Virtual Unreality

“Change of shift complete, Captain. All Beta shift personnel are now at their posts.”

“Very good, Lieutenant,” Captain James Edwards replied, rising from his command chair. “You have the bridge.” After a final glance at the various stations, Edwards turned and left the bridge.

“Ready for some relaxation, Captain?”

Edwards grinned. “Absolutely. Sixteen whole hours to enjoy, hopefully without an emergency to deal with. What about you, Commander?”

Commander Melissa Sykes, chief science officer, returned the grin. “Are you kidding? I’m testing a new program this evening. If it works, I expect to have a lot of fun with it.”

Edwards grimaced slightly. A computer expert himself, he still couldn’t understand how Sykes could spend all of her time off duty buried in tech manuals and programming. His own form of relaxation, though computer based, was much more enjoyable, and it was time he got started. With a final nod to Sykes, he hurried to his quarters.

Once in his quarters, he turned to a door that didn’t exist on standard ship designs. The techs at space dock had howled when he’d insisted on the modification, but he had pushed it through. The adjoining compartment had been altered to his specifications, with the corridor door removed, while a connecting door to his own quarters had been installed. Now he used that door to enter the second compartment, stopping to gaze in anticipation at the room’s only adornment.

To the eye, it looked like a standard VR setup. Thousands, perhaps millions, of identical units could be found throughout the Sol Federation. Educational units offered virtual interaction with historical figures and events. Lab units offered safe, virtual environments in which to perform otherwise dangerous experiments. And of course, there were the game units, which allowed the user to fight in any of Earth’s abundant wars, fly simulated air or space vehicles, or even perform with actors or musicians from throughout Earth’s history. This unit, though, was one of a kind.

All units, especially the game units, contained connections to the user’s primary nerve centers, allowing tactile sensations. Thus, if you picked up any item, you could “feel” that item in your hand. Some of the more radical users had been known to program their units to allow them to feel the pain of wounds during combat games, though this was officially frowned upon. Using his own considerable computer expertise, Edwards had modified this unit to include tactile sensations the original designers had never considered.

Edwards powered the unit to life, then quickly removed his clothing and settled into the contoured chair. Once in position, he said, “Begin preparations”, then lay his head back on the rest. Immediately, straps appeared at various points on the chair, securing his body in place. At the same time, a helmet was lowered onto his head, covering him down to the chin.

Inside the helmet, sensitive pads pressed against his head at certain points. These pads were the crucial part of the helmet. Their purpose was to “interrupt” his nervous system in a carefully controlled manner. Any commands from his brain to his body would be intercepted and rerouted into the game. His game body would carry out those commands, while his real body remained at rest. At the same time, tactile sensations would be fed from the game into his nervous system, allowing him to “feel” whatever his game persona experienced. A special monitoring system regulated his body’s involuntary functions - heartbeat, respiration, etc. - during game play, to ensure safety.

Within the darkness of the helmet, Edwards felt the pads press against him, then all sensation vanished. After a wait while the unit verified safe connection, he heard a soft voice say, “System Ready.”

“Begin program Melody 1’” he thought, and the darkness began to lift.

As always, Edwards found himself standing in an old fashioned bathroom. On the wall before him was a full length mirror, in which he now examined himself.

Looking back from the reflective surface was a figure totally different from his own. Instead of the tall, masculine, confident ship’s captain, a young woman gazed back at him with satisfied eyes. For a moment, Edwards simply took in the sight of the trim figure, with it’s medium sized breasts and almost elfin face. It had taken him months to design this character to look right, but it had been worth the effort. She was, in many ways, the exact opposite of James Edwards, which, of course, was exactly why she had been designed.

After a long examination, Edwards closed his eyes, summoning that part of himself that normally remained hidden. Through months of playing this game, this character had developed her own personality, which he now allowed to come to the surface. Captain James Edwards receded into the back of his mind, and it was Melody who opened her eyes and smiled at her reflection.

