The Riders Of Sirius Minor Ch 17

[Note: This chapter has no love scenes. The purpose is to introduce characters for the second part of the story.]

The Setting: Port Auburn, Earth, Survey Service Headquarters:

"It seems you've had a run of bad luck, Captain."

Admiral Jekl's eyes were shifting back and forth even faster than usual.

"Sir?" said Survey Service Captain Michael Taylor.

"You've gone through two first officers in a matter of weeks. Your first replacement had a nervous breakdown. And your second replacement got captured by aliens and was, according to your own report, taken back to their homeworld to serve as a sex slave to their Emperor." Jekl's eyes stopped bouncing for a moment to give Taylor a pointed stare. "You do know the Survey Service motto, do you not? 'We don't leave our people behind'."

"I'm well aware of it, Admiral!" Taylor snapped. "I ordered Commander Hale to report back to the ship. She refused, disobeying a direct order. I wasn't in a position to compel her, as I indicated in my report."

"Yes you did," said the Admiral, sounding not entirely convinced. "You may be wondering why we have not issued you a replacement officer."

"I

have

wondered, sir," Taylor admitted. It had been three months since the incident with the Gnip Gnops on their rogue asteroid. When the

Immortal

had returned to Earth, he had expected another replacement first officer to be appointed almost immediately. After all the demand for senior positions on capital ships was intense. But the

Immortal

had been kept in Earth's orbit for two weeks without a replacement being made. After that, the

Immortal

had been sent on patrol for the next two months, doing the things the Survey Service always does: patrolling space lanes, assisting ships in distress, doing routine boardings and manifest checks, mapping new systems, delivering cargo, and so on and so on. Lieutenant Commander Susan Cleary had served as acting first officer, but she herself had been just a lieutenant only weeks earlier. Despite her inexperience, she had proved perfect for the job, being very meticulous and attentive to detail. Taylor wished that Susan could have held the job permanently, but first officer a ship the size of the

Immortal

required a full commander, usually an experienced full Commander, not someone who had just become a Lieutenant Commander in recent weeks.

"We've been searching for someone who might be capable of coping with your unique... traits and abilities." His eyes once again moved rapidly left and right. "We have selected Commander Chloe Fema. Are you familiar with her?"

"No sir," said Taylor.

"She's an excellent officer. Been decorated by the World Government four times. A highly experienced commander. Should be a Captain one of these days." He stared pointedly at Taylor. "Not an officer who is expected to fail, if you understand what I mean."

"I do, sir," said Taylor.

If she fails, they will blame me

, he thought. "When should I expect her?"

"Today," said Jekl.

"And what are my orders?" Taylor asked.

"Report back to my office at 0900 tomorrow and you'll be briefed," said Jekl.

"Yes sir," said Taylor.

********

The Super Dreadnought

Immortal

was the largest ship the Survey Service had ever built. It loomed like a giant tower on Auburn Field, dwarfing the destroyers and frigates around it. Taylor felt a swell of pride as he came to his ship. His ship! The flagship of the Survey Service.

Taylor went to his quarters and found Susan Cleary on his couch, her knees curled up around her and her empty space boots standing abandoned on the deck floor.

"Don't you have any better place to work?" he asked.

"It's cozy in here." She smiled up at him. With her bright red hair she reminded him a bit of his sometime lover Andrea Farber, Captain Andrea Farber of his old ship the

Relentless

. But Susan was younger and had a narrower face and smaller, pear shaped breasts. She held up a Pad. "Have you been reading about our new First Officer?"

"How do you know about her?"

"Her transfer just came through," said Susan. She pressed the button, and the holographic image of a face appeared above her Pad, a woman with short, curly hair and a determined face. "Commander Chloe Fema, 20 years in the Service, five of them as a full Commander. Decorated by the World Government four times."

"The World Government? Not the Survey Service?" Admiral Jekl had said something about that....

"Yeah," said Susan, with an exaggerated expression. "She got the Enlightened Officer Award, the Social Justice Citation, the Equality Badge of Honor, and the No Gender Recognition Award."

"No gender? Don't tell me-"

"She's a woman," said Susan. "She's a woman and knows she's a woman too."

"Good," said Taylor.

"But she's been given all sorts of awards for her progressive and forward-thinking ways," said Susan, giving him a knowing look.

