Fourth Vector Ch. 01

"Oh, I don't mind a good old-fashioned brawl on the high seas, but I rather not end up as shark bait in the middle of the open ocean."

"We can agree on that. Although I can't shake this feeling that we're sailing into an uncertain future. I have a feeling that we have some turmoil on the horizon."

Luke laughed and then pursed his lips. "Don't you know already, Jack? Whether it's going into the bloody vector or turning around to fight the Occitanians, we aredefinitely headed for trouble."

Jack shot a sideways glance at his friend before turning to watch the port come into view. The first thing he could identify beyond the lights was the massive jetty that enclosed a good portion of the harbor. Made of massive stones carefully placed together, it broke the ocean waves and provided a calm port for the Javan ships inside. The entrance into the harbor was found in a small break in the jetty and theValiant lined up and slipped past the outcropping of rocks.

Inside the harbor, a flurry of activity could be seen before they even approached the dock. Jack's eyes danced around as he took in the small fleet of ships tied up in their berths. Most of them were smaller—either supply ships or tiny frigates of the garrison. All of them had flags flying high as if on review, and their hulls were done with a fresh coating of paint. It was a spectacular sight to see the assembled ships of the Javan navy, especially the one ship that caught everyone's attention.

"My god, is that theDestiny?" Luke asked as his mouth stood agape. He pointed to the large capital ship tied up at the main dock.

"What would she be doing all the way out here? She was just commissioned two months ago," said Jack.

The newest and one of the most powerful ships in the Javan navy stood proudly at the dock as her gray-painted hull sparkled in the day's light. A number of white-uniformed sailors could be seen on her deck while her flags flapped proudly in the breeze. The gun barrels in each of the three turrets pointed up towards the sky, a powerful reminder of her impressive armament.

"Is it true that she packs twelve inch guns?" Luke asked.

"It's true alright. She's the most powerful cruiser in the entire navy. It was built exactly to Bancroft's specifications. She can outrun anything that can sink her and she can outgun anything that is quick enough to catch her. She's an incredible specimen."

"What I wouldn't give to steer her into battle. To feel the ship recoil with just one launch of those powerful guns. I'm getting hard just thinking about it!"

Jack chuckled. "Simmer down. I doubt we'd get anywhere near her anytime soon."

"You think this is our mission, Jack? Maybe we get to take over theDestiny?" Luke never looked more hopeful.

"I doubt that," said Jack.

"Do we know who's in command? I'd like to buy the guy a drink and see if he'd take me out on patrol one day. Do you think it's Commodore Lucas?"

"No, Lucas is in command of the naval base. I've never met the commander of the ship but I do know his name. Lt. Commander Wainwright," answered Jack.

"Sounds like a crusty, armchair commander," said Luke with a sigh. "I'll never get to pilot her."

"Cheer up, Luke. Maybe if you're lucky, you can take a picture next to her hull," Jack joked.

"I better end up with more than just a bloody picture," muttered Luke.

Jack gave a simple smirk and remained silent. He watched as the bow of theValiant cut across alongside theDestiny and pulled into the dock beside it. When they were close enough, two tugs pushed the ship in against the dock and several sailors jumped out to tie down the ship. Behind them, the small destroyerTiger filed into an empty spot at a nearby dock.

"Great to be back in port again. Wonder where the bar is in this town?" asked Luke as the boilers came to a stop.

"Come on, knucklehead, let's see what's going on. Perhaps we can meet the Commodore and find out what the rest of this mission entails."

The two men gathered the rest of the divisional commanders of the ship and prepared to exit down the plank toward the dock. As Jack approached the railing, his eyes caught sight of another officer already on the dock and appearing to be waiting for their arrival.

"Commander Easterbrook?" the man asked more out of formality than question. Jack looked down at the man's shoulder lapel and noted that he was a lieutenant. His name tag indicated that his name was Settler.

"Aye, you've found him, Lt. Settler," answered Jack as he saluted the officer.

"I have a message directly from Commodore Lucas. He wishes to meet with you at ten o'clock tomorrow morning to discuss your mission."

Jack frowned as he hoped to have that meeting today. "Any idea what that mission will be now that we're all the way out here, Lieutenant?"

Settler blinked several times in a most annoying fashion. "Negative, sir. I'm sure the Commodore will enlighten you at your meeting."

