The ship was held together by chewing gum and a prayer. Something seemed to go wrong with it most of the time. Fortunately Benny was still onboard and if the ship was destroyed he was still on it so he was in the same boat as they were. He was a wiz at both mechanical and electrical problems and it was a wonder why he was stuck on this ship. His talents were being squandered and there was as story there.

He even changed the transponder code for the ship in the unlikelihood it had been reported stolen and whatever authorities waited for them at the end of the trip. Either way the vessel would need to be ditched. In hyper space there were still things that occupied the mechanic most of the time.

There had been more than one occasion that she and Kurgan forgot about the mechanic as they indulged each other. More then once he had walked in on them when they were someplace unexpected. He always shied away from things though once they had to take it out of engineering so that the ship didn't blow up.

When they finally dropped back into real space they were in a popular sector. Three worlds were inhabited and there was a lot of traffic coming and going from one of the worlds. Keltar. The planet that matched the coordinates that they had been given. As it was there was time to spare so Luna was still on the world.

From records Keltar was a peaceful world. The Keltorians welcomed visitors. In fact the world was known as a pleasure planet. A resort and amusement park all rolled into one. A series of walled regions rested adjacent to one another. Each walled area was as large as a city or greater. One was used as a single open aired hanger. There was a good deal of space though someone was always coming and going. Inside the hanger area was public transportation that would take visitors to the resort or amusement park areas.

In this section there was a wide variety of kiosks and Keltorians. The Keltorians were a peaceful lot. Tech savvy and pleasant they had sing song voices and looked like tall angels.

Phoebe had all the contact information for Luna that Gersham and Kurgan had gathered. Keltar didn't have an active military force. Yet things ran smoothly here. Crime wasn't an issue. Some theorized that the Keltorians had an effect on beings making them less aggressive and docile. Psionics? Pheromones? There were even rumors that they had some sort of tech that influenced behavior. Whatever was the truth here things worked out for them.

Flight control guided them down. No one was looking for them though most tech didn't work outside of the hanger birth. Whether it was jamming or some sort of tech that thwarted recording devices hadn't been clear. What was had been the fact that the Keltorians didn't want unsanctioned recordings getting out. There were all manner of devices that worked, recorded or communicated but most personal effects didn't work. It was an easy matter in purchasing devices that worked here.

Something may have interfered with normal tech. There were boosters in place in the hanger to assist with flight control. Basketball shaped droids that floated about were not just AI that offered information but through them one could contact someone in an area that normal means couldn't reach.

She'd see the frequent buses that picked up and dropped off people too. Along with marked areas in an assortment of colors indicating different transport lines that went to separate places.

Unlike most world there were no docking fees. Their ship would be topped up with fuel, resupplied and waste removed without any additional fees too.

“I take it that the first order of business is getting in touch with Viryon?” Kurgan asked her as they moved down the ship's ramp.

She had every excuse to make up for lost time. Virtually every meal involved one kind of flirtatious remark or another, often resulting in more physical contact by the end of it. Whether thanks to a questing foot working its way over to the equally insatiable Voren or simply making her desire more obvious by forcing herself on him, there’d be ample opportunity to drown their bodies and minds in pleasure. She wouldn’t outlast him, but still feast until the very end only to awaken hours later, feeling contented and yet eager for more. The first few days, Phoebe found herself wondering whether she was out of it more often than not.

The mechanic had to be getting the worst deal out of everyone involved. Benny was more of a shadow aboard the ship, running in on them every now and then only to vanish as though he had no business dealing with them in such a state. Yet he kept the whole thing from falling apart, for which she was more than grateful in the long run.

Whenever the bedroom wasn’t her favorite part of the ship, however, Phoebe still practiced telepathy by moving objects around or using them directly. There was little more than raw exercise to work with, on top of what semblance of tutoring Aegir and Gorjen had offered some time ago. She found it helped to be able to remotely activate gadgets, possibly weapons, and move them around while doing so, especially since few humans, if any, possessed the same unnatural gift. If they ever ran in trouble again, hopefully the element of surprise would be on their side though her powers were still fairly limited in that regard.

Some progress was better than none. She just had to keep at it. The mental strain was getting easier to handle, at least. The greater the weight and complexity of whatever she was interacting with, the more challenging it became, but it helped to be able to do it just a little longer each and every time.

Not that those abilities were going to be of any use in the near future. Keltar, the supposed pleasure planet, offered little in the sense of threats to their health and freedom. As a matter of fact, little to no crime in the depths of space, compared to many of her regular stops, sounded too good to be true. What was the price for such a picture perfect environment, she wondered, especially without an active military force to keep outside threats at bay.

Their unusual restrictions gave her some ideas. She noticed it while bringing their crippled down to the planet. State approved devices were all that worked outside of the hangar. Those would be none of her concern as long as the ship was taken care of, docking was free and they could conduct their business in peace.

Once down on the surface, Phoebe slipped out of the cockpit to look for their mechanic. She needed a word with him. They’d likely ditch the ship and look for another while they were here, or soon after leaving the planet again, which left him with a few options. She thanked him for work done and offered to transfer a fair amount of funds for him to keep himself afloat, whether it be transit, housing and food or otherwise, on top of promising not to kidnap him again. If he opted for a more dignified existence compared to his former life, however, he’d be welcome to stick with them and get paid adequately for his services. She wouldn’t let his talents be wasted on some lawless dump of a station in the middle of nowhere though ultimately it was his own choice.

Having nothing in the way of actual clothing, another flightsuit would have to do when she met up with Kurgan on the way out. A change of attire would certainly be in order, but that could wait just a little longer. She asked for one of the last few candies they had and ate it, letting the strange but sweet concoction melt away on her taste buds.

“That’s the plan.” Descending the ramp, Phoebe rolled that sugary treat on her tongue, relishing the absence of forced pleasure as she breathed, spoke and sighed. “Mmm .. Well .. We’ve got all the information needed to contact Luna. We’ll take Viryon off her hands and move on.” A hand combed through her golden hair, soon rubbing the back of her head to ease the thoughts of things inevitably going downhill again. “I’d just like to see this whole thing resolved as soon as possible .. Haven’t seen her in over a month either.”

Nor had she seen Luna since the incident with those mercenaries. The whole situation went pretty bad, but turned out alright in the end. She still didn’t really know how to thank her for it despite fulfilling her part of the deal.

