AI Era: The Captain's Commander

You blush and heat up from the kiss, murmuring, "You're checking if I cheat and how good my facial control is, you devious jerk."

"So you'll let me go if I let you go?"

"I'll never let you go."

"Then I'll never let you go."

"Okay, then you're mine, ma'am."

You blink as the imaginary conversation plays out in your head. Unaware, Wero, grins happily and leaves. Looking at the Mulligan, you order, "Scan the Mulligan, Wires," and continue eating.

Imaginary-Wero sits down beside you, "I told you, that was mostly for my benefit."

You swallow and decide to throw away the rest of your meal. Hallucinating is not supposed to follow consuming a non-poisoned fare.

Wires replies, "Scans forbidden."

You look at imaginary-Wero in your head asking, "What are you up to?"

The Mulligan sits silently, and you go over and kick it under the bunk so that you can't look at it.

"So, what do you want to do?" Wires asks.

You get up to pace. "Don't try to distract me. I'm on a tight schedule."

"We could go for a stroll through the cargo bay, searching for some loose wires." It spins its head.

It got your sarcasm! "Really, Wires?" You glance at the android surprised by its attempt at humor. "Are you capable of gentle massage?" you ask softly.

"I can mimic most human traits, even that one."

"Good, good."

You slide your hand under Wero's legs so that your fingers curl around the top of his foot, "Lead the way."

Where did that image of Wero come from? you wonder.

Turning to Wires, you give the android brief instructions. Then you relax on the bunk as it uses its vibrating digit to press between your legs.

"Captain," Wero says, "I think I need a break."

"Yeah, I'm just finishing up here."

Listening to imaginary-Wero in your head, you grow in arousal. "More pressure and increase rate by 10%," you tell Wires. You remember how Wero's pants hung on his hips and lick your lips. Your lips part and your breaths become shallow. You try not to pant or gulp air, but your heart flutters.

"Captain," Wero murmurs. "I think I need more pressure."

"Wires, just a little more pressure," you murmur, closing your eyes and picturing Wero leaning over you.

"Captain, I think I need to be..." Wero says softly.

Your heart beats fast and your panties wet. "I think I need the pulse probe right now," you pant. You spasm as the delicious heat of orgasm engulfs you.

"Stop," you tell Wires.

The android withdraws, "Affirmative."

You stare at the ceiling breathing deep and stretching. "Better than the real thing every time," you whisper. Sitting up, you try to forget the Mulligan under the bunk. "Lets go explore the galley, Wires," you announce to the android. Imaginary-Wero disappears back into your brain as you stand.

Eyeing the beverage dispenser in the galley, your eyes light up. "List alcohol," you tell it. Getting drunk for the first time in years would be the next best way to pass Wero's interminable detention.

"Listing alcohol," the machine replies. The dispenser screen blinks, 'ALCOHOL ISSUED. HALF-ASSED.' You grunt, humored.

In the silence, curiosity about the Mulligan pops into your head. You shake your head. You really don't want to be thinking about the Mulligan. "Trap," you mutter, reminding yourself. "What is 'Half Assed', Wires?" you ask the android, "Does it have ethanol in it?" You hope.

"Half Assed has ethyl alcohol in it."

"Oh good. Maybe I can get drunk off this stuff."

You order Half Assed, wondering what it's going to be. On the first sip, you cough.

"What's wrong?" Wero asks, appearing out of nowhere.

You startle but cover it up, "I don't know. It's just... this tastes different. I don't recognize the molecule structure."

"It's like a cheap imitation of liquor."

You look at Wero, gauging his expression, "Done doing whatever you were doing?"

Narrowing his eyes at you, he nods. "Yeah, I think so. Water, dispenser."

"Listing water." The screen blinks, 'Drinking water, 3.4 ounces.'

He holds out his arm, offering to escort you to the one and only booth the galley has. Nervously you look at it then into his eyes. They're twinkling. He knows what you just did, you worry mentally. Despite yourself, you raise your hand and barely lay it on his offered forearm. Some remnant heat from your orgasmic vision revisits you, and you blush.

"Are you OK?" Wero asks, "You look a bit flushed."

"You know." You take the seat, "I'm fine." You look around the galley for anything useful. Taking another sip of Half Assed, you suck in air, "Tastes like industrial cleaner," you muse to Wero.

