry about your ship Jane." He consoled her.

"Had to happen, she was too old to deploy against what Niles has." She gave him a knowing look that he understood.

His own vessel wasn't really up for a toe to toe against a modern Cruiser or Battle Carrier with it's inevitable Destroyer class escorts.

Sure, he could probably take on one of the new Destroyers, but a pack of them? Not a chance.

"can you tell me what happened?" he asked gently.

She sighed. "We were on escort duty, two Class four Destroyers and me, making a supply run with eight convoy ships."

She looked haunted and a little angry.

"They must have some fucking good intel, because they jumped in out of FTL right on top of us. Two Battle Cruisers, Class two. One of our class fours was hit so many times it was cut in half before we even had time to go to alert."

She took a swallow of her Vodka.

"Captain Hall managed to return fire as I was forced into evasive manoeuvres, we hit back with Lancer Torpedoes, Launched 'Hornets' and by some miracle partially disabled the engines on one."

She shook her head. "It wasn't enough, they concentrated fire and Lancers on Hall's ship and tore her apart in minutes. The 'Francis V' couldn't stand up to that kind of firepower, we stayed and tried to let the convoy make an FTL jump. My old girl took a ton of damage and I lost half my crew."

She shuddered and swallowed the rest of her drink.

"Fuck knows why, but they jumped away as soon as what remained of the convoy made the jump, they could have finished us off with ease."

Jerry lent forward and wordlessly poured the last of the Vodka into her glass. She nodded her thanks and took a deep gulp.

"Your flying into deep shit Jerry." She said finally.

He grimaced and sighed, "Yeah... I know."

*****

Two days later they docked at Jericho Station. It was small and poorly maintained, mostly used as a short stop, the few bars and shops catered for weary crews with a variety of distractions, much of it centred around a small 'PG' district where anything went.

Flight Lieutenant Mark Connors waited in small café, hoping that Jessica Davis would keep up her end of the deal.

He almost didn't recognise her when she approached through the milling throng of people and Pleasure Girls who wore next to nothing as they touted for business on behalf of their owners.

She wore a fashionably demure full-length dress with long sleeves and a high neck. Subtle pink lace covered half of her long slim neck and more blended into her long sleeves and lace gloves. She looked astonishingly beautiful.

If it wasn't for the shortness of her hair, only just long enough to be held up with a black ribbon, he would have thought her one of the middle class ladies of E3 or E2.

People moved out of her way on instinct, the way she was dressed and looked, had them automatically acting gallantly, the way the Holy Company had enforced over the Systems for over two centuries now.

He jumped to his feet and held her chair for her as she got close. Her eyes twinkled and she gave him a small nod as she accepted the offer and sat down with perfect grace, carefully rearranging her dress to hide her ankles. A properly dressed woman wouldn't flash her ankles in public and she had been taught all this before being deemed 'defective' and shipped off to Basic.

He held out his hand, "I don't think we have met... Mark Connors, pleased to meet you." He said with no hint that he was being anything but serious.

She took his hand, accepting his que and replied softly. "Jessica, Jessica Davis, pleased to meet you too."

Mark ordered for them both as was proper and she sipped her water as he drank a Synthbeer from one of the doubtful casks on display.

The conversation was light but skewed towards her.

He listened to her and asked her opinion on numerous subjects, she felt at ease with him by the time the entrees arrived and was talking freely about the books she had read over the slightly overcooked steaks.

He laughed at her take on Alice in Wonderland and offered his own opinion. That made her smile and she shook her head in amusement.

A good two hours later, they were talking about drop ships and their capabilities, then onto the latest book by Bishop Havier.

By the time they finished Kaffka, she was seeing him very differently.

He beckoned for the check and pressed his thumb to the offered pad.

"ever been bowling?" he asked with a smirk.

Jess took his proffered arm, "No, I've read about it, ancient game of Earth One, something about a closeness to god and wearing special shoes to show respect for him?"

He grinned, "Close, but I'm not sure I believe the shoe thing... You need them to bowl properly."

She smiled at his lack of piety, Marines pretty much danced with the devil anyway.

"Is that what we are doing next? ... bowling?"

He laughed, "Only if you wish to, perhaps I can tempt you with a game of Seraphim?"

Jess shook her head and looked up at his handsome face. "No, Bowling is fine... as long as I don't have to show my ankles."

His face sobered, "No, you will be safe with me, I'll have them set up a ladies ramp." He reassured her.

Jess had no clue what a 'ladies ramp' was, but she found that she did trust him and was enjoying her 'date' so far.

Willingly she let him take the lead through the crowds of hawkers, PG's and drunken Marines and others who were inadvisably spending their pay on whatever was on offer.

******

Marine Captain Danvers and Phillips sat in Rawlings ready room, joined by Lieutenant Choi, the 'Jean-Paul's' XO and a few other Fleet officers.

Rawlings outlined what he had learned so far and what was coming next, not all of it, much was classified and wouldn't change anything about the situation they would face in the Janus system.

He didn't sugar coat it, his ship was out dated and outgunned by the newer style.

"Any suggestions at this point would be good." He said with a nod at his officers.

"From what Captain Jane Sharpe has told me, General Niles has very good intel, chances are we will get more than a few surprises."

First Officer Cartwright nodded, "Short fuses on the Lancers and independent fire control might be good Sir." He offered.

Rawlings nodded, it was something he had already planned on doing, but he wasn't about to shoot down the man for stating the obvious.

Choi coughed.

Every eye swivelled to him as he looked at Rawlings.

"Why not teach them a lesson?"

Rawlings quirked his head in interest, Choi was one of the oldest Marine's alive and had a wealth of experience.

"What's your idea Lieutenant?" he asked as the others looked at Choi with puzzlement.

To them it was a case of old and outdated verses new and oh so very deadly.

Choi stood up and waved his arms around at the ship in general.

"This beast was a scary thing once, I was a Marine when this kind of ship fucked up anything in its path."

He grinned then.

"It might be old, but it has teeth that the new pussy assed ships don't have." He stated firmly.

Cartwright winced and shook his head, "Like WHAT? Out dated guidance systems? Hellcat torpedoes that won't penetrate modern armour?"