Kaleidoscope VIII

Personal Space

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MetaReal Research Labs, Entropy Optik Medical Research Center

Vapor Furnace Prime, Restricted Research Ward 001

Orbiting Aurellia Prime, Lumina-Aurellia (LA-5)

19:48, 36/1/4

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"...Elliot!" Carmine chuckled as the doctor snapped awake over his desk, drool stringing from his sleeve. "It's about time. You know how long I've been trying to wake you?"

"Uhn..." The mink-otter mix ruffled his fur with a strained stretch of all limbs. "Sorry about that. I was waiting on some results and... RIght, they should be done. Let's see..."

"Nope. Enough work for today. It can wait until morning." Car knocked a fist on his forehead, then rasped over Elliot's crown. "You're stressed out, more so than normally. I won't blame you if you can't handle my request on top of whatever's bothering you."

"Request? Oh, right. Sorry, still waking up, yes yes." Ellie found a handkerchief and wiped his face, then flipped through a few modules in his personal Sense. "I had a tech process that scan we took of your girl. There's a lot of data in a full body scan though, so it may take a day to go over it all."

"Oh, really? Damn, I feel sort of bad for hunting you down then. I even tried your condo but nobody was home." Car found a seat on the front side of the large desk and nestled into its plush cushions. "So why are you here instead of there? It's nearly midnight. Your kids have got to be scared stiff."

"Hm? No no, they're used to this. I've been sleeping here recently, actually. It's fine."

The empath peered into his friend's mind and sighed at the absolute contentedness in that statement. "And you think that's healthy? Ellie... What could possibly be more important than your children?"

"What? Giving them back their mother, of course. They deserve to--"

"No! Wrong!" Carmine kicked the privacy panel of the desk and it broke free with a clatter. "They need a parent--a father. If you're pursuing this here, they're being left without a family. Damnit, Ellie..."

"What? If I don't act now, they'll go their own ways never having seen their mother!"

"And I have news for you! They're already out on their own!" Carmine stomped the floor and crossed his arms, trying to contain his anger for the good of his impromptu patient. "So you want to find their mother for them. What if you never do? What then? You'd regret not spending time with them while you could, Ellie."

"I... I'm going to finish my work. I'm so close now that Index--"

"Ellie, listen to yourself. You're justifying holing yourself in here like it's a purely wonderful act when... when you're abandoning your children, frankly." Car forced a deep breath to quell his shouting. "You can't assume that providing everything they need and hiring some maids is going to set them up for success in life. Children need role mod--"

"Wait, maids?" Elliot suddenly ignored the scans before him and finally met Carmine's gaze with renewed seriousness. "I'm not paying for maids. Are they wasting their allowance on that?"

"Blizzard and Glacier said you hired them maids since they were little, a maid and a butler actually. They had some fond memories of Cookie and Creme when they told me about them the other day." Car slowly leaned back into his seat to think, only further cementing his assessment based on his emotional reading of the twins. "No? That's impossible. They felt like they were talking about family, so it must be... well..."

"I've never hired help raising them. Hell, I'd never want to. I promised Ashe I'd raise the kids myself. You remember this, yes yes? I was struggling and needed DeeDee to take over projects for me." Elliot bit his lip in heavy thought, clenching hard enough a hint of blood showed on his white teeth. "I... couldn't have let them..." He looked back to Carmine, regret finally shadowing his expression. "You don't think they... went crazy because of me? Oh gods, no."

"I can't... I'd need to talk to them about it to be sure. That may be the case, though." Carmine leaned forward and propped his chin by a curled paw. "Perhaps... in the absence of parents they invented their own guidance and role models? Nature abhors a vacuum, after all."

"I've failed..." Ellie dropped his head to the heavy desk hard enough it might bruise. "I've failed my pups. I've failed my wife. I've--"

"No, no..." Car dashed from his chair and consoled his friend with a rearward hug over the desk. "You did what you thought was best. And hell, those two seem to have turned out great. Glacier has been going nuts investigating the Hermes and Starbreeze. You should see her notes. She's just like her--"

"Don't. I'm keenly aware she's like her mother. In fact, I'm thinking of forbidding her from tagging along on that expedition of Yoyo's. If... I lose her, I might lose what little of Ashe I have left."

"Silly. I was actually going to say she looks like you. She's a researcher, through and through. Plus when she finds a goal she locks onto it until it's done. Blizzard's similar in that regard. You'd be proud." Car eased Ellie upright by linked paws, the otter calming under the hare's care. "If you weren't cooped up in here so much, you'd see how amazing they've become."

"You're right. I need... to watch myself, perhaps. This is important, but not more so than my pups." Ellie snorted a slow, hefty breath and eased it out through his teeth. "Thank you, Car. You're always there for me when I need you."

"Come on. Let's get you home."

"Not until you have your own answers. You deserve that much, yes yes." Elliot nodded as he brought back his scan data for review. "You asked if anything was wrong with her, but what triggered you to get Ilaria scanned? She hasn't had sex, has she?"

