The Nestia crew stood around the bathtub's sides, the air as charged with anticipation as much as the lightly rippling silver surface of the precursor fluid crackled and sparked with charged energy.

  The electrical discharge dissipated slowly, and Inta’s head and shoulders rose, cradling Diana’s limbless form in her arms. Precursor fluid obscured her features and ran off her naked body in rivulets, dripping into the bath as Inta pulled her from her submerged baptismal Bonding.

  With a gesture from Inta, the rest of the silver fluid rushed off Diana’s body, and she gasped, pulling in a rge lung full of air. “Oh, my!” Diana excimed, feeling for the first time the depth of love from Inta and her new family through her newly forged Bond. The silver lines crisscrossing her skin glowed a ghostly blue, echoed by the silver markings of the rest of the crew.

  Diana looked down at her body as Inta held her; her new markings were slightly different than that of the others; they followed the same pattern of the silver harness she had been wearing for the st several weeks that allowed her to wear an extra set of Inta’s limbs, and walk with assistance.

  There were smiles all around when the gathered parted to allow another Inta to pass through them and approach the tub. The Inta standing in the tub carefully transferred Diana to the Inta standing outside the tub.

  “I have one other surprise for you, My Love,” Inta said as she brushed Diana’s hair back over her ear. She pced two fingers on Diana’s forehead, just below her hairline, and an intricately patterned circlet of silver formed around her head. The Inta holding her shifted and flowed around her body into the silver harness she had become accustomed to, limbs sliding into pce, making up for the ones she had lost. Diana stood there as the newly formed harness and limbs began glowing to match the rest of her markings.

  Inta sat on the tub's edge, swung her legs over the side, dropped on the floor next to Diana, and hugged her. “Sweetheart, I have bubbled off a sub-mind in this body, and with this circlet, it will respond to your mind directly,” she said, tracing her silver fingers along Diana’s brow. “In time, it will merge and integrate fully with your mind. These limbs won’t just be yours to use, but a part of you, receiving control and providing feedback.”

  Inta took one of Diana’s new silver hands in hers as she spoke, turned it over, and lightly kissed the palm.

  Diana’s eyes went wide. “I… I felt that!” she said, awestruck. “It was distant and faint, but I felt it!” Tears sprang from her eyes as she was overwhelmed by emotion. She took an unbanced step towards Inta to hug her, but Inta caught her as she fell into her arms.

  Diana looked momentarily disappointed, but Inta soothed her worry. “It will take time for you and your new limbs to grow and work together, but I promise, soon it’ll feel as natural as if you’ve had them your entire life.” A smile reignited on Diana’s face; held in Inta’s arms, she beamed joyfully.

  The rest of the crew, unable to contain themselves any longer, pressed close to the new member of their family and showered her with hugs and kisses in a loving crush.

  “I can feel you; I can feel you all,” Diana said through happy tears as everyone id their hands on the skin of her new arms and brushed against her new legs. The press of loving flesh against hers stirred another feeling in her core. Her simmering longing was suddenly stoked into a hot desire, fanned by the warm press of bodies against hers. “Oh, oh wow, I feel, I…” she could barely articute, then grabbed Inta’s face and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

  Inta returned passion with passion, flooding Diana’s newly formed connection to her with heat and energy, finally able to express fully how she felt and how much she wanted the shy brunette.

  Diana swooned in Inta’s embrace, swept away by the titanic magnitude of emotions pouring off the silver girl, losing all sense of time and pce until the love from Inta and everyone around her was the only thing present in Diana’s universe.

  Then, In one smooth motion, Inta swept Diana up into her arms once more, and Diana draped one arm over her shoulders. “And Now, I think Diana and I have an appointment to keep for her Deepening,” Inta said to those pressing close to Diana and her. Inta headed for the hallway and to their lounge on the next deck. The others, however, had their own pns and followed along.

  Once Inta and Diana reached the lounge, everyone who followed them from the med bay piled in behind. “You two have managed to get the rest of us all wound up with your emotional antics,” Artona said from the back of the crowd. “I don’t think you’ll get away with sneaking away with your test conquest this time.”

  “Weren’t you her st ‘test conquest’?” Will asked with a smirk, elbowing the muscur Urarc in the ribs.

  “Yeah, well, that just means I still need a lot of attention,” Artona retorted, sounding slightly more defensive than she intended. “Besides, Inta needs as much attention as Diana does. Can’t you feel it?” Artona asked, and everyone shook their heads in agreement. The sacrifice and sudden loss of a portion of herself had left Inta with an invisible scar and a nagging feeling of emptiness. For weeks, she tried to downpy it but ultimately couldn’t hide the pain from her family, who were connected in the deepest ways and loved her dearly.

  They huddled close to Inta and Diana, gently ying their hands on her, the physical touch only a pale imitation of the connection and loving bond they all shared.

  “Oh, My Darlings, you take such good care of me. And of course, I would never dream of leaving any of you unsatisfied,” Inta told them, still carrying Diana like a bride. As soon as the words left her lips, a horde of silver girls swarmed the lounge, descending on the crew like sex-crazed locusts, intending to devour them all.

  The first two newly arrived Inta’s swelled to beefcake proportions and bodily tackled Artona to the floor, pinning her there, and began viciously tickling Artona. “Hey, fight fair!” she cried out between bouts of giggling. The tickling quickly gave way to kissing, and fingers parted her folds, rubbing vigorous circles around Artona’s engorged clit. Still pinning her down, one beefcake Inta sitting on the Urarc’s face, her snout and long tongue pressed into and pped around Inta’s dripping cunt. The Inta concentrating on Artona’s lower half, fingered her through her first orgasm, then shifted, held Artona’s powerful legs wide open, then buried her silver cock in Artona’s warm, wet core, and rutted her properly.

  June turned to Will and gave him a passionate kiss, which he immediately surrendered to, pulling her close. Two Inta’s joined them from behind, pressing their naked bodies against their backs, kissing down along their necks, sliding a hand down the front of their pants in search of their cock and clit, respectively. With their other hand, they reached around their waists and pulled themselves tight again June and Will’s backs, squishing their soft silver tits against them.

  Three Inta’s pulled Larce to the couch, sandwiching her. An Inta sat beside her, lifted and dropped Larce on her p, rubbing her hard silver cock in the crack of her ass. “Inta, I absolutely adore it when you… Uhhh!” Larce said, unable to finish her sentence as Inta drove up from underneath her into her quivering asshole while reaching around and manhandling her tits.

  The second Inta spread both sets of her legs wide and slid her rock-hard member into her pussy, while the third Inta cmbered over the second, stuffing her cock into Larce’s mouth. Larce moaned appreciatively around the cock lodged in her throat, mauling the two sets of silver tits before her. She came almost immediately upon being stuffed with three silver cocks, and just as her climax crested, the three Intas began thrusting as one, prolonging Larce’s ecstasy beyond what she thought possible. Soon, she was driven to the edge again and was sent crashing over, silver rods pistoning in and out of her.

  Ben held Thea around the waist when they entered the lounge, and as erogenous energy exploded in the room like a nova, Thea gave Ben a quick kiss, dropped to her knees while undoing his belt, then stuffed his cock in her mouth like she needed it to live. Ben groaned, a hand on the back of Thea’s head as she bobbed her head up and down on his cock, and noticed an Inta slide up behind her through one half-open eye.

  “Don’t you worry; we’re not going to leave guests out of the festivities,” Inta said, pulling down Thea’s trousers and panties. Grabbing a hold of her hips, she stuffed her face in between Thea’s thighs and snaked an impossibly long and prehensile tongue into her warm depths.

  Thea let Ben’s cock momentarily pop out of her mouth. “Oh, fuck Inta. That tongue! Where have you been my whole life!” she excimed, then resumed sucking Ben off with renewed vigor.

