"I could get used to this," Pepper sighed, snuggling into Nessa's chest, and lightly running her fingers in circles over her back. "I never used to be a morning person, but if I get to wake up next to you like this then I might switch my view."

Vanessa looked down into her hazel eyes with a smile. "We might be late to work a lot though," she pointed out as her fingers slid over Pepper's belly, making her shiver in excitement.

"Hey, don't get me started!" Pepper complained. "You know I can't say no!"

"Well, then say yes to moving in with me when we get back home."

"Seriously? You'd want that?" Pepper asked, startled.

Nessa nodded at her with a goofy grin. "Yeah, I would. I think things are only going to get better between us on this trip, and if that is the case, I'd want you to live with me."

"I want to say yes," Pepper answered with a smile of her own. "But you have to ask later, before bed."

"I do? Why?" Vanessa asked in confusion.

"Because if I say yes now, I'm going to want to celebrate with a lot of sex, and I know we're supposed to have another busy day," Pepper explained while sliding her hands down to Nessa's ass and pulling their hips together. "I'm sure you don't want your dad to come in here to kick us out of bed while we're otherwise occupied."

Vanessa shivered at the thought. "Ew, no, I don't want that. I'll ask again later. But it is a relief that you'll say yes."

"Why would you be relieved? You still have almost five years to talk me into it," Pepper pointed out.

"True. But here is the thing. When we were back planning the mission Earth, I really wanted to ask you out. Obviously, there was no time for that before we left, but I really liked you, and I thought you liked me too."

"I did! I do!" Pepper interrupted.

"I could kind of tell that now Honey," Nessa gave her a quick peck. "But back then I was just hoping to win you over on the trip. So, when we were putting everyone's stuff into storage, I might have accidentally had the moving company put all your stuff at my place just in case it worked."

Pepper looked at Nessa in shock. "You really liked me that much? Even then?"

"I did, I just had a feeling ever since I met you that you were this amazing and beautiful woman, and I knew that with ten years together I could have a chance to start a relationship that could get to the moving in stage by the time we got home."

"Well shit, now I feel horrible. If I had my own head in order, we could have been doing this years ago!" Pepper moped.

"Don't be upset with yourself. If we rushed it, then maybe we wouldn't feel what we feel now. We're in a great place, and I think we're a lot more secure in our relationship this way." Vanessa assured her with kisses all over her face to make sure there was no sadness.

"Obviously. But we have to make up for a lot of lost time though," Pepper said in mock seriousness. "You've turned me into a sex addict. I'm fairly sure nobody packed a patch for that, so you'll have to be my dealer."

"Well then maybe we'll have to open Lena's box of toys and see what else we can try," whispered Nessa huskily.

"Oh, fuck," Pepper moaned in anticipation. "Alright, we have to get up or I'm going to never let you leave."

"Come on then!" Nessa laughed, throwing back the weighted blanket.

"Tease!"

The two women made their way to the galley where all the crew except Emily and Xavier were gathered. Xavier was up on the bridge, while Emily slept back in her bunk so she could take over as the pilot on the next watch. Miles slid a pair of meal pouches over to them to catch up, since everyone else was already eating theirs. Pepper and Vanessa started to make short work of their meal, having needed the fuel to replenish their bodies after the previous evening's workout.

"Nice of you to join us," Brody grumbled.

"Oh, shut up, let the lovebirds sleep in!" Lena flashed a smirk at the pair, who instantly started to blush.

"Enough," Anton commanded, his face flushed. "We have a big day today, and I have one announcement to make." Over the last three days, the group had managed to attach two more of the small ships to their main craft, and Emily had set up her lab in the cargo hold where the return thrusters had been stored. "We have received several pieces of communication from Earth that pertain to us. The first is a suggestion that rather than trying to cut into one of the smaller ships to retrieve the pilot, we examine the larger ship first to see if any remains are there and can be retrieved. That seemed like a valid idea, so we're going to go with that. Today, we'll head over to the larger ship and start to explore that, bringing back remains if we can, and any technology or artifacts that we can find. Any questions?"

"Sir, do I get to go on this mission, or am I back on bridge duty?" Lena asked.

"You're with us until we bring back remains, then you're going to be on bridge duty with Xavier while Emily takes over the lab," Anton answered.

Lena just nodded in reply, though it was obvious she was enjoying the exploration aspect of the trip.

"The next issue was that we've been directed to turn one of those three ships over to NASA and the Europeans, no doubt to ensure that no other trips are made out here until we've had a chance to explore more. Now, I was able to get a concession. We keep the ship for one year, so that we have a chance to research what we've found, before turning it over. I have little doubt that our competitors are paying a fortune to get their informants embedded into the technology teams that would be examining the ship we turn over, so we'll have to be well prepared for when we get back. I've already talked to Jason about it, and he is going to be assembling a team to meet us at the space station when we return. If all goes well, we will know enough to patent any technology that matters so that we can remain the leaders in space travel."

"Assholes," Lena muttered.

"I'm sure corporate lobbyists are hounding everyone to get a piece of this pie, even though we're the ones taking all of the risks." Vanessa was bitter about the situation, but money always talked, and politicians were always willing to listen for the right amount.

"Let them spend their money, it will have been a waste if we can use the technology first." Anton waved his hand dismissively.

"So, three teams to the large ship today?" Miles confirmed. "We all go through the large hole in the bottom of the hull?"

"Correct. For now, we stick together. If we determine the ship is structurally sound and poses little risk, then we can start splitting up," Anton explained. "So, let's all get suited up, and we'll head on over."

Everyone eagerly started cleaning up their food and clomped off in their boots towards the air lock. "Vanessa, can I have a word?" Anton called out to his daughter.

"Yeah, of course," she replied. "I'll meet you at the air lock Pepper," she added with a whisper into the earpiece.

Once they were alone, her father took her arm and pulled her closer. "Is it true?" He asked in a harsh whisper.

"Is what true?" She asked, pulling her arm out of her father's grasp.

"You and Pepper. You're in a relationship?"

It wasn't like they were hiding it, Lena had said before that the whole ship had assumed it, so why was this a surprise? Was it because Lena had called them lovebirds? "We are, yes. Why does that matter?"

"You can't be in a relationship on this mission, you need to keep focused," He furrowed his brow, clearly upset.

"Bullshit. If that were the case, you wouldn't have brought Xavier and Emily," She pointed out, her voice rising. "And I'm sure you haven't said anything to Lena and Miles either, have you?"

Anton paused for a moment, "Those are normal relationships. Yours is not. I should have never allowed your girlfriend on this mission."

"Father, you have zero say in my love life whatsoever, so don't start pretending you do. That girlfriend of mine is the only reason we're here, that we have the opportunities that we do. She could have given up on that project like everyone else, but instead she stuck with it and found those ships before everyone else. Otherwise, we'd be sitting on earth wondering what the hell was going on. If you want to be a homophobe, do it in your own damned head. I'm a grown adult and I'm incredibly happy being with Pepper. If you have an issue with me being happy, then you can kindly go fuck yourself. Now, I'm going to pretend this conversation never happened, because I'd like to think you still respect me and my decisions. I'll see you in the air lock." Vanessa immediately turned and hurried to the airlock as fast as her boots would allow, ignoring her father trying to call her back. If she talked to him anymore, she felt like she might slap him, and that would do nobody any good.