It was Aglom 32.870 and I was just getting underway with the retrofitted space craft Deflax. As a corporation Morox had spent a lot of money to repair this old ship, bringing her up to date and they had done some inventive upgrades. I took the job as Captain because this ship had a better than not chance of completing its mission.
Often these journeys lost crews along the way and continued on remote for years before a new crew caught up with the ship. Often during those times when the ship was on remote they were pirated and stripped for parts, or missed opportunities of all sorts. I was the experienced leader Morox needed for this mission. I had seen enough combat and needed to get away from the military life and see what was out there. I reported to the deep space station Setra Lemini port authority our estimated departure time and mission flight plan.
We were merchant marines meaning that our missions were profit driven. In this case being the only ship in a quadrant of space basically uncharted could mean diplomatic duty or first contact. Our mission was to chart space and identify corporate target goals. Only the officers and security wore Rank insignias on their uniforms and were directly bound to the Merchant Marine Codes, the rest of the crew wore department color coordinated work clothing when on duty but were on contract and could be dismissed without cause or compensation.
It was my understanding that the security personnel were all prior military with extensive experience. LT Jemma McFarland reported to me as per SOP, I asked her to take a seat as I read her file. I couldn’t help wonder what a woman as beautiful and capable and over qualified was doing on my ship. We were scheduled to be mapping space on a 20 yr. rotation, meaning she’d be 45 earth years old before we were relieved, if we made our full rotation. Whatever her reason, she was qualified and knew the risks. I asked her a few technical questions to open the conversation and as she spoke I could see her confidence and eagerness to do the job. She lacked the chip on her shoulder that many female merchant marines had and seemed ready for the position. She was my security chief, a position usually held by the much more physically intimidating.
Usually as a Captain I would have had the opportunity to review or choose some of the crew. Being a MM operation the crew was picked by the corporation. LT McFarland had the skin most women worked to achieve, silky smooth and without blemish which surprised me because I had read in her file that she’d been an Earth world champion hand to hand combat fighter. I dismissed LT. McFarland and looked over the rest of the security teams’ files and they were all over qualified for this mission. While having such experienced personnel should be comforting, it made me wonder what all was expected of this mission, what that is, that I wasn’t aware of.
This ship was older and larger than most of the newer ships of similar task, we were like a turtle, heavily armored and well capable of defending ourselves if need be. Why a newer faster ship had not been chose for this task was not in my preview, but left me with a lingering question in my head. I wasn’t a fan of corporate work but I needed away from Earth and the wars, so I was ready and other opportunities weren’t forthcoming. I went about the tasks necessary for leaving deep space station Setra Lemini. The crew was eager to get on the way, and saying the last good byes as we went outside normal communications range put us to task, looking forward to deep space.
The crew consisted of a few families, some couples, and others who were just cutting ties with Earth prime and setting about on an adventure. The crew seemed happy to finally be on the way. Passing the commonly known stellar bodies seemed to be nostalgic markers away from everything we’d known. The crew seemed like a good mix of experience, youth and the qualifications to get our job done. I would be happy to have this crew if I were heading into a hostile situation although I had not picked them. The different departments all checked in and things went very smoothly for the first 3 weeks.
One day it seemed as though something was in the water, everyone seemed on edge. The Chief medical officer Dr. David Lineer sent me a message that the crew was experiencing a higher than normal level of stress. I had only met the doctor in passing and he seemed cordial and lacked the typical military attitudes that most doctors had these days. I went to my ready room for privacy and contacted him via secure intercom, he said there was no apparent reason for the stress, and it was not a normal occurrence, nor was it caused by anything organic as far as he had tested. We reviewed several theories as to extended space stress and agreed it was too soon for it to be any of them.
As we finished up our talk Security alert alarms rang out and I cut our conversation off as Lt McFarland came on the com and said there was a brawl in the forward observatory. Dr. Lineer and I both responded that we would be there straight away. The doors to the For-Op opened as I approached and there were ten or more crew members actively fighting. This was not usual and Dr. Lineer came in just after me and announced “attention on deck,” unusual at the moment but it worked, everyone seemed stunned at the announcement and stood at attention. Security stepped in and Lt McFarland stated that the combatants should sit at the nearest tables and all others should assemble at the door for dismissal after a brief interview. Dr. Lineer said he would take those interviews; I returned to my ready room and awaited the reports.
