AwayTeam
Ely Nguyen is a cadet fresh out of the Academy and wide-eyed with enthusiasm. But he's also alone. Sure, his work as a trainee engineer takes up most of his time, but what about when he's on R & R? He hasn't had a boyfriend since he left Mars some three months back. No one to even buy a drink for in one of the many clubs and pubs scattered about the starship
Mandrake
he's been assigned to.
Sure, he's got friends, but a man needs more than friends, especially after a long rotation of work.
Then, a chance encounter on a lower deck corridor sees to it that cadet scientist Emerson Sonfield catches Ely's attention and he asks the man out for a drink. Will this be the start of something wonderful? Will duty get in the way of their fledgling relationship? Or will Ely ruin the chance of being with Emerson of his own accord, putting his foot firmly into his mouth before they even get to know one another?
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Away Team
Copyright © 2011 Mark Alders
ISBN: 978-1-55487-953-3
Cover art by Martine Jardin
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
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Away Team
Starship Cadet Missions One
By
Mark Alders
Chapter One
"Logging you off this station, Cadet Ely Nguyen. Please stand down so the next crewmember can begin their shift. Thank you," the computer chimed in its androgynous, but pleasant voice.
Ely stepped away from the panel of lights and dials in front of him. He'd been working on numerous simulations for the optimum coolant mix needed to get the engines at peak efficiency. He had submitted many of the suggestions to Commander Okinawa, too.
Much to Ely's delight, the man seemed impressed with a number of the scenarios he had come up with. Sure, he was fresh out of Academy, only a month over nineteen, but all that didn't matter. He was making a difference here on the
Mandrake
. A difference that could see the ship arrive at the alien signal days, even weeks earlier than projected.
All he needed to do was find the right mix. Mechanics was his specialty. He knew that if he kept the engines cool enough, the reactors could work at full strength without getting fatigued. Optimum propulsion the result.
He smiled to himself as he walked out of the engineering bay, saluting his commanding officer before heading for the lower quarters and his cabin he shared with fellow cadet, Braden Clark.
Not that Braden even knew he existed. The man was handsome, no doubt. All rippling muscles, ones he toned through many hours in the gym. He also had a smile that could melt even the most hardened heart, and eyes, piercing blue, that made Ely tremble at his knees whenever Braden shot him a glance.
Still. That was a fantasy. Ely wasn't even sure the man was into guys. He never mentioned that he was. Then again, Braden didn't really speak much at all. Not to Ely anyway. That sealed it. Ely was invisible. Even if he strutted into his cabin stark naked, waggling his dick in a desperate grab for attention, he'd be certain Braden would ignore him or offer some quip to dismiss the whole thing.
Ely sighed as the lift doors opened and the computer announced that he had arrived on his desired deck. He stepped out and made his way down the corridor. His cabin was 507. He had a while to go.
Up ahead, he caught a glimpse of Kale, another cadet from his graduating class and a good friend. He was heading toward him. Probably about to start his shift. The man was a pilot in training and most of the time cadets could only use the fighters and shuttles in the hours they were least used.
Which reminded Ely. It was late. Near 2200 hours.
"Hey, how's it hanging, Ely?" Kale asked with a whimsical salute and a cheeky smile on his plump adorable lips.
"Just fine. How about yours?"
"A bit to the left for my liking. Never mind. I'll adjust it later, hey." Kale slapped Ely on his back, letting out a guffaw at the same time. Ely loved the greeting banter he shared with Kale. Pity it never went beyond that. The man was damn fine. Not as strikingly good looking as Braden, but certainly jack-off material. His dark olive skin and clean features adding to the attraction.
"You do that."
"Catch you later, Ely. Got to get some flight time in before the lieutenants and officers decide to do manoeuvres."
Ely watched as Kale headed for the lift and pressed the
up
button. His arse was damn fine as well, especially in his jumpsuit. From where Ely was standing, the thing seemed to accentuate the curve of his buttocks to perfection, all that strapping and silky material helped, he was sure.
Before Ely could say his goodbyes, Emerson Sonfield emerged from the lift once the doors opened and the computer's voice filled the corridor. There was a brief exchange between them. Emerson then came toward Ely, a confident strut in his gait. To Ely's amusement, the man turned his head to check out Kale in the very same way he had done only moments ago.
"He's got a nice arse, hasn't he?" Ely said once Emerson was within earshot. He wasn't sure if Emerson was into guys--actually, scratch that. Emerson
was
into guys. He'd have snapped his head off just to feast his gaze on Kale for a few moments more if he could. Pity the lift doors closed just as quick as they had opened. Kale disappearing from view.
Emerson seemed to be embarrassed, his cheeks flushed red. "I-I don't know what you mean."
Ely was taken aback. Had he got the signals all wrong? Perhaps Emerson wasn't checking out Kale's arse. Perhaps something else had caught the man's interest. Ely flicked his gaze beyond him for a moment to see if there was anything on the floor of the corridor near the lift that could have diverted Emerson's attention. There was nothing.
Emerson wasn't of Ely's graduating class, even though a cadet. He was a science major, with that geeky charm about him. Sure, he wasn't handsome in the classic sense of the word, his snow white facial skin was blemished with zits, hair coal black, nose upturned, and he was lanky and awkward. But still. There
was
something about him.
