Azure Phoenix, Chapter One
"Azure Phoenix, you are cleared to dock at bay 94. Follow the guide path for manual approach. Welcome back." I grin as I feather the thrusters, guiding the ship in between the two lines of light that lead to the less-than-spacious hangar bay....
Azure Phoenix, Chapter Two
The morning began as the previous night had ended-in darkness. The captain's cabin had no viewports, and even if it did, we were docked on a space station, there would be no gentle light of dawn to creep through the window to wake us. Instead, it was...
Azure Phoenix, Chapter 3
Following breakfast, I cleaned up the galley while Zuri went to get dressed, slipping on a pair of dark grey coveralls and the boots she'd worn yesterday. As I got the last plate stowed away, the docking bay alarm began to chime. "Odd," I mused as...
Azure Phoenix, Chapter 4
High above Epsilon Eridani, dozens of ships made their way to and from the planet. Everything from bulky freighters to armored patrol craft to sleek pleasure yacht all plied the space lanes above the planet, heading to one of the many spaceports dotted...
Azure Phoenix, Chapter Five
We lay in bed, basking in the afterglow of what Zuri called 'victory sex'. I'm not sure which victory we were celebrating-me agreeing to stay on or the simple fact that the mission was successful, but I certainly felt like a winner after that. My...
Azure Phoenix, Chapter Six
The traffic surrounding Delta Serpentis was as busy as it ever was, the constant stream of transports going to or leaving the planet leaving lines of light that was visible even from a distance. Normally, I'd be part of that long-ass line, waiting for...
Midnight Riders
To say that Gamma Draconis was off the beaten path would be an understatement. Not only was it at the edge of civilized space, with barely a Navy corvette to patrol the entire system on a good day, but the inhabitable planets also suffered from massive...
Azure Phoenix, Chapter Seven
I awoke sometime after dawn when the sun's rays finally began to peek over the mountaintop behind us, giving us more time to rest without the sun blinding us. Something Zuri had planned, I was sure. While I'd realized early on she was thorough, I was...
Azure Phoenix, Chapter Nine
"I love you, too," those words made my heart soar. She loved me! Overcome by emotion, I swept her up in a tight embrace, impulsively kissing her. Zuri giggled at my sudden affection but responded in kind, her strong arms wrapping around me. I think...
Azure Phoenix: A Handy Guide
**Government** Currently, the ruling government is the Terran Confederation of Colonies, also known as the Confederation or TCC. It is a parliamentary system, with the legislative bodies being comprised of the Senate, with one Senator per 100,000...
Azure Phoenix, Chapter Eight
We had barely made it back to our quarters before Zuri had me pinned against the bulkhead, kissing me hungrily. I returned the kiss with equal parts passion and lust, the emotions of this morning and this afternoon still running high, now channeled...
Azure Phoenix, Chapter Ten
_ _As I said, falling asleep in Zuri's arms had always made me feel safe and loved in her embrace. It never could have occurred to me that it would ever change. But change it did. We were sleeping soundly after our last little tryst when suddenly I...