The Talent

"Satisfaction Guaranteed," the billboard ad had said. No kidding! Malina gave me a blowjob to remember. She'd made it last over 20 minutes. At least, the clock on the wall say I've been here half an hour, and I figure we spent about 10 minutes on preliminaries: payment, getting to know one another, kissing, fondling. I knew her body by sight, touch, smell, and taste and she knew mine the same way. And I had never been bored or impatient that whole 30 minutes. She'd always gone on to the next step before I was aware I wanted to.

And the afterglow... my skin tingled. Not just the usual satiated feeling in my cock and balls, but all over. I didn't even need to move to feel pleasure, and wherever my fur touched hers it was exquisite.

So here I was, cuddled up with a vixen I'd just met 30 minutes ago. I'm definitely coming back to Lady Fauna's whenever Alcima stops at Midway. That'll be pretty often: the Confederation assigned us to this and the two adjacent sectors, and Midway is the largest port in this sector. Not only that, it hosts a Confederation base with full refitting capability. The price here is high, but easily affordable on a Commander's salary.

We shared a leisurely snack that Malina ordered, then it was time for me to return to Alcima. I whistled and gestured and a goat pulled his pedicab up to the curb-- it was machine powered, but the folks on Midway are big on tradition, so it was still a "pedicab" -- back to base. "Commander Denzil, returning."

"You're looking pleased with yourself," Lieutenant Abrahms said, grinning.

I grinned back. "Got a good reason."

"Oh, right, you were at Lady Fauna's. Guess you do."

"I relieve you, sir."

"Thank you, sir." The lynx saluted me; I returned it, then sat down at the duty desk and started making notes. There was a lot to do in the 5 days before our planned departure. Between the paperwork, the real work, and double-checking the Black Gang (engine room workers), it was almost four whole days before I could grab another liberty.

---

I was deep inside Malina, her legs wrapped around my butt urging me slowly in and out of her. The sensation was indescribable. And then a voice seemed to whisper in my ear: Kill her. Take her stockings and strangle her to death.

NO WAY! As an officer of the Confederation Forces, I'm supposed to protect people, not kill them. Not to mention having no desire to get the needle for murdering a local!

Malina chose that moment to pull me in deeper and faster. The pleasure was unendurable. I screamed as I filled her with my semen. Oh, yeah! A few seconds later, I collapsed on top of her, exhausted. But somehow not totally satisfied. What's going on?

The vixen frowned. "A labr'nit for your thoughts, Brad. You seem tense suddenly. Have I not pleased you? Is something wrong? Something more you need to be completely satisfied?"

"Umm..." I hesitated. A Confederation Labor Unit wasn't exactly a fortune, but it was worth a lot more than the "penny" in the cliche that she was mimicking. Then... "I'm fine, Malina, really. Just thinking about having to leave you and return to my ship. It's making me a little blue."

"Well," she said, "your leave lasts until midnight, right? And you've paid for the entire evening. Stay a while, we can cuddle, and when you're ready we can go again. Let me show you what I can do. And maybe we can discuss what it is you need."

"Well..."

"I won't have you leave even a little unsatisfied. 'Complete Satisfaction Guaranteed' is our motto, but it's more than that. It's inborn. An early mutation that spread through the population on Midway. Whether it's an ice cream cone, a steak dinner, a Holosuite movie, or a session with a courtesan, there is nothing we won't do to satisfy the customer. Nothing."

I wasn't about to turn down an offer like that. We had sex dog-style, then we rested some more, then she gave another blowjob even better than the first. Wow! But every time I kept hearing this voice telling me: _ Strangle her to death. _

I returned to Alcima, satiated but somehow not entirely satisfied. Lady Fauna had canceled the charge for the evening, over my protestations that I'd gotten everything I paid for. "We want our clients to be completely satisfied. Anything less is unacceptable and we cannot and will not charge for it."

Malina kissed me again as I was walking out the door, long and hard. I tore myself away and got back to the ship with two minutes to spare. We took off under grav drive three hours later. The XO relieved me as soon as we were clear of atmosphere, and I went to my cabin for some much-needed sleep.

