FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Ruben half-drifted down the catwalk towards the docks. The sidewinder let his tongue flick out, picking up the scent of sweat, coolant, and air that had been recycled too many times. Yep, it smelled and tasted like every other port he'd seen at countless stations. He cast his gaze about at the massive cargo haulers that were being loaded up. Then beyond that even more waiting, most around a hundred meters long but some double or triple that. Most of the smaller ones were inter-station or inter-planetary. Hauling ice and the like from Hvergelmir Station, or ore from Svartalfheim. The big ones were long-haulers. Meant to travel from system to system with supplies, gear, and more.

Which is what he was here for. He'd been born in system and wanted to see more of the other worlds. Granted, he could readily get a job in any number of other professions. Many of which would likely see him traveling from one world to the next. Only one would get him to go inter-system though.

So here he was, in Junction A-417 also known as Bifrost to the locals. After school he'd gone through the training needed to be a long-hauler and managed to land himself a job with Acrux Shipping Corporation. They'd paid for the shuttle trip up as well advanced him a couple weeks pay so he could get some personal items. Promising to provide him with any other gear that he'd need once he was on board.

A twitch of his toes engaged the magnetic soles of his boots. Just keeping it on log enough to tap the catwalk and keep his momentum up before they released. Twisting just right to snake between loading crews on his way to the foreman's office.

His tail gave the faintest of rattles as it swing, changing his position. Feet tapping on the metal floors just enough to start slowing him. He'd seen too many people step down hard to stop and end up eating grating. It was a small thing, but he'd always been proud of how good he was moving about in zero-g. He let his luggage come down first, triggering it's mag-lock and letting it come down with a soft thunk. Swinging around it, Ruben planted both feet and engaged his boots again. A smirk flicking over his features as he strolled to the office door.

Only to be knocked back as it burst open.

"What the actual fuck?! What the fucking fuck is wrong with you? I just got back from a baby run and now you're saddling me with another?" A softer voice tried to say something but was cut off. "That last fucking fuck you stuck with me fucked the fucking... everything!

A heavy sigh sounded from the office as Ruben righted himself. "Certainly demonstrates the diversity of the word. Listen, Mawi. I know you just got back from a run but you're the best I've got at this. Kid shows a lot of promise, passed all his tests with flying colors, and by all accounts he's got a good head on his shoulders. You know we don't have a lot of long-haulers, and ASC policy is all long-haulers need a team of at least two."

"POLICY SINCE WHEN?!"

"Since midway through your last trip." Ruben rubbed his aching nose and stood up, tongue flicking out as he stepped around the open door. A python stood in the doorway, her back to him as she glared at the tormented looking Russian Blue who was strapped behind a desk. The cat's eyes darted past her, "Speak of the devil."

She spun around to face him, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she took in everything about the sidewinder before her. Which he gladly returned her look.

Mawi was almost his height, though she was a bit larger. Even with the standard company-issue gray and orange jumpsuit, he could tell that she had some curves on her. While it seemed that there were few truckers that weren't sporting a bit of excess weight, something about the way hers moved seemed like it wasn't all flab there. Her hide a dappled green and black that lent her an exotic look to her. Dark tongue flicking out towards him again before she turned to face the foreman. Though what stood out most was her leg.

Or rather her lack of one. From the knee down, her right leg was a metal pole connected to curved, composite spring.

"I see your game now, Carl. Trying to foist some pretty boy off on me in hopes that I won't run this one off." Arms crossed as she narrowed her eyes and hissed, "He's the freshest fucking meat you've ever tried to saddle me with."

Carl put his head in his hands and sighed, "And just what is wrong with wanting my best to teach him? I keep telling you that I'm short on drivers. We need more that are fine with going the distance." He pointed towards his screen and tapped it, "They're out of system and we have loads backing up. More than that, with this new policy I can't even let you leave dock to get hooked without a partner. Just for once, could you stop busting my balls?"

She snorted. Turned to look him over again. Then tossed her arms up, "Fine. Fine, I'll take him." Carl started to say something but was cut off, "That your grip?"

Ruben blinked at her, "My what?"

Her finger jabbed towards his suitcase, "Your grip, your case, your fucking luggage."

"Yeah."

"Toss it." The rattler blinked at her in surprise. Mawi planted a hand on her hip, "It's too fucking big, toss that case and get another."

He was still confused, "But it's regulat..."

A sharp gesture cut him off, "Regulations are written by people behind desks with their heads up each other's asses. That case is too big." She stalked to a corner of the office and began to rip open containers before tossing him something. "There, stick your crap in that bag." Ruben caught the duffel that was tossed his way, still blinking at her. "And you," she rounded on Carl again. "What he can't take, store it, sell it, or vent it, his choice."

Boots thudding on the floor, she marched past him and out onto the catwalk, long tail cracking off the paneling to launch her towards one of the many rigs that were being worked on.

The feline sighed, "Welcome aboard, Kid. You just met Mawi, she'll be your trainer and partner for this trip." He pointed at a table, "Swap your stuff over there." Getting up, he went to fix the crates that had been tornthrough.

Still holding the bag, he blinked, "Um.. what's wrong with the case?" The question came even as he brought it in and began to move things over.

"Fuck if I know, Kid. Mawi has her own way of doing things and she's the best I've got. She puts in more miles per year than some do in ten. Learn what she's got to teach you, put up with her the best you can, and remember. You're stuck with her for at least a month on this trip. Try not to kill her."