Lt McFarland entered first and I told her to sit, she said that those she interviewed had been part of the skirmish and noted that all the fighting had begun at one time as if someone had snapped their finger and the fighting began. There was no argument or outburst until fists flew. Dr. Lineer came in as Lt McFarland was finishing her report and confirmed that none of the combatants had been upset or arguing before the fight broke out. Lt McFarland also said that none of combatants had direct memory of how or why it broke out, even when shown video they didn’t recognize their own actions. Dr. Lineer rationalized it wasn’t a conscious effort but rather something outside the norm that was causing them to act.
I told Lt McFarland to put the combatants on restricted duty until we had answers. She suggested we be prepared to use fail safe Orion to subdue the crew should wide spread chaos break out. I told her I would take it under advisement but that it would be a last resort. Lt McFarland reminded me that with the recent upgrades in security, the ship could now anesthetize the crew (fail safe Orion) compartment by compartment or any other configuration necessary. I thanked her and dismissed her, as she walked out Dr. Leneer turned to watch her exit. For a moment I thought he was checking to make sure she left before he talked but realized he was watching her body for more recreational purposes.
Lt McFarland was professionally dressed, and was a very attractive female so attractive that I could understand males fighting for her attention. I asked the Dr. if there was anything else and he was quick to state the obvious risks of the unknown nature of the space we were entering and noted that everything may be related. I thanked him and tasked him to dig deeper and to use the new data that was just being processed from the upgrades we just made. As the Dr. left the room, I called Commander Mitch Daniels my second officer, in and filled him in. I asked that with his prior experience as a science technician that he look into the external forces that maybe affecting the crew. I also told him to have engineering check all systems beyond the normal ranges and see if anything was out of the ordinary.
As I went off duty and returned to my quarters, I noticed a young couple that I had married just before departure. They were in a hallway corner engaged in a sexual act that is acceptable in private but not in a ships’ corridor. As I passed by them they looked directly at me and didn’t stop, salute, or seem to know who I was. Once in my quarters I noted that while I should be reporting them, I was physically excited by their blatant sexual exhibition. It was very unusual for me to become excited so easily and I made mental note to find a sexual partner sooner than later. I laid down on my bed and instantly my thoughts went to Lt McFarland on her knees naked, straddling me, her breasts pointing at me. I was dreaming but it seemed so real, she took my cock in her hand and guiding it into her warm wet folds.
Just then, the general quarters alarm sounded and the alert tone over my communications unit beeped jolting me back awake. It was Commander Daniels; he reported that there were three different brawls going on at the same time in different parts of the ship. I told him I was on my way to the bridge and to have the Dr. and Lt McFarland report to me as soon as the interviews were over. As I waited in my ready room I called for the department heads to meet with us, and soon thereafter the Dr. and Lt McFarland entered. There soon came representatives from Engineering, Science, and Crew Services.
These were not officers but paid civilian professionals who operate under the rules of the merchant Marine charter, by which we operated. The Dr. went first reporting that injuries from the last brawl were minor, and that there was no cause as yet from a medical stand point. Lt McFarland went next, stating the numbers involved in both incidents of the day and offered that the phenomena would overtake the crew entirely within 3 days if things kept progressing at this rate. Commander Daniels reported that while the violent incidents were at the forethought at the moment we should also take into account the other non-regulation, activities that were going on as well.
I asked for more details and he went on to break down reports of sexual misconduct, general violations of the code and a laundry list of complaints filed in the last 8 hours since the first brawl broke out. I noted the details and asked for the engineering report. Marcus Jillereo of Engineering said that after checking and rechecking ships systems, that no anomaly or other malfunction could be found. Taylon Lee Hatcher head of the science department stated that while the mapping mission was just started there was nothing internally that could offer an explanation for the current difficulties.
Taylon was a new planet to the alliance and the people of that world used the name Taylon as a sort of a reverse sir name or title. They were known to be meticulous detail orientated workers with higher understanding of scientific and technical areas of study, but little else was known about the Taylons as very few of them ever left their planet. Lee Hatcher was a sort of ambassador and yet held no official title. Physically she had typical humanoid features, her breasts were larger than most earth females though, and I made a mental note to research her background more at a later time. I noted her terminology precisely categorizing the crew problems, and that she had specifically said internally.
I asked her if there were any external influences or causes for the difficulties, and she said that given our current journey into an uncharted area of space that so little was known about, we must give some weight to folk lore where possible. I was surprised to find a technical scientific mind open to that which wasn’t much more than rumor, but asked her to what she was referring. Lee referred to reports from crews that while not part of the Alliance of planets or a merchant marine, there were “civilian-private” accounts of anarchy and mental defect that overcame the crews of ships that had ventured this way in space and then were not heard from again.
