Chapter Three

Captain Shaw planted her boots firmly on the floor and faced the dozen women, along with Ethan, gathered around her. Her navy-blue uniform stuck to her after days of desert heat, and the exposed skin from the ripped shoulder displayed muggy sweat. The redhead’s ponytail swayed as she crossed her arms, her green eyes locking onto each crew member with a stern expression.

“I don’t have any better way to put this,” she started. “But we’re starting to run low on supplies. Our food rations will not last another week if we don’t find a sustainable source. Our water supplies maybe have an extra week, but we need to start planning ahead if we’re going to wait out the criminals and reclaim the ship.” Her eyes narrowed as the crew looked to her for guidance. “We need a hunting team to move out tomorrow morning and search for sustainable food.”

Ever the volunteer, Sarah stepped forward with her hand raised, her black braid brushing against her back as she stood with her hazel eyes glinting with restlessness. “I can take a team out at first light,” she announced to the group.

Kendra nodded in appreciation. “I love your willingness, Sarah,” she said as she approached the dark-haired Communications Officer. “But I need you to keep working on the comms tech, and you’ll be a lot more useful around here, securing the perimeter.”

Sarah parted her lips to retort, but lowered her gaze to the floor, not daring to challenge her leader in front of the others again. Ethan pushed himself off the cave wall where he had been leaning and strode closer to the group. Up until now, he had been quiet ever since he had reunited with his captain, but now was the time to make himself useful. His eyes locked on Kendra’s with a determined stare.

“I should go,” Ethan declared. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but they are rabid men out there. I am naturally stronger and faster. I’ve also been hunting back home all my life. I know how to track an animal. Let me go alone while you stay safe here.”

The redhead turned to the engineer. Her arms stayed crossed as she studied the newest member of their survival group. “I like your keenness, Ethan, but this isn’t a solo mission. I’m sending Officer Haywood and Officer Miller. They had the best combined sharpshooting scores at the academy. They’re the best suited for the task.”

Ethan’s jaw clenched, and his broad chest rose with a sharp breath. He took another step closer, speaking with frustration. “I don’t know if you see what’s happening out there, Captain,” he said. “But those neanderthals are hunting women. Sending two women out there is suicide. I have the physical advantages required for hunting in this terrain, and those assholes aren’t searching for me.”

The captain thought for a moment. “The decision has been made,” she said, sticking to her guns. “I have faith in the two officers, and I believe they have the best skills for this task.”

Ethan smashed his hand on the table beside the redheaded captain. “You’re making a fucking mistake here!” He spurted out without even thinking. His eyes widened as the words escaped.

Kendra’s green eyes flashed with fury, and her body tensed as she turned fully toward the engineer. The cave fell silent, and the women watched with bated breath as their leader faced the challenge head-on.

“You will watch your tone with me, Engineer Stone,” she snapped, her voice not allowing any retort. “I am your captain, and this is a crisis situation. You will follow my orders, or you will find yourself struggling to survive in the red dirt on your own. Do you understand?”

Ethan’s face flushed with anger and regret. The engineer’s hands unclenched slowly, and he took a step back, his eyes dropping to the cave floor. “I understand, Captain,” the man said quietly. “I was out of line. I agree that your plan will work. I apologize.”

Kendra held her subordinate’s gaze for a moment longer, her expression softening slightly as she assessed his sincerity. The redhead nodded once, accepting his backtrack. “Good,” she replied before turning to face the rest of the group. “Everyone has a role to play here, all of us.”

As she turned away, Ethan’s eyes narrowed as his face couldn’t hide the seething humiliation he faced being put down and demasculated in front of the women. However, he stayed silent and moved back into the shadows.

The captain moved forward to Emily, who was sitting on a cushioned rock with her leg outstretched. “How are you holding up?” she said with concern.

The blonde second-in-command smiled back at the redhead. “I can support my own weight without aid,” she reported. “I’ll be limping for a little while longer, but I should be able to hold my own if I need to.”

Kendra nodded, patting the lieutenant on the shoulder. “Great.” She approached Sarah once more. “Sarah, I want you to get Haywood and Miller fully prepared. Tomorrow, I need you to start training the rest of the crew on how to defend themselves. Some have never been in a melee fight before, and I need to make sure they’re ready.”

