Captain John Logan started his career in Star Force as an eager 16 year old cadet. As he watched the Epsilon Space Station loom closer on the viewscreen of his shuttle, he thought back to that first day in the Academy and how he had dreamed of commanding a battlecruiser some day. The war with the Prajuk had ended and John had never seen real action. But he had still managed to rise through the ranks.

Now at 38 he would be in charge of the day-to-day operations of a space station on the border with the Prajuk province of Braatan. It had its dangers, but he knew it was mostly a babysitting job -- taking care of the 3000 men, women, and children who called the space station home.

Epsilon operations control cleared his shuttle for docking. John was already impressed by the professionalism displayed on the comm channel.

As John disembarked he was surprised that a female Commander was waiting for him at the end of the gangplank. He snapped a quick salute.

"Captain Logan?" asked the attractive older woman -- and John's superior officer -- in a smoky sensual voice.

Logan nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

"I'm Commander Briscoe. I'll be overseeing your first few months on the job. Just to keep things running smoothly." She smiled, but there was no humor in her eyes. She actually seemed to study him with skepticism.

John nodded again, blinking in mild bewilderment. "Yes, ma'am." Fucking Star Force, he thought. They're always dicking me around. But as John's eyes cruised over the snug-fitting tunic of this Commander, he was impressed by her trim yet busty shape. It could have been a hell of a lot worse.

He hefted his baggage onto a hovercart and set off to find his assigned quarters.

Commander Elayne Briscoe watched him from behind with growing interest. He was not as brash as she'd been told. Her eyes dropped to his buttocks as he walked away. "See you in my ready room in ten minutes, Captain," she barked as harshly as she could manage.