by Sadie Marks
"That's right, sweetheart; I'm a switch. You know what that means, don't you?" She nodded quickly, and he laughed, "Good, then don't give me any trouble. Kneel, knees together, butt to your heels," he ordered.
She took the few steps required to stand in front of him and then dropped to her knees, looking up for approval. He nodded and said, "Great, that's kneeling, obviously. Now, spread your knees open wide." He made a gesture with his hands, like he was parting her thighs, and she frowned, embarrassed. She could feel the flush coloring her new skin, but when he narrowed his eyes, she obeyed.
Her head dropped to hide her humiliation, and he chuckled and patted her on the head. "You'll get used to everyone seeing the goods, Kenzi. Modesty isn't something they prize in slaves, and the fact that it embarrasses you will make it more fun to strip it away," he warned her in a teasing tone.
"If someone says 'Open!' to you, this is how they want you. Now, keep your knees like that, but lift your butt so you're not sitting. Put your hands behind your neck, arch your back, and lock your fingers." He waited until she obeyed and then nodded. "That's 'Kneel up!' and the last one is 'Present', and we're done. You uh, probably have used this one during sex. Doggie style, you know? Knees spread, head to the floor, darlin'," he said patiently.
She shivered and slowly lowered her upper body until her breasts were pressed to the floor. Something about this position had always felt submissive to her, and that was why she'd preferred it during sex. Now as a new slave to some unknown alien Master, she felt vulnerable and helpless spread out like that. She turned her head to the side, so she could see Thomas' boots as he walked around her body, examining her. "Can I get up?" she asked after a couple of minutes.
"Not yet." He squatted down behind her and stroked her flank lightly, making her shiver. "This is turning you on, isn't it?" he asked.
Since her knees were spread wide, that had to be pretty obvious, but she couldn't help trying to close her legs when he asked. His hand swept down with a firm spank, "Keep them spread and answer the question, or do you want to walk through the ship with a nice red ass for everyone to see?" His tone was casual, but there was a warning there.
The last thing she'd expected from all this was to end up being spanked by another human on her first day on board and her frustrated "Yes!" made it clear that she was struggling to accept the new order.
"Good. That's what you want. That's what they want. You'll be very popular around here, and if you're a good girl, they'll treat you well," he assured her. His hand rubbed the red mark he'd just left, only for a second, but it was enough to ease the sting, and then he stood up. "You can get up now," he said.
She sat up, looked at him, and then slowly rose to her feet, feeling embarrassed. Her arms were crossed over her chest again, not because she was naked this time, but because her nipples were jutting out in stiff little peaks, which made her excitement too obvious.
He gave her an amused look, "Don't worry; you're not my flavor, sweet cheeks, so while I can see your new body is sexy as hell, it doesn't do much for me. I enjoy spanking both girls and boys, though, Kenzi, and I don't get to do it much anymore, as you can imagine—so keep that in mind," he suggested with a slight grin on his face.
"I'll behave," she assured him quickly. She did, too, even when she found out that he was going to lead her through the ship completely naked. It wasn't easy, though, and her bright red face probably rivaled the handprint she could still feel glowing on her backside. He'd smacked almost as hard as the general had, and she wasn't eager to test whether he'd carry out his promise of a full spanking, not when everyone would easily be able to see the results.
They passed a number of Sadecs, both male and female, but were entirely ignored. She realized now that the dark trousers and boots were the uniform of the ship. The women had the addition of a tight halter that compressed their breasts so firmly, there was barely any jiggle as they strode down the halls with intense determination, but otherwise, they wore the same.
Her nudity seemed to attract no attention at all, or if it did, they weren't letting it be seen. She should have been glad of that but, instead, realized she was almost offended that no one was staring at her gorgeous new body—on Earth they wouldn't have been able to take their eyes off of her. But of course, she wasn't even their species, and she wondered suddenly if the Sadecs even found humans physically attractive. Maybe it was just the giving of pain that attracted them to the smaller, weaker people of her planet.
