Dominion Over Her (BennyQ x Sketchyequine)

[Sketchyequine]

Her posture alone demanded respect as she sat upon her chair on one side of the table while to slimy business men stood across from her in traditional conference style. She was quite used to this by now. It wasn’t the first, or the last time she would be offered a bad deal while others tried to convince her she had no other choice, but this particular contract was insulting at best. One sheet of paper and a group of individuals with nothing remarkable about them besides their willingness to bully the locals. Her hands were folded neatly on the counter in front of her and her face was painted in sternness as they spoke to her with notable disrespect. They thought she was a fool.

“Fraundia went centuries without Dominion imports and exports. Why would we need your business contracts now to maintain ourselves? Truth is, we don’t need your money or goods, but I’m trying to play nice with you all and work out a fair agreement for all parties. You have yet to bring a worthwhile offer to my table, gentlemen.” She responded. She was calm and respectable as she said it, but her words had their own sense of venom in them. Kory would be proud of her for internalizing her ‘dramatic’ tendencies. Even so, the constant threats were enough to get under anyone’s skin.

They made fun of her people and their performance in the recent war. And it made her blood boil, but not a single reaction could be seen on her face or in her body language. They had been outnumbered, out gunned, and out funded, yet they stood their ground for more time than almost any dominion enemy planet before them. Yet these business men, who had probably never lifted a gun in their life, had the audacity to say they fought so poorly they ‘pissed green’? What was that even supposed to mean, Solstice wondered?

They thought her a whore. Someone suited to spend the rest of her days sucking rich men’s cocks in order to reap their riches. That was all the tabloids in Dominion communities had to say about the young queen and now dominion representative. She only had anything because she had spread her legs for some man with influence. No one even knew who she had slept with at this point, though there were probably a dozen names floating around of possibilities: including Kordavo’s father but not the young fighter pilot himself. She would have thought it would be common knowledge who she had been allegedly screwing to power, but somehow Kory’s name had slipped under the radar despite their public outings together. Or maybe the media simply thought it more interesting to keep it a secret and see what kinds of ridiculous rumors could arise. Either way, Solstice would never be found on any of these indulgent planets.

Then came the threats of violence. This was turning out to be a very interesting morning meeting indeed. If only these men knew of the war merit Solstice had attained. She was quite confident she would have no trouble killing any one of these paper pushers if they rose a hand in threat to her again, but she also figured big daddy Janus wouldn’t much like it if she started shooting down anyone who threatened her… there wouldn’t be many Dominion natives left on her quaint little planet. Then opened the door, and in walked the only Dominion man who would have any sort of idea what kind of capabilities Solstice possessed: Kordavo Chenoweth. A slight smile played at the corner of Solstice’s lips as she made eye contact with her soon-to-be husband. Ah yes, this was playing out to be a very interesting meeting indeed.

They were like sheep, stumbling to their feet and unable to make decisions on their own. Cowardly and afraid of the wrath of the Dominion Lord. Herd mentality and weakness. These men had no balls as soon as Kory walked in. If only they knew that Kory’s balls, metaphorically, belonged to the young queen, then maybe they would have had some ounce of respect. As Kordavo addressed the situation, Solstice remained quiet and rose her brow to her audience, finding entertainment in the way their demeanors changed and they almost instantly started to sweat.

The hybrid act? That was certainly a bit left of center in wording, and it made Solstice suppress a chuckle. It was so characteristic of the Dominion government to so bluntly and abrasively name their clauses. This particular act, though apparently to promote ‘interbreeding’ had almost an air of racism to it without taking into account the general lack of any physical difference between Dominion citizens and the natives of their adopted territories. Their daughter would fit into this ‘hybrid’ category. So when asked, the answer was simple.

“My heiress is Kezra Eileen Chenoweth.” She stated matter-of-factly.

It wasn’t long after that they scattered like rats. They had been outranked by someone they had some ounce of respect for, so there was no need to waste their breath arguing with the whore of a queen anymore. And now at least this small group knew who Solstice had so selfishly spread her legs for- or so they believed.

Her eyes followed Kordavo as he moved around the large wooden table until her sat across from her, already making his woes known about the difficulties of his morning. She smiled at him and rolled her eyes, finally allowed to be something besides stone cold for a few moments. “Good morning to you too, darling.”

