The Governors Gala

[Thomas Cromwell]

It had been a little over a year since the last formal event that I had attended, and that was the admirals ball. I must admit that I did rather enjoy my self at these events though the first time i went or should i say forced to go i hated it. I was at first faced with the problem of getting into an event now that i was out of the navy.

I had looked threw the listings of up coming events and most didn't look like they would be worth the time, but there was one or two that where. One was the local admirals ball, the other the governors gala. I could get in to the admirals ball with little trouble, seeing as retired officers normally made up a good bit of the attendees.

I was how ever not wanting to go to some thing I had all ready been to many times. So that left the Governors Gala, the opening one for the season at that. Now came the hard part getting tickets, at first they wouldn't even return my messages, that is until I got fed up and manged to get a call threw.

I loathed to do it but i made the call to the planing office from my office on Trenton, surprising what happens when your call carriers the USI executive ID. My call was answered all most as soon as it was placed. Now i had gone from ignored to honored guest, with two tickets. I had only planed to go my self but now this got me to thinking if i should take some one else and if so who.

I pondered this question as i pulled out my old dress uniform and examined it. It was customary for current and retired officer to wear there dress uniforms to events such as this. I tried it on to make sure it still fit, was a little tighter in a few places but not bad.

Uniform cleared for cleaning:

After making the uniform ready to be cleaned i sat down at my desk and mulled over the idea of calling her. She was really the only choice i had, it not like i new very many women, even fewer that i was on good terms with, at least i think i am on good terms with her. The bigger problem would be this was about as far from her comfort zone as some thing got.

Well only one way to find out, i dialed her number, it went straight to voice mail. No surprise she would be out on patrol this time of day. "Miss. Burgos i found my self in need of your services again. In no way do you have to do this, i know it really isn't your thing. I will get to the point, i would ask you to honor me by being my escort to the Governors Gala."

I let out a sigh after i sent the message, even if she did agree to go i am sure a shopping trip would be required. Something i knew she wouldn't want to do. O well only time would tell now. With that i stood up and headed for the cleans with my uniforms.

---

[GhothaAyala]

The relatively small ship drifted idly in space near the exit coordinates of a jumphole, the Raven scanned an ice field 44Ks away but the scanner picked up nothing and she proceeded to open a channel to the Mamuelle. "All clear, bring her in." She said, her voice exuding confidence and not a hint of a worry, there was no need to after all.

Her sensor pinged the appearance of a friendly vessel and shortly after shadow eclipsed the blue giant sun's light. The Train flew barely 500 meters overhead, relatively speaking, and the magnetic couplings where so strong that the idle heavy fighter started drifting towards it.

"You have a message by the way." The captain said. "I got it right after you jumped."

"Thanks Clovis." Dayayra answered feeling her PDA vibrating under her flight suit. With one hand she set a course towards the trade lane but keeping close to the ice field. Her spare hand popped the airtight seal around her neck and then zipped down a third of the way so she could reach into her cleavage and produce the small vaguely rectangular device.

He attention left the viewport for a second as she focused on reading the message but a part of her new she should be on alert so she skimmed through it and focused on her sensors again.

It took her a while to digest what she just read.

Her head snapped back down so fast it almost hurt. She read the message once again letting go of the controls to rub the back of her neck. A smile crept up her face and she even let out a short round of laughter. "About time."

The freelancer bit her lower lip and sent her short reply.

If you know how to count than count on me.

She knew it was a formal occasion and pondered on what she had to wear that would fit the occasion and the answer was, nothing. She would have to take care of that soon.

---

[Thomas Cromwell]

After dropping my uniform off at the station cleaners i headed for a meeting with the board. About half way threw the meeting my PDA went off to alert me to a new message. The rest of the room ignoring it went on like nothing had happened, it was after all very common for me to receive messages during meetings given the nature of my work. What drew ever ones eyes to me was the sudden chuckle that escaped me up on reading the message, "If you know how to count than count on me." If that replay didn't scream Dayayra nothing did.

