“Either there is a technical glitch or a distance parameter that we occasionally overreach,” Oses said. “The phase usually failed when Zemos’s destroyer dropped a certain distance from the transport. Since the Ofetuchan ship is on his vessel, I have to assume it’s a range issue.”
“Is that what happened that day when we were scouting locations for our dance club?”
He nodded. “I realized I was suddenly visible, and that a member of your group saw me appear out of nowhere. I raced back and forth to keep from being identified until the phase took hold once more.”
“You showed up in Candy’s apartment one night.” I was still trying to answer all the questions I’d had in the past few weeks.
“Looking for you. When I didn’t find you in your bed, I figured you were with her or Betra. I checked Candy’s room first since it was closest.”
Betra’s expression was incredibly sweet. “You need help, Oses. Starting with consulting Dr. Feru or his staff.”
“I talk to Feru regularly. What I need is to be dismissed from duty. I am not fit for my rank any longer.” The only time I’d ever witnessed Oses more despondent was when we were prisoners.
“For being over-protective of a pregnant Matara? For being traumatized by seeing her threatened day after day and not knowing if you could get her out of there?” The Imdiko shook his head. “You’re wrong. Maybe Captain Wotref and Dr. Feru will insist on you taking some days, maybe weeks off for more intensive therapy. Even so, I can’t imagine you being stripped of your rank or position. The worst you’ve done is stolen a piece of alien technology and scare some people.”
Oses glowered. “All I can think about is how I must not fail in keeping Shalia from harm. How can I be trusted to keep a transport secure when she’s more important to me than my job?”
“You’re doing fine with that,” I pointed out. “You’ve been pulling double shifts as well as constantly checking on me for weeks. Talk about taking multitasking to the extreme!”
Betra grinned. “She’s right. You’re doing the work of two, perhaps three people.”
Oses wasn’t mollified. He appeared more humiliated than he’d ever managed to make Betra feel. He eyed the Imdiko. “How did you detect me when I came in here?”
“Captain Zemos again. I checked his reports on how he tracked the Ofetuchan craft. The sub-space field was disturbed by that vessel’s passage, which the destroyer’s motion detectors were able to pick up. I was able to do something similar with my handheld settings and a detection grid emitter.” Betra nodded to a small cube that he’d placed on a shelf prior to crawling into bed with me. Candy would no doubt love it for her next ghost hunting foray.
Oses stared at him, impressed. “You would make an excellent security officer, Betra.”
Betra waved him off. “I prefer taking care of people. The way I’ll take care of you.” He spoke with the domineering tone he uses on me when we have sex. “Commander, you and I are going to visit Dr. Feru first thing in the morning. We’ll discuss this matter and start a new course of treatment. With his help, we’ll approach Captain Wotref and find out what has to happen next. From there, we’ll go a step at a time until you’ve returned to your old sweet, smiling self.”
Oses had never looked anything like sweet. I still got the impression he was touched. “You’d think we were clanned, Imdiko.”
Betra swallowed, as if he’d just gotten slammed by some great emotion. He sounded demanding, however. “Yes, you could get that impression. Be warned, an Imdiko is never to be crossed when it comes to the welfare of his clanmates. He’ll confront even the toughest Nobek in that case. And Oses...the Imdiko will win.”
“I see.” Oses almost did smile then. “All right, Betra. We’ll visit Dr. Feru in the morning. And...and thank you.” He then asked me, “Can you ever forgive what I’ve done?”
“There’s nothing to forgive.” I wrapped my arms around his waist. “No more than you guys had to forgive me for hiding in the closets after I was rescued.” I smiled up at the Nobek. “You’re my hero. You always will be.”
April 22
I may have to spend another week in bed. Betra and Oses wore me out this morning...in a very good way.
It’s nice having that Nobek close by more often since he’s gone on medical leave. I do enjoy our, ahem, therapy sessions. Hey, now that I’m well rested and my hypertension has disappeared, Tep wants me to exercise. He didn’t specify what kind of workouts. Sex works perfectly fine, thanks.
Besides, a Nobek has to stay busy. Feru insisted Oses take a sabbatical while he deals with his issues of over-protectiveness toward me and the overall trauma he experienced from not being able to adequately keep me safe when we were abducted. Sex keeps Oses occupied. I’m more than happy to be of assistance to him.
Captain Wotref has been amazing over the whole affair. He refused to hear a word about Oses not being fit as his weapons commander. “Ridiculous,” he sputtered when Oses tried to resign his commission. “Lose the best man on my entire crew? I’ll cut my arm off before that happens. You,” he pointed at Oses as he riveted a steely gaze on him, “take all the leave Feru says you require. Follow his instructions to the letter, screw your head on straight, and bring your ass up to the bridge as soon as he says you’re ready for it. Not one moment before that, and not one damned second later.”
Wotref then addressed me, Betra, and Feru. “If Commander Oses gives any indication he’s slacking off in his therapy, inform me immediately. You too, young lady.” The captain’s tone softened when he spoke to me, and he gave me a private wink to let me know the gruffness was all for show...at least where I was concerned.