Solstice leaned back in her chair, stretching out her back before leaning forward and folding her hands on the table once more as she peered at her fiance. “Your client?” She questioned, raising her eyebrows. “Really? You fly all the way down here to see me, and you refer to me as your client in front of your Dominion peers?” She put her chin in her hand and shook her head, tsking at him quietly and teasingly. “Well, I certainly hope you don’t refer to anyone else as your client then, because if that is my title I don’t wish to share it with anyone. I am quite a fan of having your affections all to myself, dear Kordavo. Or maybe I’m just a very special client… special in that I’m the only one who can provide you a release. Over and over again. Just like I did last night.” She winked at him, before leaning back with a huff.

“Your impersonal way of addressing me is probably why no one knows you’re the one I slept to the top with. You know… there’s a pretty significant group of people who think it’s your father who I bedded down with. If that doesn’t make you cringe I don’t know what will.” She teased, before taking on a slightly more serious tone. “You must know by now that these people think of me as nothing more than a dirty slut. The least you can do is put some sort of effort into maintaining my reputation as anything more than a nice piece of ass to use. Give a speech… or something.” She suggested.

She then stood, and made her way around the table, her dress flowing behind her as she approached her betrothed. She took hold of his jaw gently and tilted his face upward where she pressed her lips into his own in a sentimental kiss before looking down into his eyes: enjoying the rarity of standing over him as he sat as he usually towered over her in stature. “While I like to think I am fully capable of handling these affairs on my own, I would like to thank you for stepping in. If nothing else you shortened my meeting by an hour or so with your…" she hesitated, trying to find the words, "general hard-ass demeanor.” She smiled lovingly down at him. He was certainly a hard-ass. And that was part of why she loved him so much: because around her he was far less of a hard-ass.

Then she crawled into his lap and sat sideways across his thighs and wrapped her arms lightly around his shoulders. It was simple, but her affection towards him was far less discrete than what he had shown to the bussiness-men towards her only moments before. “They want to send me away to the gardens. Me. The most stubborn woman on this side of Skarvis, and they think I’d be happy as a clam on one of those Garden planets! Honestly I’m offended.” She chuckled, leaning into the man.

 

[BennyQ]

Kordavo merely grunted in response to the good morning. It would have been good if they greeted it together but he supposed her Queenly duties came first. He simply gave her a tired look when she started to criticize the use of the word client. He really hoped she didn’t start with that. It was a legal term, utilized to make his argument most effective in the way the Dominion officials would understand best. He spoke their language and it worked. And contrary to her remarks, his family possessed a lot of clients and people, entities, and organizations that they were patron to. It was that sort of influence that made his family very powerful. It was how the Dominion was run and built.

But then she winked playfully and Kordavo finally realized that she was joking. It was exactly like Solstice to take something so serious such as their future and the way of doing things and make it so light hearted. She was special to him. Didn’t she know that by now? He might have reminded her too this morning, if the previous night and all the other times had not been enough to embed it in her head.

Then she started to talk about something most undignified and crass. Kordavo had sat unmoving during the first part of her comments but this made him lean forward, looming threateningly if that was possible from where he was on the other side of the table. “I will not breathe life into such vulgar tales by discussing them. Let them gossip. I care not. You shouldn’t either.” Kordavo simply said, which if he had to give a speech on the matter, would consist entirely of those statements. If he, her, their families, if they knew the truth, why should it matter what others say and think? He did agree she was a nice piece of ass though. “I’m sure our upcoming nuptials will be enough of a statement.” He concluded on that topic. And as for how he felt about her, well they had a child together, a lovely daughter, and that should be enough. He loved Kezra, even if he had never said such a claim, and he loved her mother as well.

The Queen got up and began to circle around the table towards him. Kordavo silently swirled the chair to follow her until she stood right in front of him, with nothing to obstruct her passage or grip as she reached out to tilt his jaw and kiss him. Kordavo accepted it, eyes closed, lips ajar, tasting her a moment before they drew apart. Yes, both of them had all the proofs they needed that the love was real and everything else was just gossip. Let the tabloids say what they will. He knew it. She knew it. He grunted again in acknowledgement of gratitude at helping her out. He gained nothing but her happiness and the secure future of his daughter. That was enough. It was his duty. No gratitude or thanks required. She moved to shift into his lap next, straddling his hips, which is where he thought she ought to be and stay, if not for her own duties as Queen.

“The title of Garden world is a falsity. They are places of depravity and decadence. A sort of prison. You should be offended. And so am I. I will make sure they eat those words.” Kordavo promised with a hint of fatality in his tone. They spoke to his betrothed and mother of his child that way? Gossip mongering was one thing but this was blatant insult. It required retribution. And his family wouldn’t be as influential as it was without a history of such things. Or the capability. And most importantly, the resolve to do it. Kordavo and the Chenoweths were staking their claim to this world. Some examples would have to be made. Of his own people…and probably her own too, in time.

