Mantua - A Man's World Ch. 01

The names, characters, places and events in this story are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. All characters are over the age of 18. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

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"Activate view screen," Captain Alpheus Ewing ordered the Communications Officer of the Starship Convolvulus. Immediately, the plastisteel walls of the bridge seemed to vanish to be replaced with a 4D view of deep space. The Communications Officer, a heavy-set but super efficient woman, adjusted the perspective and a beautiful blue planet appeared in the front of the starship's bridge.

"That is Mantua. As you can see, it is a water world with little land mass -- two sub-continents and thousands of islands of varying sizes together with archipelagoes, mostly scattered around the equator. It also has two small polar ice-caps but that is it for land," he explained. "It is the only planet in this system apart from a few rocky dwarf planets and asteroids."

The sun emerged from behind the planet's shoulder and the Communications Officer immediately dimmed the screen.

"It closely orbits a main K-sequence orange dwarf star and the planet mostly has a pleasantly tropical temperature."

"Why have you summoned us here, sir?" a voice asked. "I understand we're going down there?"

Captain Ewing swiveled his command chair and looked at the two people standing next to him. The speaker was Half-Captain Skyann Yomova, who was one of the senior planetary contact team crew. Captain Ewing respected her skills but did not much like her. However he was professional enough that he did not let his dislike affect their working relationship. She had a capacity for hard work and expected her team to work equally hard. However, she had a resting bitch face which, he thought, revealed her true personality. That said, she was a good looking woman with blond hair neatly tied back, generous lips, perfect teeth and big blue eyes. Her figure was knock-out, perfectly proportioned with full breasts, a trim waist, curvaceous hips and long, toned legs beneath her uniform jumpsuit. She was the product of the superior genetics that family money can buy.

Next to her stood Quarter-Captain Jason Colfax, one of her junior officers. He towered over his superior and looked like the jock he was with big shoulders and an athletic build. All the same, while he was no genius and would never reach the top of the Navy, he was not stupid and was a good man on the team. Even so, he knew that Skyann disliked him and had requested that he be transferred to another contact team.

"We are here, Half-Captain Yomova, because of Mantua's location. It is just off mid point between New Cincinnati and Tatianus Prime and if we can use it as a refueling base, it will cut over five parsecs from the journey."

Colfax whistled. "Worth it, sir," he said.

"Exactly. However, the planet is inhabited by a regressed colony -- one of those the Terran Tetrarchy lost sight of centuries ago during some upheaval or other -- and before establishing a base we need to know what impact it will have on the natives if they stumble across an advanced civilization on their world. Or if we do later decide to make contact with them."

"Where will we be building this refueling base, sir?" Skyann asked.

"It is proposed to be a floating base on the far side of the ocean, well away from any occupied land, so the likelihood of them coming across it by chance within the next few centuries is very remote. But firstly we do need to determine how accidental contact might affect their society.

"So I am sending a few survey teams to go down and discretely mingle with the local populace and find out more about them. Of course, we have used our sensor array to make a broad-brush sweep so go to your rooms and review the preliminary findings and then report back here at 28:75 to be ready for the shuttle craft."

"Yes, sir," they said, snapping off salutes.

Colfax followed his Half-Captain to the elevators and descended to the crew's living quarters. As he walked behind her along the corridor, watching her buttocks flex and move beneath the loose silvery jumpsuit, he wondered what she would be like stripped naked before him. He had not forgiven her for that last annual appraisal and wished he could get his own back. He put those thoughts aside as he entered his stateroom, the door panel closing behind him with a swoosh, and logged onto his computer terminal. Within minutes, he was absorbing the data already learned.

Captain Ewing was probably right about it being an old colony lost in space. The Terran Tetrarchy had expanded and contracted many times over the last few millennia due to economic collapse or civil wars caused by one faction or another. Many major planets had sent out colonies but, over time, data had been lost or destroyed and now nobody knew how far along the spiral arm humanity's reach had spread. Now the Tetrarchy was expanding outwards again and coming across a number of forgotten worlds.

It seemed Mantua had sunk to an Earthly equivalent of the Iron Age. As far as could be seen, one of the sub-continents, where he and Half-Captain Skyann were to be assigned, was dominated by an expanding nation to the north and various city-states and tribes to the south. Yet the aspect that really excited him was that throughout this sub-continent, it seemed that society was dominated by men with women taking a strictly subservient role. The nearby islands at least shared a similar culture.

