The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

Year 3000

Chapter 4: ..And they lived underwater

The vast machine convulsed, components the size of small personal transports slid into place sending thick beams of energy toward the focus point. After a moment an object took shape. It was about 250mm long and had a handle of some hard organic substance, its main bulk consisted of a toughened steel tube with a spiral groove etched on it’s inside surface.

Dr Herbert had no idea what the thing was...other than the fact that it would be a meal ticket guaranteed to grant him an audience with the 14th Master himself.

* * *

Inbound, Achenar System.

“Still no contact from Atlantis?” asked the Captain

“None Sir. Other than automated space traffic control, and that’s handled by a satellite” replied Midshipman Sil

“Damned odd. Go to yellow alert. Mr. Hart plot an orbital search pattern. If there’s a pirate lurking about I want to know it. Mr Culverin, take Dr Hidalgo, and the three off duty middies, find out what’s going on”

“Sir, getting a hail from the surface. It’s from the Lagooner Reservation” interrupted Sil

“Mr Sil, set up a low level compliance field. I want him agreeing with anything we suggest.”

“Aye Sir. Putting him through”

Blue Static, You are not needed here. The place you call Atlantis chose to open its gates to the Shoal of kall’k’ck. We did not seek this joining, but welcome the gift of new hunters.” said the Lagooner it’s ugly face barely visible in the ink stained water that it used for air. “As there are no longer any air-breathers here, you will depart. Nothing here for you to protect. Seas are untainted with humans, we like it. We think we will keep it this way.”

The Captain glanced at Sil, who quickly cut the signal

“Speech pattern detector says he’s telling the truth. They didn’t do it..what ever ‘it’ was.. But are seeking to benefit from the lack of oversight.”

The Captain nodded and indicated to resume the signal.

“We aren’t going to go sun-diving until I’ve determined that there has been no crime committed. We will send an investigation team down.”

“This world is for waterbreathers now.”

“We only have one waterbreather aboard...if he led our expedition, would that satisfy the Shoal’s concern? Bluntly, it’s in your interest for us to prove you are innocent. The Protectorate is here for your benefit after all, if a crime has been committed the criminal needs to be re-educated.”

The Lagooner hesitated, it’s second eyelids blinking over its deep black eyes.

“Only four, including your waterbreather”

Without further comment or farewell the Lagooner cut the communication.

* * *

“Me?” gulped Garion

“You Mr Freeman. The Lagooner society is primitive, fiercely tribal and territorial. They don’t trust ‘air breathers’ or technology. They want someone they can talk to without being ‘offended’ by technology or air bubbles.” Explained Lt Culverin

“You called this a Reservation. To me that implies the lags aren’t allowed off planet?” said Silver pulling on his yellow skinsuit

“Correct. They are just too dangerous to alow normal interaction. Lagooner piss emits viral DNA, any water a Lag has gone swimming in is infectious. In a bad case the patient would mutate and become a Lagooner in less than 20 minutes.

For example; one of Garion’s ancestors had contact with contaminated water and his family still gets occasional Lag traits. The only solution was to dump them on the first water world the Protectorate could find.”

“You lot needn’t worry about contamination however. The injections I gave you will give temporary immunity, just try not to drink too much water.” interjected Doctor Hidalgo

“And Atlantis?”

“A small trade port, but mainly a home for several research labs. Of the human races the Lagooners are the strangest. They require study apparently.”

A loud clunk echoed through the shuttle. The craft had landed on the only part of Atlantis above water level.

The mushroom-like landing pad and Air Traffic Control room perched half a kilometre above the calm waveless oceans. Lacking a moon’s tidal pull waves on Atlantis were a surfer’s nightmare..non existent.

* * *

“That’s the best I can do” Announced Lt Culverin

Sealing the door and increasing air pressure had forced the water level in the ATControl room down to waist level. The water pressure at Atlantis itself was so great that the water level had risen up the shaft flooding the ATC and turning the landing pad into the galaxy’s tallest fountain.

There was a body. Just one. It had a bullet wound in its chest. Silver looked carefully around not wishing to disturb the corpse.

The Ship’s Cook wandered up beside him. Silver still hadn’t gotten the hang of the fact the ship’s doctor was called a cook.