---

Another planet, another "house": Nikki's Place on Oya 3. I was 6" deep in a wonderfully tight civet named Dodi. The sensations from her "snapper" were incredible. Without thinking about it, I put my hands around her neck.

"Mmm... that feels nice, lover," she cooed.

I sped up a little and started to squeeze.

"Yeah, like that, hon..."

I squeezed harder. I was getting close. I needed... I squeezed as hard as I could. She started to struggle, tried to pry my hands off her neck, but I was too far gone in the sensations... she grabbed my nose and twisted, hard.

That hurt! I let go, frustrated. then I realized that I'd nearly strangled her to death.

"Oh.... I'm sorry," I said, "I just lost track..."

"I figured," she said. "Look, you lie down and I'll get on top. And keep your hands to yourself."

"Yes," I said, my face reddening in shame.

We switched positions, and she started milking me with her cunny. It didn't take long for me to explode inside her. "Yes, _yes, Yes, YES!!" _ I shouted.

It was better sex than I'd had anywhere except Midway. But it somehow still wasn't quite enough.

---

It was even worse on Epona at Madam Mona's Parlor of Delights. The kinkajou under me wasn't having any: as soon as I started to squeeze, she reached out and touched a hidden switch. Seconds later the room was full of three big cats: a snow leopard, a tiger, and a puma They had an average height of 220 cm, and all had shoulders the traditional two axe-handles across. They frog-marched me down the hall and out the door, then tossed my clothes out after me. I got dressed with a crowd cheering me, some of the femmes ogling my physique.

I was banned, not only from Mona's but from every House on Epona. I'd had to go back to Alcima and jack off in my cabin.

---

About a week out of Epona, we got a yellow light (non-urgent repair) on Engine #3. Shaelyn, the only prey species in the Black Gang, installed a part upside down and nearly ruined the engine. I would normally have taken her aside to a quiet spot and found out what was distracting her from her work, then worked with her to eliminate the problem. Instead, I lost my temper and discussed my opinion of the pika's competence, in some detail, in front of her mates.

The other engine-room peons muttered a little for the next week or so. Taking notice would have made things worse, so I ignored it.

---

I was not a slow learner. By the time Alcima arrived on Legia three weeks later, I'd realized that I simply must not let my hands go around a femme's neck. Brenna was happy to tie my hands to the headboard and give me a blowjob. It was fantastic, maybe not quite up to Malina's but still left me feeling drained. Then she spent a couple of hours cuddling with me, playing with me until I felt up to a second round. And again my hands were tied above my head while Brenna rode me slowly to a screaming, thrashing orgasm.

Even after a substantial dinner, I felt limp as a dishrag, but I was still not really satisfied.

---

About a week after we left Legia, I got a text from the Executive Officer. My office, two bells. No clue as to why he wanted to see me, but I made sure to be there promptly, and knocked on his door just as the first bell sounded.

"Commander Denzil reporting as ordered, sir."

The XO gestured to a chair. "Sir." I sat.

He got right to the point. "I've gotten some good news, but it raises a problem."

I didn't say anything.

"I'm going to be detached from Alcima when we get to Midway, and transferred to another ship. My first command."

I rose and offered my hand. "Congratulations, sir."

"Yes. And that brings me to my dilemma. You are clearly the most qualified officer to replace me. Or you were, until a few weeks ago. But not now. The efficiency ratings of all three departments that report to you have slipped." The XO looked me in the eyes. "Do you have any idea what is wrong?"

"I've been on edge for over a month now, but I really don't know why."

"Hmmmm...." The XO paused, thinking. "Well, I'd suggest you see the Chaplain. Maybe she can help. If you can get your departments back to full efficiency by the time we get to Midway, you'll probably be our next XO. If not, you'll stay in your present position: no promotion until and unless you solve the problem."

"Yes, sir." There was a sinking feeling in my stomach. But I was sure I could manage; I just needed some time to think.