He carried on scanning the information but could do nothing about the erection bulging in his jumpsuit. If he was teamed up with Bitch-Face in a world of subservient females then he was going to relish this assignment very much. He cautioned himself not to overdo things down there, it was only going to be temporary and he would have to work with her afterwards, but he was going to make sure he enjoyed himself.

On board high resolution cameras and shielded drones sent planetside had caught snapshots and short movies of life on the surface. Colfax looked at the people and saw that they mostly had almost apricot-colored skin and dark hair. But it was the glimpse of their costumes that excited him. To say that the women's clothing was revealing was an understatement. He wondered how prim and proper Bitch-Face would like that. He grinned to himself as he read on about what had been discovered so far about the natives' culture and technology.

It seemed as though native life had evolved to the level of armored fish and cephalopods in the seas and giant tree-ferns, similar to those of Earth's Carboniferous era, on land. The original colonists had also brought modified Earthly animals and plants with them when they settled Mantua. When the colony lost contact with the rest of humanity, for some reason their culture had quickly regressed to the Iron Age but now was gradually redeveloping.

When he was finished, he reported to the medical bay in order to be modified so that he would fit in on this world. Stripping off until his muscular form was completely naked, he lay still in the full body med-tube while the doctor, old Doc Rousseau, and one of the med-droids adjusted the settings. The machine depilated him, zapping all his follicles from below his neck then perma-dyed his skin, turning it into the deep apricot-tan of the locals and darkening his hair. He next felt a sharp stab in his deltoid muscle.

"Boosting your immunity -- the ubicillin provides immunity against nearly all microbes and viruses," the medic informed him as he swung down out of the tube.

"It's those it doesn't work against that worry me," Colfax said with a smile.

The two men laughed. But then came a short but agonizing pain in his ear that felt as if his brain was being drilled into as his universal translator was programmed with the local language. After finishing with the medical wing, he called into the stores where the droid server gave him newly made clothes and equipment. He changed into the clothes he would be wearing planetside and was pleased with what he wore as it would be suitable for the semi-tropical environment. He pulled on a pair of baggy pajama-style pants in dark green and heavy sandals. Over his pants was a loose short-sleeved tunic which fell mid-thigh. It was a russet brown and embroidered with abstract patterns. A soft conical Liberty cap completed his outfit.

"It is in the style of a merchant or minor noble so you will fit in," the droid informed him.

The droid next gave him a short sword, similar in style to a Roman gladius.

"Be careful with this," it said in its slightly mechanical voice. "Although it looks like a local product, it is far superior to anything below and will give you an advantage if it comes to combat. It is made of durasteel and has a monofilament edge one molecule thick so it attacks on a sub-atomic level. Do not let it fall into native hands."

Finally, the machine gave him a bag filled with gold discs and jewels.

"If you need more beam a message via your communicator and we will send them."

He thanked the droid and returned to his stateroom to wait for 28:75. Once inside, he commanded his view screen to become a mirror. He grinned at what he saw. Standing six foot two, strongly built, it took some time to get used to his new orangey complexion. However, his facial features were unchanged and he still had a square jaw line. He made fighting poses with his gladius before returning to his terminal to carry on studying what was known about this world.

It was a rather different experience for Half-Captain Skyann Yomova. She thought about calling Captain Ewing and requesting that another officer be assigned this role. However, it would be a black mark on her record and also, this was her job; what she had been trained for and it would be fascinating to explore an uncontacted world -- despite the locals deplorable attitude towards women. However, she wished she had not been teamed with Quarter-Captain Jason Colfax as she had overheard him a few times boasting to his friends about his shore leave conquests on one planet or another and she had seen how he eyed up the more attractive female crew members. He seemed to regard women as somehow there for the taking. But she reminded herself that she was the superior officer and he would have to obey her orders or face trouble on their return to the ship.

She lay naked with her hands clenched in the full body med-tube while the machine did its work of perma-dyeing her skin and removing all body hair until Doc Rousseau told her it had finished when he slid her out, covertly admiring the smooth contours of her body as she stepped down. She reached for her jumpsuit and dressed hurriedly and made her way over to the stores where the droid's multi-arms handed over her outfit for the mission.

"I am not wearing that. Fetch me something else," she demanded of the machine.

"I am sorry but that is the costume that females of childbearing age wear on this region of Mantua," the droid said mechanically.

"I am going to complain."

"That is what the stores were ordered to create. If you wish to complain, please speak with Captain Ewing.

