by Amber Stuart
Since most of her colleagues were men, she’d grown accustomed to all the banter and discussion surrounding sex. Most of them considered her, one of the guys, and so they didn’t filter out much of what they talked about. It made sense, when she’d started college with them, she was still just a pubescent teen who didn’t fill out until her last year of school.
It didn’t help that she’d always been a tomboy type, her long hair always pulled up in a bun or pulled back in a ponytail. The need for makeup or facial enhancement, as they called it now was very rare. Her skin was smooth, free of blemish and other than chap-stick and moisturizing creams, she saw no need to use any.
Although some of them noticed the change in her shape and physique, their relationship had been long since sealed. To most of them, she was like a sister and therein was the problem. They were protective. Although it was touching and sweet, she’d been inadvertently cock-blocked so much that she was still a virgin.
This embarrassed her. A lot. She wanted to enjoy and experience sex. That meant getting as far away from her peers and the orbiting space bubble they inhabited. It was time to explore a new frontier.
o ~ o ~ o
Trudy took another swig from her beer, giggling as she swiped left to go to the next profile of the pleasure workers at Madam Suri’s Pleasure House.
“Goodness! This place certainly has some great-looking pleasurers… Choices, choices,” she said, tsk’ing.
Hannah grinned and took a sip of her tea. “I know, I couldn’t believe it when I first started checking into the options. It’s like a kid in a candy store, how do you choose?”
Trudy broke out in salacious grin, “One for each night of the week, perhaps?”
Hannah busted up, laughing and smacked her friend lightly on the arm. “Naaawwhhh… Please! For real? Would you do that, Trudy?”
Trudy gave her best friend a sideways wink. “Yes, I would actually. It’s a vacation! For crying out loud, Hannah. Let your hair down. Have some fun. None will be the wiser.”
Hannah was amused by her friend. “It reminds me of stories my Great Nana would tell me about going to Las Vegas in the USA. She had this funny saying; ‘what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.’ I always found that to be interesting.”
“What does it mean?” Trudy asked.
“Well, people went there to gamble and party. So lots of strip clubs and prostitution. They called it Sin City. Apparently, people flocked there for long weekends and got crazy. But, when they went back to their everyday lives, they left whatever they’d done while there, in the dark. That was before it got nuked.”
Trudy nodded her head, listening and searched ‘Las Vegas, Sin City’ on her tablet and started to read about it. “Looks like that place was a lot of fun. Apparently, it is located in a very warm region in the USA. Like over a hundred degrees every day. Not that anyone cares. It’s considered a zone-out region now. Not habitable…”
Hannah had been very careful to select a location on Earth that was still quite habitable. A safe place to visit for a month or two.
“Yeah… I ended up reading a lot of Earth history while researching for this trip. It’s scary and depressing,” she shared with Trudy.
Trudy nodded empathetically. “It’s true. I’ve tended to avoid it too. The problems and issues are so large, it’s overwhelming.”
“Want another beer?” Hannah nodded in the direction of her friend’s empty cup.
“Yes, thank you. It’s the weekend, I can sleep in tomorrow. By the time I wake up, you’ll be long gone on your journey to Earth.”
Hannah opened another beer and poured it for her friend. “Thank you for coming over tonight. I have pre-travel jitters. Is that silly?”
“Of course it’s normal. Don’t worry, everything will go fine. Promise me you’ll check in with me every day and give me the deets, okay?”
Hannah nodded. “Of course, I want to share it all with you and only you. Everyone else will be in the dark. It will be like I never left.”
“Oh, I doubt that. The guys are gonna miss having you around.”
“You think so?” Hannah wondered.
“Yes, of course. You’re the glue in that department. Honestly, I think some havoc will break loose while you’re gone. Not sure how, but I know it’s gonna be funny. My team is always the first to hear about this stuff.”
Hannah snickered. It was true, she was the one that kept the team on good behavior, on time with the schedule and sticking to the plan. “Awh, it’ll be good for them. I need a reprieve from being the Mother Hen. But do keep me looped in on the antics that happen. I know they’re likely to pull a prank or two.”
Trudy continued to scroll through profiles of the pleasure providers who worked at Madam Suri’s Pleasure House. “Whoa! Get a load of this looker….” She uttered beneath her breath, smitten.
Hannah was busy packing again, but glanced at the profile. He was indeed very attractive. But there was something more there. And it pulled her in. But she just as quickly forgot about the handsome man in the profile when she heard her communicator trill. She jumped up in surprise when she saw the name of the contact. It was her brother.
“It’s Jacob, I better get this. I haven’t been able to talk with him much since he went on this mission in deep space,” Hannah said.
“Of course, I’ll just be sitting her lusting after these men…” Trudy said.
Hannah answered the trilling communicator with her voice. “Hello Jacob! I’m glad you reached me before I headed down to Earth.”
“Hey Hannah, I’m glad I could reach you. There have been some crazy space weather storms preventing us from getting through as often as we like.”
Hannah was relieved to hear her older brother’s voice. It had been almost a month since their last chat. He was in deep space scouting out planets for resources that could be used to help rebalance Earth’s wounded skin, so to speak. But it came at a risk. The regions of space they were in were being explored for the first time and it took very brave astronauts who were up to the ‘Wild West’ challenge of being the first to go there.
