ALL About ~ Opal

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Aries, Kela & Tom Clancy copyright Mr. Terency Owens

Kela slid deeper into the deep baths warm embrace. It was something she experienced rarely, a bath. They didn't often visit the larger Star Stations and Tom Clancy simply hadn't the room for a bath. At least, not one you could lay full length in and still have room to stretch out your arms. Soft bubbles tickled her nose and she giggled, remembering the last eighteen or so hours.

The was a banging on the door then Aries insistent voice.

"Did you drown in there? Its been almost two hours and lunch is ready."

Kela groaned as she kicked at the drain lever. "OK ok ok" she grumbled, "I'm coming." Slowly she sat up, pushing the last dying bubbles from her still sensitive breasts with a washcloth. Half heatedly she grumbled about schedules, people wanting to rush around and her rapidly draining bath. Stepping from the bath she blotted up the worst of the mess, then stepped into another stall.

A soft breeze enveloped her, warm enough to keep her from chilling but not so hot as to be uncomfortable. In minutes she was dry, her now clean fur fluffed and shining. Taking a brush she headed for the bedroom.

Soft pastel blue silks lay on the fresh made bed, she brushed her hair as she examined the delicate clothing. It was of a style she knew well now, having seen the Star Diamond's owner wearing it on occasion. Vaguely Greek in design she knew it would cover without hiding, every interesting part of her body. Setting the brush down she started to dress.

Aries sighed contentedly as she spread rich heather honey across her slice of freshly baked bread. Space travel rarely allowed even the smallest luxury, yet spread across the table in front of her was fresh bread, spiced cider, fruits and a delightful chiefs salad. The fact no meat was present was due to her host's.. No, she mentally corrected herself, her wife's allergy to animal proteins. Somehow she didn't miss the heavy fats and thick foods common to non-vegetarian meals. Leaning back in the ancient oak chair she could feel the delicate silk of her dress caress her legs and breasts as she moved.

It excited her, she could feel her nipples harden from the touch, seeming to beg to be touched, suckled, and more. Somehow the last eighteen hours had sensitized her every nerve, every movement of the fabric sent delicate thrill up her spine. But then, since her marriage she had discovered that everything aboard this ship was designed for only two things, pleasure or science. At the moment pleasure seemed to be the by-word. Biting into her bread she glanced over at Snowaters.

The now human ex-snow leopard was engaged in an quiet conversation with her partner, the silicon Kalith. Aries couldn't quite make out what was being said but what ever it was, Snowy was getting upset. Suddenly she sat up away from the unit and bit her lip.

"Kalith, run the program, now" she ordered, her voice flat and hard.

Snowaters nodded and turned, the harsh lines that had come during her verbal battle with the alien being fading away as Kela entered the room. A smile came to her face as her tongue darted out, wetting her lips.

"Between Aries and you I'm not getting any sleep" she husked, blowing a kiss at the freshly scrubbed woman. Shaking herself she sighed, reaching out for a glass of cider. Standing she looked at her mates, and nodded to herself. "When you agreed to marry me, you made two demands. Well, its time to answer the second." She walked around the table, embracing Aries a moment, lifting her head up to accept the offered kiss. Stepping away she sighed in regret. "We have to depart this place tomorrow morning, what waits out there you two know better than I ever could." She took a sip of her drink, then sat the silvered goblet down. "Whatever is out there, I want to two of you to know that I, and this ship stand with you.... no matter what comes. As soon as you've eaten join me in the VR chamber. I'll explain everything then." As she brushed by Aries, one hand lingered a moment on a well rounded hip, then she was gone.

Kela sighed, slipping into the extra chair. "You know, I don't think I've ever felt so at peace" she said, reaching out to select her own breakfast.

Aries laughed, stretching one leg out on the table top, shoving bowls aside as she stretched. "Your right. we've been here enough that I know changes have been made." She gestured towards the floor. "Remember a carpet during our last visit?"

Kela shook her head, waving at the other as she chewed on an orange. "Don't remember these chairs or table either" she managed, a dribble of juice leaking from one corner of her mouth.