Sarah smiled widely. She had always liked a good scrap, and the new command put her in her element. “Of course, Captain,” she agreed. “We’ll build an army capable of destroying those savages.”

The redhead chuckled, shaking her head. “We don’t need an army. Just a team skillful enough to fend off any attacks before they start killing each other down there.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Sarah replied with a jovial salute.

Kendra spun around, addressing the entire group. “Come on, back to work,” she commanded them. “You all have your duties, and we can only survive out here if everyone pulls their weight.”

The group murmured amongst themselves before slowly rising from their slumber and moving back into action. Kendra felt a soft tap of reassurance on her shoulder as the black-haired Sarah stood beside her.

“You’re doing great, captain,” She encouraged her captain. “We’re still alive out here, and it’s all down to your leadership. I’m confident we can get ourselves out of this mess.”

Kendra offered the communications officer a slight smile before Sarah walked away. Left alone, Kendra allowed herself to worry. What if none of this is enough, she thought to herself, seeding her mind with doubt.

❖

Victor Crane tugged the trapped Riley Thorn’s leash sharply, forcing the naked rebel to stumble forward on her bound knees. The rope bit into her wrists and elbows behind her back as she glared up at her captor through the red ball gag, stretching her mouth wide. Her mohawk spikes were blunted through her days of confinement, and her bare breasts swayed with each forced movement, nipples hardening in the open air while Victor’s orange jumpsuit hung loose on his slim, sadistic frame, his graying hair blowing in the wind. The group had claimed the shallow pool, and now the men worked feverishly to establish a permanent foothold.

Nathan Malik directed two prisoners as they assembled the solar pump near the water’s edge. His tall body moved with purpose, his black hair slick with sweat as he connected hoses to the battery unit salvaged from the Starfire. The device whirred to life, drawing clear liquid from the ditch and filtering it into containers. Nathan took the first container and dropped a blue pill inside. As the tablet dissolved, the substance turned green, and the man grinned. “Perfect pH. We have drinkable water, Victor.”

Victor released Riley’s leash and let her sump to the sand. He stepped toward Nathan and took the container from his hand. He poured out the contents and refilled it with the pump. The leader drank deeply and felt the cool liquid slide down his throat. He passes it back to his second-in-command.

“This is our foundation,” the man said. “Water means life, which means food. Let’s get searching.”

Nathan drank next and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “The condenser is almost ready,” he added. “It’ll pull moisture from the atmosphere and add to the supply.”

Victor nodded and turned to two men unloading the sled. Crates of salvaged tech and materials were stacked neatly beside the growing cluster of tents. “You two,” he shouted out. “Stop what you’re doing. You’re coming with us.”

The wiry leader’s gaze drifted to his captive. She knelt where he left her and twisted futilely against her ropes. “Take her leash and keep her close,” Victor ordered one of the men. “Keep your filthy paws off her. She is mine until I decide otherwise.”

One of the men nodded and shortened Riley’s leash, forcing the gagged woman to crawl behind him. Victor assembled a small exploration team and led them away from base camp as the rest of his group continued to set up and secure the water source.

The team ventured deeper into the surrounding terrain, their boots sinking into the red sand as they searched for any signs of sustenance and value. Victor walked at the front, his eyes scanning the sparse vegetation that dotted the landscape. The sun beat down on their back as their clothes clung to their skin. Riley crawled behind her handler, her naked body dragging through the dust, her restricted hands forced to the ground in front of her as she attempted to keep up.

One of the explorers, a burly man with a faint scar across his face, knelt beside a cluster of bulbous red plants. “Be careful,” Victor warned him. “We have no idea how the fauna out here will react to us.”

The man carefully sliced one open with a knife, revealing a pulpy interior, bringing it to his nose. “This could be edible,” he called. “It smells sweet. We should test it.”

Victor approached and examined the plant, nodding in approval. “Bag a few and tag the site,” he ordered. “We have a nutrient tester back at the camp. Once we’ve fixed it up, we’ll be able to figure out if it’ll kill us or not.”