“That’s what I heard from the last update we received. Glad you’re okay. How is the mission going?” Hannah asked, concern and pride laced in her voice.
“Very well. Dangerous at times but we just take it slow and steady. We’ve hit the jackpot but I can’t divulge much right now. We’re still in research and investigation mode. There is a lot to uncover over the next few months.” Jacob shared, excitement in his voice.
“Wow… I can’t wait to hear all about it. That’s amazing!” Hannah said, pride beaming in her voice.
She loved her brother more than anyone else. After their parents had passed, they’d depended on one another for a sense of unity and purpose until they reached an age where they could gain their footing and purpose within Space Command on the space station, Tetris. A name given the space station as a sort of joke as it was continually in a state of construction and deconstruction to meet the needs and demands of the inhabitants and crew over the years.
“I saw that your sabbatical to Earth was approved and that you’re officially on leave. All set to go?” Jacob asked.
“Almost, I’m packing even as we speak. Trudy is here celebrating with some beer.” Hannah shared, a smile in her voice.
“Hey Jacob!” Trudy called out, raising her glass of beer in a cheers.
“Hi Trudy! Thanks for taking care of my little sister before her big trip to Earth.”
“Of course. It’s a best friend privilege,” Trudy said smiling into the communicator camera, which was wavering badly with static from Jacob’s side.
Hannah smiled to herself at the interaction between her brother and best friend. She was pretty certain they’d both never acted on a mutual, shared attraction between them. In one way, Hannah was grateful for it, since she would be sad to lose her best friend to her brother as his girlfriend. But then, a part of her thought that maybe
they might become more serious and her best friend would eventually become her sister-in-law. That, she would love. Time would tell.
“Thank you both…” Hannah piped in, glowing with love for the two most important people in her life.
“So, got any big plans besides getting your Earth legs back?” Jacob asked.
Hannah and Trudy shared a knowing glance between one another, both suppressing a giggle.
“Um, just gonna explore the region mostly, take a food holiday and be spoiled and pampered at the spa house where I will be staying,” Hannah shared. There was no way she’d ever divulge or reveal her true reason for the vacation. Some things were better left unsaid.
“Good, good. Did you hire a body guard and area guide?” Jacob asked, his big brother persona coming through, concerned for Hannah’s safety.
“I sure did. It’s all set. I’ve got VIP status too, courtesy of the Commander. Not sure what to think about that, but grateful for it.”
“That’s perfect. Now I will sleep better. I’ll have to let Commander know I appreciate it. Serious. Remember, Earth is a desperate place to be now. People will do just about anything…”
Hannah headed Jacob’s advice. It was a reasonable concern. She nodded in agreement, forgetting that the communicator was wavering for the visual.
“I mean it Hannah…” Jacob’s voice wavered out as well, a sign that they were about to lose communication. “Shit! We’re losing our connection…”
“I love you, Jacob,” Hannah blurted out, realizing that at any moment in time, they might not ever see or get to speak to one another again. A risk they took, being in space. A risk, anywhere really when it came right down to it. But more-so in space.
“Be safe! Keep a log of your trip and don’t forget to share it. Okay?” Jacob said, his voice fading out.
“I will. I promise. You too.” Hannah said.
The communicator went to static and the signal was lost. Hannah’s smile wavered with it. As proud as she was that he was risking his life for the greater good, a noble cause – she resented that her only remaining family member could disappear from her life – forever.
Trudy sensed the shift in Hannah’s mood. “It’ll be okay. He’ll be okay. They’re being very smart out there. Our team has been reviewing a lot of the progress reports and safety is king. Like not even kidding. They’re really playing it entirely by the rules and protocols. Promise.”
Hannah let out a sigh, trying to hold back her tears. “I know… It’s weird, I’m okay until I hear his voice. It just reminds me how fragile we are. All of us. None of us never know…”
“Yeah, I hear ya. I do,” Trudy said, watching her friend’s face closely.
“I think I need a hug!” Hannah blurted out, feeling silly.
Trudy just smiled and leaned over to give her good friend a long, comforting hug.
“Thank you,” Hannah said, genuinely appreciative of her best friend’s simple act of kindness. This was why they were best friends. They could tune into one another with ease and there was no shame for their feelings about life. Just compassionate understanding.
“Let’s finished getting you packed and into bed. It’s later than I realized.”
Hannah nodded, “Okay. I think I’m mostly done. I really just packed a few days’ worth of clothing. I want to rely on their laundry services while I’m down there.”
“Not to mention, any new clothes you can buy while there,” Trudy said with a wink.
Hannah blushed, “Good point. I hadn’t even thought of that! Are we allowed to have lingerie in space?”
They both bust out laughing.
“I think you’re ready,” Trudy said.
“So do I,” Hannah replied, agreeing.
CHAPTER TWO
(2)
Xasper was frustrated. This was the third client within a month who’d filed an unsatisfactory service complaint. It wasn’t like him, which made it all the more humiliating. Typically, he was getting rave reviews and compliments, not dissatisfaction.