"So they've given me another political officer," said Taylor. "I wonder if they're trying to send me a message."

"I wonder too," Susan said. She stretched her legs. Her bare feet caught Taylor's eyes. She smiled when she saw him looking at them.

"I want you to watch her, Susan," said Taylor. "Watch her like a hawk. She will be first officer, but you will be the first officer's first officer, if you know what I mean."

"I think I do, Captain," Susan smiled again.

"I know it must be disappointing for you to give up your role as acting first officer," said Taylor.

"I knew it had to end sometime," said Susan. "I didn't have the rank for it, and we both knew it."

"Nevertheless, I just want to tell you that I gave you a great evaluation in your service record."

"You did!" she jumped up and stood face to face with Taylor. She gave him a brilliant smile. They stood staring at each other for a long moment.

She was so beautiful... so kissable.....

There was a buzz at the door.

Susan continued to smile at Taylor. He smiled back at her.

The door buzzed again.

"Come," said Taylor.

Survey Service Commander Chloe Fema entered his quarters. She had the same short curly blonde hair as her holographic likeness, and the same hard expression on her face. She cast a glance at the holoimage of herself hovering above Susan's Pad and looked startled. Then she saw Taylor and Susan standing unnaturally close to each other, and also noticed that Susan wasn't wearing her space boots.

"If I've come at a bad time," she began.

"Not at all," said Taylor. "You must be Commander Fema. Welcome to the

Immortal

, Commander."

"Thank you, sir," she said, saluting sharply.

No one spoke for a moment. Then Taylor saw Fema looking oddly at Susan.

"That will be all, Commander," said Taylor.

"Yes sir!" said Susan, jumping up to leave. She grabbed her Pad, deactivated the holoimage of Commander Fema, and headed for the door. Susan was halfway out the door before she turned around and returned.

"Sorry, forgot these!" she said, grinning as she picked up her space boots. And then she was gone.

There was another silence. Fema stared at him expectantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I should have introduced you. That was my second officer, Lieutenant Commander Susan Cleary," said Taylor. "We were just... just going over your record."

"So I saw," said Fema. "It's a great honor to be posted to serve under you, sir."

That's exactly what Jessica said... before she wormed her way into my bed and blackmailed me,

Taylor thought. But Fema didn't seem to be a seductress like Jessica Hale had been. She had a much harder edged look to her.

"Thank you, Commander," said Taylor.

"I know you've had some negative interactions with your last two first officers," said Chloe. "I promise that won't be a problem between us," she said.

"I'm sure it won't," said Taylor. As he said it, though, he looked downwards. Commander Fema was wearing a chikdik! She had what looked like an enormous erection sticking out of her pants.

Oh oh. She's one of them.

"I intend to fulfill all the highest ideals of the Service."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Taylor, trying hard not to stare at her female erection.

"Honor. Service. Social Justice. Equality. Inclusiveness. Diversity. Compensation for historically victimized groups."

"That's not what the Service stands for," said Taylor.

"If you check our revised mission statement, updated as of three months ago, you'll find there have been some changes," said Chloe. "The Service is now a force for progressiveness."

"Not on my ship!" said Taylor.

"Sir?"

"On my ship our mission statement is a bit different. Our purpose is exploration, defense, coming to the aid of ships in distress, delivering cargo, and showing the flag."

"But that doesn't address the newly expanded mission statement of the Service."

"That's correct. Your powers of observation do you credit," said Taylor. "On this ship I run things

my

way. If you learn that, we'll get along just fine, Commander."

"Yes sir," she said, carefully showing a blank face.

"We'll be leaving orbit in two days. Make sure we have all the supplies we have requisitioned aboard, and make sure all ship's systems are functioning properly. I'll expect status reports from you daily."

"Yes sir," she said. She turned to go.

"Oh Commander?"

"Yes, Captain?" Fema said.

"One last thing." Taylor's gaze went downwards. "Chikdiks are not permitted in the Survey Service dress code."

"The Survey Service last week provided a new draft of the dress code which explicitly permitted chikdiks, to promote gender equality," said Chloe, standing sideways in profile, to make her artificial erection stick out proudly.

"A draft, you said? Well, until that draft is approved, the existing dress codes stand. Women are

not

permitted to show erections in their pants."

"But men are, sir?" she asked him.

