"I came as soon as I could," I assured the captain, and she ushered me into her personal quarters. Her digs were larger than anyone else's, and that seemed fitting. She had sort of an apartment, with a lounge area, separate bedroom, and en suite bathroom. The other quarters were more sparse, a single bunk with a shower and toilet at the far end.
The captain had shed her coveralls and wore simple shorts and a cotton t-shirt.
"I appreciate it, doc. Come in and have a seat," she motioned me to the lounge chairs.
"Oh, um...," I equivocated. 'It's probably better if I stand. I'm a bit... sorry... a bit sticky?" I was apologetic, not wanting to insult her hospitality.
"Oh dear," she fawned with concern. "Did Darryl leave you a bit of a mess?" Her voice was kind, as though genuinely worried that I had been mistreated.
"Oh no," I insisted. "I mean... ok, yes. But it was nice, you know? Nothing wrong with it. I just... I came straight over. I haven't stopped to freshen up. Is that ok?" I was now vividly conscious of the stickiness between my thighs, and the additional surges of the mess that were finding their way through the flimsy fabric of my knickers as I walked or stood. My inner thighs were sticky, and in some places starting to get crusty. I bit my lip in self conscious embarrassment.
"Would you like me to go clean up?" I motioned towards her bathroom.
Taking my hand, the one that was pointing to the facilities, she lowered it, saying, "Oh, that won't be necessary." Her other hand came up and ever so gently rested against my lips to signal "Shhh".
I wasn't sure what was happening, but whatever she needed to see me about apparently couldn't wait the five minutes, less maybe, that it would take me to just clean myself up a bit. I wondered what all this was about.
My eyes must have conveyed something of my question. She responded, "How long have we been here now? Less than two weeks?"
I nodded, her finger still blocking my lips. I had never noticed her wearing perfume before, and hadn't thought about it, but as her wrist was so close to my face I unexpectedly caught a luscious scent, it was a welcome change from the masculine deodorants and powerful body odors of the guys. It was a sudden feminine oasis. I was trying to place the scent. Poison, perhaps?
"And you're fitting in so nicely. I mean, I gotta say, nobody in your... role... in the past has been as authentic, and frankly, as popular with the lads," she continued.
I was surprised. I mean, I know they liked me, but why wouldn't they? I was available for the taking, virtually any time, any where!
She lowered her hand and lowered her voice at the same time. "But the boys aren't the only ones with needs," she suddenly seemed uncharacteristically vulnerable.
My thoughts swirled. It hadn't occurred to me, but it made sense. If she needed to blow off steam, why shouldn't she be allowed to use me like the men do? Frankly, back in her office at Spacer Industries on that sweltering day when I met her, things got to a stage I thought she was gong to do just that, but when she didn't, I concluded she just wasn't interested. She had seemed aroused, and I was sure she was undressing me with her eyes after I had taken off the constricting skirt and the devilish stockings. But eventually, after downing our final shot of vodka, we had just stood there, close enough to breathe one another's air, staring into each other's eyes, she just idly tugging at my lapels, pushing strands of hair back from my face, and chewing on her bottom lip. I would have done anything she commanded, but then she stepped back. She put my clothes in a bundle in my arms, and said, "See you bright and early Monday for training." The skirt was too hopelessly soggy to put back on, so I had to scurry to my car wearing only my blouse, bare legs, and mid-height slingback pumps, not knowing who might see me from the office windows.
"I think I understand," I responded tenderly, in response to her openness. "Of course I'm happy to be here for you as well. I just thought you... didn't want me to."
She stood, I hadn't previously noticed how close, but so close I could feel her breath on my cheeks, for a long moment, looking into my eyes. She seemed to be in an inner wrestle, unsure what to say next. Perhaps this was what had been going on in her office on Earth. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. Was this a test? I edged forwards to kiss her, but she pulled back.
"I'm sorry. Please tell me what you want me to do. I want you to be happy," I earnestly pleaded, my hands fidgeting with each other. "I'll do anything," I blurted, throwing them open.
I meant it. She had earned my admiration and respect. Heck, she saved my life in that lander module. I didn't know what she wanted, being inexperienced with women, but I would try my best if only she would tell me.
"Anything?" she asked, with a note of sincere hope in her voice.
I paused. What could she mean? Was it something really bad? Difficult? Painful? I decided it was a moment where I should trust her. I dared to be so forward as to take both her hands in mine. She let me. She seemed small, fragile, even frightened. "Anything," I repeated.
She looked away, seemingly to hide some emotion. She mumbled in that direction, and downwards at the floor, "I want you to be... I need you...," she looked at me squarely and steeled herself, "How are you at being bossy?" Her voice broke a little, as though the sentence had been dragged through shards of glass.
"Bossy?" I responded, surprised. I was trying to be careful, because it was like she was revealing something very intimate and precious. I didn't want to hurt her feelings by getting it wrong.
"I mean," her voice was breaking up, and if I didn't know better I might have thought she was at risk of crying. She was stage whispering, as though we were being watched, "You could tell me to... to do things, and stuff..." She wasn't looking at me any more, but down at the floor. She was clearly battling the urge to just stop talking, as if terrified of bringing this out in the open. As if something bad would happen.
Suddenly I grasped what she was asking. She wanted me to be dominant, and to be demanding sexually. It wasn't something I was very familiar with, but I could see she was a long way out on a limb here, and I was determined to do whatever I could to help her, to care for her.
"I can do that," I assured her. "I think... I mean, I'll try, ok? But...," I paused, and she looked into my face with trepidation, presumably fearing I would mock her, or laugh at her, or reject her, or say something stupid. I needed to pick my words carefully.
"How... how will I know when to, you know..., be bossy?" I asked. Because in reality, I was never going to be the boss. This could be an amusing game, but it would only ever be a game. She was the boss, and that would never change.
Relief visibly flooded across her expression, and a broad smile escaped her restraint before she reined it back in and assumed something like her more normal, authoritative air. "I'll address you as 'the doc', or 'my girl' as usual around the place. But when I want you to... switch roles..., I'm going to call you Professor Kingston. Ok? That will be your cue." She was blurting it out rapid fire, as though she had been rehearsing it. In fact, it seemed likely she had been. How long had she been wanting to say this? How long had she been torturing herself with this unspoken desire?
"I can work with that, for sure!" I happily agreed. "And none of the boys will ever know. It will be just our thing," I added, to another look of profound relief and appreciation.
"I think this will be fun," I giggled. "But bear in mind I have no idea what I'm doing, ok? I'll do my best but this will be new for me."
"Me too," she confessed. And with those two simple words I knew she had never played this game before. With anyone.
Several pleasantly awkward seconds passed, with our hands clasped together between our chests, her perfume wonderfully coloring the moment with feminine softness. Presently, I once again indicated her bathroom, "Shall I get cleaned up now? Then we can... figure out how it's going to work."
An expression that I had never seen on her before made her face appear young, innocent, inquiring, and naive. She looked right into my eyes and said, "Wouldn't you like me to take care of that for you," She gulped before continuing in an unsure voice, "Professor Kingston?".
It took a few moments to realize what had happened, but of course, this explained everything. She had been concocting a way to get a fantasy situation to happen, where I would be with one of the men, and then come to her and demand that she "take care of" the mess afterwards.
That was kind of hot.