The ride down is turning out relatively uneventful. The new technology from Quantum 4 is beyond anything I have ever experienced. There's no need for a pilot. Hell, the ship technically doesn't even need passengers or a crew. Too bad it couldn't roam the planet and do the job for us.

As it was, the A.I. in the ship already has our destination coordinates. As soon as I had said the word 'OK,' it had taken over and cleared us for take-off. Then before I had even found a seat, we had been on course for our destination on the planet of death.

So I may be in love with the ship. It is thankfully void of living bio-mechanical walls. Instead, it has some sort of new material thoroughly infused with electrical signals that I don't understand.

Any wall not embedded with tech or equipment attached to it can be used as a digital display for our communicators or handhelds, including the ship's A.I.

The ship's A.I. scared the absolute shit out of me earlier in the Captain's quarters. And yes, I claimed the Captain's quarters.

The ship has one other room near the back of it, by the Engineering Bay and the single holding cell, but I wanted to be close to the cockpit.

Not sure I qualify as a ship's Captain, but I don't care. Apparently, neither does Ufrik. Truthfully the A.I. is technically the ship's Captain anyway.

Anyway, the sanitizer had been my first stop after we left the AAF Conquest's shuttle bay. I was getting dressed into my first pair of truly clean clothes when the wall suddenly shimmered to life beside me.

I almost pulled my gun on it.

The ship's A.I., calling itself Syndicate because AAF Multi-Purpose Transport Vessel Artificial Intelligence didn't appeal to it, presented me with its somewhat humanoid version of itself.

Of course, it chose a female form. Engineers and mechanics seriously need to stop calling their spacecraft's "her" or "she." Nevertheless, she did create a decent-looking female figure for herself. Based on a female from the Quantum region in the Iornos Galaxy.

Most Quantum region inhabitants are human-looking. Not sure why I find that weird, but I do.

I am not sure if it's because I cannot reconcile the insane intelligence of the Quantonians with humans or that a species so superior in brain function can look so mundane.

I mean, Humans have potential. They just keep purposely harming themselves and their potential for evolutionary progress. Repeatedly. Which is the exact opposite of the people from the Quantum region.

Altogether, in the Iornos Galaxy, there are nine habitable planets. The people of that galaxy, being geniuses, decided that there was no point in having multiple-planet names.

Thus, for efficiency and practicality, each planet is called Quantum, followed by the number in which order it is in the Galaxy. Who decided the order? I have no idea. I don't care. It is known as the Quantum region, and that is enough for me.

Either way, the A.I. has made herself a damn good-looking Quantum female. It left me a little confused, to be honest. Is it weird to check out your ship's A.I. and find it attractive?

Still, it's not every day a life-size representation of your ship's A.I. appears beside you while you're half-naked. Rude.

She had wanted to know what I wanted for "sustenance," as it could tell by my vitals, I was in dire need of "nourishment."

The creepy thing can scan your vitals from anywhere on the ship. Handy in most cases, creepy when you aren't ready for it. After being so long planetside, eating simple meal after meal,  I am not going to complain.

I told it, or her, "Surprise me.", and before I had finished dressing, I could smell the food.

Now Syndicate's stunningly perfect face shimmers before me on the wall beside my door and announces my meal is ready in the Food Steamer located in the lounge.

By all the celestial stars in space, it smells good. Eating the planet of death's wildlife and plants hadn't been that bad. I have been served worse. However, it didn't have the spices or flavours of other foods.

I had grown quite an obsession with Feyronian foods before being deployed. They love spicy food. And somehow, the crazy bastard's on Quantum 4 had figured out how to make food rations include spices! I decided it was a bonus they rehydrate in the food steamer with less than a drop of water.

I had eaten a lot of different types of dehydrated food rations in my day. Some you could rehydrate, others you could only gnaw on until you could swallow it. None, however, had flavour other than dirt, or maybe sweet dirt, in my opinion.

I smile huge as I finish getting dressed. I am in heaven. I am clean, really clean, for the first time in six universal years, and an actual authentic, mouth-watering meal is waiting for me. Fuck the frozen Human popsicle. I am never leaving this ship.

