Transmission Lost (20 page)

******

Aria spent several hours trying to reach someone on the radio. While Jack had his doubts, she seemed certain that she was getting through to someone. By her reckoning, they weren't far at all from the edge of Ascendancy space, if they weren't even within it. Aria insisted that a listening post, patrol fleet, or some other sort of Ailian military presence would certainly be in range of the radio they were using. Skeptical though he was, Jack was too tired to argue the point, though Aria did agree that if they didn't get any response in a few days they would go into the
Cha'la'fa
's wreck to see if the radio in there still worked.
They both agreed to leave the commandos' radio on overnight, in any case, just in the event that someone responded while they were asleep.

When they finally did settle down for the night, though, they were both in good spirits despite their weariness. The tent they occupied now was much warmer than their usual sleeping arrangements had been, owing to the heaters that the commandos had brought with them. Aria's need to disrobe completely to sleep was less a matter of what she was used to than a need to keep from overheating now, what with her coat of fur. Jack found the warmth very agreeable, as it was just as uncomfortable for him to sleep in clothing, as it might be for any human. Not having to worry about freezing for lack of clothes allowed him to rest a little freer than he had before, although he did still wear his pants. It helped that by now he was used to sharing the tent with someone who slept in the nude, so the awkwardness factor was dialed way back.

Though they didn't really need to, they lay close together just as they had been doing all along. While they were both very tired, sleep seemed to be difficult to come by tonight. They wound up just lying side by side, chatting. The surreal nature of having a casual conversation with someone who should have been an enemy was mostly past, but they still felt a little of it though they didn't give voice to it. Instead they talked about what had just happened.

“I have to say, it was kind of creepy the way you killed all of those commandos,” Jack said to Aria. He had his hands folded behind his head and his eyes closed. He felt his heart rate start to increase as he recalled the sight of the dead bodies while Aria had carried him out of the ship. “I've seen you fight, of course, but one person, even an Ailian, against all those guys seems unreal...And the way you went after the guy in the room with me.”

“Yes...,” Aria hissed softly. “Battle rage.”

“Battle rage?”

“Yes,” she said again. “Is something that happens to us. If we get hurt badly, if we are in intense fight, or if we see something that make us very, very angry. Lose control a little. See enemy, only want them dead. Nothing else.”

“I saw that,” Jack acknowledged. He opened his eyes, turning his head to look at Aria. “You beat that guy until he was unrecognizable. I wouldn't want to have to go up against you in a real fight. I'd be a goner.”

Aria rolled onto her side towards Jack, propping her head up on one arm. Her tail draped over her hip, the tip twitching unconcernedly. “You do better than you believe, I think...I see you fight before. You not trained like me, but have ability.”

“You're being too kind.” Jack laughed, then he sobered. “I thought they were going to kill me for sure. I could have dealt with that, but I knew they were going to kill you, too. I felt helpless, but I shouldn't have worried about you.”

She smiled a little. “Is alright. I like you worry about me...” She touched her hand to his arm, rubbing her furred fingers along his skin. He shivered at the light, tickling sensation. Those thoughts about what he had wanted to say before sprung to the front of his mind again, but again he hesitated in voicing them.

“They tried to make me give you up, you know,” Jack said, just to have something else to say. “That's why they shot me. They wanted to know where you were so they could get you. They finally offered me a ride home if I told them where to find you.”

Aria sat up a little more, looking at him in surprise. “They did?”

Jack nodded. “Yeah. But I wasn't about to tell them that. I couldn't have lived with myself if I betrayed a friend for my own gain.”

Sitting up fully, Aria looked away. The part of her face that Jack could see seemed to have an oddly distressed expression on it. “You...do that for me?”

“I did.” He sat up as well, reaching a hand up and laying it on her shoulder. “Aria, I told you before, I owe my life to you. If I gave you up to save my own skin, what kind of person would I be?”