---

I was feeling the strain by the time we got back to Midway. It could have been worse: I'd managed to relieve the pressure on Indira. A doe rabbit named Candace at Master Christopher's had helped me. I'd wrapped a cord around her neck and strangled her -- hard -- while I screwed her silly. I'd cum into her a few seconds after she lost consciousness, her cunt gripping me like a vise. I'd held on for almost a minute longer, then the safety monitor (a tigress) reached out and cut the silken cord with a pair of scissors.

It wasn't perfect, but it cheered me up, and the performance of my crews picked up in response.

And then were were back on Midway. I was in the first leave rotation. Off to Malina to seek relief.

Malina was ready with a plate of tiny but exquisite chocolates and a half-bottle of a crisp white wine. We made out, and when we were ready she got on top and rode me slowly, letting the pleasure build until I couldn't stand it any more, then bounced up and down on me until I screamed and filled her with my semen. Afterward, she stroked my thighs, my chest, kissed my nipples lightly, gradually bringing me down from the high of orgasm. Then she held me and whispered endearments until I fell asleep in her arms. I woke up about two hours later. Malina had changed into a different sexy outfit. There was a cart next to her with some refreshments she'd ordered us: hors d'oeuvres with caviar topping, tiny little pastries with cheese, cookies dipped in fine chocolate, and another half-bottle, this time a soft Merlot. We nibbled this and that, and soon I realized that I was ready again. I kissed her passionately, letting my lips roam all over her body, while she kissed any part of me she could reach. I was reaching for her cleft, planning to finger her until she was wet and panting, when I heard that damn voice again.

_ Strangle her _, the voice whispered. Malina looked at me, her head tilted to one side as if looking for a different angle. "Brad, is there something special you want? Something you need?"

"How did... uh... no. Nothing."

_ Strangle her. Then you will be satisfied. From now on, true sexual satisfaction will end in your partner's death. _

I was horrified. I can't do that. I don't want to kill her, I thought.

_ Yes you do. It will satisfy you like no other pleasure. _

Malina looked at me again. "Are you hearing a voice whispering to you?" she asked.

"Uhh..."

She wrapped her arms around me and kissed me. "You are. I know you are."

"How do you know?"

"I have a Talent. All Midway natives have it. We can sense when the customer isn't satisfied. It's especially strong in me, that's at least partly why I became a courtesan. I feel unhappy because you are, in some way, not fully satisfied."

"But that doesn't explain the voice..." I heard the words come out of my mouth, and realized that I had just admitted to hearing a voice. Was I going crazy?

"The voice is part of the Talent. Many clients have desires that they're a little reluctant to say aloud: spanking, a little bondage, golden showers, maybe they want to be rimmed. For those, our Talent lends them the courage to ask for what they want, either in words, or by pushing the courtesan into the right position."

"But, I..."

"But some have desires that are more... unusual. Something they think Society will disapprove of, or that their own conscience rebels again. For them, the Talent takes the form of a voice whispering in their head, telling them what they need."

I could feel my face turning red.

"Tell me what your voice says. I'll take care of it, whatever it is. There are no limits here."

"But the voice says..."

Malina hugged me tight; I could feel her tits, all four of them rubbing against me. "Hold on a second," she said, then pressed a button on the wall. "I'm recording this statement: Nothing you say here will be used against you in any way, not even to refuse you service or limit the services available to you in Lady Fauna's House."

She released the button. "Now go ahead. What you say is between you and me."

"Well, I... The... the voice says I should strangle you to death with your stockings."

"Tcha! The Talent has no imagination. Stockings are so old hat."

"Wait, you.. you aren't upset that...that the voice is... telling me to... to kill you?"

"No limits, remember? But instead of stockings..." Malina opened a cabinet and pulled out a piece of thin rope. "How about a nice silk cord?" She looked at me a moment, then shook her head.

"No, I guess not." She pulled a drawer open, got out a long piece of silk, and wrapped it around her neck. "Well, how about this scarf?"