The captain glared at the three men who were standing at attention before him. “As for anyone else, what’s happened is none of their damned business. This matter is between the five of us only.”
Betra cleared his throat. “Captain Zemos might be curious as to why the weapons commander absconded with a phase device.”
Wotref grunted. “True. Zemos is no fool. Don’t worry; I’ll figure something out.”
“Tell him I took it,” I volunteered. When they gaped at me, I put on a ditzy smile. “Well, it’s gold and pretty and I’m a girl who had an emotional breakdown. I went crazy and said, ‘Ooh, look, something shiny to make me feel better!’”
“That’s absurd. Anyone would realize that makes no sense,” Feru protested.
“Are you sure? Who among you lovelorn lugs have figured out why my gender does the things we do, even when we’re not cracking up from stress? Admit it, no Kalquorian man has a clue when it comes to understanding a perfectly rational woman. Who among you could anticipate the actions of a pregnant Earther who went a little bonkers?”
They got it. Betra and Feru snickered. Wotref grinned appreciatively. Oses was horrified.
“I can’t allow you to shoulder the blame for my actions, Shalia,” he protested. “You’d never act so foolish for any reason.”
“You can and you will,” I shot. “I demand you get better so you can return as this ship’s weapons commander, keeping me and all the rest of us out of harm’s way. If this excuse does the job, I don’t mind if that Zemos person thinks I’m a giddy goof with light fingers. He’ll get over it.”
Okay, so I’m not doing much for convincing Kalquorian men to treat Earther women with less of a paternalistic attitude. I’m probably setting us back ten years where Captain Zemos is concerned, at the very least. For Oses, it’s worth it.
Wotref laughed outright. He had such a careworn aspect to him that I was glad to provide some happiness to the captain. “He’ll ‘get over it’ as you say. Zemos will drop the matter in an instant when he hears such a story.” He clapped Oses’s shoulder. “You’re on leave. Take care of yourself, my friend. Get better, because I need you.”
Oses didn’t act happy with the situation, but he bowed with respect to his commanding officer. “With the help of Dr. Feru and my friends, I will. Thank you, Captain.”
To recap: Oses’s pride and career are secure, I am boffing him as much as is medically allowed, and he’s seeking help. As for the others who saw the ‘ghost’, they have noted it’s not haunting the halls anymore. Candy is credited for her exorcism of the specter, and all are beginning to relax. Things are looking up.
The only other thing of note that has happened was what I walked in on two days ago. After a day of watching others work on our dance club (they won’t let me help due to my recent health issues), I went in search of Oses and Betra. I found them in Oses’s quarters, which he’s given me automatic access to...and the sight was something to behold.
Oses has a kind of bench in his room, sort of a pommel horse that gymnasts might use. I’ve been bent over that in the past for a spankings both deserved and for fun. I was startled to see it was in use again.
I was one step in, my greeting dying on my lips before I got the first syllable out. It wasn’t Betra tied to the spanking bench with Oses turning that gorgeous ass red. Nope, the situation was reversed.
I cannot imagine how Betra managed to subdue Oses and bind him to that thing. Then again, the Imdiko had warned him that a member of his breed could be incited to fight a Nobek and win. I guess this was an example of such.
Betra grinned. Over Oses’s furious growls, he said, “Shalia! Want to join in?”
I saw the thick, metal-studded strap in my liaison’s hand, the pants puddled at Oses’s ankles, the deep red of the weapons commander’s ass – and his fierce erections – and I turned right around. “Nope, I’m good. See you boys later,” I called over my shoulder as I left the quarters as fast as possible. Since I had no idea how rough the play would become, I figured I’d sit that out. That strap looked as if it could draw blood. After a couple of days to consider it, I’m glad I opted to leave.
Betra and Oses are figuring things out. Maybe they’ll reach the point to where they won’t need me as a bridge to reach each other anymore. If that happens by the time they drop me off on Kalquor, I’ll feel good about the situation.
I certainly felt good about my situation this afternoon. After lunch, I left the dining hall. I wondered if Oses was available to give me some dessert – Nobek cocks in Kalquorian sauce, har-de-har-har. I decided I’d go to my quarters and freshen up before searching the big guy out.
He was waiting for me, along with Betra. The pair sat side by side on my lounger, close enough that they could have reached over and touched. Once upon a time, Betra wouldn’t have let Oses sit so near.
“Well, hello,” I said. “Fancy meeting you in my rooms. What are guys like you doing in a nice place like this?”
They favored me with smiles: Oses’s was exciting and dangerous while Betra’s beam was sweet and warming. My heart picked up its pace even as it melted.
Betra said, “We thought you were due some doting on. Or were you off to supervise the club construction again?”
“Dote! Dote!” I yelled, running over to bounce on the lounger between them.
They laughed at my silliness. Then dote, they did. All at once, I was surrounded by muscled arms. Lips sought out mine as one man kissed me, then the other. Hands moved over my body, touching, stroking, and exploring.
Oh my. We spent a good while on that lounger petting heavily. Oses left Betra alone, and Betra didn’t have a fit when the Nobek accidentally touched him. They centered their attention on me, and I was happy to receive it.