The one consolation was that the walk allowed her to see some of the ship, and what she saw surprised her. It wasn't all dark hallways and lounging warriors giving her hungry looks. It was bright and shiny, with the walls in various calming shades, which apparently made it easy to find your way around the ship. He explained what they meant as they walked. "Blue is the science section, orange is engineering and that's all off limits—so even if you miss the signs, orange walls mean you're in trouble," he warned her.
She sighed and hoped she could remember that. "What's the green?" she asked curiously as they passed a wide lime green corridor at an intersection.
"Hydroponics and the leisure parks. Most of that is open to you, and you'll find yourself wanting to go there a lot. You can forget you're in space for a little while, when all you can see are plants and trees," he explained. There was a soft smile on his face that said he'd had some good times there, and she could imagine that it would be a refuge for the formerly Earth-bound humans.
"And the red?" she asked, pointing ahead where she could see a line of red walls beginning.
"Red is command, the heart of the ship, and officer's quarters. Some of it will be open to you, but you can explore the ship on your own as long as you follow the signs," he said.
She rolled her eyes at yet another reminder not to go out of bounds. He acted like the first thing she was going to do was run off to the engine room. "Got it," she said, trying to sound patient.
His smirk said he'd caught the annoyed inflections anyway. "We're going to the yellow section now, and then you're on your own," he assured her. "Yellow is medical, mostly, but there are also Relaxation Suites, for some reason." He paused. "Maybe because they are therapeutic, I'm not sure. They are sort of like the Sphere but much better. It's harder to tell you're in a digitally constructed environment, you'll see."
And just a few minutes later, they were there. He palmed a panel next to a small sign, and a hole appeared in the center of the wall. It widened until they could step through, but once it had closed behind them, she found no sign of its presence again. She wondered how they seemed to be able to find their way in and out of rooms so easily, when she couldn't even tell where the doors were from inside. At least, outside, there had been the sign saying it was 'Relaxation Suite 13'. She was pleased to note that she could not only speak their language but also read it. Inside, there was nothing but blank wall. She wanted to ask Thomas about it, but he was done answering her questions.
"Go to the center of the room and 'Kneel Open'. Don't talk or get up, you understand?" Whether she did or not, he didn't wait to find out but was already turning away and heading out the door, which opened for him obligingly enough. She was tempted to walk over and see if this one would open for her, too, but then she remembered his order and sighed.
She obeyed, but slowly, taking the time to turn and take in the room. It had been pre-programmed to resemble something like a medieval castle room, complete with stone floors and walls. The only thing it lacked were the sputtering torches on the wall, and instead, there was the low recessed lighting she'd seen in her previous room. It was such a contrast from the ship's bright corridors that she had to wonder at its purpose.
Afraid of stalling too long, she finally made her way to the middle of the room and knelt with her knees spread wide. It was uncomfortable, and she realized immediately what he meant when he said it was better than the Sphere; she could actually feel the cold stone pressing against her skin, so it was a full sensory environment, not an
illusion. Her knees weren't happy about it and staying still was hard, but at least she finally had the time to process what she'd been through.
She hadn't counted on being shared among many. She'd expected one owner. One dominant man who would teach her what it was like to live as a submissive, who would be merciless at taking what he wanted from his bought-and-paid-for slave. Before the volunteer centers, her fantasies had included men she saw in vids or on the street. Stern, harsh looking men who seemed like they would refuse to let her take control. Now that had been replaced with the Sadecs—and since she'd only had one real experience with an alien, it was the general in her mind.
The wait in the stone room seemed endless, and even the interruption of the leg cramp and the punishment that had followed didn't distract from the tedium of waiting for very long. It just meant she was even more uncomfortable while she did it. She tried to distract herself by replaying the scene she'd had with the Sadec during her testing. It hadn't really been a test; she realized that now. Her passing had been a foregone conclusion before she'd stepped into the room, even if her body hadn't betrayed her so thoroughly then.
