Sive watched as Fido and his co mutineers were lead off the bridge.

She was hoping she could slip away and take a shower. The past few hours had left her feeling dirty and slightly sick to her stomach! She was hot sweaty and could still taste Fido in her mouth. It would feel so good to get all traces of the vile man washed off her. She sighed knowing she had lost her chance when she heard Murdock's next orders, “Darla come with me.”

With a frown, Sive followed Murdock into the boardroom. Once the door had slid shut, she looked up at him raising her eyebrow at him. Murdock went over to the computer. There was a light flashing, and Murdock activated the screen. Sive saw it was Zark, he seemed to be quite animated, but she didn’t care. She waited patiently by the door staring at Murdock.

She still wasn't quite ready to forgive him even though it wasn't his entire fault. After all, she had suggested the plan. She had gotten carried away with the excitement and daring of it not realizing how badly it could have gone. It had worked out, but barely and more importantly she still didn't trust Murdock as far as she could throw him.

She breathed deeply wishing she could have had that shower. Murdock finally shut down the screen and headed back to her with a humble smile. "Well, what do you want now?" Sive asked him not in the mood for small talk. Clearing his throat, he answered,

"Well, first of all, I want to thank you. You did an amazing job under less than ideal circumstances.” Murdock let her digest the compliment before continuing. “I wish to apologize for putting you in such a comprising situation. I just talked to Zark about why your pheromones didn't work. He explained that two of Fido's men accidentally re-activated the filtration program and he was in no position to turn it off.” Murdock took a deep breath before going on, hoping Sive’s anger would ease off a notch or two.

"Second I want to talk about the bounty that's on your head. If the men find out how much you're worth, I'm pretty sure there would be another mutiny. M oney, credits and any objects of value as you must know highly motivate  pirates! They would turn against me and hand you over in a blink of an eye! Believe me; I have no qualms about that. I advise you not to use your abilities in front of anyone except me. Doctor Zark can be trusted. He is an odd fellow but a good doctor. He will keep his knowledge of you to himself.” As an afterthought, Murdock added, “ He did mention wanting a few blood samples. He might be able to come up with a way to cure you or make you harder to find." He glanced at her a little sheepishly before continuing,

"Third, you need to choose another form. The reason being that Darla isn’t going anywhere and most of the crew know her. When you've taken on a new guise, I'll introduce you as Sive. I'll be giving the excuse that I knew your father and that you and he quarreled causing you to stowaway on my ship. The mutiny forced you out of hiding. We'll have to decide on some other details keeping them as close to the truth as possible. That should curtail the men from asking too many questions. Plus there will be the matter of finding you a job as a member of this crew."

Murdock was compelled to look into Sives eyes. There was a fire still burning behind them. He coughed before continuing “That's assuming you're willing to stay on board. If you choose to leave, I'll find a way to drop you off on a planet or a passing ship as soon as possible." He hesitated a moment thinking about what else he wanted to say,

Sive didn’t reply. Her anger was slowly subsiding. She knew Murdock was trying to help, or at least trying to make up for his rash kidnapping of her. She really wanted to get back to Jason but knew that wasn’t an option right now. He cleared his throat once more before continuing,

"There are some extra quarters on D deck. They aren't grand, but they should do. On the upside, there are no crew members down there at the moment. So you would be able to come and go without being seen, plus they all have sonic showers and a food dispenser." He smiled at the replica of the woman who had been his bed mate more than a few times over the past year. It gave him an odd feeling of déja vu. He shook his head ignoring it.

Sive slowly nodded her head reluctantly accepting his apology. Her mind went to Murdock's words about Zark. Her lip curled, there was no chance in hell she was going to be that so-called Doctor's experiment!

"First off, Zark is not going to get any of my blood. I am not some kind of lab rat to be studied. Second and let's be perfectly clear on this Mr. Murdock, I DON'T NEED ANY HELP." Her voice getting louder as her anger returned. "You'd better tell that creepy Dr. Zark of yours to keep his hands, instruments and whatever else he has in his sickbay to himself!" Murdock watched enthralled. With the explosion of emotions Sive’s eyes changed colour and if he wasn’t mistaken her breasts had firmed up.

She closed her eyes breathing heavily trying to regain control. She looked up at Murdock's wary expression figuring he was going to argue. After a few moments, she saw that he had decided to keep quiet.

