Jase was on the starship for all of thirteen Earth hours before General Demina caught his scent. It was an unusual match; they never would have crossed paths under different circumstances. Demina, legendary strategist and brilliant reformist, Heir to the throne of the Decaptissi Seas, and known to her people as ora thai'it (roughly translated to "Goddess in Violet"), was only on the starship because of a security oversight, which had prevented her from returning to her home planet of Surfrin before her heat began.
And Jase... Jase was on the starship because he needed desperately to pass his graduate course on foreign policy, and the massive starship's unpaid internship offered extra credit to students of the Intergalactic West Apex Military Academy. He figured that even though his passion was conservation (with a focus on interplanetary endangered species), it would be a great experience.
Thirteen hours. Barely enough time for him to unpack his bags, take a much-needed shower, a quick nap in his narrow, unheated bunk (the rooms were singles, at least - in his old living quarters, they had roommates)... and realize when he drowsily woke that it was pitch black outside his tiny window. That meant they were moving through deep space, which meant...
The clock confirmed his worst fear - if he didn't hurry, he would be late for his first diplomacy meeting. He quickly yanked on his uniform, combed his unruly hair, and rushed down the long, fluorescent hallways, careful not to appear too rushed.
He arrived just as they opened the doors and was mindful to stand in the back. The interns traditionally had to stand as silent observers.
"Like statues," Jase's academic coordinator had emphasized when he received the good news of Jase's placement. "Like boring, unnoticeable statues with no purpose other than to observe. Like... like tombstones. More like tombstones. Tombstones that can't even collect moss."
Jase quieted his breathing as best he could and looked around the spacious auditorium. Most of the diplomats had chosen to arrive in person - decked out in their home planet's regalia or opting for the clean, white uniform of an official member of the Intergalactic Reformists League. He quickly noted that three members seated at the large, round table were wearing the small violet pins that marked their support of the general Demina's "Return to Home" initiative, which had gone into effect the previous Earth year.
His eyes finally landed on the General. She was conversing with Delegate Rossin, a bespectacled feline from Apex Industries, famous for his temper. Because she was otherwise engaged, Jase didn't feel too bad letting his gaze linger. While all the other delegates were dressed to the nines -- expensive jewels, furs from their home planets, psychically attuned tattoos, and battle scars -- Demina wasn't. This isn't to say that Demina was poorly dressed - she wasn't dressed at all. Other than two simple gold bands that she wore on the middle fingers of both hands, Demina was naked. She was, in a word, breathtaking. Though the Surfrin species were humanoid, they had velvety purple skin with patches of darker coloration across the shoulders, back, and arms. Demina had impressive horns that rose from her long white hair, and her pointed ears twitched in irritation as she spoke to delegate Rossin.
Jase felt his gaze linger a little too long, but he could only force himself to look away for a moment before looking again at the beauty. Demina's long tail flicked behind her chair as Delegate Rossin pushed his glasses up his nose. Jase could practically hear the man saying,
Well, actually...
Depending on their home region, some Surfrin women chose to go without clothing or armor because of their well-known martial arts practices. If Delegate Rossin wasn't careful, he might be running into the sharp end of Demina's horns sooner rather than later.
Finally, Jase allowed himself to look at Demina's breasts. Though they were on the larger side, they were proportional to Demina's athletic build - and her slightly darker nipples were a bit puffy, as if more delicate -- or sensitive -- than the rest of her pelt. Jase couldn't help himself; he wondered just how sensitive they were...
The scaly delegate from Kala Lar called the meeting to order, and Jase felt hot shame flare through his chest. He swallowed hard, focused on the center of the room, and looked down at the digital clipboard in his hands, which he had prepped for notetaking. He told himself that the first few minutes of these meetings were dither anyway, so he took a few moments to take deep breaths and focus.
However, by the time the delegate from Kala Lar was done speaking, it was clear that the meeting would not commence. He stepped out of the way, and Demina was... glowing. She looked furious -- a feral rage that Jase had never seen before. Panels resembling gills on either side of her neck had become iridescent, as did the end of her tail, which had begun to whip about. She bared her teeth, and Jase had a visceral flashback to textbook descriptions of ancient Surfrin tribal hunts in which their women worked together, tracked, and slew enormous beasts.
"Everyone out," General Demina snarled.
Unfortunately for Jase, he'd been pushed to the back as the other interns had shuffled in. At the time, he'd thought he was doing a good thing -- trying to be like a tombstone -- but now he was at the very back of the crowd, and etiquette dictated that the other delegates leave before the lowly interns anyway.
"Not you," General Demina snapped. "You stay."
Jase barely lifted his head to see who she was talking to - mainly for the satisfaction of witnessing Delegate Rossin get the lecture of his life - but he blanched when he realized Demina's gaze was locked in on him.
Jase blinked at her a few times in disbelief. He looked over his shoulder.
"Me?" he asked.
"Yes. I require your cock." Demina stared him down. There was no mistaking that she had picked him out of the crowd -- even though what she said made no sense.
The flood of people leaving became an exodus as they overheard her ludicrous demand, none saying a word. For a moment, Jase couldn't breathe. He blinked rapidly, astounded. The next moment, he was stumbling up to the podium, rattling off apologies as he did so.