The scarred explorer, Mason O’Donnell, who everyone simply referred to as Scarface, stuffed several plants into a sack and marked the location with a strip of reflective orange tape. Victor watched him work, his mind already calculating how he could control the area if the food was edible. The leader glanced around before a shiny flicker on the edge of a faraway rock cliff caught his attention. “Over there,” he told the group. “There is something over there.”

The team followed Victor’s lead, their boots crunching over the red sand as they approached the cliff’s base. Riley’s handler yanked her leash firmer to keep her crawling as her breasts swayed below her with each pull. Victor paid her no mind, his focus locked on the shimmering patch nestled in a shallow crevice.

Scarface reached the spot first and knelt beside it. “Boss, you need to see this,” he called, his voice laced with unease. He dipped a finger into the pool and swirled it around the black, oily substance. At first, it appeared to be an innocuous pool of oil, but then the substance suddenly latched onto the man’s skin, slowly crawling upward like a living thing.

The scarred man jerked his hand back and slapped at the black substance as it spread across his forearm. The material clung tighter and moved with purpose towards his elbow, covering it with a silky smooth texture. His eyes widened in terror as he scrambled to his feet. “It’s fucking attacking me!” Scarface shouted. “Get it off!”

Victor rushed forward and grabbed Scarface’s arm with both hands. He dug his fingers into the liquid latex-styled substance and pried it away from the man’s skin with careful pressure. The material began transferring itself onto Victor’s hands, but as he began to relax his muscles and open his palm up, it stopped moving, sitting in a pool in his hand as it shimmered under the sun. The substance felt smooth against his fingers, almost alive as it shifted slightly at his touch.

Nathan hurried over and examined the glob in his leader’s palm. His eyes narrowed as he poked the material with a tool from his pocket. The substance reacted to the prod and briefly wrapped around the metal before retreating to Victor’s skin.

“This is incredible,” Nathan said. “It responds to contact. It’s not just clinging. It appears to be adapting.”

Victor turned the pool in his hand and watched the black material mold to his grip. He squeezed gently, and the substance compressed before expanding back to its original shape. The leader’s mind raced with ideas for how he could capitalize on the discovery.

“Secure the perimeter around this cliff,” Victor ordered the group. “No one touches the pool until we understand what it is. I want a guard on this day and night.”

Victor dropped the substance into a small glass jar before slipping it into his pocket. He took Riley’s leash from her handler and pulled firmly, walking her back to base camp. The force of the tug took the strength out from beneath her arms, and she tumbled to the ground, her breasts smashing into the red sand. However, Victor didn’t pay her any attention and kept walking, forcing the mohawked woman to support herself and follow her captor on her hands and knees, her teeth biting against the gag in fury and desperation.

❖

Magnus pushed open the heavy door to the newly constructed Town Hall, as he called it, and stepped inside. His orange jumpsuit had long since gone, his new tailor able to craft new attire from the materials salvaged from the nearby crash site. He now wore a white vest with a pair of black leather-style pants. A black leather jacket with an encrusted skull emblem on the back draped over his wide shoulders as he surveyed the new structure. The building stood solid, a testament to the laboring skills of his men, and he grinned to himself as he saw his vision come together.

The foreman of the operation, Rusty, stood near the center and wiped the dust from his hands onto his own new attire. The man’s tattooed arms flexed as he sanded off the final panel, his face breaking into a grin when he spotted Magnus approaching.

“We’ve just finished off the flooring, boss,” Rusty said. “The structures are holding strong. We don’t know what kind of weather this planet has planned for us, but I reckon this could withstand a category 3 hurricane.”

Magnus clapped Rusty on the shoulder with a firm hand. “You’ve outdone yourself,” he said. “In just four days, you turned this shitheap into functional shelters. The men are loving the barracks, but they’ll soon be weary of each other’s company. We need individual homes if we want to stop them from tearing each other apart.” The bald man looked around the grand room. “I know you and your team can get it done.”

Rusty nodded proudly and turned toward the five female captives standing bound to the side of the room. Their naked bodies remained on full display, wrists cuffed to a pole protruding from the ground to ensure they stayed in place, ankles keeping their feet close together. Collars encircled their necks, each engraved with a degrading name. Gags of various types silenced them. Their eyes were filled with fear as the foreman began walking over to them.

