Kikata sighed, her golden eyes scanning from one tiny figure to the next. Richard, Issac, and this new Nichole girl all stood rather awkwardly on the human balcony as they tried to figure out exactly what they were doing. “So who are you, again? And why are you here?” 

Nichole folded her hands together as she took a deep breath, “Well, I’m a doctor. I actually serviced him and the white haired girl earlier. And um, I was sort of hoping I could...join your crew? If it helps I have the computer’s blessing it seems?” She forced a laugh. 

“The computer?” Richard asked skeptically, “You know this is an Alliance vessel. We can’t just pick up passengers at the drop of a hat.” 

“I know...I know.” Nichole apologized, “It’s just...I don’t know. I felt like you guys maybe, could have used a doctor?” 

“Richata?” Issac asked, “Do you know about this?”

“Yes.” Richata’s voice called into the room. “She provided a logial argument for her admittance to the ship.” 

“Which was?” Issac continued, glancing towards his brother with a shrug. 

Richata’s avatar appeared onto the closest wall, it smiled towards them, “My primary objective is to keep my crew members safe. Naturally the addition of Atrix increased the crew number as well as the chance for mishaps. Kikata and Richard are both trained in medial, though their scores as medical personnel  are not perfect.” 

“I don’t think anyone is.” Kikata mumbled. 

“I looked into Nichole’s statistics and with her added to the staff our medical coverage doubled. It would have been irresponsible of me to deny her access to the ship.” 

“She’s crunching numbers.” Issac said to himself, “Why did you not alert any of us first?” 

“You seemed busy.” 

“Richard, a moment?” Kikata asked, placing her hand on the balcony. Richard nodded and climbed up, bracing himself as Kikata lifted her hand. She walked to the other side of the room and hushed her voice, “So, what do you think?” 

Richard laughed, “What do you mean? You’re considering it?” 

Kikata shrugged, “I mean, I don’t know. She seems nice. And Richata does bring up a good point.” 

Richard scratched the side of the head, “I feel like the last thing we need are more complications.” 

“I know what you mean.” Kikata said, “But at least with her we pick up...well you know, someone of use.”

“I don’t know. I guess we can try it. If it gets to heavy we can drop her off somewhere.” 

~ ~ ~ ~ 

“Do you see it?” Johnny asked. 

“Yeah.” Sangella replied. 

Johnny leaned back into the lightly cushioned seat in a very small room illuminated by a green light overhead. It was the small scale personnel carrier located in the abdomen of Sangella’s armor. In his hands he held a small propulsion device with a sticky tracking projectile loaded into the breach. “Just get me within two hundred feet.” 

Sangella shrugged, “Have to find a nice spot. This thing is so smooth.” She said, examining the bright orange colored ship that belonged to Richard and Kikata. “Not many little crevices for a tracker to go unnoticed.” 

“Try the landing wheels.” Johnny said. 

“Oh...Right yeah. Good call.” Sangella replied as she entered the shadow of the ship. “Why can’t we have a ship this big?” She complained sarcastically. “Alright. Opening up.” She eyed her display and selected the command to open her personnel carrier. 

Johnny squinted as light suddenly flooded all around him. The doors of the carrier pushed outwards, Sangella’s hand moved under one of the hatches and waited palm facing up. He stood from his seat and took a few small steps out of the carrier onto her hand. “Alright hold still.” He said, lifting the small cannon like weapon to his shoulder. His aiming software tracked the weapons movement and placed a crosshair in front of him where he was targetting. He set the distance, aiming up to the massive, metal beam that jutted out from the giant tires of the ship. He pulled the trigger, feeling the slight bump of the cannon against his armor which in turn put a large grin on his face. “Got it.” 

“Nice. Back in you go. Let’s get out of here.” Sangella said with a laugh, watching somewhat curiously as the tiny human reentered her armor’s belly. 

~ ~ ~ ~ 

A few hours later the crew of the Richata found themselves sitting around a round table eating dinner with their new crew member, Nichole. 

“So, why exactly do you want to travel with us?” Kikata asked, leaning her cheek into her hand and looking down towards the three tiny humans. 

Nichole tapped her lips with her fork as she thought, “Well, several reasons. The first being I couldn’t take living on that planet for another week.” 

“Why?” Issac asked, “Isn’t it supposed to be some new, great super city?” 

“Well, sure. It was nice when me and my ex-boyfriend moved there. We went there for job security and higher than average wages.” Nichole said, she sighed, “But things got dull so quickly. Everyone sort of filled the slot that was needed and that was that. Sure I was in no danger of losing a job, but at the same time things became so stagnant so quickly. When I moved to a new planet I wanted things to be exciting. I got the opposite.”

“I know how you feel.” Kikata said. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she liked Nichole. Everyone seemed too. Even Atrix did not seem so fidgety around her. 

“So I started looking around for ship jobs, but nothing seemed to pan out until you guys arrived and I had heard so much about you, and well, I decided to take a chance.” 

Richard chuckled, “I have to commend you for just going for it.” 

Nichole smiled and bowed her head, “Thank you.” 

“I have chosen a name.” Richata’s voice suddenly called into the room. Her face, now accompanied by a slender, feminine body that was devoid of any details other than the outlines of her curves, appeared on the wall next to the table. 