"Of course not. Why would she risk complications just for... Well..." Carmine huffed out a sigh and tugged on Ellie's white coat. "Now's not the time for this. My little girl can wait. Your kids need you more."

"You went out of your way to find me. At least let me repay you for the kindness. I don't need to let down yet another person today. Besides, I need the distraction." Ellie flipped through a few chemical charts and furled his brow. "You're sure she's not sexually active? I'm seeing spikes in hormones all over the charts. Car, I can't stress just how important it is that she abstain; If she gets pregnant it won't--"

"Trust me, I made sure she wasn't tempted. She just went into heat and... I had to remind her of her condition. The boyfriend didn't take too well to it either."

"She's in heat? That explains a few things, but not the brain chemistry. Well, the mysterious boyfriend might in a few ways." Elliot tapped a transmission security button on his Sense and connected to a hologram emitter on the corner of his desk. A series of brain scans pulled up and he set them to loop over a series of recorded pulses. "I get that a woman's estrus can make her a bit loopy, but this isn't normal. Have you been making sure she's kept her heat under control?"

"Under control? As in masturbating?" Carmine slowly shook his head. "We provide her with the right tools to help, but we don't make her use them. I didn't know we needed to be careful of her heats though."

"Car, I thought I was clear. Her compromised biology could put her in danger whenever her hormone levels go above normal. Pregnancy guarantees it, but she's at risk in heat too." Ellie pointed to a specific set of scans, one rather tame and one lit up like a Christmas tree. "Has she been acting oddly? Anything you might note in a regular patient of yours, maybe?"

"She's upset over breaking up with her boyfriend, so it's hard to tell." Car shut his eyes as he remembered an exception. "She did pin me down and... grind against me. She's in heat though, and the worst one I've seen yet. You know what they say about bunnies in--"

"Carmine, listen carefully. If my hunch is right, I don't think that's her heat making her act that way." Elliot ran one paw over his face as he flipped through patient records with the other. He pulled up a set of similar scans and made them visible for Carmine. "I knew I've seen this before. Gods, no..."

Car peered at the new set of records and ingested the similarity with a heavy dose of his friend's concern. "It's not... cancer, is it?"

Ellie tapped the hologram and pulled up a title bar, the patient name reading 'Mottledft, Ademeus' to both of their dismay. "Car... That looks like the same kind of schizophrenia Adem showcased."

Carmine collapsed to his knees. "No... Not her too..."

"I'm so sorry, hon. I can't even imagine..." Elliot kicked away his chair and crumpled over his close friend, protecting him from a future that boded grim. "He let it get out of control, but we know early. We can help her. I'll do everything I can to help her get a grasp on this, you have my word."

"But wh-what if sh-she tries to k-kill her--"

Ellie wiped away the beginnings of tears from Car's eyes and shushed him calmly. "It won't happen. I won't let it happen. Her friends and family won't. We won't." The otter curled his tail around Car's waist and hugged him close. "I may have screwed up with my kids, but we sure as hell won't let yours down. I'm here for you, hon."

Carmine shuddered through the warm embrace, slowly calming himself down. He reached a paw out, only to have it tucked back and firmly clasped by his friend's own. "Ellie..." The hare finally regained the will to look his friend in the eyes, though something had changed. He found himself gazing deeply into Elliot's glimmering portals, then broke away to stare at his lips. As if mesmerized, he drew closer. "I... don't..."

Elliot suddenly closed the gap, pressing his lips to Carmine's with the faintest of suckling. They broke for milliseconds it seemed before he shot forward again, more sure but still holding back. Finally he craned his head back, surprise plastered over his face. "I didn't... mean to do that--"

Carmine lunged forward this time, tilting his head to seal his mouth firmly to Elliot's own. Passion welled up in that drawn out kiss until they had to part for trivial matters like breathing. "Ellie..."

"But you have Gin. Shit." Ellie shook his head in disbelief. "I'm so sorry. That was--"

"--wonderful." Car pressed a finger to his lips, as if feeling them would verify it was real. "I'm not sure where that came from, but..."

"I'm so sorry, Car. I was thinking you looked cute when you were sad, but that wasn't appropriate." Again the otter shook his head, far more vigorously this time in utter shame. "Damn, and I forgot you were an empath! Crap!"

Carmine grabbed Elliot's dainty jaw with both paws and lined him up for a much more moderate, meaningful kiss. "I enjoyed it, idiot. And it wasn't just because you felt that way... I'd be lying if I didn't feel something for you too on my own. I thought it was because you were a single father like me, but... apparently there was more there."

"Damn. So then... where does this leave us?"

"Well your kids aren't home right now, right?"

"Car..." Ellie blinked blankly at his friend for a moment. "No. I can't... take advantage of you like this. That's unfair to you and Gin."

"Huh? I didn't--" Carmine got the hint and swatted Ellie over the head. "I didn't mean that. I meant... maybe you should stay over at my place... Maybe see where that takes us."

"M-Maybe... if I take the couch..."