  Another Inta slid her hands around Ben’s chest, holding him close. “Hello, my Lover,” she whispered into his ear as she eased her cock into his tight asshole, completely overwhelming his senses.

  Ben came undone and bsted a huge load into Thea’s mouth, making her cheeks puff out before she could start swallowing it all down. Between Inta’s expert-level cunnilingus and the heady fvor of Ben unloading in her mouth, Thea came as well and gasped as she climaxed hard in the sex-drenched atmosphere. No longer swallowing, and with Ben not finished spurting, she coughed and sputtered, semen forced out her nostrils and bsting out around her lip lock on Ben’s cock.

  A single Inta took De’noke’s hand, led him to a high-back armchair, and pulled him down on top of her, kissing him deeply while removing his robe. “Oh, De’noke,” Inta cooed as she grabbed his hood and slid it off his rock-hard erection. “Make love to me, Darling,” she encouraged him as he knelt, nestling the tip of his cock in her silver folds.

  “Inta, you have brought me more happiness than I can tell you,” he said, sliding his enormous cock deep into her, molding her channel to fit him. He rested there a moment, eyes fluttering, as his hood snaked around of its own accord, found her silver shaft, and swallowed it to the base. “We fit together perfectly,” he rumbled, lost deep in the pleasure.

  He sawed his mammoth cock in and out of her, rocking the high-backed chair with every thrust.

  “I’m yours. And. You. Are. Mine!” Inta whispered, like a prayer, with each thrust. With the st word, De’noke grunted, thrust himself deep into her, and came hard. Triggered, Inta came as well, bsting a torrent of silver into his greedy hood that sucked up every st dropped.

  Euphoric after his climax, De’noke slumped forward, burying Inta under his mass and holding her close to him. “You know, my Love, the others of the Grove are enjoying themselves through the connection Larce and I share with them, but they wish to do more for you directly. The others may know what you have sacrificed recently, but we Toparians understand what it is you truly lost and want to do whatever we can to help you recover.” De’noke held Inta’s much smaller silver hand in his, gently rubbing his thumb across her knuckles. “We are also very gd that this is the best way to do it,” De’noke said with a sappy, lovesick smile.

  Inta reached up a hand and stroked the side of his face. “You are all so generous; one of the many reasons I love you all,” she said, kissing him. “You’re right of course, about what I need. I’ll extend the festivities and join them shortly.”

  De’noke leaned down and kissed Inta deeply, then momentarily pulled back. “They are eagerly awaiting you,” he said, hearing the rest of the Grove’s hungry anticipation in their shared psychic connection.

  “But more presently, I need you. Are you ready to go again?” Inta asked. De’noke smiled and nodded. “Good, then fuck me like you mean it,” she said with a hungry look in her eyes.

  In the center of the sexual maelstrom, Inta id Diana down on the middle of the oversized mattress at the center of the lounge, buffeted on all sides by the orgiastic waves of pleasure Diana was newly tuned to receive. Her face was flush, and she looked up at Inta, love and admiration molding her expression and carved deep in her heart.

  “Welcome to the family, my Darling Diana,” Inta said, lovingly caressing Diana’s face. Diana looked up at her and gave a smile that could light up the room, and then Inta bent down and gave her a soft, passionate kiss. She was momentarily started when another set of hands parted her thighs, then her lower lips, and began licking and sucking her clit and pussy. She reached down a hand and ran her fingers through a familiar head of hair, then was surprised again when two additional mouths tched onto her nipples and began licking and sucking as well.

  Surrounded by four instances of Inta, four sets of hands rubbed and massaged while four mouths licked and kissed her all over her body. A hand from an Inta on either side of her body grabbed a leg under the knee and spread her legs wide. “My Darling Diana, I want you so badly,” Inta said in a needy moan into her ears.

  “I’m yours Inta, take me!” Diana said breathlessly; then the Inta that had been eating her out shifted and rubbed her cock along her dripping folds. “Yes! Put it in me, I’m burning up! I need it, now!” Diana practically screamed, desperate for Inta to enter her.

  Inta pushed her way into Diana slowly, savoring the sensation of being enveloped by Diana’s wet warmth. She bottomed out, the tip of her cock kissing Diana’s cervix, and she came hard. The walls of Diana’s pussy fluttered and contracted as if it was trying to draw Inta impossibly in further, and Inta simply held there, savoring the fvor of Diana’s climax. When Diana started to come back down, Inta began sliding in and out of Diana’s drenched pussy, enjoying each little squeal and chirp Diana uttered.

  Inta began to pick up her pace, pistoning in and out of Diana, and one of the other Inta’s id her hard cock across Diana’s upturned face. “Open your mouth, my Darling, and take me in.” Diana’s eyes were gzed over in a sexual fugue, and did as she was bid. Inta held the back of her head and tilted it slightly, aligning her mouth and throat as a sword swallower might, then pushed the tip of her cock past Diana’s lips and as deep as Diana could go before she started gagging.

  The Inta in Diana’s mouth began thrusting in time with the Inta fucking her pussy, drawing out when the other was pushing in, pushing in when the other was drawing out. It was too much for Diana, and she exploded in another supernova of an orgasm, catching Inta by surprise. In Diana’s radiating brilliance, Inta thrust deep into Diana from both ends and came hard, firing pulse after pulse of silvery cum into her.

  Diana drank down as much as she could but was soon overwhelmed and sputtered the st of it out, covering her mouth, chin, and the tops of her breasts. Inta withdrew from Diana’s mouth, looked down on her messy lover, and smiled. Diana smiled warmly back, and desire fred in her eyes. “More!” She demanded in a needy tone. Inta obliged.

  ****

  Frase waited patiently, watching the open doorway; even if Larce and De’noke hadn’t given the other members of the Grove forewarning, they all felt Inta’s ramping hunger and eagerly awaited their chance to ske it.

  Even though she was waiting for her, Frase was surprised when twenty or more instances of Inta sauntered into the Toparian living quarters, fanning out across the space. Each walked up to a Toparian Brother, Mother, or Maiden and wrapped her smaller arms around them in a warm hug.

  As the Toparians held Inta’s instances tight, she slid her hands over their bodies and whispered in their ears of her deep love for them, profound gratitude that they were Bonded and a part of her life.

  Caressed and pressed against Inta’s warm body, Frase’s patience snapped, and she grabbed the silver girl in her embrace and crushed her lips to her own, answering Inta’s decrations of love with proof that it was reciprocated. Frase pushed her tongue into Inta’s warm, inviting mouth, and their tongues danced and writhed together. It was like the proverbial pebble that started the avanche; as Frase’s lips touched Inta’s, a pulse of raw, passionate emotion sent a shockwave through the Grove, smashing their resistance and releasing the pent-up carnality behind it.

  Everywhere one looked, across the Grove’s living quarters, a Brother had an Inta bent over one piece of furniture or another, plowing into her. Two Intas attended Be’tule; one he held in his four arms and bounced her up and down on his cock, fucking her vigorously while the other knelt just in front of him, hands on his thighs and face upturned while she licked and sucked his balls.

  Frase had two Inta’s attending her as well, bending her over and spit-roasting her, an Inta behind her fucking her gently while the other held her face lovingly while ramming her silver cock deep into her throat, over and over.

  Inta caressed and stroked the Mothers who were no longer Seeding with Maidens, enticing them to open their folds and reveal their soft, wet insides. One Inta had her face buried in Bi’candra’s hot, wet core, hidden from view under Bi’candra’s mass of tendrils, felting the thickest, most sensitive one.

  Fi’balmsa’s tree-like form had wrapped Inta up and pulled half into her folds, fucking every one of Inta’s holes at once. Inta’s legs stuck out of Fi’balmsa’s folds at odd angles, dripping profusely with her wetness, bouncing and jerking with the fury of Fi’balmsa’s raging lust.