“But you are welcome in regards to having your meeting cut short.” Kordavo said, his arms around the waist of the Queen, keeping her straddled upon him. “If you should be anything in life, it should be efficient. Now you have time to catch up on your…other duties.” As wife. Kordavo said, his hands trailing down to rest on the upper curvature of her rear. He squeezed, drawing her nearer. His grip was assured then and he stood, carrying her up as well, one arm balancing her under her rear while he used his other to tuck one of her legs about his own waist and hoped her other leg would mimic. It wasn’t required for long, as he simply turned and plopped her down on the edge of the conference table. He still loomed over her, though on the edge of the table she at least was able to match him better over being on her own feet.

His hands rounded up around her waist and thighs, coming up the front of her dress, to the hem of it at her collarbone. The way they gripped they were very ready to rip it all apart down the middle, though he paused in the moment before as he looked into her face. He was learning, or trying to learn, some patience and control before taking what he wanted, which is how this entire drama began. He looked at her, as if she might consent and undress herself, without the need for him ruining it all. “We’ll have our own garden world. Right here. This is the most beautiful world I’ve ever been on, I think. But perhaps this certain garden could do with a little bit more…fertilizing.” Kordavo whispered to her, lips quirking into a grin. Was that a joke he attempted? Maybe this place was rubbing off on him. Look at him, dressed like a King, yet never truly utilizing the potential of the power he possessed.

“Dirty slut you say? I must say I’m offended now, as I’ve never gotten to enjoy that side of her before. Maybe she can demonstrate to me and assuage my worries.” Kordavo mused next, still gripping her by the hem of her dress, so ready to rip and tear it apart. He even dragged her front and backwards a bit, just demonstrating the hold he had on her. And how immense his strength was in comparison to hers. No one knew that they were sleeping together? He was sure some music making with her in this place could change those notions about them.

"I missed you in the morning. You owe me." He told her in a firmer whisper in her ear.

 

[Sketchyequine]

“And just how do you plan on making them eat those words?” Solstice asked, Comfortably seated on his thighs for now as his hands mindless began to wonder. “We have our own way of dealing with menaces to society here, Kardavo. There’s a set of gallows outside of town we built for POW’s.” She whispered, biting her lip in fear he might be angry. After all, it was his soldiers who would have made up Fraundia’s prisoners. Dominion blood that her father had put to death on the noose. Their public executions proved as a motivator to the Fraundian people. It gave them a taste of success before they ultimately fell to the dominion empire.

“If that doesn’t meet your fancy, I’d be happy to donate a ship to the cause. We could send them up into the air on a promise they’re going home… then fire them down. A fiery death seems suited. Might warm their cold hearts a little before they meet their maker.” She noted, nodding and raising her eyebrows at the idea. It had been awhile since she had been able to shoot anyone, and she kind of missed it. Especially if it meant she got to shed some asshole Dominion blood. Would her betrothed let her?

While she remained daydreaming of murder and revenge, she found herself picked up and sitting on the surface of the wooden table. Her legs hung about the waist of her partner, and she was brought back to reality when his hands trailed upwards: over her breasts and to the neckline of her gown. She tensed, preparing herself for yet another display of brute strength. But… something shocking took place. Kordavo… hesitated: looking up into her eyes for approval? Permission? Whatever he seeked, it was a huge stp for the lord, and it warmed the heart of the queen.

She laid her hands over his, pulling them back as he whispered into her ear about fertilizing this garden land. It made her smile as her legs squeezed about his hips, staking her own claims. “Have you not had enough of me yet?” She whispered into his ear before pressing her lips into the sharp curvature of his jaw. She recalled a time not so long ago when he had spoken of her as nothing but an irritation, yet even then he couldn’t seem to stay away from her. He had visited her while she was in the clutches of IB and brought her to his planet to recover and birth their daughter, and even then, while he put forth great effort to save her, he spoke of only her faults. Yet here he was, using restraint and defending her before his own politicians. As irritating as she may have been, she had claimed the untouchable heart of the young Lord Chenoweth.

“Lords like you are expected to shuffle through women: taking on a new one as soon as you get bored. Yet somehow, despite my initial efforts, you have never gotten bored of me. Now you’ve asked for my hand. What is it about a disliked queen from another world that you just cant seem to get enough of?” She asked. Guiding his hands to her hips before leaning in and hiking up the hem of her dress. She had a full day to attend to, and the conference room could easily be entered at any moment by a servant looking to clean or any number of other possibilities. She wanted to hold some sense of decency, though she had no obligations to indulging in the pleasures of the flesh after the progress he had just made. He deserved reward.

