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2593-11

Eric was going over the manifest Robert had provided him. They'd been out of station for a week now. This array contained twenty-eight pods of various metals and twelve of ice.

Water wasn't a problem on earth, the oceans were still very big, and desalination was cheap and easy. The problem was in orbit. The moon and various satellites. People needed water there too, and while there had been a lot of frozen water on the moon, centuries ago, two hundred years with a population of two point eight billion people, stressed even the best reclamation system.

Sol Gov had tried to coerce Earth into providing them water, but they had lacked the power, so they had to resort to buying it. Moving water through orbit was surprising expensive, water weighed a lot. With shipping to the outer system already established it was cheaper all around for miners there to sell ice to the corporations, and they, in turn sold it to Sol Gov.

Eleven of the twelve pods were destined to Sol Gov. the last one would be distributed between Orr Allied companies in the inner system, most of which were on Mars.

The door opened and Xavier entered.

"Eric, we need to talk."

"no."

"Damn it Eric-"

"It's captain."

"What?"

"You're going to address me as Captain."

"I'm not working."

"I don't care."

The zebra closed his eyes. "Look. I'm sorry for coming across as possessive back on Titan Station. You have to understand, this ship, the crew, you, it's my family. I just got excited at the idea that we'll be gaining new members. Children. Eric, I just want to-"

"Stop." The tiger fixed Xavier with his gaze. "I don't care what you think. I don't care how you feel about the crew, or me. You're my employee, nothing more. we're not a family."

"Please."

"No. Now leave. You might not be working, but I am."

"Eric...."

"It's captain. Now leave."

Xavier hardened his face and left.

* * * * *

For the next two weeks Eric didn't see Xavier, except for when the zebra gave him his report, where he kept those short and to the point, and when Brick cooked a meal.

The two were never in the lounge at the same time, which suited Eric. No one brought it up, so if anyone had noticed, Eric couldn't tell, nor did he care.

Eric was in bed, sleeping. It was one of the rare time when he went to sleep alone, everyone else having been busy with something. He didn't mind. Even if no one joined him during the night, there would be someone to fuck in the morning.

The bed shifting woke the tiger slightly. He felt a hand on his side, then someone press against his back. Eric ground back, and in moments he felt a hard cock. He wasn't sufficiently awake to figure out who it was and he didn't care.

The guy nuzzled the back of his neck as he adjusted his cock between Eric's cheek. He was large, and already lubed. They both moaned as he pushed in. Then he was gently fucking. Eric groaned as a slick hand wrapped around his leaking cock and he bucked in it.

The guy behind him got the message and fucked him harder, the two of them grunting and moaning. Eric came awake when his orgasm hit, his back arcing. A moment later the guy in him tensed and his cock pulsed.

Eric sighed contently, and fell back asleep.

* * * * *

"Good morning Captain," Xavier greeted him in passing.

"Morning," Eric replied, surprised at seeing the zebra, and in such a good mood. Xavier disappeared in the exercise room. Eric continued to the bridge, where he had to relieve Robert's tension.

* * * * *

Eric was fucking Xavier who was leaned over the back of the couch. The zebra had offered himself to the tiger, who was sporting yellow stripes and blue fur. Eric had already typed himself to be full white, he didn't like this combination.

"Hey," William said, entering. "Haven't seen you two together in a while."

"Was busy," Xavier said, then moaned as Eric changed the angle of his thrust.

"I noticed." The gray wolf stroked Jeff's cock, he'd had his eyes closed. "Do you mind if I sit on it?"

The jackal smiled. "never." and then they were fucking too.

* * * * *

"Eric!" Xavier called after him, just as the tiger was entering his office. "Did you take a look at the new design I sent you for the boy's room?"

"No." He'd received the file thinking it was a report. the moment he saw it was plans, he'd erased it.

"Why not?"

Eric looked around, there was no one, but the ship wasn't large, and their voice would carry. he didn't care if others hear them, but he owed it to his employee not to humiliate him in public. He motioned for Xavier to enter the office.

"I told you to stop working on that." Eric said once the door closed.

"I don't mind it, you know that."

"I don't care. I don't want you to have anything to do with my sons."