"If that's what feels right, then so be it. At the very least you could use some of the leftovers from supper tonight. I bet you haven't had a home-cooked meal in years."

"You've got me there. I went back to microwave dinners and takeout after the twins were born."

"Then it's settled. Eat. Rest. Take a day or two off to see your children." Carmine pecked a quick kiss on Elliot's nose. "And if something more develops... just maybe know Gin and I have been considering having another kid..."

"But you don't have a peni--" Immediately Elliot shut his muzzle, red flushing to his fair face. "Ah. Need a donor?"

"Only one I trust." Carmine licked that nose and wiped away the remainder of his tears. "Come on. We're both a mess."

Elliot helped his friend to his hindpaws, taking note of a framed picture of a beautiful Arctic wolf on his desk. "I think I'm feeling better already, Beautiful."

The Starbreeze

Prototype Science Cruiser

Tethered to Vapor Furnace Prime

06:22, 36/1/5

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"How in the name of the gods is this thing still running?" Vydr drooped his head into a Bridge control console with a thud. "No wonder you wanted to pawn this ship off, dad. It's a bit of a junker once you--"

A quick slap snapped across the otter's cheek. "I can take the distasteful jokes all day, but don't you dare make one about this ship, son. She's part of your family, and very much the favorite of Robyn."

"Mum liked this one the most? But it's breaking down..."

"Because she's been the vanguard in the last war. I've tried to fix her up, but more keeps breaking." Iolvin ruffled his son's hair and seemed to forgive the transgression. "You've got a hell of an engineer now. You'll be fine, son."

"Well that's a new one. I had to do all my own engineering on Hermes. I'm not sure I'll get used to commanding a crew."

"You know, your mother was in the same position. Zero experience and she held up the best crew in the fleet." Yoyo pulled up a camera feed from the security system and highlighted a set of triplets boarding from the tether. "Good, they're here. The Spices didn't even ask questions when I mentioned what happened. That's family for you."

"My brother and sisters are coming? Why?" Void sat in his new Captain's seat, staring at the ceiling as he thought things through. "They don't know anything about me. I'm just the younger brother that ran away."

"You're a valuable member of their tribe, a loved family member, and someone in need of support." The ship's AI walked in from the hallway with a hefty smile. "You remind me so much of your parents. I'm quite thrilled they're passing the torch instead of selling me off or scrapping me."

"Pris, you know we'd never--"

"I was hoping you of all people would get that joke, Yoyo. I guess I still need to work on humor." The antique android walked over and offered a gelatinous paw to her new Captain. "My name is Prisma. I'll be your assistant, Sir."

"That makes me sound so old. I'm only fifteen. Just call me Void." The otter stared at his chuckling father and shook his head. "You're an idiot, dad."

"She's not judging you. It's just hierarchy and all that. You'll love her once she gets to know you more." Yoyo gave Prisma a hefty slap on the back. "Besides, the plan isn't to hand over the ship to anyone. I'd like you to be free, Pris. You should be your own Captain."

"You know that isn't possible..." Prisma averted her eyes downward, showing hints of being more than a typical construct. "Ever since bonding with the ship I've had to limit myself to her own protocols. I need a Captain to perform certain actions."

"And yet a few years ago you couldn't distinguish yourself from the ship. You might not believe it, but you're overcoming your limitations." Yoyo gave the construct a hug before heading to the hallway. "I hope my son can eek that last bit of independence out of you. Until then... with Trick off being a space mom my son's officially the only person qualified to fly the Starbreeze."

"D-Dad? You really mean that?" Void gawked at his father for a moment until the reality hit him. "But you never gave a shit about me going to pilot school. You and mom just ignored me for your other whelps--"

"Nonsense. You just seemed to want your own space, so I let you have it. Your brothers just needed some extra attention in the meantime." Yoyo gave his son a wink and walked down the hallway. "You're the only one I could trust on your own. You're a hell of a man now, Void."

"What the bloody hell...?" Void looked to his new companion with a sigh. "He waits until now to let me know that, yeah? My dad's a hell of a character."

"He never stops comparing this ship to yours. For almost a decade now he's been praising everything you do." Pris nudged her Captain in passing to the hall. "I hope the person lives up to the legend. Care to see the ship? I can give you a tour."

"Do you know if my brother's picked a room yet?"

"Certainly. He's... Ah, he... may be in the Captain's quarters, actually." Pris groaned and rolled her eyes. "Would you like me to direct him and his guests to one of the other staterooms? Those are meant to be your quarters."

"No... He should have the biggest and best. Arty has a lot of people he'd want to keep close and I'm... all alone." Void exhaled slowly, then snapped to his hindpaws and signalled for Prisma to continue. "I'll take one of the other rooms. Could you show me where they are?"

"Naturally, Void. Thankfully that isn't a far walk from here." Prisma started moving again, her odd mix of metal armature and fleshy musculature drawing Void's gaze to her robotic ass. "Oh, do I interest you? Are you curious about anything in particular or... are you just ogling me like your father?"

"Uh... a bit of both, admittedly. Sorry."