It only took Ruben a few minutes to sort out his bag. He didn't have much in there to begin with, though he did have to leave behind some clothing. Just hoped that Mawi had some way of cleaning clothes on board. Carl was nice enough though, offering to give him full credit on the bag and stuff that he couldn't take with him, since it was all mostly new.

Clutching his pack, Ruben drifted up towards a rig emblazoned with the name Truckhalia with a winged horse on the side. The rig itself looked just about like any other he'd seen, larger than the short range haulers he'd trained on, but a far cry from a cruiser or transport. Squat, taller and wider than it was long. It wasn't meant to be powerful by itself. All it had to do was get from station to the waiting containers, hook up, and take off. The cargo itself would have engines, the rig was really just the brains. Most of the interior space would probably be dedicated to living space and storage. Already his head was dancing with ideas of what could be waiting for him. A lounge area, some low-grav paneling in the floors, VR rig tucked into the corner. Every bit of dream tech that he'd heard about while researching the rigs.

The side hatch was wide open and he could hear someone muttering inside. Stopping his momentum, he poked his head inside the airlock, "Hello?"

"What do you want?" Mawi's head popped around the corner, "Oh it's you. Get your ass in stow your shit so we can get going. I want to get out of here before the moons shift too much. Don't want to burn too much fuel, would cut into the bonus."

Ruben pulled himself in with the handholds and was met with an interior that surprised him. Where every rig he'd seen or been trained in had been stark and pristine, this ship was a bit of a mess. Panels were dented, a few being held in place with tape or elastic cords. The more surprising thing was the green that covered the floor and crawled up the walls. When he looked up, there was more green lazily wafting in the breeze from the vents. Ferns and the like if he had to guess.

A shoulder bumped his back, "Never seen green before, Newbie?" Mawi shoving him out of the way so she could start sealing the airlock.

He grunted, shoulder bumping off the door and sending him into a slow spiral. His feet kicking out to try and catch on the ground, but they refused to stick to where any plants were. Leaving him to pinwheel until he could stop himself on a wall. "Well... ah it's not exactly regulation."

The python fixed him with a toothy grin, "You just summed me up, Junior." She waved her hand, "Mawi, not exactly regulation." Closing the interior door, she checked the seals before drifting back to join him, tail and body twisting just so to twist her about in the air. "Your bag can go here." A cabinet was opened, "Lucky I didn't put anything else in here after the last trainee booked it out."

Looking over the opening, he drifted up to start packing his bag in. "Uh, it's not really..." he caught the withering look she gave him, "regulation..."

She heaved out a sigh with enough force to send her in a slow back flip. Hand coming out to slow her spin, "Regulations are written by safety assholes with no experience and signed off by managers with no brains. They are written with newish rigs, usually short-haulers, in mind. I've had Truckhalia here for a long while, we've seen a lot of planets, stations, and systems together. There's been a lot of love, care, and tape that went into personalizing her so I don't go insane while in deep space."

Planting her back to a wall, she gave him a hard once over. He was fresh alright, jumpsuit still had the creases from where it had been folded up. Straight out of training too, the way he was quoting the regs at her. Mawi heaved another sign and crossed her arms. "Couple rules before we head out. Speak your goddamn mind. We're locked in here until the load is delivered and signed off on. Estimates are a month and a half total time, so we can safely assume two months. Not counting cargo and the engine rooms, we have a grand total of seven, count 'em, SEVEN square meters of space between the two of us."

She pointed to the living area, "That includes the living space here." Gesturing up to the ferny growth overhead, "The bunks." Finally pointing at a taller door, "And the head." Mawi let him take it all in, "It's maddening for one person to be in this small of an area, it's horrible for two. It'll be far easier if neither of us are sulking because someone said or did something that put the other off. You already know I speak my mind, certainly heard me giving Carl an earful. So that clear, Kid?"

He nodded, "Yeah, makes sense." Tail rattling a bit in thought as he checked his bag before trying to shut the cabinet.

"Gotta slam it, Junior."

Tongue flicked and tail rattled again. He started to bite his lip in annoyance at being called kid again. Her words already ringing back at him, "Could you stop calling me Kid, Junior, and things like that? Name's Ruben."

She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly and hummed, "Alright then. Get your pack stowed and get up front, Elvis."

He blinked after her as she drifted up towards the cockpit. "Elvis?" Ruben muttered to himself, having to brace his back to really slam that cabinet closed until it latched. "Where did she get Elvis from?" Tongue flicked as he pushed off to join her.

Curtains separated the living area from the cab. The difference in the spaces stark enough to make him hesitate. Where the living space had been vibrant, green, and very obviously lived in, the cab was fairly clean. A handful of decals filled in empty spaces, dials and displays exceptionally clean, and the chairs were even lacking in patches.

Mawi had strapped herself down, headset in place, and was already chattering at the station crew. Ruben eased himself into the second seat and buckled up, looking about for his headset. Finding it after Mawi silently jabbed a finger towards where it was stowed.

Endless chatter filled his ear. Most of it comms from the station, directing various ships about and trying to keep them from causing too much trouble. After a few minutes, Mawi swung her mic up, "Alright, we should be getting clearance now." Right on cue a message popped on display, "Bingo, we're out." They lurched into harnesses as the clamps were released, the entire ship thrumming to life as she eased them out from the bay.

