Hera was walking funny, but at least she could stand at attention on the launch ceremony. Back in the on-base uniform, all seventy-eight successful trainees from their cohort stood at the award ceremony. Younger classes, trainees, and the very rare family able to travel to edge space were there. Hera hadn't seen hers in years and was happy they didn't see her in this uniform. Not that she was embarrassed wearing it - just your parents shouldn't see you in certain ways.

She was standing next to Octavia. She'd probably slept properly as well, what a bitch. Well rested, how dare she. Her ass probably wasn't even sore - well it would be soon. The worst part was that just on the other side of the subject of all her ire, stood Amelie. They'd said their goodbyes - they wouldn't get to talk again now that it had started. Amelie had handed her a note just before the event started, begging her to not read it until they were out of the system - Hera had tucked it into her collar, the only real space to store anything in her uniform. Commander Tyrrin was marching up and down, talking about the importance of the cultural exchanges they would be a part of, how the thirty-six DSDE vessels - soon to be revealed, the big windows to the docking bays currently blacked out, were key to human relationships with alien life. How this cohort of young trainees would be the key to humanity entering the universe fully, to show everyone what we had to offer, the culture stored in the cargo bay of each vessel.

A long time ago, people had thought the universal language between humans and aliens would be mathematics. Very smart people were certain of this. Even smarter people, once those first people had been brutally killed by the first interactions and the MKI vessels, thought maybe it was music - arts, the joy.

Joy was correct, but not quite how imagined, as a pair of pre-ENEG pilots in the MKIII generation were desperate and terrified at encountering an alien species, decide to embrace each other in one last fuck, ended with the first successful inter-species interaction in human history.

They didn't all want to fuck humans. Most wanted to watch, or be told - it turned out humanity was not unique in spending most of our ingenuity, a majority of our technological advancements and innovation coming from new ways to discover porn. and so the DSDE S-XPLORER program was launched. The universal language was very clearly sexual.

And every single several hundred-feet vessel had most of human history's worth of pornographic content loaded, for cultural exchange.

Of course, Tyrrin made it sound more worthy - more... honorable. But it's what worked. Hera didn't care - she wanted to help humanity, explore space, and see things no human eyes had ever seen before. If she had to fuck her way to it, so be it.

"First Pilot Hera Cooper, Second Pilot Octavia Forgraves" Tyrrin was wrapping up her speech and Hera nearly missed it, as she was brought back to reality and walked up to the front stage.

"Congratulations Pilots, you have performed better than any have in a long time. Your is the only MKIX that has left production" She shook each of their hand.
"I know neither of you have your preferred partner - but you will be fine. Don't kill each other. You will bring a new dawn for humanity." She said in a soft voice, just for them. The co-pilots sternly did not look at each other.

"Now - your vessel!"  The Commander's booming stage voice was back, as she turned and the blacked-out window directly behind them suddenly became translucent, opening up to space.

And there it was, framed by the bright sun of this system behind it. The DeepDiplo MKIX S-Xplorer. Hera already knew the colors but... It was magnificent. This is what made it worth it. This is what made her not run away as soon as she saw who her co-pilot was. This was her home for the next decade.

Half a mile tall. It was enormous. At least she had plenty of space to avoid Octavia. The mech almost looked feminine, sleek waist, wide hips. She immediately loved it. The main armaments were a sword for combat in environments that required non-combustion fighting and a main cannon. Hera knew smaller armaments would be hidden all over. It wore an enormous engine for sub-space travel, that could be left in orbit if the main body was visiting a planet, although there would be landing vessels as well. It looked angry. It looked hot. It was everything Hera had dreamed it would be. Except for her co-pilot.

A bridge stretched out from the window, a small doorway opened as the bridge went towards the back of the S-Xplorer's head, as Commander Tyrrin addressed the girls again.

"Now, equip your flight suits and board your vessel - your onboard assistant will brief you on your initial destination." She took another moment to look at the pilots, no longer trainees or cadets. 
"You will do well, I have full faith. This will change your lives, and change them for the better. Godspeed. Now, ready for departure."

"Yes, Commander" Octavia and Hera said in unison, before announcing to their collars, again speaking almost as one. Hera hated how Octavia copied her like that.

"Equip Heightened Sensitivity Flight Suit"

Their uniforms dissipated in front of the entire crowd as they stood there naked for a moment before it started materializing again. The flight suit was nearly the opposite of the On-base suit - covering the exact opposite. Tight, squeezing every area. Pushing around Hera's breasts as they materialized, squeezing them together, lifting them slightly like a permanent grope, but nipples and tits entirely bare. Tight around her arms, high collar around her neck, fabric accentuating every form of her body. It wrapped around her arms, back, and stomach before leaving a gap around her crotch and ass. Hera's cock was on full display for everyone, the only fabric anywhere near it was a ring of fabric at the base that squeezed just gently. Her ass was cupped, but no coverage on either hole, as the fabric completely wrapped her thighs and calves squeezing. It felt like the suit pulsed slightly, keeping her on edge, as the heels returned lifting her slightly, keeping the main part of her feet bare.

As she stood there in front of all her peers and superior, cock erect and nothing to hide in a salute she was proud. And also happy her parents hadn't made it, but mostly proud.

"Ready to depart, Commander" Why was she always in perfect  unison? Well not perfect, Hera was certain Octavia was a smidge later. Cause she was annoying. And worse. And a bitch.

"Board your vessel - depart when ready." Tyrrin saluted the two, who turned towards the bridge and walked across towards the vessel. Hera looked back at Amelie, who was looking away. Was she crying? Smiling? Hera couldn't tell. Right. She walked across the bridge through empty space into her new home.

As they entered the vessel together, a soft voice rang out.

"Welcome, First Pilot Cooper, Second Pilot Forgraves. I am SLT-VC, your onboard assistant, and Ai. I will brief you on your mission as we depart base, please enter the bridge and prepare to power the engines." 

The women said nothing, this was as expected. They walked to the bridge, situated in the enormous head of the vessel, and found the piloting station. It was mostly a large open floor, surrounded by mechanical arms that would support them as they navigated the mech and generated its energy.

"First Pilot Cooper, advise when prepared to enter the initial pilot state."

Hera stepped forward on the indicated position for First Pilots and spoke out.
"First Pilot Cooper prepared for pilot state."

The mechanical arms moved - two popping out from the floor and wrapping around her calves, others grabbing her arms and placing her hands into mechanical gloves. She wiggled her fingers, feeling them move. 

A padded clamp went around her waist, lifting her up slightly from the ground, as a state appeared - a vizor covering her eyes, letting her see outside the mech. She found herself staring down at the base from an angle never seen. The enormous, sprawling space station seemed almost tiny from her vantage point, her new sense of scale. She was a giant, a giant that would explore all of space.

Quickly taken out of that thought as the final part of the initial state appeared - a gentle, soft piece of machinery latched onto the base of her erect cock, causing Hera to moan. It moved slightly, guiding her member in various directions, testing its capability to guide her length before SLT-VC spoke again in the soft, artificial voice.
"First Pilot Cooper confirmed entered initial pilot state and ready for initialization. Second Pilot Forgraves, please prepare."