Here we go... How it works

[kayelle_allen]

I'll start a story and there will be info given on the characters and setting. Others can add to the story and take it in a direction they think would be fun, then the next person works with that. I'll jump in regularly to keep everything where it should be and cheer on the troops. At the end of the month, there will be a drawing for a copy of Human Perfect, plus Whiskey and Wine, the short story that inspired the Surrender trilogy, and also, the entire finished story in pdf (with a custom created cover), dedicated to the winner and listing the names of all the participants. It will then be posted on Coffee Time's "Free Read" board for everyone to see.

[kayelle_allen]

Tiago stepped through the portal of the quarters and dogged the hatch behind him. "Home. Finally!" The scent of smoke made his nose twitch. Snapping to attention, he laid back both pointed ears and prowled through the room. He lifted one of the casual pillows in the resting-bowl sunken into the floor and gave it a cursory sniff. Rhys allowed no candles on board after Tiago had set fire to their bed last year. Accidentally. Not that it had mattered to Rhys.

Rubbing his backside at the memory, Tiago recalled the delicious spanking that had started out as punishment and ended up leading to some of the wildest sex they'd ever had. Still, he hadn't tried Rhys's patience since. Speaking of which...

"Rhys?" He cocked his head, listening for his lover's response, but only silence greeted him. He sniffed again, trying to discern the origin of the smoky smell. He ducked through the portal into the bedroom and stopped short. "Whoa," left his mouth on a growling purr.

His human lover leaned against the far wall on the other side of the bed. Nude from the waist up, he stood with arms folded, wearing black leather pants and two matching bands around his muscled biceps. Short raven hair stood up in places, as damp as if he'd stepped right out of the shower. Those midnight blue eyes of his were half-closed, a look of drowsy lust filling them.

Swallowing, Tiago gestured to the wall screen displaying a fireplace. "I..."

Rhys flexed his arms as he set them on his hips.

Tiago's mouth went dry, and he panted.

One eyebrow lifted, Rhys gestured him to continue.

"Oh. I-- um..." He swallowed again and pointed to the wall screen. "Th-that smells real."

"New mod." Rhys padded barefoot around the bed. "I thought you were coming straight home after work. Where were you?"

Unable to look away or speak, Tiago waited, unmoving, until his lover stopped directly in front of him. Blood rushed to Tiago's hardening cock. He found no words to answer the question. Hell, what was the question, anyway?

"What's the matter, Tiago?" Rhys smiled. "Cat got your tongue?"

"This cat's getting yours," he murmured before kissing him. Mouths connected, Tiago reached behind his head and unfastened the leather tie holding back his hair. He flattened his hands against his lover's bare back and drew him close.

Rhys turned, and Tiago felt the strength in his lover's arms as Rhys maneuvered him onto the bed. He lay back, rising only enough to grab his long hair and pull it out from under him.

Kneeling above him, Rhys gripped a handful of the silver tresses and brought them to his face. He inhaled deeply, eyes closed in a rapturous expression. "You smell so good." He braced himself on his hands above Tiago. "Good enough to eat."

Tiago growled his pleasure at the thought.

"But first, there's a little matter of your being late."

[lavagrl]

“I… I.” Tiago licked his lips and tried again. “I was talking to Kira and lost track of time.”
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p>
“Oh?” Rhys growled, tugging Tiago’s hair just a little harder.
<o:p> </o:p>
“Ummm.” Tiago managed to nod, pulling his hair against Rhys’s grip. “Sorry I made you wait.” It came out breathy.
<o:p> </o:p>
Rhys chuckled, a low growling deep in his throat. “Roll over.”
<o:p> </o:p>
Tiago did, the extra pressure on his charged cock making him whimper.
<o:p> </o:p>
“Already?” Rhys whispered. “We haven’t even started yet. You sh…”
<o:p> </o:p>
“Beep. Beep. BEEP,” the ship’s comm. system cut him off.
<o:p> </o:p>
“What the…” Tiago muttered, pushing up to his knees.
<o:p> </o:p>
“All hands to stations. This is not a drill,” the Captain’s recorded voice said overhead.
<o:p> </o:p>
Tiago and Rhys looked at each other. Tiago kissed his lover quickly and they hopped to. Rhys threw on a shirt and they were out the door in thirty seconds.
<o:p> </o:p>
The long, plain halls were packed with crew members rushing to posts. They really should’ve designed wider hallways, Tiago thought, following the trail Rhys’s large body blazed through the crowd.
<o:p> </o:p>
It took longer than Tiago thought it should have to reach munitions. “What’s going on, sir?” he asked Lieutenant Balboa.
<o:p> </o:p>
“Rebels,” she said, steel grey eyes fixed on her computers. “Stations. We’ve got at least a dozen of their cruisers coming up fast.”<o:p></o:p>