"You mentioned there were a couple rules?" the question came even as his eyes darted over the controls. Hands already sliding over the screens to pull up other displays and shift them about his area.

Mawi kept a watch on him out of the corner of her eye, "Yeah, I'll have to remember the rest later. Up here though, you can arrange your workstation however you want. Just don't fiddle with mine, it's the way I like it over here. I will be keeping your training wheels on until you've got some more hours under your belt."

His tongue flicked, "That is regulation."

"I just don't want you wrecking the cargo, or worse my ship."

Tongue flicked again and his tail gave the quietest of rattles. Quick as his eyes were to dance over the controls and offer adjustments, she was that much faster. Not only checking his suggested path but pointing out where the issues might be, all while plotting the course on her own and calculating intercept points in her head. He'd only just be starting to type it into the computer to check and she'd already have the path plotted. It was actually somewhat amazing and he found himself watching her work before long.

Her forked tongue barely poked from between lips as she guided the rig up to a skyscraper sized container. Breath coming in as they drifted closer. Closer. Then connected with a thud and clunk.

"You're looking pretty awestruck there, Bauru."

It took him a second to realize she was talking to him, nose wrinkling as he tried to figure out where she was getting those names from. "Just you're doing all the math in your head faster than I can type it in."

She cocked her head a bit and smirked, "It's just rocket science. Once you've been doing this for a few years, you'll get good at it too." The mic came down, "This is the Truckhalia, we're connected how is it looking there, Command?"

Displays lit up as the computer connected with the cargo and began a self-check. A voice cracking over the comms, "We are getting green across the board, Truckhalia. You are good to start your haul."

Another voice crackled across, "Hey is that Butterfly I'm hearing?"

Mawi flicked her tongue slowly, "It is, when did they let you out of the office, Big money?" More charts and scans popping up only to be closed before he could see them.

"Ah you know how it is. They've gotta keep grabbing us old dogs until they get the some fresh blood trained up."

She huffed, "Yeah you just wanted to get away from your better half. We shouldn't gab too much before the corps start to fine us for airtime." Eyes darted to Ruben, "I've got me a Fung here that I don't want picking up your bad habits, so I'm taking him out of system." Acceleration pressed them into the seats, "Might wanna get out of my way cause I'm moving."

Big Money laughed, "Yeah, got me all week to get out of your way. Don't go ruining that newbie. I want to retire this century."

Hours passed with them at the consoles. Mawi eventually letting him have some control once they were away from the traffic about the station. The chatter fading the further they got away from Bifrost. Then stopping once Mawi cut the comms to another channel.

"Alright," she groaned and stretched in her seat, "that's our ten. Time for a break." The python twisted in her harness until her back popped, "Which reminds me, another rule. Don't be afraid to ask questions, you went quiet for a while there. I'm ornery, but I'll answer whatever ones you might ask so long as you do the same for me, Runza."

That was about the tenth different name she'd given him thus far. "My brain had just started to melt after a bit I think. Figuring out the approach angles for gravity wells, plotting around those, and..." he brushed fingers over his temple, "Pewsh, brain explodes." He watched as Mawi got up and pushed towards the back, "Shouldn't we slow down, or turn on the beacons or something?" The question came as he stayed in his seat, fingers itching to reach for the controls.

"Nope," her voice rang through the curtains. "Big as we are slowing down and speeding back up takes hours unless we want to waste a fuckton of fuel. Which we have two metric fucktons of, and we get paid more the less we use. And the beacons won't help either. There's some traffic, but there's a lot of space out there and we're honestly a speck among it all."

It was hard to argue there. He still found himself a little reluctant to leave the cockpit. Especially as their speed continued to climb. "Alright, what are those names you keep calling me?" Tongue flicked as he toyed with the harness before deciding that if she felt it was safe, then it should be.

"Wouldn't be fun if I told you what they mean. I've got to entertain myself somehow. My turn though, why do you want to be a long-hauler?"

Ruben drifted over the controls for a moment, giving them a nervous look before pushing into the living area. "Well, wasn't the best in school. Could've gone into industry where I lived, found a trade, or I could go here. So I thought it'd be fun to see other worlds."

He froze as he pushed through the curtain. Mawi was drifting near a locker, her jumpsuit unzipped almost fully to expose her teal underside. "Well you'll get to see those eventually, but mostly it's just the dark out there." She caught the his stare and arched a brow, continuing to strip down. "What? Don't tell me you've never seen a naked woman before, Philly. Didn't you have internet growing up?" The jumpsuit was wadded up and stuffed into a container. "I told you, we don't have a lot of space to be private here." Her leg came off next, revealing a smooth stump. Scars still marking the hide, though long since faded. She shoved the leg in alongside her jumpsuit, rubbing the stump of her thigh with a hand as she pulled out other clothes.

"I've seen naked women," came the quick reply as he tore his gaze away out of respect. Though not before lingering over those curves of hers. Thicker hips, thighs that looked like they could kill a man, and that deliciously girthy base of her tail. It hadn't dawned on him just how little space they had until he'd had to hit the head on their way out. There wasn't much space there, enough to crouch on the stool-like toilet or to turn as they used the cleaner head, but that was about it.

"Had a couple girlfriends in high school," and a boyfriend too, though he didn't talk about him much. That breakup was still fresh and a little sore.