“Talon’s blood! What the hell caused a wound like that?” exclaimed Dr Hidalgo.

Silver glanced over his shoulder in surprise. The doc didn’t know a bullet wound when he saw one? That wasn’t entirely good news.

“Lean him forward.” Suggested Silver

The Doctor obeyed, revealing exactly what Silver had expected and exclaiming again at the larger exit-wound.

“Shot with a hollow point, probably .45 calibre” explained Silver noting the looks of puzzlement on the other three faces. “a projectile weapon...fires a high density mass at supersonic velocity...see the hole in the monitor over there...same projectile did that after it finished its work here.”

He was beginning to guess what was up. The police on Tribeca had used hypnogenic hand weapons, in training the Blue Static had been fired at with simulated hypnogenic cannons. Obviously a hypno weapon was infinitely more efficient, it recruited as well as eliminated threats. Therefore no guns, the evil things probably hadn’t been used in centuries.

“It’s a weapon designed for one purpose only. Murder.”

“Can’t even clone the poor man” said the doctor sadly running a device Silver thought of as a ‘tricorder’ over the corpse.

“One thing we can be sure of” said Lt Culverin “No Lagooner did this. Way too technological. Silver see if you can get anything on the computer, CCTV or something. Freeman you’re up; get down the shaft and meet our fishy friends. We’ll join you later”

Garion nodded somewhat nervously and ducked underwater, swimming to the elevator. Unlike the rest he wore only his utility belt and swimsuit, a full skinsuit would have blocked his gills.

* * *

Far above, the sun glowed casting gentle patterns of light and shadow. Garion breathed deeply, enjoying the sensation of water flowing through his gills. Back home on Tribeca such a simple pleasure would have been frowned upon by the Office of the Confession.

It was curious but since becoming Crew he’d become less and less happy with how his home planet was run. It seemed his Crewmates understood him far better than his own people did. He was even contemplating re-enlistment after his tour was complete.

Apart from the body and an ocean full of sea-devils, Atlantis would be a pleasant place for a holiday, small one floor habitats laid out like interconnected mushrooms, Each with its own coral garden.

The only off key part of the place was the smashed open windows, open front doors,..and the fact that the place was utterly abandoned like some old horror tale. The shattered glass, he noted, was on the outside. The Atlantaens had let the sea in themselves.

Three dark shapes slid through the water with an ease that made him feel clumsy.

His family had always been ambiguous about Lagooners. Both detesting their ungodly origins and secretly feeling kinship, a hardwired longing for the black mutagenic waters that at least one distant and dis-owned cousin was rumored to have succumbed too.

They were of course hideous. Their legs partially atrophied and their penises grown long and finned, acting like a 6 ft long eel’s tail. They were also sleekly muscular in a way that was disturbingly arousing.

*The little brother finds us attractive*

Said a voice in his head.

*Feed him some piss-oil then and finish what his ancestor started. See! he hungers for the taste of it*

*Hold!* snapped the third, the larger of the three *Fools! We gain more by denying this one of his heritage.*

Garion wondered if they could hear his thoughts.

*Yes. We can*

No point hiding anything. He was here to find out what had happened. How had the lag tainted water gotten...

*Tainted!!* snapped an enraged thought.

He’d really have to be carefully what he thought. These musclebunnies could probably squeeze the water from his gills if they attacked.

*musclebunny?..he says such cute things*

He was here to find out what had happened in Atlantis. Were there any survivors? Or witnesses? Someone he could talk to.

The largest of the three Lagooners made a hand signal and his two companions sped away.

*They go to find witness.* came the thought. The Lagooner began circling around him.

*So business done. Now pleasure.*

Garion was scared. He’d seen pictures of Earth sharks. This felt the same.

*We are not animals or sea-devils Garion Freeman of the Protectorate Cruiser Blue Static. We are The Shoal of Kall’k’ck. Our ways are different, but we are still kin, your ancestor was nearly of us. I can do you some small favor little brother. I can plant a suggestion in your mind, the urge to quit the air world and rejoin us once your mission is complete. Once you return we will create a dark pond, swim through it but once and you will be one of us. *

Garion felt terrified...and also increasingly aroused. He just wished this Lagooner would be nice..not scary.

Suddenly the Lagooner was thrashing about clutching his head.

