Celestial Domination

Universal Terrestrial Date: 2043-09-14-23.24.55

To: Interstellar Transportation Authority, Office of the Vice Minister

Re: Conditions Onboard The Goliath

Reynold, I don't have time to write everything I need to, but you must send this to VM Zhang as soon as you get this. Capt. Verner has violated all international laws since the transfer of authority from the EF to UCR. He does not intend to deliver supplies to the colonies, he intends to take control of them. Unclear whether he is following orders or if this is a rogue operation, but he has complete control over the ship. All crew have either been imprisoned or have submitted to his authority. He is treating the women onboard like UCR citizens despite the international charter agreement. You must send help and override the ship's controls ASAP. It will be too late once we arrive at the colonies. I'm sending this through a partitioned comms system, I don't know if they will detect. I won't be able to receive a reply, but you can't let them know I've sent this or they will punish me. I may be dead by the time you get this anyway. I am resisting Verner as best I can but few are willing to do so. Don't believe anything Verner says. Send help. -Dr. Claudia Lydale, FO Goliath ID CODE 255FJ-34L-355EB-992

The knock on the door sent a shockwave through her body, and Claudia hit send at once. Only years of military training kept her giving into panic.

"Commander Lydale, sorry to startle you." Lieutenant Hargrave's voice gave no indication of regret, and when Claudia turned to face him he made no attempt to hide his amusement. He was slouching against the doorframe, narrow enough that even his lanky frame blocked it completely.

"Who gave you permission to enter my quarters?" She used her very real anger at his disrespectful posture and tone to push her fear down further.

"Captain's Mandate 345 -- no female crew member can deny entry to male crew members regardless of rank. Didn't you see the memo?"

"I have better things to do than read the mad ramblings of that man." She spat. "Now get out." Hargrave's bark of laughter infuriated her, but she knew she had to be careful. Whatever it took, she couldn't give them a reason to search her computer - not until she'd had time to wipe all evidence of the transmission. Until then it was a smoking gun giving the Captain the excuse he needed to throw her in the brig.

She tensed in her seat as Hargrave sauntered over to her desk, leaning far too close for comfort.

"Don't worry, I won't tell the Captain what you just called him. We're entitled to our own opinions after all. And he said the transition would be particularly hard on women like you, who have been deluded into thinking they're equal."

"Why are you here, officer?" Claudia asked sharply. It would be so easy to break his nose with her head from this angle. So easy.

"Just following orders. The Captain asked me to escort you to his quarters."

"What? It's eleven o'clock at night. If this is an urgent message why didn't he intercom me?"

"He knew you'd be confused. I'm here to make sure you don't get lost on your way to his quarters." Hargrave brushed a hand over her shoulder, lingering near her collarbone -- just the slightest hint of menace in his grip.

"Oh, and he asked to remind you to wear the new uniform," Hargrave smirked. Claudia gritted her teeth and considered her options. Any other time she would throw this pathetic excuse for an officer out of her room and have him reprimanded for the dozen infractions he'd committed in the last ten minutes.

But she needed to buy time. Not just time to wipe her computer -- if the message hadn't gone through, or if the European Federation didn't take her seriously, then she would have to figure out a way to stop Verner herself.

She sighed deeply and stood up, jerking away from Hargrave's hand.

"Wait outside. I'll let you know when I've finished changing." She glared at him, and for a moment thought he would insist on staying to watch while she disrobed. But he smirked again and gave a lazy salute.

"Yes, Commander." He waltzed out of the room, hands in his pockets -- every gesture and movement making it clear that he was playing along but knew as well as she did that he didn't have to listen to her. Not anymore.

Claudia changed slowly, trying to guess what Verner wanted to speak to her about, and trying to decide what the best course of action would be in response. Just several months ago she had thought of him with grudging respect. He was loud and masculine in the way one would expect of a UCR officer -- but he was older than her by well over a decade, and his experience in InterStellar travel was impressive.

And at first, he and the rest of the UCR men were not so different from the other global cohorts. They followed protocol, were polite -a few were even friendly- to the rest of the crew. He was not the ranking captain on board and had never shown Captain Uhler anything but the utmost respect.