Mawi fished out a shirt with rather loud, tropical patterns on it. Drawing it on, but leaving it unbuttoned as she grabbed a pair of cloth shorts. "I don't know about you, but I am ready for some dinner and a movie to rot my brain properly."

Ruben drifted near the curtains, watching how she sailed through the air. Pushing off with her tail, twisting, and flying with a grace that surprised him. "Dinner does sound good now that you mention it." He looked about the living area, taking it in for the first time now. "So, when are you going to switch on the gravity plates?"

She looked at him, "The what?"

There was something in her tone that made him hesitate, "The... gravity plates?" He wilted as she kept staring at him, "They're on liners and been adapted to trucks for hauling."

A laugh broke out, "Yeah they sure are. I don't know about you, but I don't have a quarter-trillion dollars laying around to get a new rig or have this one outfitted." She drifted down to brush her hand over the mossyfloor, "Besides, it'd ruin my flooring. I spent a lot on hydroponics to keep these growing. Keep a bit of green to keep me sane. Plus," she took a deep breath, "it makes the recycled air taste better."

"So," she clapped her hands, "let's get started on the freshest supplies and work our way back from there." A thump of her tail sent her towards the tiny kitchen and the screen there, "Anything you don't like or can't eat?"

Drifting over, he looked down the menu, "I'll eat just about anything."

Her tail flicked against his leg, bumping her a bit closer, "Then a couple Philly's sound good to me, with... Cajun fries." The screen chimed as she picked. Machinery whirring away deeper within the rig as the meals were pulled from storage and brought up to the kitchenette to be prepared.

Ruben's brow furrowed as he watched her select the menu, "Wait a minute. Philly cheese steak. Earlier you called me Pb... Have you been calling me sandwiches all day?"

"Took you long enough." She flashed a smile and pushed off, "It'll take a few minutes for those. Which leaves the movie for our dinner." Mawi snatched up a tablet and, with a few swipes, brought the nearly wall-sized monitor online with an extensive list. "One thing you'll learn doing these trips. Entertainment is key. I've got hundreds of movies, tv shows, games, etc. All of them one-hundred percent totally legally acquired." Her tail hooked onto a bar, drawing her down against the couch, "And since I'm still your trainer, I get to pick the first movie. Which means my tradition stands strong and we get to watch Smokey and The Bandit."

He tilted his head, "What's that?"

Mawi heaved a sigh, "I keep telling them to show it in the training, but they said it's dated and gives people the wrong idea. I say it's good fun and of it's time." The vend-o-mat chimed, "Grab our meals and come over here, Cudighi."

"Can we drop the sandwich names too?" He hissed at how hot the trays were. Sending one drifting towards Mawi before claiming his."

She puffed a sigh, "Trying to ruin all my fun aren't you?"

Both strapped themselves to the deep couch and settled in as the movie started. Savoring their rather fresh meals and the dated movie.

"So you mentioned you've had girlfriends? No special ones?"

The question caught him off guard, "Ah, well they were all special until they weren't." He gave a little smile, "The way it always is isn't it?" Nibbling on a fry, he felt the tingle of spice across his tongue. "What about you?"

Her expression darkened for just a second before she shrugged, "Didn't work out how I wanted." She tapped a fry against the platter before looking over to nudge his cheek. "So, venomous?"

A familiar question, "Used to be. I know some that don't get their sacs removed, say that it's unnatural to be cut up like that." The sidewinder angled his head and opened his maw to show off his teeth, "Had them removed and fangs replaced. They kept getting in the way with a lot of things." Sure enough, his hinged fangs had been replaced with a couple teeth that looked like more traditional teeth. "So, Butterfly?"

"It's a name special friends get to call me. And since we're getting a bit personal there, virgin?"

His tail rattled a bit. "I've had sex before." Thinking about it, it'd had been fun. Well, at least most of the time it had been. One girlfriend had tossed back at him that he was pretty unimpressive in the sac. Wanting to distract himself, he let his gaze drop from the movie to her legs. Or rather her leg. "How did you lose that?"

That darkness returned and stayed. "Know what, I'm tired been a long day." She pushed the tray towards him, "Finish that up if you want, toss in the composter if you don't. You're cleaning up tonight."

He could only stare in surprise at her sudden shift in mood. She had her harness off and had shoved off before his mouth opened. Disappearing through the screen of ferns and up into the sleeping area before he could even blink.

Ruben was finishing up the meal when the lights cut down lower. Getting geared down for sleeping mode. He looked up towards the growth and pushed himself upwards. Mawi was already in her bunk. Which was little more than a cubbyhole with padding about it, one long side open so she could roll out. A blanket was wrapped about her and pulled down tight, keeping her from drifting away. She had her back to the opening and seemed to be sleeping. "Mawi?" he kept his voice soft.

No answer.

"Good night." He pushed towards the spare bunk, which was little more than a sleeping bag that hung from the wall. Lights turning lower as he hooked himself in.

Mawi was up before him the next morning. She didn't talk about her mood shift and he didn't ask. She wordlessly gave him some coffee and a breakfast plate, mumbling something about not being a morning person.

Once breakfast was handled, she waved a hand at him, "Go clean up if you need. Will show you the morning routine then."