"No need. I take it as a compliment on my design and construction if I'm drawing a biological response such as sexual stimulation." Pris flicked her tail upward for a more seductive view beneath her silky sirat drapes, a trick she learned from the otter's old man. "You stated you were alone. You don't have anyone you love? Perhaps you'd like me to live with you?"

"No, thank you. If anyone should, it would be Kino--eh, the construct with me on the Hermes. I'm pretty sure she'd want to keep things tidy there though." Void noted a recreational area in passing and smiled as he spotted Sparks on a sofa. "How's my other ship doing? I'm surprised we could even dock him to the fore cargo bay at all."

"Well the Hermes was designed to do so. That was the concept, anyway. Robyn stopped that project before her girls could complete it, though I'm happy to see they decided to finish construction." The construct nodded as she held out a paw to an upcoming door. "We should have the Hermes airtight in a day or two. Until then, perhaps we could go over the various systems around the ship? Your father never seemed to care much, but you appear to appreciate starship designs."

"That sounds better than wallowing over losing Ria." Void slowed to a stop behind Pris and knocked on a door. "Is this me? Thanks."

"Yes, but... Pardon the intrusion, but is this 'Ria' perhaps close to you? I'd rather not leave you alone if you're feeling sad, Void."

"She was. You don't need to worry about me though. Maybe my brother is willing to take my mind off her." Void pointed to doors on either side of his. "Which is he using?"

"The foremost stateroom is the Captain's quarters." Prisma peeked into the room via security cameras and confirmed Artemis was present. "He's currently occupying the quarters with two other women. Would you like me to grant automatic access to private rooms as the new Captain?"

"No, that's perhaps too far. I'll be fine, Prisma. Good on ya', love."

"I aim to please. If you need me, I'm tied to the security and query invocation systems. Just call and I'll be there, or a hologram will appear if I'm tied up." Prisma nodded and waved to her Captain before leaving him. "I hope you feel better soon, Void. Have a fine morning."

"You too, Prisma." Void took a breath and pressed the buzzer on his brother's door. "Maybe you can cheer me up, yeah?"

"Oh, Void! Hey! One second..." The familiar female voice proved to be Cherenkov when the door opened, the djinn taking a moment to summon clothing from her nude nanite body. "Sorry about that. My Master is currently busy. Were you just stopping by to visit, or did you have business?"

"Ah... Just stopping by, really. Were you just...?" Vydr leaned to peer around the genie upon hearing whimpers and squeaks. He immediately regretted it when he found a clashing of panthott and vixen tails leaking glistening fluids between them. "Oh! I didn't realize you were shagging! I'll come back later!"

"Eh... I was just watching, really. Master seems to perform better looking upon me, but... he didn't want to include me. I don't blame him with his struggles however." Cheren stepped out of the room and leaned against the door, fidgeting her paws. "Are you looking for company? I could accompany you in your room."

"That's quite al--"

«Vydr, wait. I've been helping you without protest, but you owe me after nearly getting me killed.» Mime took back control of her arm and brought it to glide along Cheren's side. «I can think of one way to make that right.»

«Well I don't want it. I'm not betraying Ria again, not even if you force me.»

«Don't be so dense, stupid.» That paw slid around Cheren's back, tugging her close to Void. «This is for you, not me. I can't stand simply sitting around while you whimper like a lost puppy. You need to blow your load before I blow your brains out.»

«You know, you have a crude way of showing concern. Fine, Mime.» Void took his own paw and slid it beneath Cheren's skirt. "You know, I might like that. I just wouldn't want to get you in trouble with my brother..."

"Actually, I think he'd want me to do this. Master is horribly concerned for you, so any relief I might offer serves my Master's concerns." Cheren cuddled close to Void as he both stroked between her thighs and tugged her against his own door. "I'm yours for the moment, Void. Ravage my body however you like. Or... would you rather I take the initiative?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe you should start things..." Vydr fumbled with his door controls and groaned when he realized Prisma hadn't set up his credentials yet. "Fuck it. It's not like anyone's walking the halls."

"Can't get in? I don't mind if you don't." Cheren giggled with a smirk, then dropped to her knees to fumble with Void's pants. "Let me take care of everything. Just relax, Void."

"You're really fine with this? No strings attached?"

"I've had sex with your dad and haven't regretted it yet. Oh... Sorry. Forget that image." Cheren unzipped the otter's fly and wrestled his stiff cock into the open with a grin. "At least the family doesn't seem to have a problem with size. I wonder if the contents are just as voluminous... Yum."

Void gasped as the djinn engulfed half of his manhood. He huffed as she bobbed her head slowly, his eyes locked on hers for a moment. Then his paw reached out and cupped her chin, pulling her away. "I... I can't do this, Cheren. I'm sorry, but..."

"You want me to stop? But you don't have to worry about a thing. I--"

Void slid down his door and sat on the floor with a sigh. "It's not you. I just... It doesn't matter if it isn't Ria. I know that sounds pathetic, but... it's true."