Looking over at Kurgan as they made their way through the hangar. Something about him just being here with her brought a smile to the blonde’s face, a small surge of joy he’d notice even on the edge of his vision. As far as Phoebe had been concerned, this looked more like the promising start of a vacation that may very well be therapy considering those recent weeks. She had yet to sing for him as intended, but maybe this world would get her in the mood to do just that. Otherwise, there were bound to be plenty of Keltorian attractions waiting for those who simply sought them out. “We can, of course, have a look around once that’s done. How's that sound? There’s got to be something fun for us to do around here.”

“Speaking of fun .. Have you ever been to a place like this?” The other Voren she had the misfortune of meeting face to face didn’t strike her as the most fun loving specimens though they were fond of pleasure in other ways. Surely Viryon never knew much outside of captivity and her time with Kurgan and Phoebe to begin with. She wondered how this particular Tulpa liked it here, unless Luna thought it best not to spend too much time with her out in the open.

Benny was more like a shy teen at times. Shy and awkward in the face of all that sex. It almost felt as if his dad was banging his hot step mom leading to all manners of fantasies on his part. Hearing and seeing the pair, having to deal with his own excitement. At first it was a little awkward and painful given the state of his healing hand but he managed. He just happened to be neater about it. His cum wasn't everywhere like the others.

He was the first one out of the ship. Instead of hurrying off someplace to report a crime oddly the mechanic was found inspecting the ship. Appraising damage, what needed to be fixed and what was holding on. If anything the alien was obsessive about his craft and lacked common sense. That or he had determined that having an excuse away from the rest of the crew had been worth the adventure.

He took he praise well. That life was better left in the past. Benny enjoyed fixing things and while there had been plenty of distractions he proved that he was more than capable of managing that task. With more credits than he had been use to getting Benny was going nowhere anytime soon. He had to come up with a story before going back though the truth of matters more or less could be relaid. There were enough people departing where he might have been able to book passage when and if he was ready. As it was he was in no hurry and was receptive to any deals. For the time being he would stay here keeping busy with mundane repairs and even using some of those credits to get parts to keep busy.

In time he might drop a tip that the ship was here.

Kurgan had been pleased with recent developments. He enjoyed her attitude about all this. It may have been a long road to get her but they made the best out of it. He was out of his special candies and couldn't make more at the time. Certainly the resources could be found on this planet. It seemed that something impaired things outside of the hanger. They would need to use the droid/kiosk things to contact Luna.

“Picking up Viryon should be our first order of business. I agree. We should have a look around while here.” He looked towards her. The simple flight suit she wore made it clear that neither one of them had been well dressed. Most of the visitors wore expensive clothes. Only the natives wore simple attire yet they seemed radiant.

When passing any of them Phoebe could feel something. It was hard to explain. Nothing occurred to her physically but she felt energy, she felt raw power. Yet the Keltorians grinned at her whenever she made eye contact and appeared frail.

They would discover that the other sections could be accessed. It cost them a moderate amount of credits to get into a resort area and a fair amount to access an entire city/amusement park. Not that they didn't have the credits for admission. It was free to leave the hanger and access the planet. However, only heavily armed groups of tourists did so. Each having one of the hovering droids with them. A guide perhaps? It looked like each group was a hunting party. Each accessed hover vehicles that took them away from the hanger.

“I've never been to a place like this,” Kurgan admitted. The things his people enjoyed revolved around hunting. Hunting prey for pleasure was big too. They were versed in music as well. Kurgan didn't get to hunt much. Being a runt there were few squabbles that he won. From an early age he learned that to compete was to adapt and he had to use his mind. He learned a great deal about Voren and human anatomy along with a wide variety of other skills. Chemistry was something else he studied as she found out with his ability to craft those candies.

“I have read about such places but nothing of this size or magnitude.” The natives had to be turning a profit with admission fees. Kurgan didn't understand the lack of a police force or military with the wide array of aliens he was seeing.

The natives had some sort of calming presence. He felt it whenever they were close. But there wasn't enough of them from what he was seeing.



“I want to look for a few things. A few chemicals and some equipment to make those candies. Luna's in the resort section with Viryon. We can met back here in say an hour. I'll drop things back off at the ship and we can check out the park unless something catches our attention in the resort section. I'm guessing that there will be hotels and shops over there.” There was no way to tell without asking or checking it out for themselves.

Whichever choice Benny made, nothing would be standing in his way. He wound up with them against his will to begin with. Since the ship made it here safely, he had little reason to stay outside of pay though he had plenty to look forward to if he chose to remain with them from now on. She simply wanted him to know there was an alternative to what he was doing before.

Armed groups certainly made her aware of the dangers beyond the wall. Whatever their business was, every tourist seemed to be able to tend to their desires here, be it plain and simple entertainment, hunting or otherwise.

Which brought her thoughts back to the locals. Standing close revealed power practically emanating from their bodies though Phoebe lacked a deeper understanding of just what it was she was feeling in the first place. The Keltorians and Aegir, as well as Fafner, were so very different though the last two were probably the most powerful she’d ever met, and even those were apparently leagues apart. Not even Gersham exuded power in this manner though he did not shy away from showing her just what he could do with it.

As long as the natives were peaceful, however, it didn’t worry her too much. Spending money would be part of the stay regardless, so it couldn’t exactly be one big money making scheme they were pulling off here. Some kind of manipulation to ensure no security forces were needed seemed likely, but as it was nothing major, let alone worse than what has been done to her in the past, the blonde pilot would go about her business without protest.

Admittedly, the whole thing looked rather impressive regardless of those thoughts. “I’ve been to amusement parks when I was young, but nothing quite like this either. I’d be happy to get on a bunch of rollercoasters then, not an entire city district worth of attractions.” It dwarfed every similar establishment or combination thereof she had ever seen.

“While you’re doing some shopping, I’ll check in with Luna and Viryon, find my way around the resort section and all that .. maybe have a look at stores and the like while I’m at it. With any luck there’s a nice place for us to stay the night.” They had the ship, but that was an idea just waiting to be tapped. She couldn’t help but smirk at that with a cursory glance in his direction. With such a wide array of potential customers, she had to wonder whether there were themed hotels or anything of the sort. Perhaps that’d be another opportunity to play around with. Their reunion could’ve been likened to an extended honeymoon thus far. Living life to the fullest aboard the ship, never allowing a minute of it to go to waste. She’d probably never marry out here, not in the traditional sense, but making love like long lost lovers throughout the day certainly matched what she believed a newly wed couple might get up to.