Ruben nodded, shuffling towards the stall with a new jumpsuit under his arm. Taking care of his morning business involved a bit of work since he needed to get the adapter put on the hose. While he had the option of using the ultrasonic cleaner, he squirted some water onto a cloth and began to wipe his body down. Eyes dropping to his own slit, then towards the door.

A sigh slipped from the sidewinder as he leaned back, bracing shoulders against one wall and leg against the other. Tongue flicked out as he reached down to stroke his vent. Watching as the lips flared and tip began to peek out. He gently toyed with his head and coaxed his cock out. In the micro-gravity of the ship, he wouldn't be able to get to full hardness, but he didn't have to. Fingers easing down to rub against his back door. Arching with a quiet huff as his fingers pushed in.

Stroking his semi-hard length with one hand, he worked his fingers deeper into his rear. A moan hissing between his lips as pleasure started to build. Curling his fingers about the base of his cock to firm it up slowly. Shivering as arousal started to build. The snake wedging himself within the stall so he could work deeper into his rear. Fingers kneading his prostate and massaging it. Lips dropping with a breathy gasp as his body arched into the pleasure. Fingers coaxing more blood to his length, pumping it as best he could despite the issues of space travel.

Tongue flicked from his maw as he leaned forward. Letting his it wrap about his cock and drawing it into his maw. Huffing around his tip as he suckled on it. Pumping his prostate now. Each stroke sending electric jolts up up his spine and making him arch and writhe.

Mere moments from when he started, the sidewinder peaked. Shuddering as he came, seed splashing across his tongue to be readily swallowed down. Only getting the barest whisper of the flavor of his own semen as it rolled down his throat. Ruben arched into his own maw, gently petting his prostate to get out that last little bit more.

A quick wipe down with the cloth, a little stretching, and he started to contort himself into his jumpsuit for the day.

Which set the pace for the next few days. Rouse when their bodies decided they had enough sleep. Have breakfast then check on their course and double check the rig's systems. All told that was about an hour. Then the rest of the day was all their own. He'd raised a minor objection about needing to be in the cab for their shift, at which point she told him he could if he wanted. A half-hour of listening to her game in the living area while he sat up front staring at space, and he ended up back with her. Meals were had when they got hungry. Exercise happened at some point during the day as well. Without artificial gravity, and with limited space, they were forced to use resistive training.

Other than that, their days were largely spent trying not to get on each other's nerves. Which was easier said than done with such little space.

"I swear you're cheating somehow." Ruben narrowed his eyes and glared at Mawi through the lenses before looking at the playing cards that were being projected to his eyes.

The python just fixed him with that sly smile of hers, "You say that but you've got a pretty good tale. Well, more like a tail. Each time you get bad hand you rattle twice, then when you get a good one you try going all stone face and your tail shakes again."

He humphed and sank down into himself, glaring daggers at his tiny pile of virtual tokens versus her mountain.

Mawi flicked her tongue playfully, "What's say we up the odds?" She laid out her full house.

"If we start using real money then I'll end up needing to write you an I.O.U. at this rate." He dropped down his pair with a huff.

A sympathetic hiss, "Yes you would. Though I was thinking strip poker." He jerked up in surprise and had to stop himself from rolling. "Figured it might take some of the edge off. Or at least would stop you from bashing your head against the shower wall when you try changing in there."

He huffed and rattled his tail, "I just don't feel comfortable stripping down in front of you. You are my trainer and..."

"And I'm twice your age. More than actually, I am quite literally old enough to be your mother." She leaned forward and flicked her tongue towards him, "Are you calling me an old lady? I see how you stare at me each morning." Another flick, "And how you spend a surprising amount of time in the head, trying to be quiet."

Now he really rattled. "It's... ah... uh..."

She waved at him, "It's fine if you jerk off, I stopped giving a fuck ages ago. I know you've heard me going at it in the bunk. All while you pretend to sleep."

RATTLE. "You know I'm awake?"

"Of course I do, why do you think I start moaning so much? Sure as hell don't do it for my benefit, trying to get you to relax a bit more." She was leaned in close enough that her tongue flicked his nose, "You've been pretty uptight since day one. So," leaning back, Mawi grabbed a couple drink packs and shoved one at him. "We are going to pop open a beer each and we are going to play some strip poker."

He caught the drink, rolling the icy pack in his hand as his tongue flicked again. "But we're on..." She only had to give him a look and he knew what she was thinking, "Okay. Okay."

The python grinned at him, "Wonderful." Flicking her hand reset the board. The flutter of shuffling cards sounding in his ear. "I'm not counting your boots. We've each got shirt, pants, and underwear." He looked at the company jumpsuit he wore and the underclothes there. "Well, you know what I mean." Glancing at her clothes, he realized how almost pointless it was that she even had a shirt on. It seemed she preferred button down shirts while relaxing, but very rarely bothered even buttoning them. Without breasts, there wasn't much to hang out there, but she did flaunt her chubby teal belly at him.

Ruben looked at his cards as they were dealt, opening the beer to sip. And immediately gagged at the taste. Mawi fixed him with a look and grinned, taking a slow draw off hers. "First beer?"

"It tastes horrible!" he coughed. "And not first, friends snuck some too, still bad."

Mawi snorted, "Yeah, only irresponsible adults give 'underage' kids booze. Much less bad beer." She took a swig and made a face. "And not much worse than shelf stable vacpac beer." Shaking her head, she took a draw off her vape and puffed out a cloud of vapor at him. "The shittiest vacpac beer, virtual cards, and cigar-flavored glycerin. What an evening."