  Waves of lustfully carnal emotion flooded the two decks of the Nestia, echoing and amplifying each other, urging the shipwide orgy to new heights. Inta gloried in it. Each delighted moan, every satisfied grunt, all the delicious orgasms she elicited from her family and crew, satisfied and fulfilled Inta beyond the sensuality of it; in this moment, there was a one-ness that consumed her, a feeling of sublime contentment that she was making the ones she loved feel as good as possible, bringing them all and binding them close to her, body and soul.

  As Inta attended to her lovers and crew, the overwhelming waves of erogenous energy stirred up slipped her control and, despite her best efforts, spilled over and out beyond the hulls of the Nestia.

  The crews of a couple of ships berthed close to the Nestia, still on duty while their other crew members were deeper in the station, had some expining to do about their abandoning of posts and their scivious behavior to their Commanding Officers the next day. Though not entirely successful, Inta managed not to bst the entirety of Penrose Station and kept it from turning into another ‘Dals Incident’.

  The Nestia crew celebrated Diana’s Bonding well into the night until they were all thoroughly exhausted. They slept peacefully, exhausted and well sated, and cuddled with piles of Intas, covered in sweat and cum.

  The multiple instances of Inta y among her sleeping family, limbs intertwined, listening to the sounds of their quiet heartbeats and slow and steady breathing, at peace. She drank them in like ambrosia and once again thanked the stars that she had been given the gift of these wonderful people and quietly vowed to cherish and protect them.

  ****

  Two weeks ter, after her turn in the shower and breakfast, and with Inta’s assistance with both, Diana headed back to Penrose Station’s infirmary. “Come on, Inta, we’re going to be te!” Diana said pyfully, moving quickly despite still needing her canes for bance.

  “You know they can’t start your appointment without you, right?” Inta asked, quickly catching up to her and wrapping her up in a hug.

  Diana smiled and ughed carefree as Inta lifted her off her feet and spun her around several times. “I’ll never get there if you don’t put me down!” They giggled for a few more moments until Inta did as she was told, then they continued on their way. “I’m pretty sure Dr. Dorsey is going to discharge me today. I’ve got a good feeling about it,” she said to Inta with a wink.

  “Don’t get your hopes up too high,” Inta cautioned, smiling. “You’ve made a lot of progress, but st time we saw the Doc, she said she’d like to see you walking a little better.”

  The tram doors opened, and Inta held them so Diana wouldn’t be rushed to get aboard. Once Diana found a seat, Inta removed her hand so they could close, then sat beside her.

  “I know that’s what she said, but I’m getting stronger every day, and every day, I have a little better control,” Diana said, wiggling her new silver digits. “ There is no reason why we can’t go already. I’ve held up our trip to Topar for long enough. I want to see De’noke’s University, the Great Groves, and his beloved desert. The way he describes them, they must be wonderful,” Diana said, trailing off with a dreamy, faraway look. Inta could see that Diana was chomping at the bit, excited to travel and see far-off and exotic parts of the gaxy.

  “De’noke said that on Topar, there are entire cities made of living trees, can you imagine that? He says they started as small Groves, like ours, but over time, they kept growning until they merged into one, enormous tree.” Inta sat quietly, listening to her excited young lover as she recounted all her conversations with De’noke about his homeworld. She smiled as she watched Diana’s aura shimmer, almost effervescent.

  The tram didn’t take long to arrive at the stop for the infirmary; Inta held the tram door again as a bubbly Diana made her way off, walking with ever-increasing confidence towards the front entrance.

  The doors automatically slid open, and Inta spotted Nurse Emily seated again behind the front desk as they entered the reception area. “Good Morning, Emily. Off rotations this week?” Inta asked, pausing to say hi.

  The seated nurse immediately blushed, brushed the front of her white uniform as though to compose herself, and then replied, “Just for today, I’m covering for Jennifer. Today’s the only day she could get the movers to help her into her new apartment, so I’m picking up an extra shift and covering for her.”

  Inta nodded in understanding and smiled. “Well I’m very gd you decided to help out so I could see you again,” Inta said with a sparkle in her eye.

  Emily’s blush deepened slightly. “it’s good to see you again, too,” she replied, slightly self-conscious.

  “I have an appointment with Dr. Dorsey at nine,” Diana told Emily.

  Emily looked down into her terminal and scrolled through a couple of the doctor’s calendars until she found Dorsey’s, then found what she was looking for. “The doctor is with a patient at the moment, but you’re next. You can take a seat if you’d like,” she offered.

  “Thanks!” Diana said cheerfully, then slowly made her way to the nearest open seat and sat with not too much difficulty. Before Inta joined her, she saw a look on Emily’s face that said she was working up the nerve to ask her something, so she hung back.

  “So has Ms. Devens been? Working you all hard?” Inta asked, striking up a little small talk.

  Happy that Inta allowed her the chance to chat, Emily smiled and responded. “No more than usual. We’re gearing up for our annual inventory taking, so she’s extra wound up. I just wish she’d get i… I mean, I wish she would just rex, once in a while.” Emily’s face went beet red, suddenly remembering that she wasn’t gossiping with the other nurses but chatting it up with IInta, for her part, glossed over Emily’s embarrassment, moving the conversation forward to minimize her discomfort. “Well, I imagine that Devens doesn’t get much of a chance to rex, even if she has such wonderful help, like you and the rest of the nurses.” It seemed to have the opposite effect.

  “That’s kind of you to say,” Emily replied, as her blush turned a deeper shade of red.

  Inta decided to change the subject. “Everyone I’ve talked to on Penrose has walked a winding road that led them here. What’s your story, I wonder?”

  Emily smiled, fttered that Inta was interested in her, even a little. “Well, I grew up on Bindrall, which is about a three week ferry ride the other side of Centrailia. I always knew I wanted to help people, my parents were very supportive, so when I reached the age of majority, they encouraged me to apply to the nursing program at Kendraxi University, on Centrailia.”

  Emily paused, tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and looked up at Inta, who wore a kind, small smile, watching Emily expectantly. Emily got lost looking into Inta's glowing blue eyes; they seemed to drink her in. She gulped, then continued her story. “My marks were good, not top of the css, but good, and when I was certified, like most graduating students there, I was recruited along with most of my css to fill nursing positions all over the sector.”

  Inta shifted and sat on the corner of Emily’s desk, enthralled with Emily’s story. Her eyes never left the nurse, who drank up the attention greedily.

  “My first posting was on Bendraxa, in a small, equatorial community. It was nice there, but a little quiet for my tastes; the most excitement we dealt with there is when someone would break an arm from a volleyball accident or the like. I decided that I wanted to find a way to make a bigger impact, to really help people. I saw the posting here on Penrose, which boarders several underserved systems and jumped at the opportunity. I’ve been here for about three years now, and couldn’t be happier.”

  Inta pced her hands in her p and gave Emily a big smile. “Your family must be very proud.”

  Emily returned the smile, tinted with a hint of sadness. “They are, though I haven’t had a chance to visit them for a couple of years. We talk regurly though, which is nice, but not quite the same.”

  “Can’t give a hug over the Q-net,” Inta said with understanding.

  “Yeah,” Emily agreed, “I really should take some time off and go see them. They would love it.”

  She paused, mustering her courage again, and Inta gave her space to do so. “Speaking of family, Diana and the rest of your family are quite lovely people. I really enjoy it when you all come in.” Emily’s pause was shorter this time, her curiosity strengthening her resolve. “I see you all and wonder… what kind of… retionship… you all have. You’re all crew members together, but… is there more?”

  The deep blush returned to Emily’s face as she asked Inta that personal question, but she was dying to know.

  Inta gave her a kind, knowing smile. “Yes, our family is somewhat unusual,” Inta began, “but we love one another in the deepest ways possible. We lend each other our strengths and as for me, I literally can’t live without them.”