Magnus followed Rusty with measured steps, his face contorting into a grin as he noticed his foreman taking a fancy to Magnus’s prizes. He stopped before the foreman and surveyed the line of women, their bare skin flushed from the enclosed heat. The first captive, a brunette with curves that strained against her restraints, had “BitchWhore” etched into her collar. A red ball gag stretched her lips wide, and her breasts rose with each hyperventilating breath.

“Like what you see?” Magnus asked the man. He approached a black-haired Indian woman wearing a metal ring gag on the far end of the lineup, his large hand smacking her bare C-cup breasts. She whimpered through the gag, and Magnus slowly began massaging the woman’s busty curves as though she were merely property. “These bitches are a symbol of the new order around here. We’re no longer going to be ordered around by the weaker sex. These sluts are nothing around here.

Magnus gave the woman’s breast another slap before stepping back and folding his arms. “I’ll tell you what,” he said. “As a token of goodwill for all your hard work and loyalty, I’ll let you get first dibs on one of these whores before I auction the rest off.” The women’s eyes collectively widened as they moaned out and attempted to resist their cuffs.

The ginger-haired man paused at the third captive, a blonde with massive tits that thrust forward proudly despite her best efforts. The collar read “Titflesh,” and Rusty’s eyes narrowed with pure hunger. He cupped one of her heavy mounds with his thumb, circling the nipple until it hardened under his grip. The blonde whimpered through her cloth gag, her body trembling as the man squeezed harder.

“This one,” Rusty confirmed. “I definitely want this one.”

Magnus laughed heartily and slapped Rusty on the back. “She is all yours,” he said. “Take her to your quarters and break her in properly. I want you to start work on the new homes tomorrow.”

Rusty attached a leash to Titflesh’s collar, unpinned the cuffs from her stationary pole, and tugged her forward. The blonde stumbled, her chained ankles limiting her steps as he led her toward the door. Her round E-cup breasts bounced with each movement, drawing whistles from the workers outside.

“Hey, man,” one of Rusty’s workers shouted out. “You gonna share or what?”

The foreman held his new possession close, smacking the gagged blonde on the rear. “I don’t think so, boys,” he laughed. “This one’s all mine.” He began to lead her away from the town hall before he called out to his crew. “Take the evening off. We got plenty to do tomorrow.”

Back inside the hall, Magnus turned to the remaining four captives, his presence dominating the shelter. Their naked bodies shuddered under his gaze as they tested the bonds again. The brunette BitchWhore, formerly Officer Lewin, glared through her ball gag as she mumbled unintelligible insults at the man.

The bald man stepped closer to BitchWhore and gripped her chin firmly, forcing her head up to meet his cold stare. Magnus’s finger trailed down her neck to the collar, examining it with pride before tugging it slightly to remind the woman of her current state. “Has that bitch captain forgotten about you already, pet?” he teased, prompting the woman to narrow her eyes in defiance. “It’s been over a week and there’s been no sign of a rescue effort, you poor thing.”

He chuckled before stepping back, addressing all four of his naked captives. “You will all have new masters soon enough,” the bald man said. “In a few days, we will have a grand auction, and you will all end up as someone’s prized trophy. Hopefully, we can add a few more of you before the big day.”

Caleb Miles entered the new town hall and approached his leader. “We have expanded the search grid,” the man said. “No sign of the captain yet, boss, but we found more tracks heading east. We’re exhausting all avenues.”

Magnus folded his arms, his mind calculating the next move. “Intensify the hunt,” he ordered. “Double the teams. I want her and every bitch under her protection brought to me alive.”

The deputy nodded and turned to leave, his boots thudding against the dirt floor as he relayed the orders to the men outside. The basecamp buzzed with activity as the men worked together to create a stable society.

Magnus stepped out of the town hall, his leather jacket blowing in the wind as he surveyed his growing settlement. The sleeping quarters stood complete to the left of him, and the sound of the blacksmith working hard to create new metal cages could be heard from the opposite side of the courtyard. Magnus wanted to create a new world, one where he and his men stood above all others, and he was well on his way to making that a reality.