As it was now. She could feel the tingling between her thighs, the juices that gathered along the seam of her labia and soaked into the curling hairs that hid them from view. The leather strap that the guard had brought down across her seat ten times had left a lingering reminder of her helplessness that didn't help, either. The sting had slowly faded to a bearable ache, but the heat seemed to spread throughout her body, making her feel aroused and wanting.
She had no way of knowing how long she waited like that before a spot of light caught her attention and she turned to see the entrance appearing and slowly enlarging until a figure stepped through, a familiar figure. It took her only a few seconds to realize that this Sadec was the very same one who had initiated her into the world of submission and pain—the general. Her mouth opened to ask what he was doing there, but she wasn't sure if she was allowed to speak yet.
"You look very nice on your knees, little human girl. I wonder if you're ready to beg now," he said thoughtfully. He approached her with slow, measured steps until he was close enough to crouch down and stare her in the eye. "So quiet. Nothing to say?" he asked.
She took a deep breath to calm herself and then took that as permission to speak. "I already begged you, but you just laughed, and then you left me," she said.
There was still a hint of sass to her voice, and his mouth quirked up at one corner. "I did. Did you enjoy the lesson?" he asked, sounding amused, and she knew why.
She frowned. "I didn't know you could stop me from…you know." Of course, he knew; he'd done it on purpose.
"There are many things I can do that would surprise you. It would be best for you if you learned to do what you were told, the first time. I don't like giving second chances to my slaves. Not even the special Pain Receivers like you," he said, just a hint of a warning in his tone.
She took a second to play those words over in her head because there were several questions rising, and she wasn't sure which she wanted to ask first. Finally, "You have other slaves besides—besides humans?" reached the top of the list.
"I have had in the past, not now. When we go to war, we bring back captured enemies sometimes. They work to earn their ransom, and then we release them," he said with a casual shrug.
"Oh." She wasn't sure how she felt about that. Slavery, of the non-volunteer kind, seemed so barbaric, but it wasn't her culture and she had no power over that. "And me? Am I your slave?" she asked after a short pause.
"Yes. You are, but you won't be earning your freedom in a year or two, like they did. You're mine for the full five years, little girl." He reached out and stroked his hand through her hair, twisting one thick hank around his fingers and then giving it a tug that was less than gentle.
She winced, head following the pull. She would have protested, but something the other slave had told her was on her mind. He'd said how much she'd be shared would depend on the rank of her owner. If the general had claimed her as his own…that should mean she was untouchable, except for him. There was a huge sense of relief at this news, and a very small traitorous part of herself that felt disappointed.
Being shared by many had an almost fantasy-like interest for her. Something hot to think about, but not something she'd actually want. It was best, though, if she was going to be owned, to be owned by the highest-ranking officer on the ship, and she turned her head and brushed her lips across the back of his hand with a combination of pleasure and gratitude. She was immediately embarrassed by her action and ducked her head to hide the flush on her face.
"That pleased you?" he asked, with a surprised laugh. "We'll see if you continue to be pleased by it, pet. I'm a harsh Master, but maybe you noticed that already."
She noticed that without the translator causing the slow hesitating speech, the general came off even more confident, and without the pauses, his musical voice developed an almost hypnotic quality when he spoke to her. The beauty of it should have seemed out of place coming from a hardened warrior, but it didn't. She could, if she paid attention, tell they were both speaking Sadec, but when she made no effort, it was easy to think it was her language they were speaking.
"It pleases me to belong to you, yes," she admitted. She didn't explain why, thinking that the ego stroking could only help her position if he thought it was a desire for him alone that made her happy. "You're the first man to ever…" she trailed off as her face turned a darker shade of pink.
"To put you in your place?" he asked, when it became clear she wasn't going to finish the sentence. "Humans are fools. I could tell you were begging for a firm hand the moment I saw you. I didn't need to read your file to see how badly you needed to be on your knees; I could have read it in your face.