Jack pursed his lips, not quite liking the tone of the deputy. He decided that if Lucas didn't want to see him until tomorrow then he would at least find a way to enjoy the night before the mission truly began in the morning.

"Very well, Lieutenant. You can give the Commodore my regards and let him know I'll see him in the morning."

"Certainly, sir. I am also to inform you that the dock crews are to begin a resupply of your ships at this moment. The crews will be working through the night to prepare the ships for their mission."

"You're starting the resupply now? Just where in the hell are we going, Lieutenant?"

Settler's ears reddened at being addressed in such a manner but the man kept his cool. "You'll find out in the morning, sir."

Jack let out a heavy sigh and saluted the deputy to let him get back to his chief. Taking this much time to supply the big ship pointed toward an extended mission. But where?

"Man, I'd love to slap the service cap off of that mouth," muttered Luke as soon as Settler walked away.

"The man seems to know how to get under your skin, doesn't he?"

The two officers watched him walk away as the sailors began to descend down the plank. Having been so long at sea, the majority of them were now in search of the nearest watering hole, not unlike their commanding officer.

"I'm going to go look after the men. Someone needs to make sure they don't get in trouble with all of that alcohol after all," said Luke while already taking steps away from the ship and into the little town.

"And who's going to look after you?" Jack called out. He watched as a grin appeared on Luke's face as he disappeared into the crowd.

"Oh, I'm sure a man like that won't get in too much trouble," came a voice from behind him.

Jack spun around until he was greeted by the piercing-blue eyes of Lt. Commander Victoria Carter, the commanding officer of theTiger.

"Ah, Vicky, you got off that ship in a hurry," said Jack, offering a kind smile.

"It's been three weeks since we saw land, Jack. Besides, you can't tell me it doesn't feel great not to be in your cramped quarters right now."

"You're right, Vicky. I'd much rather break up drunken fights between my men at midnight instead of being cramped," gibed Jack, launching into a chuckle.

Vicky swatted his stomach in response.

"Careful now. Don't you know the penalty for hitting a superior officer?"

"Does it involve a spanking? If it does, sign me up." Vicky's eyes danced with mischief. Jack was half-tempted to take her up on that offer.

"Behave for now, Vicky. This isn't the academy anymore," he said with a wink.

She winked back and started to walk toward town. "Poor me. Looks like I'll have to find another sailor to keep my bed warm tonight." She pursed her lips and practiced batting her eyelashes.

"With that look, I'm sure you'll have no problem, my dear," answered Jack.

She laughed and then headed into town. Jack watched her go before turning his attention back to his small squadron. Most of the sailors that wanted to be off the ships were already gone. His eyes drifted from the narrow silhouette of theValiant to the much larger figure of theDestiny. Taking a step toward the mighty cruiser, Jack scanned the entire ship to take her in. TheDestiny looked impressive even from far away, but this close she looked positively majestic. He ran his hands along her hull and pictured her slicing through the waves as her turrets fixed on an enemy ship, only to pound her out of the water with those massive twelve inch guns.

"Getting a good look, Commander?"

Jack turned to face the voice and found himself looking into the eyes of another sailor. She stood tall—almost as tall as he was—with dark hair and eyes. Jack found himself immediately attracted to way her wavy hair cascaded down her shoulders. After he took his attention off of her features, he looked for a name tag but found nothing. No other markings on her jacket indicated her rank either.

"You could say that. It's a lovely ship," answered Jack.

"That she is!" The woman grinned and sauntered next to him. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure yet."

"We should change that," said Jack. "Commander Jack Easterbrook."

"You can call me Abigail," she said with a smile as she took his hand in hers.

Jack looked down into her dark eyes and felt the first stirrings of lust for the woman. The way she pursed her lips caused some very interesting ideas to cross through his mind.

"Do you serve on the ship, Abigail?"

"Aye, I'm part of the commanding division of the ship, Jack."

"So I take it you serve under Lt. Commander Wainwright?"

Before she could answer, they both heard the sound of revelry coming from town. Some of the sailors were already having a good time and the noise was enough to bring a chuckle to both of their lips.

"Sounds like your men are already enjoying their stay," said Abigail while pointing toward town.

