The next day they had another joint staff meeting for the officers. On the way out of the conference room, Captain Lannister pulled Dan aside. "Walk with me to the briefing, Oleson," he said. He waved the other officers ahead.
"I was thinking about last week's joint conference. This casual conversation of yours," the captain began. For a moment Dan thought he was going to ask exactly why Dan was having such conversations but he didn't. "You are right. I know what the conservative talk show hosts have been saying. They don't even have certain words in their language, and that would seem to imply such things don't exist. The diplomatic corps has gone to pains to tell me the opposite is true, that they don't have words for gay or lesbian because they don't think the distinction is important."
He paused, "I am not trying to judge what these people do with their own sex lives. Nor do I want to judge my own men for holding fast to their beliefs. But I think Captain Dowling is seriously underestimating the potential problems."
"I don't know, Sir," Dan replied. "I mean it's not like we don't have gay people in the states. What makes you think the men would react any worse to finding them here?"
"It's not that, it's more the other, men who become like women. That I could see leading to serious trouble," Lannister said.
Dan sighed. "Yeah, I see your point. As far as actual transgender people, from what I understand the technology here is superior in that regards and it's likely they would be unnoticeable. But they do have a number of gender distinctions that defy our sense of logic. And yes, they seriously underestimate how some our men might react. I hope that Kavinda can spread the word, discreetly. I don't want a nasty surprise."
"No, but that's not even my big concern." He sighed and rubbed his head. "I am worried about how the crew as a whole is adjusting to this."
"How are they adjusting? In your opinion, sir?"
"Just between you and me, to one extreme or the other, and little in between," the captain replied. "Some of the men are still suspicious, too suspicious. They take their treatments, eat their meals and retire to their quarters, avoiding the others as much as possible. They talk amongst themselves and I know several have taken it upon themselves to play the spy. Fox knows several of the ringleaders in that clique. He's keeping an eye on things for me, he'll let me know if there's problems from that quarter."
Dan nodded. He did not, however, volunteer anything.
"The rest of the crew are getting along a little too well, if you ask me. Every night the common rooms fill up with our crew and theirs, that Soma whatever it is, flows freely and it's a party atmosphere. These people are awfully friendly. It's good to know that once you get past their military, most of the Consortium types just want peace, gives me a lot of hope for the future..."
"But?" Dan prompted.
"Any kind of fraternization comes with risks," the captain groused. "I have a good crew, don't get me wrong, but they're young."
"Eighteen, nineteen year old kids, away from home for the first time," Dan agreed. "Armed forces has always been that way. It's something people back home often don't understand."
"Inexperienced. And all it takes is one broken heart, one spurned advanced or one deal gone bad, something minor. But here it could turn into an international incident," the captain said.
"I understand, sir."
"Good, I knew you would, Oleson. Which is why I am counting on you to keep an eye on things for me."
Dan went cold as the implication swept over him. Did he dare tell the captain that he had been avoiding the common areas for a reason. The captain's "I don't want to judge," speech had struck Dan as more than a little judgmental. "Sir," he began.
"As Walker's replacement, you are only now promoted," the captain reminded him, "the men still see you as one of them. They will be more open with you. They will let you join their little soiree. I am not asking you to spy on the men. Just be the older, level head they need, and if problems start brewing, keep me posted."
In other words, spy on my own men, Dan thought. He kept the opinion to himself. "I'll do my best, Sir," he said.
"Good, good, I am counting on you, Oleson."
#####
Dan ditched his shirt and stood in nothing but a pair of shorts. He stretched. The blue room was tiny, but then again most of the rooms on the ship were small. The blue room contained the blue light machine, which looked like an oversized tanning bed. It stretched a good eight feet long and nearly four wide. He had told been told it was to accommodate other races.
The room was only long enough to accommodate the machine. It was maybe twice as wide. The far end from the door contained two narrow closets. One was a toilet and the other a rectangular shower for cleaning off afterwards. The near wall was filled with cubby holes for towels and scrub outfits to wear back to quarters after treatment.
Bakala appeared in the hallway. He was pushing a low cart piled high with towels and laundry. Dan smiled and waved. He had seen Bakala in the hallways and once in the common room. He remained as friendly as ever, but Dan hadn't had a chance to really talk to him again.
"How is your day going?" he asked. He held one hand over his translator collar to block it's action and spoke in halting Consortium, proud that he'd mastered even this much in the time he'd been studying.
"Good," Bakala answered. "You starting to speak our tongue? That's excellent."
Dan had dropped his hand from the collar, and it was just as well. He understood "good" but wouldn't have been able to follow the rest on his own. He nodded. "What are you up to?"
Bakala grunted. "One of the privileges of being quartermaster," he groused, "is I get to pick up the slack when someone has a day off, or is sick. Towels?" he held up a towel.
Dan sat on the bed to make room so Bakala could refill the cubbyholes. He watched Bakala's broad shoulders and muscular back, admiring the view. He slid himself into the bed to start the treatment.
"How goes the treatment?" Bakala asked.
"Good, long, but good," Dan answered. It was the truth. He was definitely starting to feel better and two hours laying under blue lights was a long boring time.
Bakala raised one eyebrow and asked, "you need some company?"
Dan felt his smile spread across his face. He thought momentarily of Captain Lannister's concern about fraternizing. But this big beefy man was too tempting and Dan found himself answering, "I wouldn't turn it down, that's for sure."
"Just minute, I got some spray in the office," Bakala said. He was back in a matter of minutes. He slid the door shut and shed his shirt, revealing a broad hairy chest.
He had a small can of some sort of aerosol. The tip was sculpted into a phallus shape. "Spray," Bakala said with a gesture.
"What's that?" Dan asked.
Bakala stared at the can a long time before answering, as though he'd never had to explain before. He shrugged, "lubricant, protectant, and... stimulant." He put the end to his mouth and squeezed. A fine mist coated his tongue. He leaned over and kissed Dan on the mouth. Dan's mouth was filled suddenly with a tingly sensation, one that went all the way to his groin and caused him to growl in pleasure.
Bakala laughed. "You like it there, wait til you try elsewhere."
This is the final installment of Episode Four. Next time I will start Episode Five: Fraternization. Don't forget to like and comment if you are enjoying the story.
For those who read ebooks outside of Wattpad, I will be launching this serial into the marketplace next month. The first episode will be free, the rest will be 99 cents. Look for it soon.
Until then, thanks for reading.