  Emily nodded thoughtfully. Inta’s thoughtful response wasn’t how she thought she would respond. A fresh blush bloomed up her neck and across her face. “I meant… you know… do you all, like…” Emily struggled to verbalize her question, even though Inta could see where Emily’s line of questioning was going. She was enjoying entirely too much how cute Emily’s embarrassment was at the thought of the crew’s intimate proclivities.

  Before Emily could spit her question out, Dr. Dorsey entered the reception area and, upon spotting Diana and Inta, greeted them immediately, derailing Emily’s line of questioning. “Ms. Davis, Inta, good morning!”

  “Morning, Dr. Dorsey!” Diana said as she bored slightly to get to her feet. Once up, she made her way over to where the doctor stood, and Inta joined her.

  “We’re in exam room four this morning; this way, please,” Dorsey said, holding one of the double doors leading further into the hospital for Diana.

  “Nice to chat with you, Emily. Talk to you ter,” Inta said, following Diana and the doctor. Emily watched the doors close behind them as they headed for the examination rooms, then looked down at her terminal and tried to return to her work. Intrusive thoughts of a certain silver girl and the imagined antics she got up to thoroughly distracted Emily, but with a sigh, she let them go and returned to her data entry.

  The examination rooms were a short way straight down the corridor through the double doors, lined up on either side, so it was a short walk to number four.

  “Here we are,” Dorsey procimed as she held this door open. Inta followed Diana in. An adjustable examination table occupied the center of the small room, currently set low to make it easier for patients to get on, and a workbench with a few small pieces of equipment neatly arranged and a cupboard full of basic supplies. Knowing the routine, Diana went straight to the exam bed and sat on the edge, sliding back until her new silver feet were off the floor and her legs dangled over the edge. Inta sat in the small chair in the corner, as she had done for all of Diana’s checkups.

  Dr. Dorsey closed the door behind them, then picked the tablet up off its charging cradle and scrolled through Diana’s records. “It’s really hard to believe that it has only been a couple of weeks,” she said, still scrolling. “You’ve made so much progress in such a short amount of time; it’s astounding, really.” She paused and then swiped to another page of records. “The surgery went well, and all four residual limbs healed quicker than normal.” She set the tablet containing Diana’s medical records on the counter. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to examine the ends of your residual limbs one st time.”

  “Of course,” Diana replied. She hiked her light brown skirt up, then reached down and grasped her left knee with both hands. Her silver leg rexed, and the connections from the silver garter to her leg shrank and disconnected; she pced the leg on the bed beside her. She did the same for her right leg and then leaned back, resting on her hands.

  Dr. Dorsey pulled up a low rolling stool, scooted towards Diana, and closely examined the skin of her stumps. “These have healed up well. Your prosthetics don’t seem to irritate the skin at all.” She looked up at Diana. “All set, you can put them back on. Then we’ll check the arms.”

  As she slid her legs back into pce, they made a soft, ‘shluup’ sound as they suctioned gently to the ends of her stumps and then reconnected to the silver garters. Once in pce, she wiggled her toes, delighting in the sensation.

  Diana grabbed her right elbow with her left hand, which went limp and detached like her legs had. She set her right arm to her left on the bed without releasing her grip. With her left hand still holding her right arm tight, It tightened up, like some kind of rigor mortis, and then her left arm detached from her stump until her right arm, lying bent on the bed, provided a base that held her left arm upright, looking like some silver piece of modern art. Diana smiled and wiggled the remains of both arms.

  “Cute trick,” Dr. Dorsey said, amused. She examined the ends of both arms, running her fingers along the healthy but still slightly pink scarring of her surgical handiwork. She lightly pinched and squeezed the flesh of Diana’s upper arms and shoulders, then held her hands on the outside of Diana’s upper arms. “Please lift against my hands.” Dorsey applied pressure as Diana lifted against them. “Good strength, excellent. All set, you may put them back on.”

  Diana reversed the procedure, connecting her left arm, which had held itself in position, and then reached over and reconnected her right. She rolled her shoulders, then wiggled her fingers, pleased with herself.

  Dr. Dorsey retrieved the tablet from the counter and jotted down some notes. “Well, Diana, I am happy to say that you have progressed so well in the st few weeks, that I can formally discharge you,” she announced, holding the tablet in her p. “The skin of your residual limbs has healed well, and you’ve managed to retain most of your strength, rgely due to being able to almost immediately ambute.”

  Dorsey swiped for the next page on the tablet. “Using the prosthesis provided by Inta here, you’ve regained roughly seventy percent of your previous mobility. Quite remarkable,” Dorsey said, giving Inta a little nod.

  She returned the tablet to the cradle on the counter, then turned back to Diana. “At this point, there is little more that we can do on a strictly medical basis, aside from physical therapy, which your family seems to be taking good care of. Typically, someone in your circumstance would only now be discussing prosthetics and therapy, but here you are, already up and about! Simply Astonishing.”

  “Chalk it up to excellent medical care,” Diana complimented the doctor. “I don’t know what I would have done without you and the staff here.”

  Dorsey looked up from the medical records, “I would love to take all the credit for your amazing recovery, but I suspect that a significant portion of the credit belongs to your friends,” she said, gncing at Inta.

  “Moving forward, my recommendations are to get as much exercise as is comfortable, paying close attention to the newly healed skin. Normally I’d caution you on watching for sores or chaffing where you limbs contact the prosthetics, but it doesn’t seem to be much of an issue for you. I would still be mindful of it, since once an irritation develops, it can be slow to recover from.”

  Diana nodded her understanding of the advice. “It doesn’t have to be with us, but I’d like you to have a checkup in six months.” Dorsey rose and rolled the short stool back into the corner. “Good luck Diana, and don’t try to rush your recovery too much, both physically and mentally. Allow time for your body to adjust to your new limbs, and allow yourself emotional space to fully come to terms with everything you’ve been through.”

  Diana’s eyes darkened momentarily, her mind repying her ordeal. Just as quickly as the darkness passed, thoughts of Inta and the rest of the Nestia crew brightened her expression.

  Then Dorsey took one of Diana’s hands and held them with both of hers. “You’ve been through a lot. You have a great support network,” she said, looking pointedly at Inta, “rely on them. Your mind and heart will need as much care as your body; don’t neglect them.”

  “I promise you Dr. Dorsey, I and the rest of Diana’s family will take very good care of her,” Inta said, reaching over and lightly tracing the new silver markings on Diana’s bare shoulder.

  Dorsey smiled. “Well, seeing that you will be in good hands, I’ll go and sort out your official discharge. I’ll only be a few moments.” She then exited, leaving Inta and Diana alone in the exam room. Diana reached out for Inta’s hand, and Inta grasped it tightly and kissed it lightly on her knuckles. Diana closed her eyes, savoring the sensation of Inta’s lips on her skin, her ability to feel with her new limbs getting stronger every day. She looked down at their csped hands. The warmth and weight of Inta’s hand in hers was a simple gesture that was a physical and emotional balm.

  A few minutes ter, the copper-haired Nurse Julie rapped lightly on the door and entered. “Diana, you’re all set. I’ll walk you out to the front.”

  “Thanks!” Diana said cheerfully as Inta handed her two canes to her. Diana followed after Julie slowly but smoothly down the corridor, Inta walking closely next to her.

  “You are getting so much stronger, my Love; I can see less and less of the sub-mind for the limbs, meaning that you’re integrating it well. It won’t be long before you’re able to walk without those,” Inta said, gesturing to the canes.

  Diana stopped and gave her a big hug and a kiss. “I know you already know how much I love and appreciate you, Inta,” she said with gratitude etched on her face. “When we get back to the ship, I pn on showing you just how appreciative.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, and Inta grinned.

