Taking Command

by Jennifer Leeland

  The tallest Ang spoke. “The timeline is disrupted. There are now infinite possibilities of future events.” The mechanical sound from the M.I. was creepy.

  "My job is to protect the colony,” the general barked out. “What do we need to do to keep the conflict from arising?"

  The other Ang slashed with one of his “arms", a negative signal. “We cannot tell you everything. It is against our moral structure. We risked much to tell you what we did."

  "Then why are you here?” Jake shot back. The general interpreted his question.

  The two Ang exchanged a glance, which was eerie. “The parameters have changed.” All eight eyeballs focused on Daniella and she shivered. “She is no longer the only one whose death will have far reaching consequences."

  "Who else needs protection?” the general asked them.

  "Her name is Sashina."

  Daniella's mouth dropped open in shock and her question exploded from her. “Why?"

  "Sashina will develop a device that will frustrate the destruction of the colony."

  "I don't understand.” Daniella glanced at the General and Jake.

  The tallest Ang answered her. “This colonization is regarded with trepidation by the other inhabited planets. One race in particular is unhappy. The Dormrela are very territorial. Asberek has always been considered their space. The Ang believe that the Dormrela are controlling the rogue Tribunal."

  "What does this have to do with Sashina?"

  The other Ang spoke. “The survival of the colony depends on whether the humans thrive on the new planet. The sabotage of the military vehicles is only the start. You and Sashina can prevent the colony's destruction."

  "Your death precipitates the isolation of the colonists. Sashina's life is also important to prevent this. The isolation of the colonists leads to their slaughter. Their slaughter leads to a violent Earth response. This response leads to universal conflict.” The worst part about the M.I. for Daniella was the lack of emotion. It was as if the death of three hundred humans meant nothing.

  "What do you want us to do?” Jake asked the Ang.

  The tall Ang spoke, his color changing to a deep ocean green. “Keep Daniella Pearce and Sashina Matins alive. They are the keys. Find the rogue Tribunal. He is the one who isolates the colony. If the colonists are stranded, all that you have struggled to prevent will occur."

  "Captain Tarune, I'd like you to assemble a team. Include Sashina and Daniella, but find this guy. This is top secret. No talking."

  "How are we going to stop him?” Jake shook his head.

  "Don't you see, Tarune? The way to strand the colonists is the destruction of the Zenith. This guy gets rid of the Zenith, and he gets rid of the only way home. It would take another six months to get another ship out here."

  "I see. I'll assemble the team. We'll find him, sir."

  "I did check into Sam Grady,” the general added.

  "Yes, sir?” Jake's glance was attentive.

  "Grady was a loner. He used to be a mercenary, but joined up right before we shipped out. My guess is that he and this rogue Tribunal knew each other before. This has been in the works for a while."

  Jake nodded. “Yes, sir. I don't think the rogue was counting on us."

  The general smirked. “Probably not. That's all Tarune. Just do me a favor."

  "What's that, sir?"

  "Don't get yourself killed.” The general's smile was grim.

  * * * *

  The military conference room was the perfect meeting place for the new team. Jake decided to keep the team small. Sashina, Daniella, Troy, Paul Lestrano and himself.

  At the head of the table, he eyed this group with military precision. He had a plan. Drawing out the rogue Tribunal required every one of them.

  "First of all, it's time to reveal what's going on. This is a top secret mission."

  All eyes turned to him. He went on. “There is a rogue Tribunal on board the Zenith. His plan is to destroy this ship and isolate the colonists. Captain Lestrano has been on his track for a while. This rogue Tribunal has two targets. Sergeant Matins and Daniella Pearce.” He explained the sabotage, the attempts on Daniella's life and the visit by the Ang. “Our job as this team is to protect them and to stop the destruction of the Zenith. To do this, we need to draw him out."

  "You're planning on using me as bait?” Sashina asked. Her green eyes were curious, not offended.

  "Yes."

  Troy objected. “No. There has to be another way. Setting up Sashina for a Tribunal kill is insanity."