Sive went over his suggestions. If she were stuck here, she would prefer living in a part of the ship that didn't have much traffic. She could sure use some privacy and space away from those despicable pirates. A sonic shower sounded like a total luxury. As for her appearance, she would gladly give up Darla’s persona in a heartbeat. She thought the outfit she wore was far too suggestive and promiscuous which from what she had seen and learned fit Darla to a T. She probably had gone through half the crew!

She would gladly take on another woman's form. So far no one except Zark and Murdock had seen her Sive form. “No one knows what I... I mean what Sive looks like right?” she asked, changing her face to show Murdock.

”Right none of us knew what you looked like until you showed Zark and me,” Murdock replied.

Sive changed back to Darla knowing Sive couldn’t walk back onto the bridge when Darla had entered the boardroom. She mulled things over and said,

”OK, I agree to your suggestions. First things first I'll want a change of clothing. I'll burn these or at very least chuck them out of an airlock.” With a sigh of relief, Murdock replied,

“There should be some basic uniforms in all the quarters on D deck. Use room D5 it’s the largest. I'll program it to only open to you.” Murdock briefly thought about what Sive could do for him. Someone who could change their appearance could prove very useful and profitable if he could convince her to stay.

Sive nodded and finally smiled, “Right...I'd like to go to my quarters now Captain. I'm in need of a shower, and something to eat. I'll leave you to sort out your mutiny. Of course, if you need me, you can always activate the device you gave me earlier…”

“Or I could just use the com, now that Fido can't overhear,” Murdock suggested. "Is there anything you would like to know before I take you to your quarters?"

Thinking for a few moments, Sive replied, "Not that I can think of at the moment!"

Murdock's mouth twitched into a smile before he nodded and left the boardroom. Sive followed, shaking her head knowing this was going to be an unusual arrangement. "I've never been a pirate before," she thought sardonically.

Meanwhile, up on the bridge, Cain was sitting in the captain's chair giving orders to the engine room when Murdock let him know he would be back shortly. Cain watched them leaving the room, wondering, “ What was more important than sorting this mess out?”

Murdock and Sive took the lift down to D deck. Sive could hear the hum of the engine as they exited. She had been thinking of what she had overheard two crewmen say about Darla earlier. It would seem that the tramp of a woman had at one time been messing around with the Captain.

Sive frowned not liking the picture she got of the two of them. Chiding herself, she thought, “Geezzz, what do I care who Murdock sleeps with? He's just a contemptible pirate like the rest of his crew!” She couldn't help staring at the tall man as she followed him. Her imagination flared as she saw herself embraced by his strong arms their bodies sliding together in sensual pleasure.

Sive blushed, and looked away, “Damn his hot ass!” not wanting those kinds of thoughts to cloud her opinion of the man. They continued down the corridor. “My nanites!" she suddenly thought "They must be looking for a replacement for Jason. "That's the reason why I'm so attracted to Murdock ...damn it!"

Murdock led the way to D deck. He had managed to keep his eyes forward while they walked but still felt a strong pull towards this woman, and it wasn’t because she looked like Darla.

He wanted to act upon it so very badly but knew he shouldn’t. It would be insane! He had mutineers to sort out. He also had to reaffirm his leadership and find a big score to appease his men. Still, the gravitation for this woman was overwhelming! He wanted her bad! He couldn't help, but wonder was she feeling the same chemistry?

Once they reached the end of the hall, Murdock opened the door to D5 and had Sive put her hand in the key lock. He placed his hand over hers announcing, "Computer assign these quarters to this hand print, authorization Murdock alpha." As they stood in the doorway, he added,

"Now this door will open only for you unless there is a ship-wide emergency or if the Doctor or I feel someone needs to gain access. If there is anything you wish or need, please contact me. Also until we put the mutineers off the ship, I'd rather you didn't mix with the crew."

Murdock paused for a moment, finally removing his hand and locking eyes with hers. He found he couldn't get his feet to move. They continued to stare at each other. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickling and a warmth increasing in his chest. "What's happening to me?"

The silence grew uncomfortable until he finally began to talk about the shower which lead to his imagining them in it together. He felt his face flush. He couldn't stop staring at her, as he blabbed on like a school boy, "The um shower is... um at the back, the red switch turns it on, and it removes all grime and dirt without water. You'll feel a tingling as it works.... and um yes it will clean you."

As the Captain bumbled along about the shower, Sive could barely wait for him to finish. She kept on nodding her head feeling like she needed to get as far away from him as she could. Her body was almost aching for his touch. Her nanites felt like they were burning her. Staring up at him, she bit her lip trying to keep control and not lunge at him.