I quickly typed a response, "Come by my office after you get back, i have taken the liberty of picking out a few styles of dresses for your consideration. If you like or don't like any of them either way we can go plant side and pick it up and or find some thing to your liking. O and i don't want to hear a word about cost." Quickly sending the message i went back to half listening to the details of the meeting.

After the meeting i made my way back to my office, i had some much need to work to get done. My ceremonial saber needed polishing, as well as the many metal finishings, and medals and other assorted things.

Polished saber:

After i finished cleaning every thing, i looked at my watch the patrols where due back in a few hours. Walking over to the wardrobe where i kept my uniforms and associated things i placed the saber back in its place. Taking a moment to look over what where now relics of my past i just for a moment considered what would have happened if i had stayed in the navy.

I dismissed these thoughts, whats done is done, i locked the wardrobe and sat back down at my desk and got back to work. As i skimmed over reports and filed requisitions my mind wandered. It first tried to picture Dayayra in a formal gown or even a dress at all, no doubt she would look resplendent. The bigger problem might be more related to her level of understanding of such "high society" and the like. I smiled at the thought of the hard drinking freelancer all gussied up.

Along the same train of thought i soon realized i would likely have to teach her more then how to smile and wave, i doubted she new how to ball room dance. Perhaps this was a bad idea, after all the event was only two weeks away. I let out a sigh, "I guess will see soon enough." I said to my self.

---

[GhothaAyala]

The Raven Talon completed an orbit around Manhattan while it's pilot lazily lounged in the cockpit, her attention partly on her sensors but mostly on her data pad which she was using to browse the neural net of the planet below her.

She was mainly looking for what a Governer's Gala was exactly and what sort of 'dress code' one had to adhere to, of course the words 'Governor' and 'Gala' spoke for themselves. Dayayra just wanted to confirm it.

Needless to say she was not going to take 'suggestions' from a dude that only wears uniforms. Just the thought made her roll her eyes to stare at her brain for a second.

She then proceeded to browse for something to wear for such an occasion, despite her more practical philosophy she did have a few 'dresses' but they where too... Revealing for the occasion.

The last time she wore a thing of those was... Years ago. She dazed off as she revisited memory lane, she did not usually seek out attention but when she did she made sure she got all of it. It was something her mother said, live fast die young and leave behind a pretty looking corpse.

The green all clear code flashed on her console and she knew it was time to head to Trenton. Sitting up in her seat she absently rubbed her lower back as a dull ache had been building up there for a while.

The sudden acceleration made her sink into the seat as she approached the station at an excess of 800 meters per second and instead of slowing down she killed the thruster and visually guesstimated her trajectory without sparing the more accurate instrumentation a glance.

She decided she was off course and used the RCS thrusters to turn her ship sideways and with a short burn angled herself into a position that should theoretically make her slide through the receiving docking bay... Assuming no one was parked there yet.

"You're clear to... Wow slow down!" Docking control warned.

The freelancer heard none of it, both feet on the thrusting pedals and a hand on the RCS controls, her eyes set on the slowly parting doors which slid open just a crack at the right time for the sleek black fighter to slide through in reverse. Once inside her thrusters did her part and halted her from 500 odd meters per second to 0.

The only damage was an empty canister of H-Fuel which was thrown across the docking bay and slammed into the bulkhead before shattering in more pieces than one could count.

In hindsight, that was reckless but it had been fun and ultimately... She had no idea what had gotten her so excited to act recklessly, she was acting like one of them bimbos on Liberty Net Entertainment.

She shrugged the protests that came from her peers and to her surprise a few congratulations from the more reckless kind of pilots on her daring feat. Last time she looked she was not well liked around here so that was a nice surprise.

Her quarters where tidy as she left them but in an instant became a mess of strewn clothes as she dug through the small closet which was far too big for the little piles of jeans shirts she called her wardrobe.

She realized she had twice as much underwear as she had clothes to wear on top off and double the amount of jeans and pants compared to the amount of shirts and blouses.

