[Nepleslia] Shaping of the Hull

[Zack]

ON: Ayenee-Class Space Station, Nepleslian Orbit

Abby had awoken early last night to come to Clark's office and clean up, sorting away all of the information they had generated on the ship. Because most of the information was electronic it was easy for her to finish cleaning up and to start drawing out ideas on an electronic tablet before work started. She had already prepared a 3d image of all the components that they knew had to be included in the ship so that envisioning the final shape would flow faster. She had also taken the liberty of purchasing two chilled coffees and some pastries for herself and her boss.

Clark walked in with a smile, admiring Abby's stylish and simple sense of fashion, and how it complimented her beautiful figure. "Howdy," he greeted the Elysian. "You hear the news?" he asked. Only a couple minutes earlier, he'd watched a news announcement that he was sure she'd be interested to hear.

"No, I haven't checked the news yet today, what's happened?" She asked, standing up as he entered and assuming her usual posture, upright with a slightly arched back. "Oh, I got you some coffee and breakfast." She added, having left the drink and food she got for him in their containers on the table.

"Nepleslia is now independent of Yamatai," Thompson stated simply. "And the empire is strengthening its army." Walking over to her, he gave her a warm hug and a kiss on the lips before sitting down at the table and taking a sip of the iced coffee. "Thank you," he smiled. It was delicious.

"Ah, is there going to be an attack soon?" Abby asked, moving to sit down beside Clark and take a sip of her own drink. "And I suppose that the timetable for finishing this ship has also been moved up? Especially now that Nepleslia has declared its freedom."

"No, I don't think we'll be attacked. Supposedly the Yamatai government is too focused on the Mishhuvurthyar threat to stop the secession and we have an agreement not to mess with each other. It sounds a little shakey to me. So, right after, the boss sent me an email saying the construction assembly phase must begin today," the Nepleslian man nodded. "In fact, he said we might be bringing back the ASF-57 in an updated form, since there's a lot of them laying around in the old yards. I can't wait to see those positron flux cannons and hyperspace reactors online again."

"ASF-57?" She asked, "I'm not familiar with that one..." She wrapped her lips around the straw on her drink again to take in some more of the chilled coffee before continuing, "I guess we really need to finish the hull design up today then."

"Remember, I was telling you about it the other day," Clark reminded her. "But yeah, let's get started. Right now it looks like a cigar in my head."

"Oh... those." She said, making the connection again, "Well, will we have the turrets mounted directly on the hull? Or will we have fin platforms where the turrets can be mounted in an over/under style for better coverage? What about the drive system as well? Are we going to go with a wormhole based drive system or a more conventional thrust system? If we go with the more conventional thrust do you want the thrust to exit out of holes in the hull or have armored lips to cover those weak spots? Will the main shuttle bays have a curved door or a flat one?" Abby then looked down to start reviewing her notes on the ship to see if there were any other things she should think about.

"I'm thinking directly on the hull...if that's alright with you dear. Perhaps a short fin on either side, and we can build turrets into those as well as the auxiliary engines. The drive system will be more conventional, I'm thinking. The main shuttle bays could be inward sloped ones on the ship's underside with air force fields and armored doors to keep pressure."

"Alright then, I suggest we change the number of Turrets to 28 and space them out on the hull in clusters of four, one on top, under, and on either side with the cannon able to turn 360 degrees round and 200 degrees up and down so that unless the target is directly in front of behind 3/4 of the turrets will be able to fire at it at all times. A domed shape would also be wises for the turrets so a sloped face is pointed in every direction. These clusters of four should be spaced out down the hull and built on a reinforced ring to deal with the added stress of repeated firing. The bridge will be inside the ship I'm guessing but will we have any protrusions for sensor towers or the like? And what about installing bunkers on the outer hull for the power armors to use?" She asked.

"The power armor bays will be outside of the main armor, with a secondary layer of armor covering them," Clark replied, arranging a holographic diagram. "We'll put an observation tower on the top and bottom, each with communications gear in them."

"Sounds good, will we build the ship around a central spine with the interior rooms around that surrounded by the hull? Or should we build it around a frame with the rooms inside and the armor on the outside? Also... is there any color pattern that you want?" Abby said.

The central spine, of course. Remember that's where all the power systems and anti-matter chambers will be...I didn't think of the color pattern...hmm." Clark paused for a moment and sipped his iced coffee. "Something Nepleslian in character...white with a ribbon of gold that goes around the middle, and emerald green on the bottom, I'm thinking."

