by Ashe Barker
The attorney-mediator’s skills were not limited to this, however. He could readily access relevant Earth legislation and refine the legal arguments that placed Caria in Phahlen’s custody.
“I shall brief him, sir.” Baren appeared content. He returned to his usual station at the controls of the Empyrean and Phahlen returned to his perusal of the astral landscape.
Might his little human be less culpable than he had given her credit for? Phahlen doubted it. Caria was powerless now, his prisoner, but given half a chance…
He had to remain tough, for the sake of his crew, his ship and his home world. She mustn’t be allowed to escape, nor should she be encouraged to imagine she was anything other than a convicted criminal, his to punish for her crimes. He believed in restitutional justice, and Caria could repay her debt to interplanetary society by providing healthy daughters for Vahle. The sooner she accepted that, the better.
He resolved to demonstrate to her exactly what her status in this transaction was. It was somewhat belated for that; he should have made a better job of it by now but so far his efforts had been thwarted by his own misplaced sympathies. He found it uncomfortable to see her so frightened, and as soon as he got her naked all his resolve tended to evaporate. He was incapable of harming her, really harming her. He would inflict pain to discipline her or to enforce her obedience, but he wouldn’t see her injured. This made it all the more imperative that she be spared Earth justice.
He summoned another crew member to take over his observation post, performed final checks to ensure that all other functions were within accepted parameters and their progress steady, then he handed control of the vessel to Baren.
“I’ll be in my quarters if you need me.”
* * *
Phahlen wasn’t sure what would greet him when he entered. Caria had been angry when he left, hurt even, he surmised. His final words to her had not been kind, and he wouldn’t have been surprised to find her deliberately defying him even if it did earn her another thrashing.
The living area was deserted, though the table still bore the remains of their game earlier. It needed to be tidied, but that could wait. His little human could not.
He moved across to the door to the sleeping chamber and hit the control to open it. He let out a breath, only then realising he had been holding it. Caria knelt in the centre of the room, facing him. She was naked. Her head was bowed, her hands rested on her thighs though they were palms down rather than up. He would need to correct that, but otherwise she had obeyed him. Perhaps he was getting through to her.
He approached the still, small figure and stood over her for several moments. She tensed but didn’t move.
“Good girl,” he murmured. “You did well.”
She didn’t acknowledge his compliment.
“You may speak to me, Caria.”
“I have nothing to say. Sir.”
Ah, like that then. Outward obedience, inner defiance. He had work to do.
“Turn your hands over, they should be palms up.” He hardened his tone a little. She obeyed him at once.
“Thank you. Now you will go and kneel on the bed, right in the centre.”
She got to her feet and moved over to the bed. As she turned her back to walk away from him, he admired the still faintly visible welts left by the strap yesterday and wondered if he might need to brighten them up a little in order to regain her respect. If so, he was minded to use a paddle this time.
When she was settled in the middle of the bed, he moved to kneel behind her. He picked up the wrist cuffs from their previous encounter and tossed them onto the coverlet in front of her. “Put those on, then raise your hands above your head, Caria.”
Her breath hitched as she did as he instructed her, though she was unable to fasten the cuffs tight. Phahlen took each of her hands in turn and adjusted the cuff before sealing it in place. He then shuffled back to allow her the space to lift her arms.
A ring was built into the ceiling above the bed. Phahlen flicked a switch on the wall to lower it, then he quickly fastened the cuffs to it. He adjusted the height a little, so she could no longer rest her bottom on her heels. He smiled to himself as she glared at him. So much for her outward display of subservience.
“Are you comfortable, girl?”
“Not really, Commander, but I’m sure that’s what you intended.”
He walked slowly around the bed, surveying her from all angles. He took his time before answering. “I intend to fuck you, but the rest is negotiable. If you choose to make things harder for yourself, then so be it.”
“I did as you told me,” she protested, craning her neck to keep him in view as he moved behind her. “There’s no need to spank me again. This isn’t fair…”
“I decide what’s fair now, Caria. You no longer have that right. And I never said I intended to spank you.”
“Then why—”
“Because I choose to, girl. And because punishment takes many forms.”
“I don’t understand.” She tugged at the restraints that held her in place. “Please, let me go. I won’t be rude or sulky, I promise.”
Ah, so at least she knew what had sparked her present dilemma. That was something.
“Excuse me, Caria. I won’t be a moment.”
He left the room, heading for the housekeeping station. “Thermal beads, five in number, ranging from one point five to four centimetres in diameter. And a spanking paddle, forty centimetres…” he paused to consider, then, “…made of wood.” As he collected the items from the hatch he heard her calling after him, her voice breaking.
“Phahlen, where are you? Please, I can’t… Please don’t leave me here.”
What the…? He strode back through the door to be met by her tear-streaked face. He had only been gone for half a minute at best. He rushed to the bed and dropped the items beside her, then took her face between his hands.
“I’m here. I wouldn’t leave you, not like this. You can trust me, girl.”
“I couldn’t see you, and—”
“I’ll get a housekeeping station installed in here, then you’ll be able to keep me in sight. Unless you’re blindfolded, obviously.”