But she did have a bag of her belongings she had forgotten to unpack a long time ago. Where she found more shirts and blouses to even things out and an orange... Something.

The security officer pulled the obnoxious orange fabric which she did not recognize, it was not much longer than a meter and at a glance it looked like some sort of scarf. It was stretchy, she realized as she untangled it from itself and then vaguely remembered having a dress in a similar color.

She remembered it being a good fit and the bright color suited her skin tone, so she tried it on and indeed it fit, but only cause it was elastic. To her dismay she had filled out considerably over the years and she looked fat... In the right places though. It also meant that it rode up her thighs a bit but still looked... Formal.

Burgos grinned, that would do. She just needed the shoes to go along with it and all.

---

[Thomas Cromwell]

Running my fingers threw my hair I let out a long and frustrated sigh. The stack of paper work was still growing and if one more person commed me i was going to hurt some one. With the CEO out of commission for awhile thanks to some surgery i had been filling in as acting CEO as well as CSO. As i reached for the next set of supply orders to look over and approve the com chimed, "Chief..." The sound of some one far less calm if not down right angry and panicked could be heard in the back ground, "shes crazy i say.... telling him wont do any good shes his pet after all..." things went quite for a moment, the line obviously muted. Few moments later the first voice returned, "Chief, There was an incident on the landing deck involving Miss. Burgos. Sending you the vid feed now. I am sorry sir.... but regulations say she has the be grounded until there has been a review."

I sighed as the video of her landing was replayed showing feeds from external and internal feeds. Hell of a landing that was for sure, but the deck officer was right. That said in a case like this the review would be carried out by the CSO and a final judgement would be handed down by the CEO and board of directors. That was me and only me at this moment and the deck officer knew it.

Running my fingers threw my hair again, "I will handle it ensign..." I closed the channel, and rubbed my temples, "What am i going to do with her...." I leaned back in my chair as i thought it threw, I cant just diss miss this and i cant been seen as impartial regard less. I guess i could wait till the CEO got back but I had no idea when that would be.

She had been gone for a few days on a long run escort and patrol, we had not even spoken since that exchange of messages last week. Guess we where going to get to have a chat now. Leaning forward i activated the com, "Dayayra, please come to the CEO's office, now..."

I had hoped to see her soon, just not like this. I hate to admit it, but i had really gotten use to her company, i often felt she was the only one that i could be normal around. Every one else on this station looked up to me as a CSO. She was....... special and i was slowly starting to realize just how much.

While i waited for her to show up i went back to the paper work on my desk.

---

[GhothaAyala]

She was busy with something else, she had no time to answer the hail she got and even though it might have been important or it was the hail she had been expecting from Thomas she had turned everything in her quarters upside down and messy as she claimed to be the Canarian native could not leave the mess behind.

Only after every garment was folded neatly and tucked away did she flop on the chair in front of her terminal. She played the short message with a frown since she used his CEO powers to summon her and not as a normal person like he usually did.

Dayayra grunted with a small grin, putting two and two together to guess what he wanted with her. She lazily donned her flight suit again and headed out the door. She was unworried about what was to come and walked to his office without a hint betraying her demeanor.

Soon the automatic door to the CEO office hissed open and she stepped inside, for a second forgetting that she was possibly in trouble and more curious about the contents of the office. "Not bad Thomas..." She grinned. Even though it was a temporary and symbolic thing it suited him, she approved of his position.

CitlaTzin decided not to stall anymore and flopped in one of the two chairs in front of him. "Talk to me Boss." She said in a coy smile. "I'm gonna get spanked or what?"

---

[Thomas Cromwell]

I was buried in paper work when i heard the door hiss open, i glanced up and noticed Dayayra sauntering in her hips swaying in a way that screamed i am sexy and i know it. I went back to my work but still kept my eye on her she walked in, she stopped and looked around the room, "Not bad Thomas..."

