* * *

While on the bridge, my mind wanders. I am thinking about Volunteer 4711 and how her first day of self-defense training is going. As there is nothing that needs my direct attention, I give my first officer the bridge and head down to the gymnasium. As I enter, I hear the instructor, one of my best young officers, educating my valet. What I had not expected was to see him standing so close to her and touching her. I instinctively want to move her away from him, which is ridiculous. He is training her and is a professional. And most importantly, I ordered him to do this.

Both my officer and valet stop when they notice me and bow respectfully. Volunteer 4711 is wearing something I do not approve of either. I know females on the Home Planet wear these kinds of clothes when they exercise, but I don’t particularly appreciate seeing my valet in them. However, I do not want to embarrass her. I have no doubt she chose these clothes because they were in her cultural program, and I think she is too trusting to know what she looks like to males. Thankfully, I am strict with the fleet when it comes to rape. Any male caught raping a female is castrated. Any couple found having sex without being married are both executed.

I signal my officer and valet to proceed, and I watch them. With so few clothes on, I can see the strength in my valet. She is female, but she is fast and more flexible than a male. My officer, having realized this, is able to teach her defensive moves only a female can do to get the upper hand and then run. I almost smile, thinking about how fast she ran back into that old farmhouse when I said I was taking her with me. We have come a long way since then. Then completely inappropriately, I think about how I watch her in her quarters weekly. My body becomes aroused by the memories and the expectation of watching her again this evening. It was ‘her day’ as she referred to it. I shift and force myself to concentrate on what is going on before me.

After they finish, my officer and valet bow to me, and I dismiss them after telling them they did good work and that I expect to see good results soon. I know my valet is pleased by my praise as she gives me a Water person smile showing her teeth, and this makes me happy, too, although I do not show it.

That evening when I buzz her to my quarters, I say as she is undressing me, “I would like you to have your status embroidered on your gymnasium clothing.”

“Why?” she looks up at me, perplexed.

“I do not want any confusion about who you are. There are only males in that area of the ship.”

“I’m the only Water person on this ship. I’m sure everyone knows I’m your valet.”