:leo:

[lavagrl]

Ensign Wilder jogged up to them just as Tiago turned to get his furry ass to his work station.

"Sir, the torpedoes aren’t responding," the Ensign said, fear glazing his dark eyes. "And the cameras in the weapons’ hold are showing snow."

"Shit!" Balboa look like she was resisting the urge to slam her fist through her console. "Get a security squad together and get your asses down there. Tiago, you’re with them. After security clears the room, check the weapons. Be careful. If the rebels got on board, they are a hellava lot smarter than we thought."

Tiago met Rhys’s eyes. His lover’s clenched fists said all that they didn’t have time for: Be careful. Get yourself killed and I will beat your ass. I love you.

Tiago nodded and ran out after Wilder.

:leo:

[kayelle_allen]

Wilder handed Tiago a holstered weapon. "Stay behind me."

"Yes, sir." Running to keep up, he cinched the holster tight and buckled it around his waist. When they reached the door outside the torpedo room, both flattened themselves against the wall.

Wilder whispered into his comm, advising Balboa they were in place.

Tiago pulled the gun, checked the power level and noted the full 24-hour charge. Good! I can cut through walls with this thing if I have to. He set it halfway to lethal and held it up near his right cheek, waiting for Wilder's direction.

*****

Rhys manned his station as well as Tiago's, ensuring all parameters were set to optimum. He advised Balboa and then took his place at the general munitions board.

The port torpedo room was grayed-out, indicating non-availability. The grayed-out starboard side flickered, then went dark.

"Frack!" He tapped the board, trying to bring back the signal.

Balboa came up behind him. "What is it?"

"The starboard side is completely dead. We can't see a thing." He turned toward her only to be speared by her intense silver-eyed gaze. He refused to look down or back away like everyone else under her command. "If you send another security team over there, Tiago and I are the only ones who know how to fix those torpedoes, and there's no one else here I can turn this board over to, sir."

"No one else?" Balboa turned to scan the room, shoulders back, head up. "Where the hell are Renn and Kar?"

Rhys had the same thought she did, apparently, for when she turned to look back at him, her forbidding eyes blazed with fury.

He swallowed. "You think they're not here because they're the ones who caused this?"

"Would they know how?"

"Sir, other than Tiago and me, they're the only ones who could."

Balboa activated a comm. "Get me the captain. We may have traitors on board."

[lavagrl]

The doors swished open and Wilder held up a hand, flashing fingers. The four security guards nodded. Wilder went in first, keeping his body low and his gun out. Two members of the security squad followed. Tiago waited outside with the other two for the signal.

Tiago’s body tingled with adrenaline, his fur standing at attention like tiny stiff dicks. If his heart went any faster, it was going to explode.

"All clear," Wilder called an eternity and a minute later.
Wind rushed out of Tiago and he resisted the urge to sag. He was a scientist, not a fighter.

He walked in with the security guards. The hold was a ghost yard of boxed weapons and computer consoles.

Wilder waved him over to the torpedo section. "Get fixing. We’ll keep an eye out."

"Yes, sir." Tiago put away his gun and opened the control panel on the first torpedo. He hooked up his computer, and started running a general diagnostic on the system.

"Freeze!"

Tiago jumped and turned, tugging the gun on his belt before he realized it was Wilder who’d shouted and was pointing his gun at the front of the hold.

"It’s us, sir" Renn squeaked, her hands in the air. Kar was right behind her, his hands up, too. "Balboa told us to get our asses down here and help fix the torpedoes."