She shook her head as colour drained from her features. Phahlen made a mental note, no blindfold. He waited until her features steadied and colour began to seep back into her complexion before he released her and picked up the thermal beads. They appeared innocuous enough, he supposed as he rolled them across his palm. He glanced at Caria. She was nervous, but the sensuous little minx was curious too, and made no attempt to conceal her fascination. She looked at his hand, her eyes lifting from the objects to his face.
“What are those, sir?”
“Thermal beads. Have you come across these before?”
She shook her head, and he noted that she was chewing on her lower lip again, a sure tell that he had her undivided attention.
“They’re clever little toys. If I apply pressure, like this, they heat up, or cool down. This tiny switch on the side determines which way it goes. They’re set to warm up now, see?” He closed his fist around the small orbs. After a few seconds the heat caused him to open his fingers again and he tossed the balls from one hand to the other before dropping them back onto the bed. He allowed a few seconds for them to cool, then he picked up the smallest one and stroked Caria’s thigh with it.
“Oh, that’s hot.”
“Yes, a little. Personally I prefer to use them cold.” He adjusted the switch then squeezed the ball in his hand again. The temperature of the bead plummeted; in moments it was as though he held a ball of ice in his fist. He stroked her thigh again by way of a demonstration.
“Ooh!” She jerked away from the frigid orb. “That’s… I don’t like that, sir.”
“No? In that case these little toys will be useful for delivering a memorable lesson. But first, we need to connect them together…” He collected up the rest of the beads and laid them in a line across his hand, then closed his fist around
them again. This time when he released his grip, the beads no longer rolled freely but were connected, as though threaded together on a cord. “Electromagnetic linking,” he offered by way of explanation when he saw the expression of disbelief on her face. “This is science, not just one of the conjuring tricks you are so fond of on your planet.”
She stiffened and her gaze hardened into a glare. “I know that,” she replied. “I’m a scientist too.”
Her vehement assertion gave him a moment’s pause. He hadn’t even asked her what her role was on the Luminaire, or if she’d possessed any specialist skills. He should have. Baren was right to challenge his assumptions about this little human.
“I see. What branch of the sciences?” He rolled the beads between his hands as he regarded her upturned face.
“I am a life scientist,” she replied, a hint of pride in her tone. “I have some medical training but I specialise in botany, particularly in artificially induced photosynthesis. Or, I did…”
“I see. I don’t suppose there’s much call for rendering dead planetoids capable of sustaining life, not on a pirate craft.” The sustainable production of oxygen from plant-based life forms was key to establishing colonies on worlds previously deemed uninhabitable. As home worlds had become more populous all over the known galaxies, this process was of crucial importance and Phahlen knew it to be one of the fastest growing areas of scientific study. “How long since you practised?”
“Three years. But I always liked to download the latest articles and studies, and keep abreast of new developments. I haven’t lost touch. Or I hadn’t, until I ended up with the Galeians.”
“Did you tell them of your skills? They could have used you down on three seven nine.”
“They never asked me. Just as you didn’t.”
Ouch. He acknowledged her barb with a slow nod. He deserved her censure and resolved to take a keener interest in his human captive… in her mind and intellect as well as her body. In truth, a botanist with her credentials, especially backed up by a little medical knowledge, would be an asset on board the Empyrean too. But that was for another occasion. Here, now, he had work to do.
“My apologies, Caria. That was an oversight and I regret it. Now, where were we?” He dropped his gaze to the beads still in his hand, then lifted it to meet her eyes again. “Are you wet, Caria?”
“I… no, of course not!”
He leaned in to murmur in her ear, “Are you quite sure about that? I do intend to check.”
“Why would I be wet? I hate you, and I hate this.”
“Spread your legs for me.”
“No.”
“Oh, Caria, that was silly.” He dropped the beads beside her, then walked around the bed, forcing her to twist her body in order to keep him in sight. He noted her complexion paled again when he picked up the paddle from a low table. He allowed it to dangle from his hand as he returned to stand in front of her. “Just three strokes I think, to remind you of the need to obey.”
She quickly adjusted her legs to place her knees wide apart. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean… please…”
“You’ll find you’re able to turn around. That ring above you swivels. So if you would present your bottom to me, please, we’ll get this over with and back to our little game.”
“Sir. Commander, please…”
“Now, Caria, or the count goes up.”
He twirled his index finger before her face to emphasise his instruction. Caria whimpered as she turned her back on him.
“Good. Now lean forward and arch your back. You may need to shuffle back toward me a little.”
Caria made no further protest as she got into position, presenting her delightful, heart-shaped bottom for him to punish. Phahlen couldn’t resist trailing a slow, sensuous caress across first one smooth cheek then the other. He traced the marks from yesterday, but wouldn’t punish the same spots today. He regretted that this was necessary at all, but obedience was a firm requirement and he was not about to compromise.