"Only when absolutely necessary," said Taylor.

********

"She's crazy," said Susan. "Just like Runningbear."

"Runningbear didn't even know what gender she was," said Taylor. "And I'm still convinced she didn't know what it meant to be trisexual. I mean, we never saw her actively trying to attract three people to have sex with her at the same time, did we?"

Susan laughed. She was sitting on Taylor's couch, relaxing with him, listening to classical music as they talked and chatted. Her feet were once again naked in front of him, her tall space boots standing at attention in front of her. Somehow the nudity of even such a minor part of her body made the atmosphere in Taylor's quarters feel intimate... which is probably what she intended.

Taylor didn't have to

screan

his second officer to know she was still attracted to him. He could tell by the way she looked at him. He could tell by the way she smiled at him. She was still trying to seduce him, but in a very subtle way. If it hadn't been for regulations, he would have already had her. But then, if it hadn't been for regulations, he would already have had Sophie Astor.

"Did you see the way she glared at me when she saw me with bare feet in your quarters?" she said. "I'm sure she thought it was

improper

." She flexed her toes at him.

"I'm sure she did," said Taylor, smiling.

"You know, I broke up with John Galloway," she said. "And it was all

your

fault," she stared at him accusingly.

"My fault?" said Taylor.

"Um hm. When you promoted me, John suddenly became a junior officer. Regulations specify that one can't have relationships with officers under your command. Wouldn't want to be improper, would we?" she said, pretending to yawn as she thrust out her chest at him. Suddenly Taylor realized that her breasts were bigger now. Much bigger. Was Susan wearing a padded control collar? Was she wearing a padded control collar for

him

?

She grinned as if she could read his mind, noticing his gaze on her breasts.

"I'm sorry about that. If you like, I can demote you again," said Taylor.

"No," said Susan, twisting to the side to show him her breasts in profile. Yes, she was

definitely

wearing a padded control collar. Either that, or she had gotten nuclear implants when they had returned to Earth. Taylor's former lover Sophie Astor had nuclear implants. Was Susan trying to emulate Sophie?

"I was beginning to find him boring," she said, smiling at him.

"Well, maybe you can find someone else to have a relationship with," said Taylor, trying hard not to stare at the enormous lumps in her dayshirt... and failing.

"Unfortunately, there is only one other person with my rank on this ship I can date without violating regulations. And Yoram is already married... and not my type," she said, referring to Chief Engineer Yoram Stoneheld. She stood up and provocatively held his hand. "Now, if you could promote me again, twice more in fact, to the rank of Captain, I know

exactly

who I would have a relationship with... without violating any pesky ship regulations."

It was out in the open. Susan was stating her attraction to him directly.

Taylor felt a tingling sensation and a tightness in his chest. He really was attracted to her, almost as much as she was to him. "Susan, I'm sorry, you know I can't do that."

"I'm sorry too," she said abruptly, releasing his hand and sitting back on the couch. Soft classical music played in the background. As the song ended, her face suddenly brightened and she padded the sofa. "Why don't you sit with me while the next song comes on?"

*********

Taylor was once again sitting in Admiral Jekls' office. His eyes were once again bouncing back and forth.

"Welcome back, Captain," said Jekl. "How is your new first officer working out?"

"Fine, sir," said Taylor. Susan was watching Chloe like a hawk, secretly reporting on her every move. She told him that the control room crew already disliked her. Chloe seemed to have a special skill in rubbing people the wrong way. Once again, the Admiralty had given him a troublesome officer.

"I'm very glad to hear it," said Jekl. "Your next assignment concerns the settlement on Sirius Minor."

"Sirius Minor." Taylor blinked. "Isn't that the colony that was set up on the edge of known space just a few years ago?"

"Indeed it is, Captain. A veritable paradise, I'm told, one that didn't even require a drop of terraforming. Forests, lakes, rivers, mountains... quite a pretty place."

"What is my mission, sir?"

"You are to deliver a representative from the Foreign Service who will negotiate a treaty to bring the colony into the Federation with the World Government."

Taylor frowned. "A colony that new can't have more than a population of a few thousand. And yet it's ready to join the Federation?"

"Two thousand, to be exact. I know it's a very small number, but the planet is almost ready for mass settlement and the World Government feels it would make a fine addition to the Federation."

Taylor nodded.