"I get it. I really do." Cheren wiped her muzzle and rose to her hindpaws. "You looked truly happy with her. I'm so sorry, Void."

"You don't have to be. I'll... find a way to get over her, hopefully."

"Not truly. Love doesn't tend to work that way. I'm here if you need to talk, Void." Cher opened her own door and stepped through, her clothing disappearing so Void could get a teasing flash on the way. "If you change your mind though, I'll help physically too. It would mean a lot to know you're not alone, even if only by the company you share in bed."

"Thank you, Cheren. I appreciate the offer, I just can't take it." The door shut with an air of reluctance, leaving Vydr to himself, his thoughts, and the taste of his tears. "Damnit... Why, am I so pathetic?"

"You think, therefore you are." Carmine slowly paced down the hallway holding two coffee mugs. "Honey, you don't look pathetic to me."

Void ran his sleeve over his eyes to no real avail. "Come to gloat? What are you even doing here?"

"Peace offering." Car sat down beside the young man and placed a cup in his paws, the smell of chocolate wafting in the air. "Ria missed you just as much, you know. She--"

"Bollocks. You can't come down here and try to play nice after taking her away from me." Void tossed his hot cocoa against the far wall and tried to stand, but a firm grasp on his wrist kept him anchored. "I'm not fucking you, you sick bastard! If I can't have my cake and eat it too neither can you!"

"Void! Enough!" That paw yanked the boy down painfully onto his own tail. "If you'd just listen, I was trying to say Ilaria had no other choice. Void, we need to talk."

The otter pulled his tail out from under himself and raked his claws through the injured base. "Yeah? About what?"

"Ilaria has a condition. She has a defunkt set of ovaries, probably from my odd genes. She can't risk getting pregnant or it might kill her, Void." Car passed his drink over and this time Vydr accepted it properly. "Not only that, it looks like her father's schizophrenia is starting to manifest with her recent heat. She... thought it was too dangerous to be around you if she wasn't in control."

"But what's that have to do with--?"

Carmine gave Void's exposed manhood a quick pat. "I know you want to take things further, Void. I told you to have sex with me so you could avoid that, but... I know that's not right, not for you or for my little girl." The hare sighed and leaned against the wall, staring upward. "I take that all back. This probably sounds strange, but Gin and I want you to be physically close with our daughter, however you deem appropriate. We just have to stress that... you can't even risk condoms breaking, and she absolutely cannot take birth control because her hormones are already unbalanced. I don't know where that leaves you, but... I think it really would be the best for both of you if we gave you the freedom to discover it yourselves."

"I'd... have to think about that, but..." Void sipped his drink, surprised by the real chocolate and hints of cinnamon. "You're really okay with someone ravaging your daughter, sir?"

"Don't you dare make me feel old, kid. I swear I'll change my mind." Carmine eased himself onto his hindpaws and dusted off his pants. "She's waiting for you by your ship, handsome. Don't keep a girl waiting."

Vydr scrambled onto his legs and shoved his drink into Car's paws. "I won't let you down, Carmine. Thank you, for trusting me."

"It wasn't hard." Car giggled as the otter slid on his spilled cocoa whilst sprinting to the nearest gravity shaft. "You're just as honorable as your father, after all."

The Starbreeze

En Route to the Darian System.

17:00, 36/1/5

---

"One dive down... Er..." Vydr peered into a complex data hologram and groaned in disbelief. "That can't be right. We've got to have more than just one more dive left to go."

"This ship's got the longest legs in the fleet, son. I wouldn't be surprised." Iolvin glanced at the data himself and nodded. "Yeah, looks about right. We're so close we probably don't even need to let the dive system cool off."

"You weren't kidding about this ship having more power than it needed." Void closed out the hologram and slowly stood from the Captain's chair, his paw grasping his jaw for a pained stretch of the muscles. "Well I'm not sure of her limits, so we'll let the Starbreeze rest anyway. It gives us time to get ready anyway."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you look like you're already worn out. Pris didn't drag you on the tour, did she?"

"No, I avoided that. I just got too carried away with something." The younger otter noticed a bit of flirting between his father and his step-mother Zoë, shaking his head with a chuckle. "I don't know how you do it. Even with only one woman I feel like I'm biting off more than I can chew."

"Oh, I see now. Had a bit too much at the all-you-can-eat pussy buffet? I know how that muzzle feels, son." Yoyo gave his son a hearty slap on the back. "Glad to hear you and your girl worked things out. Good for you two."

"It's not quite what I expected, but we're making the most of things. I hate to say it, but... I might need some advice with my sex life." Void coughed and winced as his father's slap brought back a well of pain from his recently healed broken ribs. "You seem to have a bit more experience there, so... Um..."

"Son, you don't need to come to me if you feel uncomfortable. I'm sure Ellie could help with the medical stuff and Carmine definitely helps with the mental component."

"No, I want to hear from you. I... trust you, dad." Void glanced to Zoë for a moment, then broke eye contact out of embarrassment. "I might... need a woman's opinion too."

The human moved close to her pseudo-son and clasped his paw with her hands. "What's bothering you, Void? I'll keep this between us."