*Nnnh nice. Can I be nice to you Garion? Please? Can I? Huh? Pu-leasse*

Garion sucked in his breath the water feeling icy in his gills. The huge muscular aquatic was thinking like a puppy, Garion’s very own puppy, ready to sit up and do tricks.

Quickly Garion set his communicator to Silver’s private channel. “Silver! I..had another accident. The Lag Chieftain wants to be my kanging puppy”

“Remember what we discussed Garrion. Talk him back down to normal, use your ability to make it right”

“Yeah but when he was ‘normal’ he wanted to set up a post-hypno on me so that I would want to be lagoonified!”

“Calm down. Lagoonified isn’t a word...not on my spellchecker anyway. You are in control Garion, you are the Master, he’s the slave. Calm it down before it gets permanently fixated on you.”

*I know! I can show you where the females are. You’d like females Garion . The way their three breasts jiggle as they lay their egg-gardens. I’m gonna be a father squirting my seed over the egg-gardens, you can come too!* thought the Lagooner excitedly.

Garion was thoroughly grossed by the thought of a female Lag and even more by the fish-like breeding habits. Better bring this guy back to normal, like Silver said. It was tricky, he didn’t actually know what it was that he did to take control of people, so recreating the effect was a bit hit or miss.

“No, we won’t see the females with the nice triple breasts.”

*Ok!* replied the Lagooner happily.

“Now I want you to go back to how you were before I wanted you to be ‘nice’...but you mustn’t feel angry about what I did because it was an accident.”

*Why? I like being nice!.. I could tickle your nipples if you want* said the Lagooner, swimming close so that Garion’s field of vision was entirely filled with bulging muscular torso.

Garion tried again, projecting what he wanted..Still nothing.

The Lagooner’s clawed and webbed hand touched his pectoral in a gentle way. The ugly brute wanted to be ‘nice’ in ways Garion wasn’t at all ready for.

Garion tried again. This time it worked, he could feel the sensation of his thoughts hitting home. The Lagooner pushed off drifting back a few feet its penis/tail undulating.

*You are powerful Garion. If you became one of us, you would be leader, I would no longer look ugly to you and we could all serve your needs.* thought the Lagooner sadly. It was back to normal and seemed to accept that it’s love wouldn’t be returned.

Garion tried again. Wishing the Lagooner would just ‘get over it’.

The Lagooner stiffened slightly and then seemed much more like the dominant person he’d started out as.

“How’s it going?” asked Silver over the comm.

“He wanted to show me some triple breasted women...but he’s pretty much over it now. Ah...and here come his lieutenants. I’ll get back to you.”

The two lieutenants had returned with a smaller Lagooner held between them, his thick penis/tail the same length as his thin un-muscular legs. It seemed likely the legs had still some mass to lose and the tail a couple of feet of growth to finish.

*No! No! Air-place! Bad!* came the terrified thought.

Having had some experience with the Lagooner leader Garion had little trouble commanding the small one to be calm.

“I want you to think about what happened. I want to understand why Atlantis was deserted.”

*Yes Master!* agreed the small Lagooner, projecting an image direct into Garion’s mind....

* * *

One week earlier...

David wandered into the Temporal Physics lab holding the package that had arrived for Doc. Herbert. Mail delivery was one of the perks of the receptionist job, it allowed him to wander around and see all the weird-science projects.

He smiled to himself, Julia, his sister had also wanted the reception job, but Research Inc. was a traditionalist company, insisting that only the fittest 18 year old males were suitable for the front desk. She’d been muttering about positive discrimination for weeks now.

He stopped dead. Trying to comprehend what he was seeing. There was Doc. Herbert, standing to attention like he’d been shot with a Hypno...And stood in front of him ...a total babe, complete with ultra small bikini swimsuit.

She was 100% girl, there was no Hermaff cock bulge under that taught scrap of fabric.

She turned toward him and smiled. It seemed as if she was becoming even more beautiful in a dangerous sort of way, her eyes seeming to glow slightly.

David felt the lycra of his corporate swimsuit begin to bulge in the worst way.

“What’s your name?”

“D..david”

“And who am I?”