"That's the problem. They've been coped up onboard for several weeks and now we've let them loose. You see for most of them, fun involves a few broken bones and a venereal disease."

"Sounds like a typical sailor if you ask me," said Abigail with a giggle.

Jack chuckled. "That they are." He ran his hands along the hull again and looked up at the impressive profile of the ship.

"You look like you want to come aboard for a while, Jack."

He laughed. "Is it that easy to read my mind?"

"Considering the fact that you're looking more at the ship than at me, I'd say yes," answered Abigail.

"You'll have to forgive me for that. My brain is confused on which sight is more lovely."

Abigail grinned. "As part of the crew of this fine ship, I'll give that one to you."

She reached across and unhooked the chain from across the plank. Jack followed her up the wooden walkway, taking the moment to admire the way her ass filled out her uniform. The material seemed to stretch tight against it, almost inviting a touch or caress if he were to be so bold. It was almost hypnotizing watching her hips swing from side to side as she climbed up the plank. If he didn't know any better, Jack could've swore she was walking with extra wiggle just for him.

As they arrived on top of the ship, Jack came face-to-face with the rear turret. The impressive gun barrels pointed to the sky and he took a moment to run his hands along the steel.

"You act like you've never seen twelve inch guns before, Jack," Abigail teased.

"Only on the battleships, Abigail. Nothing of the sort on anything as impressive and as fast as theDestiny here."

"You're in luck today. We have both speed and firepower on this ship, Commander. Best of both worlds," said Abigail.

"I would sure like to meet your commander. Wainwright is his name, I believe."

Abigail nodded before continuing. "Perhaps you'll get the chance to meet him."

"What's the man like? Is he easy to work with? I have a feeling my mission here is going to involve working with him in the near future."

Abigail smirked. "Let's just say you'll be surprised about Wainwright. Not a traditional man in any sense."

"That sounds a little ominous," Jack said with a laugh.

"I can't spoil the entire surprise right now," said Abigail, nudging him with her elbow. "But you'll soon see what I mean."

"So what's your story, Abigail? How'd you find yourself on theDestiny?"

Abigail shrugged. "That story is quite a long one."

"Good for us. We have plenty of time," said Jack.

She smiled and approached the railing. Gazing out to the town, she finally opened up. "My parents never wanted me to be in the navy. They said it was a man's world and a man's role. You know, to fight for your country? Both of my older brothers are seamen. One of them is a petty officer on the battleship, Lion. The other is part of the garrison at the naval base in Aberdeen. I remember when they first joined and how much they delighted in reminding me that they were going so that they could protect me."

Abigail's voice changed slightly to something much more masculine. "Oh, good thing we're here to protect our little Abby. Such strong brothers for our little sister."

She rolled her eyes as her voice returned to normal. "I hated that. I always wanted to prove that I could be just as strong and just as capable so on my eighteenth birthday, I enlisted at the academy for officer training."

"I'm sure they must have had some words with you about that," said Jack.

Abigail giggled. "You should've seen the look on their faces. They learned to accept it a few years later and were proud enough on my graduation day. I can still tell it's a source of discomfort for them though, which is why I'm glad I don't have command over them."

"I have a little sister myself. I don't dare think of how she might abuse her power if she were my commanding officer," said Jack with a chuckle.

"Exactly my point. That's why I requested an assignment that would take me away from them and well, here I am."

"So is it just your brothers that you have to worry about out there? Or do you have a man out there watching over you as well?"

Abigail turned to face him, her lips pursed into a coy grin. "Awfully forward there, Commander, don't you think?"

"Was I that transparent?"

She made a gesture with two fingers. "Just a little. I had no idea the great Commander Easterbrook was so direct with his desires."

Jack blinked. "Great commander? What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on. There's not a person on this naval base who doesn't know who you are. What did you graduate in your class at the academy? Third?"

Jack gave a sheepish look. "Second actually."

"Exactly. Everyone here knows about you and your close relationship with Admiral Bancroft. I think this base is just as excited to see why you're here as you are." Abigail turned out to face the open waters once more. "Do you know why you're here, Jack?"

Jack took a deep breath and then shook his head. "I have my suspicions but nothing concrete yet."

"When do you find out?"

"Tomorrow, supposedly."

Abigail turned to face him. "And what will you do about tonight?"

"What do you mean?"