As she turned her head to face him again, Jack thought he saw moisture rimming her golden eyes. Then she smiled warmly, and her eyes cleared. “I not know what to say. I glad you do that.” She put a hand to his face, stroking his chin, then she leaned her head in close and rubbed her cheek along his. “You are good friend to me.”

Jack felt a pang of guilt, remembering the time he ran and left her in a fight with wild animals. “You've been a better one to me.” He took a deep breath, holding it for a moment. “Aria, I-”

Aria made a soft shushing noise between her teeth, placing a finger against his lips to silence him. “No more talk...” Pressing a hand to his bare chest, she pushed him back gently but firmly. Jack allowed himself to be sent backwards onto the padded floor of the tent, looking up at Aria as she hovered over him, propped up with one arm on either side of his shoulders. Gradually she lowered herself down until her breasts pressed against his chest, her muzzle nuzzling the top of his head. Jack squirmed just a little, his pants suddenly becoming uncomfortably tight as he felt her tautly muscled lower belly against his groin.

“If you're planning what I think you're planning...,” Jack whispered, scarcely able to manage anything louder, “...it's going to be a bit difficult for me. My legs aren't working so well right now.”

Aria raised her head, looking down at his face. She brushed a hand through his sandy blonde hair, her tail waving serenely behind her. “Is good. I want to do everything anyway...You lie still, and I take care of you...”

With that, Aria lowered herself to him again, then slowly slid herself down his body. Jack bit his lip as she rubbed down along him, her naked form making its way lower. As her firm, furred breasts came over his waist, her hands found the clasp of his pants. Her fingers deftly maneuvered the button out of position, and he heard the quiet rasping sound of the zipper being lowered. With difficulty, owing to the weakened state of his injured leg, he lifted his hips and allowed her to pull the garment down and off of him. His member stood up proudly once it was freed from its confines, jumping slightly in time with his heartbeat.

“La a'lai zan'a...,”
Aria breathed, her voice husky with desire and arousal. She placed his pants to one side, then laid her hands on his thighs and settled on her belly, careful not to place to much pressure on his injury. Jack looked down at the top of her head as she lightly touched her nose to him. She inhaled deeply, taking in his scent, and as the smell of him flooded her nostrils she felt her head spin slightly as though she were intoxicated.

Jack took in a sharp breath as her slightly rough, feline tongue dragged its way up along his length. She curled it around him, bathing his flesh in its warm moisture. Her eyes flicked up to look at the intensely pleasured, almost pained expression on his face. He looked back down at her, breathing hard. Aria flashed her sharp teeth at him briefly, and then she lowered her mouth and sucked him inside. Jack's right hand balled into a fist and struck the floor of the tent. The inside of her muzzle was incredibly hot.

“Aria...,” he gasped.

Purring in the back of her throat, she reached a hand up and pricked her claws against his belly, quieting him. Jack moved his hand down, interlacing his fingers with hers. She began moving her mouth over him, her thin black lips squeezing firmly over his hard flesh as her tongue bathed him. Jack moaned quietly, his thumb rubbing over the soft fur on the back of her hand. He tried to resist the urge to push up, but it was very difficult. Every time her lips moved, he felt a sharp tingle run up and down his spine. He'd never experienced anything like it. Her muzzle made her mouth more slender than a human female's, and her teeth dragged slightly against his skin with each movement she made, imparting a subtle sting to the pleasure she was giving him. He squeezed her hand tightly, feeling as though he was going crazy.

All too quickly, much too soon for his liking, Aria lifted her mouth from him. She pushed herself up on her arms, looking at him with half-lidded eyes as she licked her lips. “Taste different from you kiss...,” she growled, her voice a velvety purr. “I like it.”

Jack took a second to let his breathing catch up with his racing heart. “Makes me wonder,” he finally said, “if you'd taste different. From your kiss, I mean.”

Her eyes widening a little, Aria considered him for a moment. Then she smiled, rising up to her knees. “Not know. You tell me.” Keeping her hand planted firmly on his belly, she held him to the floor and prevented him from rising. She crawled forward on her knees, straddling his body, moving up until she hovered over his face.