Xavier took the tiger's hand. the gray had started coming in for the fur, the stripes were still white. "Eric, be reasonable. I'm just trying to-"

"Let go of my hand," Eric growled.

"Eric."

the tiger yanked it out.

Xavier stared at him. "Damn it. what is your problem?"

"You are."

"I am? I'm doing everything I can to fix this. You're not even giving me a chance!"

Eric sat behind his desk. "there is no 'this' to fix."

"How can you say that! we've been together for almost three years. doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Eric had no idea how the zebra had reached that conclusion. "We have never been together."

Xavier sighed. "Why are you being so stubborn? I've seen how you look at me. why can't you even admit to yourself you care about me?"

"Because I don't. I have no idea what's going through your head Xavier, but I recommend using one of the shrink programs in the library and getting that fixed."

"I'm not the one with the problem," Xavier growled. "You're the one with a fear of intimacy. it's because of what...."

Eric watched the zebra, waiting for the rest, but he just shook his head.

"You can't tell me you want to be alone for the rest of your life."

"I'm not alone. I have my crew."

Xavier snorted. "That's not what I mean and you know it. You need someone who loves you. You can't tell me you don't want that."

Eric sighed. "I am telling you that. I don't know if this need for love is a Christian thing, but frankly I'm perfectly happy never feeling something that's got you acting like you are."

Xavier threw his arms up. "You're impossible." and he left.

Eric watched the closed door. He wondered if there was anyone he could ask to find out if Xavier's behavior was a Christian thing or not, but the only other Christian he had was Robert, and he didn't feel he knew him well enough yet. Maybe it was a Sol Gov Christian thing? It couldn't be, he'd had to interact with plenty of those over the years, and none of them ever behaved in such a manner. Granted, he hadn't been in close quarters for six months at a time with any of them.

He put that out of his mind. He had reports to read and to prepare. He had to get the one about the pirate attack done before he was back to Earth. Elliot was going to want to know what had happened.

He already knew about it. Even if Uncle hadn't told him, Eric had sent him a message, but he hadn't given any details. It wasn't something to be sent over a bandwidth Sol Gov processed. They claimed not to listen to what went through their communication stations, but no one believed them.

It meant Eric still had four months to write it. it might be long enough.

* * * * *

Eric was eating one of the emergency food packs in the kitchen. He'd woken up in the middle of the night and left Jeff and Robert in his bed for a snack.

It was right out of the pack, not even rehydrated, which was the way it was supposed to be eaten. Eric had discovered them on his first trip. he'd gone under Sargil Lamprey, a fox who captained one of the in-system Orr security cruiser. Officially he was a mobile Engineer for any of the Orr ships between Earth and Mars since only Sol Gov was allowed to have law enforcement ships, but who depended only on them for security?

The fox's sex drive had been almost high enough to keep up with Eric's. Sargil's wife, and the rest of his crew had been happy to get some reprieve during the six month the tiger was with them.

Eric chuckled. He hadn't thought about the fox in years. he had to look him up when he was docked.

Eric had been incurably curious then, getting into everything and all the guys. he'd come across the emergency packs in one of his midnight jaunts, after fucking the pilot. out of curiosity he'd nibbled at it, not knowing they weren't supposed to be eaten dry, and had enjoyed it.

Now it was something he treated himself to once in a while. If Brack knew he still ate them, when the mule provided fresh meals, he'd knock Eric senseless.

"Oh, Captain," Xavier said, stopping in the doorway. "I didn't expect you to be here." The zebra hesitated then went to the cooler and grabbed a bowl of stew from left over from the dinner. He reheated it and sat opposite Eric.

Xavier eyed what the tiger ate, but didn't comment. "I'm been thinking about it," Xavier said. "and I guess it's none of my business if you're going to fall in love or not. I just want you to be happy. Just know that whenever you're ready, I'm going to be here for you."

Eric didn't reply. He didn't care what Xavier said. It was pretty clear he wasn't going to drop this. Xavier finished eating first. He placed the bowl in the cleaner, looked like he might say something for a moment, then left.

Eric Finished the pack, then headed to the bridge to Fuck Brack. He needed something to get the annoyance off his mind.

* * * * *

"Captain, Can I talk with you for a moment?" Xavier asked.