Another thing had been her lack of clothes. An hour wasn’t much and while Kurgan may have enjoyed helping her pick something he loved looking at Phoebe would rather not show up to a park in what could’ve been her work uniform. She’d keep that in mind while exploring the streets at the very least.

“When we meet up again, I’m all for checking out the park first. It’s been a while, but I might just remember how to have fun here.” There was that whole excuse about making Viryon smile again, but deep down Phoebe wanted to check it out, too. Just one day on this planet may very well let her forget about the outside world, if only for a time. Still, looking at Kurgan, she did not forget about the present all that easily.

Arms wrapped around him, holding the white wolf close. Alongside her bodily heat came warm breaths that doused the breadth of his neck, and brought more of that petite chest against his frame. The fur tickled her face as it nuzzled the one she held dear, but for the moment Phoebe ignored that particular fact. “Take care now. I don’t want you to keep me waiting.” She whispered to him instead, letting go only after several long moments had passed them by. It was both tease and reminder alike, asking him to be on time and not let her worry about him being lost or worse, whereas that lovely body conjured more pleasant memories for both of them to cherish.

“Alright then .. back here in an hour.” She let go of him, albeit reluctantly, before waving him goodbye as they went their separate ways. Splitting up allowed both of them to be productive, however, and Phoebe made her way over to one of the droids to get in touch with their contact here. If Viryon was alright and there were no other problems within reach, it’d be a matter of simply making her way over. The place was huge enough from the outside. She couldn’t imagine it being easy to find one’s way around without guide. Whether she’d be charged twice when heading out to meet up with Kurgan later or got registered for a certain time would be a question she’d get an answer for when she got to it.

There was a lot of activity in the hanger as large as this section was. Ships arriving and departing. Droids hovered about and public transport abounded to make for quick transits. The natives were peaceful greeting them with smiles whenever they passed.

That aura was strong and soothing at the same time. To a lesser extend of Fafner who had been dwarfed by his father. Still Phoebe felt that power even if it was just in one area. Walking with Kurgan the lupine considered her words. Coming to agreement that they would split up Kurgan stuck with her for now figuring that the resort area would have more shops tailored to his needs than anything he could find in the hanger or amusement park.

Delighting in that closeness Kurgan took it all in. The bulk of his attention had been on the hunters, the only visible threats, though his attention soon waned from them.

“I assure you when I make you wait it's always for a good thing,” the doctor shot her a grin. He particularly enjoyed drawing out her pleasure even delaying it at times until it boiled over. They were in agreement and he waited while she contacted the agent seeing that they would split up once at the resort section he was no hurry to leave her side.

Contacting Luna was a simple matter or it would have been with a full name. There were plenty of Luna's on the planet though it was easy enough to widdle that down with the droid. A description reduced the number, which was still large, the occupation reduced it to one.

The round kiosk droid connected her with Luna who's image was projected on a screen. Apparently Luna was caught off guard despite expecting the former agent showing up. What Phoebe imagined as a kiosk on her end activating as a connection was made. At the same time the droid bathed her in a steady blue light projecting her to Luna.

From what she gather the agent was at a pool in the middle of reading something. An actual paper book that was a rarity in the galaxy at large but something she was familiar with from her time back on Earth.






“Oh? Um hi.” Luna got out of the pool moving closer to the kiosk and sitting down on some patio furniture. “I'm assuming you're here to pick up Viryon?” Luna glanced off camera then back. “I can get her down to the hanger if you like. No sense paying fees to get into the resort area when you don't have to.”

From Luna she could find out the cost of these things, which was lower than expected. Seeing that one had to pay for the place one stayed at that was the true cost of the section. Still there was a nominal fee to enter but after it was paid one was free to come and go from the resort to the hanger until departure.

Outside of ship parts and provisions almost all the stores were located there apart from the gift shops in the amusement sector among the places to eat. Wanting to look for clothes would take her to that section. Regardless of her choice Kurgan had to go there.

Public transport had been offered as a courtesy in moving among the sectors and within them. If she went to the resort she and Kurgan would be scanned and have to answer a few routine questions, told that they could come and go to the hanger freely. An invisible stamp was placed over the back of their left hand that did something harmless that allowed people to know that they had paid and had not departed the planet.

Luna was staying pretty close to the hangers in the resort sector. The place was beyond nice. No graffiti or trash to be found. There must have been numerous droids cleaning things up too. And while she would sense them she wouldn't see any of the natives.

There was a wide range of stores and shops here. A kiosk droid could direct her any place she or Kurgan had need of. As an additional function the droid could bring up a menu of in stock items and even let them browse through items on hand and even reserve them until pick up by contacting the store in question, arrange for the item to be shipped to where they were staying or their ship at the hanger. The Keltorians made everything convenient. Of course there was always window shopping too.

Maps of the resort section could be accessed and businesses could be searched through keywords. Maps even showed the sectors of the resort area. Areas were themed, Modern, Medieval, Fantasy and so on. One was even labeled X. Through pressing on a section of the map on the kiosk droid interface she could expand an area to see it in more detail and even open up menus to get more detailed information on the sector though she could easily ask the droid for additional details. These droids were more advanced then most of their breathern. More intuitive and interactive they seemed to read emotions and intentions far better conversing as if they were human or whatever species they were interacting with at the time.

Kurgan found one of his arms hooked with hers once their embrace came to an end. If he’d remain by her side until they split up, they had not a moment of physical contact to waste. She’d definitely wait for a good thing, but it’d be the world and their business here rather than the white wolf himself that’d delay the more elation rich activities that day. Still, being close sufficed for the moment, enough for their bodily warmth to serve as a constant reminder of things to come. The only time she broke that connection had been when it came to using one of those kiosk droids.

As for actually reaching out to Luna, it took a bit of fiddling with the local droid to find the other agent. The system itself appeared to be quite sophisticated though she needed a moment to get used to bathing in that blue light. When they finally established contact, the petite blonde couldn’t conceal a smile given the view that opened up.

“Hey there, gorgeous. You look like you’re having a good time.” Arms crossed before her chest, all while a playful smirk splayed over her features. “How’s the pool?”