  Julie led them past a rge breakroom but stopped mid-stride, gawking at the crowd of nurses and orderlies through an open door. A dozen or so infirmary staff were all standing and watching the wall screen, usually kept muted, but now showing a news broadcast with the sound turned up. Julie’s initial expression of curiosity shifted to horror as she changed course and entered the breakroom, staring dumbstruck at the broadcast as the anchors spoke in low, muted tones. Inta and Diana looked at each other in confusion, then followed Nurse Julie in to see what had gathered the crowd.

  The staff already present all wore faces of grim horror at the scenes unfolding on the news broadcast, with the anchors talking over the video dispyed.

  “That’s right, Tom,” the female anchor said,” nothing has been confirmed yet, but early reports from Teneray, Khosrow’s capital city, are bleak. Again, the information we have is limited, but there are reports of a massive tsunami sweeping across the low-lying continent, wreaking massive damage to properties and infrastructure, and likely loss of life.” As the anchor spoke, a shaky video pying in the background of the newsroom zoomed to the forefront, occupying the entire screen. “Gactic News has exclusive footage from Khosrow of the moment the giant wave struck,” the grim-faced anchor said. A small graphic blinked in the corner of the screen, warning viewers of the disturbing images about to py.

  The video opened on a festive party on a high-rise balcony te in the day, the slightly orange sun almost kissing the horizon. The camera pans around to happy faces; everyone smiles and raises their drinks to the cameraman as he captures the scene. The party occupies a balcony overlooking a city center, the ocean visible several blocks away, peeking out from between other tall buildings built right on the water's edge. The cameraman takes a moment to peak out over the balcony's railing, down at the busy city thirty or more stories below, pans to the ocean, and then back to the festivities on the penthouse balcony.

  The happy crowd cheers and appuds as the guests of honor finally appear, a bride and groom, fresh from their nuptials, each sipping a gss of champagne. The crowd focuses on the happy couple as they mingle with the attendees; everyone is having a good time.

  The crowd's mood suddenly changes as a couple of people on the balcony railing first murmur in confusion, looking towards the water pointing. The camera shakes as the photographer rushes to the railing to see what the commotion is about and then zooms in past the buildings on the waterfront onto the ocean, a little out of focus. What is clear is that the horizon line of the ocean is rapidly changing, swelling in height.

  The partygoers talk amongst themselves, trying to give context to what they are witnessing. Then, as swift as a fast-moving train, the enormous wall of water, reaching more than halfway up the tall beachfront condo, crashes into them. Panicked screams are heard, then the roaring sound of rushing water, and the camera shakes violently as the building the wedding reception is standing on shakes violently under the onsught, and the camera is dropped.

  For a moment, the image is sideways, showing the attendees thrown to the floor, but the cameraman swiftly grabs his camera and returns to his feet. Somebody screams, and the camera swings in that direction, catching on camera several of the oceanfront high-rises pitching over in the onsught of rushing water and toppling into its neighbor standing directly behind it.

  It is pandemonium on the balcony as the music suddenly stops and the party lights go out. The scene shakes, and people scream as the building shudders violently. Some people run for the exits, but the cameraman continues to film, repeatedly mumbling, “What?! What?!” unable to comprehend what was happening.

  The shuttering stops, and a woman in a gorgeous red dress, face twisted in fear, stands at the balcony rail, pointing at a building across from them. The cameraman zooms in across the now-flooded street to another terrace, many floors lower. A small, huddled group of people kneeling, holding tight to each other. The camera can’t pick out their faces, but their posture and body nguage speak of terror as they cling to one another, praying that it would soon be over, the water incredibly rushing past just a couple of floors below them.

  Then, like a sandcastle assaulted by a wave, the side of the building is carved away, and part of the neighboring building is carved away, sending the occupied terrace and several balconies above it tumbling into the raging torrent below.

  The cameraman is heard to say, “Oh, my God,” in horror as the video finally ends.

  Another video starts pying after the first, shot from a different angle than the first video, as the anchors solemnly describe the scene. It showed a panorama of what looked to be the remnants of a coastal city, completely torn to pieces. No small buildings were left standing; everything shorter than three stories had been pulverized and swept away into enormous piles of debris, choking the spaces between several high-rise buildings. The miles of scenic coast used to boast an endless line of high-rise condos and expensive hotels; the quick video showed that only a few of these survived, most had been toppled, ripped from their foundations, and the few that managed to stay upright were hollow and gutted.

  “Most of the one-point-five billion inhabitants of Khosrow live on this one low-lying continent and in its rge cities,” the female anchor expins to the audience. “The initial reports state that none of those cities have been untouched.”

  “Oh, Inta,” Diana gasped, covering her mouth, “it’s so horrible.” She then buried her face in Inta’s shoulder, trying to blot out the images burnt into her mind. Inta continued to watch the broadcast and the news anchors as they continued to describe the scene and rey what information was currently avaible.

  As the breakroom full of horrified people stood and watched the broadcast in silence, the interior doors to the rest of the infirmary opened, and Ms. Devens strode in with her usual, purposeful gait. “So this is where everyone is. Don’t you all have more important things to…” Devens’ voice trailed off as she caught sight of the news broadcast that had rooted the crowd of doctors, nurses, and orderlies to their spots. Her eyes went wide as she watched the grainy video repeating on a loop, and then a look of grim determination settled in her expression as she spoke up.

  “Alright, listen up, everyone,” she barked, snapping their collective attention to her. She straightened her spine, speaking forcefully with the crity of purpose. “The people of Khosrow have just endured a horror and are suffering. Undoubtedly many people have died and many more will follow if we don’t act.”

  She had their full attention. “As you may be aware, Bordan is a member state of the ‘Altruist Action Network’; this and many other hospitals pnetside are pledged to assist in times of camity, such as this. I will reach out immediately to the Network’s central coordinators who have undoubtedly begun pnning relief efforts; in the meantime, we must prepare to mobilize. We have all received training for rge scale emergencies such as this; group up with your immediate supervisors to prepare. I will have further instructions as soon as I speak with the AAN’s coordinators.”

  Devens’ aura of steely determination was infectious; the assembled professionals narrowed their eyes, knowing that thousands of others like them in other hospitals and relief organizations were the people of Khosrow’s best hope to survive this camity. Devens gave them a grateful, determined smile, then headed to her office to begin coordination efforts.

  The nurses, doctors, and everyone else assembled in the breakroom, having received their charge of duty, exploded into a flurry of activity and streamed into the interior of the infirmary to begin their preparations for their mission of mercy. Diana and Inta were soon the only ones in the breakroom, forgotten in the swirl of activity.

  “I guess we’ll see ourselves out,” Inta commented to Diana, who was equally astonished at the sudden leap into action by the infirmary staff. During Diana's treatment, they had spent enough time in this facility that they were familiar enough with the yout to return to the front. They wound their way through a sea of activity in the corridors; nurses, doctors, and orderlies all rushed back and forth, gathering and moving equipment, standing huddled in groups discussing lists of items needed, who would be sent on the relief mission, and who would remain on the skeleton crew staffing the infirmary.

  Winding their way through the frantic hustle to the reception area took them twice as long as it did heading into the exam rooms. When Inta and Diana emerged from the inner corridors of the infirmary to the reception area, they caught sight of Ms. Devens, Emily, and three other nurses huddled in discussion, Devens looking every bit of a General issuing orders on the eve of battle.

  Inta caught Devens's eye for a moment as she passed heading out; Devens gnced their way briefly, returned to the conversation, then quickly did a double take, looking at them hard, like they were a piece of a puzzle she was struggling to solve. She then excused herself and broke from the group, striding purposefully toward Diana and Inta.

  “You two, wait a moment, will you? We need to talk,” Devens called over as she closed the distance between them. “You’re crew for the ship that brought that st delivery from Centrailia, correct?”