Oh, but it was good to be back! Melody smiled as she turned and posed before the mirror. With a toss of her head, she turned toward the door. All too soon, it would be time to let Captain Edwards take over again, but for now, she was in charge, and she intended to make the most of it.

Stepping through the door, Melody entered a clubroom. With it’s comfortable chairs and other furnishings, the room was clearly from the late twentieth century. The room was filled with people, some clothed, others as unashamedly naked as Melody herself. Melody moved through the room, nodding a greeting to familiar faces.

“Melody!” Turning, Melody instantly lowered her eyes at the sight of the speaker.

“Mistress Jane?”

“You’re late! What were you doing, staring at yourself in the mirror again?”

Melody felt her body flush with shame. “Yes, Mistress, please forgive me.”

“Report at once to room three. You have been requested for a special session.”

“Yes, Mistress.” As she turned away, Melody wondered what was happening. Though the game was programmed with hundreds of possible scenario options, it had never presented her with a special session before. Hurrying to room 3, she entered quickly, her body quivering in nervous anticipation.

Inside the room, she found only a bed and a rather tall, narrow table, both liberally equipped with restraints. Placing herself in the center of the room, she knelt, awaiting whatever surprise the game had in store for her this time.

Finally, the door opened. At the sight of the person who entered, Melody’s eyes widened. Jumping to her feet, she gasped, “You? How?”

Dressed in black leather that accentuated her statuesque frame, Melissa Sykes smiled. “Did you really think your science officer wouldn’t find out what you’ve been doing on your off time, Captain? Or should I call you Melody?”

“Computer, end program..” The room remained unchanged. “Computer, end program.”

“I’m afraid that won’t work,” Sykes explained. “Once I gained access to this game, I disabled your voice commands. Only I can end this program now.”

“We’ll see about that,” Melody replied, turning toward the door. As a safeguard, the game included a manual shutdown, located in the bathroom where she’d first appeared.

“Halt.” To her surprise, Melody’s body lurched to a halt. “Stand before me.” Immediately, Melody found herself turning, moving to stand in front of Sykes.

“What have you done?” she asked nervously.

“I modified some of the game parameters,” Sykes replied. “You are now totally unable to disobey any command I give you, among other things.”

“You can’t do this,” Melody insisted. “I demand you end this program immediately.”

“Silence!” Melody’s mouth snapped shut. “You will speak only when spoken to, and you will address me at all times as Mistress. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Melody heard herself say.

“Very good. Now, would you like to know what else I’ve been up to?”

“Yes, Mistress.”

Sykes smiled. “Well, for one thing, I decided your sensitivity settings were way too low. So I adjusted them a bit.” Still smiling, she reached up and lightly pinched one of Melody’s nipples. Melody gasped at the sensation that raced through her. She had felt pleasure before, but never so much from such a simple act. As Sykes began to roll the nipple between her thumb and forefinger, Melody’s knees threatened to buckle, a soft moan escaping her lips as she fought to remain upright.

Sykes let her hand drop, causing another moan from Melody as her nipple was released. “There are other changes,” she said, “but I think I’ll let you discover them for yourself.”

Sykes held out her hand, and an inflatable gag appeared. Melody’s eyes widened. The game wasn’t programmed to do that. Forbidden to speak, she couldn’t ask if this were one of the other changes. She could only stare.

“Open.” On their own, Melody’s lips parted, allowing Sykes to insert the gag. Once it was strapped in place, Sykes inflated it until Melody’s cheeks began to bulge slightly. Thanks to the modifications in the game’s tactile receptors, Melody could feel the gag filling her mouth, muffling any sounds she might make.

“Now, lay on the bed.” Again, Melody’s body obeyed, offering no resistance as Sykes positioned her with arms and legs spread. Cuffs soon secured her into this position.

“You look good like that,” Sykes remarked as she stepped back to examine her handiwork. “You may test your bonds.”

Experimentally, Melody tugged, quickly realizing that these bonds had her totally helpless. Relaxing, she gazed up at Sykes, her fear plain in her eyes, as well as something else.