I just grunted in response, as i watched her approch and flop down in of the guest chairs, one leg slung over the arm, "Talk to me Boss." she gave me one of those i know i am in trouble, but i know i wont get punished smiles. "I'm gonna get spanked or what?"

My mind instantly went to an image of me bending her over my lap and spanking her tight little butt. I shuck my head now was hardly the time for such a thing, but it wouldn't leave my head so easily. Which was a dangerous thing for some one that spoke there mind, "Maybe late....." I manged to kill the last syllable, but the damage was done. I cleared my throat and Laid the tablet in my hand down, i put a stern look on my face trying to suppress my growing embarrassment. "You know I could give you a speech about what you did, but i know it be a waste of a good speech."

I sighed and ran my fingers threw my hair before going on. "So i will cut to the chase, normally in a case like this the review would be carried out by me and a final judgement would be handed down by the CEO and board of directors. The problem is the CEO is out with no eta on when he will be back, which means i am the CSO, CEO, and board of directors." I tried to make eye contact but i just couldn't do it, not this time, so i opted for a spot just over her head. "So i am going to ask you, what do you think i should do. I could just ground you until the CEO gets back, or suspend you and dock your pay....." I sighed there was no good way to get threw this.

---

[GhothaAyala]

She blinked for a second she clearly was not expecting that but she did not really expect anything. He was serious though although she noted he wavered a bit for reasons she thought she could take advantage of. After all she was a woman and she knew she was pretty, maybe not beautiful but her mother never let that stop her either.

"Well..." She spoke in a soft voice, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "What happened to getting a warning first..." She didn't really ask the question as much as she said it. "If I get grounded I'm going to chew the bulkheads within two days and..." She paused to rub her lower back absently, a dull ache appearing again. "And you and I both know that if I don't get paid..."

She paused her threat to sit back properly, crossing one leg over the other and assuming a more friendly tone again, an overtly friendly one. "I was just pushing your buttons but getting spanked doesn't sound like a bad idea now." She smiled teasingly, but was she? "Where do you want me?"

---

[Thomas Cromwell]

Sighing I ran my fingers threw my hair, yep i was never going to live that one down. I was back where i started with one question, which relationship did i want to do damage to, my relationship with the company and personnel or my relationship with Dayayra. Logic would dictate that i pick the company, after all one vs many, the many are all ways suppose to win, that said i found my self far more torn.

"I was just pushing your buttons but getting spanked doesn't sound like a bad idea now." She smiled teasingly, "Where do you want me?" That had to be the most loaded question i had been asked in a long time. I looked her right in the eye, i knew she was expecting to get off as though nothing happened. By the gods i wanted to just let her go, but i couldn't.

I looked down at my desk hoping an answer would just jump up, oddly it did. In front of me lay the forms for the CEOs paid leave. That was it! Paid leave, was the answer i was looking for. To the rest of the company it would look liked i suspended her, to her it be like bonus vacation time.

A smile played at my lips as i looked back up at her, looking firmly in to the dark eyes of the girl in front of me, "Dayayra, I am giving you a weeks paid leave, on the conditions that you take it any where but in the station and that if any one asks you are on a weeks suspension." I leaned back in my chair rather pleased with my idea. Now I just had to hope she would play along.

"Well Dayayra what do you say?"

---

[GhothaAyala]

She blinked again taking the offer into consideration, her head tipped from one side to the other balancing the weight of the new option in her head and she sighed, partly relieved that she had managed to get off the hook, specially without doing anything degrading but at the same time, a tiny bit of disappointment.

"Well, I think I could play along with that." The freelancer nodded. "Paid leave huh?"

She shifted in her seat again and changed the topic. "Now that we got that outta the way, when our we going to this... Government, president, gala ball thing?" The exact name eluded her. "Can't say I've been to one of those before, back when I was young..." She snorted at her choice of words, she was still twenty-not-a-whole-lot. "I used to avoid that sort of parties but now I do feel like going at least once and by all fancy and all." Dayayra beamed happily. "It's gonna be an adventure... Either that or completely boring as I always feared it would be."

---