  Diana and Inta looked at each other, wondering where this was going. “Yes, that's right. We’re from the Nestia, and we delivered your supplies. Why do you ask?” Inta responded, raising one eyebrow quizzically.

  “Bordan and several other nearby systems are gearing up for a mission to Khosrow to provide aid,” Devens expined. “Khosrow is a fringe system quite a bit off the main interstelr shipping nes, even more so than we are. I’ve spoken with the regional coordinators, and currently you are the closest fast ship, rge enough to carry aid teams and supplies. It’ll take weeks for aid to trickle into Khosrow from elsewhere; if we don’t act swiftly, those survivors on Khosrow won’t stand a chance. We need a fast cargo ship to go to Khosrow, picking up additional aid workers and supplies from the other pnets on our way.”

  The usually composed and stern woman’s expression softened. “People are suffering and dying, right now as we speak, and if we don’t do something as quickly, a lot more people share that fate.” “Please…” she asked, tears forming in the corners of her eyes as she pleaded.

  Diana’s eyes welled with empathy; Inta didn’t hesitate. “We will do what we can to help. I’ll need to check with the rest of the crew, but I’m sure they’ll agree. Give me a moment to call them and I’ll let you know.”

  “Of course,” Devens replied, then stepped back to the nurses to continue their discussion.

  ****

  Back at Slip B1 at the docks, aboard the Nestia, Inta called the crew to the dining room for an emergency meeting. Within a few minutes, once everyone had assembled, Inta expined the situation on Khosrow and Devens’ request.

  “Khosrow is not far out of our way heading to Topar,” Thea observed, knowledgeable in the region's navigation, having occasionally traveled through it on the Dals. “Though undoubtedly, they will need continued support until regur shipments of aid can arrive at the pnet, which will dey us.”

  “People are dying and are in need of help,” June emphasized, “We can’t just ignore them.” Looks of agreement were on the face of all gathered.

  “I’m not saying we should,” Thea replied. “We should help in any way we can, but every decision has a cost, and I’m only pointing them out. We were pnning to head to Topar from Penrose, and this will not be a brief detour.” All faces turned to Inta to see how she felt about it.

  “Well, I’ve waited several millennia for answers; what’s a little bit longer?” she asked rhetorically with a crooked smile. “If we’re all in agreement, I say we go and help.” Everyone answered in the affirmative, and Inta once again thanked the universe for bringing such wonderful, caring people into her life.

  ****

  Devens finished her discussion with the nurses in the reception area, and then they scattered, practically at a run, to execute their assigned tasks in preparation for mobilization. Before Devens could disappear back into the interior of the infirmary, Inta and Diana caught her attention, waving her over to where they were standing.

  “I spoke with the crew, and the decision was unanimous,” Inta told Devens as she approached. “We will do everything we can to help you and the people of Khosrow.” Devens beamed at the news. “The Nestia is at your disposal. We can be ready to leave whenever you are.”

  Devens broke into an uncharacteristic smile, reached for Inta’s hand, and shook it vigorously. “You are good people. You have my gratitude.”

  Inta grinned as she returned the handshake. “There are people in need and we are in a position to help. We’re happy to do so.”

  Devens usual stern professionalism returned, though the smile didn’t leave her eyes. “Alright then. We’ll need to discuss logistics. How many passengers and how much cargo can you accommodate?”

  “The Nestia was originally outfitted for a crew of three hundred, though the living arrangements were, let’s say cozy,” Inta said with a sly grin; Diana blushed though Devens missed Inta’s meaning. “Configured as we are now, we can accommodate roughly two hundred. There won’t be much privacy, and I’ll need to get to work right away to set up bunks for that many. We gave up some of our cargo bay for living accommodations for the Toparian contingent of the crew, but we can use the hangar as well, so as for cargo, we can easily carry a thousand tons, a bit more if we pack it tight. Do you think that’ll be enough?” Inta asked Devens.

  Devens scratched her chin and mentally ran the numbers. “We have three other member states in this sector who have pledged aid, based upon each of their expertise and avaible exports. If we consider the maximum amount of supplies that we can disburse before additional supplies from other members of the Altruist Action Network can arrive, I believe that your storage holds will be more than sufficient.” Devens was reflective for a moment, deep in thought over the logistics. Then her attention snapped back to Inta and Diana. “When can we begin boarding aid workers and loading supplies?”

  “As soon as you are ready. I’m moving our shuttles in the hangar now to make space for freight. We should be able to get everything loaded in no time at all.”

  “Excellent,” Devens said, nodding her head in approval. “I anticipate the supplies will arrive at your slip within the hour.” She was already in motion, heading off to make the arrangements. As she walked away, she called over her shoulder,” I’ll provide you with a full bill of ding from all pnets we’ll be stopping at and a list of all aid workers; you can provide bunk assignments with that. I’ll see you shortly.” And with that, she slipped in through the double doors to the infirmary interior to see to the final preparations.

  “Come, My Love, let’s get back to the ship and help everyone get ready,” Inta said to Diana, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

  Diana looked into Inta’s eyes with adoration and a little something more. Inta’s slightest touch always made her heart flutter, and she clenched her thighs, trying to stifle the reactions that couldn’t be dealt with in public. Diana stood basking in the sunshine that was Inta’s smile, then looked down at the two canes in her hands helping with her bance. Her face screwed up with a look of determination, and she turned to Inta.

  “Would you mind carrying this one, please?” she asked. Inta was surprised and delighted as Diana extended one of her canes out to Inta. “I think I can manage with just one for now.”

  Inta beamed with pride at how strong and resilient Diana was proving to be. “I would do anything for you, My Love, but can I show you a trick instead?”

  Diana’s brows furrowed in confusion, but she trusted Inta, so she smiled and nodded. “Of course!”

  Inta pced both hands on Diana’s extended hand, holding the cane. “Even though it may feel separate to you right now, your canes are an extension of you and your new limbs, made of the same stuff. Now, close your eyes for a moment.” Diana did so. “Picture the cane as clearly in your mind as possible, how it feels in your hand, its weight, the texture of the handle. Imagine pushing your will into it.” Inta paused while Diana closed her eyes, following Inta’s instructions.

  “Now, will it to soften and flow. Tell it that you want it to pour back into your hand and flow back into your arms, and your body. When you are strong enough, you should be able to control it like I do.”

  Diana closed her eyes tightly, focusing on the cane in her hand. Then she gasped as she felt it soften and flow into her palm like she had seen Inta do a thousand times. Diana pictured the mass of flowing silver distributing itself throughout her body, keeping her bance in equilibrium, and then her eyes snapped open. “I did it!” she chirped excitedly to Inta, who congratuted her with a hug.

  “I am so proud of you, My Love,” Inta cooed, holding Diana close. Diana soaked in the praise and warmth of the hug. After a moment, Diana pulled back, smiling. “We need to get going.” Inta nodded, and the two left the infirmary staff to prepare as they had some of their own to attend.

  ****

  Will and June sat in their usual pces on the bridge of the Nestia, waiting expectantly for someone on the other end of the Q-net call to pick up the line. After a brief wait, a young blonde man wearing sharp business attire appeared on the screen.

  “Hello, this is the Peirault Centrailia Dockyards, Chase speaking. How may I help you?” He said with a pleasant but stiff smile.

  “We’d like to speak with Kestra, please,” Will said in a patient tone, remembering how uptight he was when he first graduated.

  “One moment, please. I think she’s out on the floor working on a refit. Please hold.” Chase’s image was repced by the Peirault logo: several sleek-looking, stylized freighters springing forth on a background of stars.

  They waited a few minutes, and then Kestra’s grease-smudged face appeared, sitting at her desk in front of her rge bookcase of maintenance manuals in the background. “Will, June, good to speak with you again!” she said, genuinely happy to see them. “I had intended to call you ter this week; word of your record-breaking dash to Penrose spread like wildfire, and calls have been coming in left and right for expedited shipping services.”

