“I gave my word once. I’m in this unit for good or bad, hell or high water,” you say, meaning every word. As scary and strange as this all is, there’s nowhere you’d rather be.

“Thank you, Cadet,” Terra says, her eyes warm with appreciation. “You owe us nothing, but you’re prepared to give everything. I will do my best to make sure you are safe. I have no desire to see anyone hurt any further than they already have been.”

“No,” Sarah pipes up suddenly. “She’s going to need too much babysitting. Send her home.”

“I agree.”

The voice comes from behind you. From Grisham.

“What?!” The unexpected betrayal shocks you. You pull away from her hand and try to get out of her lap as well, but she uses the arm wrapped around your waist to hold you firm. You hear her voice in your ear, deep and kind of stern.

“I like you, Cadet. I care about you. Sarah and I have seen active duty. You haven’t. You don’t know what you’re letting yourself in for. Frankly, I’d rather not see you find out. The three of us can do this.”

“No. We can’t. Cadet has an ability neither of you appreciate,” Terra says.

“She talks to weapons. Right.” Sarah rolls her eyes. “Hearing voices isn’t usually a sign someone should engage in a high risk deployment.”

“I don’t hear voices!” You make another attempt to escape Grisham’s grasp.

“Settle down,” Grisham warns you. “We’re just expressing concern.”

“You’re making me out to be weak just because…”

“You are weak,” Sarah interrupts. “Weak as hell.”

“Enough!” Terra snaps. “Cadet is here for a reason. You will respect her, Sarah.”

“You can’t make me respect people. Respect is earned,” Sarah says. “And right now, all I see is a liability getting fingered.”

A hot blush bursts over your face. They know. Everyone knows.

“If you want to bring her along as a mascot to fuck, fine,” Sarah continues. “But…”

“Sarah!” Terra growls her name. “That’s enough. This is not up for discussion. Go and run a patrol of the perimeter.”

Sarah departs with a scowl on her face.

“As for you two,” Terra says, her blue gaze locking on your faces. “I’d appreciate it if you could restrain yourself, Grisham. We are active at the moment.”

“Yes ma’am,” Grisham says without any obvious signs of shame. You don’t know how she’s managing to sound so casual. You’re embarrassed as you can be.

“I’m going to give you ladies a few minutes to prepare yourselves,” Terra says, the slight hint of a smile playing about her lips. “I will be just outside.”

“Thank you ma’am,” Grisham says.

Terra leaves. The moment she goes you try to spring up out of Grisham’s lap, but she prevents you again.

“Hold on a second there, Cadet,” she says, turning you so you’re sitting sideways against her body. “I’m going to have professional opinions and make assessments you might not want to hear,” she says. “There’s no need to get pouty when I share them.”

“Pouty? You’d be pouty if I said we should send you back to your base because you’re too… too…”

“Can’t think of anything, huh?”

“Just let me up,” you scowl. It’s easy for her. Nobody questions Grisham’s abilities.

“You know what won’t make me think you’re fit for this unit? Throwing a tantrum.”

“It doesn’t matter what you think,” you point out sharply. “This is Terra’s unit. Terra wants me in it. So I don’t give a toss what you think.”

“Is that right?” Grisham’s eyes narrow at you. “I think you’ve forgotten something. No matter whose unit this is, you’re still the lowest ranked member. So you need to keep a respectful tongue.”

“Is that when its in your pussy, or just in general?”

Grisham exhales sharply and shakes her head. “And that, Cadet, is why sex isn’t a good idea.”

She lets you stand up and gets herself dressed again. You right your clothes, feeling upset at the way things went. You were so close to cumming, but yet again, you’ve been denied your orgasm. Now it sounds like you’re not going to be getting another chance, because Grisham would rather order you around than sleep with you. Goddamit!

“Everything alright in here?” Terra appears again.

“Yes ma’am,” Grisham says smartly.

“And you, Cadet? Everything alright?”