Major Luco stormed through the halls of the base back towards the hangar. He followed the yellow line on the floor as it turned corners and led him to the heavy double doors. Now that Synne's awake, he thought, she'll answer for her actions. Breaking her own arms? Pleasuring herself on duty and in public? These were unforgivable in his eyes, no matter how much the thought of it turned him on.
He burst through the doors, ignoring the many salutes from his subordinates. "Where is she," he demanded of the medic, who was washing his hands at a portable hygiene station. The medic pointed to the gurney some twenty feet from Cezanne's feet. As he approached Synne and Coral, he saw a compact mirror held to her chest, and Synne's lips speaking.
Synne read the words aloud: "To make of this world something which is stable and lasting. This is my mission, and this is my name: Cezanne."
A rumble shook the hangar as the Cezanne powered on. It's core booster fired, moving it into position with its back facing away from Synne, and the cockpit hatch opened with a hiss.
The technicians working around the Cezanne all turned to look. "The Cezanne, it activated itself!"
"That's impossible," Major Luco muttered in amazement. "There's no pilot inside. Unless..." he looked to Synne, who was still lying on the gurney. Luco closed the distance between them, and took hold of her by the shoulders. He shook her as he spoke in a seething whisper.
"You...are going to tell me...what the hell is going on...with my machine. And you're going to tell me now."
Synne looked back at the Major, confused. "Your machine?"
Synne explained the happenings inside the cockpit (the details which the report did not recount) with Cezanne. Major Luco stared dumbfounded at the revelation. "You can activate the thing externally?"
"It seems that way, sir," Synne answered, looking up to the Cezanne, which turned to meet her gaze.
"I guess all that talking with it you claimed wasn't bullshit after all," Major Luco said after some thought. He walked a way, and with a dismissive wave of his hand, "you're not to pilot OR activate it again until your injuries have fully healed. Coral, take her back to her quarters. She's not fit for combat."
"But Major," Synne pleaded, trying for a third time to raise herself on her arms, "Who's going to pilot the Cezanne while I'm recovering?"
"It's a Lebensarmierung, isn't it? If it functions the same as the simulators, I should do just fine," he answered with an almost audible sneer. Finally, he thought, a chance to get some live combat time in the real thing. I bet the cockpit still smells like her, too. "That should keep me entertained while I kill."
"Major?"
"It's nothing. Get the Captain back to her quarters, Coral. You're to stay with her until her recovery is done, understood?"
"Yes sir."
******************
Synne watched the ceiling, counting the fluorescent lights as Coral wheeled her back to the barracks. The lights were bright, and hurt her eyes like the sun had. Had the sun been real, or was the whole thing an illusion? It must have been real, Synne reasoned, because she was able to activate Cezanne.
There was no external power. There was no pilot in the cockpit. And yet, it had been able to initialize and move by itself. Truly, she thought, this was the power Cezanne had given her.
"Here we are," Coral chirped, opening the door to Synne's quarters before wheeling the gurney in. "Let me just help you in to bed, ma'am." Coral put one arm around her shoulders and hoisted the injured Captain off the gurney, helping her across the cold linoleum floor to her bed. The cold tiles made Synne's feet cringe and curl up until she felt the soft embrace of her mattress.
"It's never felt this comfortable before," Synne laughed as she stretched her legs.
Coral watched the Captain stretch and flex her legs and feet, amazed that she could keep them so smooth and clean despite her grueling schedule. "Did you need help getting undressed," she asked after a nearly audible gulp.
"Well, seeing as I can't move my arms, sure."
Coral lifted Synne's torso off the bed and untied the thin strings holding her medical gown closed. She pulled the strings forward, the gown trailing behind it, flowing away from the Captain's flesh. As more and more of her was uncovered, Synne began to wonder why Coral was taking so long; being so tender.
The gown fell to the floor, and Coral looked down past Synne's breasts to the (disappointingly boring, she thought) white cotton panties that Synne wore. Coral reached her hands towards them, and hooked her fingers under the fabric. "What are you doing, Coral," Synne asked quietly. Coral quickly withdrew her hands, apologizing profusely.
"It's no problem, Private," Synne giggled. "Don't worry about it. Between you and me, I usually sleep in the nude."
"Ma'am?"
"But," Synne continued, "since you're going to be here, I guess I'll sleep like this." She crossed her legs and closed her eyes. Her arms down by her sides; still immobile, preventing her from covering her breasts, which swelled and receded with each breath. Synne opened one eye, looking at the glassy-eyed Private.
"That wasn't your first time undressing a woman, was it, Coral?"
Coral blushed and looked down at her lap; at her hands wrenching tightly together. "I...don't know what you're talking about."
"You have forty-eight hours to self-report that lie, Private."
"But, ma'am, I really haven't done...anything like that before. Not with a woman, or with anyone," Coral continued, still unable to meet her superior's eyes.
"Well," Synne reasoned, "isn't it time you tried?"
Coral looked at Coral, seeing her grinning face, flushed with lust. "Ma'am, are you suggesting that we--"
"Yes, Coral. I am, now shut up and come over here. I can't move my arms, and you're assigned to watch over my recovery. So either get to work on me, or I'll get so horny that I'd probably off myself from frustration."
Coral tentatively moved to the foot of Synne's bed, and lay her hands on the Captain's smooth legs. She ran her hands up and down the calves and thighs before coaxing them apart from the ankles. Synne wiggled her toes, and Coral took this as a sign. She held Synne's foot in her hands, and brought it close to her face. The decontamination room had left her smelling great all over, and this was no exception.