She crossed the distance between them and pressed her body against his chest. Jack found himself gazing down into her lovely, dark eyes. "What shall we do about tonight, Jack?"

"And you were one to call me forward?"

She purred before leaning up to press her lips to his. Jack circled his arms around her back and pulled her closer. The soft feeling of Abigail's lips on his was electric and soon enough her tongue sought invitation to his mouth. He opened his mouth and caressed her tongue with his own. Soon her body was rubbing suggestively against his own. She moaned when his exploring hands gripped her ass and broke the kiss too soon.

"Not out here. Come, let's go inside."

"I'll follow you. You know this ship better than I do."

She grabbed his hand and let him to the superstructure. Once stepping inside, it was like a ghost town. The lights were dimmed, and they didn't pass a single sailor on the way to more private quarters. After walking a good ways, Abigail finally stopped outside a door.

"In here. We can have some privacy."

Jack looked at the door and took a second to register the name that appeared on outside.

"Are you nuts? This is Lt. Commander Wainwright's personal quarters. Are you trying to get us both kicked out of the navy?"

A sultry grin slipped past Abigail's lips. "I thought you were one to take a few risks, Jack?"

Jack laughed. "Not with my job, woman. I can assure you that."

"Relax, okay? I know this ship, and I know the commander. Wainwright won't be back in quarters tonight. You have my word." She unbuttoned part of her jacket and showed some more skin.

"How can you know that?" Jack asked as his eyes darted back and forth between her cleavage and her sensual gaze.

"Trust me on this, Jack, all right? The navy is my life too. We'll have privacy in here." Abigail's fingers undid another button. And then another. Soon enough, she reached the bottom of her jacket. The only thing that he could see underneath was a black bra covering a very impressive bust line.

Jack was lost for words. He found his primal brain quickly taking over and throwing all logic and rationality out the window. His hands were soon back on the devilish brunette in front of him, and he found himself the one to open the door to the quarters and gently push her inside. He shut the door firmly behind him as Abigail leapt into his arms and pushed him back against the steel wall.

"God, you're so sexy, Jack. I just can't help myself right now," said Abigail in a near pant. She reached for his cap and sent it tossing to the floor. Jack's hands were also busy as he pulled the jacket off her shoulders and fully exposed the bra underneath. She was content to help him in that regard and her bra soon hit the floor. Her tits caught his immediate attention, and her erect nipples begged for further exploration. He reached out to cup one of them, delighting in the feel of the perfect handful in his palm. Jack's hands caressed each of them in turn as she gasped at the physical touch.

"Touch me. Just like that," she moaned as he pinched her nipple with a firm grasp.

It was Jack's turn to moan as her hands found his erection already tenting his trousers. She gripped it firmly from the outside of the fabric and began to masturbate him as he gave lavish attention to her tits. Jack's eyes locked on hers as she rubbed along the shaft.

"Looks like someone is more than ready to go," she said, squeezing him firmly.

"Can you blame me? One look at you and I was a goner, Abigail."

"Mm-hmm, sweet talk like that will get you everywhere, Commander."

Abigail reached into his trousers, and Jack groaned as her bare fingers made contact with his cock. With the limited room she had to work with, she had him going quickly pushing into her hand. For a brief moment, Abigail pulled her hand out to spit a little saliva into it and then quickly resumed her attention. The wonderful, wet feeling against his bare skin made Jack's eyes roll to the back of his head.

"It's time we were rid of these pesky uniforms," said Abigail as a throaty giggle escaped her lips.

She sank to her knees before him and with a few, quick tugs, she had him exposed from the waist down. His cock sprung up proudly, narrowly avoiding smacking into her chin.

"Good heavens, Jack! Do you at least have a permit for this thing?" she asked with her mouth open wide.

Jack resisted the urge to chuckle. "It's been like that since I watched your ass on the way up the plank."

"Mmm, perfect answer." Abigail took one long lick as her saliva left a trail along the underside of his manhood. She repeated the motion once more before slipping the tip inside her mouth. Her tongue wiggled along the slit several times before pulling it out once more. She then took a few more swipes of it before amazing him totally by deepthroating it down to the very base. Jack's head rolled back as she then began to hum, the vibration feeling positively exquisite. When she pulled back, her eyes looked a little watery but she still shot him a coy grin.