"No, it was standard stainless steel, and the chairs were... Brass I think." Standing up Aries slid her bare feet through the deep pile, "Under this should be a hardwood, I think." Stepping over to the intercom she depressed its switch. "Kalith, can we talk to you?" she asked.

A few moments of silence answered her, then a click.

"Several" she answered. "Do you mind?"

<No. You have joined with Lady Snowaters. Your rights are equal. Forever.>

Raising one eyebrow she looked back at her partner, Kela just shrugged her shoulders as she spread the rich honey over another thick slice of bread.

"Ok then, why the changes?" Kela asked.

"Then you mean this is normal?"

<Yes. Star Diamond is home. Home should have comfort. Visitors are transitory. They do not require comfort.>

Taking a deep breath Aries glanced at her partner.

Kela just grinned. "Ask it" she whispered.

Nodding Aries turned back to the speaker. "Does this mean, Star Diamond is our home now?" she asked, biting her lower lip as she waited for the answer.

<Yes. Do you have further questions.>

"No" she whispered. "No... Not right now."

With a click the intercom shut down.

Kela tossed a thin crust of bread on her plate, brushing away fragments that had fallen on her dress. "Doesn't stain" she commented as she stood. Stretching herself she shook her head, long curls flowed around her shoulders. "I guess its time we joined our wife" she giggled. "Wonder whats up."

Aries just shrugged. "I think I know, I think its the other. Well, we made the demand, lets go find out what we asked for.” She paused, "You were asleep this morning. I saw Terry helping Krystal to the shuttle. She was holding her head, but when I called Mimi she said there was nothing wrong."

"Maybe she just drank too much" the other suggested. "And the Clancy was outta painkillers or something."

Aries touched Kela's hand. "Snowy just replenished the Clancy. Something is wrong and we better check on it as soon as we can."

Kela nodded in agreement. "Your right, you hit Mimi and I'll hit Terry, he can't resist me you know." She giggled a moment before following Aries out the door. Together they headed for the Diamonds huge SRVR chamber, and the woman they both loved.

Snowaters greeted them as the huge chambers doors slid shut. Some sort of English Manor program was running, the room was a huge library with a fire burning in the large stone hearth facing them. Beyond they could see snow falling slowly outside the window. The smell was of old books, oiled wood, and fresh spiced wine.

"This was her favorite program" Snowy said, guiding them to a huge pile of pillows in one corner.

"Opal" Kela said as she slid into the cushions.

"Yes" the human answered. "You'll meet her, it seems 'lith hid something from me nigh these hundred or so years. But first I'll tell you about her, and how we met." She sat in a huge padded chair, facing the two.

"It started, oh a little over three hundred years after I bought this ship" she glanced out the window a moment. "The 'Lith and I were visiting an Earth where huge corporations ruled, people changed eyes like you and I would change underwear. We called it Cyberworld, after an old Earth game. The ship had had a fire, not a bad one but a lot of computer systems needed repair. Their technology was comparable and I carry a few tons of exotic metals, a deal was made."

She stopped, rubbing suddenly wet hands over her knees. "Irish Mist, four ounces" she ordered. Behind her an elegant crystal goblet appeared, half filled with a honey gold liquid. Turning slightly she picked up the crystal, taking a sip as she turned back. "You'll have to watch me, I'm an alcoholic. If Kalith hasn't told you yet." Setting the goblet on her chairs arm she settled back.

"Opal came aboard as a hired guard, a Company woman. She was human then and quite striking, her skin a honey soft color common to those of mixed Spanish blood. Purely professional, but we ended up being close friends by the time everything was done. The Star Diamond is huge and we added a few hundred tons of equipment." Taking another sip of her drink she winked at the two women. "Even with twenty people working full time it took months to get everything on-line, and well it had been a long time since my last shore leave and she was willing. Once that refit was done we said our good-byes. She wouldn't come with me and I couldn't stay so Kalith and I decided to look around... I guess it was two years later the call came."

Aries felt Kela's hand slid across her belly and settled back, giving her lover free rein.