The thrill of calling her up in the first place had already escalated the woman’s heartbeat. The onset of excitement gave way to immense relief when they first saw one another. Phoebe was playing it cool, but deep down her thoughts were anything but. Seeing those eyes roam over the bikini clad brunette glistening with water droplets descending along wondrous charms, making one want to replace them with one’s hands from the very beginning, may have given her the wrong impression. She happened to be looking for injuries, any potential harm inflicted as part of their plan, but there was nothing of the sort. As a matter of fact, Luna looked fine in more ways than one.

She declined the offer of having her bring Viryon down to the hangar with a dismissive gesture for now. “Ah, don’t trouble yourself. I’m just calling ahead of time to let you know I’m here. I’m with Kurgan right now, actually .. You know, my other traveling companion.” Looking over her shoulder to check on him for a moment, the agent would know at least some of her own plans worked out well enough to unite everyone once more. “As for the fees, well, after everything we’ve been through, we’re in no hurry to leave. This place is something else! We might stick around for a few days, do some shopping, take time off to relax and all that .. Where’s Viryon anyway?”

That glance from earlier had her believe she might be by the pool as well. All the more reason not to pester her with having to stop something she might’ve been enjoying just to get back onto the ship. They all deserved a bit of downtime. “Don’t tell her we’re around yet. It’s hard enough to make her smile as it is. I want to at least try to surprise her for once.”

Phoebe then went on to ask where they were staying and promised to be there within the hour after potentially making a few purchases herself. She had the urge to get out of that flight suit. Worst of all, it’d be high time for what was basically a whole new wardrobe. Something for today, maybe a little extra for the pool and bedroom should suffice though there’d be no harm in shipping a little extra to the ship. Whether Benny got up to anything remained to be seen. As for the unusual couple, staying in the same establishment as Luna would probably be the most convenient for everyone though given all the labels as they entered the resort section there’d be much, much more to explore here.

Her excitement certainly showed the whole time. Phoebe took her companion window shopping for a short while despite him thinking about buying equipment and the like on his own, if only to allude to the fact he could always try something himself. Since he’d have to be the one looking at her, however, she wanted to at least hear his input on such matters. Unlike the usual slave attire or functional garments they were wearing, the young woman went for something simple, but fashionable this time around. A short sleeve shirt, long skirt plus belt buckle and sandals weren’t quite in line with her more tomboyish style back at Shokushu and Earth, but it had an overall more mature feel to it all. As for underwear, well, he’d have to keep guessing just what she chose.

The same applied to her other purchases other than the diamond bespeckled bracelet that'd be a gift for Viryon. Those special wares were not something he’d be free to see now though he’d find her a little bit flustered just asking one of the droids for directions to one or two places. That’s when they parted ways, too, as it’d be her secret just what would be in store for him later. Truth be told, the more exotic goods were embarrassing to browse and buy, no matter the time of day or what planet they were on.

As soon as that had been handled, however, Phoebe notified Luna that she’d be coming over now. It dawned on her that she should’ve asked for a name when the whole search issue came up again. Not that it troubled her in the grand scheme of things.

Along the way, Phoebe found herself scanning for restaurants and the like, someplace for the three, or four of them if Luna came along, to dine in after she and Kurgan met up by the hangar later. It really felt surreal to do just that; looking for a nice place to eat. The thought amused her to the point of breaking out into a bright smile all of a sudden. Tension slowly bled from her body and mind every waking minute. The past few weeks, if not months, really didn't compare to this place at all.

All in all, however, the natives definitely had an influence on visitors. She couldn’t quite make up her mind whether this was acceptable or not, let alone how they did it. Neither using the comms earlier nor walking through the streets showed any other source of power or potentially unseen vapor or chemicals responsible for keeping everything secure. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except for how clean everything was. She felt the Keltorians the entire time she was there, however, and figured that maybe their combined psychic prowess or pheromones really were enough to render any form of military force or security pointless.

“Gorgeous?” Luna's blush deepened. She did well enough in her role as a spy back at that club. Her life depended on it at the time and the lives of so many others. If the stakes weren't so high she would have been terrible at it. And of course Phoebe did most of the work so she could handle things behind the scenes, arrange for n ambush and apprehend Gorjen.

The bounty hunters she hired were reliable in completing their tasks. None had ties to slavers outside of those that had worked to recover “merchandise” so while she was vulnerable no one took advantage. That or Luna was the first to recover from her stunned state. She didn't get into those details.

Phoebe would notice that her eye color had changed. Simple enough with contacts or had she been wearing contacts before at the club?

“The pool's fine. They got a good selection of these paperbacks here at the resort so it was more convenient then going down to the beach.” She glanced off camera then back. “Not that it's far from here but I'm doing a bit of research so I'm bouncing around through the books a fair bit. The Keltorians have some interesting things I haven't thought of.

“I'm not really sure how their calming nature works but if I combine it with some of their other break throughs I think I can improve my serum.” She rushed through the matter excited about these things. As much as she was experiencing just a bit of down time herself for the week after the latest mission came to an end.

“I'm glad you like it! I've never been here, heard a bit about it and figured that since this sector is safe it was good to leave Viryon if you didn't show up within the week and I had to go back to the directorate. I'm impressed and I've only seen this section or it and the hanger. Suffice it to say I know where I'm taking my next vacation.

“Kurgan? So you got him back! Excellent! Viryon? Oh she's at the beach with another agent that just got here. I won't tell here that you arrived. See you soon.”

Kurgan returned to her side after accessing a kiosk himself. Brought up to speed about what was happening with Viryon he nodded. Remaining close until they separated. Without active coms it was actually easy to contact one another through kiosks if necessary. It wasn't as quick but the droids would follow along while another would seek out the person they were contacting based on the name or description provided.

The droids seemed to be around when they were needed and hidden otherwise. Somehow they seemed to know. There may have been a lot of them too. Or maybe their hosts felt their needs in someway and sent the kiosks to them? No one seemed to think on it much, well Luna probably did. Most didn't care how a thing worked provided that it worked. Most had only a basic understanding how things worked and not how they did what they did. Pull a trigger on a blaster it shot, flip that switch and turn on a radio …

Shopping was easy and made convenient for the guests. The resort area had many restaurants, was close to a beach and had many lodgings from hotels to cabins. It was clean and there were a good number of aliens most being near human. There were even various arcades and places that held simulators and VR.