  Jake met Troy's gaze. He knew how the man felt. He didn't want to use Daniella to draw this killer out, but they had to get him out in the open. It was clear to Jake that Troy was in love with Sashina. “Waiting around for this guy to kill her isn't smart either. That's why you're assigned to protect her. I need teams of two. You and Sashina will be teamed and I'll be teamed with Daniella."

  "And my job?” Paul asked.

  "You're the back up. If I'm killed, you'll take my place.” He noticed Daniella's startled face. “If Troy is killed, you'll take his place.” Shooting a glance at Sashina, he wasn't surprised to see her go white as a sheet. So, it wasn't all one-sided.

  "If you're dead, it's likely the women will be as well,” Paul pointed out.

  "You're our ace in the hole, Lestrano. He'll be expecting us to be around. You're the one he's not counting on. It's important that if we fail to protect Daniella and Sashina that someone stops him."

  Paul nodded. “I see. How do you know that Troy here isn't the rogue Tribunal?"

  Meeting Troy's gaze, the memory of Troy kneeling in front of Sashina replayed in his mind. This rogue Tribunal would never allow himself to submit that way. That kind of surrender came from a different psychology than this killer's. “The psych evaluations reveal that the profile on Troy wouldn't fit the psychology of the rogue."

  Paul's assessing gaze perused Troy from head to toe. “A rogue Tribunal would know how to fake that."

  Jake shook his head. “Not this. Whoever this rogue is, he's avoided the usual traps in the psych eval."

  Daniella spoke. “We narrowed it down, Jake. This means the only possibilities left are...” She stopped.

  Jake nodded. “George Finton and Donny Pasquel."

  Sashina's eyes narrowed. “Donny? Why him?"

  "He has the access and the knowledge."

  "I can't believe it.” Daniella shook her head.

  "Don't be fooled by the fresh faced exterior.” Troy's smile was humorless. “There's more going on there beneath the surface. I've always thought so."

  "But I thought...” Sashina started and her mouth snapped shut.

  The smile on Troy's face became a feral grin. “You thought I was jealous? No, Donny was just too good to be true. It always seemed like an act to me."

  Jake smiled and Daniella stared at her friend as if she'd never seen her before as Sashina actually blushed.

  "Do we have a plan to draw this guy out?” Lestrano pressed.

  "Yes. It requires that we use the VFR. That's where he'll hit us.” He focused on the Tribunal. “While we are in the VFR, I need you to track us. You have the access. If you can trace him, we'll have him."

  Sashina's smile was wicked. “Well, the VFR. This will be interesting."

  She was rewarded by Troy's groan.

  * * * *

  They chose the same scene they'd used before, with the table and the same toys. Jake let Sashina set the VFR, as she had before, and reveled in the shine of anticipation in Daniella's golden gaze.

  It was fascinating to see that Sashina dressed Daniella in a confining leather corset, high heeled black boots and a black leather skirt that molded around her firm, beautiful ass. The sight of her wild black hair and bulging cleavage sent blood to his crotch the minute he laid eyes on her outfit.

  Troy immediately dropped to his knees at Sashina's feet, followed by Daniella dropping to hers at Jake's feet. With her mouth even with his cock, Daniella was a tasty
treat ready for Jake's attention. He smelled the increased sweat from all of them as the sexual tension filled the room. The darkness, broken only by the flickering candlelight, gave the whole scene a rich, sensual feel that surged power through Jake's body.

  This time, Jake kept Daniella in her position, her face a breath away from his penis that bulged through the leather pants he wore. His hand rested on the top of her head in a silent demand she remain still. He didn't want her to see what Sashina did. He wanted her to listen, smell, experience the energy this time.

  "On all fours, Troy,” Sashina demanded and Troy complied, his hands splayed in front of him. Like a cat that prowled in dark alleys, Sashina circled her submissive and stroked his hair, his neck, his back with long, drawn out scrapes of her nails.

  She approached the table and lifted the crop first, then the paddle. It seemed that she was indecisive about what she wanted to do with Troy this time. With narrowed eyes, Jake observed her fingering the different floggers and accoutrements. Sashina's face was twisted into a frustrated scowl.