He picked his spot and swung the paddle. The implement was harsh, or could be if used with real intent. His purpose here was merely to remind her who was in control and that obedience was required. He softened the blow accordingly, but still the hard wood connected across both buttocks at once. Caria yelped, but held her position. Phahlen was proud of her as he adjusted his stance in readiness for the next stroke. That one also caught both cheeks, a little lower than the first. She cried out that time, but remained still.
He shifted again, this time in order to afford himself a decent view of her pussy, glistening between her thighs. His little human might be hurting, frightened, and no doubt bitterly resentful, but she was dripping wet. Her arousal coated her pink folds, the moisture there proclaiming her heated desire whatever denials she might utter.
He delivered the final stroke across her thighs, and he knew that last one really hurt her. She let out an agonised scream and continued to sob even after he tossed the paddle to the floor. She made no attempt to straighten, another promising sign that she was learning her place here.
Phahlen reached for her shoulders and eased her upright, then he turned her in his arms and sat on the bed as he pulled her against his chest. She came to him, pliant and unresisting, her face pressed into the front of his tunic as he wrapped his arms around her slim waist. He held her until her sobs subsided and her shoulders stopped heaving, and only then did he tip her face up with his fingers.
“Are you ready to continue?”
“Yes, sir,” she sniffled. This time she spread her knees wide with no further instruction from him. He was pleased, and maybe a little relieved that she had opted to attract no further punishment, at least not yet.
Phahlen collected the beads in his hand again and squeezed them to reduce the temperature. He contemplated instructing her to resume her previous position but decided against it. For this first time he preferred to be able to see her eyes and gauge her response there. Despite her obvious wetness he opted to smear a generous amount of lubricant over the beads. She watched him, her stare wide-eyed.
“The lube will provide some insulation, but these are going to feel cold when I put them inside you.”
“Why? I mean…”
“This is all about sensation, Caria. And I promise, you’ll appreciate my cock even more after this.”
She pressed her lips together, wisely refraining from offering any comment. Phahlen checked the temperature of the balls, a manageable minus two degrees in Earth measurements. He slid his hand between her thighs and found she was if anything even wetter than before. He pushed two fingers inside her to find she was hot and beautifully moist, and just about tight enough to hold the beads in an upright position. Provided she made an effort.
He withdrew his fingers, then parted her pussy lips. He reached for the beads and placed the smallest one at her entrance. She jerked hard.
“Shit, that’s cold, sir.”
“I know. I want you to squeeze hard around these as I insert them. If you drop them, they’ll go straight back in and then I’ll expect you to hold them for even longer. You really should try to get this right the first time.”
“I… I thought you just wanted a baby. Why do you need to do this? You could just fuck me.”
“Ah, but Caria, this way is so much more pleasurable.”
“For you, maybe…”
“We’ll discuss it afterwards, when you’re in a better position to judge. Are you ready?”
“Yes. No, I mean…”
“Remember, squeeze.” He pushed the first bead past her entrance to nestle inside her slick warmth.
Caria squealed and wriggled hard. The bead popped straight back out again.
“Oh, dear—”
Caria cut him off before he had chance to complete his sentence. “I’m sorry. It was a shock. Please, I know what to expect now. Can we try again?”
He narrowed his eyes at her.
“Please, sir. Please…”
He rele
nted. “Hold still. And squeeze when I tell you to this time.”
She nodded, chewing on her lip again. Phahlen opened her pussy with his fingers and slid the bead back inside. This time her features contorted as she clenched around it, but the bead remained in place.
“Good. Now hold it there.”
Caria nodded, her eyes squeezed shut. Phahlen pressed the next bead inside, and the next.
“Okay?”
“No. It feels horrible.”
“Do you mean it feels uncomfortable, little human? Horrible would suggest this is causing you a lot of pain. Is it actually hurting you?”
“No, not hurting… but uncomfortable, yes. Very fucking uncomfortable. How… how long?”
“Three more to go. These last ones are bigger so they’ll be easier for you to grip.”
He didn’t waste time. The fourth and fifth beads followed the first three, leaving just the final, largest one to complete the set. He turned the remaining bead between his fingers, causing the rest of the chain to move too. Caria groaned.
“Liking that?”
“It feels strange, sir. But not so cold now.”
“I could reduce the temperature a little more…”
“No, please don’t do that.”
He chuckled as he pushed the last one home, then followed with his fingers to make sure they were positioned deep inside her pussy. “Three minutes, then I’ll take them out. You need to squeeze around them to make sure they don’t fall.”
Caria peered up at him, her features intent but not pained. He smiled at her.
“So, now I just need to find something to amuse you while we wait.” He produced the tiny vibrator that he’d used to such devastating effect yesterday. “Perhaps this,” he suggested.
Caria groaned as he pressed the vibrating bullet hard against her clit. “Don’t, sir… I can’t—”
“Squeeze hard, little Caria. Concentrate.”
She tried. He had no doubt of that. Her slender body writhed within the restraints as though she might escape the inexorable pressure against her clit. She whimpered, pleading with him to stop as she fought the mounting arousal that would seize control of her muscles if she surrendered to it. When she surrendered.