Eric was in the lounge, being sucked by Robert and sucking Brack. He looked at the zebra but didn't stop bobbing on the mule's cock.

"In private?"

"I'm kind of in the middle of something. Is it important?"

Eric could tell Xavier was about to say 'yes', he could see his lips form the word, but the Zebra stopped before any sound came out. "When you're done then?"

Eric nodded and went back to sucking cock.

* * * * *

Xavier was waiting by his office door. Eric entered and sat down. "What do you need to talk about?"

"Well, we're two weeks away from Luna Station, and you still haven't said anything."

Eric tilted an ear. "About what?"

The zebra rubbed his temple and sighed. "What else? I gave you plenty of space so you could work things out, I even told you I'd still be here when you were ready. You have to be ready by now."

Eric leveled his gaze on him, his face impartial. Two weeks still to go, could he expect Xavier to be calm about this? Eric didn't know. the zebra seemed to be able to go from perfectly fine to off the ramp without any provocation. If he told him he'd probably have to confine him to his room. Which might not keep him in, Xavier knew which walls could be taken apart, and how to do it. The up side was that if he did that, Eric would be within his rights to take harsher measures to restrain him.

"Fine," Xavier said in the long silence. "I guess you're not ready." He turned and stopped in the doorway. "You know. I don't understand why you're being this difficult. We both know how great this is. All you have to do is allow yourself to feel it."

He turned and the door closed, leaving Eric alone, contemplating if it might not be easier to just shoot the zebra. There was a gun hidden in his office.

Brick had given Eric a replica of an ancient book, with the title of 'Maritime Laws and Customs'. The mule had told him it was a common thing for a captain to have, and Eric did remember Sargil having something similar to that in the room he used as his living room. Inside was a gun, powerful enough to make a hole in someone, but not to put a hole in the hull.

He couldn't shoot Xavier. Orr Corp did have Murder laws, but he wondered if he couldn't get Elliot to make an amendment. It should be justified to shoot someone who was too dense to realize Eric didn't want to have anything to do with a relationship.

Two weeks, then he'd be free of Xavier.

* * * * *

"Alright," Eric said, escorting Jeff to the lounge where they were assembled after each of the medicals he gave them before letting them off the ship. They'd docked moments before so the Jackal had been the last. Now the lot of them were eager to head out. "As a reminder. we're here for a week, that's how long it'll take the workers to make the modifications to the ship for my sons' room. Try to check you messages regularly, in case I need to update you. You guys go have fun." The started running. "Xavier, I need to talk to you."

"Guys! Stop!" The zebra yelled, and everyone stopped, Robert even came back in the lounge. Xavier was looking at the tiger eagerly, jumping from foot to foot.

Eric had wanted to do this with a minimum of witness, but if Xavier insisted, it was his decision. Eric looked him in the eyes. "You're fired."

The Zebra's face fell.

"I already processed your termination file, and transferred the pay for the year left on your contract. Your belongings have been packed and are waiting for you by the ramp." Brick had been the only one to know what was going on since he'd ordered him to take care of Xavier's belonging while he gave him his medical and reset the changes to mostly how they had been before he joined. the others quickly and quietly left. Will was the last one, a pained expression on his face.

"You, you can't do that to me."

"I can, and have."

"But why?"

"Because you couldn't stop with the relationship crap. I told you when I hired you I didn't do it. I told you again at the fertility clinic and we weren't in one. These last six months have been nothing but you telling me over and over how we're meant to be together. we're not. And if I ever cared to be in a relationship? it wouldn't be with you."

Xavier grabbed his arm. "Eric, think about our kids. you can't expect them to grow up with only one parent."

Eric pulled his arm out of the zebra's grasp. "I'm am thinking about them. I don't want you anywhere near my sons. Now, you're no longer an Orr employee, get off my ship."

"I'm going to fight this. You have no right to treat me like this, not after the years I devoted to you."

"You can leave my ship right now, or I can throw you off it. it's your choice, but you better make it right now otherwise I'm going to make it for you."

Xavier glowered at the tiger, but he turns and headed out of the lounge. "you're going to regret this, do you hear me?" Eric followed him to make sure he left. "You have no idea how good you had it with me. You'll never find someone as devoted as I am."