"Perhaps the flag's soldier emblem on the side?" Abby suggested. "And are there any other elements of the hull that need to be decided upon?"

"Yes, definitely," the man nodded. "What about escape pods and smaller guns?"

"What about storing the escape pods under an armored hull section anchored by exploding bolts so the armor can be jettisoned prior to the escape pod launch? Smaller guns we can cluster around the shuttle launch bays and quick launch catapults, as well as any other easy entrances to the ship. We might want to consider mid sized weapons for anti-bomber actions. Small weapons would be useful to stop boarding actions but if fighters and bombers just want to sink the ship then they will probably need to be engaged further away from the ship by the power armors." She suggested.

"Yeah." Clark scratched his head, looking at the diagram. "Water recycling systems?"

"We could run the water lines near the reactor and use the ambient heat to boil and clean the water. Something special should be used for waste recycling and water reclamation. Have any ideas for that?" She asked.

"Maybe just use a scaled-up version of the stuff on this star base. It's Nerimian tech, and pretty reliable. All of the stuff that our company makes so far is crap compared to it, from the Oberon to the Sojourner."

She nodded, "That sounds good. By the way, before we go any further should we forward the basic hull design to the builders so they can get started while we finalize the small stuff?" She asked

"Yes, yes," Clark nodded enthusiastically.

Abby got up and began to collect the information they had on the outer hull design to forward to the proper people.

 

[Wes]

ON: Geshrinari Shipyards, Conquest Battleship Construction Facility Number One, Internal Observation Room

Clark Thomson, Nepleslian ship designer extraordinaire, wandered into the observation area with Abby at his side. The room was a large, spacious T-shaped area with a main rectangular area with tables and chairs in the middle and couches that lined the walls. A bar protruded into the area, opposite the part of the T that stuck out, a raised section of the room that had a conference table, surrounding by transparent windows on its three walled sides. The observation room was dimly lit with candlelight-style indirect lighting and decorated with numerous potted flowers and small trees along its dark blue and burgundy diamond-patterned carpet.

Abby was dressed rather elaborately, or at least as elaborately as she could afford. Her chest was covered in a white bodice that with a thin blue ribbon wrapping around it, holding it tightly against her chest while supporting her breasts to make them settle high on her chest, exposing none of the beautiful flesh on her chest. Covering her legs was a short ruffled white skirt held up around her waist by a thick blue ribbon that tied in a large bow on her back, just above her rear end. Thin white gloves also covered her hands up to just above her elbows, completing the look of an innocent looking doll all dressed up in ribbon and lace. Her hands held two data pads, one to offer their guest and one for her.

Her small wings were as white as her outfit and even her mid back length blonde hair seemed a little whiter that usual today to blend into her outfit.

Robert Davis' shuttle arrived at the shipyards, and within moments, the Master Admiral found himself being escorted directly to a conference area. He found wearing his Nepleslian Star Army suit rather boorish, but necessary for the occasion. His polished boots squeaked against the steel floor of the corridor but, more distinctly, the single pat of his cane echoed the halls as he approached the door to the observation area. Finding the door closed, he politely rapped on it with his cane.

Abby walked over to the door and opened it, standing to the side of the opened door and bowing, bending her small body into almost an L. "Welcome Master Admiral, may I offer you something to drink?" She asked.

Clark, standing near the table, was dressed in a gray suit with a white shirt and wide back tie, completed with a white Fedora hat that had a thick black brim around it. Suits were becoming increasingly popular over the last few months. He eyed the admiral, and then at Abby's suggestion, the bar.

"No thank you, my lady," Davis said, returning a bow of his own. "To whom do I owe the honor of this meeting?" He stepped into the room, admiring its appearance.

"To the Conquest," Clark grinned, gesturing to the skeletal form of the battleship outside the windows.

Abby closed the door behind him and walked to the admiral's side to hold out a data pad for him to take. "We are sure you'll find this ship a pleasure to have in your fleet." She said, as the data pad began displaying the preliminary statistics on the ship such as pictures of the weapons, crew and fuel requirements, and projections on destructive capability.

"Ah, I see," Davis replied, stepping to the window and observing the construction. He grasped the data pad in his hands and read it intently. "I do hope that I share your sentiments in regard to this ship. The creation of a well-equipped fleet is of the utmost importance to Nepleslia. I'm sure you are familiar with the gravity of this matter?"