"It was that obvious?" She frowned, tilting her head back to see his expression better, but his solid onyx eyes seemed emotionless, and she found that her new ability to speak Sadec couldn't help her with understanding his nonverbal cues.
"To me, yes," he said. "How did your men not understand that you were starving for a dominant touch?" he asked, bemused. He stroked her cheek lightly, and then as his hand eased down the side of her neck, he allowed one sharpened claw to trail down the line of her artery, making her shiver.
"I-I don't know. I guess they didn't see as deeply as you do. I can be bossy and determined. They took that to mean I wanted to be in charge, and they were happy to let me have the lead," she explained. Blunt and honest for the first time in her life, she laid out the problem for him.
"Interesting. I've never had a slave of your type before, but I can usually tell when someone prefers not to rule. Your desire for pain makes you unique, not your submission; even among my people, there are those who choose to follow." He looked at her intently a moment longer and then straightened. "Come with me," he ordered.
Without waiting to see if she would obey, he started toward the door, leaving her to scramble up awkwardly. She let out a little gasp of pain as her knees left the floor. They were indented with the edges of the stones she'd been kneeling on and she needed a moment to rub the circulation back into them before she could hurry to catch up to him. Luckily, he'd stopped to wait in the entrance, because she still had no idea how to open doors around here by herself.
He didn't comment on her pain, but then she hadn't expected him to. They could have had her kneeling on a soft carpet if they'd wanted her comfortable. She'd clearly been placed on stones for a purpose, whether to cause her pain or as a test, she wasn't sure. She was just glad to be up and moving. Slowly, the numbness and tingling worked out of her muscles as she tried to keep up with the fast pace he set, and by the time they got to his quarters in the red-walled section, the stiffness and aching was gone.
Well, the pain in her legs was gone anyway; her backside was still sore from the strap, and she wondered if she'd have time to recover entirely before she was punished again. She had a feeling it was unli
kely that he'd leave her untouched for long, and she was right. As soon as she followed him into his quarters and the door sealed behind them, he turned to her.
"Time to see if you're worth what I paid, girl," he said. He reached out, hand sliding into her hair to grip at the back of her neck, and then he dragged her closer. He leaned down to speak against her neck in a low sultry voice, "Such pretty new skin." His tongue seemed just a tiny bit rougher than a human's as he licked the shell of her ear and she whimpered softly. "I can't wait to mark it."
Her body reacted to the intimate touch, and she shivered. "Please," she whispered in a pleading tone. She didn't actually know what she was pleading for; she just knew that she needed something only he could provide. Her hand came to rest against his bare chest, palm flat like she might try to push him away, but she didn't.
"I've read your file…Kenzi." It was the first time he'd used her name, and he said it with an emphasis that felt significant. She flushed as she thought about all of the damning information they'd noted during her interviews and tests. The questions had been very thorough.
If he'd read all of it, then he knew every fantasy that made her hot, every fear that made her tremble, and more. Her likes. Her dislikes. All of it was open for him to use against her now, and her skin seemed to tighten painfully with excitement. Her breasts simultaneously felt fuller while the nipples had tightened into hard little nubs. Between her thighs, that slow pulse was back distracting her and making it hard to think. She didn't respond; luckily, he didn't seem to be looking for a response.
"It's traditional to rename your slave for their service, but I like Kenzi. It suits you," he said.
It had the sound of someone granting her a favor, and she swallowed and said, "T-thank you," to him. It didn't matter if she was thanking him for letting her keep her own name or for saying it suited her, and either way, her response pleased him.
He bit down lightly on her ear lobe and then slowly increased the pressure until she uttered a gasp of pain. The sound had him switching to sucking on the spot instead, and she liked that a lot better. The tension went out of her back, and her body sagged against his. She could feel the hard line of his erection pressing against the dark skin-tight trousers he wore, and her hand slid down to stroke the bulge, but he pushed it away gently.
