LOG THIRTY-TWO

Ford rolled over, opening a weary eye to the bundle near the fireplace. The chirping and growling disturbed her peaceful slumber.

"Shhh…" Marra whispered, trying to get both her little charges to stop fussing and eat. "You wake tall, dark and grumpy and you’re baby serpentine soup."

"Oh, I’m not that heartless." Ford yawned, climbing out of bed, crossing the room to help her spouse with the middle of the night feeding. She knew when she went to bed this would no doubt happen. She settled down behind Marra. "Give me one and a bottle."

Marra turned first, rewarding Ford with a long, sweet kiss. "Thank you."

"I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for me, I’d like to get some sleep tonight."

The little woman didn’t buy it for a moment. She reached into the nest and pulled out the hatchlings. "Which one do you want?"

"I don’t care. Which one seems the most attached to you?"

"The black one."

"Then give me the other one."

Ford gently took the baby then stretched out on the floor near the fire lying on her back. She placed the little beast in the middle of her chest, offered it the bottle, which it took readily and began nursing. The tall woman closed her eyes and the pair seemed quite content.

Marra watched, her own attempts weren’t going as well so she decided to follow Ford’s lead. Stretching out, she placed her own little one then offered it the bottle. She was amazed when it took the nipple in its mouth and began an eager attempt to eat. "Well I’ll be damned." She mumbled.

"Be careful doing that." Ford opened her eyes, glancing down to Marra.

"Why?"

"Occasionally they will start rooting around for something a…"

Before she could complete her sentence, Marra yelped and bolted upright, holding on to her hatchling and rubbing her breast.

"Little more natural." Ford finished with a snicker.

Marra continued to rub her breast, wondering if she had been left with a mark. "Your little teeth hurt." She scolded, offering the bottle again.

"Yup, and those are just its baby teeth. Wait ‘til they get a little bigger." Ford settled deeper into the blankets that were a combination bed and nest.

"Excuse me, there wife?" Marra lifted a brow. "You planning on staying here tonight? You’re taking up a lot of room for someone who’s not."

"I dunno." Ford yawned. "Let’s see how things go."

* * *

Marra rolled over with a grumble when her little foundling woke her for the third time. She gave an annoyed look to Ford and the tiny golden beast curled contentedly on top of the tall woman. Both continued to sleep quite soundly, as they had done all night after the first feeding.

"You got something against sleep?" She groused, settling down close to the fire and giving it yet another bottle.

"Come’re…" Ford’s voice was thick with sleep when she reached out to Marra. She pulled the woman close to her. Carefully she moved herself and her own little charge placing it in the blankets next to her. When Marra moved closer, Ford pulled her into her arms. "Put it between us with its nest mate."

"We’ll crush them."

"No we won’t, just do it."

Marra did as instructed, then found herself enfolded in Ford’s arms and remarkably content.

"This is what their parents do with them." Ford whispered, kissing the crown of Marra’s head. They’ll dig around and nest under us."

Within moments Marra giggled when she felt them crawling around to nest under her body and Ford’s. "That tickles."

"Un-huh." Ford mumbled, her voice once again heavy with sleep. "Tomorrow night, you bring them to bed in a hatchling sack."

"What’s a hatchling sack?"

"Buy a book." That was Ford’s last word on the subject. She pulled Marra close to her and within moments soft snoring could be heard emanating from her.

* * *

Ford sipped her coffee as she sorted through a stack of books from her private library. Several of the items here would be packed up and taken aboard the new ship. While flying the diplomatic banner there would be very little for her to do, unless a conflict arose, which was unlikely. Generally, diplomatic status guaranteed any ship safe passage through any neutral territory. So far, Ford’s flight plan was entirely through neutral territory or space held by her own people. She just hoped that it stayed that way.

She pulled down a very old, dusty volume which was titled Earth Geography. She returned to her desk, taking her seat she very carefully opened the text. The pages were badly oxidized and the binding was tenuous at best.

She rested her cheek on the palm of her hand as she paged through the book. Looking at the aged maps she contemplated the best way to approach the planet based on this ancient information. Of course, she realized that if the planet did indeed exist, there was no guarantee it would even resemble the maps in her book.

Carefully, she thumbed back to the front of the book. "Copyright, nineteen ninety two. All most a thousand years ago, I must be out of my mind."

"No, you’re not." Marra’s voice was soft. Ford looked up to find her spouse standing in the doorway.

She sat back and watched the small woman approach. "Are you sure?"

"I’m positive. You’re confident and you’re devout in your beliefs. You are not out of your mind."

Ford chuckled, motioning for Marra to join her. "I dunno about that." She pulled the blonde into her lap. "I’m about to pack up my family and start through a war zone in search of a planet that may not exist. That doesn’t sound very sane to me."

"Ah, my love, it’s just your true adventurers spirit coming out."

"Capri help us if it’s just now starting to surface."

Marra laughed a bit, kissing Ford’s neck. "Actually I’m quite fond of your adventurers spirit."

Ford groaned. "You keep that up and you’re gonna get adventure, right here on top of my desk."