“Yes, Melody, that is arousal you’re feeling.” Sykes settled herself on the bed beside the helpless woman. “And no, I didn’t do that part. Even now, you’re finding your own helplessness, your own loss of control, arousing.”

Melody closed her eyes, ashamed to admit that this part, at least, was true. It was this need to be helpless, to be dominated, that had led her, as Edwards, to design this game in the first place.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,” Sykes whispered. Puzzled by the softness in her captor’s voice, Melody opened her eyes to see an equally soft smile on Sykes’ face. “Didn’t I say before that I intended to have some fun if my program worked?” Sykes asked wickedly.

Rising, Sykes stepped back. As Melody watched, Sykes’ clothing vanished. For a moment, Melody’s eyes feasted on the near perfection of the body on display before her.

“Yes,” Sykes said softly, “this is actually me. No improvements included in the program.” She smiled. “I know you’ve always found me attractive in the real world, but regulations forbid any relationship between a Captain and his officers.” Sykes’ hand lowered, softly stroking her own firm thigh. “Thing is,” she continued, “you’re not a Captain now, are you? Here you’re Melody, my slave, and I can do with you as I please.”

For a moment, Melody simply stared, and then her eyes closed as she relaxed into her bonds.

Once again, she thought, Sykes was right. She couldn’t begin to count the times when Captain Edwards had caught himself staring at his science officer’s taut ass and firm breasts. Now, she found the desire for that body had followed her into the game.

Suddenly, she felt hands probing her breasts. Opening her eyes, she watched helplessly as Sykes explored the soft firm mounds, her fingers gradually centering on the hard buds of her nipples. Soft moans she couldn’t repress leaked from her gagged mouth.

“Don’t worry,” Sykes said softly, one hand beginning to work its way down Melody’s body. “I promise you’ll enjoy this. I intend to give you every bit of the pleasure here that I can’t give you in the real world.” Dipping her head, she began to gently suckle the nipple recently vacated by her now roaming hand.

Watching those perfect lips as they worked on her nipple, Melody realized that, yet again, Sykes was right. Here, they could be together in ways denied them in the real world. True, she might not have her male body here, but that might not be such a bad thing.

For long moments, Sykes plied her mouth, her hands, on Melody’s body, bringing her to a near fever pitch of need. Then, suddenly, she rose and stepped away. Melody found herself moaning her disappointment. Her moan was cut off as her bonds, her gag, suddenly vanished.

“Rise,” Sykes commanded, “and stand before me.” Quickly, Melody scrambled to her feet, eyes down as she stood before her erstwhile science officer. A finger under her chin raised her head until the two women locked gazes.

“Now,” Sykes said, “I’m going to give you a choice. I can terminate this program right now, returning both of us to reality. Or we can continue this session. Think carefully. If I terminate, this will never happen again. I will stay out of your program, and you can go on as you always have. Now think, and tell me, which do you prefer?”

Captain James Edwards glanced around himself contentedly. “You know,” he said genially, “I could have you broken in rank for tampering with my personal equipment. Hacking into someone else’s VR setup is a very serious offenses.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“However,” Edwards continued, “you could cause me no end of trouble, as well. People who’ve developed dual personalities from too much game play are no longer considered capable of functioning as ships’ officers. You could get me grounded for life.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Therefore,” he concluded, “I do believe this is the best solution. In all ways.”

Smiling, he gazed down at Melissa Sykes, watching her tug at the bonds that held her stretched out on the large bed. Taking up a gag, he held it over her head, his smile widening as her lips parted in anticipation.

“Don’t you?” he asked.

Those perfect lips curled upward in a soft smile. “Yes, Sir,” she said. “May I say one more thing, Sir?”

“You may.”

“I love you, Jim.”

He leaned down and kissed her gently, then replaced his lips with the gag.

“I love you too, Melissa. And so does Melody. Now, we only have about ten hours before this program terminates, so shall we begin?” Smiling at her eager nod, he lowered his lips to one hard nipple. Tomorrow, he would be Melody for her again. For today, though, Jim and Melissa made love in the way they both loved best.

Virtually.

02.05.11