❖

Jeremy dropped the heavy sled onto the red sand in exhaustion and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. The ten prisoners around him grumbled, their muscles aching from hours of dragging the loaded sled across the desert. Lieutenant Grace Harper stood behind the large cart, a rope collar tethered to the edge to keep her from running off and forcing her to follow along. She was completely naked with a rope harness tightly squeezing her breasts, her arms fastened tightly behind her back.

One of the prisoners, a topless man with a shaved head, kicked at the sled’s edge. “This thing is too fucking much to lug around,” he complained. “We have been pulling it all day. My back is killing me.”

Jeremy turned to the complainer and narrowed his hazel eyes. His orange jumpsuit hung over at the chest, revealing his body hair as he surveyed the group. “Quit your whining, you baffoons,” he snapped. “How the hell else are we gonna move this crap?”

The shaved-headed man glanced at Grace, his eyes lingering on her naked curves as the rope harness lifted her breasts. “We got two bitches right here,” he said, turning his attention to the second naked woman in a similar predicament. Her name was Ashley, and she was one of the few female inmates being sent to the new prison outpost before the crash. Now, the blue-haired criminal was in the same position as the medical Lieutenant. “Why are we breaking our backs when they can pull the sled instead?”

The leader’s lips formed a wicked grin as he considered the suggestion. He stepped toward a crate on the sled and pried it open with a sharp tug. “You’re right, and I have just the stuff,” he told the shaved-headed man. His hands moved with purpose as he selected the necessary materials and began cutting the leather with a knife from his belt. The blade sliced cleanly, and he fashioned crude leather harnesses with metal rings looped through the straps for attached accessories.

Jeremy finished the first harness and held it up for the group to see. The leather straps shimmered in the light, the metal rings clinking softly as he tested their strength. He approached Grace, his eyes raking over her uncovered form as she stood in the sand.

“You are going to be our lead pony,” Jeremy told her. He unfastened her makeshift collar and began manhandling the former crew member. Grace tried to kick out and scream through her gag, but the man was too strong, and she soon found herself being forced into the leather harness. Jeremy forced it over her head, straps crossing between her breasts and lifting them higher in an invitation as he cinched the straps tight around her torso.

As the leader unstrapped her wrist restraints, Grace powered free and punched the wiry man across the side of the head. An audible gasp was heard throughout the group as a couple of men stepped forward, but the leader held his hand up, instructing them to hold off. “I love a woman with spark,” he grinned, before wrapping his arms around her and pushing her into a tank of a man. “Hold her still,” he commanded the man. “I need to make something special for her.” He grinned as he spun around and moved back to the open crate.

The tank-like prisoner gripped Grace firmly from behind by her upper arms, his thick fingers digging into her bare skin as she thrashed against him. Her breasts jiggled about as she struggled, the leather harness already in place, accentuating her curves as she fought to break free.

Jeremy rummaged through the crate and smiled widely as he pulled out a thick, silver bulbous plug with strands of long, flowing brown hair protruding from the end. “I had no idea what this was meant for originally, but it was found in the ‘forbidden items’ cargo hold of the ship. I think it’s perfect for what I have in mind.”

Jeremy approached the struggling woman with the plug in hand, his fingers trailing over the smooth end as he examined it. The bulky prisoner held her steady as Jeremy grabbed the woman by the hair and pulled her forward, bending her naked frame over. “Keep her like that,” he grinned.

The brunette Asian-American tried mercilessly to regain control. Still, the large man took it in his stride and kept her in position. The leader of the group gently teased the Lieutenant’s rosebud, spreading her cheeks to expose her tight entrance.

“I think you’ll like this,” Jeremy teased. He pressed the plug into her, the silver tip cool against her skin, prompting her to shudder unintentionally. Grace clenched, her muffled screams vibrating through her gag as she tried to resist. The group began to cheer their leader on as Jeremy pushed harder, the widening end stretching her until it popped inside, the long brown tail dangling between her legs.

Jeremy finished adjusting the harness, pulling a strap between the woman’s legs, giving her a cameltoe wedgie, and pulling it tight to ensure the plug stayed in place. As the tank-like man held her firm, Jeremy took her wrists and fastened them to the harness, preventing the woman from moving them away from her back.