"Little word of advice," Wilder growled, lowering his gun, "don’t sneak up on security officers when they’re looking for stowaway rebels."

"Duly noted, sir," Renn said, rushing across the hold. "Sorry." She held out her hand and Wilder gave it a quick shake.

"It’s okay, just don’t do it a..." Wilder’s eyes clouded and his mouth went slack.

"Sir?" Tiago asked.

Wilder hit the ground, a tiny dart sticking out of his palm.

The world slowed down. Tiago turned in slow motion as Kar pulled out a gun and hit two of the guards in the chest. Renn moved at the same time, taking down the other two. The beam was white, meaning they were shooting to stun, not kill.

Renn aimed at Tiago and his mind barely recognized the flash of white before the world went dark.

:leo:

[Reviewer Danielle]

Rhys knew something was wrong he could tell by the way his internal link with Tiago seemed to just...go...silent. Clicking his comm he waited for some feedback from Tiago. When none was forthcoming he turned to Balboa and saw the look of absolute fury on her face. Shaken he licked his suddenly dry lips and said, "What?"
Balboa turned on him and growled, "They cut the comm links. We are now on a no-communication zone. We have no fecking way of communicating with anyone other than via face to face."
As Balboa continued to rant about useless technology and asshole spies, Rhys got an idea. It was a good thing that Tiago was such a pack rat, along with being a collector of all things antique.
Running to his lover's locker, he quickly opened the fiberglass door and a deluge of collectibles rained down upon his body, almost knocking him over.
Digging quickly, he found what he was looking for and returned to find Balboa still mumbling. Walking up to her, he grabbed her hand and passed her the black box.
Looking down, Balboa got a funny look on her face and said, "What the hell is this?"
Rhys smirked and said, "They cut our comm links. We have no way to communicate unless it is face to face. Or...we use these."
"And what exactly are these?" Balboa asked as she lifted one eyebrown in that infuriatingly manner.
"These bad boys," Rhys said wickedly, "are what was known as walkie-talkies during the late nineteenth century. They quickly became non-existent as the cellphones became more commercially used during the twenthieth century. Thanks to Tiago's obsession with antiques of the nineteenth and twentieth century he picked these bad boys up for chump change. We used them last week for something a tad more erotic than this. But I know they still work."
Balboa turned the switch and said, "testing...testing."
Hearing her voice through Rhys handheld, she got a wickedly nasty grin on her face and said, "now let's go kick some traitor ass!"

[lavagrl]

Tiago’s eyelids inched up a nanometer at a time. His head throbbed like he’d been doing tequila shooters all night. Bright light stabbed through the slice under his eyelids and he slammed them shut again.

"Tiago," a soft voice said. Something pushed against his arm, sliding in with the ease of a needle. Oh wait, that was a needle.

It pulled out and the medicine hit three seconds later. His head cleared and the throbbing cooled down to a background beat. He opened his eyes and sat up.

"What the fuck," he breathed, looking around.

He was in an infirmary. Four beds lined a wall with machines between them. He lay on the fifth. Everything was white and shinny chrome, and it smelled like industrial strength cleaner covering the faint hint of blood.

"Hey, welcome back."

He turned. Renn stood by his bed, smiling down at him.

"What’s going on, Renn?" The question came out rough and Tiago’s throat burned. He grabbed the glass of water on the tray next to his bed and downed half of it in one gulp.

"I’m sorry we had to do it this way." She rung her hands. "But it was the only way to get you off the ship."

"Where are we?" He knew he wasn’t going to like the answer.

"The Crossbones. It’s a rebel ship."

"Rebels!" Tiago jumped off the bed, his legs shaky but holding. "You’re a traitor?"

"Technically, but..." Her hands wouldn’t stop dancing around each other. "The Armada’s no better than slavers, Tiago. The rebels convinced Kar and me they just wanted freedom. And now we’re asking for your help."

"Me? Why me?"

[kayelle_allen]

Renn jammed her fists against her hips. "Like the captain or Balboa would ever listen to us!" She shook her head, lowering her hands. "I know what Rhys would say."

"Bullshit."

She jerked up her head, squinting at him. "W-what do you mean?"