She stopped hiking up her skirts before he had access, however, and idea crossing her mind. He had taken her time and time again the night prior: leaving her body battered by his passions. She intended to take some control of her own this time. Who was he to deny the queen of this world? Her wish ought to be his demand.

“This time you’re mine.” She stated simply, giving him a hard shove so that he backed up just enough for her to hop down from the counter. She raised onto her toes, pressing her lips deeply into those of her betrothed. Her teeth grazed over his lower lips before her tongue pressed forward to dance with his own. Her arms wrapped gingerly around his shoulders where she proceeded to switch positions with him: pressing the backs of his legs against the tabletop where heres had been just moments before.

“Don't argue with me.” She whispered, knowing he would likely protest losing any sort of power. “Lie on your back.” She requested. Pushing his shoulders backward. She couldn’t manhandle him the way he could her, but they were partners in the act of lovemaking. She just needed a little compliance from him this time.

Once he was down, only the lower halves of his legs not upon the wooden surface of the table, the queen reached down between her legs and pulled her panties down and off, leaving them to grow cold under the table. Then, Solstice mounted him, her skirts hiked up about her waist so that his trousers were the only things that prevented his penetration of her. The cream colored fabric of her gown was draped about them such that their groin-to-groin contact was concealed and unseen, but they could certainly felt it as the warmth of her center came to rest upon his growing bulge. She was already wet: turned on simply by his attempt at patience. He was doing it for her, so she was more than happy to do this for him.

Confident hands reached down and traveled beneath the fabric of her dress to find the fastening of Kordavo’s belt and trousers. She undid them with ease, and pulled down the remaining fabric in the way until his great cock stood erect against the front of her abdomen.

“Is this what you wanted, my king?” She asked before raising her hips and coming down upon him, letting the great length of his cock spear into her. She let out a moan and tossed her head back as her hips began to grind and move upon him. Her clit bumping into the mound of muscle above his cock and offering her sweet pleasure as her eyes fluttered closed. Yes. they could indeed go for some more fertilizing.

 

[BennyQ]

Kordavo Chenoweth was unimpressed with the Fraundian way of handling things. Hanging, by the noose, really? It seemed to barbaric and simple. And one of the things used to rile up Dominion populations during the way. How could a polity that still held to monarchy and hanging be considered civilized? He had no reaction or expression about it though, listening to her little tale with seemingly no interest at all. How he dealt with the officials would be his concern. One could not just kill Dominion authorities like that. In any case, Kordavo would make sure it would be a slow punishment. Reassignments to undesirable locations. Boring postings. Insufferable higher ups. A treatment of that sort was far more brutal and longer lasting than a single moment of fear before the end.

And that’s what he was going to do for her. For Solstice, the Queen of Fraundia, the so-called uncivilized people, even if they were space-faring and modernly technological. Clearly he had not had his fill of her, if he was going to such lengths. He was won long ago, when she first kissed him. Irritation he did think of her, though the source had been within himself, fueled only by her existence. It was love, before he identified it as love, and it had driven him insane with endless thoughts and sleepless nights. Unless he was with her. Had he had enough? He might even start fearing death, because it would bring a finality to this all, simply because he deigned there was hardly sufficient time in his life to get his fill.

Solstice began to speak of it, mentioning how his class of privileged and well off Lords and sons of Lords should have greater indulgence. He had none before her, in fact. None for whom he had gone to such lengths. He felt frozen in place as she narrated the very bare bones of his heart and soul in a way, molding it just as she guided his hands to below. Her hips. Where so much pleasure had come to him, even a child. His hands wished to continue the undressing of her lower torso, where such goodness seemed to beckon to him. But Solstice had other concerns further. At first he presumed some madness came over her when she struck him, pushing him back, yet only to leap up to kiss him fiercely, arms around her body. He was too immersed in the taste of those ruby lips he did not realize she turned and brought him onto the table now, where he was now plopped, sitting level with her for once. He opened his mouth to begin doing just that, arguing with her, when she told him not to. He promptly shut it. It was a command, yet whispered, spoken nothing like a Queen. But as a lover might.

He scooted up onto the conference table and then laid back, feeling a foolish smile come over his lips. Right here, atop a surface used for business matters and the issuing of edicts? How…scandalous. But she was right. Everything about her seemed scandalous. Perhaps it was rubbing off on the stoic, upstanding Conclave Lord.