The man moved back to the sled and fashioned a second harness, tossing it and another plug to a member of his group. “Truss up that horsey the same way,” he barked an order as he pulled out a much smaller leather harness, grinning as he approached the trussed up Grace again.

“I will fucking kill you pieces of sh…” Jeremy ungagged the cloth from Grace’s mouth, allowing her to scream at her captor before he placed the small harness over her dark-haired head, adjusting the straps as a metal bit slid into her open mouth. The metal bar pressed between her teeth and depressed against her tongue. She tried to spit it out, but Jeremy was swift and began buckling it tight behind the harnessed woman’s head. A feathered plume attached to the top, giving her a show pony appearance. Finally, the leader used a small piece of rope to tie her hair up and fashion a tight, tall ponytail.

Jeremy stepped back and enjoyed the view of the harnessed ponygirl before him. “Don’t you look perfect for the job?” he asked menacingly. “I could probably do a better job if I had more time, but it’ll do for now.” He stroked her hair condescendingly. “From now on, you’ll be known as Lotus, my beautiful Asian ponyslut.”

He turned to face his crew, who were placing the finishing touches on the second woman, attaching her bit gag as she was forced into an identical getup. “I love the hair. We’re going to have to dye that brown tail you have when we get the chance,” he taunted, cupping the defiant pink-haired woman’s chin. “You’ll be known as Bubblegum.” He grinned before turning on his feet, gesturing to his group. “Attach them to the sled. We still have some trekking to do before nightfall.”

The men attached reinforced leather straps to the harness of Lotus and Bubblegum, looping them through the metal rings and securing them to the sled’s front. The two women stood barefoot in the sand, their naked bodies adorned with fetishized pony gear, tails dangling behind them as the plugs shifted inside with every slight movement. Jeremy cracked the whip against the ground. “Move!” he commanded.

Lotus stubbornly refused to budge as her feet shifted uncomfortably in the sand. Her body tensed, the harness pulling against her breasts as she refused to move. Bubblegum followed her lead, her ponytailed pink hair swaying as she planted her feet in defiance.

Jeremy’s grin turned cruel, and he raised the whip high. “Looks like our fillies need a little encouragement, boys,” he said mockingly. The leather cracked against Grace’s ass, the sting drawing a sharp cry from her gagged mouth. Her body jerked forward as she tried to avoid the second sway, to no avail. “You’d better get moving,” he suggested to the laughs of the crowd.

Lotus’s eyes burned with hatred, but her body obeyed reluctantly, unable to withstand the sting of the fierce leather whip. She took another step, her breasts bouncing with the effort as the leather straps rubbed against her skin. Bubblegum matched her pace, and the sled began moving.

The men laughed, their voices riding in encouragement as the pony-sled gained momentum. Lotus’s ass stung from the whip, and she received another slash the moment she slowed down, prompting her to keep up the pace no matter how much her back ached. Bubblegum’s muffled protests grew softer, her tail swaying as the pair trotted in sync to Jeremy’s next destination.

❖

Kendra paced the narrow alcove she had claimed as her private quarters deep within the cave. Her navy blue uniform was long gone, and she was now wearing the white tank top that had been hidden beneath the space suit. She had ripped the center of the outfit to fashion a pair of blue pants, allowing her pores to breathe in the dense air. The redhead’s ponytail swayed dramatically as she turned, her green eyes fixed on the stone door as doubt gnawed inside her mind. Haywood and Miller should have returned hours ago, and yet there was no word from them.

Sarah Blaze slipped through the entrance and moved to her captain with quiet purpose. She wore a fitted gray shirt and cargo shorts as she stepped forward. The black-haired woman held something small in her hand, her eyes shadowed with concern as she approached Kendra.

“Captain, I have news,” she started. “I found this a mile out.” She placed Officer Hayley Miller’s torn name tag on the large table between them. “There were signs of a skirmish where I picked this up. I found no blood, which is a good thing, but a fight definitely took place there.”

Kendra stared at the name tag, her fingers trembling as she picked it up. The patch felt cold against her skin as her mind reeled with the implications. Had she sent Officer Haywood and Officer Miller to their deaths? The redhead’s throat tightened, grief and anger merging together.

“ We-we cannot tell the group yet,” Kendra said. “Not until we have more information.”