"You don't know him at all." He folded his arms, letting his claws extend from beneath his nails. "And you don't know me if you think you have to pull a stunt like this to get me to listen."

"You mean--" Renn took a slight step forward. "You guys are sympathizers?"

"Geez, Renn. Do you really have to ask?" He spread his arms. "Do you see me fighting you?"

She sighed. "What a relief." Picking up a comm at her belt, she keyed it once. "Kar, clear. Get in here."

The door opened and Renn's workmate stepped through, his weapon holstered, though he rested one hand atop it. "Status?"

"He says he's not fighting us on this." She grinned at Tiago and turned back to Kar. "Rhys might be sympathetic too."

"No shit?" Kar rubbed his temples, relaxed his shoulders.

Tiago used their distraction and relief to full advantage. Stepping up behind Renn, he snatched her weapon free and wrapped an arm around her neck. He set the barrel of the stunner against her ear.

"Now," he told her, "you see me fighting you. Get me out of here you damn traitors, or I'll blow your heads off."

[lavagrl]

Rhys and Balboa managed to land their little shuttle in the rebel’s ship docking bay without problems. It was pathetic how easy it was to find their ship even though they had shields up. They also parked and closed the bay’s door without setting off alarms. These rebels were outclassed in every way.

He drew his gun and followed Balboa out first. They checked the bay, guns up, watching each others back without a word.

When they determined it was clear, they hurried over to the chamber connecting the docking bay to the rest of the ship. Rhys checked through the doors, seeing nothing but a long hallway that looked a lot like the inside of their ship.

These ship builders have no imagination, Rhys thought, checking around a corner. He nodded the ‘clear’ to Balboa and she followed him.

Something sweet tickled Rhys’s nose. It smelled almost like pure sugar riding the air.

Thump!

He turned with his gun up on reflex. Balboa lay in a heap on the ground.

SHIT! Knockout gas. I have to...

He didn’t even feel his ass hit the floor before he was out.

#

"Sizzzzzzzz ...enn? You there?" came over the comm system in the infirmary. The background buzzing made Tiago’s fur stand on end like it’d been stroked the wrong way.

"Yes," Renn said, voice even despite the gun on her head.

"We’ve got the intruders."

"Huh. Well our first captive’s got me. Get down here."

Tiago dug the gun’s barrel into her temple and she made a small sound but held steady. "I’ll.."

"You don’t want to shoot me," she interrupted. "We’ve got your guy."

Tiago’s blood ran cold. "What?"

"He snuck on board, thought we didn’t know they were there. He had Balboa with him. You want him safe, you hear us out."

Tiago let her go, holding the gun by his side while he eyed her and Kar. "I’m listening."

[kayelle_allen]

"Balboa hit the floor." Kar jerked a thumb toward the door. "Rhys is okay, but they were supposed to be farther inside before the gas triggered. It was only supposed to affect anyone who might be following them. Instead, they both passed out."

"You damn jackass!" Tiago jammed his gun into the front of his belt.

"He's okay, man!" Kar made patting motions. "Calm down. He's--"

"I'll kill you!" Tiago took two giant steps, grabbed the front of Kar's jacket, picked him up off the ground, and shook him. "You said he wouldn't get hurt!"

"He's okay!" Kar glanced down at the floor. "Put me down. He's okay, I swear it!"

Renn looked from one to the other as Tiago released her partner. "What are you talking about, Kar? What's going on?"

Kar dusted himself off. "Sorry, Renn. I couldn't tell you until now."

"Tell me what?"

Tiago withdrew the gun and handed it to Kar. "Where is he?"

A door slid open, revealing a frazzled-looking Armada soldier with dark hair.

"Rhys!" Tiago scrambled toward him, got one arm around his lover and helped him inside the infirmary. "Baby, are you all right?"

He nodded, coughing.

Tiago eased Rhys onto one of the infirmary beds, and it folded itself around him, diagnostics activating in holo-format over the top.

Renn got between Tiago and the bed. "Will one of you tell me what the hell is going on?"

"Get outa my way." When she didn't move, Tiago bared fangs and spat a hiss.

She moved.

Tiago studied the medi-bed's readouts. He breathed out a long sigh as the readings went green. "Whew! He's normal."