Maybe he was just burnt out? Needed to go on holiday, take a vacation?
Being a full-time pleasure worker was a lot more demanding than most realized. Yes, he earned good money, had his psych and behavioral degrees, always completed the competency exams with flying colors, and was practically famous for his amorous talents – but that didn’t mean he was some sort of sex demi-god?!
Sometimes, living up to his own legend was a nuisance. Not an enhancement.
Suri, his Madame-manager peered at him, waiting for an explanation. “So, Xasper? What is going on with you?”
He decided it, right then and there.
“I need to take a break. Get in some R&R, recharge and just generally forget about work for a while. A sabbatical.”
Madam Suri observed him surreptitiously, peering at him over the top rims of her glasses. “You’re certain?”
Xasper let out a long sigh. “Yes. I am.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “We have a slight problem then.”
Xasper looked up, meeting her gaze head on. She was a slave-driver, this one. Reputable, good at making both profitable and meaningful matches, but a slave-driver nonetheless.
“Why’s that?” He asked. He never took time off from work, she might need to be reminded of that tid-bit.
“We have a very special client arriving and extra special t-l-c is required. Can you maybe make it through one more client? She requested someone like you, specifically.”
Xasper arched an eyebrow. This wasn’t unusual, but still flattering. His erotic effect on the opposite sex was something that typically needed to be experienced in person, not via an image of his personage. The reason being, he was part shapeshifter.
“What about Dimitri? He’s similar enough to me. Same flair, tactics and flavor. She’d never know the difference,” he suggested, grasping for a way out of the commitment.
“No, won’t do. Like I said, extra-special customer. I’m doing a favor for the head of Space Command. We don’t disappoint our top clients, remember?” Madam Suri said, a chastising tone in her voice. She handed him the new client’s file, watching and waiting for him to assess her.
“She’s a virgin?” He asked, surprised.
“Yes, and a VIP as well, hence the need for special-handling,” Madam Suri explained.
“Hmmm. Why is she VIP?” He asked, his curiosity peaked.
Madam Suri scowled at him. “You know full well I can’t share that with you.”
Xasper rolled his eyes. “Why not, they usually end up telling me anyways.”
“Is that so?” Madam Suri stated, doubting him.
“Don’t give me that look. I’m not trancing them to find out, it just comes out at some point. You know how humans get once they’ve decided to get physical. They become more open and trusting.”
“True. But some don’t even know of their extra-special status. This is one such VIP. Understood?”
That intrigued Xasper. He’d heard of that before but had never quite understood what it meant. “What makes that possible?” He asked.
“Not for me to say. Not my place. Yours neither. We obey and provide a service. We prosper and that is all that matters.”
At this point, the conversation was locked by a battle of wills. Madam Suri ticked her tongue against the rooftop of her mouth. A sound that indicated growing displeasure. A warning.
Xasper knew better than to find himself on the other side of her good graces. He may be one of her best pleasure-providers, but the world was full of many who were eager to take his place. He already knew he’d have to relent and bend to her will.
Madam Suri pulled her disapproving and scrutinizing gaze away. “Will you take the job?” She pressed.
Xasper sighed. “Fine, I’ll pluck another cherry. Then, I’m on leave. I need a huge break,” he said exasperatedly, standing to leave. He could at least express his discontent with her. She’d punis
h him for it later. That was for certain.
Madam Suri smiled and her lusty gaze caressed his in-shape and mouth-watering physique. “You have a day to rest up and be in good spirits. Spend it at the spa. Pamper yourself. Relax, get a massage. I have a feeling about this one. You need to be on your best behavior. Important client. She’s coming from Space Command.”
“Space Command?! You never mentioned that?!” He said, startled but excited.
“It’s right there in her file, you didn’t bother to read it, did you?” She sneered, taking delight in his being caught so off guard.
“Why should I? It usually doesn’t make a difference when it comes to the bedroom,” he explained.
“Ah. Well, that is where you’re wrong Xasper. You’re too young to recognize it yet, but it often does make a difference. At the very least, it’s often very telling…” Madam Suri hinted at something, the lost art of knowing the client, being able to anticipate their every sexual whim, want and desire. No matter how lascivious.
She knew that people were full of surprises when it came to their sexual behavior.
Xasper found her rhetoric to be old-school. It no longer applied really, not with the sort of enhancements he used to seduce his clients – exactly as they preferred. Nowadays, most just wanted to temporarily escape their real life and mentioning their career, work, trade or profession rarely ever changed his approach to pleasuring them.
Things had changed for pleasure workers. No longer considered prostitutes, theirs was a nobler profession. Respectable and esteemed.
Xasper pulled himself out of his reverie, “I’m going to get some pho, do you want me to bring anything back? Bubble tea?” Xasper asked right before he exited her office.
“Yes, the usual please,” Madam Suri requested, smiling.
Xasper knew his manners and always treated her well when he wasn’t so busy defying her and her old-school ways.
Someday, he’d understand better what she was trying to teach him. When he became Master of his own pleasure house. Watching him exit, she wondered what adventure was just around the corner for him. What it would entail and how it would happen.