Time seemed to go strange for a while. Doctor Herbert was busy seemingly at fast forward speed trashing his lab. He wasn’t looking at the Doc anyway, he was just looking into those beautiful eyes and feeling something, a wind blowing through his mind. He had been asked a question, and finding the answer was important.

“Mistress?” he guessed

“That’s right. Good boy”

David felt happy in the warm glow of her approval. Was this how the obedient people on the Protectorate Worlds felt? If so he’d have to apply for immigration...if Mistress allowed of course.

“Dear Doctor Herbert has to destroy all his research, so we mustn’t disturb him.” she explained heading toward the door.

David nodded and turned to follow her swaying butt. She hesitated and looked at him as if deciding what to do.

“Here.” she said throwing him a small vial, which he caught instinctively “This needs to be poured into the colony water supply, don’t let anyone stop you now.”

She hesitated and then grinned maliciously “It’s concentrated Lagooner sperm, you can smear any leftovers on yourself.”

David looked at the tar-like stuff as if it were Dagon venom. This stuff wasn’t lethal, it was, like, totally mutagenic. It would completely ruin his ambitions as a front-desk twink answering Comm for the Corp. Hell, by the time it finished messing with his mind his top ambition would probably be to do with fish catching skills.

“You know you want to” added Mistress. Completely changing his attitude in an instant.

His hands were already fumbling with the clasps eager to get at the stuff. Mistress wanted him to be a Lagooner, so that’s what he’d become, the very best Lagooner she owned.

“Ah..Ah, not until after.” she warned. “Off you go now”

David turned on his heel and ran from the room his bag of mail discarded. The water reactor was right over at the far end of town. The device that split sea water into oxygen, hydrogen fuel and recombined it into drinking water was far too dangerous to have it closer.

* * *

Garion blinked, the memory projection from the small Lagooner seemed to go into fast forward, detailing a journey across the colony done at a full tilt run pushing people out of the way if they didn’t move fast enough.

The scene stabilized. A room filled with plumbing equipment and a vast storage tank. In front of David was a burly looking man in a Life-support Inc. swimsuit (blue wavy line motif).

* * *

“Hey! What the kang are you doing in ‘ere”

David tried to resist the Mistresses compulsion, but it simply wasn’t happening. He dipped his fingers in the now empty vial and smeared the contents in a long black line across his pectorals. The evil stuff vanished into his skin almost as soon as it touched.

The compulsion finished he collapsed to the ground, head in hands.

“I couldn’t help myself! I couldn’t help myself!” he sobbed.

* * *

Fast forward again. This time David was in the port security office.

He was still saying ‘I couldn’t help myself!’ but that was only so he didn’t have to answer any real questions.

His insides were squirming, getting ready for the outward changes. It was vital they not figure it out and administer the anti-serum. He wasn’t really the same person he’d been earlier, thankfully. If necessary he was quite ready now to resist violently.

In the back of his mind he felt someone looking at him, fast sleek and powerful; the dominant male inspecting his newest acquisition. There was a smile associated with the scrutiny, a sharp toothed smile, predatory. The dominant one knew what the human David had done and that the last vestiges of human David were long since subsumed. Now it was time for David of the Shoal of kall’k’ck to finish the job.

David stopped the rocking, hugging himself and chanting, looking the human straight in the eye. The Shoal leader demanded his action.

“I’ll tell you everything. Just..I Need a smoke, steady my nerves” As soon as he’d said it he knew he should have put more emotion into it.

The PortSec Officer frowned distrustfully.

“Please!” begged David remembering how weak human David was and using that pathetic tone.

Still not entirely buying it the PortSec pulled out his lighter and a filter tipped Marlboro-Ganga.

The PortSec leaned across the table aiming the tiny laser-lighter at the tip of the Ganga. David moved with the speed of a striking shark grabbing the lighter and aiming its heat beam at the interrogation cell’s smoke detector pulled its trigger.

The PortSec cursed as the room’s sprinkler activated and then backhanded David across the room. Having busted up countless starport brawls the PortSec knew how to put a man down fast... and this twink of a suspect was going to pay for getting him wet.

David smiled, feeling the soothing touch of the water on his skin, feeling the squirming quicken as the water added its own transforming message to that already in his blood.

He felt his cock harden in anticipation.

The PortSec officer was looking at his hands in puzzlement, feeling the changes without understanding.