"There had been an accident. Opal had been horrible injured saving some CEO's stupid son during a takeover attempt at a orbital research station. We turned around, but even at full speed it took a year to return." She looked at the goblet and closed her eyes. "People belong to the corporations there, like cars or planes... or dirt. They decided to.. experiment. She had recovered by the time we hit orbit..."

She gulped her drink, setting the crystal on the table behind her. "She lost an arm, her eyes, and every cell of skin on her body in the combination of flash fire and hard vacuum. Some hotshot genetics researcher, working with data I sold them decided to save her. She used a mouses skin as a base, their CEO hadn't yet allowed human cell experiments so the mouse was the only data she had."

Aries gasped as Kela's fingers slid along one leg, ran across her mound and down the other leg.

"Opal had ... well, adjusted. She looked like a mouse on the outside, but was human underneath. Certainly she couldn't stay there, they hadn't the knowledge to stabilize her auto-immune system and she would have been an outcast anyway. So, she became the first crewperson on this ship. I couldn't change what they had done, my knowledge wasn't much greater than their's at the time but I could keep her alive." She smiled, licking her lips. "And, in time, I couldn't live without her."

"She was first, and always a violent person. She was my bodyguard on thirty or more worlds, she must have killed half a thousand people keeping me alive until I could get the clone systems on-line. I could keep her alive, healthy, and physically around thirty years of age but she never allowed me to clone her. We must have tried every position known to a hundred or more worlds, she never ceased being exciting." Snowy sighed, "She even introduced me to bindings and helped me learn to love them."

Kela grinned, glancing at her partner. Something interesting to remember.

"We orbited BelDarden, a small planet two realities over. It seemed harmless enough, but Opal never took anything at face value. She was always searching, I think for a cure, but she never said. One morning..... One morning she didn't come back to the spaceport." A tear slid down Snowy's face, "We stayed seventy years, maybe more. I bought cities, mobilized armies of searchers, gave them technology years in advance of anything they had ever seen. There wasn't a single stone left untouched but no one could find a thing."

Snowaters stood, hugged herself, and walked towards the fireplace. Drawing a poker from its rack she played with the fire, her back to the two. She spoke into the fireplace.

"There weren't any other starships in the system, we were the first. They hadn't even colonized their single moon yet. I offered them stardrive technology.... Goddess I...I offered the universe and they searched, and found nothing... It was as if she had never been."

A slight hiss told of the tears that were falling, but nothing else.

"We left, left them with planetary drive technology a hundred years ahead of their science and a transmitter than can reach me anywhere... any when." She turned back to the two, wiping her face. "They never called."

Racking the poker she walked back to her chair, settling down. "This is a level one program, it takes ninety three percent of the Diamonds spare computer power to run it, its as real as I can make it." She rubbed her hands together., "You can die in here. You can create a real, self-aware lifeform, soul and all....or a devil."

Both women ceased their play, setting up. Something important was about to happen, they could feel it.

"'Lith thinks this is a mistake. Opal experimented with entering the Diamonds systems, Netrunning she called it. There is a file only 'Lith could access until I married you... 'Liths afraid I won't be able to handle whatever she left, but I've the two of you, and well..... As long as I have the Diamond I'll have you, and her."

She took a deep breath. "Release DL755-ZETA-5" she ordered.

The single door opened slowly, a figure, scarcely five feet tall entered. Clad in scarred battle armor it stepped forward, a huge, deadly looking weapon slung across its back. Slowly it drew the weapon, setting it against an ornate desk. Gloves came next, showing furry hands beneath. Then the helmet. A womans face, human like but covered with silver grey-fur, overlarge brown eyes blinked. She sat the helmet on the desk, looking around her.

"Hello Snowlove" she said, her voice summer soft, a hint of South in it. "You're beautiful as a human, I approve." She smiled at the others stunned expression. "Come on now, don't you think the Lith would have warned me first?" Looking at Aries and Kela she smiled, her face seemed to shine. "You've finally woken up, their beautiful. Will you introduce us?"