I stared at the scarf. It was gorgeous. Dozens of different colors swirled around. I couldn't quite make out the unifying pattern, but there was one, I was sure of that. I wanted that scarf. _ Use the scarf, Brad _, the voice whispered.

"Scarf okay?" she asked.

_ More than okay , the voice whispered. **_It's perfect.**

"It's perfect," I heard my voice say.

"Good boy," she cooed, and came back to plaster herself against me. "Now, let's make plans. You'll want to be inside me while you do it, won't you?"

_ Fuck her while you kill her, yes _, the voice whispered, _ Cum in her as she dies! _

"Yes."

"Okay. It'll take a couple of hours before you're ready to really enjoy that, so why don't we order dinner and a bottle of wine, yes?"

"Okay."

Malina opened a drawer and handed me a menu. I looked over it. "You do paella? I had paella on Buenaventura once, and it was wonderful."

"If ours isn't better, this entire evening is free. All of it."

Malina glanced at the menu and picked up the phone. "For me, start with a carpaccio. Then lamb sirloin au vin, two thin slices. Baked potato with butter. Broccoli with cheese sauce. For the client, sherried mushrooms. then a paella, extra lobster. A salad for two to clear the palate. Then..." she paused, looking at me, then went on. "...Chamberry." Pause. "Inclusive... Yes." She turned to me, "Chamberry is a local fruit with the texture of cherries but a flavor that is somewhere between strawberry and black raspberry."

"Yum."

"While we're waiting, there's a couple of things to plan. We'll do it in missionary position?" I nodded. "You'll wrap the scarf around my neck and pull really hard?... Yes. My hands tied to the headboard... yes. My feet tied... no, you'll want me to wrap them around your butt and pull you in, you like for the girl to be active, not just lie there."

"Wait, how do you know all that?"

"Partly from your eyes; they widen when you like something. Partly from another part of your body that changes size. And mostly... the Talent."

"Well, keep it up, you're batting a thousand."

"What?"

"An Earth expression, meaning a perfect score, no misses."

"Oh. Good. Now, payment. Snuff costs extra, of course. Lady Fauna will lose all the income I'd be generating over the next three years. But you don't have to pay that much extra."

"Wait! Snuff? We're planning a fantasy, that I'll strangle you a little bit and you'll play dead. Right?"

"For somebody with this desire, the fantasy can never be as good as the reality. No. You must actually strangle me to death. And I'll enjoy it as much as you do."

"But..."

"We are going to start having sex. Once you're inside me, you're going to wrap the scarf around my neck and pull, hard, so I can't breathe. And you'll hold it like that until you hear that bell..." she pointed at a bell on the wall of the room, "... ring once. That means my heartbeat is getting weaker. Then you will speed up and cum inside me, perhaps just seconds before the bell rings twice, which will tell you that my heart has stopped completely."

"But I can't do that."

"Of course you can. You need to. And..." she pushed the button again. "I hereby give Commander Bradford Denzil permission to strangle me to death during sex, providing he pays the usual amount." She released the button. "There. I have recorded my permission for you to snuff me. To fuck me and strangle me and cum inside me while I'm dying."

"But it would cost... I can't possibly pay that much."

"Don't give up until you know the price." Malina pushed another button. "Rex, what is my snuff price right now?"

There was a short delay, then "Four hundred thirty five," a male voice responded.

"Is that 435 Labr'nits?" She nodded. "But I earn that much in... I can afford that. My shore leaves will be pretty minimal for the next 6 months, but I can do it."

"You see?"

"Yes, but..."

"The only but involved is this one," she answered, patting her rear end. "It's my ass, and my neck. All you have to do is pay 435 r'nits. That includes everything we've done so far, dinner and drinks, and whatever we do while we're waiting for you to get ready. Okay?"

I hesitated. Was I really willing to kill this beautiful young vixen? _ Do it _, the voice whispered.

"Okay," I answered aloud.

"Now come back and cuddle me some more."

We lay on the bed, bodies pressed against each other, kissing occasionally, until there was a knock on the door. "Come," she called out.