"I'll list some additives for you," Wires says, "What's the worst thing they could put in it?"

"And Wires is a comedian," you add.

Wero taps his nose, indicating you're correct on both points. He leans back, "Lets talk about your plans, 'Smit', assuming we drop you off in Karis. What will you do without the Fortuna? I'm keeping it. That's not negotiable."

"I'll be grounded," you begin. No one would loan you the funds to buy another spaceship. You sigh, "Probably end up working in warehousing. Or kitchens."

"Or maybe you could talk your parents into letting you stay with them. I bet they'd like to have someone to help with the kids."

"My... my plans? I'm going back to Terra and I'm going to kill my uncle who did this to me!" you snap.

"I know," Wero smiles, "I know."

Suddenly, it all seems rather bleak. You blink shaking your head at the scene that popped in your mind. Somehow Wero had figured out you were not a typical Dirt Merchant. Narrowing your eyes at him, you drink the rest of the alcohol in one tear-watering gulp. Coughing you stand up. Wero grabs you by the wrist, making you pause. You don't even look at him. "Or maybe I won't let you go," he adds softly, "Save myself a lot of trouble."

Your inner fanclub gasps. "You know what?" you say to Wires, "You are welcome to list the additives that were in my drink."

"Thank you," he says.

"Stop," Wero says, "Both of you." You shake your head. Wero interprets the action as a dismissal of another of his death threats. "Want to know why I put the collar on you?" Wero asks.

You swallow nervously making it shift and look at him.

"You're in a constant cloud of nanobots; if you weren't wearing that, you'd be dead by now," he continued.

"What are nanobots?" you ask, "I've heard the word, but I don't know what they are."

"Another tool. Swarm technology," Wero answers. He hasn't let go of your wrist. Standing himself, he murmurs in your ear, "While you wear my collar, I know where you are and how you feel." He pulls his face back looking you in the eye, his breath lightly gusting through your hair. "Your collar is like a swarm of nanobots," he says.

"And Karis?" you ask. His lips are just a few centimeters away.

"Assuming you get there? You'll be able to figure out how to take it off, I'm sure," Wero smiles, letting your wrist go. You take a step back. Then turn and take another step away from him. Pausing, thinking of how useful this connection could be for your mission, you look over your shoulder at him and ask, "What if I don't get it off?"

Wero's eyes draw your gaze; they're calculating. "I'll hunt you down and retrieve you as mine," he answers, "Same goes if the collar tells me you need to be rescued."

You possibly misinterpreted the most recent threat of not being let go. Your inner fanclub faints and an adrenaline zing shoots up your spine. "I'll keep that in mind."

You turn and leave, walking away from Wero. He doesn't follow. You go down the corridor back towards the cabin with Wires.

You as you enter, Wires passes you to pick the Mulligan up from under the bunk and place it in the corner where it couldn't be missed.

"I get the impression my tendency to get off from losing control is backfiring," you tell the android. Lifting the Mulligan up, you shake it, hearing nothing, and throw it back under the bunk. "I'm not going to be tempted by anything from someone who has nano-fucking-bots in the breathable air," you growl.

You decide to go to sleep.

In the morning, you get to wake up in the bunk and see Wero, a pillow in his hand, sitting in the chair by the door. You look at him sleepy-eyed and confused. Waking up from a dream where he had just been kissing you deeply didn't make anymore sense. After a blink, you realize that yesterday actually happened. In one more blink, you process that Wero is actually there. Tamping down the nascent arousal, you frown at him. "What's with the pillow?" you ask rolling with the absurdity of the moment.

"I was afraid you'd roll off the bunk," he says.

"That doesn't explain the pillow," you point out.

He shrugs.

"Alright," you say calmly. Then taking a deep breath you yell at Wero, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY QUARTERS?"

"I was trying to be... discreet," he says raising his hands defensively, "I knocked, and you didn't respond so..."

Obviously he was planning to do something to you in your sleep but then changed his mind, and then, "Is this just a standard way you operate or am I somehow extra lucky?" you ask Wero.

Wero shrugs, "I had to be sure you weren't disturbed. I didn't know if someone else had entered your room without my noticing."