Abby watched Clark nod and then did the same herself, "Of course we do, The safety of Nepleslia is as important to us as I am sure it is for you." Abby then walked over to the table, standing by a seat so that she had a view of their visitor but not sitting down yet. Instead she remained standing keeping a very upright posture with her back slightly arched.

"I'm pleased that you both are of such a pragmatic mindset," the Master Admiral said as he walked to a seat at the table and took it. "Actually, I would quite like a glass of water before we sit and discuss this matter in detail."

Abby nodded and turned to head to the bar. "Do you like Ice in your drink sir?" Abby asked as she picked up one of the clear glasses which had an art deco pattern sculpted into them which conformed to the shape of the average person's hand.

"Yes, that would be splendid." Looking up from the data pad, he watched the lady as she walked to the bar. "If you do not mind my skepticism, before we begin, I would like to know a little bit about yourselves and your qualifications. I ask this in the interests of my nation."

"Would you like me to get you something Clark?" Abby asked before she placed the glass under a small metal protrusion next to the tap on the bar and pressed a button to release three ice cubes into the glass. She then filled the glass 3/4ths of the way full with water, "Well, while I may not be considered skilled by most I have learned a few things about bartending here." She said with a good natured smile as she took the glass over to their guest.

Clark nodded, "Sure. Something non-alcoholic for now." At that moment, Clark's pocket communicator on his belt rang. Taking it out, he took a look at who was calling on the display. "If you'd excuse me for a moment," Clark said, "I've got to take this call. It should only be a minute," he apologized. He stepped into a restroom that branched off of the bar area to answer the device.

The Major Admiral nodded to Clark as he left, but his attention was diverted by the lady, who he did not know by name. "Thank you for the water, miss?"

"My name is Abdyel Sir," She said as she look over at Clark and nodded, "Yes sir," She said to him before looking back to the Major Admiral, "I was in the employ of the ECN during the war before working here where I was picked to be an assistant to Clark Thompson. If you'll excuse me for a moment sir." She turned away from him to walk back to the bar, her hips having a feminine sway to them as she walked away from him. Once she was behind the bar she reached for another glass then looked over the drinks they had on tap.

"No problem, Miss Abdyel." As he watched the lady walk, Robert admired her feminine demeanor. It reminded him of his deceased wife. But he quickly erased those thoughts from his mind. A matter of national security was at hand.

Abby picked out a fruit drink for Clark and filled the glass with it after putting a few ice cubes in the glass. "So what exactly are you looking for in the Conquest as a starship?" She asked as she walked over to where Clark was earlier and sat the glass down on the table, bending over slightly to grab a coaster and put it down on the table to set the glass on.

Clark returned to the room shortly. "Sorry about that," he apologized again.

Abby nodded, "Back to our discussion then?" She asked, looking over at him.

The man nodded. "Indeed."

"The answer is quite simple, my friend," Robert replied, sipping his water. "I want a ship that will hold the standard for the Nepleslian Star Army. I want a ship that is capable of engaging in battle and coming out victoriously. Our troops are hands on, rough and tumble types. From my experiences, they enjoy engaging the enemy and coming out on top however they can. From what I'm reading here, I like the space for power armor pilots. Most recruits tend to be armor pilots..."

"Well, you should be very satisfied with the conquest class ships upon their completion. Are there any elements of the design you'd like us to elaborate on now before we start going through all the features?" Abby asked.

"Well, I'm seeing some incomplete data regarding width, height and number of floors on this ship," Robert said with a frown, "but mainly, I need to know of its combat-effectiveness."

Clark took his fruit juice from the table and sipped at it for a moment. "The ship should be able to take on pretty much any equivalent ship," he told Robert, "...and probably win. It's literally the best Nepleslia can possibly make."

"Combat effectiveness can't be proven until actual combat occurs but this ship has increased survivability and firepower when compared to other ships that are available to you is vastly improved. This ship is also one of the few which can stand up to the main gun systems installed on the star army counterparts." Abby added. "And of course the data remains incomplete until the starship is fully finished in construction." She looked over at Clark to see if he had noticed the drink she made for him yet.

"I like your enthusiasm regarding this ship, but can you quantify that statement, Mr. Clark, regarding matters of comparison with Star Army Ships? And what about the Mishhu?"

"Unfortunately, I can't, sir. As my assistant said, the only real quantifiers are actual battles. Stat-wise, however, it has everything it needs to succeed," Clark replied. "With regards to the Mishhu, it should be just as capable against them as it is with Star Army or Nerimian ships."