"Well... Earlier Ria and I decided to become physical for once, but... all I could manage was to offer my muzzle." Void sighed tensely and clamped his mom's hand tighter. "I wanted to do more for her, but..."

"You don't need to worry if you're in pain, son. The ladies dig battle wounds." Yoyo poked his son's side, but became concerned at the excessive tenderness and jumping response. "I thought you said you were healing quickly? What's up, son?"

"I did heal. Then Ria hurt me again, sort of. She wasn't herself." Void spread the fur of his neck and revealed a few deep scratches as an example. "I don't want to say too much, for her sake. She just... gets really aggressive in bed. She wanted to do more than go down on each other, but..." The otter cleared his lungs and his mind. "I didn't even let her touch me. I'm afraid we'll go too far if she overpowers me with my injuries."

"That's admirable, Void. I think it's nice you're saving that for later." Zoë smiled for her step-son, but that smile soured when it wasn't shared. "Am I wrong there? You're not being chivalrous?"

"We both want to go further, but we can't. Ria... Well, no. I can't blame her." Quite intrigued now, the two parents leaned in closer and gripped the boy. "We can't risk her having kids, not even remotely. I want to be close to Ria though. I want her to have the intimacy she desires. I just... don't know how to give it to her if we can't do the deed."

"And you're looking for alternatives. I think I get you now, Void." Yoyo stood tall and cleared his throat, his assessment of the scenario far softer than the assumption. "You can't have raw sex. Have you thought of condoms? Wait, no. I've seen you using them before..."

"We can't. If the condom fails--"

"Ah, I get it. So you have guarantee you're safe, not just put the odds in your favor. Birth control? Implants, even?" Both queries were only met with the Captain shaking his head. "Right. That's a tough one."

"Have you tried..." Zoë stopped herself for a moment, then steeled her original idea when the others showed interest. "Have you tried taking her... from behind? A-Anal, I mean."

"I can't subject her to that just because I want to get myself off. No, we need--"

"But it feels great! I wasn't very much into it at first, but your father... taught me to relax and enjoy it..." A hefty flush of red flooded the human's fair face. "I actually might enjoy it more than in my p-pussy, depending on the position maybe."

"Really? It's not painful?"

"Only if you force things. Relax and take your time, Void." Yoyo smirked and slithered his tail beneath his wife's sirat drapes. He lifted the rearward ones upward, licked his fingers, and pressed them into his mate's ass. "Just keep things lubed and it'll eventually take no effort. You'll find a rhythm, read each other's signals..."

"Ah... Yoyo... Save it for later, honey." Zoë slipped out a moan as the larger otter only dug further into her. "V-Void, a lot of th-the same nerves are--!"

"Heeee. She's saying it could give Ria similar feelings to vaginal sex, son. Press toward her front especially and you'll get her screaming for more." Iolvin stepped behind his wife, unzipped his pants, and rubbed his drooling cock against her rear. "Gentleman's Boner, dear. Here, or in the room?"

"H-Here..."

"Dad! What the bloody fuck!?"

"Pris didn't explain the special rules? Number one, there's Gentleman's Boner. If you get someone hard, you make them soft one way or another. We've amended that to only apply to singles more of less." Finding the slickness sufficient, Yoyo slowly shoved his length into Zoë's ass. He then lifted her front drapes high and gave his son a clear view. "Besides, this is helpful for you. See? She's loving it."

"I don't--" Before he could finish his protest, Void noticed Zoë's eyes were rolling back in her head. A glance down low turned into a crouching stare as her pussy winked and clenched even though it was left empty. "Wow. You're not kidding."

"Zoë? You okay, Kiddo?" Yoyo gently thrust into his mate, but made sure to keep things slow. "Did you cum just from that? You're squeezing my cock off."

"Yeah, she's... uh..." Void realized what he was doing and shot up straight, forcing his father's paw off Zoë's clothing. "I get it, dad. We'll... give that a try, maybe. Um..."

"Too much? Sorry, son. I'm just used to getting away with this sort of thing here. You're the one calling the shots now, though." Yoyo slowly pulled himself free of his quivering wife's depths and helped support her on wobbly legs. "We'll take this somewhere private. Just promise me you'll try something, anything with Ria. I want the best for you two."

"Thank you, dad. That means a lot." Void reached out a paw and averted his gaze. "Hey... you, uh... want a lift to your room to finish that?"

"I didn't want to impose, but if you're offering then sure." Yoyo took his son's paw, then sank himself into his wife again to guarantee she came along too. "Heee... Ready when you are."

"Sorry, mom." The light around the three shifted and bent into darkness, then folded back upon itself into one of the crew cabins with Adrian cocking his head in surprise. "Hey, dad. Just making a delivery."

"Dropping off my depraved mates, I see." Dee nudged his husband back so he fell into a bunk, which in turn caused Zoë to topple with him. "Thanks, dear. I'll make sure they've got it out of their system soon enough."