Translation, Wero was about to decide to move in. Climbing off the bunk, you head to the bathroom to freshen up. Stepping out, you spot him putting the Mulligan back in the corner. "Time for caffeine," you announce to Wero. "Where is Wires?" you ask, referring to the android.

"With your AI," he says. "I believe they have the utmost confidence in my ability to handle a situation like this."

You tap your head wondering where that thought came from. "Wires is right outside the door," Wero gestures over his shoulder. You look at the Mulligan, then you turn to see him holding out his arm again. For no discernible reason, he obviously wants to be sweet to you. And for no discernible reason, you have a limited sense of self-preservation with this man. Taking his forearm, you comment, "Assuming getting to Karis isn't space gas, you've got two days left to drive me crazy, Lieutenant Wero."

"I'm a commander," he says with a small smile, "Not a lieutenant."

You dart your eyes to take in his insignia. Vox insignia. Openly displayed. No. Everything you'd seen over the past couple of days comes into focus. Uh, oh, you think realizing he just deliberately blew his cover, and you are very very close, microns close in fact, to facing a very long confinement under a hostile government. He settles you in the galley and hands you tea, and you can't help smiling at him with infatuation while internally terrorized. Which is a total turn-on, making you constantly glance at his lips as you eat.

And what about Karis? That has to be settled too. You have no idea how you will break this to her. But you know you have no choice.

Taking a sip of tea, Wero offers, "How about if we play poker after breakfast?"

"It's a date," you answer, putting down your fork. You're still thinking about the situation with Karis when he taps you on the shoulder. "Wha-?" you start to ask when his lips briefly press against yours. Your temperature rises, and you inhale in surprise. You don't have time to respond.

"I thought maybe we could, uh, play for stakes?" he asks after he backs away.

"Sure," you answer. Your heart is pounding, the high is so intense.

Letting him escort you back to your quarters, you muse, "How about a game of half-truth or dare?"

"You mean like every time we talk?" he laughs. "Well, I have a few things I have to say before we begin," he tells you as he opens the door to your cabin.

Spying the Mulligan as you enter, you walk to lean against the wall, keeping it out of sight. Wero watches you carefully from near the door, his expression tense. "My crew went through the Fortuna's hold and quarters last night," Wero began, "Why is there a security badge for 'Detective Diana Steele' on your spaceship?"

Staring at him with your best confused-face you internally think #1 a pre-Karis fling is out and #2 getting turned-on from a dangerous situation is a pretty crazy coping mechanism. "Steele was a passenger a while back. She, uh, had to leave in a rush, so I held on to her badge for a memento."

"And the collar," he lightly touches your neck, "is sort of a keepsake from this trip?"

"So are you obsessed with me?" you shift topics, as his touch turns you decidedly on. Wero's cheeks pinken as he flushes with discomfort. The best defense is a good offense, you think.

He answers, "You are frustrating, lying constantly, which makes you a puzzle, and attractive." Closing the space between you, he places his hands on the wall on either side of your head bracketing you in. Then Wero murmurs, "You push me. If it gets to be too much, I'll do what I've been thinking about since you first lied to me: tie you down and make you beg for me to fuck you."

You inhale, savoring his scent, which has subtly intensified. The threat makes you so hot, you try to squeeze your legs together to push back against the sensation. Licking your lips, instantly drawing his attention to them, you debate your answer. Give him some truth, and he'll back off. Otherwise, delay the truth and get laid...well. "I'm not lying, Thadeus," you whisper, your eyes twinkling.

"You're in so much trouble," he says, matching your whisper and gaze.

"It was five mercs. We had to kill them...Fortuna."

Wero's grip falters. You shake your head, wondering where the 'kill 5 people' thought came from.

"That's it," Wero growls.

Less than a minute later, he's got you tied to your bunk and you're trying very hard to ignore the wetness lubricating your vulva. "Wires," Wero orders, "Vibrate the way she programmed you to bring her close to orgasming, then stop."

You can't help yourself from laughing. Is this how the M.A.U. guards felt when they were making you scream, except that they were giving you pleasure instead of pain?

Wero's eyes darken as he watches you respond to the androids vibrations. You can't keep your eyes off him either, wishing he were touching you instead. Just when you're ready to orgasm, Wires stops.