A caracal in a maid's outfit wheeled in a cart and set two dishes on the table. "Call when you want the dessert." She closed the door behind her as she left.

Malina uncovered two dishes, put the mushrooms in front of me and the carpaccio in front of herself. We dug in. Then came the entrée. I tasted mine. Terrific! I made a circle with my thumb and forefinger. "You're right, this is better than Buenaventura's paella. Surprising, really. Buenaventura was mostly settled by people from Old Spain's eastern coast."

"Yes, but they don't have Talent."

"Mmmm...hmmm" I mumbled, my mouth full of rice, sausage, and lobster meat.

Forty five minutes later, we'd disposed of the entrée and the salad. Malina kissed me again, then encouraged me to play with her breasts, her ass, caress her neck. A while later, she looked down between my legs; I was only partly erect. "Ready for the chamberries?" she asked

I considered the state of my insides. There seemed to be some room there. "Sure. It feels like maybe the paella has tamped down some."

"Good." She picked up the phone. "We're ready for dessert now."

The same maid arrived a couple of minutes later, bringing in a cart with a covered frying pan over a chafing dish. She turned up the heat until bubbles formed around the edge of the pan, then turned the flame off again.

"What?" I whispered to Malina.

"Just watch," she whispered back.

The caracal took a bottle with a pour spout and tilted it until it was just short of upside down. A stream of brown liquid flowed into the pan. She pulled a strange-looking tool from under the cart; it looked sort of gun-like. I tensed up, but Malina caressed me and I relaxed.

Malina clapped her hands and almost all the lights turned off, just a tiny glow from over the door. The maid did something and a flame came out of the tool. She held it over the edge of the pan and blue flames leaped up all over the pan. They danced around the liquid.

The maid got two plates and a tub of ice cream out from under the cart. She put a generous scoop of ice cream on each plate, then ladled the still-burning liquid over them. She put one in front of me and one in front of Malina. "Enjoy," she smiled, and walked gracefully out of the room. "Well, dig in." Malina said, as the flames died down.

I picked up my spoon and tasted it. It was delicious! The fruity flavor and crisp texture of the berries contrasted nicely with the smoothness of the ice cream, the whole complemented by a dark not-quite-burned flavor from the sauce. "Yum." I said.

"Yes, yum!" Malina said, eating her dessert slowly.

I was feeling kind of full after all that, so we just lay there side-by-side on the bed, hips and shoulders touching. Chatting about everything except what I was going to do to her when we felt up to it. everything except what she planned for me to do to her. We stayed like that for a little less than two hours.

After a while, I reached out to cup her breast with my right hand. She reached out and rubbed my chestfur. It felt nice. We stayed like that for a while, then rolled over to face each other. She put her arms around me and we hugged, chest-to-chest, thigh-to-thigh, her forepaws holding my butt.

She kissed me. I kissed her back. The kisses became deeper. I was starting to get hard again, and she rubbed her mons against me. Kissing led to necking, which led to groping. I kissed my way down her body, stopping a while to worship her nipples, her bellybutton, then to worship her font with my lips and tongue. She wriggled and moaned, but a couple of minutes later pulled me up to kiss her face again.

Then she returned the favor, taking me in her mouth until I was rock hard and panting for breath. "Ready?" she asked.

"Oh, yeaaah!"

Malina reached out and got that scarf out of the drawer. She also pulled out a piece of rope with a funny-looking knot at one end. She tied the rope to the wall fixture at the head of the bed. She tied one end of the scarf there too, then wound it twice around her neck. That left about 4' of scarf lying loose on the bed.

My vixen -- I thought of her as my vixen now -- lay down with her legs spread. I knelt between her thighs and slid slowly into her. Her cunny gripped me like nothing else I'd ever felt. It was exquisite! And knowing that I was going to do what I'd been longing to do made it even better.

Malina put her feet on my naked butt and pulled me into her. YES! I started moving, savoring the sensations. She used her feet to pull me deep, then let me pull back for another stroke. And again and again...