Finding a place that sold jewelry was a simple matter along with clothing. Money was something that she didn't need to worry about with the funds that Kurgan set aside. That and there was so much at that base, none of which Aegir appeared to care about.

Contacting Luna again she discovered the location of the resort which had been close by. Viryon was still down at the beach and Luna still researching. The way she unwound was different than most. Then again Kurgan didn't seem too far off going about collecting supplies and equipment in her absence. The Voren wasn't nearly as bad knowing that he would need to get these things in advance so he could tinker with them later.

Arriving at the resort after a bit of shopping she finds that the resort is a U shaped building. It opened up at the back to the beach. There was a huge pool out back and even a helicopter or some other sort of craft on the roof. Droids showed her in and it was while conversing with one and assuring it that she was here to visit someone rather than book one of the rooms. Lead off to the rear of the building after using one of the kiosks to announce her to Luna she is escorted there.

“You had no trouble finding the place? Everything with well afterwards with the rescue and all? You know the agency could use you if you ever decide to come back.” Once sentence ran into the other as Luna came before her. “Oh right, Viryon she's there.”

Luna scanned the beach then pointed. Viryon easy enough to spot since most of those at the beach were human. Even with her back turned and in the ocean the darker scales had been hard to miss. Should she glance back there was enough distance where Viryon probably wouldn't recognize her.

“Hope's with her. Just got here after her latest mission and was on the way back to the directorate. I convinced her to stop by so I could upgrade her armor. All is well I hope?”

New clothes helped her blend in with the other visitors more. With a more casual look it didn’t take long to feel at greater ease than with the flight suit she’d stuffed into the bag dangling from one of her hands. She could get used to this kind of leisurely stroll through the streets, heading towards the resort Luna stayed in. Recent events felt farther and farther away, well removed from the tranquility of the planet. Admittedly, it was only while changing that the thought of her anchor piercing being functional or not even occurred to the young blonde. She didn’t check, given that Aegir was bound to be busy and probably not one for small talk, but it might come in handy when Gersham got back to her.

Then again, that same thought evaporated when droids received her at the resort and paved the path toward Luna herself. Seeing how she was mostly reading and hardly wet from the waist up, Phoebe smiled and pulled her into a gentle embrace, if only to express her appreciation for what’s been done throughout their little adventure together. Finding the place was easy, making this woman blush even more so. “Oh, it’s been no trouble at all. While I felt those droids were a bit of a hassle at first, they’re quite helpful in terms of navigating the area. Everything around here is pretty damn convenient.”

As for coming back, she didn’t wish to sully their rather high spirits with comments about the agency, or vivid scenes of those unfortunate captives who wouldn’t ever return to base. Unlike them, Phoebe actually had a choice in the matter. For now, she’d brushed the issue aside without giving it much thought.

She would’ve asked about her last name for future calls though now, being face to face, other words dwelled on the former agent’s tongue. The undeniable truth could hardly wait, could it? Luna really was a rather sublime treat for the eyes, neither too stunning nor far from just cute either. “You look good. That bikini suits you.” When it came to those lovely eyes, Phoebe would rather be surprised as to their true color. It kept her wondering, and not knowing for sure added a bit of a thrill to the guessing game at hand.

“I’m afraid Hope and I never had the pleasure. She sounds like more of a combatant than pilot or mechanic, so .. Probably never heard of me either.” She added, casting a glance towards the distant scene by the beach. A smile crested her lips, almost wistfully, but she chose not to act even if her other companion looked over. She still fought the urge to run down to the beach and embrace her. It’s been too long and up until she made contact with Luna her fate had been uncertain. “Well, Viryon seems to be enjoying the beach. No point in waving her over just yet. It has to be quite the break from being stuck on a ship for months or following that slaver around .. Ha. Silly me. Never knew they had a beach over here though the pool should’ve got me thinking .. I haven’t even brought a swimsuit for myself ..”

With everyone accounted for, the answer to the final question should’ve been obvious. “All’s well that ends well, you know? I’m thinking we’re pretty close though the rescue’s been a rough ride at first. It didn’t quite play out the way I expected, but I’m happy with the results.” She looked back over to Luna and grinned. “Hell, even if your work on the serum doesn’t amount to anything, I’m grateful for all you’ve done and how everything’s turned out. Kurgan’s back, Viryon’s been in your care until now and you seem to be doing fairly well yourself. That’s a relief. Now all I’ll need is some time to forget about this whole thing.”

What went down with Gersham and the events that followed could wait for another time unless she really wanted to know. A brief rundown rundown on those events wouldn’t hurt anyone. In spite of her desire to forget, however, she’d never forget what, or rather who, started it. That treacherous woman would have her fair share of regret in all due time.

Scanning the premises, on the other hand, served as a distraction from even the most satisfying images playing out before her inner eye. “This resort looks fantastic .. I might just have to book a room for .. myself.” She caught herself in time before adding Kurgan to the equation though it probably wasn’t something worth hiding. Her condition could only be contained for so long, whether desired or not, especially since those candies had finally run out. “Anyway, I’m not too big into standing around like this .. Is there anywhere we can hang out? Maybe by the pool? I’ve got the better part of the hour before I’m meeting up with Kurgan by the hangar. We thought about having a bit of a go at what the planet’s got on offer right after.”

With any luck she could keep an eye on Viryon though she didn’t want to disturb her fun just yet for the sake of saying hello and handing over a gift. All that could wait. Seeing her out and about as well as active, if not happy, was pleasant enough.

“You and Viryon should join us, maybe give us a tour if you’ve been checking things out yourself.” Of course, that only applied if they weren’t disrupting any existing plans. She was merely inviting them to come along. By now, Luna probably knew better as to whether Viryon or Hope were going to be eager to leave that undoubtedly inviting ocean behind in the first place.

Luna blushed at the embrace. The two petite women coming together. Talk, however brief, about tech grabbed her attention making her more comfortable. “Oh, yes the droids. Their sophisticated enough to learn. Storing behaviors, likes and what not. They adjust to a person's quirks almost as if the AI is organic. From what I've found out they're all linked. Some get shut down to be repaired and upgraded. I have no idea what back ups are in place if the system goes down either. There good at knowing when they are needed and when they are not.”