  It was clear Sashina's energy was disrupted by the forced intimacy between all four of them. Jake was enough of a dominant to see that she was shaken. For this to work, she was going to have to get it together.

  Finally, she gripped the crop and strode over to Troy's prone body. With no warning, she smacked him on the ass and stopped. She whipped him again and stopped. It was as if she couldn't find a rhythm, an instinctive beat, to do the job.

  The energy in the room was flat and, though Troy didn't move, Jake knew that the man wasn't gaining anything from the clumsy strikes from Sashina's crop. It was clear that Troy was used to a more enthusiastic and controlled Sashina. The crop flew across the room. She turned back to the table and began to finger the toys again. Indecision was written all over her face.

  None of the confidence displayed the last time they'd all been in the VFR was there tonight. Troy called a halt to the “play” that had only just begun. He stood to face Sashina, his head bowed.

  "Permission to speak,” he asked Sashina.

  "Granted."

  Troy met Sashina's gaze. “What's wrong? Something isn't right between all of us."

  Jake was shocked to see her glance away. Daniella exchanged a glance with him. What was going on? The dynamics were too confusing. It was eroding his own confidence in his plan. Let the rogue think they're distracted by group sex. Let the rogue attempt to kill them in the VFR. That was the plan.

  "I can't get in the right space,” she finally told them.

  Troy's voice was soft and Jake almost didn't hear it. “What do you need?” It was a clear offer of surrender that said a lot about Troy's trust in Sashina.

  Tears filled Sashina's eyes. “I need to be in control,” she whispered. Jake nodded. He understood. Too much was out of her control, especially the pace that she used to deal with Troy.

  "Then take control.” Jake made his voice whip. She glared at him. Troy didn't dare glare at him, as the other Dom in the room, but his face twisted in a scowl.

  "What do you suggest, Captain? That I top you?” she sneered. Daniella followed their conversation like a tennis match.

  He stared straight at Sashina. “You're the Dom. This situation is still within your control. And you know that you're the one holding back.” That was his assessment and one he didn't think Troy had made. Sashina was the one keeping such tight reigns on the relationship between her and Troy which kept them both distant from each other. Troy may not trust her, but she didn't trust him either. That distrust interfered with the mission.

  Sashina's glare was vicious. “Holding back?” Angry now, she strode over to the table and removed a crop. “I don't hold back."

  Had he pushed her too far? No. Sashina was all about being in control. She wasn't going to allow her temper to take over.

  "On your knees,” she demanded of Troy.

  He dropped on all fours and she circled around him. “So, Jake, will you let me top your sub? Since I'm holding back and all.” Her sarcasm was biting.

  Would he? His eyes met Daniella's. It would be non-sexual play and that was something he couldn't give her. She wouldn't say “no". He could see it in her eyes. She was curious.

  Smiling, he nodded. “Topping Daniella might help you get in the right head space.” Daniella's face was a study of fear and excitement.

  "Get on your knees over here, Daniella,” Sashina demanded.

  On all fours beside Troy, Daniella was the picture of perfect submission. Sashina clutched a handful of her hair and brought her face up. “This will be fun.” And dropped her head.

  With a definite swagger, Sashina crossed the room and picked up the discarded crop. She circled the two submissives and began to run the crop handle along their backs, buttocks and neck.

  Sashina started with light strokes of the crop on their backs, their covered butts. She alternated between Troy and Daniella with amazing precision so that each stroke they received was exactly timed and measured. Jake's own breath began to accelerate as the crop swished through the air faster.

  "Jake? Will you do the honors of exposing these two beautiful asses?"

  His hands took their time lowering Troy's pants and lifting Daniella's skirt.

  As the crop thwacked against their bare skin, Jake was fascinated by Daniella's expression of pain and pleasure. He was hard as a rock, straining against the leather pants he wore.

  Sashina wasn't holding back.

  "Daniella, your eyes need to be on the floor."

  With a flicker, Daniella's gaze fell. Sashina ran the handle of the crop along the submissive's spine and along the planes of her hips. Daniella's moan was heartrending and Jake's heart thumped in response.