She stopped after a couple of minutes. "Brad?"

"Yes, dearest."

"You called me 'dearest!' I'm so happy!" She paused and smiled up at me. "It's time for the last act of our play."

"Yes!"

Malina put her hands together above her head. "Slip that rope around my wrists and pull it tight so I can't escape."

I did as she asked. She tugged at the knot, but couldn't budge it. "Good. Now pull on the scarf. Gently at first. You'll know when to pull harder, when to really strangle me."

I hesitated. _ Do it. Pull just a little _.

I pulled on the scarf. "Yes, that's right," she said, her voice already raspy. "Now fuck me!"

I started moving, a little faster, a little deeper. As the pleasure built, I tightened the scarf around her neck.

"More," she said in a strangled voice.

I pulled harder, but slowed down. I didn't want to cum too soon. _ It's time. _

The voice was right. I pulled just a little harder and saw Malina's eyes widen as she realized that even the tiny trickle of air she'd been getting had stopped, and that she would never have another. _ Yes. Do me. All the way._ But her legs continued to urge me in and out of her, slowly, prolonging the pleasure for both of us.

After a minute I saw just a little fear in the doe-vixen's eyes, but she still smiled up at me. Her legs fell onto the bed and her toes curled up as she strained for air.

I hilted myself in her and stayed that way. Any more stimulation and I'd be cumming much too soon. _ Wait for it _, the voice said, and I realized that I was hearing Malina's voice whispering in my head.

Time passed. Malina's head tilted back and her mouth opened as she tried to gasp in more air. Her chest muscles strained to breathe, but breathing was now denied her. Then her left leg bent, lifting her foot into the air, then straightened again. Her right leg did the same.

More seconds. Malina convulsed, her back arching, her head bent back, her legs stretched out to their limit and helping lift her back off the bed. Then her body stretched out as straight as it could, and her cunt muscles rippled around my erection. My vixen was having her final orgasm. But I didn't want to cum just yet, so I counted down from 1,000 by 2, then 3, then 4... 1000, 998, 995, 991, 986, 980...

I was starting to get blue balls from all the stimulation by the time Malina finished cumming. I looked down. Malina's face was purple. She was relaxed on the bed, almost certainly unconscious, with that smile from before but even more intense. But it wasn't over, quite. Her legs, her chest, and her vaginal muscles were still taut.

_ Hold on. She's not done yet _, the voice whispered. I moved slowly inside her tight tunnel, stretching out the pleasure.

Slowly, my vixen's color changed from purple to blue. Her body relaxed, bit by bit, but her ribcage and diaphragm were still taut, trying to get one last little bit of air.

Then I heard the bell on the wall. Ding! I sped up a little. It wouldn't be long now. I moved faster, deeper, all the way into her. Then it happened without warning. I was cumming, my balls emptied into her. I was still filling her glorious cunt with my semen when I heard the bell again. Ding Ding!

_ She's dead, Brad. _

No kidding. Wow. I fell asleep on top of her body.

---

I woke up a few hours later and looked at the vixen under me. She hadn't moved. I was sure she was dead, but I checked to make sure. I felt for a pulse in her neck. Nothing. I put my cheek over her mouth. No air movement. I slid down and put my ear against her chest. No sound.

Malina lay there, her eyes staring at the ceiling, that same beatific smile on her lips. I touched her left eye with a finger. No response. Like the voice said, she's dead, Brad.

I pulled on enough clothes to be "decent", opened the door, and looked out. A small brown bear in a maid's outfit looked at me. "We'll take care of it in a couple of minutes," she said. "Would you like breakfast?"

I realized I was hungry. "Yes."

"There's a menu in the top drawer."

I went back inside and ordered breakfast. Spanish omelet, rye toast, cottage fries, orange juice. The caracal from before brought it in on a cart. "Let us know when you're ready to leave. We'll take care of her body."

That made me curious. "What happens to it?"

"We'll return it to her family with a certificate saying she earned highest honors, giving her life to satisfy a client. They also get a cash payment, about 10% of what you paid."