Very soon, from where his head lay flat, over the horizon of his own chest, he saw Solstice climbing up, straddling onto his hips. He could feel her bare sex upon his groin, separated by some clothing, pushed upwards by his own growing erection. Her hands were the savior for it, freeing it from its cage, where it pressed upwards with all the might and vigour that its endowed length could muster. It stood upwards, framed against her torso, signaling just how deeply it would be going into her. Is this what he craved? Kordavo gave a short, curt nod. Yes, very much so. And soon Solstice lifted herself, his hands coming to her sides, and she plunged down upon its length. A ravenous moan escaped from her, as his hands gripped her abdomen, feeling her body dance and grind as she began to work herself, and him, with her hips.

Was the table steady and firm? Kordavo didn’t think so, but his hands showed little consideration for the consequences as it helped to raise Solstice up and ram her back down on his shaft, feeling himself plunge into her utmost depths. So wet, so warm, so very welcoming. And he took up every bit of real estate that could be found, spearing fully within. This was why. This moment of shared passion and desire. This urge fulfilled only by the other. This was exactly why he kept coming back, why he couldn’t get enough, and why it wouldn’t be half as good or remotely the same with any other.

A pawlike hand came up to slap against her chest, squeezing her breast through the fabric of her garment. He looked at her questioningly for a heartbeat. Give them to me. Or he would take them, in the tatter ruins of her clothing if need be.

He used his grip on her sides though to alternate her how he wanted, bouncing hard, or riding firmly in place, back and forth. Both were delicious. He panted warmly, chin tucked downwards, watching her from where he lay, enjoying the Queen on her throne. This is what he craved in the morning. Slow, sensual, and passionate. But soon his hips were drilling like a piston, thundering upwards, meeting the downwards ramming of her body forced by his grip. His strength was immense compared to hers. He could make it happen so much more. He went, on and on, and on, until he couldn’t withstrain it anymore. He brought her down and kept her down, a rhythm of back and forth rolling of their conjoined hips as his seed painted her insides with his essence, coating her all over. Kordavo felt paralyzed, helpless as the coursing waves of pleasure flushed through him in powerful motions. His mighty chest heaved with the need for breath.

And still he held on to her sides, his fingers perhaps leaving small rips and tears in her garment with how ferociously he had clutched. “And now my morning has finally begun.” Kordavo panted happily, eyes softly closed, with a very content smile on his lips. “I hope you are content with my answer. I can never grow bored of this, my little bird.”

 

[Sketchyequine]

At the conclusion of their love making, Solstice remained upon Kordavo for a few more moments while they both panted, regaining their breath. Solstice had managed to stave off most of Kordavo’s advances- leaving her gown intact and mostly in place. She pulled the bodice up to enclose her breasts once more where it had been pulled down to reveal them to her yearning partner. She looked down at him as one hand cupped his cheek affectionately before she lifted off of his lap and found herself on her own two feet once more- leaving Kordavo alone and exposed. She found her panties on the ground and pulled them back on under her gown.

“Thats all the attention I can spare for now, my love. A kingdom in turmoil doesn’t stand to wait long.” She informed him, before beginning to exit the room. Kordavo could follow if he wished, welcome to join her in her duties for the day, or he was welcome to go about exploring the kingdom on his own. Solstice herself had a few more meetings to attend, and, she thought, she should probably schedule a doctor’s appointment in case she had fallen in with child again so quickly after reuniting with her betrothed. Such carelessness would usually be embarrassing, but Solstice and Kordavo had more than enough means to care for any number of children they brought into this world.

When she exited the meeting room, however, she was met by one of her advisers looking frantically at her while panting. He had obviously been running to find her. A close call, she thought, a few minutes earlier and he would have found her riding Kordavo to orgasm.

“What is it Dextrose?” Solstice asked, her brows knitting together in tension and fear over what it was that had the middle aged man so distraught. She hadn’t seen him so upset since the war had been raging on and she had been sent up and ultimately shot down by the man in the other room.

“Our programs are picking up something. We have reached out to Dominion conclaves who have been known to send forces and tourists here, and none of them are claiming these ships. They’re locked on our coordinates, our hackers were able to determine that much, but we have no idea where they’re from your highness.” Dextrose blurted out. If Kordavo had made any progress in getting decent and joining them in the hallway he would have heard it himself, but there was no time for Solstice to turn back and check on him.

“Show me. Now.” Solstice commanded as her hands reached down to pull the heels from her feet. Then, in tandem, her and the man sprinted back down the hallway.