There were those that were stationary in key areas to be found easily. For the most part they were out of the way. Luna's blush returned with the comment of her appearance. Not one use to such attention perhaps. For the most part Luna was in the R&D department.

“Thank you. You look good too.” She smiled far from the confident incognito agent back at the club. “The resort provided mine one of the benefits of getting a room here. Most of my clothes involve lab coats. Hope? Uh, she's that one.”

Luna pointed out a woman with dark hair, dark blue or black given the distance. “She works with a team of agents. More of a marine on the front of boarding actions and dealing with pirates. I know her well enough despite us being in different worlds. She allowed me to manufacture my template with my serum. She's immune to aphrodisiacs or highly resistant. At least she's shown no effects to the stuff I've used on her. While in the womb her mother was subjected to high quantities of aphrodisiac for a considerable portion of the pregnancy.

“Yes, everything went well. I've worked a little on a drug that targets stressful memories in order to work with PTSD but haven't had much success. Even the serum was slow going and I had a test subject ideal for that on hand.

“If you get a room you can get a swimsuit too. Come this way,” she walked closer to the pool. Phoebe could see one of the droid kiosks nearby. Others frolicked in the pool most being older humans. At one end there were few people with sight out to the beach unhindered. The majority of those out there were younger and it was clear that the pool was meant to avoid crowds or for those too lazy to go to the beach or had health issues attributed to being out in that heat. Plenty of shade here.

“I'd go with you. There are few things that I've checked out. Most of it the tech stuff. The VR is supreme. The games and the tech that make them have no peer. Most of what I know I read about. The resort area is themed from modern, to medieval and so on. There's an X section too, apparently lots of sex clubs for those interested in unwinding that way. I didn't read much about it but that's were most of the aliens are.

“The theme park has plenty of robotics too in addition to rides among other attractions. Did you need any serum? I'm assuming that you're planning on being here for a bit.” She looked away for a moment considering something before glancing back to her.

That blush was cute, as always, but it came as a bit of a surprise nevertheless. It’s not as if they were complete strangers, all things considered. Where’s all that confidence gone? Was their intimate meeting at the club just a spur of the moment thing? Tensions were high back then. Without eyes on them, perhaps her fellow agent relaxed a bit more easily though for the moment neither one nor the other appeared to harbor thoughs of continuing where they left off.

At least these thoughts hadn’t crossed one of their minds, but even without those she had encountered countless admirers and captors alike. They made her forget all about those unwarranted emotions over time. The petite blonde had enough of these vivid scenes in the back of her mind for now. After having dealt with working in the establishment, fumbling her escape and relying on Gersham to keep her company, Phoebe took solace in the fact everyone involved made it out alright. That had to be enough for now.

As they made their way over to the pool, her eyes scanned the premises and picked up on the other guests nearby. Or, more specifically, what species they were part of. “I’m surprised there are so many humans here.” Someone might’ve forgotten about the memo back on base when it came to telling the pilots. Then again, not all of these might be agents, but rather free humans or those working for the darker side in this eternal conflict between humanity and the outside world. Whichever the case, the planet seemed to be a safe haven for everyone who could afford it.

“This has got to be the real deal, huh ..” Phoebe mumbled under her breath as she eased onto a chair or the ground here, whichever had been closest or more convenient for the two women. She breathed out a sigh while draping one leg over the other though the length of her skirt left the blonde’s peachy thighs and their luscious silhouette hidden for once. The one on top bobbed up and down ever so slightly, not out of boredom out of habit.

“Since it's you who recommends it .. I'll take your word for it.” A smile etched into the girl’s features, her focus fell on the brainiac beside her. “I’m not too big into tech, but I’m always up for a few games. Been a while since I just sat down to play ..”

Admittedly, she was never one to have a whole lot of funds even before coming to Shokushu. Virtual reality and the like were a luxury more often than not, something she got to check out at a friend’s place or one or the other convention. She caught herself making small talk about this matter or another, eager to actually have fun and not be on the job all the time, but only continued if Luna cared to hear about bits and pieces of her past. They might as well get to know each other a bit better, especially given the fact this woman saved Viryon from an uncertain fate.

As for the serum, it probably couldn’t hurt to have some as a backup. The candy probably wouldn’t last all day and scouring the resort area for some lighthearted adventures was bound to bring a lot of talking with it. “Well, can’t say I wouldn’t appreciate it. I do plan on staying for a while. Have you made any progress with it?”

She wondered about that, what with her statement on success being slow despite having an ideal subject on hand. Luna was probably refering to Hope though even then she couldn’t quite fathom the sheer amount of work that went into it which only added to the onset of a headache that was sneaking up on her now. Still, anything short of reversing the changes to those altered cells was still going to be a blessing. Life was tough enough, now grant one the ability to turn themself on or even climax from speaking, or even just breathing, and it became a whole new nightmare of its own.

The fact research had been ongoing made her consider something else. “Kurgan’s candies help with external stimuli for a time. We’re down to the last one though he’s out there purchasing new equipment I don’t want him working on what might as well be a day off.” Not that he’d be of help for certain, but he had some experience with chemistry at least. “You could try hooking up with him for a while if you don’t want to work on the serum by yourself. Maybe he knows a thing or two that could help you out.”

“Humans ...” Luna glanced back to those nearby then looked out to the beach. It was as if she was noting the fact that there were so many of them for the first time being oblivious to these things. When she looked back she smiled a bit.

“Some are. I thought they were clones or something. Most of in this section appear human to our perceptions. Some sort of tech or meddling by the natives. I think it's meant to relax us. Sort of tough enjoying yourself if you think that two headed thing with fangs the length of your arm is looking off in your direction.

“They didn't do anything to me that I'm aware of and I only stumbled onto that fact when I was looking through books for use in my work. I guess they want everyone happy and relaxed. Though at different areas perceptions differ. In section X it's a free for all. Those comfortable with the galaxy at large and what not. Other areas like the medieval area show aliens as fantasy creatures. I haven't tried it, nor am I sure how it really works.”

Luna loved going on about tech, even if she didn't understand it fully. She listened to Phoebe curious about Earth. Luna had never been there herself one of the few humans among the stars. She wasn't sure about humanity's history. Was Earth a lost colony or were humans taken from that world long ago? There were worlds with humans but they were a rarity.

