The Night After

Posted on Sat Aug 24th, 2019 @ 8:21pm by Lieutenant Jane Sinclair MD, DVM & Captain Cynthia Jackson

1,820 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 2 - Love ORION Mistaken
Location: Sickbay

Cindy knew that Neza was taking care of Vivyra but now it was time for Cindy to check in on Jane, to see if there was an difference. Bec alluded to the fact that there might be but given how cozy the two were, Cindy was at a loss of how that might be true.

The doors to the medbay opened up and Jane could see Cindy's long legs first. She came in and said, "Good morning!" in a cheery voice to anyone that might be there and listening.

Jane had been humming a cheery tune and organizing the supplies at a biobed when she heard the door open and Cindy come in. "Good morning!" she replied, grinning widely. She put down her supplies, nodding at a nearby orderly to continue the work. She then ran, practically skipped, to Cindy. "What can I do for you this lovely day?"

Well, she seems to be in a good mood. No outbursts from her, even though we've kept Vivyra away. Maybe Bec's just wrong on this. Cindy flung her hair back dramatically and replied, "What can't you do?" She laughed. "I just came in to see how things were off the bridge."

“Oh, well, things are going well here,” Jane remarked. “A few regularly scheduled physicals, a couple of hangovers, one broken thumb down in engineering. Supply stores are good.” She looked at Cindy and grinned. “And I’m happier than I’ve been in years! Ain’t love grand, Captain?”

"I suppose it is," Cindy answered smiling. "It certainly looks good on you. It has been quite some time since I've felt it." She popped herself on top of a bio bed. "So, are you excited about looking for Vivyra's home?"

“It’s thrilling!” Jane answered. “All those poor Orion souls, locked away for God knows what reason. We’ll get to save them and bring them somewhere where they can be free. Isn’t that what our mission is about, in some ways? Bringing peace and prosperity to a galaxy full of suffering?” She intentionally suppressed her smile and looked at Cindy seriously. “Of course, my entire medical staff will be prepared to provide whatever care they’ll need.” She moves to an examination table and, using her hands for a boost, hopped up to sit down on it, helping bring her to the long-legged Captain’s eyeline. “While you’re here, Cindy, I wanted to ask about me taking some bridge shifts. As your Second Officer, I’d love the experience, and Xenia has agreed to teach me some basic starship operations.”

Cindy considered the request and said, "After we get all of Vivyra's friends sorted out, I think we could do that." She then bit her lip and fretted. Something did not make sense about what Jane was saying. "Does nothing seem odd to you about Vivyra's story?"

Jane’s immediate cheeriness faded, her expression not quite sour, but more serious. “Let’s continue this in my office, shall we?” She hopped off the biobed and walked to her office, letting the door close behind Cindy. “I trust what she’s told us, Cindy. We know that the Orion’s enslave their women, but the mechanics of it have always alluded us. Some believe Orion women are destined for servitude. A century ago there was a downright stupid notion that the women were secretly in charge. But here we have a school designed to turn beautiful souls like Vivyra into slaves for the free use and pleasure of the sick fucks that pay money for people.” And she does make a good sex slave, Jane couldn’t help but think. “In my opinion, nothing she’s said has been wrong, and doubting her might be akin to doubting when someone says they’ve been assaulted.”

Sighing, Cindy had to admit that there was a great deal of logic to what Jane said. However, Bec had filled her head with doubts. There was the matter of the Orion ships destroying themselves. Why would they do that? She shook her head. "You're probably right, Jane but there are other things that don't line up with the little we know about Orions. After all, why are the men not crawling all over her. Granted, we have limited her access but still, she's been in the mess."

“Hmm,” was the sound Jane made as she considered what Cindy said. “It might simply be a more subtle reaction. I’ve seen what the men say about her on the Ticker Tape. Unfortunately that system is anonymous, so I’m not sure which of them I should bring in to scan.” And punish for being so rude. “And Cindy? Since we’re in private, I’m happy to confide in you that some of the other traits we’ve seen from Orion women, like their insatiable appetites and the animalism and lust that come from their dancing...all true and healthily displayed by the lovely Vivyra.” She grinned widely at her Captain and playfully stuck her tongue through her teeth at her friend.

"OK, that was TMI, Jane," Cindy replied with a generous laugh. "Still, I never heard of a lesbian Orion. Then again, I suppose that there would have to be some. Wouldn't there?" she asked looking for a scientific explanation.