The palace was a mess of hallways and corridors. There were countless intricate paintings, wood engravings, and hand carved statues that lined these grand hallways- it looked like something straight out of an ancient history book. It was all due to the fraundian desire to preserve and learn from the past. Silly to Kory, maybe, but this building was sacred to Solstice and her people.

After sprinting through several hallways Solstice and the adviser found themselves in a massive communications room. There were monitors everywhere: watching the skies, overviewing security cam footage, tracking numbers and coordinates of countless different ships and even individuals. But directly in front of them, on the biggest monitor on the wall, was a satellite image with several highlighted blurbs- perhaps a dozen ships. They were highlighted in red, and their movement was slow but deliberate.

“What in the spirits…” Solstice whispered as she leaned over the counter, staring at the blips. Even in a gown, Solstice was one of the best pilots on this world, second perhaps only to the Conclave’s lord himself. If there was a fight coming she would be damned if she wasn’t in the skies.

Solstice turned to where she assumed Kordavo would be standing, her chest heaving from the sprint over here. She knew Kory better than to think he wouldn’t follow if not in concern for her then in sheer curiosity. He was a war pilot. The prospect of a fight would lure him like a fish to a worm.

“Do you know anything about this?” She demanded of her fiance. She respected him, but if he had led a crew of ships to her homeland for dominion gain it would sure as hell cause a fight. However, deep down she knew it couldn’t have been him. There was something else out there that was hunting the lush world of Fraundia, or perhaps the Dominion powers that were currently residing there. Whatever it was, Solstice knew her world couldn’t take on the fight alone. War with the Dominion had desecrated them: destroying ships, killing off even the best soldiers, and draining their resources down to almost nothing. Hopefully the dominion would turn out to be of some use to Solstice and her people.

Solstice turned to her adviser, despite whatever Kordavo had or would say, she wasn’t paying attention. There was too much on her mind. She was afraid. She had lived through the last war, fought fearlessly through it, but she was only a princess then. Now, as a queen, the pressures and responsibilities were much greater. She feared what could happen if she screwed this up.

 

[BennyQ]

Kordavo did not follow. The governing of her Kingdom and the day to day tedium was redundant to him. Indeed all economics were. Perhaps it was a spoilage due to his upbringing in being apart of the super-elite of the Dominion. A lifetime of incredible wealth that was always there to be enjoyed, though there were little materialistic desires that could hold his attention for long. Solstice upped herself off his cock and dressed her, shortly departing afterwards, while Kordavo did the same and went in search of a wash station to cleanse himself. Eventually, he would continue his exploration of this relic of ancient humanity that the Fraundians loved to replicate. A castle. Stone fortifications meant to impede armoured men on the ground, with sharp or blunted objects as weapons. How primitive. And yet, it was the history of his race. What did the men and women who really had lived in such places think and do during their time?

Strangely enough, his randomized pacing through the halls and across battlements found himself leading right back to the Queen, who was the center of this enigmatic place. He saw her and another sprint past him down another corridor and inadvertently he followed, curious as to what can make a Queen run, except perhaps some killer beast on the loose. It didn’t sound like there was one inside these halls. And more the merrier. Bring some excitement to these dull, unchanging stone walls. His feet found himself at the threshold of a communications center, a stark contrast of technology within this ancient construct. He had seen these rooms before so his eyes glossed over it once, before fixating on the same anomaly that gripped the Queen and her advisors.

And to his surprise, they were all looking at him. The Queen had asked him a question. Kordavo’s eyes slowly returned to Solstice from the screen, where the dozen blips were showcased. What did she ask? Did he know anything about this? Yes, cause he memorized the itinerary of every craft entering and leaving Fraundian space. He mentally rolled his eyes. “No.” He said slowly. Was she even listening anymore? Why even ask him then. “Are they not your freighters? Dominion craft should always have their IFF transponders active or they could face serious consequences. I think these presume there would be none if they enter your air space. What are you going to do about it, Queen?” He said bluntly to her in return, loudly, in the entire room. Teach her to ignore me. His eyes narrowed at the person who was currently holding her attention; the advisor. But it was only a childish thought.

Kordavo pushed forward and nudged a technician out of his way, taking control of the man’s console. He punched in a code for Dominion frequency and pulled the mic up to his lips. “Spirit of Vigilance, come in.”

”Captain Sohil, Spirit of Vigilance, we read you Lord Chenoweth.”