Everyone looked towards the image display, “You did?” Issac asked. 

“Yes. It was not easy, but I think I found one that I am happy with.” Richata said, her hands clasped behind her back, she was learning the emotional programming quickly, taking her new avatar to be her body. 

“Well go on, what is it?” Richard asked, smiling towards Kikata who was still a little upset the computer was not happy with her given name. 

“Grace.” Richata said. 

“Grace? That’s a lovely name!” Nichole said, her smile beaming. 

“I like the patterns. And the fact that it has complex and abstract meanings.” Richata, or Grace said proudly. 

“I don’t see any patterns.” Kikata said with a shrug. 

“I do.” Grace said, her avatar smiling boldly, “I like to think my objective is to run the ship with grace. And the act of flying should be graceful.” 

“That’s...interesting. I’m happy you found a fitting name, Rich- Erm I mean Grace!” Issac said, feeling a stirring of pride for his computer. Issac felt his pocket vibrate. He curiously took out his phone and saw a message from Richard. Want to initiate Nichole?” Issac smiled and looked up to his brother who had a mischievous grin facing Kikata who was now checking her computer as well. 

“That is absolutely incredible. Is that really just a computer?” Nichole asked, shaking her head. 

“Yup. Perfectly artificial.” Issac said, watching Kikata slowly get to her feet. 

“So, Nichole. If you are going to be a member of the crew, you should know we have an initiation ritual.” 

Nichole took a bite of food and glanced between Issac and Richard, “Is that so?” She said after swallowing.

Richard nodded, “Of course. Most ships do, it’s a good way to test character.” 

Nichole seemed nervous, but she nodded, eager to fit in. “Okay, yes. Let’s do it!” She said smiling. “What do I have to do?” 

Kikata knelt down by the side of the table, her fingers gripping the edges, “It’s something to test your skill, in, how did we say it, Issac?” 

“I believe it was testing your ability to function in a dangerous environment.” Issac said with a grin, now standing next to his brother facing Nichole who rose slowly from her seat. 

“Oh...Um, Okay?” She said, glancing over her shoulder towards Kikata who stared at her nearly at eye level. “That was a little ominous. And vague.” 

Richard took hold of Nichole’s arm and started leading her towards the edge of the table. “You think you can handle a little heat?” 

“A little...” Nichole said, walking with the two men towards Kikata who suddenly dipped her head beneath the table. “What am I doing exactly.” Her eyes soon were able to peer over the tables edge, widening as they watched Kikata lick her lips before opening her mouth wide, her long tongue stretching out over her bottom lip, light pouring in over the glistening pink surface behind her shining white teeth. “Oh my god!” She gasped, “Seriously?”

“Everyone has to do it.” Issac said, feeling better to be on the “in” side of the joke this time. 

Hot wafts of air blew past them as Kikata giggled, saliva started to pool in her mouth as she “waited.”

“Y-You seriously want me to go in there?” Nichole asked, her voice growing in pitch. 

“If you want a spot on this crew you gotta’ spend time in the pit.” Richard said, inching Nichole closer to the edge. 

Nichole swallowed nervously, but nodded. “Alright fine.” Before anyone had much of a chance to do anything Nichole kicked off her shoes and leaped off the edge of the table. Falling a short six or so feet into Kikata’s waiting mouth. She let out a scream as she zipped by Kikata’s upper teeth, her back colliding with Kikata’s tongue several feet into the depths of the drooling mouth. She slid rapidly, her toes soon kicking by Kikata’s uvula and into her throat, soon followed by the rest of her lower half. 

Kikata stood up, her mouth closing and her hand clamped over her lips. She coughed, then swallowed purely on reflex. Her wide eyes stared down at the others on the table who seemed just as shocked as herself. She couldn’t believe it as she felt the squirming plunge down her throat. 

Nichole’s entire body trembled in the darkness, but she was rather secure about her safety. The tight, soaking warm tube that surrounded her pushed her deeper until she finally fell into a more open place, feeling knee high juices and food chunks sloshing around her. The “ground” gave way to her steps as she tried to maintain some sort of balance, but she quickly splashed onto her stomach and half crawled, half swam until she found a wrinkled wall to brace herself against. “Woah!” She called up. 

“I-I swallowed her!” Kikata gasped, “Oh not this again.” She moaned, quickly taking her seat, “Nichole, are you okay?” 

Atrix stared wide eyed at Kikata, her mouth open in shock. 

Richard burst into a fit of laughter, “She went right down!” He finally said, gasping for breath. “Issac...You just got shown up really bad.” 

“I...I have no words.” Issac said, the image of Nichole sliding into Kikata’s throat burned into his mind. 

Meanwhile Nichole looked around in the perfect blackness, “I’m fine. A litle wet, but good. You guys are hardcore!” 

“Should we tell her she wasn’t actually supposed to do that?” Kikata whispered. 

Richard shrugged, “I don’t know. Maybe Issac should make up for his failed initiation. Atrix would you do the honors?” 

Atrix shook her head furiously. 

“He’s joking.” Kikata said with a sigh. “Hang on Nichole. I have to go fetch the string.”