"The only variables that might not be up to par with the others would be the soldiers manning the ship and I'm sure that the Nepleslians are as capable if not more capable than the counterparts in the other combat forces." She said, taking the offensive in the conversation.

"I always find that statistics are hard to swallow and impossible to digest." Robert shifted his weight in his chair, running his hand on the smooth polished handle of his cane. "In your opinion, what role will this vessel serve in the Star Army?"

"The flagship for most battle formations," Clark smiled. "For at least ten years, hopefully."

"The ship can also handle the launch and recovery of powered armors and shuttle craft safely even in battle conditions with its unique launching system. Its field generators help protect other ships against the use of heavy weapons like Aether cannons and Quantum Detonators while its numerous gun batteries can easily engage many ships simultaneously and look threatening enough to help in negotiations. Its size and comfort levels are great enough to make even the most picky officer feel at home." Abby didn't mention how the grunts would feel but she felt she didn't need to.

"I see in regard to the weaponry listed here, you'll be using rail gun technology for the main cannons? I've seen a lot of lasers and missiles in my time, and they seem to do a very fine job at eradicating targets. Why did you choose to go in this direction rather than the latter?" The Master Admiral wanted to get into the gritty details now, a test of their proficiency and trust in their design. "I value your dedication to the safety of power armor pilots, as this will most likely be the majority of our soldiers."

"These aren't just any rail guns, these are linear wormhole assisted compressed anti-matter weapons capable of delivering more damage faster than previous rail gun types. The rain guns used by the Yamatai Government can not compare to the speed, accuracy, and power of the weapons installed on this ship. Laser weapons were abandoned a long time ago because they are defeated easily by reflective armor types. Missiles are generally not cost effective on the battlefield, requiring massive amounts of technology, electronics, and rare materials to be considered a serious threat against starships. Not only will our projectiles reach their targets faster than a laser or missile but they will be able to do more damage per shot than either of them. In addition to that anti-matter storage and creation tech is dependent only on the power output of the starship so more ammunition can be stored and created as needed when compared to lasers and missile systems that can be produced at our current tech level." Abby said, showing off her impressive knowledge of starship weapons and tech.

"Ships like the Mishhu and Star Army make most missiles completely ineffective, so we didn't mess with them much," Thompson explained. "We used a turret-based subspace-encased positron cannon system, based on SMX technology. It should be pretty safe." He disagreed with Abby on Yamataian systems, but he'd talk to her about that later.

Robert nodded. "And the durability of this weapons technology is? The lack of backup weapons seriously concerns me. Granted, we can send our power armors out, but should they be eradicated, and we have a weapon's failure with these turrets, we'd be a sitting duck."

Clark sat down at the nearby table. "The backup weapons will likely be Nerimian-style energy wave projection cannons, possibly some missiles, since we might want something that works even without power."

"There should be no situation where all of the turret systems simultaneously fail. Even in the event that they are unable to generate wormholes the turrets will still be able to operate at reduced effectiveness without the wormholes." Abby added.

===

"Judging by these statistics, the stopping power of this ship is tremendous. Very good." The Admiral smiled inwardly. Nepleslia always had brilliant engineers, the best in the business. "Anything else you'd like to add about the weapons systems before we move onto layout and crew quarters?"

Abby looked over at Clark, having nothing to add herself at this point.

"Not really," Clark said. "At this point I'm eager for working out the insides, since that's about all we have left to work out."

"Well then, let's discuss that." Robert paused for a longer drink of his water. Feeling a bit of stiffness in his knees, he arose again to walk back to the window. He imagined what the ship would look like completed. Imagining the Nepleslian symbol adorning the hull made him shiver inside. Soon, they would be truly independent. "What were your ideas for that?"

"A fairly Spartan barracks set up for the enlisted with similar facilities for hygiene, no separate quarters for women. Officers would have individual rooms with a higher level of comfort. Vending machines and a food court/mall type area as well as a gym with plenty of creature comforts. We were actually looking for the militaries point of view as to what should be inside of the ship aside from the basics." Abby said.

"I was about to say that," Clark said quietly. His new assist was extremely competent, never ceasing to amaze him. The man looked over the Elysian girl with a warm smile on his face, loving everything about her, including her sexy, cute outfit she'd worn today. He'd have to complement her on it when he got a chance.

"Does the data pad have the most up-to-date layouts you had in mind before I continue?" Robert asked.