"The representative you will carry with you will negotiate the treaty with them, while you examine their spaceport and determine what would be required bring it up to Survey Service standards."

Taylor nodded again. The mission seemed very straightforward.

"When will this representative be ready?"

"Right now." He pressed a button. "Send her in."

The representative of the Foreign Service came in. Taylor gave her a quick glance, and then a much, much longer one.

"Sophie!" he cried, resisting the impulse to hug her in front of the Admiral.

"Captain," she said coolly.

It was his former lover Sophie Astor. He hadn't seen her in nearly three months since the incident with the Gnip Gnops. Since the time they had made love once. And only once.

Sophie's vagina had been locked up tightly by the Gnip Gnops. Taylor had been attempting to use his penis to

screan

the proper pattern for unlocking it. The experience had been extremely arousing, for the both of them. When Taylor had finally succeeded in breaking the cuntlock, he had Sophie had naturally made love. It had been so wonderful! Sophie had cried in his arms while he moved inside of her. It had been so long since they had been together in this way.

But after the lovemaking was done, Sophie declared that she would not share a bed with him again, not even on the long trip back to Earth. Because, as she put it, "I don't want what I can't have." She had left the ship in a stony silence, nearly three months ago, and Taylor hadn't heard or seen her since.

Until now.

"I take it the two of you are acquainted," said Admiral Jekl dryly. He knew full well of their long history together.

"Yes," said Taylor. "Sophie, you're the diplomat who will be negotiating the treaty on Sirius Minor?"

"Obviously," said Sophie. "Why else would I be here?"

"Once the treaty has been negotiated, Ms. Astor will remain on the planet, to take up her post as ambassador," said Jekl.

Taylor felt a chill go down on his spine. Sophie was to be an ambassador on a remote planet at the edge of Known Space. That meant he might not see her again for years... or ever.

********

"It really was Sophie?" said Susan.

"It really was Sophie!" said Taylor.

"Wow! I can't wait to see her!" said Susan. She leaned against Taylor as classical music played in the background. She had finally persuaded him to sit on the couch with her, and she took total advantage of it, leaning against him and even putting her head on his shoulder. When Taylor didn't object, she even briefly put her leg over his.

Taylor wasn't stupid. He

knew

what she was doing. She was seeing exactly how far she could go without crossing the line. He should have told her to stop. But he didn't have the emotional willpower to do so. She was so young and pretty and attracted to him! Taylor was so immensely flattered!

"How was she?" Susan asked, as her leg rested on top of his.

"Cold. Cold as usual Sophie."

"Oh," said Susan. "From the way she's acting, you'd think she was the one who got the cold shoulder and not me."

After Taylor had freed Susan's cuntlock with his

screaning

penis, she had practically begged him for sex with her. He had declined, but she apparently found out that he had granted Sophie the boon he had denied her.

Taylor explained to Susan how at the end of this mission, Sophie would become the new ambassador to Sirius Minor, and he might never see her again.

Susan's eyebrows shot upwards. "Then you two have to make the most of your time NOW!" She punched his arm.

"Ow! What do you expect me to do?"

"Have a romantic dinner with her! Tell her that this is the last time you'll have together!" said Susan.

Taylor had to admire Susan's loyalty. She clearly wanted Taylor for herself, and yet was so in love with him that she wanted him to be happy, even if being happy meant that he was with Sophie, and not her.

"You can be with her without breaking your precious regulations, can't you?" said Susan.

"Well, now that she's no longer in the Survey Service, yes-"

"Then have her! Have dinner with her and tell her you love her!"

"It won't make any difference."

Susan put her face next to his. She stared intently into his eyes. "Then she's a fool... Captain."

Taylor's door buzzed. He continued to stare into Susan's sparkling green eyes. The door buzzed again.

Taylor abruptly pushed Susan's leg off his own and stood up. "Come," he said.

Sophie Astor entered his quarters. She took one look at Susan on the couch and then another look at Taylor's embarrassed expression. Sophie raised a cold eyebrow.

"Sophie!" Before Sophie could speak, Susan was off the couch and giving her a hug. "It's so good to see you!"

"Commander," said Sophie woodenly.

"Commander? Is that what you used to call me?" said Susan.

"Yes," said Sophie. She noticed Susan's feet were bare, and her boots were standing empty on the deck.