David got up off the floor dabbing at his bruised lip; taking the PortSec by the hand he guided him so that he was directly below the sprinkler head.

After a moment’s hesitation the PortSec began rubbing the water into his skin.

David moved down the PortSec’s body and peeled off the officer’s uniform swimsuit and applied his DNA laden saliva to the cock before him.

Gradually beginning to understand what was to come the PortSec spread his legs wide and bent over so that his ass was fully exposed.

Inserting his cock turned out to be trickier than David had expected, instead of jutting upward/outward when hard, it now tended to point downward, presumably in preparation for its final role as his tail. With his legs in the way the coupling was an awkward partial penetration, but still sufficient for his purpose.

His dark cum splattered the PortSec’s ass crack in copious amounts causing his new brother to gasp in pleasure. Eager to accelerate matters he rubbed his dark juices into the PortSec’s cock and balls.

“We need to get away, outside into the water where The Shoal can instruct us” said David.

“Yes. But there may be a way to help the other humans first” replied his new brother.

David followed his new brother out into the main Port Security Office. Fortunately the sprinklers had activated all through this sector. Five new brothers and three sisters stood under the sprinklers accepting the gift the mystery women had given them without yet understanding what was happening to them. Fortunately instinctive loyalty to one’s species was the first adaptation to occur.

Taking David by the hand his new brother guided him to one of the consoles.

“This thing controls the sprinklers in all the areas of the city.”

David realized that the new one sought his leadership, his permission. He was further along in his evolution and therefore expected to understand more clearly what should be done.

Without hesitation he activated the sprinklers in all sectors. In a few moments everyone in Atlantis would understand, as he did, that the savage tribes surrounding Atlantis were their kin and their destiny.

The new brother pointed at another of the viewscreen things, they could watch it happening from there.

All over Atlantis humans got up from their workplaces complaining briefly about the unexpected wetting. Only to find after a few moments that it was a fine day to get wet, and naked, and sexual. Slowly the waters would wash their cares away, and after a short time they too would hear the Shoal’s call and understand their place in nature’s plans.

Naturally some lucky brothers and sisters were progressing even faster having been taking a shower in the last half hour or having drunk from a water fountain

David felt a little envious particularly when he saw the girl who’d been taking a bath (now overflowing). She was already breathing the water and a small third breast was beginning to grow in, pushing its twins aside to make beautiful rack of three...so erotic to his new eyes.

* * *

Garion looked at the Lagooner before him. Clearly this one had been David and was immensely proud of the numbers new Lagooners he had added to his Shoal.

Garion flicked open the Comm.

“Lt Culverin. It was sabotage. One of the Atlantaen was compelled to put Lagooner mutagen into the water supply. Unfortunately he remained rational enough to then activate the settlement’s fire suppression system infecting the entire population.

Also..You should check for any records on a Dr Herbert . The bitch who started this was interested in destroying his research. Eliminating the humans on Atlantis was just her way of tidying up. Freeman Out”

* * *

Silver turned to the database quickly bringing up the Atlantis personnel files. This was all adding together to give some intriguing answers. Dr Herbert, a researcher of Time, killed by a weapon not seen in centuries.

“Sir? What is the deal with Time Travel research, why would anyone on a place like Atlantis be interested in it?”

Lt Culverin shrugged. “They aren’t interested in it. It’s a hold over from the First Master’s time. He left binding instructions that ‘Temporal research should continue until such time as a working time machine was invented or his Thief was returned to him’ The big research corporations get some tax breaks for running a temporal physics lab, that’s all.”

Silver felt a pang of sadness and love. His Master had never forgotten him and had even taken steps to rescue him.

“And none of them have succeeded in making a time machine?”

“Of course not. They’ve been very careful not to. That would end the tax credit now wouldn’t it” replied the cynical lieutenant

Silver’s face reddened in fury. His Master’s wishes being abused this way, disgraceful! It was like a fresh wound...but then he stopped to think about it. To these people Troy Masterson was just a historical figure who’d ordered all sorts of things that might no longer apply; like the bible’s good ol’ Leviticus and the ‘stone to death blasphemers who wear mixed fabrics’ commandment...yeah that one had really lasted.