"It has the most up to date layouts yes, although there are many ideas we have that are not yet finalized." She said, glancing down at her data pad to get her bearings on the data she was talking about. Under the cute outfit and innocent looking expressions she was very skilled at what she did.

"Since you're going to be the one on the bridge, let's start with that and your quarters, alright?" Clark suggested to Robert.

"Ah, excuse me." The Master Admiral had left his data pad on the table. He quickly moved back to the table and grabbed it, punching up the layout schematics. "Certainly."

Abby nodded, "Well do you have a design style you'd prefer? Perhaps we should start there with the theme and design around that. Or should we go for maximum efficiency at expense of style and comfort?"

Robert's eyes narrowed as he read the initial plans for the captain's quarters. "Ah, I see that you've laid out the captains quarters and bridge to be very warm and comforting. A good idea, expecting that officers should have more of these creature comforts," Robert smiled at them both, remembering his younger days. "But let me tell you both a story, give this older gentleman a little time to ramble a bit." His smile widened a bit. "I grew up on Nepleslia in a rather comfortable environment. Learned everything from my parents, bless 'em. They taught me to love this country, be a real patriot. So, I joined the army. Now, you can imagine little ol' comfy-bed and home schooled rich kid going down to join the army..." He chuckled a bit, remembering his first time in a barrack. "Needless to say, when I first did join the army, I was in for a bit of a surprise! My facial expression, you could've sworn I done saw a ghost! After the first week, I hated it. Hated the barracks. Hated the food, hated everything. Only thing that kept me going was my love for my country. Now, imagine what I felt when I done went down to the captains quarters for the first time and saw his getup? I could've sworn myself blue, died and gone to heaven!" He laughed heartily, a rare sight indeed. "Now, I loved my country, but I sure as the dickens looked forward to getting a comfy barrack like that for myself! All those years passed, and when I did get it, I felt pretty good, but you know what? I saw the first young soldier walk in and I saw a reflection of myself. It didn't feel too good after that."

"Well the barracks are designed that way for a reason, to promote efficiency and teamwork among the crew, but if you want us to expand the facilities of the barracks for greater comfort that can be done as well." Her expression changed little, her mind remaining on the business at hand. Perhaps it was the lack of patriotism for her own country or plain inexperience that prevented her from getting to much out of the story.

"We can have good kitchens but I can't guarantee good cooks," Clark laughed. "Do you want us to up the comfort level for the lower troops, then?" he asked, wondering just what the sleep areas might look like. Four-man rooms instead of open bays, perhaps?

"Ah, Mister Clark, you're gettin' at something," Robert said as he leaned against the table, smiling at the joke. "I'm a big shot Admiral. I can have anything I want. Why not have a huge room to myself and have everyone else sleepin' in barracks? They gotta earn their stripes too, you say? Well, that makes them feel a bit down and out, and we don't want that. So, do we make the troops out to feel like kings? Nope, that'd just make them lazy, and it'd be far too expensive for our funds. So, let's have the best of both worlds. Let's have the troops have a little more comfort, say better bedding, but at the same time, let's take away my king-sized bed and leather chair. After all, if I get treated like a king, I'm bound to get lazy myself, right? In more practical words, privacy is important for an officer, but comfort isn't."

Abby looked over at Clark to judge his reactions to this.

Clark raised an eyebrow, wondering if Robert was joking or not. Most Nepleslians spend their entire lives seeking after the comforts and security that was generally rolled up into the nebulous concept of "luxury." To see a fellow Nepleslian give up luxury so easily was strange indeed. "Are...you sure?" Thompson asked to make sure it was true.

"Oh yes, I'm very sure. Tell you what. The creature comforts should be kept to the ample-sized recreation center. The kids can have fun, but let's not pamper them like babies. They get their pay and leave for those kinds of things."

Abby nodded and starting making notes on her data pad.

"About how many crew are we going to put on each of these?" Clark asked. Obviously, it was rather important to know.

"What do you mean?" Robert was slightly confused.

"You were a bit unclear about how many enlisted per room/barracks you wanted." Abby said.

"Actually, I meant per ship," corrected Thompson.

"Oh, sorry. Keep it comfortable for everyone, but not too lavish. Perhaps 4 or 8 per room with comfortable beds. Officers should have their own room, same setup."

"Oh... I am sorry," Abby said, looking downward and generally acting apologetic.