"Good enough for me. Enjoy yourselves, guys." Void suppressed his chuckling as he exited the small room, barely spying Dee plunging into Zoë's nethers to make a human sandwich. "My family, I swear..."

"Your tribe is more like it, right? Or are you not properly initiated yet?" Elliot didn't seem phased in the least as he noted the intimacy beyond the closing door. "You sort of just get used to it. Sometimes it's fun to watch the more adventurous types, though."

"Doc? I didn't know you were coming along with us. Good to know we've got a proper doctor on board though."

"Well, I decided to let my little girl tag along but a part of me wants to guard over her to be perfectly honest." Ellie flipped through a few items in his Sense and paused at one with a sigh. "Then I started looking through all the scans I required before we left and found my son in the list as well. You don't happen to know where my pups are staying, do you?"

"Good question. Actually... I forget I've got a new assistant." Void adjusted his legs to hide a slight bulge, looking upward as well to draw eyes away as he summoned help. "Ah, Prisma? Could you do me a favor and find Elliot's kids. Oh, and that Quill character too if it's not too much to ask. We need to ask her some questions."

"Absolutely, Sir--Void. One moment." A hologram of the construct emitted from a track of diodes along the corner of the ceiling, soon adding a visual representation of the various crew quarters. "The twins are in the highlighted room. My vital monitors are not calibrated for identifying Quill's species, but an unknown entity is present there as well. I would assume that is Quill, though the cameras are not active in the crew lodgings. Would you like me to reactivate them?"

"No, that's fine. Let everyone keep their privacy. It's... just over here, right?" Void confirmed the room was the proper one and tapped the buzzer upon receiving a nod from Prisma. "Glacier? Your father wants to talk to you and your brother."

The door slid partially open, though not to the face Vydr expected. Sparks slipped out the room and leaned against the shut door. "Good evening, Vydr. I appreciate you knocking for once. The children are busy, but perhaps I might help?"

"Well Elliot wanted to see his kids over what I'm guessing is a private matter. I'm more concerned about Quill." Void attempted to reopen the door for a confirmatory peek but received a small magic shock to his chin. "Ouch! I'm sorry, but it can't wait. We need to know what Quill knows before we make the next dive."

"Ah. Apologies, then. I'll let her know." The Arctic wolf blinked her stale, empty eyes, swallowed her anxiousness, and approached the only other hindpaws shuffling nearby. "Elliot... could you listen to me before seeking your children?"

"That doesn't sound good, especially coming from you." Ellie brushed his paws over Sparks' elbows to signal his position, but found himself tensing as she latched into a hug. "Wh-What's this all about, Ashe?"

"You know I feel a special link to those two, right? I just... feel I should protect them in place of their mother." Sparks rested her head on Ellie's shoulder. "I thought they were over it, but those two have something strange about them I'm hesitant to share. It's not to shield you, however. I don't know if it would be healthy to inform them of the matter."

"Ashe, I swear I'm not the same man you once thought I was. I honestly want to make up for lost time with my pups." Elliot clenched the wolfess' shoulder closer and stared toward her concerned expression for perhaps longer than he should. "How can I help?"

"Just... um..." A lone paw trailed up Elliot's neck and chin, then Sparks led her lips to his. "...Apologies, but... you felt like you needed that."

"I don't... understand, Ashe..."

"I've been around you long enough to know when you miss her touch... her scent... her taste." Sparks grumbled and dug her muzzle into Ellie's chest. "Just f-forget about that."

Elliot nuzzled the shy wolf's face until he could connect another more involved kiss. "I... think I did need that. Sorry." He pet Sparks' hair a bit and gathered the force of will to return to topic. "Ashe, how do you want to proceed? I trust your judgement with our--uh, my--kids."

"Then buy me more time to decide how best to handle their issue." Sparks broke free of the embrace and led Ellie back to her door. "Both of you, please... just go along with them for now. I can't imagine how it would impact these children if they discovered their true nature."

"That sounds rather grim, yeah?" Void stood tall and ready as Sparks reached blindly for the door handle. "I'll play nice. Don't worry, love."

"You're acting very mature today. Thank you, Vydr." Sparks found the handle and pulled the door open, revealing Glacier laughing on a bottom bunk with Quill chirping at her side. "Sorry about that, sweetie. Your father wanted to check up on you two."

"Hm? Well Quill is just showing me this new language. She's pretty funny once you understand her." Glacier reached out to feel some of Quill's writing and then turned to give the newcomers the proper attention they deserved. "What's up, dad? Something change?"

"No, not really. I just didn't know your brother was coming with us." Elliot stepped into the room and touched his daughter's shoulder to show where he was standing. He then noticed Blizzard in the upper bunk hiding beneath the covers. "Hey, son. Is your sister bothering you? We can let you sleep if you want."

"Ah... N-No. It's fine."

"Are you okay? You look like you're shaking with fever." Ellie reached over his son's forehead, but it was at that point he noticed an oscillating motion beneath the blankets. The surprised father was literally taken aback at the discovery, blood rushing to his face quickly. "You're, um... You're just fine, Blizzard. I'll leave you u-until morning."