The Spirit of Vigilance was a Dominion corvette currently docked over a Fraundian population center, delivering supplies to the Dominion ground garrison. It did have a registered itinerary with Fraundian authorities and was due to depart before nightfall, having completed its basic supply run. “Captain, there are unidentified ships approaching orbit. Recon and identify them.” Kordavo ordered.

”We copy, Lord Chenoweth.” The Captain reported and on the viewscreen, a blue arrow, a non-Fraundian friendly, was seen approaching the dozen unregistered blips. ”Scopes up now, Lord Chenoweth. We’re seeing…eleven personal fighter craft and one gunship. Dominion profiles. But…but…” The Captain trailed off.

“But what?” Kordavo demanded. On screen, the twelve blips began to swerve towards the approaching corvette, which would be severely outmanned and outmatched.

”Their insignia. It’s crossed out. On their hulls, Lord. That means…wait…”

“That means deserters.” Kordavo said sneeringly under his breath. Traitors, cowards, opportunists of the worst kind. Coming to loot and raid what they assumed would be a defenseless Fraundian base. Who was going to stop them? “Captain, come in. Captain?”

”Multiple target locks! They are opening fire!” Came the distressed voice. On screen, the blips were swarming the one lone Dominion vessel. ”Propulsion system down! We lost thrust power, we’re sitting ducks! We- aaargh!” And then the line turned to static. The Spirit of Vigilance had been disabled, possibly destroyed. With a low rumbling growl, almost like a lion, Kordavo heaved the mic uncaringly into the console and turned swiftly, intending to get back to his ship which was still sitting outside the castle. He was getting involved and joining the fight against these bastards. Multiple bogeys were now on approach to the planet now.

With his long legs, it took Kordavo all of ten minutes to each his craft. No jumpsuit, no helmet, nothing. He got in, let the canopy lock in over him, and powered up his vessel. And in the communication room, they would see his blue blip quickly racing up into orbit. Was he going to go in alone? Against eleven fighters and a gunship armed with heavy weapons and homing missiles? Even in a simulation, it would be rated a very high difficult. But that’s what turned him on the most.

 

[Sketchyequine]

He questioned her capabilities, yet again. Using her title for beratement. And for what? To get back at her for asking? Due to jealousy that her attention was not fully on him? There was certainly no way to be sure about what had angered Kordavo. It seemed it was an unsettlingly easy thing to do. If this man were to marry the queen, it would be who of him to continue putting effort into learning patience with her. His restraint was growing, but he still had a ways to go before he truly met her in the middle.

Solstice stood behind her lover, peering over his shoulders at the screens as he did took control, sending a dominion friendly out to scout the incoming ships. After having just lost the war, Solstice herself was suspicious of all air activity- always waiting for a vindictive dominion captain to come and unleash their wraith on her or her innocent citizens just because they disagreed with their way of life… or disagreed that she should have any sort of power here or anywhere. That mornings meeting filled with belittlement and judgement was part of the queen’s day to day life. She could never get away from hearing that she wasn’t good enough. And in a way… she believed it, but not in the ways that dominion powers believed.

Her mind was brought back to the moment when the ship’s captain let out a distressed call before the line went static. With a furrowed brow she looked down to her feet only briefly, regretful for the loss. Kordavo had sent that ship to its doom in his haste. It was unfortunate for its occupants, but at least it gave them some information. Their skies were indeed unsafe to fly. When Kordavo took off she followed him with her eyes in shock of his haste. He had always been chaste with her about such dramatics. Yet here he was, rushing to a battle he almost certainly couldn’t win. Again foolish. But the man yearned for war, that much was for sure.

Solstice leaned over the counter and input a code that had been kept from the dominion powers. I opened up a command screen with hundreds of individual battleship id numbers. These ships were hidden, unregistered, and most were hidden in the homes on their pilots using in depth cloaking technology that the fraundians had perfected beyond dominion capabilities and was likely responsible for the reason Fraundia held their own for so long in the war against the superpower that was the dominion. Dominion technology had been focused on attack rather than defense. They had bigger guns and better ships. But fraundians could disappear.

Would Kordavo know that about them? Would he leave her for keeping this secret? It mattered not. What did matter, however, was protecting her betrothed so that Kordavo might live to yell at her about this later. By sending these ships the dominion would know about this entire operation. It could easily be means for the queen’s forced retirement or even execution. But what was love if it didn’t make people do crazy things. The highlighted the ID’s of 15 ships, 15 pilots she knew she could count on and she sent out the orders, speaking clearly into the microphone.