Gazing at his hand, he hummed, "Do we wager clothes or what?"

She shook her head, "It's straight bet. One hand, one bit of clothing." Waving the virtual cards towards him, she flashed a grin, "So. Fold or stay?"

His tongue darted slowly as he eyed up the cards, "Stay."

"Pair, aces high."

Excitement raced through him, "Straight."

Mawi smiled at him, "Really? Would've thought you'd at least be bi, seems like most people are these days." She let out a comfortable sigh as she stripped her top off and let it float away. Scratching at her bared scales, "So much more comfortable."

He huffed, "I have experimented, and it's a proximity thing I think. Especially on space stations." A look at the cards. "Fold."

Tongue flicked as she angled her head, "I think that's where you're a little off the mark. It probably does have something to do with it but I think it's that society is getting to be more open and understanding. And if you fold, lose the jumpsuit."

"But I didn't..." he sighed and disrobed. Jumpsuit getting kicked away, leaving him in just boxers and his undershirt.

A slow flick of her tongue signaled a bit of interest as she looked him over. He was in pretty good shape, lean body holding a decent amount of definition. Even if it was softened by the low gravity and the genuinelypoor diet afforded them by the company dime. Something that her own frame was evidence of, since most of her life involved sitting there and not breathing vacuum.

Another hand. Ruben looking over his cards with a bit more care this time before looking at her. He was doing all he could to keep his tail still, not let it slip onto his face either. She was impossible to read though. Just that slight smile on her lips as she reclined. Occasionally sipping from her beer pack and trying not to frown at the taste. She'd been like that every time they played poker. It was impossible to tell if she actually cared about the cards or not.

"Three of a kind," he flipped his down.

"High card," came hers as she just dropped a junk hand. Easily rolling her body back to fish those loose shorts off, flicking them towards his head with a smirk.

She didn't care about the hand. Looks like she never had. Ruben looked at her, the cards, then back. Mawi lifted a brow and leaned back, hand resting easily on her thigh. She let her fingers rasp quietly against scales, drawing her boxers higher, "So, raising your shorts now?"

"Does it matter what the cards are?" he had to know. Confirmation came as she shook her head slowly, tongue dancing towards him.

Off came his glasses, letting them drift as he leaned in. Mawi let hers slide away as she gently cradled his cheeks and invited him closer. Lips pressing in a slow, sultry kiss. Sidewinder wiggling in as python shifted her body to coil loosely about him. Tail twining about him and holding him there as she tilted her head, guiding him into a deeper kiss. Drawing him in and giving him more than he'd have expected. Ruben uttering a throaty moan as he pulled himself close to the curvaceous snake.

The tip of her tail hooked at the band of his boxers and pushed, easing them down and off his legs. Her body lifting to press against his. A rattle sounded as he tried to do the same. Eventually reaching to push hers down so their bare bodies were flush to each other. Chest to chest, belly to belly, slit to slit, all while hands and tails held them close. Tongues darting into mouths and dancing, coiling about each other. Her pace slower, coaxing him along as he breathed out soft moans. Feeling warmth flushing through his body and surging to his loins.

Without anything to secure them down, Ruben's eagerpresses were soon sending them drifting from the lounger. Distracted as he was, he wouldn't have noticed until they bumped into something. Mawi's experienced kicked in, the python returning his attention with equal passion and fervor, all while her tail casually coiled about a handle to keep them in check.

Tongues danced into waiting mouths. Coiling into spirals, twisting into knots, untangling, then giving chase to bind again. Scales rasping quietly as one would draw against the other. That scraping of their undersides sending lustful shivers through each of the snakes. Mawi almost purring into the kiss as her nethers began to tingle and flush with heat. One leg hooking about the base of his tail as the other rubbed her thigh on his flank. He squirmed within her hold, unconsciously mirroring the way she coiled herself about him. Draping a leg around her thicker tail, his own trembling with an excited rattle. Gasping for breath each time their lips parted even the smallest amount before driving in hungrily.

Mawi broke the kiss. Chin rubbing the top of his nose with a rasp. "Do you have something to make sure you're hard?"

"Wha?" he huffed. Normally all the blood would be rushing from one head to the other by now, but micro-gravity was a bitch. Excited though he was, his cock remained at partial mast. Damn you physics, screwing with a man's ability to get some tail! It took him a few seconds to fully process her question before his cheeks flushed, "I didn't expect..."

Her finger tapped his lips, "It's okay." A soft laugh whispered out as she leaned in to rub her cheek against his. Body undulating against his slowly to keep them both worked up. Each scratch and rasp of scales against each other sending shivers through the python. Her slick folds rubbing against his thigh with each stroke. She watched as his tongue flicked out, knowing he was picking up her scent.

"As you know," she murmured into his neck, planting a soft kiss there, "there's three main ways for a guy to get hard in micro-gravity. One, a pump implant." She let her lips brush his neck before biting gently, "Which I don't have one, nor do I think you'd let me go at you with an angle grinder and some redi-patch."

Ruben shuddered at those bites, huffing as he let a hand fall to her leg. Grabbing the thigh, pulling her closer so he could rub their slits together. A shiver racing through him as her warmth pressed against his semi-hard length. "No," he mumbled softly. Turning his head to try and return the bites. A little more awkwardly as he followed her lead, "Which leaves pressure."

