Midnight Bloom - New Recruit

Midnight Bloom is a series of futuristic science fiction short stories taking place in a behind-the-scenes or extended scenes from my Bloom Chronicles series. To find out more about the Bloom Chronicles beyond Mignight Bloom, you'll need to look elsewhere.

Nyx leaned back in her chair and watched the simulation run on her display. She could pick out the details as they happened, analyzing trends and even making predictions of how it would turn out. This one wasn't going to work. She knew it in her gut, but she wasn't sure why.

The buzzer on her door sounded and she smiled. It had been a while since she'd had someone else on the ship. Someone to interrupt her before she got so lost in her work she forgot to eat. Someone to intrude on her. Someone to talk to here. Someone... well, Nyx had to be honest, someone as damned good looking as Tara was.

"Bex, open my door please," Nyx addressed her ship, the Rebexa.

"Of course, Captain," the ship's slightly sexualized feminine voice responded.

The door opened and Tara stepped in. "Captain Nyx, I--"

Nyx shifted her head in Tara's direction but didn't look at her. "Hi Sweetie. Sorry, finishing up a simulation on an enhanced neural interface. It's not working though."

"Um... Captain?"

"Right here," Nyx said and pointed to a stream of numbers and data that scrolled past.

"I don't... um... I can come back later"

"Sorry, I forget," Nyx misunderstood her and shared a quick glance her way. She noted Tara's cheeks where red and her eyes were all over the place. She looked back at the display while explaining, "I learned how to read this while it's running. Some custom coding in my co-processor helps though. But the hardware is old and I really want to upgrade it."

"Yeah, sure... that's what this is about, right?"

Nyx nodded. "Right, but without a direct connection to the brain, the length of the neural link is too long. Signal degradation causes a drop of probably twelve to fifteen percent! That would put it on par or maybe even worse than my current co-processor for average usage. The hardware in my arm can go a lot faster, but if the data has to be validated, resent, and revalidated multiple times what's the point?"

"Yeah, that would suck," Tara agreed.

"I thought about ramping up power to the signal but--"

"Noooo," Tara said. "You can't do that. You'll fry your nerve cells. Anybody's, for that matter."

Nyx frowned. "What then? I thought we agreed this would work?"

"We agreed it's a logical theory as an extension of the interface to a more remote body part, but because it could work doesn't mean it should work."

Nyx's nose wrinkled in a frown. She turned on the biologist she'd recruited, spinning her chair to face her. Tara's eyes widened and her redness deepened and started to spread down her neck. Her lips parted in a gasp. "I need this, Tara. We need this. How can we make it work?"

"Um...."

"So my nerves aren't strong enough. Okay... can we try re-modulating the signal so it's sent more reliably? Or what if we completely bypassed my old co-processor? Just left it alone for sentimentality and did a direct neural interface to my brain? I mean, it's got enough of them already but only for movement and commands. Why not one more for control? I could whip up an interpreter in no time and install it in my arm."

"What? No... you... your brain isn't designed to send those kinds of messages to peripheral nerves. I'd have to... no, I couldn't do that."

"Do what?"

"Surgery. Reroute entire clusters of nerves and... no way, not on you. Or anyone! Untested and unsafe."

"Tara..."

"No, I'm sorry Captain, I--"

"Nyx."

Tara paused at the interruption. "What?"

"This is just two women talking shop. I'm Nyx, you're Tara. Drop the titles, okay? Don't remind yourself that I'm the Captain and I won't remind myself that you're a brilliant and beautiful doctor."

"I'm not a doctor!" Tara protested. "I'm working on my thesis and then you came along and... and..."

"And what?"

"And interrupted everything!" Tara said. "In the best way though. You've given me technology and funding and opportunities unlike anything I've ever had."

"Good. This is another one."

"You are not my lab rat!"

Nyx pouted. "But you're the kind of lady that takes good care of her lab rats. She soothes them and pets them and loves them and makes sure nothing bad happens to them if she can help it."

"Yeah, so?"

"So I'd sign up to be treated like that any time," Nyx said while staring intently into the woman's eyes.

Tara blushed again. "I... um..."

"Okay, so you think that's too dangerous. Cutting open my head is a little worrisome, even if we could program a system to do the actual procedure," Nyx said.

Tara snapped her fingers. "Wait! Genetic surgery!"

"Genetic-what?" Nyx asked. "What good is changing my DNA going to do?"

"No, we use DNA encoded genes that otherwise match yours to perform the procedure. It would be totally non-invasive!"