  “Well, I guess the cat’s out of the bag,” Will said to Kestra’s one raised eyebrow and smirk. “We had originally intended to keep the Nestia’s capabilities close to the vest, but since the word is out, I suppose it’s best to capitalize on it. I’m gd it’s bringing in more business for you.”

  “And for you too,” Kestra insisted, swiping ineffectively at the grease smudge on her cheek with a rag. “The more jobs there are, the more likely there will be ones that suit you.”

  “Speaking of which,” June jumped in, “we have taken up a pro-bono job for the Altruist Action Network bringing aid to Khosrow. We’ll be leaving Bordan space shortly and making a few stops at AAN member pnets on the way to gather more supplies and aid workers. We won’t be able to take any other contracts until we’re done.”

  Kestra looked perplexed for a moment; having spent most of the morning in the guts of a hyperdrive power distribution system, she hadn’t seen or heard any news. While on the call, she typed a few commands into her desk terminal and brought up today’s headlines, and her chin dropped. “I have retives on Khosrow,” she said, then paused as she watched the one short video dispying the scenes of devastation that had managed to make it off-world. Kestra pushed back from her desk and leaned back in her chair, a hand over her mouth as she absorbed the magnitude of the disaster. Then she clenched the edge of her desk with both hands, fear for her family and a look of determination settled in her expression.

  “You said that the AAN is organizing aid from several worlds, right?” Kestra asked.

  “Yes,” June answered, “All pnets on the way to Khosrow: Arsac, Partha, Nusret, and Sorkon I believe.”

  Kestra’s eyes darted back and forth as she formuted a pn. “My homeworld, Sasan, will be en route too if you stop on those other worlds.” Her eyes danced as she arranged puzzle pieces in her mind. “Do you have capacity to carry aid from my people?” Kestra asked with a hopeful, almost desperate tone in her voice.

  “We’ll make room,” Will said confidently. “The people on Khosrow will need as much aid as they can get as soon as they can get it.”

  Kestra visibly rexed slightly, though still tense. “I will reach out to the High Council and let them know that an aid vessel is passing through the sector and will stop there.”

  “We’ll let the folks coordinating here on Penrose know so they can rey it to the central coordinators with the Altruist Network. We’re leaving within the hour, but it’ll take us about a week to make all the necessary stops. I’d let your Council know that they probably have a couple of days to prepare.”

  Kestra nodded, already typing a communique informing the council. She stopped and looked back up at them. “Thank you for this, all of you. Your generosity won’t go unnoticed, I promise you,” she vowed.

  “That’s not why we’re doing this; people are in need and it’s simply the right thing to do,” June replied, “but thank you. We’ll talk to you soon.”

  “Yes, of course. I’ll send word on what we Silvestrians can muster for this first shipment of aid, and how many aid workers to expect.” Kestra gave them a wistful smile, wishing she could do more. “Good luck, you two.” Kestra said as she terminated the call.

  “Did you catch that Inta?” Will asked as he and June stood from their seats, heading for the lift. The bridge was empty, save for June and himself, but he knew nothing happened aboard the Nestia that escaped her notice.

  “I sure did,” Inta replied through their earpieces, an undercurrent of excitement in her voice. “We’ve got the room; I’m almost done remodeling the spare lounges on the decks five through eight, you want to see?” she asked, eager for their approval.

  “Love to, Honey,” June replied. An instance of Inta waited for them in the corridor as June and Will stepped off the bridge heading to the lift. She slipped an arm around their waists and gave them both a peck on the cheek. “I haven’t entertained this many guests in a long time; I can’t wait.”

  “Entertain, huh?” June asked as they stepped onto the lift. Inta gave her the biggest Cheshire cat smile while simultaneously pying at being innocent.

  “Rules of Hospitality demand it,” Inta said coyly. “I wouldn’t be a good host if I didn’t see to all their needs.” Then, her mood shifted slightly, and her expression grew more serious. “They are all about to witness pain, misery, and devastation on a scale that will shake the stoutest of hearts.” Echoes of long-forgotten horrors whispered in the back of Inta’s mind, but she shook them off.

  “This will be a trying experience for everyone, and their psyches will need buttressing. I will do what I can to help fortify their spirits, and give them the strength they will need to persevere.”

  With profound admiration, Will and June looked down at the slight, silver girl in their arms. She truly was the most selfless person they had ever met, and they hugged her tight, telling her without words how wonderful and special they thought she was. She hugged them back, drinking them in.

  The lift door opened onto a lower deck, and the chaotic sounds of activity flooded around them. When they stepped into the corridor, dozens of Intas were hurrying here and there, each focused on one task or another, occasionally accompanied by a crew member. A few instances of Inta’s were rushing down the hallway with Larce and Frase, all carrying rge bundles of bnkets and sheets into one of the spare lounges.

  Pausing at the doorway, June and Will could see several instances of Inta inside, hurriedly remodeling the room for the cadres of aid workers who would soon arrive. Along with a couple of silver-skinned assistants, both Toparian Maidens were ying out the sheets and bnkets on the new bunks, making up each bed that would make any of the Sargents from Will’s Academy days happy.

  “How’s Li’fraxna and Strope?” June asked Larce. “I haven’t stopped by today to check in on them, I thought Strope might be tagging along with you two by now.”

  With each having four hands, the Maidens made short work of making beds, and Larce looked over her shoulder to June. “Li’fraxna is well, and Strope is still resting. This was her first Seeding, so she’ll likely require more rest than Frase or I did afterward.” She and Frase finished the beds they were making up, grabbed another set of bedding, and started on the next.

  “Will we see her at dinner tonight?” Will asked.

  “Maybe,” Frase replied as she fluffed a pillow. “She’s a little shy and still adjusting to the Grove’s change in pns. To say she was surprised the first time she saw Be’tule’s silver markings is an understatement. Not that she’s opposed to the new arrangement; quite the opposite. The little minx is counting the days until she’s recovered enough to spend time with Inta and ‘Earn her stripes’, as she put it.” Both Larce and Frase had amused looks on their faces and couldn’t help but drift their gazes across the room to the team of Intas, who were hard at work remodeling the rest of the room.

  Inta had expined that the original crew of the Nestia, three hundred strong, had preferred communal sleeping arrangements, much the same way the current crew does. But Inta understood that in most societies, strangers did not, so in each of the lounges, several Inta put away the ultra-rge mattresses and filled most of the room with individual bunks, each partitioned so that even though the room would be packed to capacity, each person would still have a small measure of privacy.

  Dozens of partitions divided up the room, each with a bunk set up against it on one side, drawers arranged underneath, and a storage bin over each bunk would allow the individual a pce to stow their belongings.

  The room was in mid-transformation; on one side, Larce and Frase made beds alongside several instances of Inta, tucking the sheets in tight, smoothing the fabric neatly, while other Intas hung privacy curtains for each little bunk area.

  On the other side of the room, several Intas were ying their hands on the walls and floors of the room, which flowed and formed partition walls and bed frames.

  Watching Inta work at modifying the room, a question formed in June’s mind. “Inta, I thought you could do all this with just a thought? Why do you need to physically do this?”

  The Inta with her arms around Will and June, responded as the horde of silver girls made quick work of room transformation. “It’s a matter of focus; if I’m just doing one thing or another, maniputing the walls and surfaces of the ship is fairly straightforward. But I’m doing all this in all the empty lounges at the same time; having a physical instance right there helps me focus on the details. Plus, it just feels more personal if I have a body present. I want every detail just right so everyone feels welcomed.”

  June smiled and gave the considerate silver girl in her arms an appreciative squeeze. “You really are the best, you know that?” Inta nuzzled into her neck in response, and Will leaned in to kiss her on the top of her silver head.