"You had what, 110 listed on the ship?" The Master Admiral asked

"We didn't intend to use large amounts of personnel to run the ship, instead focusing on using automated systems. This both reduces the amount of people at risk and increases functionality." Abby said

Clark nodded, "Additionally, the central anti-particle conduit and the amount of weapons systems we've installed take up space that Yamataian would use instead for things like 3-story bath and toilet wings for their commanding officer's personal suite," he chuckled. It wasn't a lie. The Yuumi, slightly smaller than the conquest, really did have such a bathroom.

Robert brushed his beard with a nod. "And you wonder how that could possibly be productive to the mission! Is there anyway that we can add a small training center on the ship, a virtual reality setup where the soldiers and power armor pilots can hone their skills?"

"The ship's not really big enough to have more than a small rifle range," Clark replied to Robert. "Most training should probably be external. It'll give us a better variety of places to train, anyway."

"Ah well then. Seems like the other basic systems are in order, standard fare. Anything you'd like to add about that?"
"I believe we can handle everything else," Abby said, looking over at Clark for the final word on that.

"Yeah, seems good. If you'd like to forward us the layout of some of the interior rooms within the next few days, we should be able to incorporate them into the design before the inside parts of the Conquest are started."

Clark nodded.

"Very well. Finally, what do you estimate the expense of these ships to be?" The final, perhaps most important question needed to be asked. Robert knew Nepleslia had a lot of money, but wasting it would not be a good idea in this tenuous time.

"That's something only my boss can decide for sure. They won't be cheap, though," Clark told the Admiral. No expenses were being spared in building the ship, and thus it'd be the most expensive ship the Nepleslian military had ever purchased.

"Understandable. Let's work hard to get a prototype built. If that works out, you can expect a lot more work in the future. Thank you for your time, but I have other business to attend to. I will contact you shortly." Robert was pleased. These engineers knew what they were doing, and they did it well. He extended his hand to each of them.

Abby would wait for Clark to shake first before doing the same, "Pleasure doing business with you." She said.

Thompson shook Davis's hand firmly. "Have a good evening, sir."

 

[Wes]

"Well, what else should we place in the officer's quarters?" Abby asked, glancing down at the thin white armband she had around her wrist to check the time. "I know their Admiral wanted us to keep the luxuries down to a minimum but I don't think the other officers in his command will think the same way. The younger ones might even want a little more entertainment in their rooms, perhaps viewscreen pinned up against the wall standard?"

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Clark nodded. "Or even better, on the ceiling over the bed."

"Maybe then a larger bed or couches to lay on so they could entertain company as well?" She asked. Both of them had been working together for a long time today and her stomach was getting ready to voice its opinion on her hunger. "What about fridge or mini-bar for them to put stuff in? Or should we discourage eating in the room to keep things clean?"

"The couches sounds excellent," the man grinned, painting a mental picture of the room in his head. "As far as eating, I'm not sure. There should be a wardroom nearby that's always open, right? We should put in a fridge...but not a mini-bar. Because, you know, the captain might need some wine in his bedroom."

"Well, we have yet to fully flesh out the wardroom and mess halls and the like. I don't think we decided if the officers and enlisted will be eating together or separately. The hydroponics bay has been designed so its safe to assume that any of the juicy fruits that are harvested there will be prepared in a kitchen of some sort. Maybe a personal wine cellar then? Not just for the Captain but to supply the kitchen as well? Large walk in freezers to store natural food for later or will we rely on the artificial stuff to satisfy them?" She put her arm around the white fabric of her shirt over her flat stomach and then asked, "Speaking of food we should go and get some soon. I haven't eaten anything in a while."

"Sure," Clark smiled. "Where do you want to go?" he asked, pondering the arrangements of the ship. "I think the officers will eat separately. I don't imagine that the higher ups would want to try to discuss their plans in the midst of a room full of noisy lower-ranking soldiers. I think we should try to get the crew as much fresh food as possible." Looking her up and down, he grinned widely. "Your new outfit is a wonderful new look for you. It's very sexy and pretty and complements a beautiful woman like you."

"Thanks," Abby said with a smile, unable to resist spinning in front of him to show off her outfit. Her skirt lifted up only slightly and fell back in place much like the large blue bow right above her rear end. The white fabric on her chest and blue ribbon wound around her body kept the clothing tight against her body and permitted no movement. "This bodice thing is a bit tight though, I can't wait to get out of it and back into something more natural." She smiled for a moment and then snapped back to the conversation about the ship, "It wouldn't make sense to have to kitchens for the officers and enlisted... Perhaps one large one with ample facilities overseen by a master chef?"
"Perhaps. It'd seem more fair if the officer ate the same food." As for the clothing, Clark would glad volunteer to help her free of the bodice and into something very natural. "Well, why not stop by somewhere and get food to go, then stop by your place so you can eat without being constricted?" he suggested, hoping to watch her change. She certainly was a gorgeous little angel.