Jack gazed up at her, opened to him. A pink sliver of heaven framed by creamy tan fur. Aria towered over him, her tail trailing behind her and brushing back and forth over his lower body. She stared down at him between the mounds of her breasts, and brought one of her hands down to his mouth. She traced her finger along his lips, dragging it underneath his chin and tilting his head up. A spicy aroma teased his nostrils, sweet and strong.

Purring loudly, Aria brought her hand around to the back of his head. “Taste,” she whispered. The playful lust in her eyes clashed with the note of command in her voice. Her hand pulled on his head, guiding him up.

As heat radiated against his face, Jack put his tongue out and licked at her sex. Aria whimpered as his smooth human tongue lapped at her. She'd been curious about this since the first time, had wondered if human males even did this sort of thing. Thankfully, he showed no hesitation, diving his tongue inside of her with great eagerness. She dug her fingers through his hair, moving her hips in a slow circle as she pressed him even closer.

Jack found the taste of her scintillating, a spiced, sweet flavor that tingled along his taste buds and made him want her even more. He brought his arms around her, gripping her toned ass in both hands. His tongue wasn't as long, nor as flexible, as hers, but he did his best for her, slipping inside. Subtle movements of her muscles tugged at his tongue, coaxing him further in.

Pulling his tongue from her with great effort, Jack kissed around her pink lips. She growled at him, an obvious command to get back to what he'd been doing, but her anger turned to purrs of pleasure as he found a particularly nice spot. Aria brought a hand up to her breast, cupping and squeezing herself as he suckled at her. She was grinding against his face now, her movements slightly jerky. Her tail was lashing the air behind her, slapping at his legs. Every now and then it would strike the spot where he'd been shot, but he didn't much care at the moment.

With a tortured gasp, Aria abruptly pulled his head back. She sat there for a moment, panting, her fingers still tight around her breast. Jack watched her as she caught her breath, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. He rubbed his hands up along the small of her back, scratching just above the base of her tail like one might with a housecat. He was amused to see that her rump raised up a little when he did.

“Ch'e na...,”
Aria breathed. She slid back from his face, gliding along his body until his firm manhood nestled against her rear. She leaned down, cupping his cheeks in her hands and nuzzling his nose with her own. Her black nose felt cold and slightly wet.

“Aria, I need to tell you something,” Jack murmured. He brought his fingers to her head, toying with the fur behind her ears. He took a shaky breath. “I...”

“Don't...,” Aria whispered. She pressed her lips to his, kissing him deeply. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, playing along his own. Her breath drifted against his face as she exhaled. When she leaned back, he stared into her eyes. He saw pain there, quiet despair mixed with longing. “Just let us have this...”

Aria rose up on her haunches, lifting herself to her knees. Jack's hands rested on her thighs as he felt her fingers grip him. Her mouth remained slightly open as she guided him into her body, her rear lowering as he ever so slowly pushed within her. He clenched his jaw as her warm wetness enveloped him, and she mewled shrilly as their bodies connected.

For several long minutes they both rested that way, remaining motionless with Aria nestled comfortably on Jack's waist. She placed her hands on his chest with her fingers splayed out, her eyes closed as she breathed peacefully. He watched her, gently stroking her legs, taking the time to enjoy her beauty. They both took the time to enjoy the feeling of being together again.

When Aria was ready, she took control of things, in her customary way. Her claws pricked his skin as she began to move on him, her strong arms pinning him to the tent floor as she raised herself up. Jack let her have him, perfectly happy to be taken over by her. He grasped her thighs firmly, feeling the lean muscle tensing underneath his palms.

Their mating this time had none of the frenzied heat of their first time. This time it was quieter, softer, more tender and affectionate. Aria slowly moved up and down, small moans the only sounds she made. She felt just as wonderful as before to Jack, or perhaps even more so. He gritted his teeth, unspeakable pleasure spreading through his body. The Ailian atop him was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. He tried to hold himself back, for her, but he knew neither of them would last very long after the teasing they'd given one another.