Marra not only continued, but also intensified her explorations.

"Last chance." Ford offered, closing her eyes and licking her lips, hoping that Marra was ignoring her.

"Mmm." The blonde began unbuttoning Ford’s shirt. "Let the adventure begin."

* * *

"Within three weeks we will be able to make an attempt to get your daughter back Lord Hadrin. Lord Kurrathian’s flight plan will bring her on the edge of our space at these coordinates." A young man pointed to a spot in the tri-dimensional grid. "We will have two of our best war ships there to intercept them. If all goes well we will board the ship, liberate your daughter and take Lord Kurrathian prisoner."

"No." Hadrin leaned back in his chair. "I want Kurrathian dead."

"But Lord Hadrin, taking Lord Kurrathian prisoner would be a great victory for our people. It will encourage our troops to continue the fight."

"That animal has had my daughter in her possession. It’s hard telling what horrible things have been done to her. I want Kurrathian dead. Her death will be just as good for our people."

"But she will be a martyr to her own people."

"It’s a chance I’m willing to take."

"Yes, Lord Hadrin. I understand." The officer looked at the older man and shifted nervously. "You know there are rumors that your daughter has actually taken up with Lord Kurrathian romantically and may even be married to her. What if she refuses to leave with us?"

"You will simply take her."

"Yes, Lord Hadrin."

* * *

Marra’s nails dug deep into Ford’s shoulder and back, her own body, responding to the one over her. She listened to her spouse’s erotic sounds, soft moans that were almost groans but not quite, timed with the movement of their bodies.

They had indeed started on the desk, then moved to the floor. Not entirely happy there either, Ford had moved them to the couch. They had spent the last two hours taking and giving, Giving and receiving, but never reaching the ultimate crowning point, taking each other away from it so they could enjoy each other to the fullest.

The perspiration on their skin made their movements easy and all that more satisfying to both, but now Marra could tell it was time. Time for both of them, she could no longer control the shaking of her own body, the trembling that begin deep within and slowly worked it’s way out, causing muscles to clench and nails to dig deep.

She felt the quiver in Ford’s body as well, as the hum turned to a groan and then a growl. They rose together, to the height they had been approaching for sometime. The blonde couldn’t stop her nails from pulling across the broad back she held onto as her body rose to meet her partner and Ford’s own body pressed into hers.

They were suspended there for a moment in time, nothing else existed, just them, their breath and their heartbeats hammering with each other as they slowly fell back to reality. Marra closed her eyes, smiling and listening to Ford whisper words of love and devotion.

Slowly they both shifted, Marra lay back allowing Ford to come to rest in her arms. She knew this to be a simple act of surrender on the soldier’s part and she accepted it with the love and trust that it was offered. Her lips grazed a dark, damp brow. "I love you."

Ford hummed a bit, then lifted her head just enough to place a soft kiss to Marra’s jaw. "I can’t ever make you understand what you mean to me. I love you just isn’t enough." She tucked her head back down onto the shoulder before her and sank further into the arms that held her. "When my time comes, and Capri comes to claim me. Right here is where I want to be."

Marra tightened her hold, feeling Ford slipping into sleep. She would keep the soldier safe this night and she hoped, for many more after this. Her own body now demanded rest and her eyes fell shut as she listened to the soft snoring of her mate.

* * *

Phoenix opened one annoyed eye as the hatchling chewed on his left ear. He growled, tossing his head just enough to make the little serpentine let go of the tender flesh. The little one backed up, eyeing his father in a playful manner and growled back.

The male lifted a front paw, about to send the little one sprawling across the stall, when Neyta lowered her head and drew the baby close to her body with her own paw. The look she offered her mate, told him this was not an acceptable response to the playfulness of their offspring and that he would have to be more patient.

He snorted, then brought his head down to rest across his legs and watched the little one as it found its mother’s nipple and began nursing. He was up in an instant when he heard the stable door open. Rearing and growling, challenging anyone who might dare come close to his mate and their offspring.

"Save it." Ford chuckled. "I’m not going to hurt them. I just came to give you food and water."

Marra approached slowly. * Neyta? Is the little one all right? *

*Yes Marra he is fine. Very strong and healthy. How are the other two? Did they survive?*

* They did. And they are doing very well. Should I return them to you? *

* No. I can’t care for them. They will only fight among themselves for what I can offer and the weaker of the three will be killed. *

* Then I’ll keep them with me. Do you have names you would like me to give them? *

* You are caring for them, you should name them. *

"Behave!" Ford commanded, giving her serpentine a light thwack on the snout when he shoved her, causing her to spill water down the front of her jumpsuit. "What has gotten into you?"

Marra held back a giggle as she watched Ford prepare another bucket of water and Phoenix prepared another attack.

*To think, * Neyta offered while nosing her little hatchling. * He was growling at the little one for acting the same way just a few minutes ago. *

Marra watched Ford, hold a hand in the middle of Phoenix’s head to keep him at arms length while she dumped a bucket of water with the other. She wondered what her own spouse’s reaction would be in a few weeks.

TBC…

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