"Mhmm," she nearly purred, arching her head to expose her neck to him. "An a cock ring can solve that. Did you bring one?"

He mumbled, "Nah," into her neck, "didn't think we'd be..." he groaned as she pressed into him. Rubbing her warmth right on the exposed tip of his cock. A shiver racing from the tip of his nose right to the rattle of his tail.

"Fucking?"

A huff, "Yeah. Do you always..." he trailed off as she pulled him into another kiss.

It was quick, just enough to silence him. "Not always, just the ones I like." She smiled at him and brushed his lips, "I have a couple cock rings stowed away. But there's always option three. A little chemical enhancement, which I have some of as well."

He shifted at the mention of popping a little blue friend, "Think the ring." Muzzle pressed to her neck, biting gently and nuzzling into her. Only realizing that they were free-floating when he looked at the wall past her shoulder. "Ah..." he blinked, then blushed hotly as he pulled back slowly, doing his best to counter their movement, "I've never... fucked in zero-g before."

She tapped his lips with her finger again, "Then I get to pop your space cherry, nice. Young buck like you has probably fucked plenty, but this is different. Usually more intimate. We'll start slower though." Mawi twisted her body just so. Rubbing her pussy lips on the barbed crown of his cock. He gasped, shuddered, and she took that bare moment to slither from his grasp. The python sliding up towards the bunk. Ruben's chin scratching along her belly as she pushed up. Glancing down she smiled at him, and in a burst of motion, had his head wrapped in her leg and tail, face shoved right against her privates. A playful croon rolling up as his tongue instinctively flicked against her pussy and brought her aroused scent-taste to him.

A shove sent him back to the floor and propelled her upwards. The python flicking her tail across his cheek playfully as she nearly swam up to the bunk.

Part of the training to be a deep-spacer had been about moving about in micro-gravity in any situation. Being naked, aroused, and focused on Mawi was pretty close to a critical situation. He pushed off the floor and followed her up, finding the python just easing past her living curtain and into the cubbyhole of her bunk.

Ruben waited as she popped open one of her small, bedside cabinets and pulled out a few leather and straps, "Find one that fits. They're all clean." Bracing himself at the side of the bunk, he picked one that looked about right and reached down to fit it. Offering no resistance as Mawi's tail coiled about his waist to draw him into her bed. Shifting about in her bed, she drew him on top of her, reaching down to help him coax that cock out. Squeezing gently, her fingers pressed into his slit and drawing him out, cooing sweet things into his ear all the while.

With both their hands squeezing his length about the base, his shaft was soon swelling to life. "Oh, big boy aren't you?" she whispered as she watched him firm up. "Just fix it in place right here." Guiding him where to fix the strap and checking the fit, "There we go," she murmured as it clicked into place. Length pulsing under the gentle pressure, making sure that blood stayed where it needed. "Now for the fun part. Lay down on top of me."

Drawing him down, she lay back in the bunk and smiled. Ruben grabbed a handhold and drew himself closer while she shifted the blanket over the top of them. While his bunk was little more than a sleeping bag hung on the wall, hers was more like a traditional bed. Padding on every wall, the screen of ferns wafting just beyond the opening, giving it the sense of a private love nest. He adjusted and reached to help her shift the blanket over. Shivering as the incredibly soft fleece-like material whispered over his back. Mawi fitting the free end, which had a thin rod set in the fabric, into a slot on the bunk.

No sooner had the blanket touched down than the bunk grabbed and pulled it down. Fabric stretching against Ruben's back as it pulled him into her. The sidewinder gasping as his body was pinned against Mawi's plumper form. She smiled at him and reached down, rubbing his cock gently before guiding it between her folds. Moaning sweetly as he pushed into her inviting warmth. "There," she sighed and draped her arms around his neck. "Now we begin."

With the blanket trapping him there, he couldn't get a lot of movement. Though he didn't need it. Every tiny shift made his cock glide within her. And it was bliss. She was warm against him, inviting, legs squeezing his side. Each press he made was met with a writhe from her. "Oh... fuck," he hissed as her tail coiled about his, drawing her against his body.

Mawi was moaning freely now, head rolled back as this eager buck gave her a good grinding-fuck. Her breath came in shorter pants already. Relishing in the feel of him pressing her into the bed, both trapped by the blanket. It wasn't something she got to experience often enough. She hadn't been trying to flatter him by saying he was big either. He was giving her a good stretch. Even with the situation, he was digging pretty deep. And those barbs about his crown? Pure bliss when he got a deeper thrust. "Ohhh, fuck," she agreed. Chin rasping against his as she nuzzled, "Bet you had all the girls clamoring for you."

Ruben's cheeks flushed with a pant as he rolled against her. "Ah..." came the breathless pant as she squeezed him, "M...my last girl..." he hissed as she twisted her hips just so, really teasing the tip of his cock. "Said I was bad."

A really rude noise came from the trucker as she arched. Tail coiling about his briefly and squeezing. Arms and legs wrapping about his core so she could get that much closer to him. "What'd she do during sex?" the question came seconds before her mouth found his neck, suckling on it hungrily.

He tried to mirror how she was wrapping him up, but the python and blanket were trapping him. "She..." he moaned as his length twitched within Mawi, "Just kinda lay there."