"That sounds fine," Abby said, her mind focused on some delicious food to bite into. "Um, I still don't have a table in my room. Your ok with eating on the bed right?" She asked.

"Alright. I'll try not to make too much of a mess," he chuckled. "What sounds tasty?" he asked, tempted to add, "besides me?"

Abby nodded and went to the table to start gathering up the stray data pads and notes. "Um.... I don't know, I could go for anything right now. I wouldn't mind just getting something fast." She stood up on her tip toes to put the data pads and notes in an overhead storage cabinet near the table. "Maybe we could have a sandwich?"

Clark snuck up behind her, and just as she'd put the items away, goosed her playfully from behind with a giggle.

Abby eeped loudly and quickly moved her hands down over her bum, dropping a few of the data pads on the floor in the process. "Clark!" She turned and looked down at the data pads she dropped. "Um... sorry." She kneeled down and quickly picked them up. "You startled me."

Clark helped her pick up the dropped items and gave her a warm smile. "I couldn't help it," he grinned, hugging her around the waist.

His strong arms held the small plebeian angel against him, his hands resting against the large blue bow just above her rear end that was acting as her belt. "Um..." she looked down and then back up at him, "Food?"

The Nepleslian man leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. He was so tempted to undo the bow right there and have her on the conference table, but he didn't want to scare the girl or drive her away by being too aggressive. "Alright," he nodded, feeling all warm and mushy inside from her presence. He offered her his hand, so they could walk to the food court together. "Sandwiches sound great!"

Abby blushed slightly as she was kissed, not used to receiving gentle tokens of affection from her boss. She put the data pads they had picked up on the table and then took his hand. "Indeed. Lead on Clark." Abby smiled and followed him, softly leaning against his arm.

Thompson gladly held her at his side as they walked into the halls and towards the food court. "Maybe," he said while they walked, "we could design a ship for the two of us sometime."

"Well, what would we make?" Abby asked curiously as they neared the food court.

"Well, not a combat ship!" Clark laughed. "Something more like a luxury yacht."

"I'd hope not. I couldn't handle a rifle if my life depended on it." Abby said as they reached the food court. "Speaking of new ships, that admiral is going to need a lot more types of ships if they want a well rounded army." As they arrived she looked around, "So what type of sandwich do you want?"

"Roast beef or steak," her companion indicated. "Mmm, nice and juicy...maybe we can make a scaled-down version of the ship later, for escort usage," he suggestion. "No need to reinvent the wheel, right?"

Abby nodded, "Right. We could quickly come up with modifications to the Conquest once it's completed." Her eyes looked over the various places that offered sandwiches and the looked up at Clark, "I haven't tried the meat here. Perhaps you should choose?" Almost as if on cue her stomach rumbled a little bit.

If they weren't in a public place, Clark would've stopped and taken a moment to listen to her insides at work. At this point, everything about the young woman seemed to fascinate him. He grinned again, amused, before leading her over to a sandwich shop that sold healthy but wholesome square sandwiches on warm, fresh bread. Thompson gave her some time to decide what she'd like by ordering before her, getting a fruit smoothie and an impressively large roast beef sandwich on wheat bread, with horseradish sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, little squares of cucumbers, and alfalfa sprouts.

Once he had ordered Abby picked up the bag of food and let it hang in front of her from both palms. "It looks delicious, I can't wait to get it back to my room." She said, leaning over and standing up on her tip toes to give him a peck on the cheek. "Have you had one of these before?" She asked

"You're not ordering?" Clark asked, confused. Apparently she'd gotten a bit distracted.

"...OH! oops." She said, fixing her mistake by turning back and ordering. Abby chose a different type of fruit smoothie and a roast beef sandwich on white bread topped with the same sauce, tomatoes, and two things that she hadn't really seen before as her curiosity took hold. Once she had her order in hand she turned back to look at him. "Sorry, my mind tends to stop working when I don't have something inside of me."

Clark laughed, his mind in the gutter. "Well, lucky you have me to keep you stuffed," he grinned, paying for her meal.

"Back to my room to eat then?" Abby asked.

"Yep, to eat out...but in!"