Panting, you stare at Wero as he asks, "Are you Detective Steele?" You shake your head, but he can see the flash in your eyes confirming. Kneeling down next to the bunk, Commander Wero gently pets your hair, the hair of a law enforcement officer tasked to arrest him and his fellows of the Vox military when discovered. "Dear Diana," Wero murmurs, "I'm keeping you, obviously." Your need to orgasm becomes so uncomfortable as you recognize that being dropped off in Karis will never happen.

"And what about Karis?" you ask. "You said we have to settle that."

"Consider it settled," he answers. "Before we keep talking, do you want me or Wires to rub you?"

Glancing between Wero and Wires, the choice is obvious. Wero might mess up and let you orgasm. "You," you answer.

Wero smiles with a level of contentment that heightens your adrenaline, and runs his hand up the inside of your thigh to your vulva. When he first touches your sensitive folds through your pants, his smile changes to intense focus. You gasp as his touch almost sets you to orgasming. He studies you carefully as he begins to rub, then stops almost immediately. "You're super-charged now aren't you, my lover?" You stare at him in frustration, you can't even muster a denial to the 'lover'-assumption. "You were on the station the pirates attacked. We got video. How did you manage to follow them to us?"

Shaking with erotic frustration, you answer the obvious, "Logic. Their ship had to avoid merchant lanes."

"We caught and killed them. Then you showed up." Slipping his hand under your pants, Wero softly caresses your mound through your panties. "I'm going to ask you a question, you can answer yes, no, or maybe? Ok?"

You nod tensing up as his fingers work their magic. "Are you ready to make love?" Wero asks.

You shake your head no. "Fondle each other, yes," you answer.

Intensifying the arousing caress, Wero drops his mouth to your neck, leaving soft kisses with a light suction. The stimulation is too much to hold off on orgasming. You throw your head back and groan as the beautiful sensation washes through you. A sharp sting on your neck barely registers as you seize. Panting, you collapse into the bunk and look at Wero happy but curious. "What did you do?" you ask him.

"You have a Vox Claim on you now," he replies. Your eyes widen realizing that culturally Wero means to marry you. Your inner fanclub screams with delight.

The next half hour passes in an erotic daze. Wero teaches you how to mount him, and you learn that he's more flexible in his movements than you were expecting.

You shake the vision lose from your head to see Wero smiling at you. "When did I first turn you on?" he asks while releasing you from the restraints.

Biting your lip, tugging on his ear briefly, you answer, "For you, well, being you, it was after you saved me from the broken station AI while basically telling me I was still fucked."

Smiling, Wero nods. "I'm glad you couldn't help choosing me, it makes taking you home to Vox simpler. Karis is out of the question, we can talk about that later."

You decide to return the favor and see what you apparently bought. "Your turn," you murmur, "Strip."

You smile at the prospect of him undressing you, his gentle hands as he undoes your button and unzips your dress.

But not this time.

As he pulls off his shirt and pants, you realize that an opportunity to palm something out of his control is possible while staring at his chest hair. You smile thinking, Men are always so eager to get naked. He's wiry, lanky with a physique for running long distances, and keeping awake and fighting through long battles. You recognize a projectile scar on the inside of his leg. His erection is a little larger than your dildo on the Fortuna, and your heart beats harder as he looks at you. This man you idolized intellectually for years took a day to decide to marry you. He turns and puts his clothes in a compartment in Wires, denying you the choice of snagging anything that might help in recovering your thoroughly destroyed mission. "When did I first turn you on?" you ask Wero.

He looks at you coyly as he replies, "When you mocked my weapons cargo."

You stare at him with raised brows. "That's it?"

"Diana, you defied me at every turn while getting hot and bothered every time I cornered you. You were made for me," Wero answers and sits next to you. Taking your hands, he urges you to touch his erection. As you touch his smooth skin, your lips tingle and he kisses you. This time, he slips his tongue in and wraps his hand around your head to hold you in place. You spasmodically squeeze his erection, bringing a moan as he breaks the kiss. "That's it, my lover," Wero smiles. "Tell me all the ways you want me." His words remind you of your first sight of him.

You smile mischievously, "I want you in handcuffs..." you glide and squeeze as he tilts his hips to press into your hand more, "...secured to the hold of the Fortuna..." you're interrupted as Wero kisses you again.

Breaking the kiss, he says, "I saw it in your eyes when I first took aim: you're one of those that gets off on playing with fire." You nod as you squeeze.