Finally, Ely decided he was right, his instincts about the tall, skinny man in front of him ringing loud and clear in his head. "Yeah, you do. You were checking out Kale. I saw you."
Emerson's face reddened even more, his cheeks in stark contrast to his otherwise pale complexion. He shifted his weight and fidgeted with his hands in front of himself. "You're mad. I-I was…" Emerson turned his attention behind him. Ely would bet his left nut that the man was fishing for an excuse, seeing if there was something back there he could use to get him out of this situation. Finally, in a voice that sounded more annoyed than before, he added, "So, what's it to you anyway? You his boyfriend?"
Ely noted that Emerson was getting defensive. He had folded his arms, his stare also intent and filled with annoyance. "No."
"Then mind your own business."
The situation was getting tense. Ely didn't want that at all. He wanted to get to know as many guys as he could, preferably on a physical and emotional level. He was single, health checked and one of two-thousand on board. He'd also been on the
Mandrake
since it left Mars three months ago, without action in the love department for just as long. Sure, he had his bit on Lowell City on the red planet, in the form of a fine young man who called himself Hall, but that was never going to be a permanent situation. His military cadetship seeing to that.
Ely caught his arm, stopping him from leaving. "Do
you
have a boyfriend, Emerson?"
Again Emerson seemed flustered. He turned his full attention back to Ely. "What?"
Ely stepped closer to the man, keeping his hold. "I said, do you have a boyfriend?" Then something unexpected happened. Emerson laughed. For the second time in as many minutes, Ely was taken aback. "I'm sorry if I'm sounding forward, but--"
"Who'd
want
me?" Emerson came away from Ely's grip, stepping back so he could open his arms, invite Ely to check him out. He was in his uniform, a navy blue two-piece affair that consisted of fitted trousers and a jacket-come-shirt thing. The cadet pip gleaming on his collar. "I mean, look at me. I'm nothing special, am I?"
Ely swallowed hard. He had started all this. He couldn't back out now. Besides, the bulge Emerson presented sure looked interesting. Again he'd put his left nut up for bets and say that the man was well hung. That fact alone was worth something to Ely.
"I think you look fine to me." Ely spoke the truth. Sure, the man wasn't Braden or Kale, but nevertheless, there
was
something about him that aroused his interest. He just couldn't pin-point what that was.
Now it was Emerson's turn to look surprised, his eyebrows rising to crease his forehead. "You're joking, right? I mean, how can you like what you see? I'm all skin and bone and about as handsome as a blank comm panel with my tan. You're just having me on now."
Ely swallowed again. It was now or never. "How can I tell what you're like under all that uniform? If you ask me, I'd say you're putting me off deliberately so that you won't have to worry about having the burden of a boyfriend on board. I mean, why would you tie yourself down with all the other hunks running around all over the place?"
Emerson looked down to his feet. He whispered, "That's where you're wrong. I'd love to have a boyfriend," he whispered.
Ely smiled. He was right. Emerson did like guys. "I'd
love
to be your boyfriend, Emerson." Ely grabbed Emerson's hands, drawing him in close. "And seeing you out of that uniform would please more than anything else right now."
Emerson audibly swallowed. "You can call me, Sonny. All my friends do."
"Fine, Sonny, it is. So…will you go out with me? I'll buy you a drink and then--well, we'll go from there. Take it as fast or as slow as you like. How about it?"
The man nodded. "I'd like that. But if I find out you're having me on, I'll be mighty pissed off. And you don't want that."
Ely let out a chuckle. "I wouldn't want you upset for any reason. How about meeting me in the viewing lounge on C deck in an hour?" With that, Ely leaned over and pecked Emerson on his lips. The taste of his nervousness and the salt off his skin was evident even in that brief moment of contact. Again Emerson blushed, but with it a smile that melted Ely's heart. The man was damn cute and he couldn't help but watch--no, check him out, as he disappeared down an adjoining corridor, heading for his quarters. His arse was nice, too. Not a bubble butt like Kales, but one that was certainly ripe enough for a good fucking, nevertheless.
Ely's dick stirred as he turned and headed for his cabin, a whistle on his lips.
Chapter Two
When Ely approached door 507, he carefully opened it by manually stopping the sliding mechanism that always seemed to make too much noise. He knew Braden had been on first rotation, up well before six in the morning. The man was probably asleep and Ely most certainly didn't want to disturb him. He knew he wouldn't want to be woken at this late hour.
Ely needn't have worried.
There was a light on in Braden's room, the door open a crack. More than enough to illuminate his way. But before he called out his presence, announce that he was in, a noise struck him.
He decided to see the source of the sound, for it was definitely coming from Braden's room. To Ely it sounded like the man was engaged in some sort of sexual play, either with himself or someone else. Ely knew he shouldn't look, but his curiosity got the better of him.
When Ely peeked into the room through the gap, making sure not to make any noise, his suspicions were confirmed. Braden was alone, lying on his cot and as naked as the day he was born. He was erect, his bulging head glistened like a beacon. With his hand working his length, he pulled and pushed so that his foreskin helped to lubricate his actions. Gentle moans emanated from his quivering lips, the sound Ely heard when he entered the cabin. Braden's balls, big and with a wonderful red hue, bounced seductively while he worked, his legs wide.
Ely licked his lips.