Snowaters nodded, swallowing before she spoke. "Aries, Kela. I'd like to introduce you to Opal, my first love."

Opal laughed. "You first female love Winterchild, I know about before." She winked at Kela as she started peeling off armor, a brown skinsuit clung tightly to a muscular body beneath. "If it hadn't been for superbitch you'd still probably be pining away for a man, and knowing that a single night would be your death. What was her name, I forget..." She worked a tight fastener, finally hitting its release. "I gotta fix that thing one day" she cursed. Stopping she stared at Snowaters, "You never found me, did you Snowlove."

"No" Snowy answered, "Where did you go?"

The mouse woman turned grim. "The Lith knew I was losing it, I mean I was a beautiful woman before the accident. I tried to lose myself in you, and honestly I did. For a long long time. But the interface drugs started failing, we hid that from you. For you I stood the pain as long as I could, but I was dying Crystalheart, and I wasn't about to let you follow."

She kicked off the last boot, "God I feel better out of that crap, but I was wearing it on my last run and well..." She smiled. "Blast furnace love, a fast death and nothing to show I'd ever lived. Never even told the Lith what I was up too, couldn't chance it stopping me... or telling you." She popped her neck, groaning at the release, "Arranged that little statue of me for you hon, its made from the same pot of platinum I jumped in. Kinda thought it was fitting, somehow I'd always be with you."

Snowaters shivered, "You would think of that." Turning to the two still laying on the pillows she shook her head. "Diamond can only keep up this level of program a few hours" she whispered. Turning back she took Opals hands, guiding her to the mountain of pillows. "I feel... cleansed... I should have done this a hundred years ago."

Opal laughed, running one hand through Snowys hair. "You weren't ready, you couldn't be ready until you could love again." She reached over, touching Kela's cheek. "By God you've found two of the most beautiful, lusty women I've ever seen, no wonder you fell in love again." She sat back, eying the two. "I locked myself away from her because she's weak. Oh not weak like you would think, she has the courage to have followed me, but not live without me..." She squeezed Snowaters hand. "You take care of her. God I tried, but she's got to be the most accident prone, fool hardy, jump in before looking problem making woman under the stars." She suddenly touched Snowaters breast with one finger, causing the skin to dimple slightly. Suddenly reaching up she grasped the nipple, squeezing it as she stretched it tight. Snowaters gasped, more in pleasure than pain. "I miss the rings Chrys, you should put them back." Suddenly shaking her head she giggled, "Do you know, she actually shot a Pope once?"

"He raped that little boy."

"Sure, and I agree with what you did, but did you have to do it with my blast cannon, inside the church, during High Mass? I bet off-worlders are still forbidden there."

Snowy blushed. "I wasn't thinking about that."

Opal laughed, hugging the tiny woman close to her. "Wasn't thinking my ass. Your the pacifist, God. For a pacifist you've killed more people than Jack the Ripper." She grabbed Kelas hand, forcing it against Snowaters chest, just above her major heart. "On Pagdale she swore to their seven Gods she was a pacifist, then she blew away three women setting charges at a dam."

"They were going to drown a city" Snowy protested.

"Well sure, but come on, you could have used the stun setting. How do you think those priests felt when you weren't instantly vaporized by their Gods? Do you know what kind of shit you left them in? They wanted that heart babe, and damn to hell if they weren't going to do everything in their power to get it. I was going to let them have it, but how could I have lived without you?" She released Kela's hand, nodding to herself when it remained in position on its own.

"As I recall" Snowy retorted, "You did 'Let them have it.' Besides, there was Nog. I don't recall killing anyone there."

"Nog, the pleasure planet.... We didn't so much KILL anyone.. But I think a few were awfully sore pleasure girls when we left." Opal shook her head, tight cropped hair swinging. "It isn't all fun girls" she said, suddenly becoming serious. "You married not just for love, but everything that comes with it. We ran across one planet, never learned its name. Their first planetary probe had returned from one of their moons. It had an atmosphere of sorts....We spent sixty years there and all we could do was help them die in peace."