Then a medical emergency had incapacitated Uhler. Once she was sent home, authority had transferred to Verner. It was all in accordance with the international protocols governing space travel, and Claudia had not felt any misgivings. Her only concerns at the time were whether Captain Uhler would recover.

But ever since that day, Verner had slowly implemented complete control over the ship, and had ignored any international protocol that limited his authority. Crew who argued or disobeyed were given warnings and thrown in the brig.

The new uniforms for the women crewmembers were the latest power play by Verner. They were a joke -- a disgusting encapsulation of everything the UCR stood for. The thinnest material available on the ship, a silky gray nylon meant for sleepwear and some parts of the exercise uniforms -- had been turned into a dress well-suited for a nightclub, not a military uniform.

A deep V-neck exposed the tops and inner sides of her breasts, and structured cups had been sewn into to push them up and closer together. Bras of any kind were prohibited. As a woman with generous curves, it was extremely uncomfortable. Her cleavage was impossible to ignore, and she was sure that more of her breasts were exposed than covered.

The material clung to her hip and waist, and the hem barely reached past her thighs. If she bent over even slightly she would be flashing everyone in the vicinity. Panties were permitted for hygienic reasons, but even that was hardly more than a gesture of propriety.

Long sleeves, sheer black tights, and high boots completed the parody of a uniform. They'd also been instructed to leave their hair down and to wear makeup, but Claudia refused -- stubbornly keeping her long black hair in its usual twisted bun and foregoing makeup.

She did, however, continue to pin her First Officer badge to her right shoulder -- much higher than it should have been placed, and making the thin material sag. But it stayed in place.

Feeling exposed and vulnerable, she looked around the small bedchamber for reassurance. This was the room assigned to her by the InterStellar Transportation Authority, backed by the United Nations. It might be small, and minimal, but it was comfortable, clean, and safe. Everything from the beige comforter to the slim bamboo desk was familiar and a reminder that her place and rank on this ship was not subject to the whims of a madman.

For a moment her gaze lingered on the letter opener on her desk. But it was more decorative than practical -- and where would she hide it? Besides, Verner had never displayed any violent tendencies. He'd relied solely on threats and implied official retribution, not physical, when faced with resistance.

She left the room and passed quickly through the small living area, nearly right into Hargrave. He was hovering just on the other side of the door and his hands immediately caught her upper arms -- clearly planning for this exact scenario. He held her body against his for a split second before releasing her on the pretense of steadying her.

"Whoa, I'm sure you're in a hurry to get to Captain Verner but watch your step." She glared at him and pushed past him roughly.

"The uniform suits you, Commander. Fits you like a glove," he called out. She gritted her teeth and could practically feel his eyes glued to her ass, but she didn't slow her pace. Finally she heard him start walking behind her.

Claudia was grateful that at this late hour most of the crew were either asleep or on a shift in a section far from the living quarters. They encountered no one else until they reached the Captain's quarters. Outside of his room stood two men, the only officers still permitted to carry a weapon per Mandate #212.

Officer Balinhoff and Officer Stively, two men who had apparently served under Captain Verner for the past three years. One was dark skinned and short, probably the same height as Claudia's 5'4" and the other was so pale he looked perpetually ill. Even his eyes were a sickly pale blue, and he never seemed to blink.

Both of them stared openly at Claudia. Stively even insisted that she be searched before she was allowed to enter.

"Go to hell, Stively," she snapped. "Get out of my way and tell Captain Verner I'm here. I want to get this meeting over with."

"Sorry Commander, just following security best practices." Stively's voice had no trace of the taunting humor of Hargrave, and he didn't join in Balinhoff's laughter. "Now hold your arms up over your head."

"Do it yourself or I'll hold them up for you," Balinhoff added. Hargrave was still behind her, she could feel him looming over her shoulder, no doubt enjoying the scene unfolding before him.

"I'll be sure to tell Captain Verner about your thoroughness." She said, meeting Stively's eye and not looking away. Her words were ice cold, but he showed none of the intimidation she was used to seeing in subordinates who upset her.