Abby laughed, then locked her arm around his to hurry them both off to her room.

A big grin on his face an a bulge in his pants, Clark followed along as fast as she wanted to go, eager to be with her in private once more.

A short low gravity shaft ride later they had arrived at Abby's room. It was a bit smaller than Clark's and space was at a premium, having only room for a small bathroom area, a dresser, a viewscreen on the wall, and a rather spacious bed that almost seemed out of place here. On the dresser were a few data pads and periodicals on technology and math theory. She sat the bags of food down on her bed and moved into the room, her hands loosening the blue ribbon that was holding the top of her outfit on.

Thomson sat on her bed, making sure he was in a place where he could get a great view, while he carefully unwrapped his sandwich, making certain not to get anything from in onto her bed.

Abby carefully unlaced the blue ribbon then grabbed a few items of clothing out of her dresser before going into the restroom. It didn't have a door so she just turned her back toward the room and slid her top back and up off her body and wings. She bent over to carefully put the clothing on the ground before putting on a white bra decorated with cute little teddy bears and then covering that with a white T-shirt.

Clark was a little disappointed but tried not to let it show. "You've got a cute little room. It suits you."

"Thank you," Abby said as she came back and sat down on the bed across from Clark, being sure to not disturb the open sandwich on the blue blankets of the bed. After getting her own and wrapping it in a similar fashion she asked, "So what would we do if we had our own ship?" She asked.

"Oh, I don't know, explore the parts of the universe the SMX isn't in, travel to exotic locations, make it a home, and of course make sweet love in it every night," he laughed.

Abby blushed more, "That sounds really romantic." She reached behind herself to tug on the fabric of her shirt to get her wings completely through the wing slits in the back of her shirt. She then reached down for her sandwich and started to quickly eat it, taking small bites and swallowing fast. "I wouldn't mind getting out and seeing a few exotic locations. Aside from Elysia I haven't really visited any other planets."

"I wouldn't mind showing you the galaxy," the man smiled. He hungrily ate his sandwich with large bites, going though it quickly but not sloppily. Reaching over to her for a moment, he rubbed her lower back comfortingly. "I wouldn't mind living with you," he said quietly.

"Um..." That was something Abby didn't really know how to respond to, although the rubbing of her lower back made her want to scoot a bit closer to him... which was something she soon did. She still had on her dress skirt and his hand was already brushing up against the bow tied behind her. Her sandwich was only half gone and she was already slowing down. "That... sounds nice."

Clark gave her a kiss on the cheek hand hugged her, content even just to be with her like this. Without a word to disturb the tranquil warmth, he quietly finished his sandwich while watching her.

It wasn't long before Abby had eaten her fill of the sandwich before her and chased it down with a bit more of her fruit smoothie. She reached out to pick up the trash on her bed and move it to the nightstand so it would be out of their way. The small girl then leaned back into the hug with Clark, her head resting against his shoulder. Her rather loose shirt did allow Clark a birds eye view of the cute bra that was covering her chest. "We should get back to work." Abby said, looking up at him for a moment before adding, "Or we could just call it quits for today."

Clark leaned back on the back lazily. "Let's just rest for a minute, together..." he said temptingly.

"Alright," Abby said, laying down on her side and putting one arm across his chest. The young girl scooted a bit up on the bed so her head was just about at his neck. Her breasts rested up against his side while her smooth legs just barely touched his.

The man pulled her gently closer to him, and kissed softly at her forehead. "Abby..." he whispered her nickname sweetly, loving the sound.

"Yes?" She asked, the front of her body now pressed up against his side as she was pulled close. Her eyes were closed and her hand also curled around his torso a bit more.

"Do you want me inside you?" he asked, staring sexily into her pretty blue eyes.

Abby blushed wildly. "Do I want you inside of me?" She asked, still turning the question over in her mind. She moved around a bit more to sit up, her hand brushing against the waste band of his pants in the process, "I... um..." She didn't know what to say to that and her face showed it.

Clark lifted up her skirt, exposing her panties, smirking playfully as he started to rub her soft, warm folds through them.

He managed to extract an "Oh..." From Abby as her more exotic location was more or less exposed and rubbed. The white fabric there was decorated with images of kiss marks left by a pair of lips wearing lipstick. It only took a few moments before his hand started to feel a rise in heat and some moisture on her panties. He could feel her arm tighten around him as Clark's hand was making a conquest of its own.

(Time to fade to black, lol.)

TO BE CONTINUED...