Queen Jen'ai smiled from the bridge viewscreen, "It's good to have you home, daughter." The older woman looked much like Jenna, only her face had a few more lines and the long black hair was touched with threads of silver. Dressed in an elegant gown she nearly glittered sitting there in her chambers, her expression oddly amused. "Oh my god," Allison Tennison breathed out, her sandy brown hair falling into her eyes. Her first instinct was to stand and salute so she did, with crisp military precision. "Captain," Queen Jen'ai nodded, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Mother," Jenna rose to take Allison's hand in hers as she continued, "I'd like to present Allison, my betrothed." You could have heard a pin drop on the bridge as they waited to hear the Queen's answer. After a moment she smiled slightly, "Then I look forward to knowing you better, Allison. Could you and Jenna please come over to the flagship?" "Yes, ma'am," Allison bowed slightly. Another flash of a smile and the Queen disconnected, the silence on the bridge breaking up into a burst of whispered conversation as both Allison and Jenna sat back down. Finally Sam C'tarn cut through the sound with a loud, "Captain, do you want to shift-transit over?" "My mother may want some time to prepare," Jenna murmured softly from where she sat there beside Allison. "No," Allison said firmly, "we'll take a shuttle over." She smiled a little, "Someone go wake up Sharin, I want our best pilot on this." "I'm already awake," Sharin said irritably as she emerged from the lift, the tall blonde dressed in her crisply neat uniform, "from that damn battlestations alarm. So which shuttle do you want me to use?" Beside her Milly the catgirl looked around her curiously, her maid's uniform hugging the redhead's body and her tail lashing side to side. "Not the combat shuttle," Amara spoke up with a grin, "I don't know if the individual I got it from acquired it fully legally." Allison frowned at the black haired woman, "Gee, thanks for telling me." "I'd like to go along as well," Milly spoke up, "the princess needs an attendant if this is to be a formal meeting." "Hail Roma and Marilyn, let them know what's going on," Allison said as she got up from the captain's seat, offering Jenna a hand even as the lift opened up again to reveal Commander Laurel D'ken, the blue haired woman clipping shut her uniform tunic as she hurried on to the bridge. "Captain, I'm sorry I...." Laurel started. "It's all right," Allison gave her a casual wave, "you mind taking command while I and Jenna are off the ship?" "Of course ma'am," Laurel moved over to take the captain's chair. "Do you want us to stay at battlestations?" she asked. Allison and Jenna headed for the lifts, Sharin and Milly right beside them as Allison replied, "Go to yellow alert, just in case." At Laurel's questioning glance she explained, "You've told me Home Fleet doesn't usually leave Throne World, so I'd rather prepare for the worst." "Understood," Laurel nodded as the lift doors closed on Allison. "Well thought out, love," Jenna squeezed Allison's hand. "Home Fleet would never leave the Throne during wartime," Milly softly fretted, nervously biting at a fingernail. "Not exactly," Sharin shook her head as she put a reassuring hand on Milly's shoulder, "the fleet will move out if needed, but it's very rare. With all the fleet bases and shipyards there the Throne is a legitimate target, so protecting it is key." "What do you think?" Allison asked Jenna as they stopped, the lift doors opening up to reveal the large shuttlebay. "I'm trying not to guess," Jenna confessed, "because we really don't know enough about what's going on, yet." "Fair enough," Allison conceded as they walked by a row of combat shuttles to one that was being readied by members of the crew. Normally a ship like Liberty's Sword had extra crew to pilot the combat shuttles, as well as marines for planetary operations, but with them understaffed the vessels remained unused.... Midshipman Valentee Fai saluted as she said, "Shuttle prepped and ready to go, Captain." "Thank you." Allison returned the salute gravely, trying not to feel amused by the oddness of the situation. This midshipman was probably better trained than she was, but there wasn't much Allison could do about it. As the maintenance crew left the shuttlebay Sharin grabbed the pilot's seat, Milly plopping herself in the co-pilot's chair, even as Allison and Jenna took the two seats behind them. At a touch to the controls the shuttle smoothly rose as the protective force screen over the bay doors disappeared, the air rushing out of the chamber as they smoothly exited into the void of space. “Moving at half max. speed,” Sharin murmured as they moved across the distance to the flagship. ”So what can I expect?” Allison asked softly. Jenna took her lover's hand and squeezed gently, “No formal reception, thankfully. Mother usually doesn't go for that kind of thing.” “Good,” Allison smiled, “I'm nervous enough as it is.” “Join the club,” Sharin muttered under her breath. “Eh?” Milly blinked. A grim smile tugged on Sharin's lips as she reminded her, “I am the Questor that was sent to retrieve Jenna, I rather suspect the Queen is going to want to know why it took me so long, at least.” “You're toast, as the Earthers might say,” Milly smirked. “Thanks so much for all your sympathy,” Sharin rolled her eyes as the massive ship grew in their front view. The flagship was a `Preserver' class Star Destroyer, the sort that was usually saved purely for Home Fleet due to the massive cost of building the great ships. Armed with all the latest in weapons and protective shields they could absorb an incredible amount of damage as well as strike out with devastating force. “We're being hailed,” Milly noted, bringing to up on the screen. “Liberty Sword shuttle, proceed to bay number two,” the blue haired young woman smiled slightly as she continued, “and welcome home, Princess.” “It's good to be back,” Jenna said to her cheerfully before the other woman disconnected. Seeing Allison's questioning look she quietly explained, “When I was younger I was so often aboard the flagship with my mother that the crew almost adopted me. It's become something of a tradition, it seems.” The docking bay they entered was larger by more than a third than Liberty's Sword, loaded up with the latest combat shuttles, fighters and other kinds of light armored craft. “Wow,” Sharin purred at seeing the lethal vessels, her eyes twinkling, “I'd give my right arm to pilot one.” Milly shook her head, "Bloodthirsty savage." "And proud of it," Sharin shrugged as they got up to leave the shuttle. Outside they were met by a lieutenant-commander who promptly led them out of the bay to the lifts, staying silent as they traveled. He dropped them off at a set of main doors and smiled slightly, "X'tahn left word you were to enter immediately." Allison managed to keep her voice steady, "Thank you." Once he left she exchanged looks with everyone, then said, "Well, let's go." The doors swung open smoothly to reveal an opulent chamber, decorated in a style to suit royalty but none of them noticed, focused instead on the regal woman who gracefully rose from her throne. "Mother," Jenna smiled as she raced forward to be enfolded in a gentle embrace. "Welcome," the white haired catgirl smiled at the other three as they approached the throne, "I am the Queen's personal servant, X'tahn." "It's an honor," Allison smiled, still watching mother and daughter talking together quietly. "You are the one," X'tahn murmured as she circled Allison, "I can sense Jenna's energies around her." She frowned, "But I never expected her to fall for such a handsome man." Both Sharin and Milly had to fight back their giggles as Allison said with as much dignity as she could muster, "I'm a woman." "Ah, oops?" X'tahn blushed. Queen Jen'ai finally looked over the three of them, her gaze resting finally on Allison. "Welcome," her eyes twinkled in amusement, "future daughter-in-law." "You accept my choice?' Jenna breathed out. "I have heard a great deal about her from captains of other vessels you've encountered as well as the sentinel station you saved," Jen'ai said, "they all speak highly of you." Allison cleared her throat, fighting back nervousness as she pointed out, "I also had a good crew helping me." "Modest, too," Jen'ai actually looked impish.
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