dreary curriculum meeting. We’re
back to the old debate about war games again, though I think our esteemed
Chancellor might not have heard the ‘games’ part. Mark my words, two or more
members of the committee will come to blows over this.”
“Wouldn’t
surprise me.” Layla didn’t bother to suppress a
scowl. In the past year, Earth and its allied planets had begun to suffer
increasingly serious raids from space brigands. Political debates centered on
the role of Starforce , with their Chancellor favoring
the switch to a more militaristic approach to teaching the students. The
Institute would transition away from a peace-based curriculum focused on
exploration and tolerance if the Chancellor had his way. Layla’s own courses in diplomacy, not to mention the years she’d spent in the Coalition’s
diplomatic corps, made the Chancellor distrustful of her influence. She
supposed there would be no consensus anytime soon.
Xath patted her on the arm. “I’ll leave you to your gazing,
then.”
She
watched him walk away, his voluminous robes swinging behind him. She couldn’t
help but smile. No matter what the crisis at hand, Xath always had a way of reducing it to a manageable proportion. Knowing he didn’t
judge her for lusting after one of the cadets made her feel much better.
Besides, it wasn’t something she would ever act on. With her position at the
Institute suddenly more tenuous, she had to walk a tighter line than ever.
When
she turned back to the dome, Jaret Thek had gone. A slim, blue-skinned female cadet had taken
his place on the bars. Somewhat relieved, Layla continued along the catwalk to the lounge, where she ordered a large cup of jiwa tea and seated herself behind some bright red plants
that formed an effective screen from the other diners. She wasn’t in the mood
for idle chitchat with passing colleagues, and good jiwa tended to exert a mild and temporary narcotic effect that was best savored
alone. She let the spicy tea warm her lips and invade her senses.
Leaning back in
her chair, Layla was mesmerized by the swaying
tendrils of the exotic Ochi plant in front of her. She imagined them wrapping
around her body, the fingerlike stems stroking her breasts. Slowly, the rest of
the world faded from her consciousness, leaving her alone with her tea, the
plant and her deliciously naughty thoughts.
Soon
her fantasy, like the plant, grew bolder. The wispy tendrils crept inside her
clothes, skated across her swelling nipples, and poked between her thighs.
Surrendering to pure physical sensation, she closed her eyes and opened her
mind to the real sweetness of imagined pleasure.
At
some point, the plant’s undulating stalks morphed into Jaret Thek’s hands. Layla felt
her body yield to his slow, yet urgent caresses. His fingers moved deeper,
slipping inside her to caress her throbbing flesh. A hot flash of arousal
streaked through her core as her dream-self drew closer to orgasm.
“Professor Kosajh ?”
At
first, she didn’t respond. Layla assumed the voice
she heard came from inside her head as part of her whole irrational
forbidden-fruit scenario. But no. Gradually she realized that someone really
had spoken to her. Surely she had mistaken the voice though. Her eyes snapped
open and widened. Jaret Thek stood in front of her. He had showered and changed since leaving the gravity
gym. His short dark hair looked damp and smelled of scented soap. He wore his
daily uniform, the three silver stripes on his shoulder denoting his senior
status at the Institute.
“Cadet Thek . How nice to see you.” Her voice sounded choked
and tight. She wondered if he could guess the reason for her feverish blush.
“Thank
you, though you saw me earlier as well.”
Layla swallowed and nodded. “I did happen to notice you in
the gravity gym. I must say, your performance was most impressive.”
He
averted his silvery eyes, clearly uncomfortable with her direct praise. She
found his modesty both touching and
back to the old debate about war games again, though I think our esteemed
Chancellor might not have heard the ‘games’ part. Mark my words, two or more
members of the committee will come to blows over this.”
“Wouldn’t
surprise me.” Layla didn’t bother to suppress a
scowl. In the past year, Earth and its allied planets had begun to suffer
increasingly serious raids from space brigands. Political debates centered on
the role of Starforce , with their Chancellor favoring
the switch to a more militaristic approach to teaching the students. The
Institute would transition away from a peace-based curriculum focused on
exploration and tolerance if the Chancellor had his way. Layla’s own courses in diplomacy, not to mention the years she’d spent in the Coalition’s
diplomatic corps, made the Chancellor distrustful of her influence. She
supposed there would be no consensus anytime soon.
Xath patted her on the arm. “I’ll leave you to your gazing,
then.”
She
watched him walk away, his voluminous robes swinging behind him. She couldn’t
help but smile. No matter what the crisis at hand, Xath always had a way of reducing it to a manageable proportion. Knowing he didn’t
judge her for lusting after one of the cadets made her feel much better.
Besides, it wasn’t something she would ever act on. With her position at the
Institute suddenly more tenuous, she had to walk a tighter line than ever.
When
she turned back to the dome, Jaret Thek had gone. A slim, blue-skinned female cadet had taken
his place on the bars. Somewhat relieved, Layla continued along the catwalk to the lounge, where she ordered a large cup of jiwa tea and seated herself behind some bright red plants
that formed an effective screen from the other diners. She wasn’t in the mood
for idle chitchat with passing colleagues, and good jiwa tended to exert a mild and temporary narcotic effect that was best savored
alone. She let the spicy tea warm her lips and invade her senses.
Leaning back in
her chair, Layla was mesmerized by the swaying
tendrils of the exotic Ochi plant in front of her. She imagined them wrapping
around her body, the fingerlike stems stroking her breasts. Slowly, the rest of
the world faded from her consciousness, leaving her alone with her tea, the
plant and her deliciously naughty thoughts.
Soon
her fantasy, like the plant, grew bolder. The wispy tendrils crept inside her
clothes, skated across her swelling nipples, and poked between her thighs.
Surrendering to pure physical sensation, she closed her eyes and opened her
mind to the real sweetness of imagined pleasure.
At
some point, the plant’s undulating stalks morphed into Jaret Thek’s hands. Layla felt
her body yield to his slow, yet urgent caresses. His fingers moved deeper,
slipping inside her to caress her throbbing flesh. A hot flash of arousal
streaked through her core as her dream-self drew closer to orgasm.
“Professor Kosajh ?”
At
first, she didn’t respond. Layla assumed the voice
she heard came from inside her head as part of her whole irrational
forbidden-fruit scenario. But no. Gradually she realized that someone really
had spoken to her. Surely she had mistaken the voice though. Her eyes snapped
open and widened. Jaret Thek stood in front of her. He had showered and changed since leaving the gravity
gym. His short dark hair looked damp and smelled of scented soap. He wore his
daily uniform, the three silver stripes on his shoulder denoting his senior
status at the Institute.
“Cadet Thek . How nice to see you.” Her voice sounded choked
and tight. She wondered if he could guess the reason for her feverish blush.
“Thank
you, though you saw me earlier as well.”
Layla swallowed and nodded. “I did happen to notice you in
the gravity gym. I must say, your performance was most impressive.”
He
averted his silvery eyes, clearly uncomfortable with her direct praise. She
found his modesty both touching and
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