Nyx blinked a few times. "You can reroute pathways in my brain doing that?"

"Well... yeah, pretty much. It's basically what we've been talking about anyhow."

"Sweetie, I knew you were the smart one here," Nyx said with a wink. "Now what are you talking about?"

"Well, the premise for all of these changes is to make it so that we can make these kinds of changes using the cybernetics, the brain, and the direct neural interface."

Nyx nodded. "Right, the DNI makes it possible to trigger these sorts of changes in the brain so it produces the desired results, which are sent to the body to effect the changes over time. Rapid time, but still not instantly."

Tara's eyes lost their focus for a moment and her gaze drifted away from the display to Nyx's shoulder and then down across her chest. Nyx watched her, eager to hear what the brilliant young woman was cooking up but not wanting to interrupt her before the mental meal was finished.

Tara blinked and shook herself a little. She realized where she was staring and blushed anew before dragging her eyes up to Nyx's. "I've got an idea."

"Yummy. Tell me more!"

"It was something I did some research on for a psychology class, actually. By modifying our bodies we can modify the way we think and even feel."

"I really hope that means I could make a spot on my neck so sensitive a nice nuzzle could make me orgasm," Nyx said.

Tara giggled and shook her head. "No, um... well, maybe, but that's not what I meant."

"Okay, speak on, Doctor."

"I thought you said no titles?"

"I'm so impressed with you right now, T, I-- Oh, shit, I did it again. I'm sorry! Tara."

Tara smiled. "That's okay. Anyhow... This manipulation could be used to make your nerves stronger and quicker to recover. It could reroute some pathways to make for redundant functionality, as long as I included some programming to handle the traffic so your brain didn't get scrambled."

"Like a communications hub?" Nyx asked.

"Exactly!"

Nyx grinned and motioned for her to go on. "That doesn't sound behavioral though."

"No, that would be another use for it. By influencing how you felt certain things-- well, not just you, anyone really-- I could change your reaction to it and influence your behavior."

"I think I know what you mean, but I'm going to need examples."

Tara nodded and chewed on her cheek while looking around Nyx's cabin. Her bed was messy but there were no discarded clothes in it. She blushed and kept searching until she said, "Okay, well, I could match your senses to my pheromones so that you really liked being around me. Over time you'd subconsciously prefer my company and wouldn't feel right without me being near you."

Nyx sighed and shook her head.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"You don't need to do that," Nyx said.

"I'm not going to, I just meant I could," Tara explained. "Kind of like I could make you prefer a certain style of touch or being touched in a certain place-- like your neck-- and you'd adopt that behavior to make you prefer people that can provide that to you."

"I know you're not going to do that to me," Nyx said. "But what I meant was, you don't need to do that because I already like being around you. Honestly, you're brilliant, you're beautiful, and you're turning into one of my favorite people in the whole universe."

Tara blushed.

Nyx waited a moment for her to respond and, when she didn't, she had to hide a sigh of disappointment. "Okay, so how long until you think you can do me?"

Tara's eyes widened and she coughed slightly. "Um, Captain?"

"Nyx."

She shook her head. "No... no, this is for the Captain," Tara said. "I... um... when I met you I just got out of a relationship."

"I know, we talked about that," Nyx said.

"You know she was a woman, right?"

"I do."

"So... this is kind of awkward," Tara admitted.

"What is?"

Tara gestured.

Nyx looked down at herself and then back up. "I know, I wish I had bigger breasts too."

"Oh my-- no!" Tara gasped.

"Is it because I'm so skinny?"

"No... No, no, no!" Tara said while shaking her head. "Captain, I'm tripping over my tongue here. Everything I try to say I have to stop and think and make sure I say the right thing."

"What? Why? I have nothing but respect for you, Tara."

Tara sighed. "I know, and I feel that way about you too... sort of?"

"Sort of?"

Tara groaned. "Captain, this... this ship, this work. You... all of it-- it's amazing. I don't ever want to do anything to jeopardize any of it or my opportunity to be a part of it."

"Oh, you won't. I'm pretty certain of that and we've only been around each other a couple of weeks," Nyx said. "Why would you think otherwise? Did I say or do something?"

Tara gestured at her again. "Captain... you're naked."

Nyx looked down at herself and shrugged. "So? It's my cabin."

"I know... it's just..."

"Tara, I try to remember to dress decent when I'm out in the rest of the ship, even though it's a pain in my ass, but if I'm in my own cabin I'm going to wear-- or not wear, in my case-- what I want."