She went on to quote an earth philosopher that said “when no other explanation was plausible the alternative must be considered.” She went on noting that we have been mainly focusing on internal causes, but that while not yet measurable the cause maybe from an external force unknown to us. I said I would take it under advisement, still surprised at her knowledge of earth and wiliness to think outside the box so to speak.
Miles Davis of Ship services took the opportunity to begin his perspective and stated that the crew was using more than usual comfort foods and that more than usual amounts of recreational times had been spent in holodeck cyber entertainment rooms. This ship had been retrofitted with 10 independent holodeck rooms and that there were unusually high amounts of usage and that for the last 10 hours they were at 100 % capacity. That meant that roughly 10% of the crew was engaged in recreation in them and that other traditional forms of recreation were also over booked.
Miles noted that this new department was designed to combat crew fatigue and boredom over extended space travel and that considerable resources and space aboard ship, had been tasked to keep the crew occupied and happy, yet there were notable backlogs of requests. I stopped him as he seemed to have a lot more to say but I had heard enough. I stood and ordered Commander Daniels to order all stop, and prepare for general quarters of all non-essential crew. Once they the crew was accounted for, all nonessential crew would enter into cryogenic stasis. I wanted to give my diagnostic crew a chance to figure out what was happening before complete anarchy broke out and I lost control.
Once the nonessential crew was tucked into cryogenic stasis, I ordered everyone to their quarters. The only exception being unless the work they were doing to find a solution to our problem required them to be at a work station. I was in my quarters checking the figures from engineering to see if there were any links between the timing of the first incident and any readings that while within the normal range were abnormal when my door alerted to a visitor. I was surprised that it was Lt. McFarland requesting permission to enter. I said enter and as the door to my quarters opened I noticed her uniform, while still on, was loosened and somewhat disheveled. The look in her eye was wild, and
hungry, almost dangerous.
Then it clicked the absolute lust in her eyes, in the way she swaggered as she walked to my seating area. I asked her what I could do for her, not really knowing what to say. She said captain, I need you, and as the words left her mouth she began rubbing her hands over her breasts and down her body. I said snapping at her “Lt. go to your quarters, Now!” She said “but sir I need you, you’re the only one for me.” I said Lt. in a questioning look and she said “I can’t be with anyone inferior.”
I found her look too much to take and began remembering my interrupted thoughts of her from earlier. She began removing her blouse and said anything for you sir. I was aware at this point the title of sir was not about rank but what it was she required of me. She needed a dominant to take her where she wanted to go. I couldn’t help myself at that point and realized my uncharacteristic weakness. Resistance was futile and I really didn’t want to resist.
I ordered the computer to lock my door and secure my intercom with a security code that only the second in command could know or use. I pointed at my bed and she moved to the side removing her clothes as she went. I kept eye contact with her as I moved over to the bed and took my clothes off. I told her to get on the bed, on her hands and knees. She didn’t move right away and I knew she needed the physical contact so I pushed her down to her knees on the bed and knelt behind her grabbing her by the wrists and pulled them behind her.
I pushed forward on her arms and she laid down on her face and chest on my bed. I held her thumbs in one hand and used my other hand to position the head of my cock at her opening. I moved forward slightly and backed off slightly, not enough to loose contact but relieving the pressure of my cock trying to get in her.
As I moved back Jemma pushed her hips back trying to get my cock in her. She whimpered slightly as I wouldn’t allow her this control. I rubbed the head of my cock up and down her wet hole teasing at her clit and then thrust forward stuffing my cock in her pussy all at once. Jemma said oh thank you sir I needed that so bad. I began to fuck her as fast and as hard as I could. I felt the tightness of her pussy loosen and get wetter as I fucked her.
She groaned and howled as I fucked her begging me to keep fucking her harder. She turned her head to look back at me and her eyes were dilated to the point that her eyes looked black. I could feel her orgasm building and I slapped her ass a couple times. She began to shudder slightly I pulled my cock out and ordered her on her back. She flipped over with the accuracy of a gymnast.
I wasted no time sinking between her thighs and burying my cock in her pussy. I kept up my pace until I saw her getting close to coming and she looked me in the eye and asked if she could come. I pumped her pussy hard and as deep as I could and said Now! Come! and she did squirting and sloshing as my cock continued to pump her pussy and as I felt my orgasm begin, I slowed but kept pushing my cock in her as deep and pushing her back slightly as I came deep in her.