The droid turned away, its several lenses flashing and attended an engineer whose vacuum suit needed repairing.

Annoyed, but knowing she would not get anywhere with the robot server, Skyann Yomova took her new clothes to her stateroom and got changed. She shuddered at her appearance in her mirror-screen. Why was she teamed with that sexist fool Jason Colfax, she fumed? Over her now apricot hued breasts she wore a gauzy silvery halter top which cupped her globes, crossed over her heart and looped over her neck to tie behind her back. She adjusted it, trying to minimize any side-boob showing through but her deep cleavage was so exposed. Her midriff was bare, allowing anyone to see the dimple of her belly-button.

Further down a lightweight skirt, also in that same silvery material, came down to below her knees but it was slit to the upper thigh on both sides, allowing anyone to look at her legs as she walked. It barely covered her buttocks so she was grateful that a narrow thong-like pair of panties provided at least a hint of protection for her privates. On her feet, a pair of flip-flops that showed off her toes to perfection. She looked like some kind of dancing girl. No way would anyone planetside take her seriously dressed like this.

Her alarm call reminded Skyann that she had to be on the bridge at 28:75 and be ready to drop down to the planet. She sealed her stateroom for the duration and walked down the corridors taking her to the elevator banks up to the bridge. Used to the security of her concealing jumpsuit, she was immediately conscious of every male eye looking at her as she passed. Had the air-conditioning been turned up as it felt so much cooler -- her nipples were now protruding prominently through her thin top. She wanted to throw an arm over her jiggling breasts for a minimum of protection but thought better of it. She was aware of the thin skirt swishing to and fro as her buttocks moved. She didn't turn around but she thought more than one crewman turned and watched her ass go by. Her thighs were so exposed as was her belly. She was glad she had a good body but it was her body and only she should decide who got to see it. But now it suddenly seemed that the corridor was crowded with men passing to and fro on some errand or other. As the elevator ascended to the bridge deck, she felt something else happening -- was that tight little slit between her legs getting moist?

The duty sentry raised his eyebrows slightly as he raised his blast-carbine and admitted her onto the bridge and she knew he really wanted to turn around and watch her ass as she walked by so she was pleased when the armored door slid closed behind her, sealing off his gaze.

"Ah, Half-Captain Yomova. Glad you made it. Are you ready to go down to Mantua?" Captain Ewing said as he swiveled his command chair to take her in. "I see you have dressed appropriately. I think you will both fit in with Mantuan society."

Skyann was aware that every human on the bridge had paused in their tasks and were looking at her body, taking it all in, even the heavy-set Communications Officer who Skyann knew was a lesbian or bi as she had once made a pass at her one shore leave. Only the droids were working normally. Next to Captain Ewing, Jason Colfax was doing his best not to stare. She was so annoyed that he was fully dressed while she was expected to work half naked.

"Captain -- I must protest about this costume. It is so unprofessional to expect me to do my duty dressed like this."

Captain Ewing cleared his throat and kept his eyes firmly fixed on her face. "Unfortunately, from our preliminary observations, that is what women wear on this world. If you refuse this appointment, I will not force you to go but it could be negatively reflected in your annual report and bonus. It will only be for a few weeks at most and you do have Quarter-Captain Colfax here to support you."

Half-Captain Yomova sighed. She had been trained for planetary contact and remembered that once this ship left orbit, she would never have to see Mantua or its people again. It could be worse, she supposed; it could be the ice-cannibals of Thule.

After a few further instructions, the Communications Officer handed them a small thumbnail communicator but told them only to use it in emergencies. As she did so, Skyann felt the woman's eyes admiring her boobs. With a final salute, they left the bridge and made their way over to the shuttle deck where a droid pilot flew them down to the surface. As they descended, Skyann watched on the screens as the Convolvulus's bulk dwindled until it became no more than a point of reflected light. She was already missing the safety and security of life on board but she noticed that Jason was gazing eagerly at the planet's surface instead in his viewscreen. Activating the dissembling device making the craft almost undetectable as they neared the ground, the anti-gravity drive slowed the craft down until it landed on a deserted beach with a slight bump.

"The nearest city is 5.874 miles that way," the droid informed them.

Then the airlock opened and Half-Captain Skyann Yomova and Quarter-Captain Jason Colfax stepped out onto the sands of a brave new world.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This is the first of a longer series. This is a slower start, mostly setting the scene for the next parts of the story when Skyann Yomova and Jason Colfax experience life on this uncontacted world.