Tara sighed. "I... I'm sorry Captain. I shouldn't have even said anything."

"Hey, it's all right. We all have different levels of comfort. If this bothers you that much, then just let me know the next time you want to talk and I'll come to you... with a robe or something on."

Tara smiled a little and then shook her head. "It's... it's not just that."

"It's not? Then what? I've made sure I'm not forgetting to take regular showers anymore so I know I don't stink."

Tara laughed. "No, you don't stink. You smell very nice, actually."

"I do? Thank you," Nyx said. "So what is it?"

Tara sighed, hesitated, and then broke down whatever wall was inside of her. "Seeing you... all of you, I mean, makes it harder for me."

"Makes what harder?"

"I like you!" Tara snapped and blurted out. She gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. Nyx met her gaze and didn't speak, but her face looked relaxed and there was a twinkle in her eyes. She lowered her hand and said, "I don't want to risk anything here and seeing you like this is very distracting. It makes me want to tweak your body to crave mine, and that is so incredibly unfair. I... I worry I might not have enough self control to stop myself if you entrusted me to do it."

Nyx smiled and slid off her chair so she was standing on the cold metal floor. "You're aware the Rebexa is not a military vessel? You know we're not in some massive corporation with rules and regulations? Okay, so then you realize I am so ridiculously wealthy that I can pretty much do whatever I want and even knowing that, I don't have the first clue how to spend the money my patents and technologies are making?"

Tara nodded for her to continue.

"Okay, good. So if all of that is true, then if I happen to find myself infatuated with the beautiful young almost-doctor on my ship and she's attracted to me and there's nothing stopping the two of us from... well... fucking..."

Tara gasped.

Nyx grinned. "I'm a dirty girl, T. I may be loaded, but that's new. I've been broke most of my life and I've had to do things to get by I'm not proud of. I've always picked up bad habits along the way and learned that there are some things I like that, well, may be a little shocking."

"Like those Bacon, Lettuce, and Avocado sandwiches?"

Nyx laughed. "Fuck, those are good, right?"

Tara grinned and nodded.

Nyx eyed the young biologist hungrily and said, "I'd like to show you some other things you might like too, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I... I'd like that too, but I'm afraid."

"I won't bite," Nyx said. "Unless you want me to."

"Oh my... no, I mean, what if it doesn't work? What if you and I don't, um, connect? I don't want to miss out on all of this."

Nyx smiled. "Two reasons. One, we'll make it work. Even if we decide we'd rather sleep with a chunk of comet than each other, I respect the hell out of you and I know I want to have you on my team."

"I respect you too," Tara said. "Okay, so what's the other reason?"

Nyx winked at her again. "You're a fucking biologist capable of making us work. I spend my time in my cabin so I don't have to fight to keep myself from drooling all over you. You have my permission if there are problems we can fix to discuss them with me so we can make the changes necessary."

Tara gasped. "You mean... genetic changes?"

Nyx nodded. "If my pussy tastes nasty to you, then you can program it to taste like strawberries and cream if you want. I think it's pretty good though, but I'm biased."

Tara's mouth hung open.

Nyx grinned. "Too much, too soon?"

She clamped it shut and then stammered, "No, I... um... I just... okay, it was a little abrupt."

Nyx laughed. "Fine, let's start with a kiss?"

Tara hesitated and then nodded. She took a step forward and they slipped into each other's arms. They moved closer together and then paused while staring into each other's eyes with only a few centimeters separating them.

"Are you ready?"

"So ready," Tara whispered.

Nyx leaned in and pressed her lips to the other woman's. They were soft and plump and warm and lively. Tara knew how to use them too. Better than Nyx, for that matter. It only took a few seconds of the kiss for Nyx to realize she'd gone for a space walk without a safety line attached. Lips parted and tongues touched and Tara's did things that made Nyx whimper and respond.

When the fireworks took a break it was Tara's arms on Nyx that kept her from falling over. She sagged back into her seat and panted for a few breaths before she blinked her eyes back into focus and stared up at Tara. The young woman wasn't much better off, from the look in her eyes.

Nyx swallowed and cleared her throat. "Fuck me... that was... amazing."

Tara blushed and the nodded. "Yeah. Good."

"So good!" Nyx said. "I... okay, I told you about Zelda."

"I know, you don't have to say anything."

"No, I want to," Nyx said. "Zelda was... well... she was my only girlfriend, and as real as she was, she wasn't a real girl. She... she had training in the freakiest of things programmed into her, but she wasn't real. You are."

"I am," Tara said.