Bit by bit, clothes came off. At the start, the boys contented themselves with shoving my blouse and skirt up so they could play with what they wanted. I did the same with their shirts to trace those muscular torsos. As we heated up and excitement grew, I tugged the resealable crotch seams of their pants open. I filled my hands with hot, moist cocks that gave off that delicious cinnamon-y aroma. That scent will make me think of sex for the rest of my life.
As I stroked hard lengths of Kalquorian, fingers traced through my intimate folds. I moaned into Betra’s mouth as he squeezed my breast. Billowing heat filled my belly, and my sex erupted with ticklish pleasure. My hips jerked when Oses rubbed his thumb over my clit.
We were in no hurry to rush to culmination, however. As if by some unspoken agreement, we teased each other, doing just enough to make the other sigh with pleasure. I was the center of it, with the men concentrating their efforts on me.
After a while, we were naked on my lounger, writhing against each other, kissing and touching. It was akin to discovering and being discovered by others for the first time. To me, it felt new and pure.
“I was planning on a shower when I came in,” I giggled to my lovers. “What was I thinking? This is much better.”
“Hmm, a shower,” Oses said. “This Matara wants to be bathed, Imdiko.”
“Oh, that would be nice,” Betra agreed. “Let’s do that.”
“That wasn’t a hint,” I said as Oses stood with me in his arms. “I’m perfectly happy with what we’ve been doing.”
My protest went unheeded as I was carried into the facility. Betra went ahead and began fiddling with the shower controls.
Oses stepped into the stall with me as the warm water cascaded down. He set me on my feet.
Betra said, “This afternoon, we want to care for our Shalia. All your needs will be met. Be quiet and enjoy yourself.”
It was hard to argue with him when his fingers rubbed my scalp, massaging and shampooing away the tension I hadn’t realized was there. With Oses soaping my body, I was overcome by their attention. Prophets be praised, I am a lucky girl.
They bathed me from head to toe. When the soap had been rinsed away, the kissing and touching started again. Oses spent as much effort smooching my rounded tummy as Betra did. I still say when I’m as big as a house, they won’t find me as enticing, but for now it’s okay.
Those kisses headed south of the border. I found myself bracing my hands on Oses’s shoulders, since he was kneeling in front of me. He had my leg draped over his arm as he licked and sucked my clit. Betra was behind me, straining to get at my pussy while he supported me. His tongue flicked in and out, lapping my cream.
I stood there, having my pussy eaten while warm water ran down my back. Soon I didn’t feel the shower at all. My world narrowed to my sex and what the men were doing to it.
Kalquorian tongues are raspy, almost rough. The way Oses and Betra’s caught on my sensitive flesh as they pleasured me sent daggers of delight through my core. The friction was delicious. Erotic thrills made me shake all over as they drove me higher and higher towards nirvana.
My cries echoed in the stall. Heat gathered deep within, that final pulling together when rapture is a ball in the gut, right at the threshold of release. I could feel it readying to burst wide open.
The exquisite spark lit, a bright single point with all the power of a sun. For an instant I poised on that star flare, balanced on its very tip. Then I tumbled. The star blew wide, stretching its force through me.
Contractions seized me, convulsions of enthralling bliss. I bowed to their power, letting them have me. Ecstasy pulsed, free to express itself for as long as it could. It was my master, and I, its willing slave.
I returned to my little world as Oses hefted me in his arms once more. He carried me out of the shower. Betra toweled me dry.
They combed my hair and put a moisturizing lotion all over my body, their big, capable hands smoothing it into my skin. Then my sweethearts carried me to my bed.
“Do you want us?” Betra asked as he and Oses stretched out on either side of me.
“Of course,” I breathed, looking at those beautiful, powerful bodies so ready for mine.
For once, there were no power plays. There were no games. There was only lovemaking, first from Betra. Oses watched while the Imdiko slipped inside me. The Nobek’s lips were parted as Betra’s wonderful length ran in and out of my pussy. He licked his lips as our moans grew louder and our bodies slapped together with more force. His groan joined our cries as Betra released inside me and my sheath c
lutched him, eager for all he could give.
Then Betra moved aside. It was his turn to watch as I opened to Oses. My breath caught as the Nobek’s thickness pressed into flesh already swollen from elation. With me, this man was not broken. He was strong, forever undefeated. I saw it in his eyes. My protector was as determined as ever as he thrust within me, making me come yet again before adding his essence to Betra’s. I held them both. Again, I became their bridge, their path to an actual connection.
Afterward, they held me. We talked about everything and nothing. We laughed a lot. We grew serious every now and then. We ordered dinner, which the men fed me. We loved some more. At last, we fell asleep, ending the day in each other’s arms.
Parts of us may be damaged. One part will eventually leave the other two behind. That’s assuming we all wake up tomorrow, which is not a given. I refuse to be sad over what may never come. For the moment, we have each other. Since now is all that is ever guaranteed, I’ll take a page from Betra’s book and be grateful for this gift that has been granted.
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