Sarah bowed her head and nodded.

“And Sarah,” the redheaded captain added. “Don’t breathe a word of this to Ethan. I don’t trust him, and he’d just use it to undermine my authority.”

“I understand, captain,” the black-haired officer said. “I don’t trust him either. He’s not telling us the entire truth about what happened with Grace and the group.”

Sarah noticed the resigned look in her leader’s eyes and softly placed a hand on top of Kendra’s, the warmth of the touch offering a sense of protection. The redhead looked up, her green eyes meeting Sarah’s hazel ones, finding a flicker of strength in the officer’s steady gaze.

“You are doing the best you can,” Sarah said encouragingly. “You should be proud of your leadership. We are still alive because of you.”

Kendra gasped, the words easing a knot in her chest. “Thank you, Sarah,” she whispered. “That means more to me than you’ll ever know.”

Their faces drew close, the air between them charged with unspoken emotion. Sarah leaned in, taking the first step as her lips brushed Kendra’s in a seep, unexpected kiss. The redhead’s eyes widened as she froze for a heartbeat before pulling back gently, her eyes searching Sarah’s with surprise.

Sarah turned away quickly, her cheeks burning as she placed her face in her hands. “I am so sorry,” she said regretfully. “I should not have done that. I don’t know what came over me.”

There was a tense moment of silence before Kendra reached out and turned Sarah’s chin back toward her with gentle fingers. Their eyes locked, the redhead’s gaze intense as she leaned in. She kissed Sarah passionately, her lips claiming the officer’s mouth with a hunger that surprised them both.

Sarah returned the kiss, her hands sliding to Kendra’s waist as she pushed the captain up against the table. Their bodies pressed together as Sarah’s fingers roamed her boss’s curves, tracing the lines of her hips and torso. Captain Shaw’s hands tangled in Sarah’s braid, pulling her closer as their mouths moved in sync, the kiss growing deeper and more urgent.

The alcove filled with the soft sounds of their breathing, the table creaking slightly under Kendra’s weight as Sarah pushed into her. Kendra’s fingers dug into the officer’s shoulders, pulling her outfit down as she did. Sarah’s hands slipped lower, cupping Kendra’s ass and slipping a hand beneath the pants, their bodies grinding together in the heat of the moment.

Unfortunately for them, they were not completely alone. A figure stood in the shadows of the alcove entrance. Ethan Stone’s body was frozen as he watched the scene unfold. His brown eyes widened as the captain and Officer Blaze lost themselves in each other. He had heard the entire conversation: how Officers Haywood and Miller were now missing, how Kendra and Sarah agreed on how they didn’t trust the engineer, and now how they were secretly making love to each other.

The man’s fists clenched into balls. First, the bitch ignored his suggestion to go hunting alone, which had led to the disappearance of two officers, and now the sluts were sleeping together after agreeing on how much they distrusted him. They were going to pay, he thought to himself in a spate of rage; he would make sure of that.

❖

Victor sat at a table in his private tent and turned the small glass jar between his fingers. The oily substance inside shifted lazily, its surface reflecting the light of the table-side lantern. He leaned closer, his eyes narrowing as he watched the material respond to the jar’s movement, flowing smoothly against the glass.

“Is this thing alive?” he asked himself curiously as he brought the jar closer to his face. It was definitely the most unusual material his team had found during their explorations, and now Victor needed to figure out how to commodify it.

Riley knelt on her hands and knees on the sand floor nearby, her naked body void of any rope or restraints as she lapped water from a metal dog bowl in the center of the room. Victor had removed the red gag to allow the rebel captive to eat her evening meal, and he treated her to a few moments without any shackles. He had made it clear that the guard outside his tent would have no problem attacking on sight if she dared to challenge him or escape, and Riley decided to play his game for now.

The man gripped the jar in his hand and glanced over at his drinking prisoner with sadistic glee. “Tasty enough for you, pet?” he asked jovially.

Riley lifted her head from the bowl, water dripping humiliatingly from her chin as her eyes locked over to him with pure hatred. “Go fuck yourself,” she spat with the rare ability to speak her mind. “Just wait until I seize my moment. I’ll snap that tiny pencil dick off before you know what’s coming!”