She slowly raised her arms above her head. Stively stepped closer and began patting her shoulders, arms, and chest. Her dress was so thin she could feel his cold, clammy hands through the material. It made her stomach turn as he moved over her breasts and down her stomach.

"You're in great shape Commander. You must workout almost every day," Balinhoff piped up, his eyes following Stively's hands with barely concealed envy.

It was torture, standing here alone with these three idiots, having no choice but to let them carry out their excuse to humiliate her. But she'd been through worse, and added it to the list of infractions she would have them court-martialed for.

Stively knelt to continue over thighs, his hands lingered on the curve of her ass, and gripped her thighs before sliding down the rest of her legs. Balinhoff and Hargrave were still sniggering when he finally finished and stepped away once more.

"All clean. I appreciate your cooperation, Commander." She didn't respond as she straightened her dress, smoothing the hem down as far as it would go.

"Are you sure she's safe? Perhaps we should do a cavity check just to be sure," Balinhoff suggested, leaning forward. Claudia's hands curled into fists at her side and she wondered if she would have to make her stand here and now after all.

"No time for that lads, Captain's expecting her." Hargrave interrupted with audible reluctance. He nudged her forward, none too gently, as Stively obediently hit the button to open the door, and she stumbled in her high heeled boots as she crossed the threshold.

***

The Captain's quarters looked similar to her own -- all the rooms were the same shades of beige, gray, and light neutral colors, but it was still disconcerting to have a moment of familiarity that was quickly replaced with wariness.

"Ah, welcome, Ms. Lydale." Captain Verner was in his uniform, which he had left unchanged since assuming command of The Goliath: a one-piece, heavy-weight cotton suite with both practical and decorative elements -- pockets and a belt to aid in the manual duties he still had to perform even as Captain -- and the patches and badges that showed his various ranks and certifications.

The only change, which she had not seen before, was a small patch of the UCR's flag, its red, white, blue, and gold threads a jarring contrast to the muted cream and greens of the rest of the uniform.

"It's First Officer Lydale, Captain. I am sure it is hard to remember, with such a large crew to oversee." She felt Hargrave grip her arm roughly and felt another surge of fear, but Verner made a dismissive motion with his hand.

"That will be all Hargrave."

"But sir-"

"Do you need your hearing checked officer?" He turned his stern gaze from Claudia to the lieutenant. Hargrave nodded and turned abruptly. The door slid shut behind him with its usual faint hiss.

"I'm sorry about him. These young recruits lack the finesse needed for an operation such as this." He stood up and walked to the kitchenette, pulling a bottle of wine from the small refrigerator.

"Care for a drink? I only have red."

"No thank you." She forced the words out. He took two glasses from the cabinet and opened the bottle with one firm twist of the cap.

He was a powerfully built man and stood at least a head above her, and balding. The severity of his appearance had always been mitigated by a cheerful smile and his propensity to tell a joke with every order. But now it was impossible to view him as anything but a threat.

"Nonsense. We must drink while we can." He filled both glasses and held one out. Reluctantly, she walked across the room and took it, keeping the kitchen counter between them.

"What did you need to tell me?" She kept her voice as calm as she could manage. "Captain." The word came out harsher than she had planned, but Verner did not seem to notice. Or perhaps he did not care.

"I needed to talk with you about the changes to the ship's policies, Ms. Lydale. I've noticed you haven't been wearing the new uniform, even though it looks splendid on you." He looked at her chest pointedly. "You've a fine figure, I don't understand why you would feel ashamed to show it."

"It's not about shame, sir. It's about respect." A veneer of surprise crossed the captain's face.

"Respect? But that's what all the policy changes have been for. To instill respect in the crew."

"Respect for what exactly? The laws of the UCR?"

Verner took a long sip of wine and set the glass down on the counter carefully, leaned casually on the counter with folded arms, and smiled at Claudia.

The air felt thick with menace. From here she could see the few thin hairs struggling to grow on his head, and she wondered how much damage she could do to his skull with a broken wine glass.