"Oh, thanks."

It seemed a nice gesture. I wondered why I wasn't sadder that I would never play sex games with Malina again. The voice told me: _ You know she died doing what she wanted: satisfying your needs and her own. And there will be other girls happy to do the same. _

I got dressed, left a hefty tip, and took a pedicab back to the ship. I was whistling quietly as I checked in with the OoW and went to my cabin to freshen up. Some girl, my Malina!

---

Epilog

Malina was my first, but not my last. I've snuffed 42 femmes, including her, and every single one died with a smile on her face. I remember every one of them; it's the least I can do for them. But there are a few that are especially bright in my memories.

There was Barbie; she introduced me to the tightness of a tailhole when a raccoon is being strangled to death.

After I finished with Barbie, Lady Fauna presented me with a painting, showing an ocelot fucking and strangling a vixen. There must have been a hidden camera when I was doing Malina, because the painting showed my effort fighting off cumming too soon and Malina's satiated smile at the end. And yet at the same time it managed to suggest the way her face had contorted with pleasure during her last orgasm.

Alison: it took some time to convince me to try snuffing a tranny; with her panties on she was a really convincing mink femme. She showed me an upstairs room with a trapdoor above a storeroom. She knelt on the trap with a noose around her neck and gave me a really good blowjob. I pulled the lever as soon as I came in her mouth, then watched her dance her life away at the end of a rope, a few drops of my semen dripping from her slack lips. That was WOW!

Jaye, a marmot: she showed me how I could fuck her while she was hanging, and that complex of motions was another WOW!

And Nelba, who proved she could give me a blowjob while I was strangling her, my cum filling her mouth just before she lost consciousness forever.

But that first time, after I did Malina... I was a better officer with my real needs satisfied, the crews under me worked harder and better. We won the right to display the ship's colors outside my office three times running. When the XO left to take command of Vanguard -- smaller than Alcima but a respectable battle cruiser -- I was promoted to XO. And when Captain Hillam was promoted to Admiral, I took over as Alcima's commanding officer. I was promoted to Captain's bars less than a year later.

That was the beginning of nearly 15 very happy years. Alcima won the Efficiency And Morale Award four times during those years. We visited Midway three or four times a year, and I would strangle a femme about twice a year. I also got partial satisfaction whenever we called at Indira or Geryon; both those had houses that catered to extreme needs like mine. I would strangle a femme unconscious or nearly, and somebody would put a cover over her so I wouldn't see her wake up again. It was enough to keep me going in between visits to Midway. All that -- especially paying the snuff prices at Lady Fauna's -- didn't leave me much money for carousing on other planets, but my needs were quite adequately satisfied by those three places. Especially after my second visit, when Lady Fauna threw in a video of my final times with Malina and Candice.

But all good things must come to an end. The rules said nobody could keep field rank more than 15 years. It was up or out.

I was offered a promotion to Admiral, but the only open position was in a quadrant halfway across the Galaxy -- nowhere near Midway! I took early retirement instead.

When I told Lady Fauna, she gave me a job there. Said I'd picked up enough Understanding to qualify. The houses on Midway also cater to middle-aged women looking for a virile man, and in my Confederation Forces uniform (insignia removed) I was just what they wanted.

So I was getting paid to screw femmes -- I always left them satisfied. That, added to my retirement savings and Captain's half pay, left me pretty well off. Enough to continue paying that snuff fee twice a year, and enjoy some other luxuries. And I got an Employee Discount on my own needs. Lady Fauna decided to retire a few years later and sold the House to me. It cost most of my nest egg, but running the House paid well enough for me to buy a fancy aircar and tailored clothes. I kept Jetta, Fauna's second-in-command, on. She makes most of the decisions. And I can easily afford to pay when the need to snuff a femme comes on me.

It's a good life. And if you ever have any unusual needs -- or usual ones for that matter -- and want to get total satisfaction, come to Midway, and especially to Fauna's House. You'll leave completely satisfied or there is no charge.

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