Mawi blew a raspberry, "Fucking dead fish." Eyes narrowed as she arched against him, mashing her scales against his, basking in the feel of him writhing against her. Her sensitive underside letting her feel it all, his breathing, the rapid hammering of his heart, even the twitch of his muscles as he pressed into her. His body shifting so he could give her a look. "Dead fish, she just lay there and let you do all the work." A quiet churr rolled up her throat. "More fun when you both are..." she squeezed and arched into him. The smack of their bodies meeting echoed through the bunk.

"Ahh!" he cried out in understanding. Head dipping as his pace picked up, growing more used to the act by the second. Though it didn't matter, "I'm gonna..." he ground his teeth, starting to slow.

Legs tightened about him, tail squeezing his body tighter to her. "Don't you dare. Keep fucking me you, Fucking Bastard!" came the breathless hiss as she arched into him. Her own insides starting to tighten about him.

How could he refuse?

Ruben buried his head against her neck. Tongue flicking rapidly as his pace picked up. Each thrust fanned the blanket, sending puffs of air up their bodies and right into his mouth. Their scent, their taste, the feel of her pressing into and around him. It was all too much for the sidewinder. His thrusts began to falter. Speeding up, hips trembling, body shaking, then slamming against her. Breath hissing out as she squeezed him that much tighter.

Mawi arched with a quiet huff, entire body tense as his warmth filled her. Eyes closed as she savored the feel of him trembling against her body, that steady twitching of his length as he put his seed right into her without the barest hint of protection. There was something so deliciously naughty about some frisky fun with a younger guy, even if she was literally old enough to be his mother. He'd left her nearly glowing with pleasure, and he'd only get better as they traveled. Provided of course, he wanted to have more bunk-bashing sessions.

Her cheek rasped against his as she nuzzled into his neck. "Yourgirlfriend?" lips brushed his ear hole, "is a fucking dumb ass."

The snakes stayed close until he shuddered, climax dying down. "She was?" came the weary mumble as his cheek rubbed her neck sweetly. Mawi breathed out an affirmative noise and shifted under him, still grinding into the male's trapped length. He shivered over her, making the python smile.

"Yeah, no fun if you just lay there and take it. Sex takes two. Now, just let me..." she whipped a wet nap from one of the cabinets and reached down between them. Both snakes hissing as the cold cloth wiped over their privates, "Last thing we need is some jizz getting into a console somewhere and setting off alarms." Ruben gasped when the cock ring snapped free, cock rapidly deflating and slipping free so she could clean them up fully.

With their privates smelling lemony fresh and clean, Mawi tossed the used cloth into the trash, "Now." She draped her arm around his neck, "Wanna stay up here, or go back down for a bit." Her tongue flicked against his nose.

Ruben shivered, then returned the lick, "If it's an option, why not here?" He shifted slowly to lay down beside her. Mawi rolling to face him. While the bunk was a bit larger than a single berth, it was still a tight fit for the two of them to lay like that. Though some might call it cozy. He looked into her eyes as he lay there, idly petting her bare scales. "So this is what you do during your trips?"

A laugh slipped out as she nuzzled him, "Well, hard to have a fuck by yourself, but kinda yeah. Watch movies, play games, read books, eat, masturbate, sleep, and repeat. Not like we can just pull over to a truck stop in deep space to chill with others, and everyone is several light-minutes out by comms."

"So why are we here?" He shifted, easing an arm under her neck. Mawi tucking herself that much closer to him, the stump of her leg pressing to his thigh slowly. "I mean, wouldn't it be easier to have us on deep sleep once we get out of orbit? Didn't they do that with the old colony ships? Just got them away, set a course, and took a nap?"

Mawi's eyes went distant as she found her mind drifting back to older memories. "They did, but it was a crap shot. If someone wasn't up, who would watch if something went wrong. Even with alarms and all that shit, only so fast someone can be defrosted. So they started keeping crew awake on shifts. Made sense when it was months between planets and years between systems. Then lead to people like us once engines got faster. Can jump between planets in days. Systems in months."

Ruben brushed her lips with his, back pressed to the padded wall of the bunk and front happily pinned against Mawi, "So we're the emergency system."

"Mhmm" she breathed, eyes closing part of the way. "Enough questions for now, I'm gonna doze a bit." She pressed a yawn into his throat and kissed there. "Wake me up if you want a second round. Or just roll over and start going at it. If you fuck as well as you did that time, I'll probably wake up."

He snapped a mock salute, or at least best he could. "Yes, Ma'am."

"I'm gonna kick your ass."

Ruben slept peacefully. A goodly portion of the day had been spent in bed. Mawi declaring what they were doing as good enough to count for exercise. Though she did toss out a couple interesting ideas of how to use the elastic from the exercise kit for some fun. They'd fallen asleep coiled around one another in bed. Ruben on top of her, cock buried within her body and head tucked against her neck.

He woke sharply to the sound of an alarm blaring. The sidewinder's eyes fluttering open as he bounced off the bunk's ceiling. Mawi was already tumbling from bed, practice sending the python bolting for the living space and the consoles there.

"What's wrong?" he hissed, tumbling down as she ripped open a locker.

Mawi laughed at him as she squirmed into the suit liner. "Trucker's law. You asked about trouble, so we got some." A tug tightened the loose fabric about her body. "Looks like a fuel line got busted. Which means you need to suit up so we can take a walk, Gatsby."