"I fucking hope so," Eric grumbled, closing the hatch the moment Xavier was on the ramp.

* * * * *

Eric was heading to Elliot's office. he was wearing cargo pants and a denim jacket.

Eric had sent him the report about the pirate attack as soon as they were close to Earth he could send a message directly to the Orr's Communication network. Elliot's request for a meeting had come minutes after that.

Headquarter was a tall building, six hundred floors, housing all of Orr Corporation's system and most of the decision makers. Because of the size multiple floors were dedicated to food and leisure. the halls were large and airy, many of them had ceiling showing the sky. Eric kept his eyes on the floor. Telling himself the sky was only a projection didn't help.

There were very few enclosed rooms, people working on couches or at tables. Some were busy with other workers, enjoying each other during their breaks. So long as the work got done, the company didn't care how many, or few breaks the employees took.

His implants had informed him his brother was on the four hundredth floor, in the north-east work area of the floor, and Eric had sent him a message telling him he was here as soon as he'd gotten out of the shuttle.

Elliot waved to him and Eric joined him on the couch. They kissed and Elliot spoke.

"I can't approve weapons for your ship."

"I was attacked by pirates, I need a way to defend myself."

"I know, but Sol Gov laws are very clear about us having weapons in their space."

"So, we don't tell them."

"And how are you going to explain shooting down a ship?"

"So, you'd rather I get blown up?"

"Of course not. But be reasonable. this is the first time in twelve years you've been attacked. and according to your own report, this was something Vanguard arranged."

"Had to be. They're the only ones with a reason and the resources. Have the pirate said anything during their interrogations?"

"Nothing that helps. a 'stranger' approached them with information about a valuable cargo passing by. They didn't give up anything, the identity of the stranger, or their black-market contact."

"I know it isn't any of our businesses, but how come there's such a big black market for food? isn't Sol Gov growing enough of its population?"

"I doubt that matters. It's valuable out there. There always people who want to hoard what's valuable. I still can't approve armament for the ship. I can get a new sensor system installed, but you're going to have to wait for the next time you're here. There's a new system R&D is testing, it's better than anything out there at the moment, it could have seen through that radiation fog they used to hide."

"Maybe I should see to arming the ship myself."

Elliot shrugged. "You do that, and when you get caught, I can't help you. You'll have to deal with Sol Gov by yourself."

"Quite the brother you are."

"Hey, look at it on the bright side, I'm not saying anything about the weapons you have in your ship."

Eric grinned. "that was a shock to me too,"

Elliot leaned against his brother. "I'm sorry your Structure tech was such a pain."

"At least he's out of my fur now. I just don't get how I missed the signs. He thought he was going to be father to my sons, that isn't something that happens one day to the next."

"You're a busy guy, you can't be expected to notice every tilted ear or suggestive look guys send your way. You told him you didn't do relationships, it isn't your fault he didn't listen."

"I know it's still annoying, I'm going to have to make sure my new structure engineer doesn't get overly attached."

"You shouldn't worry too much about it. Tell him, if he doesn't listen, fire him."

"You're not the one stuck with him for a year. It isn't fun having a guy pinning over you constantly saying we're perfect together and getting angry when I repeat that I'm not interested. I don't want to deal with that for a third time."

Elliot nodded. "It's your ship, run in as you see fit. Mom got back to dad. She's okay with visiting for a week and she'll bring her big cocked assistant. They're aiming for around this time, in three years."

Eric grinned, that kangaroo was bigger than anyone on his crew, even bigged than the 'C's. It would be quite an experience. "Hey, you ever been fucked by a guy with a knot?"

"No, why?"

"You should, it's pretty fun."

Elliot chuckled. "I doubt it's as fun as the real thing."

Eric looked at his brother then, "Right, you've has sex with animals."

"Just a few of them. I'm not into them like Sam is, I was just curious. I haven't done it in years."

"You miss it?"

"Not really, it was quite an experience, but not something I feel a need to repeat. A guy's cock is plenty for me."

"Just one?"

"Of course not. Speaking of which." Elliot pushed Eric on his back, ripped his pants opened and stroked his cock until it was hard. Then he sat on it.