that was left was for her to take command of 2023 ACE. Although, officially, she wasn't due to take possession and lift off until tomorrow. Well, I guess there's no time like the present. She peered down the seemingly endless hallway. "Vogt Twenty Twenty-three ACE, respond."
There was a slight tremor in the walls and floor. Lawn grimaced. Good going, idiot. You forgot to tell it how to respond. Let's try that again, shall we?
19
"Vogt Twenty Twenty-three ACE, light the way to the bridge...please."
She was still pronouncing the "s" when the bright glow filled the corridor to her left. "Thank you," she added, and began walking toward the bridge.
Two years of cockpit simulation had trained her on every part of the vessel's flight and weapons arrays, so the sight of the actual thing didn't give her pause. What she didn't expect was the shiny, almost mirrorlike patina on every surface. The simulator used by the Bureau was dull gray, much like the exterior of the ship. This interior almost blinded her with the lights' reflections.
"Vogt Twenty Twenty-three ACE, lower illumination by fifty percent, please."
The ship promptly adjusted the lights to a more tolerable level.
Lawn took a deep breath. The ship had allowed her onboard because it had scanned her the moment she had stepped onto the ladder, and it had recognized her authority code embedded in the badge on her uniform. But that code was only good enough to get her into the ship. For the Vogt to accept her completely, she had to go through the final acceptance steps.
That was why Brune had told her to go ahead and board the ship. To finish the final steps so that tomorrow when it came time to do the actual launch, everything would go smoothly and accurately. And on time.
"Vogt Twenty Twenty-three ACE, commence final acceptance phase."
20
On cue, a panel behind her went transparent, and the door slid into the wall to reveal a tiny chamber. Lawn quickly doffed her uniform and stepped naked into the chamber. The floor warmed beneath her bare feet, as did the air around her. The door slid closed, but she could still see the bridge through the panel.
"Close your eyes."
It was a male voice. A deep, very masculine voice that almost vibrated through her. The sound of it surprised her, although she had been prepared for it. Or thought she had.
She knew the ship would be male, but the voice was still a shock.
Closing her eyes, Lawn felt the prickly sensations crawling like invisible fingers over her skin. They were immediately followed by a cool chill threading its way into her bloodstream and seeping into her bones. The ship was doing an in-depth genetic scan, tracking every part of her body. It was connecting itself to her in every way possible, both mentally and physically. Memorizing her in the only way it could as it also verified her readouts with the set of readouts it had been previously fed.
The invisible crawling fingers wove their way over her breasts, and Lawn gasped. Heaven help her, she could feel herself becoming physically aroused. The fingers felt wonderful as her nipples tightened into sensitive points. The ship's touch was tantalizing. Incredibly lifelike.
Nobody had told her the examination would be like this. It was like a man was rubbing his hands over her. Gentle, slow, and thoroughly. Like a lover taking his time to prepare her for 21
penetration. She shivered involuntarily, and the ship immediately reacted. From somewhere warm air began to fill the chamber. The ship thought she was cold.
Holding her breath, Lawn closed her eyes and waited for the Vogt's search to reach her mound. The tickling slid over and through her with deliberate caresses. She felt herself responding as she grew wetter in anticipation. Without realizing she'd done so, Lawn parted her legs to give the Vogt better access.
There was a slight pressure inside her womb, a rubbing against the inner walls before traveling downward. The invisible
There was a slight tremor in the walls and floor. Lawn grimaced. Good going, idiot. You forgot to tell it how to respond. Let's try that again, shall we?
19
"Vogt Twenty Twenty-three ACE, light the way to the bridge...please."
She was still pronouncing the "s" when the bright glow filled the corridor to her left. "Thank you," she added, and began walking toward the bridge.
Two years of cockpit simulation had trained her on every part of the vessel's flight and weapons arrays, so the sight of the actual thing didn't give her pause. What she didn't expect was the shiny, almost mirrorlike patina on every surface. The simulator used by the Bureau was dull gray, much like the exterior of the ship. This interior almost blinded her with the lights' reflections.
"Vogt Twenty Twenty-three ACE, lower illumination by fifty percent, please."
The ship promptly adjusted the lights to a more tolerable level.
Lawn took a deep breath. The ship had allowed her onboard because it had scanned her the moment she had stepped onto the ladder, and it had recognized her authority code embedded in the badge on her uniform. But that code was only good enough to get her into the ship. For the Vogt to accept her completely, she had to go through the final acceptance steps.
That was why Brune had told her to go ahead and board the ship. To finish the final steps so that tomorrow when it came time to do the actual launch, everything would go smoothly and accurately. And on time.
"Vogt Twenty Twenty-three ACE, commence final acceptance phase."
20
On cue, a panel behind her went transparent, and the door slid into the wall to reveal a tiny chamber. Lawn quickly doffed her uniform and stepped naked into the chamber. The floor warmed beneath her bare feet, as did the air around her. The door slid closed, but she could still see the bridge through the panel.
"Close your eyes."
It was a male voice. A deep, very masculine voice that almost vibrated through her. The sound of it surprised her, although she had been prepared for it. Or thought she had.
She knew the ship would be male, but the voice was still a shock.
Closing her eyes, Lawn felt the prickly sensations crawling like invisible fingers over her skin. They were immediately followed by a cool chill threading its way into her bloodstream and seeping into her bones. The ship was doing an in-depth genetic scan, tracking every part of her body. It was connecting itself to her in every way possible, both mentally and physically. Memorizing her in the only way it could as it also verified her readouts with the set of readouts it had been previously fed.
The invisible crawling fingers wove their way over her breasts, and Lawn gasped. Heaven help her, she could feel herself becoming physically aroused. The fingers felt wonderful as her nipples tightened into sensitive points. The ship's touch was tantalizing. Incredibly lifelike.
Nobody had told her the examination would be like this. It was like a man was rubbing his hands over her. Gentle, slow, and thoroughly. Like a lover taking his time to prepare her for 21
penetration. She shivered involuntarily, and the ship immediately reacted. From somewhere warm air began to fill the chamber. The ship thought she was cold.
Holding her breath, Lawn closed her eyes and waited for the Vogt's search to reach her mound. The tickling slid over and through her with deliberate caresses. She felt herself responding as she grew wetter in anticipation. Without realizing she'd done so, Lawn parted her legs to give the Vogt better access.
There was a slight pressure inside her womb, a rubbing against the inner walls before traveling downward. The invisible
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