"S-Sure... Hah..."

Ellie walked over to Sparks with his eyes wide open and whispered his take on the matter. "That's it? It's... only natural to... to relieve one's tensions."

"What? No, look closer. It's not the act, but the 'person' performing it." The concerned pseudo-mother pointed to a flash of magic in her vision. "See? That's the issue. I'm fine with the... 'self-pleasuring'..."

"Thanks, Cookie." Glacier took a sip from a drink pouch, then as if it were nothing she handed it off to an invisible being. The pouch floated with convincing heft as it moved to a nearby shelf, then the girl continued her language study like nothing happened. "You don't need to stay up for a little drink though. You can go to bed if you want, Cookie."

"Glacier--" Elliot stopped himself when even Quill shook her head. "Ah... I love you, Glacier. You too, Blizzard. Go to bed soon and we'll talk over breakfast, guys."

"Wow." Vydr tugged Sparks out the room and kept his voice down. "Should I be concerned at all, aside from the mental health implications? Anything regarding the ship?"

"...No, I don't believe so. They seem to be using some sort of psionic mægicka, which is... hard even for me to detect. However they appear to be limiting this to physical assistance." Sparks softened her stance as she fell into thought. "I'm concerned with Blizzard's forming an intimate relationship with his abilities though. It may lead to further degradation of--"

"You're proper concerned for the twins and I appreciate that. I also appreciate they aren't a threat to our safety yet." Void gave the blind wolf a pat between the ears. "I'll keep up the ruse to make sure it stays that way. In fact, I'll post a bulletin around letting others know to follow suit. They can't read the status screens, can they?"

"I don't believe so. They're oddly aware of their surroundings, but appear to be limited to reading by touch." Against her common grain Sparks reached out and gave the otter a hug. "Thank you for this, Vydr."

"It's nothing, pup." A warning siren wailed once, then Prisma's hologram reappeared. "What's that? Is that the proximity alarm?"

"Precisely, Void. Another ship has surfaced rather close." Pris pulled open another hologram containing representations of two ships on a lattice grid. "The Volk is correcting alignment to join our formation. Shall I send out a hail?"

"This is accurate to scale?" Void received a simple nod and gave one of his own. "Good. You have the helm until I'm back."

"But we don't have an airtight shuttle yet, Sir..."

"Don't need one. Here's a party trick for ya', love." Light collapsed around Void's vision in the direction of his long blink, curling back into proper shape as the Bridge of the Volk. "Mother? Where's--" Void locked eyes on a smiling robotic squirrel and practically tackled her with a hug. "Mum! What brings you here?"

"You, love. Your other mum heard about your departure and here we are." Robyn pulled Vydr's shirt downward to place a soft kiss on his forehead. "I'm confident in your abilities--especially with Yoyo around--but my other mates disagree."

"Where are they? Mom's not here on the Bridge?"

"She's making her way to the orbiter to meet you. I tried to warn her you'd come to her instead." Robby took a step back and admired the man her son had become. "You're looking more dashing than usual. I assume things are going well with that lady friend of yours?"

"They're going well now, but we have a few issues to figure out." Void stared down a new security guard from afar, the anteater tensely gripping his holstered sidearm at the unknown intruder. "Maybe we should go find mom before I spook the greenhorns."

"You'd think after being balls deep in my little girls Jones would be used to the quirks of this family." Robyn didn't seem totally at ease with those words, which was only natural for a mother. "The local AI will have notified my Ottah of the new lifesign by now. I give them ten seconds."

Right on the money, Ilaria and Rhyme walked through the security doors onto the Bridge after ten seconds. "Wow. Do you really know this ship down to the transit times?"

"She designed and built the Volk, didn't she? Vyd... what the hell are you doing out here--?" In an instant Ari's son had blinked beside her and latched onto her like his life depended on it. "Vyd... What's the matter?"

"I just needed to hold you." Void roped Rhy into the hug and buried his face in their shoulders for heavy bouts of nuzzling. "I'm sorry, moms. I shouldn't have shut you out when I was hurt. Hell, I was an ass before that."

"Void..." Rhy ran her paw over the boy's hair soothingly. "What's this all about? You aren't the hugging type."

"Well today I am. You came all the way out here for me..." Void particularly nuzzled into his biological mother's neck apologetically. "Let's just say I've seen what it's like to be concerned and yet helpless for someone. I'm so very sorry for hiding away from you, mom. You deserved better."

"Oh, Vyd..." Ari sniffled through the beginnings of tears and joined in petting her son, rubbing up and down his back. "It's okay, son. You're here now, so it's okay."

Robyn latched onto the shared son from behind and curled her pillowy tail around everyone. "This is far better than yelling at him, yeah?"

"Much better." Ari smothered her previously distant son with years worth of kisses, her tears flowing properly when he didn't fight the affection one bit. "I love you, son. We're here to help."

"Help can wait. This hunt can wait." Vydr wiped his mother's tears away and rested his head on her chest. "Right now I think we all need this."