"I remember that" Snowaters whispered, "Five billion souls, not a single one remained when we left." She looked up, staring out the window. "We blew their sun, that virus was too deadly to leave. Another race of ferrets might wander by, and well.... It was a long incubation from infection to symptoms."

Opal nodded, "My times long past Chrys, their time is now. It would be an insult to the both of them if I stayed, you compared, or fell into one of those blue funks or something. Still we had fun Chrys, Oh GOD did we have fun, and love, and adventure. Don't think you didn't give me more than I could have ever dreamed for." She looked at the two mice. "She'll do the same for you. Oh sometimes you'll wonder if you'll live long enough to take another breath, then you'll be so bored your bouncing off the walls. But most of the time.... Weeeeee she can be fun."

Leaning over to Aries she put her lips almost against the others ear. "Ask the Lith for file WHIPCORD, its things I know Chrys loves... just have a good supply of rope when you watch it." she whispered.

Leaning back she sighed. "So Winterchild, the Lith told me about how you tore these two from Death's womb, so what do you plan to do with their delicious bodies."

Snowaters laughed. "Their beauty incited lust" she answered, stroking Aries breasts with one hand, "The first time I saw them in sick-bay I wanted them. But it was their spirits that caused me to love them." Touching Aries belly she ran her finger downwards, until the mouse woman gasped.

"Death? I don't deal with Her anymore, unless I have to. She strikes a hard bargain and her coin is bitter.” She glanced at Kela then returned her attentions to Aries. "I'll never let her touch these two again, she had her chance." Grinning she reached out to touch Aries nose, "Yes, Death is a real entity. Opal and I found her by accident. She can be downright nasty but she holds to a bargain." Facing Opal she slid one moistened finger under the others nose, watching as the nostrils flared. "'Lith and I have been mulling the odds over their improbable arrival."

"I thought so to" Opal replied, watching Aries face as Snowaters hand returned to its exploration. “Lith leveled me about this places people, and the puffball."

"Um-hum" Snowaters replied. "You think Eoi is it?"

"Chrys, we knew it was active, we knew if we lived long enough we'd run across it." She tapped her knee, thinking. "Shit, I miss my body" she mumbled, "No gut reactions." Aries sudden gasp brought her head up. "Haven't lost it have you" she whispered. "Yeah, I think your puffball is either the one, or connected somehow. And I think this ship, you three, and maybe even me. I think we're part of something that maybe we'll wish we were never born." Kela's questioning looks brought a smile to the warrior. "Little one, my souls here, in the computer, in CYBERSNAKE, and that statue. Whatever comes, somehow I know it will call me, and I won't let anything hurt any of you. 'Sides, I'm the Bitch don't-cha know."

"The Bitch" Snowaters exclaimed. "Her name... she called herself the Bitch but she had two names, Shali... and Ariel..."

"Yeah, that's her" Opal agreed. "Wonder if she's still alive, or if someone finally got lucky and wasted her. You should wander over there sometime and check, I'd like to know if someone that turned my life around was still breathing." She cracked her knuckles, then leaned over to kiss Snowy "You've told them about me, we've met, so its time I faded away forever Snowlover. If I stay we both know what will happen. I've had my time and it was a grand time. But, I thank you for this time too."

Snowaters stopped what she was doing. "You could... I never suspected you had copied your mind into the Diamond.... We may need you again Opal, not... Well your right, don't ever come again to my call, I couldn't survive the madness... not a second time. But they might need you, your advice, your wisdom. Promise your be here for them?"

"Let me talk to the Lith about it. This is something that emotionless chunk of rock is best at. I'll agree never to your call though, never again. You needed this, when you were ready, but now you have to grow up Chrys, its time to be a woman again."

Snowy nodded, "Its been time for that... for a long time." Suddenly she pulled Aries to her, kissing her cheek as she hugged the larger woman tightly. "With these two's love I can live again, but Opal?"

"Yes?"

“Before you leave me again... Let me really introduce you to my loves."

A deep purr came from Opals chest as she peeled open her skinsuit. "I thought you'd never ask."