  "As punishment for raising your eyes, I'll be clamping your nipples, my dear.” Sashina nodded to Jake and he approached his submissive with the clamps. She'd learned her lesson and kept her eyes lowered as he freed her nipples by loosening the corset and applied the rubber tips to them. The way her breasts swelled in response made his blood pound and his hands shook as he stepped back.

  "Troy. You're not to look at the other submissive.” The rebuke was sharp and testy. Sashina was going to play all the rules. “As punishment,” her voice was a purr, “I'm going to apply the cock ring. You remember the cock ring, don't you?"

  For a moment, Jake thought that Troy was going to refuse and say his safe word. Apparently, Sashina also thought her submissive would object. When he didn't say anything, her eyes widened.

  As promised, Sashina slid the cock ring along Troy's engorged penis. Jake winced in sympathy at the discomfort on Troy's face. Sashina tipped Troy's chin to meet his eyes. “I love stroking that long, hard cock of yours, Troy. Best of all, I love to make you want to come, and not be able to, because I won't let you."

  Jake noticed that Sashina's breathing was quick and shallow. His own chest was tight and the energy in the room swirled around him.

  "I'm not neglecting you, dear.” Sashina stepped in front of Daniella.

  The chain from the nipple clamps hung between Daniella's breasts and dragged along the floor. Sashina knelt and tugged on the chain. Daniella's back arched and the smell of her sweet, spicy wetness reached Jake's nose. He inhaled the scent of her excitement and his hands flexed as he fought the desire to grab her and fuck her.

  Control was the name of this game. Sashina exercised stringent control over both the submissives and herself. His part in the game was to control himself.

  Troy's hips rotated in response to Sashina's actions. Those sharp green eyes focused on him. “Did you move, Troy? Tsk, tsk. We can't have that."

  She stepped behind him and whacked him with the crop. Then, she bent over and rubbed her fingertip around the tip of his cock. When her finger found moisture, she brought it to her mouth. “Don't move, Troy. Don't come. You can't until I tell you that you may.” Her fingers returned to his cock. Pleasure, pain, desperation crossed Troy's face. Jake smelled the sweat from the effort of e
veryone in the room. It was as if his senses were heightened. He thought he could smell the difference between the tangy scent of Sashina's sheen, the musky scent from Troy and the familiar spicy sweet scent from Daniella. It was a heady, intoxicating atmosphere.

  Troy was trembling from trying to remain still, but he wouldn't stop. Sashina was clearly taking him deeper than he'd been before. Daniella was completely submissive and wasn't moving, but Jake could see the evidence of her desire sliding down her thighs.

  Sashina continued to stroke Troy with her fingertips and her breath was quick and fast. The expression of triumph and excitement on her face as she stared at Troy's profile was turning Jake's insides to jelly. His submissive was beginning to tremble as the smells and the sounds affected her as well.

  "Say it, Troy.” Sashina's whisper was raspy and breathy.

  Jake held his breath. Troy was deep in sub space now, his eyes glazed, his breathing shallow. Sashina was pushing him to say his safe word and beg her to let him come. The moment was thick with pleasure and control.

  "Please...” Troy's face twisted and contorted, but he remained still and Sashina continued to stroke him with light touches.

  "Please what?” she murmured. “Would you like to come, Troy? All over the floor?"

  Troy took a deep breath, his head dropped down and his eyes closed. “Ma'am, yes ma'am,” he growled. Jake noticed more liquid drip down Daniella's leg. Troy's submission was affecting them all.

  "You're a pleasure to watch.” He spoke to Sashina. Her eyes were dilated and deep green.

  "Thank you. Would you like to take over?” She still hadn't given Troy permission to come.

  "No. Continue if you'd like."

  Her smile was kittenish as she turned back to the two still forms on the floor. Daniella's arms trembled and Troy's head dropped with his forehead almost to the floor. Sashina stood directly in front of Troy's face and he lifted his head. His neck strained as he took a deep breath through his nose near her crotch. Jake could smell the excitement from Sashina as Troy's breath blew out and his nostrils flared.

  Her hand connected with Troy's cheek with a resounding slap. “I didn't say you could move."