She gave the games a brief thought then hooked her thumb towards a distant Viryon. “I played a few of the sims, very realistic. Viryon's a great pilot, that or I'm just that bad. Too reliant on EMI I guess. But I don't really do field work now ever since my friend was rescued. Mostly it's tech work here or there working with ADD allies and such, studying uncovered tech and such. The last mission I just happened to be closest and the consequences were pretty high. But there are a few sims that I can show you. Some would work well at the base too. If it wasn't Viryon kicking my ass at piloting Hope was doing that in the fighting sims. But I'd blow the pair out of the water when it comes to tech. It just didn't come up all that often in those sims alas.”

When talk turned to Kurgan and the serum Luna got that same excitement when speaking about tech and theories. She just couldn't help but ramble though she's been doing a better job at not doing it as much. It took her some time to re3alize that not everyone shared that same zeal.

“Candy? How long does it take to kick in? Really?” Gears churned in her head. Her serum was injected into the blood stream and she figured anything ingested would take too long to kick in. In the beginning she toyed with pills but they were better taken before any drugs were administered while her serum could be used either before or during the course of an aphrodisiac. So the later won out. She wondered how the Voren managed to produce something so well, but the candy only worked on her condition. The two would have to compare notes. In short aphrodisiacs primarily targeted the brain while her drive was influenced by her tongue and the candy dissolved into the muscle that quickly.

But all the science would wait for a bit. There were details Phoebe couldn't answer and Luna, as thrilled as she was about things would try not to have that interfere much.

“I would like to compare notes with him before I go. That's not until the end of the week so it can wait.” She smiled fighting the urge to get caught up in the new revelations.

“I rarely have time off between assignments. I might get more time in the future if they ever give me my rank back. I was an officer but I wasn't in the field until a friend of mine was kidnapped. Even then they tried to dissuade me from field work. Demoted me since I didn't have 'what it takes to be in the field'. I guess they thought that would get me to stay on base and keep up with my R&D role.

“I'm babbling. Any way there's a ton of sims you may be interested in. Even one that Viryon couldn't manage. She kept getting us killed before the five minute mark. I told her that setting was impossible.”

“Huh ..” She looked around once more, barely seeing a difference. Then again, Luna probably had more of an eye for it than she did. At that point, however, aliens were a more frequent sight to the adventuring pilot. “I hadn’t really considered that.” Admittedly it made some sense to make every guest feel at ease. At least Phoebe assumed that, depending on race, everyone viewed other guests differently. Just how they managed to do it and how each individual may have been affected far exceeded her grasp on such technology or, perhaps, psychic abilities. She could only hope it didn’t lead to some rather unusual circumstances if one guest had been attracted to another.

The sims sounded interesting to say the least. “How realistic are we talking? Do they provide sensory feedback as well?” It had to be one of the few subjects that made her more vocal overall. It was one thing to pilot a ship here and another to do it in a virtual realm. VR as such often lacked the physical sensations that came with being there in person. Sophisticated as they were, the various local attractions were probably going to surprise her in that regard, too.

Sadly she didn’t know any particulars about the candy aside from how its effects spread, or rather how it dissolved and got absorbed by altered cells lining her tongue and throat which erased their effects for a time. They’d have to meet up with Kurgan later if they were going for anything scientifically relevent.

All that chatter only got her thinking about how the directorate didn’t make the right call demoting what seemed to be a magnificent officer though she may have been a bit biased after everything that’s happened not only between them, but between her and the organization at large. Too much bad blood for being abandoned out there, similar to many others. Still, this was supposed to be a pleasant trip, and Phoebe didn’t dwell on it much longer than she had to.

Back to more enjoyable topics, the mere mention of Viryon tackling a supposedly impossible setting brought a smile to the blonde’s lips. She may have been a bit slow given her nature, but the girl certainly didn’t lack resolve. Phoebe taught her to fly considering her favorite pastime in Kurgan’s company among other things, so she could say with certainty their precious scalie had a bit of untapped potential. At the same time, however, it piqued her interest solely due to the fact the one versed in science considered it undoable.

“If we’re talking flight sims I’d be happy to prove you wrong. With the right woman at the helm, nothing’s impossible.” She grinned again, eyes drifting over the still swimsuit clad gem before her. “If we beat the challenge before you leave, I’ll have you treat me to dinner sometime.”

It was a pleasant stay thus far. She wondered just how pleasant it could become in the long run as her gaze dipped to the bag beside her, remembering something she meant to do earlier but didn’t want to interrupt Viryon’s fun. Seconds had already turned to minutes, and while staying here with a beautiful woman wasn’t the worst of fates, there was still so much to do, so much to explore. “Ah .. I better call Viryon over soon, or head down to the beach myself. I’ve brought her a gift, after all. Would be a shame if I just forgot about it with all the excitement I’m feeling just looking at the possibilities here. The beach isn’t just restricted to guests, is it?”

“Speaking of gifts ..” She was already getting up while scanning the beach for her friend, then focused back on Luna with a playful chuckle. “I still owe you one for getting her out of there for me. No returns accepted on my thanks, I’m afraid, so don’t even think about declining. If you ever need or want anything from me, it’ll be my treat.”

“I didn't pick up on it at first. The hanger has as a variety of different aliens but there are few in the resort area and those that are happen to be near human. Bigger eyes or extra limbs and joints. Not many that are too different. In fact ...” Luna brought attention to the distant Viryon again.

“I think she's the only one with stark differences. Almost as if the Keltorians couldn't get things right with her. I've tried to figure it out but since I have no clue as to how they're doing things that was abysmal. She doesn't look threatening, not very large no claws. She has no teeth either. Still baffling.”

With the mention of the simulators Luna is far more knowledgeable. She cringes a little then smiles. “Very real. There are different settings. I played on the lower settings for the most part. You could feel contact but not much. A shot felt like a muscle spasm. There was that one time with Viryon though. She cranked the level way up, not only in the challenge department but the realism aspect. When the ship was destroyed I felt as if my skin melted away for that brief second before we were all dead. It felt intense.

“It can't kill you but you can dial up the intensity quit a bit. If you actually feel pain it makes your choices more realistic. Physically nothing happens. It's all mental. From what I've read, however, in a sim if you brake your arm your mind interprets it as broken. In the lower settings you won't be able to use it, in the higher settings you'll feel it. They have a challenge rating and an intensity rating so you could set it at difficult with feedback being minor. Every game Viryon played she set to max on both levels. When you're in a group only one person gets to set these levels.”