"This is so much better than I ever imagined!" Nyx giggled. "And worse. Oh, so much worse?"

"Worse?"

"I'm terrible at this!" Nyx insisted. "I thought I was good, but you... you're so much better. So sure of yourself and so... wow. You're fucking amazing, T."

Tara winced and let the undesired nickname slide. Now wasn't the time. "I've had a few experiences, that's all. You're pretty good yourself, don't worry."

"Not like you!" Nyx said. "But I'm eager to learn if you're willing to teach me?"

Tara smiled. "Very willing... and eager."

"Mmm," Nyx moaned and then shifted on her chair. She gasped and looked down. "Oh wow... that's something."

"What?"

"I'm going to have to clean my chair. That kiss... phew, I think the main water line to my pussy got busted wide open."

Tara blinked and then laughed. "Well, good. I'm wet too after that."

"Mmm, can I see?"

"You want to see me?" Tara squeaked.

"See, touch, smell, taste... all of it!"

"Oh fuck," Tara whispered. "I... uh... maybe we are going a little fast?"

Nyx's shoulders dropped. "Oh... right. Sorry, I do that with, well, everything. Go all in, I mean. I don't want to fuck everything."

"I hope not," Tara said and then laughed. "But yeah, maybe another kiss... or two, and then we go back to working on what we were talking about."

"I won't be able to until after I play flick the bean for a few hours," Nyx promised.

Tara blushed. "Yeah, I... well, right."

"I could do it for you," Nyx offered.

Tara shook her head. "I... I'm sorry. I'm not ready. Not for you to see-- I mean, not for that."

Nyx frowned. "You're not ready for me to see you? Baby, I see you now, you're beautiful."

"I'm not," Tara said. "Stop trying to tease me. I like you, okay, but be honest with me."

"I am."

"I'm fat," Tara insisted. "Not beautiful."

"Um, no, you're not," Nyx said. "I'm a skinny bitch. Too skinny, I know, but this works for me because I've been in low G for so long. You are beautiful the way you are. You're not in any health danger and you've got soft curves in all the right places to make my heart race. Me? I don't have curves, I have angles and bones sticking out."

Tara shook her head. "I--"

Nyx slid off her chair and stepped up to Tara and grabbed her hand. She pulled Tara's hand between her legs and pressed it up against her sex. Tara gasped as she felt the wet heat coating her palm and fingers. "Do you feel that?" Nyx asked her.

Tara gulped and nodded.

"You did that. Looking like you do right now. I'm so fucking turned on by you, Tara, that I have to keep reminding myself I can't order you to fuck me silly and that I can't just rip your clothes off and show you how you make me feel."

Tara stared at her until a strangled moan slipped out of her throat.

"What?" Nyx asked.

Tara shook her head and gawked at Nyx, unable to make words come out of her mouth.

Nyx realized she was grinding against Tara's hand and forced herself to let the woman's hand go. Tara held it still and then realized she wasn't being forced to any more. She whimpered slightly before pulling her hand back. She stepped back a half step and lifted it between them. Her skin glistened with Nyx's juices.

"Yeah, you did that," Nyx whispered.

Tara blinked. Her nostrils flared as she stared at the slippery mess only centimeters from her face.

"Well?" Nyx pressed her.

"I... you..."

"What?"

"You smell good," Tara said.

Nyx stared and then grinned. "So no strawberries and cream?"

"Fuck no," Tara breathed.

"You know, I said I was a kinky bitch..."

Tara jerked her eyes from her slick fingers to Nyx's face. "What?"

"I can see you thinking about it. I want to warn you, if taste your fingers right now I won't be able to stop myself from what I'm going to do to you."

"You... what? Stop yourself... from what?"

"From fucking you," Nyx said. "I will tear your clothes off. I will see you in all your beautiful, naked glory. And I will fuck you until neither one of us can move. I will make you cum so many times you won't remember my name... fuck, you won't remember yours."

"That's a lot of orgasms," Tara observed.

"Maybe more," Nyx promised.

Tara swallowed. "If I taste your pussy on my fingers?"

Nyx took in a deep breath through her nose and nodded. "Yeah, that."

Tara nodded. "Okay, thank you."

"Thank me? For what?"

"For the warning," Tara said and lowered her hand.

"Oh," Nyx said. Her heartbeat was throbbing in her ears and she felt like her skin was being electrified she wanted Tara so bad.

Tara closed her mouth, swallowed, offered a faint smile, and then turned and walked back to the door. She used her clean hand on the display beside the door to open it and then stepped through the doorway.