Leaving the Captain's room, my room, I enter the lounge, scoop up my plate and sit down feeling like it is a bloody holiday.

Then I die blissfully with the first mouthful.

Ummmmm. I am groaning out loud with each mouthful of food. Damn, this is good.

Hot and sweet spices dance on my tongue. I spoon a mouthful of the green jelly-like substance into my mouth. It is Guarnock Mint pudding from my home planet. Sweet cool menthol, with a touch of Guard Nectar and just a hint of salt, melts on my tongue.

Hmmm. I groan again, closing my eyes in sheer ecstasy.

"Perhaps I should come back later when you and your food are finished?"

Ufrik stands in the doorway between the lounge and his room. He is mocking me. The male has no clue. If I wasn't so deliriously high from my wonderful meal, I might have felt inclined to respond.

As it is, I am rather busy. So instead, I roll my eyes skyward as I tenderly place another spoonful of pudding in my mouth. Not caring if he enjoys the show or not, I let myself enjoy every single mouthful. I don't bother looking to see if he left or not.

When I finally swallow my last bite, some kind of spicy meat I have never tasted before, I open my eyes to see if Ufrik stuck around. The dirty perve indeed had stayed to watch.

"Enjoyed that, did you?" I give him a knowing smirk. It's hard to get embarrassed when you don't care what someone thinks.

He looks surprised for a moment, then gives himself a slight shake. I guess he hadn't realized his thoughts had been broadcasting across his face. I snort at his discomfort.

"I take it it's been some time since you had a decent meal?"

He is trying to regain his dignity, his voice calm and indifferent. The exact opposite of the look he'd just been giving me. I am feeling generous, though, after my glorious meal and decide to throw him a bone, as the Humans say.

"You have no idea." I smile politely, pretending I hadn't just called him out on his dirty thoughts.

I sit back, leaning my head on the back of my chair, closing my eyes and sigh contentedly. I want to sleep. However, that won't happen unless this ship has something to numb my mind. So once again, ignoring my new partner, I address the ship's A.I.

"Syndicate."

"Yes, Marshal Zea."

"Does this tin can have any alcohol?"

"Sorry, Marshal. It was not a necessity for your mission. Therefore it was not included in the manifest."

Shit. Well, this is going to be a long-ass tour then. I sigh heavily this time. Some of my good mood evaporating. I should have made a special request.

"You know, If you ask nicely, I may share." I crack one eyelid to see Ufrik giving me a teasing yet meaningful smirk.

Not a chance buddy. No way is he going to be able to bribe me into getting naked with him.

Besides, I give him two days of putting up with my cranky, overtired bitchiness, before he caves and offers me his whole stash. I meet his smirk with my own.

"Are you saying you have liquor, Ufrik?" I cock my eyebrow at him.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do, Zea. May I call you Zea?" His voice drops an octave and is dripping with sexual promise.

I bet his come hither eyes and deep sexy voice works for him most of the time. But it is time to burst his bubble. Whether he is just screwing with me or trying to get me in bed, I am not in the mood to play.

"Look, Ufrik, let's just get something straight. Call me Zea, call me Marshal, call me fuck face, I don't care. But we are never... ever going to get naked and bump uglies, ok?" I say the last part using a voice that I usually reserve for consoling small children.

Maybe it is a little more mocking than necessary, but considering he just tried to bribe me into the sack with booze, I am not worried about offending him.

For a moment, I hold the mock 'I am so sorry' pout on my face, with big puppy dog eyes and the whole bit. I can't do the consoling voice mockingly without "the look." I mean, what would be the point?

He doesn't seem to know how to respond, so I drop the act and in a firm tone say, "And when you decide to cut the shit and share your booze with me, I will be in the Captain's room daydreaming about a Universe without Zu'Lar ... Or frozen Humans."

I stand up and leave him sitting there, staring blankly at me, obviously at a loss for words.

Something about him just annoys the stars out of me. I am in the military, sexual jokes and offers frequently happen, so that isn't the issue. Most of it is harmless fun, and I enjoy the banter and flirting.

If I am honest guilt-free sex is a fantastic way to spend spare time.

It is something else. Something specific to Ufrik himself.