Murdock blinked shifting his gaze to the top of her head thinking, “I've got to get out of here!" Out loud he said, “If you will excuse me I'll be on the bridge," he turned to make a quick exit.

As soon has the door closed, Sive slid down against the wall. “Oh gods, why him?” she whispered, knowing that her body would act like that every time she was near him. “At least Jason was a good man, this guy is a murdering pirate!” she ground her teeth as she got up and began ripping Darla's clothes off her heated body as she headed for the shower stall.

Pausing for a moment, she looked in the full-length mirror next to the shower entrance and concentrated, reverting to her Sive form. Weakness washed over her causing her to place her hand on the wall. She knew she had pushed her nanites almost to their limit over the last few hours. Feeling better, she looked at her sweat covered naked body and with a shake of her head entered the shower.

Once inside, she inspected all the nozzles not knowing if this was going to be hot or cold before turning the shower on. She breathed slowly, as her whole body tingled, the sweat, grime, and smell being removed by small vibrations. She started breathing faster as her fingers traced over her body, the vibrations exfoliating her skin. Sive's mind returned to thoughts of Murdock. She knew fantasizing about him was a bad idea. It could only lead to....she didn't want to go there. She now realized she wasn't sure if her body was going to give her much choice. A gust of cold air flowed over her, catching her by surprise her thoughts of Murdock disappeared.

She tentatively got out of the shower and looked at herself in the long mirror. “Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever been this clean!” She sniffed her arm. The smell was gone replaced with a slightly floral scent. She got closer to the mirror looking at her hair surprised how well the shower had cleaned it without one drop of water. She looked for a towel to wrap herself in before realizing she didn’t need one. She was alone.

Sive poked her nose in the wardrobe and saw a pair of plain trousers and a grey top. “Not exactly stylish but it should fit.” In a drawer, she found some knickers and a matching bra made of some strange material. They looked too small but to her surprise when she slipped them on they stretched to fit her body perfectly. Feeling a thousand percent better, she began humming to herself. She decided to walk back into the cabin planning to get something to eat. To her dismay, she found the Captain had come back and seemed to be waiting for her.

Sive stood frozen to the floor. Finally regaining her faculties, she clasped her hands around herself in embarrassment. Her face had turned a bright red before she grabbed a cushion trying to position it to hide her bra and knickers. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?" She shouted at him as she backed herself against the door which to her annoyance had slid shut.


Meanwhile, Darla woke up in a dark, musty room. As she sat up the motion sensor was activated turning on the light. In complete bewilderment, she looked around mumbling, “How the Hell did I get in here?”

She was in a storeroom that much she could see. Beside her laying face down was Gus, one of the crewmen who had been lusting after her for ages. She frowned as she saw that someone had thrown a crewman's uniform across her legs and torso. When she pulled them aside, she discerned that she was only wearing her underwear! Someone had taken her clothes! The memory of what she had been doing with Gus came back. She gave him a disgusted look, “What was I thinking?” she whispered. She glanced at herself again, “Yup I'm lying in a storeroom in my underwear. The question is how could this happen?”

She closed her eyes remembering the sudden lust that had come over her. It was soon after learning about the captain being tossed in the brig. She had been heading to the bridge when Gus, as usual, had started flirting with her.

She had always said no to the loser. Suddenly as she passed him, she had an overpowering urge! Her body had wanted it, and it didn’t matter with who. “Again... why?” she asked herself as she looked up at the ceiling a little embarrassed. She remembered being the aggressor grabbing him by the shirt pushing him against the wall. She recalled forcing her tongue into his mouth. She bit her lip remembering the sensation and later her lack of an orgasm.

“Geezzz! We did it in the corridor!” She said out loud her big blue eyes widening, "Blast it, that was just plain trashy! I can't believe I fucked this looser." She added hoping no one had seen her. She rubbed her shoulder realizing she had been stunned. Someone had indeed....seen her.

More of her memories continued to flow back. They had been going at it full force when the service panel fell on Gus's head. “He went limp, I needed him to keep going, not that I expected Gus to have the stamina to satisfy me," Darla muttered as she recalled what had happened before the world had gone dark. She looked down at her semi-naked body, at least someone had the foresight to pull her knickers up before stashing her and Gus in the storeroom. Scrunching her forehead, she whispered to herself,

“I had been heading to the bridge to see what was going on. If Fido was in charge, I knew I'd have to appease him to keep my position as the pilot." Darla also knew Fido didn't agree with female officers, "Sexist pig!" She muttered as she thought about how far she would go to keep her position. "God knows Fido smells worse than Gus."