  They left the Maidens and Inta to their work and continued to weave their way around the hustling Intas in the hallway, and passed this deck’s mess hall where Will noticed Ben helping Inta stock cupboards with snacks and supplies they had delivered from one of Penrose Station’s grocers. Ben turned, noticed them in the doorway, and waved as they passed. The Inta standing next to him, handing items to put away, reached down while he was distracted and pinched his ass cheek, and when he yelped in surprise, she broke out into a fit of giggles.

  Ben dropped the package of napkins he was stowing and wrapped Inta in his arms, pyfully wrestling with her, nibbling the base of her neck. She ughed and softly swatted his shoulders in mock resistance, thoroughly enjoying distracting him. As they tussled, another instance of Inta behind Ben’s back picked up the discarded items and resumed stocking the cupboard as Ben pressed the cheek pincher into a nearby wall, snogging like teenagers.

  “Good thing Inta’s out in full force,” Will said to June, chuckling as he watched Ben’s antics. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t get anything done.” As they watched, another Inta snuck up behind Ben and began viscously tickling him in all the spots she knew he was most vulnerable.

  “Yeah, good thing,” June replied distractedly, watching Ben and all of the Intas.

  “I don’t have to be psychic to know what you’re thinking about,” the Inta entwined in June’s arms whispered in her ear. “I bet you’re thinking about the same thing I am; several of me, surrounding you, each of my hard cocks pressing against you from all sides, eager to fill you completely.”

  “Promise?” June responded with a breathy moan, her face flush with sudden desire. Inta gave her a sly smile as they continued down the corridor towards the aft lift to take down to the hangar.

  “I promise. But first, we need to welcome our guests and prepare for departure,” Inta said, squeezing June’s ass cheek as they rode the lift down. “Then I’ll take care of you properly.” The lift doors opened, and Inta kissed June, tugging on her bottom lip with her teeth as she pulled away.

  “Insatiable, as always,” Will said lovingly, watching June and Inta embrace.

  “Oh, Don’t worry, My Love. I won’t leave you out of it,” she told him, pulling him in for a kiss. The lift doors opened. “Duty calls,” Inta said with a sigh, pulling them along by the hand.

  They caught a peek of the Brothers tidying the immacutely kept quarters of the Grove through the rge doorway. While most of the Toparians busied themselves to make the Grove’s space presentable, June and Will saw Artona and Be’tule sitting on either side of Strope’s lounge chair, casually chatting with her. Strope was unusually small for a Toparian; her willowy limbs and petite frame were at extreme odds with Be’tule’s enormous bulk and Artona’s massively muscur form. Be’tule adored Strope and tended to her like the delicate flower she was.

  Artona held two of Strope’s hands closest to her, completely engaged in their conversation.

  Be’tule gazed at the two of them, opposites in stature, and judging by his expression, he cared a great deal for both of them. Artona and Be’tule turned to look as Inta, June, and Will caught Strope’s attention, and both threesomes gave a little wave to the other as they passed.

  Finally making it to the cargo hold and the rge airlock door opened to the station, they found that Inta had already removed the separating wall between the cargo bay and the hangar, and a couple of Intas stood at different points around the shuttle, its engines engaged as evidenced by its silvered skin.

  The small pods had already been moved to the far wall, crowding Artona’s exercise equipment, and the shuttle was being piloted close to them to make as much space as possible for the supplies waiting to be loaded just outside the door in the station.

  Several Intas guided the shuttle into position, and its silver skin shimmered and faded, revealing bright white underneath. The shuttle door opened, and the short set of stairs flowed down to the deck as Thea emerged and descended them, done helping Inta move the smaller vehicles in the hanger.

  The delivery ftbeds had just begun to arrive with crates of supplies at their slip, outside the cargo bay doors, and the drivers jumped down out of the truck cabs and began disengaging the magnetic bindings that secured the crates to the truck beds.

  As Will, June, and Inta stepped out into the Station corridor, Ms. Deven hopped out of the lead truck, tablet in hand, and immediately approached as soon as she saw the three of them.

  “Hello again,” Will greeted Devens, “You certainly move fast!” he said appreciatively, gesturing to the den trucks lined up, ready to drop off their cargo.

  “Time is of the essence,” Devens responded curtly but much warmer than her initial chilly introduction. “We must move swiftly; the people of Khosrow are depending on us.” She peeked in through the open cargo bay doors. “How are your preparations coming along?”

  “We are nearly ready,” Inta replied, “The guest accommodations are nearly set, but we can begin loading at once.”

  Devens gave her a nod of approval and a hint of a smile, then turned and began barking orders to the drivers, already guiding the rge crates floating on anti-grav skids off the truck beds and towards the open cargo doors. Each cargo handler wore a device on their forearm they used to control the movements of the floating crates, guiding each bulky package smoothly off the back of the truck and into the Nestia’s expanded cargo hold.

  A parade of rge crates was guided to the far wall, and they were set down and began to be stacked, the magnetic bindings locking the crates to the floor and one another. As trucks were emptied, they were moved, and the next truck pulled forward to be offloaded.

  The Nestia crew watched in awe as Devens skillfully coordinated everyone so the loading went smoothly, a ballet of precision and efficiency.

  As the cargo was loaded, Inta noticed a group of doctors and nurses, all wearing sky blue jumpsuits with a single red dot on their left breast, the universal sign of aid workers, walking in their direction alongside the line of trucks waiting to be unloaded.

  Inta broke out into a rge smile; at the head of this column of aid workers was none other than Nurse Emily. “Hello, Inta! Good to see you again!” Emily said as she got within earshot.

  “Emily, you’re going on this mission?” Inta said excitedly.

  The nurse blushed at Inta’s exuberant attention, then composed herself. “Yes, I am. Ms. Devens will be coordinating logistics, and I have been asked to coordinate medical care.” Emily glowed with pride at being chosen. “I’m happy to be able to help those poor people. Once we’re under way, we should make time to sit down together,” her blush returned, “ and discuss our strategy for delivering aid when we arrive.”

  Inta gave her an ear-to-ear smile. “I would love that.” Inta then addressed the growing crowd of medical professionals gathering behind Emily. “If you’ll all follow me, I will show you to your quarters while you’re aboard.” She gave June and Will each a peck on the cheek and then guided Emily and the other aid workers into the ship and towards the lifts.

  June shot Will a look and gave him a wink. He chuckled, watching Inta lead the group of volunteers to their quarters, then turned their attention to Devens to see if she needed any help with the cargo. Devens barked orders, directed traffic, and made sure that the cargo was stowed in reverse order of which it would be needed when they arrived; things like bnkets, protein bars, and water were stowed st, while rger items like materials for temporary shelters and clean up tools were loaded first. Under her direction, the logistics crews made short work of it, and true to her word, everyone and everything heading to Khosrow was loaded and ready within an hour.

  “That’s everything,” Devens said to June and Will as the st delivery crew climbed back into their trucks and drove off for Penrose’s storage depot.

  “Inta, everyone’s aboard, and all supplies have been stowed; please warm up the power core in preparation for departure,” June called out to Inta as one of her instances walked over with Thea from where they had parked the shuttle.

  Devens narrowed her eyes at Inta and Thea as they approached; she had seen Inta walk the volunteers up to their rooms and was certain she didn’t see Inta return from the corridor.

  Inta walked up and put her hand on Devens's shoulder in a gesture of camaraderie. “Do you like tea? I’ll expin everything over a cup on the bridge as we get underway.”

  Devens studied the silver girl for only a moment, then rexed and smiled. “Jasmine, please, if you have any.” Inta gave her a grin in return, and the five of them headed to the lift that would bring them up to the command deck where tea would be waiting for them that another instance of Inta was already brewing.