“I think that’s what this is all about Sir. I think Dr Herbert succeeded in making a time machine..or at least temporal fish-net.”

“Go on”

“He was murdered with a projectile weapon, a gun; that sort of weapon has to be damn rare especially way out here. I think he or his killer pulled that weapon through time.”

“That’s pretty kanging fanciful Midshipman, and where’s the weapon?” replied Culverin

“Well anyhow, that’s my theory.” He finished lamely.

At that moment Garion emerged from the flooded elevator shaft, holding his nose and snorting water from his gill slits so that he could revert to breathing air.

Dr Hidalgo ran his ‘tricorder’ over the handsomely wet young midshipman.

“You’re clean, Freeman. No sign of Lag DNA..get some of the crew to give you a thorough soaping once we get back aboard ‘Cleanliness is next to Masterliness’ as they say.”

“I’m sure the other Midshipman can help him with that Doctor” grinned Lt Culverin giving the swimsuit-covered rear a squeeze.

“As you command!” replied Silver giving Garion a broad wink. As usual Mr Garion ‘I’m-not-gay’ Freeman blushed deeply his skin-tight swimwear defining exactly what he really thought about having his bunkmates giving him a thorough cleaning.

“Is that color natural Mr Ship’s Cook?” grinned Lt Culverin evilly

“I would have to do further tests of course, but I think it’s not serious” confided Dr Hidalgo an equal grin on his own face.

“Permission to speak freely.” requested the dripping, blushing midshipman.

“Oh this should be good. By all means, speak freely”

“I would request that the lieutenant take a vibratory probe and use it upon himself.”

“What do think Mr Silver?”

“Garion’s insults definitely need work Sir. I will try to teach him a few choice ones you may not have encountered”

“Oh, you are in for a real spanking later” hissed Garion glaring at Silver.

“Anyway. I figure we’re done here gentlemen.” said Lt Culverin “The Atlantaens aren’t interested in re-occupying their homes and our murderer is long gone...Mr Silver’s wild speculations aside, we’re not going to find our criminal unless there’s an ion trail through Achenar’s photosphere.”

* * *

“...insert a vibratory probe?”

“That was the best you could do?” asked Sil in mock disappointment

“Well, working on that as the base insult you should have at least specified he insert it sideways“ added 534 Kai helpfully.

The five midshipmen sat backs against their compartment’s wall, each with a hand comfortably resting on the next middy cock.

“So Garion, how good was this fishy boyfriend of yours? You were down there ‘negotiatin’ for nearly four hours.” Smirked Hamiltim

Garion blushed again wishing for the thousandth time that his complexion didn’t show it quite that well. Ham didn’t know about his ‘little accidents’, particularly as one of those accidents had changed Ham from compartment bully to loyal friend on their first night together.

“I’m sure those lags found his body totally irresistible. I know I do.” said 534 Kai with his ingenuous clone honesty. Everyone expected him to be completely guileless, nobody expected him to be capable of flattery or subtle maneuver in his search of a cock to eat. Kai played on their misconceptions like a master musician.

“Oh yeah. He wanted my butt alright..but only to introduce me to that ghastly triple breasted girlfriend of his.” sighed Garion theatrically

Causing a another round of Crewman-like camaraderie

“Midshipman Silver. Report to the briefing room” came Lt Swift’s high pitched voice over the intercom

“Crap!” muttered Silver “Is my body paint ok?”

“Stand up I’ll check you....you got a slight smudge to the midshipman stripe just above the nipple. Turn around... Your Ship’s insignia got smudged to buggery when I came on your butt, sorry”

“Hold still, I’ll redraw it” offered Sil getting his paintbrushes.

“I’ve got the front” offered Ham.

Silver stood patiently as his shipmates hastily re-touched his rank marks and the delicate heraldic crest that occupied the spot where ass and spine met. Each ship had its unique insignia and it was a matter of pride and honor to have your ShipMaster’s mark on prominent display. It would reflect badly on the other midshipmen if the insignia wasn’t applied correctly to their shipmate’s butt.

Silver sprinted for the briefing room his insignia only just dry. Seeing his haste the other crewmen pressed themselves against the wall. They recognized the haste of a master’s summons and sought not to obstruct him.