“Protect Kordavo Chenoweth at all costs. He comes home tonight. The ships he is fighting are your target. By any means necessary they must be taken down.” She said, and within seconds there were 15 blips that appeared on a map invisible to anyone without the code that only solstice herself possessed. They were highlighted in orange and they were quickly taking up formation right along Kordavo for battle.

It brought a smile to the queen's face before she terminated the program such that it would once more be inaccessible to Dominion powers. It was her service to her people not to let the dominion government have power over what little armed forces they had left. Those pilots trusted her. They would fight alongside Kordavo for their queen despite their distaste for his people and what he stood for. She then stepped back, running her hands over her skirts to flatten out the wrinkles that had formed there.

“Anyone who does not want to undergo the wrath of angry dominion powers… I suggest you evacuate this area now. Make yourselves scarce. This was my doing and none of you should take the fall for it.”

There was a moment of hesitation in her staff before they followed orders, filing out of the control room and dispersing so as not to be tied to the scene. Solstice did not flee. In the now empty control room she took a seat and watched the massive screen that hovered over the desks where men and women had been working just moments ago. She watched as the blip that she knew was Kordavo approached the enemy airships, knowing that right alongside him were her unmarked pilots. She hoped there would be minimal bloodspill that morning for her people and, specifically, for her betrothed.

It was short lived, though. Within minutes dominion officers were closing in on her. She didn’t fight as they roughly pushed her to the ground and climbed atop her nearly crushing her small frame under their weight. They pulled her arms roughly around her back and she cried out as the roughness of their furious grip broke her wrist and the angle they pulled her at threatened to dislocate her shoulder.

Even as the tears of her pain began to well in her eyes she kept her eyes on the screen, hoping and praying that Kordavo’s blip would not disappear as they dragged her away for god knows what they had in store for the beloved queen of Fraundia.

“Fight well, my love.” She whispered to herself when the screen was no longer in her sights.

 

[BennyQ]

The battle turned out to be a milk run. It was a pleasant surprise when Kordavo saw many of the Fraundian vessels appearing to defend their home world and he didn’t question where they came from. After crushing four of the twelve marauders himself, including the heavily armed gunship, he hung back and directed the battleships in trapping and finishing off the rest. They were not so bad, these Fraundian commanders and being on his side for once, he could appreciate the tactics and resolve that they showed that had once frustrated Dominion efforts for so long. Not a single question of where they came from. He wasn’t knowledgeable about any demilitarization edicts placed upon Fraundia. Every Dominion member world was allowed its own defense force, right?

Two and a half hours elapsed from his take off to his return. It felt good. He had gotten to fly, to command, to eliminate his opponents and leave their debris in the cold vacuum of space. He would return to his wife and mother of his children and indulge in some private celebration. His R&R, as he intended, when he came to his world to see her. Nothing would impede him.

Except maybe her arrest and imprisonment. He returned to the castle, only to find it replaced by the armed garrison of the Dominion occupiers. At every gate, every threshold and door, there were armed guards. They questioned him, demanded to see his identification at almost every turn, and refused to answer his questions about their own presence. After all, what was Solstice’s was also his, and this was his home, and he did not authorize these men to be here. But they answered to the Planetary Administration only, not to some Conclave Lord without commission or assignation from Vorzania. The local Governor had his pretext. Now his very rich friends would get their exploitation and material profit. And no annoying Queen to stop them.

No one told the Governor that Lord Kordavo Chenoweth was on-world as well. Unfortunately, they stuck a lot of red tape in his face in order to prevent him from outright ordering Solstice’s release. He had intimidated and threatened the Dominion officials before but this time they dug in their heels and would call the bluff. Only, it wasn’t a bluff. But to carry through would mean cutting through a lot of bureaucratic nonsense. Solstice had been charged with abetting and fermenting possible treason and aggressive acts towards the suzerain state, the Dominion.

“Fifteen minutes.” The guard instructed, as he ordered the opening of the cell to Solstice’s prison cell. In walked Kordavo, dressed in uniform, with a bellow cloak and hat, uniform bristling with medals.

Did he go to her? Run and hug her, sweep her in his arms, tell her everything would be alright? Instead he stood just a foot inside the cell and glanced around the place, as if every corner held some poison or disgust that repelled him. He made a face. Finally, his eyes fell on Solstice. He heard the charges, or at least rumour of them, but he didn’t know what to believe. Crossing his arms over his chest, the bulk of his muscle tugging the taut uniform so that it outlined neatly the bulbous muscular sections of his arm and shoulders.

“Well? What did you do now, little bird?” Kordavo inquired with a quirked eyebrow.