"Normal?" Balboa's voice said over Tiago's shoulder. "Since when did that apply to either of you two?"

Tiago turned and grinned. "The plan worked."

The silver-eyed female gazed back at him with only slightly less than her usual disdain. "Did you think it wouldn't?"

Renn stepped back, staring at them. "I don't--" She broke off as Rhys sat up and lifted one hand, which Balboa slapped with hers as if they'd won a victory. "Okay, that's it. What in the hell?"

Kar set a hand on his partner's shoulder. "Balboa figured out you and I were rebels a month ago. What I didn't know was that she wanted out of the Armada. The problem was, she had no way of leaving without raising suspicions that could cause problems for a member of her family on the Conqueror's staff."

"Oh, shit." Renn clasped a hand over her mouth. "Sorry, sir."

Balboa nodded her head. "No problem. Kar agreed to help me, but I wasn't leaving without taking all my staff. Rhys and Tiago didn't buy my story about my family." She lifted her nose and sniffed as if testing the air. "Until I sent them back to Tarth for some 'training' and they got to see for themselves."

Renn frowned. "So that's why they got the extra training and we didn't?"

"Sorry." Tiago sat next to Rhys. "We did the tourist bit and visited the palace. Sure enough. Balboa had family serving the Conqueror. Her--" He paused. "Uh... I'll leave that up to her to tell you about when she's ready." He caught the scent of her gratitude, pale though it was. "If ever."

The officer lifted one imperious eyebrow.

"Okay," Renn began. "I thought we were trying to kidnap Tiago for his engineering skills, but it was really a way to get Rhys and Balboa off the ship as well. Right?"

Tiago nodded. He linked hands with Rhys and smiled at him.

His lover pulled him closer and kissed him full on the mouth. "You did a great job, babe. Those junk walkie-talkie things left no signal for the Armada to follow."

Cheeks warm, he lowered his gaze and squeezed Rhys's hand. "Thanks."

"So that's it?" Renn looked around the room. "We all just walk away?"

"Oh, we have a few things to take with us." Balboa held up her antique telecom device. "Tiago packed these things with data chips. There's enough technojag on here to bring in billions on the black market and help the rebellion. Plus, Rhys amplified the damage you and Kar did to all the comm stations. We'll be light years away before anyone has a clue."

The infirmary cabin shuddered, as if a bomb had exploded outside the ship. Renn glanced up and around. "What was that?"

"One of Tiago's ideas in action." Balboa smiled at the Kin. "He figured if the Armada shuttle blew up right before the rebel ship went into jump, the Armada would figure we'd been killed. No one hunts the dead."

The alarm bell sounded the jump alert, and out of habit, everyone but Tiago glanced at his or her wrist band, ensuring contact between band and skin.

"Must be nice," Balboa commented.

Tiago noted she was watching him, and sat up straighter. "Sir?"

"Being a Kin. Must be nice not to need a jumpdrug. This stuff always makes the hair on the back of my neck rise."

He chuckled. "Be glad it isn't all over your body."

"I beg your pardon?" Balboa crossed her arms.

"Uh... I mean, hair." Tiago swallowed. "You know. Like me. All over your body."

Balboa's icy gaze traveled his length.

"No!" Tiago held up both hands. "I don't mean having me all over your body. I mean having my hair all over-- no. What I was trying to say was--"

"Tiago." Rhys yanked him closer. "Shut up while you're ahead."

"But, I--"

"Good idea." Balboa shook a finger at him, and turned to the others. "All right. Everybody out. We have some debriefing to do. I need to meet with the Officer of the Deck and the Captain. You two--" She pointed at Rhys and Tiago. "Well done. Stay in here for the next two hours. Alone, with the door locked. That's an order." She set one hand on her hip. "Do I make myself clear?"

Tiago grinned, his cheeks flaming. "Yes, sir."

Rhys offered a salute. "Yes, ma'am, sir."

"Good." She turned on her heel and at the door, paused and turned back. "And don't think because you left the Armada and did me a favor that I won't be watching you." Balboa's steely gaze softened, and she smiled. Giving them a wink, she went out the door and locked it.

The End - or is it?