Her eyes widened as her orgasm shook her as my come splashed her insides full. I pulled my cock from her as our orgasms subsided and laid down on my back next to her and told her to suck my cock clean. Jemma jumped to her knees, sucked and licked my cock and balls clean. I motioned for her to move up to my side and lay next to me. She did and we both drifted off to sleep.
I awoke a short time later Jemma still sleeping and thought about how nice it would be to have her at my side for the next twenty years or so. I knew that something was causing this lack of judgment and that when she woke we would probably never speak of it again but I could dream, at least as long as she was still at my side. The environmental alarm rang causing Jemma and I both to wake, I opened the panel next to my bed and checked the ships environmental status. Jemma got out of bed and began getting dressed and I secured the alarm.
I changed the valve settings on O2 systems and the alarm canceled. I turned to Jemma who was gathering her clothes and heading for the door and asked where she was going. She frozen in position and said “back to my quarters, sir.” I said belay that and get back over here, patting my hand on the bed next to me. She dropped the clothes and returned to the bed with a slight skip and sat on the edge. I asked her as a man not her captain to stay. She asked me about the implications of the crew and her position.
I told her that on an extended mission such as this, peoples’ private lives often clashed with the Order but as Captain I was planning on lenience, and this would be the example for the crew. She looked at me for a second and it was if I had found the answer to all of life’s problems. Her smile was bright and warm and although I could have spent all day with her I knew we had work to do. I said ok then let’s get to work then. We worked in my quarters and I kept her naked while we worked.
A couple hours into it I noticed a Trimzolt reading off which the sensors had not been configured to consider. I passed the information on to the others still working on the problem and an hour later the Dr. sent me a message that he needed to see me, I told him to come to my quarters. I told Jemma to dress to her comfort level, and she put on a robe of mine and asked if it was ok. I said yeah for now. The door alarm alerted me to the Dr., and I let the Dr. in. His eyes widened as he saw Jemma in my robe and said Captain I have the results of the Rinthuder and it found that there is a natural occurring compound that is causing the Trimzolt to be elevated.
The compound is from a crew member and that “it” is what is causing the strange behaviors. I asked who the crew member was and the Dr. told me it was Taylon Lee Hatcher. I asked him if there was a way to control the compound, and he said as he understood the Taylon physiology, it was part of their reproductive process, and most likely could be controlled with a synthetic hormone, but he would need Lee Hatchers cooperation to synthesize the hormone.
I asked if he had contacted Hatcher yet, and he said no, that he thought it wiser to contact me first. I thanked him for his restraint and told him to meet me in my ready room in 20 minutes and to summon Lee hatcher there at the same time. He answered yes sir and as he turned to leave he looked over Jemma and she flexed her muscle at him for a second and he jumped back slightly as he walked clear of her path.
In my ready room the doctor and I met with Taylon Lee Hatcher and we all sat at the conference table. I asked Lee if she knew why we had asked her to the meeting and she said that she assumed it had something to do with our current situation. I said yes and that there was no easy way to say this, so I told her about the Dr.’s findings and the solution. She said although Taylons were generally against birth control or medical procedures deemed elective, in this case she would cooperate with the Dr.
I asked the Dr. what effects Lee could suffer from the hormone therapy and he said that he wouldn’t know really because he had only limited medical data on Taylon, and Lee Hatcher produced a chip from a necklace that she said would help. I dismissed them and the Dr. said to Lee hatcher to give him an hour to go through the file before she comes to medical. They left and I couldn’t help wonder why the Taylons held their privacy even down to the basics of their physiology, a secret.
Later the Dr. called on my intercom and said that with Lee Hatchers help a Hormone therapy has been developed and that the crew would be safe within 2 hours. I asked him if there were any other issues and he said no. The situation was being corrected I took the time to check in on Jemma, I went to her quarters and rang her door bell of sort, and she asked me in. She was lying in her bed and I sat on the edge and stroked her hair. I asked her if she was happy with our arrangement, and she said yes sir.
I told her that I wasn’t and she snapped up to a sitting position and said sir? I told her that I wanted more of her, that I wanted her to move her things into my quarters and that she could keep her quarters if she liked but that I wanted her to sleep and live with me. Her face lit up and she looked like she had just won the lottery. She asked about the crews perception and I told her that I was going to make an official ships’ captains policy and that as long as there were no on the job problems nothing would be said. This was our first hiccup or incident in the journey.
End of Ch. 1