Page 34 of Return to Sender
In the aftermath, breathing ragged in the dimness, one truth burns crystal clear through my consciousness: professional distance is no longer possible. Whatever protocols I’m violating, whatever lines I’m crossing, whatever rules I’m destroying—none of it matters compared to the need burning through me like liquid fire.
She has become my choice. My only choice.
11
Systems Integration
Wi'kar
Forseverallongmoments,I remain motionless, attempting to process what has just occurred. The clinical assessment is straightforward: I have successfully addressed a persistent physiological need through standard biological maintenance procedures. Nothing more complex than routine stress relief.
Yet the emotional component of the experience defies such simple categorization. I have never before engaged in such activities while thinking of a specific individual. The intensity of the response far exceeded anything in my previous experience. Most disturbing of all, rather than feeling satisfied or relieved, I find myself wondering what it would be like to share such an experience with Dominique herself.
The thought is inappropriate, unprofessional, and potentially dangerous to our continued partnership. She is under my protection. She is injured. She is human royalty fleeing an arranged marriage. The power dynamic between us makes any intimate relationship highly problematic.
Yet I cannot deny the appeal of the possibility.
I rise from the bed, moving to the ablution chamber to clean myself and restore my appearance to regulation standards. The reflection that greets me appears more composed than before, though the patterns still pulse with faint aftereffects of my arousal.
As I secure the fastenings of my clean uniform shirt, I attempt to analyze my situation with the same clinical detachment I would apply to any diplomatic challenge. The facts are clear: I am experiencing unprecedented physical attraction to Princess Dominique. This attraction is interfering with my professional judgment and operational efficiency. Standard stress-relief techniques provide only temporary respite.
The logical conclusion is that I must either find a way to permanently resolve this attraction or... address it more directly.
The second option carries significant risks and ethical complications. Yet as I adjust my collar, I find myself considering its merits with disturbing seriousness.
“AXIS, disengage privacy mode,” I command.
“Privacy mode disengaged, Agent Wi’kar,” the AI responds with unmistakable satisfaction. “I trust your stress-relief activities proved... beneficial to operational efficiency?”
The AI’s tone carries implications I choose not to examine. “Resume standard monitoring protocols. Status report on ship systems.”
“All systems functioning within normal parameters. Princess Dominique is resting in her assigned quarters. No external threats detected. Estimated time to Umbra-7: 6.2 hours at current velocity.”
Six hours. Sufficient time for proper rest before we reach our destination. The stress relief has indeed proven effective—for the first time since Dominique’s arrival, I feel my body settling into something approaching equilibrium.
“I will retire for the remainder of the transit,” I inform AXIS. “Maintain standard watch protocols. Alert me if Princess Dominique requires assistance or if any threats approach our position.”
“Acknowledged, Agent. Rest well.”
I settle onto my precisely made bed, expecting the usual light sleep that characterizes my rest periods during transit. Instead, exhaustion settles over me like ship’s gravity after a long jump. My body, finally released from the constant tension of suppressed arousal, surrenders to recuperation with unprecedented completeness.
For the first time in days, I sleep deeply.
I wake naturally, without alarms or emergency notifications—a luxury I have not experienced since beginning this mission. The chronometer indicates I have slept for 5.8 hours, longerthan any rest period in recent memory. More remarkably, I feel genuinely refreshed rather than merely functional.
The persistent tension that has plagued me since Dominique’s arrival has receded to manageable levels. My thought processes feel clearer, more focused. The constant awareness of her proximity remains, but it no longer overwhelms my ability to function professionally.
Perhaps AXIS was correct about the benefits of addressing physiological needs directly.
I complete my morning ablutions with typical efficiency, though I note my movements feel less rigid than usual. The uniform settles into place with familiar precision, yet somehow the fabric feels less constrictive. Even my reflection appears more... relaxed.
Satisfied with my appearance, I make my way toward the main lounge to check on our course adjustments and review our arrival protocols for Umbra-7. The corridor feels different somehow—less sterile, more lived-in. Perhaps extended occupancy by a second person has altered the ship’s atmosphere in subtle ways.
As I approach the main lounge, I detect voices—Dominique speaking with AXIS about navigation systems. Her tone carries curiosity rather than frustration, suggesting she has found productive ways to occupy herself during the transit.
I pause outside the entrance, observing her through the doorway before announcing my presence. The scene that greets me should represent chaos introduced into my ordered environment.
She has spread several star charts across the central table, their precise arrangement disrupted by handwritten notes and calculations. A selection of volumes from my poetry collection lie open beside the charts, their pages marked with small scraps of fabric she has apparently torn from somewhere. Most notably,she has removed her shoes and tucked her legs beneath her in the seating alcove—a posture that would violate numerous regulations regarding proper deportment if she were actually crew.