The briefing room came as a shock. Its holographic walls had been set to mimic a well-known saloon of 1880’s New Orleans. This was no rough gunslinger’s hole however; this was a place a ‘gentlemen’ might visit.

Silver could think of only one reason the Captain, his temporary Master, might choose this illusion. He must suspect the truth...even if he was about 120 years off. Still, there was still the possibility that it was just chance, better to play along he decided.

“Sir. Midshipman Silver reporting as ordered.”

“Do you like the decor? According to the ship’s computer it’s appropriate to the era your murderous weapon might have come from.

Silver relaxed slightly, the Captain hadn’t quite stumbled on his rather unusual origin after all.

“Impressive, Master. The digital display on the pendulum clock is inaccurate however, it should have a circular face with hours marked about its edge.”

“Really? How extraordinary. Care for some Quaffee?” asked the Captain picking up a delicate looking glass that might well have been the only ‘real’ object in the room.

“Am I on duty or off duty sir? I have heard of Quaffees that can make a man delightfully submissive. I wouldn’t want my efficiency impaired.”

“Both, neither. Quaffee’s an acquired taste. It can make a untrained or unsuspecting mind highly compliant. You of course are neither untrained nor unwary.”

Silver locked his eyes on the Ship’s Master and downed the coffee-like drink in a single draught. Despite the Kai’s experiences there was no blurring of his mind or sudden total compliance that the clone had experienced.

“Did I tell you I like mysteries Mr Silver?”

“I don’t believe so Sir”

“The current mystery that is attracting my attention is you Silver, you and your rather amazing deductions. At first glance they seem to be pure fantasy... until I searched the ship’s memory and came up with this rather remarkable era” said the Captain gesturing around him. “For about 250 years they really did produce weapons similar to the one you describe. More disturbingly I ran a rough check on lab accident statistics, seems Temporal labs are getting exponentially more accident prone; that will need to be reported upon.”

“So..I was right”

“You were. Although we didn’t find any evidence of the weapon” replied the Captain placing his hand on Silver’s thigh.

Silver looked at the hand, interesting, and not unwelcome. The Captain, being only a brain housed deep in the ship, could choose exactly how he appeared. It was his habit to manifest himself as a muscularly athletic boy Silver had once known...a lucky choice, one that upped the sexual attraction several notches.

The Captain’s body of choice was a construct of muscular perfection, each muscle defined to the exactly correct degree with no bicep too large or abdominal too small.

As a fully programmed member of the crew Silver found himself more than willing to ease the Captain’s sexual needs letting the young virtual hand move further up his leg toward an erection that had thankfully survived the other middies attentions earlier.

Actually his crew programming told him this was an honor with a rank and duty attached. To be the Captain’s favorite was to be the ‘Ship’s Boy’, another of those odd 18th century-isms...it was a role he would be proud to occupy naturally.

“What do you intend to do about it Sir?” asked Silver glancing down at his cock in a fever of pre-ordained desire whilst still half referring to his deductions about the assassin.

What happened next must have been part martial arts move and part holographic reformatting. He was led on a saloon bar that was as soft as a feather bed against his back, The Captain was sat astride his waist and his cock was fully plugged into the Captain’s rear squeezed by a furnace-like ring of fire.

The Captain’s hands held his wrists. He was trapped; but it was a lover’s trap and he had no intention of disappointing his Masterful captor.

“I intend to get to the bottom of the mystery...naturally” replied the Captain bending down to kiss him with a suppleness and passion only the fittest athlete or a hologram could manage.

“I will do all I can to ensure that you do Sir” replied Silver giving his hips a thrust and returning the kiss.

For a disembodied brain the Captain had an extensive repertoire of sexual moves...a Master in two senses of the word.

* * *

The craft was far smaller than the Blue Static, lacking the kilometre wide solar sails or triple barreled 300mm hypnogenic lasers, designed to take advantage of entirely different means of propulsion it had no need of such bulk.

The pilot smiled to himself. The fools would never solve the crime. The witnesses were all busy learning to hunt fish, each eager to forget his or her previous life.

The gun that Dr Herbert had pulled through time had decomposed into iron oxide as a thousand years of entropy caught up with it.

As for the beautiful woman the Lagooner had described, well that particular skin had been shed and later devoured by some of his ship’s less picky occupants.