"The laws of man, Ms. Lydale. The UCR just got around to implementing them faster than most of the world. We're just helping you all get used to the correct order of things."

"By stripping women of their rights and demoting them to the lowest positions on the ship? By humiliating us and encouraging the men to leer and grope at us?"

Verner raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry you think of it in those terms. They are just enjoying your forms, the way God intended. It's the natural way for men to appreciate the pleasure that a woman's body and spirit provide. It will take some time to adjust, I recognize that. Especially for you -- you're used to men obeying you, not the other way around."

"I'm used to people treating each other with mutual respect-"

"The illusion of respect, Ms. Lydale. We both know the reality is that it's unnatural for a man to follow a woman's orders. Unless she's teaching him to cook," he laughed gently. "That's why I thought a private chat would be beneficial. Come on, let's sit." He picked up both glasses of wine and walked back to the sofa, nodding for her to take a seat.

"I'm good here, thanks."

"That was an order, not a request." Verner said with a sigh. "Or should I have kept Hargrave here after all? Do you need help obeying your ranking officer?"

Claudia considered her options, and after a moment she followed Verner and sat on the sofa stiffly, keeping as far away from him as possible. She did her best to ignore the fact that the hem of the dress was pulled up dangerously high in this position.

Verner handed her the glass of wine nonchalantly, and she set it on the coffee table in front of them.

"So you haven't enjoyed working as a medical assistant with Dr. Young? I thought you would be glad to use your biology degree."

"I have a PhD in astrobiology. So no, I don't enjoy playing nurse instead of serving as First Officer -- the position I was assigned by the ITA, as you may recall."

"Well if you aren't happy there," Verner continued, ignoring her response, "I could use a personal assistant. And you would be the obvious choice."

"I fail to see why that would be considered obvious."

Verner stared into his wine glass, took another long sip, and then set it on the table next to Claudia. The movement brought him closer to her, and he did not move away. If her muscles could have tensed any further, they would have.

"Because, like I said, there's going to be changes in the policies around here. And the other women will need someone to set a good example."

"What kind of changes?" She could tell he was waiting for her to ask; waiting to give her an answer. He was toying with her and enjoying it, despite his relaxed demeanor.

"As you already know, once we arrive at the colonies, the UCR will be bringing them under our jurisdiction. We will not just be delivering supplies and returning to Earth or the Lunar Base. Instead, we will be staying to oversee the implementation of UCR law and order."

"All that means for you, at least here and now, is that you are no longer a full citizen -- your rights are granted at the leisure of your husband or father. Since you have no husband, and your father is not here, that falls to me, your Captain. I plan to withhold those rights until you and the other women of The Goliath prove to me that you are willing and able to serve as loyal citizens of the United Christian Republic."

"And how do you expect us to do that? To play nurse and custodian and cook until we've proven our subservience?" she spat out, not bothering to hide her anger any longer.

Not only was it impossible to maintain composure in the face of such absurd statements, but it would only look strange if she remained calm. His orders and mandates since taking control had already provoked her on more than one occasion.

Verner smiled. "Yes, that, and by serving the men in other ways. It's a long journey to the colonies, and the men deserve an outlet for their stress and frustration. Among your current duties, you and the other women will be assigned to a group of men and expected to obey any request they have -- whether it's to give them a massage or suck their cock."

He waited for the words to settle over her and shock like an electrified net. But instead, Claudia laughed. It was too ridiculous to consider seriously.

"You expect us to act as sex workers?"

"I expect you to obey orders, or face the consequences. All women who prove themselves able to fulfill their duties successfully will become wives and mothers for the new UCR colony -- those who do not will be imprisoned, kept in servitude, and bred only as needed to help populate the colony. It's mainly men there now, and the women who are there are largely past childbearing age, so we will need to ensure future generations as quickly as possible."

"You really are insane. We are going to report you to the ITA and you will be thrown in the brig. I'll see that you're stripped of your rank and court-martialed the moment we return to Earth-" Claudia stood up, preparing to storm out, but Verner stood up just as quickly and grabbed her arm.