“Got it,” I said, and then we all made our way through the hold and into the elevator. Kasta got off at the second floor, but the rest of us continued up to the bridge.
Dance to the Dirge was twenty meters longer than Persephone, and the extra space was really apparent in the bridge. Persephone’s was much more narrow and shorter, and Madalena’s bridge had four extra gunners stations. There was actually no real captain’s chair either. The front of the bridge was just eight terminal chairs set behind the two pilot seats.
“Juliette?” I said as soon as we reached the front of the bridge, and the redhead let out a laugh as she skipped up to the front seat.
“Looks very nice,” she said as she ran her fingers over the leather chair and controls. “Blondie, I’m gonna need a co-pilot.”
“Me?” Zea asked.
“No,” Juliette sighed as she rolled her eyes. “I’ll take the crazy metal woman that is probably gonna kill me in my sleep.”
“I have no intention of killing you in your sleep,” Riecka said as she crossed her arms.
“No?” Juliette’s lips turned up into a sneer.
“No,” Riecka answered. “My husband would be mad at me if I killed you.”
“That’s good to know,” Juliette said as she rolled her eyes, but then she turned back to Zea and pointed at the co-pilot seat. “You can even drive her out of the harbor.”
“Fuck yeah,” the hacker said, and then they both jumped into their chairs.
Paula took one of the terminal stations closest to the pilots, and then Elana and Aasne took the other two on that row. Eve and I sat in the next row, and Riecka took the seat next to me. For a few minutes we all played around with the controls on our terminal, and then Dana walked to the side of my terminal.
“We are ready to depart, my lord. There are ten additional rowers on the crew, but they do not have bridge positions. Pier, Baki, and Arno are on the gunners stations, where would you like me on the bridge?”
“What did you do for Madalena?” I asked.
“I am a Valkyrie, my lord,” Dana answered. “So I did everything.”
“Why don’t you take a seat on the terminal behind me,” I said. “And you let us know if we need to know something about this ship.”
“I will, my lord,” Dana bowed to me again, and then she slid into the seat right behind me.
“Ladies, take us out of the harbor,” I ordered.
“I will tell them we are leaving so they can stop air traffic,” Riecka said, and I nodded to her.
Zea began to move her hands over the controls, and Dance to the Dirge lifted off the ground with a graceful swoop. Then she rotated in the air over our docking spot and began to drift toward the battle fortress’ exit field. All the craft stopped moving so that we could pass, and it seemed as if they all hovered in silent salute to us.
Then we were out of the massive fortress and floating through space in-between the four attached planets.
“Riecka, can you talk to me later about how your people did that?” Paula asked as she pointed to the planets.
“Sure,” the tattooed woman said. “I would enjoy that.”
“Great,” Paula said, and then she turned to me. “Navigation is set for Nordar - 13, Adam.”
“Engage warpdrive,” I ordered.
“Engaging warpdrive,” Juliette repeated, and then she pressed a button on her controls. The display screen went black, and we all sighed with a bit of relief.
“Not gonna lie, I’m pretty surprised we are still alive.” Zea stretched her hands over her head and then let out a long exhale.
“I had no doubts,” Juliette said. “Adam knows what he is doing.”
“You had no doubts?” Zea asked as she smirked.
“Nope,” Juliette said. “None at all. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Ohhh, nothing,” Zea laughed and then she put her boots up on the terminal shelf. “You want first shift, or me?”
“How about we both take it?” Juliette asked, and Zea nodded.
“I’d like the tour now,” I said as I stood from my seat and turned to face Dana. “Start with my bed--”
“Adam,” Kasta said through my transponder. “I’m ready for you.”
“Really?” I asked. “That was fast. I don’t even think it’s been ten minutes.”
“I’m like a genius android, remember? I can cook you something delicious. Hurry up. It’s getting cold, and you don’t want it to get cold.”
“Alright,” I chuckled, and then I shrugged at Dana. “I’ll take the tour later.”
“Have fun, my love,” Eve said, and I smiled at my other wives before I walked back to the elevator.
I got a bit lost on the second floor, since this ship's kitchen was the opposite direction of Persephone’s, but I soon found the galley. The doors were locked, but I heard them click when I knocked, and then I entered.
The galley was only about a meter wider and longer than Persephone’s, but my eyes quickly skipped over the minor details of the kitchen so that I could look at the counter. Kasta was laying on top of the metal counter, and her nipples, stomach, and crotch were covered with whip cream and strawberries.
“We are having dessert before lunch,” she said as she beckoned to me. Her hair draped over the side of the counter, and I felt my mouth began to water as I walked toward her.
“Kasta, how did you know that this was exactly what I was hungry for?”
“I had a hunch,” she whispered, and her blue eyes seemed to glow like pulse bullets when she stared at my face. “Where are you going to start feasting?”
“On your lips, of course,” I said as I leaned down toward her mouth.
“That’s the best place to start,” she moaned, and then our lips met in endless passion.
End of book 11