Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 32: Shore Leave

Steel smiled as he walked down the ramp. He was being dragged along by his fellow squadmates. They had just landed on Oculus Station and they were given a week of leave. With permission to go on and off the station. They were stuck while the ship was repairing anyway so they were all getting a short vacation.

Steel looked at the station and awed at the expansive beauty. It had large buildings expanding to the even beyond the roof of the station's reinforced dome. There were even walkways interconnecting between the buildings. If Steel was right there were also layers under the one they were docking to. The higher you went the richer the people were, the lower you went the poorer the people became. The slums would be at the bottom.

It was beautiful more than just for its outward appearance. It was brilliant in the way it showcased human society. Steel ignored it for now though. Favoring to instead live in the moment with his squad.

They were dressed in military formal uniforms. They arrived at the first bar rather quickly with Feathertail who had been here a few times before leading the way.

"Ha ha Manny!" Feathertail called out as they walked in. The bartender smiled and started pulling several bottles.

"Shore leave? Best time for business, take the newbies on a run of the bars. It is only noon but I am sure those in the military can party for as long as they work." He nodded to a set of tables. "Sit and eat lunch. I will bring out pamphlets so you can get organized and find out what you are going to do until the party line arrives. Who is paying?"

Feathertail looked over, "hey Steel!" He just held up a thumbs up in response. "That kid is. He steals all our money in card games anyways." He then grabbed the beers and walked over. "Unfortunately the nanos will dilute the hell out of it if you have a high health stat."

Steel smiled as they buckled in for a long day and an even longer night.

Several hours later they had wasted away the day at arcades, casinos, bars, and strip clubs. Some money was spent, a lot of money was lost, even more money was won. They got into a few bar fights. They all got to enjoy the scantily clad ladies and gents at the strip club. Both the human and the more exotic variations.

Which is how they eventually found themselves in one of the most popular clubs in town. He was one of the few members of the squad that was both still unruffled and unbruised. The rest had bruises and were hungover or drunk.

He was sitting there watching the rest of his squad joking around. When a waitress with her breasts exposed walked up and whispered in his ear while placing a glass of scotch in front him. Suddenly his eyes darted over to an area and he smirked, he nodded his head and the waitress walked away. He made two quick hand signals as he stood up when a few others looked his way. Many groaned and grumbled.

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Steel just chuckled as he picked up his new glass of scotch and walked over and stood next to the table where the four young ladies were. "Ladies..." he joined them at the table. He will catch up with the rest of his squad tomorrow.

He woke up hours later. He was lying on a comfortable queen sized bed. To his right two of the young ladies from last night were in a lovers embrace. On his left hugging his arm was the young lady with the large bust. On top of him was the young woman whose apartment they were in, or rather her father's place.

He shifted slightly and she moaned in response. She looked up from his chest and smiled, flicking a red lock of hair out her face. "Mornin' handsome."

Steel smiled back and brought a hand to her rear, "morning gorgeous."

"I know we talked a bit last night before we all came up here and got busy. But I do have some more personal questions." She leaned back now slowly riding him cowgirl while showing off her perky breasts.

"Go for it. I will answer to the best of my ability." He responded while repositioning his hands to her hips. Just to help steady her.

"Is the military like your end goal? Do you plan to do something else after your service term is over?" For once, Steel was caught off guard by the young woman's question.

But after thinking about it for a second he sighed. "I am not the best person when it comes to the long term. I usually live life one day at a time. Maybe a bit of planning if work calls for it. With that being said I think if you want to figure out what you want to do you need to bounce around between several other things before settling on something."

"Hmm... you sound like my mom. She is always trying to get me to try different things." She flipped her hair again.

Steel smiled and shook his head. "I don't mean occupations or skills. I am talking about experiences and perspectives, like go hunt wild animals, protest something, help disaster relief efforts, fly a ship..." He then smiled and shrugged, "or crash one. I have no clue how good of a pilot you are."

She laughed at that and understood what he meant. "I suppose your-"

The door to the room suddenly opened as a short balding man stuck his head in. "Sweetie, your mom- WHAT THE HELL?" he yelled in surprise.

The young woman tensed for only a moment before she relaxed, "Dad... what did I say about knocking?"

"Honey you can't just-" he stopped mid sentence as a scarred hand landed on his head.

Stepping into the doorframe to peak into the room was a larger, very well toned and muscled woman. She had red hair but the sides of her head were shaved and her hair only went to shoulder length. Her body was covered in scars and some fresh injuries. She had on a workout bra and a pair of sweatpants.

"My lovely squirrel, Ellie is right. Stop bothering her while she is getting some strange. Come on chipmunk." Her accent was similar to Meyer, his academy Warrant Officer. She closed the door before speaking loudly through it, "come join us for breakfast when you are ready."

Ellie sighed as she pulled off him and stood at the end of the bed. "Want to finish this in the shower?"

Twenty minutes later after taking a second shower together they were both pulling on clothes. While the other three ladies were stirring awake. Steel was not going to bother with his formal wears when his communication device buzzed constantly.

He immediately picked it up and checked it. Frowning as he placed it on his wrist. He then began dressing up in formal attire. But before Ellie got a chance to ask there was a knock at the door before the muscled redhead poked her head in. "hey- oh I know that look. That is the, 'something has happened and my break has been cut short' look. When you got to be on your ship soldier boy?"

Steel frowned and checked the time he was supposed to report in, "noon."

"Then you can join us for breakfast." The woman quickly closed the door before he could respond.

A minute later he was walking out in his formals following behind Ellie. They arrived at the table where an assortment of breakfast items were set up. Some he had seen before many he had not seen before.

"What's your name?" The woman asked as he sat down at a seat.

"Jace Steel ma'am." He responded.

"Well Jace you came from the Border of Downfall that is docked to the station. So I suppose you just came from..." The woman pulled out a tablet and started looking over it. "Waterswan-2. You guys went head to head with the Victorium, the Union, and the Federation and won. Rumors are that Admiral Lee took a special interest in the Border of Downfall."

Steel's face must have given away his surprise because Ellie cut in here. "My mom is a PMC, she runs her own company out of the station."

"A PMC? A Private Military Contractor? I suppose if you are doing well for yourself you would be able to get access to information like that." Steel evaluated, he had only seen one group like that while he was in the slums. They were hired to clear a building full of gangs so a wealthy company could come in and set up a facility.

"Yeah... No matter how knowledgeable I am I still have no clue what all four of you were fighting over in an unpopulated system. Even my husband doesn't know and he is the station governor. He left earlier for an emergency meeting." She responded with a sour look.

"Umm... What's Victorium? I get the Federation is the Crystoph Federation and the Union is the rebel faction within the empire but I do not think I have heard of the last ones." Ellie asked, picking apart their words.

"Oh I thought you were not curious. Just the party circuit and working out." Her mother joked with her. Ellie blushed in response and avoided looking at Steel. Her mother noticed and hummed, "Hmm... the Victorium are an alien race. Despite them just appearing most human governments have encountered them several times before. I know about them because I have encountered their ships while escorting trade vessels."

"So you encountered them as well?" Ellie asked towards Jace.

"Yes and no. I am not sure what I am allowed to talk about. Besides I have a feeling your mother knows more she just doesn't want to say anything in front of me. Am I right?" He smiled at the older woman who grinned in response.

"Correct, now let's eat. We have two hours before you have to be at your ship. My base is nearby so I will drop you off on my way to work." Ellie asked more questions as they continued eating but it seemed that her mother was excited to answer. They probably have not talked like that for a while.