Luna explained about the games. Some people liked challenges, others were squeamish about pain. Both could be scaled accordingly save for groups were everyone experienced the same thing. That opened the door to improvement so each individual got to tweak things to there liking. The tech probably didn't allow for this presently.

“You have a deal. You have to beat it on the toughest setting. I'll let you pick the intensity level. The sim is good at disabling the use of limbs without the need for pain. Nor do you have to complete it alone. There are several different scenarios or you can pick a random one. Ours was a boarding action, we had Hope and a bunch of npc marines. Didn't have a chance to get close to the enemy ships. And no advice from Viryon. That might allow you to shave of some time.”

She followed Phoebe's search to Viryon who stood out among the others. “Anyone can enjoy the beach. And your welcome.”

Luna blushes a bit. “I couldn't pull of what you did. I was never really good at infiltrating and dealing with others. I was at a loss as to what to do only able to watch from afar. It was easy to hire bounty hunters and mercenaries but getting them where they needed to be was the real challenge.” The ADD budget wasn't the best but Luna was skilled at moving funds around especially when it came to the accounts of nefarious beings. She didn't have to do so that often, in fact she never had before but it was in her wheel house of talents.

Luna considered her words then nodded. “Alright. I'll keep that in mind. Now before I get into discussing a hypothesis about the tech here and Viryon go see her. I'll be here unless you want me to go with you and introduce you to Hope.”

Humans were all around them, all of them except Viryon. Though knowledge on her nature and how she came to be lingered in the blonde’s mind, the same wisdom may have benefitted the likes of Luna more than the experienced pilot. That may have helped her grasp why the Keltorians weren’t quite as capable of manipulating her as they were with everyone else.

Sounded like the two of them had a deal, however. A dinner with Luna in exchange for beating a sim on the proposed settings didn’t seem too bad. The thought of failure slipped from her mind in its entirety. She almost felt guilty for setting the other agent up for failure. Almost. Assuming she lost there may have to be some kind of compensation there though Phoebe didn’t waste much time thinking about that now.

Having her come along for the purpose of introductions made sense. “Sure, why not. You’re already dressed for the beach anyway.” Lips creased into an impish smile when Luna got up to follow. “Come on, then. Time to show off my future date to the other guests.”

It happened to be an ambush of sorts when one of her arms slung around the adorably flustered brunette’s shoulder. Her free hand handled the bag while the other now handled this living treasure of a lady. With the other woman close to her side, that same touch ventured along her back in an elongated caress, only grinding to a halt around the other woman’s waist. She couldn’t help but stifle a lighthearted chuckle. Phoebe would then begin the brief trek to where their respective companions were hanging out.

Subtle threads of deeply lingering distrust towards this place and the peaceful nature of it kept the young blonde wondering whether she was dreaming or not. The warm sands caught between sandals and the soles of her feet were but a brief taste of imminent relaxation, as well as a reminder just how far away her latest vacation had been, not counting her more pleasant stays with customers that didn’t mistreat her back at various clubs. Waves lapped up against the shore, a mantra of comfort to the feel of soothing sunlight warming her from above.

How was Gorjen doing now? Would he have taken her to a wonderful place like this? Life was good then, but could it compare to this very day, to be reunited with her friends? She was but a slave back then, no matter how favorable he looked upon her. A temporary plaything that pleased him in ways few others could. Now, free from him and the burdens of the world, there was nothing that would’ve made her mind spending the whole week here.

Luna found that teasing touch slip away before they got too close to the other two, perhaps to keep her from burning up with a blush that’d likely be amplified by their closeness when standing before them. Phoebe, for one, couldn’t shake the smile on her features. Would the scaled woman be happy to see her again? She certainly was now. Where eyes were once shining with anticipation, they were now gleaming with radiance. She’d been waiting a long time for this moment. All the abuse didn’t matter as long as this innocent woman remained free and well.

“Viryon!” She called out unless being spotted beforehand. Even if she happened to be damp from taking a dip in the ocean, Phoebe wouldn’t mind an embrace though she’d let Viryon initiate it. Somewhere deep down, she was quietly holding back tears. The thought of having to leave her in that vile man’s hands all the way back then still made her sick to her stomach. She could only hope nothing horrible had happened between them.

Had she known about Viryon's origins Luna may have had come to a hypothesis that made sense. It properly wouldn't have been far from the truth either. In fact the Keltdorian tech or psionics had been baffled by her. She didn't fit into a neat category. While others could be influenced there was something that they couldn't edit about her or force those edits to others who saw and heard her for whatever reason.

Luna blushed with that contact. It was easy to fluster the agent when everything wasn't on the line. Her role was a little one in the grand scheme of things simply because she had been the only one around to act at that time. Eventually as they walked she gained a little confidence. Her arm entwining around Phoebe's waist. Gradually it crept from her hip to her lower back dipping slowly. Fingers brushed over that shapely ass as she realized that others were caught up in their own interests to notice or if they had there was no attention directed towards the pair.

Fingers drew away when they neared the others. Not all of the color left her face either when Viryon was called too. As the distance was closed she noted something different, Viryon's scales weren't green but a light shade of blue. As she spun around those scales deepened in color to a rich purple. The color change was new, at least this extreme. At times there were subtle differences in the shade of green she was that Kurgan chalked up to the equivalent of blushing or feeling ill. Nothing extreme. Though their were lizards that could change their coloration such as anoles and chameleons. Was Viryon had to be related to a similar species.

“PHOEBE!” She raced out of the water embracing the pilot. Another young woman following. If anything happened to her Viryon didn't show it. There were a torrent of words that were barely understandable as questions rushed together. One after another before the first could be answered. She would catch things such as the ship, Kurgan's status and how she escaped.

“Hi.” The agent said as she caught up to the group.



Luna stepped in then making introductions. “Phoebe, Hope. Hope, Phoebe.” She summed up with a few notes. Phoebe being a pilot, Hope a marine in the ADD. If Hope knew of her or saw her in passing she didn't seem to recognize the agent.

Viryon glanced between everyone. “Well, we never got a chance to use the marines in the sim. It's hard.”

“Says the one who puts it at the highest setting all the time.”

Viryon stuck her tongue out at Hope then went back to fawning over Phoebe.