Darla paused, before jumping up and throwing the crewman's clothes on. She wrinkled her nose and sighed, these rags didn't smell too great, but there was no time to go back to her quarters to change. She moved to the doorway and waited while it slid open. As she left the storeroom, she glanced back at the still unconscious Gus, “loser!” she muttered swearing this would never happen again.

With single-minded purpose, Darla continued down the corridor heading to the bridge while thinking about her options. “If Fido is truly in charge he'll abuse his power. He'll sleep with most of the women on the ship and pass us around his men. At least Murdock has a code of honor, is handsome and more importantly is good in bed.” She mumbled to herself.

She doubted Fido would care about satisfying his woman at least that was what was heard on the grapevine. Darla breathed deeply, then lifted her head up high. She was a damn good pilot and intended to be captain one day. She really hoped Fido and his scurvy men wouldn't win out in the end. 

When Darla arrived at the bridge the door was locked, she punched the com button in anger, "Darla here, want to let me in?" When the door finally slid open, she was surprised to see Cain standing beside the captain's chair giving orders for the room to be cleaned up. She walked over to him trying not to look too surprised. She asked, "What's going on Cain? I heard there was some kind of mutiny but of course didn't believe a word about it. By the looks of things, I missed all the fun! Where is the Captain?"

Cain glanced at Darla nodding his head, “Look, Darla, I haven’t time your games right now. My advice is you better decide which side you are on or I will recommend that you be put off the ship along with all the other mutineers.”

Darla stopped pretending not to have a clue about the mutiny. “So, how many of the crew are we talking about?” she asked.

Cain sighed “Look you know as well as I about Fido’s grab for power and that nearly half of the crew went along with it.” He eyed her up and down, “And I’m not sure where you stand, but I'll leave it to the Captain to decide your fate. As for how many men are on their way out? At least thirty men maybe more. He means business and plans to dump them on the nearest planet. Regardless what kind of planet it is. The rest I'd wager will fall into line and follow the captain. Now go on with ya, I have work to do!” 

Darla nodded as she turned and left the bridge she still was a little confused but knew with that many crew members leaving, the shifts were going to change. Her face brightened, with Murdock still running the ship she knew exactly who's bed she wanted to be in tonight. She activated her personal com. badge and punched in the person search mode. She entered Murdock's name.


Back on deck D Sive cried “What are you doing here! How did you get in?” Murdock opened his mouth and then closed it again. He had been heading back to the bridge before he realized he needed to give Sive a food card. It needed to be keyed in like the door in order to use the dispenser. He had used his authorization code to enter the room not thinking as to what Sive was doing.

In truth, Murdock was glad he had an excuse to see her again, but this was a little more than he had planned. Not that he was complaining. A little embarrassed but not complaining.

He stared at Sive's sexy body. Just looking at her made his mouth go dry. He didn't notice his skin shimmer slightly as the nanites worked on his DNA. He cleared his throat unable to avert his eyes as he tried to explain about the food card. Sive had almost given up covering herself with the cushion “At least I'm not naked,” She thought as anger started to bubble over again.

Murdock’s eyes devoured her. He couldn't seem to help himself. Sive wasn't listening to his mumbled explanation. Without knowing why she pulled her arm back and slapped him across the face as hard as she could.

There was silence. It was almost as if time stood still while they locked gazes. Murdock's face took on a thunderous look. Sive figured she might have gone too far. She watched as Murdock’s eyes darkened. She took a step back getting ready to run.

Murdock stood there stunned for a moment. He knew he probably deserved that slap. It was even worth it to see Sive's amazing body. Murdock blinked trying to clear his head, “What am I doing here? I’m not a pervert!” He noticed her fright, which seemed to further fire up his simmering lust.

He couldn't help himself. He quickly moved grabbing Sive's wrist. He pulled her close and kissed her hard. She tasted so sweet. She was resisting, why was she resisting? “WHAT IN HELL AM I DOING???”

He released Sive, aghast at his behaviour.

She stood there shaking slightly, while staring up at him, her lips reddened from his kiss. He quickly turned and stormed out of the room.

Once the door closed, Murdock leaned against the wall. He breathed slowly, his heart rate gradually slowing. "What is wrong with me? She has to be doing this to him! It had to be her pheromones or something." Getting himself under control once more, he straightened up and headed for the lift.

Before he was halfway down the corridor the lift door opened, Murdock wondered who would come down to D deck. His eyes blinked in surprise as he watched Darla walking seductively towards him.