Jane shrugged. "I don't see why not. Specific factors that set sexual orientation aren't very well known. I'd expect virtually all possible orientations to appear in most sentient species. Or, at least those that mate for pleasure and not just reproduction, and assuming there aren't any sort of taboos that keep people permanently closeted." She smiled. "I once heard of a species that was genderless, but occasionally people would manifest gender and identify as male or female. Those who did were ostracized and sometimes either brainwashed or chemically castrated! Scary stuff!"

"IT is fascinating stuff," Cindy admitted. "Perhaps Vivyra is part of the seedy underbelly of the Orion Syndicate. Maybe that's why she was on a planet with a bunch of other women." She laughed hard at that, throwing her head back as she did so. "Could you imagine Vivyra being part of some seedy underbelly?"

Jane frowned. “I’m not sure I like what you’re implying, Cindy. Vivyra is innocent, I’m certain of that. If she is part of some ‘seedy underbelly’, as you say, then it’s as a victim of sentient trafficking.” There was nothing she could do to stop her milky white skin from flushing red.

"Oh, lighten up, Jane. There's no need to be so protective. I'm your friend and why can't we have a little humor at this situation, hey?" Maybe Bec was right. Maybe there is something going on. The protectiveness is a little beyond normal for a few day relationship.

Jane took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. You’re right, you were obviously making a joke. And I have gotten protective. But she needs it, Cindy! You should see how the men of this ship clamour of her attention! I’ve had to put more than one man in his place when he made lewd comments about her.” She took another deep breath, and the red on her face and neck began to subside. “Cindy, I may need your help getting them to knock it off. This isn’t me being jealous, it’s for her safety. From what she’s told us, and from what we know of Orion slave women, it is my professional opinion that she is incapable of giving informed consent to having sex with a man. The fact that she could choose to say no...it isn’t in her vocabulary. Because of how she was raised, she doesn’t know that she can withdraw consent, so she can’t freely give it either. She is at risk of being assaulted by our male crew.”

"This is likely why Bec recommended that Vivyra not have access to the lounge." Cindy shrugged and then mused. "You are a doctor, Jane. Maybe you can figure out a way to tone some of those pheromones down so she is not a risk to herself or others in that way." Smiling warmly, Cindy was pleased that she might have stumbled on a solution, being able to get Jane to look critically at Vivyra's health and genetics. Perhaps there was a key there.

However, somewhat concerned, Cindy said, "I think this crew is trained well enough not to act on any impulses. And do you really think that Vivyra, if she is as dedicated to you as you are to her, would really stray?"

Jane was suddenly racked with a pang of guilt as she remembered the previous morning’s tryst with Bec. Would Vivyra have been okay with that?

“Truth be told, Cindy, I just don’t know. I hope so, but I don’t know how Orion women view monogamy. Hell, I don’t know what I think of it. As for the other crew...there are one thousand one hundred people on this ship, about half of them men. I just can’t be sure about them all. But I’ll look into her pheromones. I should have enough samples from her first visit to sickbay to do some research.”

"Wonderful!" Cindy replied happily. "And you're right. We don't know a lot about how Orion women do anything. We just know that they're all supposed to be tigresses in bed and are sold as slaves."

Jane grinned again. “And like I said, I can attest to the first one! If you want a full detailed report, you just let me know,” she purred.

"No, that's quite alright," Cindy replied, laughing awkwardly. It seemed like everyone on this ship was getting action except her. "I do not wish to be jealous."

No need to be jealous, Jane thought. Just join us. “Well, I should get to work on this pheromone research. Is there anything else you need?”

A decent sports partner? A scientific mystery to really dig my teeth into? Some guy that really knows how to show me a good time? "Immediately? No. I will catch up with you later."

As Jane sat behind her desk, she could be heard singing again. “You don't have to be rich, To be my girl, You don't have to be cool, To rule my world, Ain't no particular sign, I'm more compatible with, I just want your extra time and your” Jane looked up from her computer screen and caught Cindy’s eye. She smiled. “Kiss.”

Cindy laughed as she caught Jane's eye. "I'm sure that Vivyra will be around after duty for that. See you soon, Jane."

“Bye, Cindy!” Jane excitedly waved to her captain and resumed working, happy knowing she would see Vivyra again soon.

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