Hmm.Unlike demands for higher-thread-count towels, communications was something the supervisor took seriously. Like any interstellar ship, theArgusdepended on its ability to maintain constant contact, or it was lost and on its own in an infinite void.
Lady Aria had probably switched something off or broken something in a fit of pique. Nevertheless, years of service had drilled their protocols into Griggs’ habits, and he picked up his pace as he headed to the comms center.
When he arrived, the comm techs were sitting at their stations, and the tone of their conversations did not betray any tension or unease. Griggs went to Supervisor Singh, who was sipping a coffee as he surveyed his screens.
“Hey, Raj.” Griggs approached. “We’ve got a complaint from our VIP.”
“Surprise, surprise,” replied Supervisor Singh. “Alan, you drew the short straw on this trip, make no mistake. What’s her problem?”
“She says she can’t contact anyone back on Palamar.”
“Yeah, I can see that getting her knickers in a twist,” said Singh. “She’s been sending constant messages to some unfortunate guy named Jacques, without reply. Poor guy’s probably glad to be rid of her. There’s your contact problem!”
“You’ve been monitoring her comms?” asked Griggs in surprise.
“Hell no!” asserted Singh. “Not the content anyway. It’s standard policy to log all communications, sent and received, but we sure as hell don’t read what they say.”
“Hmm. So why would she suddenly think that she’s been cut off?” asked Griggs.
“Let’s have a look.” Singh typed a series of commands into his station. He frowned at the results.
“What’s wrong?”
“Not sure,” replied Singh, typing further. “But her messages have been bounced from their intended location on Palamar to somewhere else.”
“What? That makes no sense,” said Griggs.
“You’re right, it doesn’t.”
***
Aria sat in the chamber designated as her study and fumed. Not only had Jacques not replied to any of her messages, but now she couldn’t use interstellar comms at all.
She had tried to contact one of her friends back on Palamar, but the message kept getting returned with a “failure to send” notice. Aria had hoped her friend Tiressa might be able to check on Jacques and see what was going on with him, but it appeared she was to be frustrated in this as well.
Aria sighed, resting her chin on her hands and looking at herself in the mirror. She had been constantly told by those around her that she was beautiful, but she had her doubts. The latest in a cloud of admirers to speak of her beauty had been Jacques, but what if he had been lying to get what he wanted?
Well, he certainly got what he wanted,Aria admitted to herself, although if she was beingtotallyhonest, so had she. Intimacy with Jacques had been at a level far above the fumblings of those nobleboyswho imagined themselves adept lovers. Perhaps that was why she was finding it difficult to cast him aside, as she had so many. Aria thought of their time together often and wanted more.
But does he? Surely he was enjoying himself as much as I was.Once more, she involuntarily cast her mind back.
“Do you want to touch it?” Jacques inquired, simply stunning with his nude body on full display. “You look alarmed, milady. Rest assured, you will find it entirely suitable to your needs.”
“That is not my concern,” said Aria, lust making her voice low. She moved across the bed to encircle his massive cock with her fingers. “I’ve…I’ve never seen anything this big before, that’s all. Imagine my poor pussy!” She pouted then licked her lips before she took Jacque’s rigid staff in her mouth. He sighed happily as she ran her tongue along his length.
“Surely you have done this before!” he accused her. “You are a naughty one, milady. Perhaps you deserve a good spanking.”
Aria looked up at him, letting his cock slide slowly out of her mouth. “Be careful, Jacques. Raising a hand to an aristocrat? You forget yourself.”
Aria sighed at the remembrance and wondered what would have happened if she had encouraged him to spank her, instead of firmly shutting him down. What would it have been like? She had never been spanked and had a hard time imagining the act as a part of love play. Still, a part of her, she had to admit, had tingled when he had suggested the notion.
Aria scowled and once again tried to send a message then slammed her fist on the table when the same “failure to send” message came back. “Fitzjohn!”
***
Captain Belis arrived at the comms center quickly in response to Singh’s page. “What’s the problem?”
Griggs stepped back to allow room.