Victor chuckled, setting the jar down as he uncorked the lid, allowing the black material to spread out in his palm. He grinned as he watched it move. “I don’t even know why I let them ungag you,” he said as he stroked the substance. “You never contribute anything meaningful to our conversations.”

The black-haired, mohawked woman scowled back. “Fuck you. What? You couldn’t keep a real woman happy on earth, so you decide to keep one like this. I heard your ex-wife left you for your brother because you were so worthless.”

Her taunting words caught the man’s attention, and his eyes narrowed in fury. “You know nothing, bitch!” he shouted. “You need to keep that trap shut?”

Riley grinned, knowing her jabs were getting to the man. She rose up to her knees, facing her captor. “Or what?” she asked provokingly. “You’re going to tie me up again? You’re a worthless excuse for a man, and probably shit in bed, too.”

Victor’s face twisted with unadulterated rage, and he pointed at the rebel sharply. “I need you to shut the fuck up!”

Suddenly, a portion of the black substance in Victor’s palm leaped forward like a striking snap, streaking through the air toward Riley’s face. It attached to her lips and cheeks, spreading rapidly as it pried her mouth open and solidified inside her mouth, widening her lips further apart, forming a black ball gag. The woman’s eyes widened in panic as the latex material expanded further, forcing her to part her jaw as wide as possible until it formed a massive ball. Straps grew from the edges, wrapping around her head and sealing tight. When the wide-eyed woman reached back to pull the gag away, she was horrified to discover that no buckle existed behind her head.

Riley’s muffled screams vibrated through the huge gag, her naked body rocking on her knees as she clawed helplessly at the straps. Her fingers slipped over the smooth material, finding no give or release, the gag filling her mouth completely and pressing her tongue flat.

Victor leaned forward, his own eyes wide with amazement as he examined the gag. The black substance gleamed against her skin, its surface flawless and tight, molding perfectly to her stretched lips. He reached out, his fingers tracing the edges where it sealed around her head.

“That’s extraordinary,” he said. “It actually listened to me. This was the image I had in my head, and it formed exactly what I wanted.”

The faction leader held the remaining glob of goo in his hand and turned it slowly. The material shifted in his palm, as responsive as ever, as he focused on a new shape. “A collar would match perfectly,” he said, his lips forming another grin.

The oily material shot from his fingers, wrapping around the stunned woman’s neck in a fluid motion. It formed a tight band, the black surface sealing seamlessly as it locked into place, no buckle in sight. Riley’s muffled cries intensified as she clawed at her neck and found the same problem with the collar.

Victor stood up and approached the freshly gagged woman before reaching down and pressing a finger against the collar, feeling its warmth and flexibility. “Nathan, get in here!” he shouted, taking a step back.

Nathan burst into the tent. “Yes, boss?” he questioned as he stopped in his tracks at the sight of Riley. He stared at the wide-eyed woman kneeling naked, the big black ball gag stretching her jaw, and the matching collar tight around her throat. Her breasts heaved with panicked breaths, and her fingers still scratched futilely at the seamless restraints.

“Get a mining team up to that black substance,” Victor commanded. “I want every piece of that material squeezed out of the damn rock.”

He grinned widely, amazed at the perfect form of the gag and collar on his imprisoned captive. The liquid material formed to his desires and gave him exactly what he wanted. He didn’t know how it worked, but he was determined to figure it out. “That stuff’s gonna make us rich!”

End of Chapter Three

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Status Report

Captain Kendra Shaw - Alive, uninjured, leading approximately a dozen female crew + Ethan from high-ground enclave; in secret romantic/sexual relationship with Sarah; grieving missing hunters.

Lieutenant Emily Ward - Alive, leg healing (mobile with limp).

Officer Sarah Blaze - Alive, uninjured, training crew in combat; in secret romantic/sexual relationship with Kendra.

Grace Harper (Lotus) - Alive, captured by Jeremy; naked, ponygirl harness, wrists bound to harness, bit-gagged with plume, tail-plug; pulling sled.

Engineer Ethan Stone - Alive, uninjured, sidelined in enclave; secretly overheard Kendra/Sarah’s distrust and kiss; plotting revenge.

Magnus Holt - Alive, free, ruling expanding settlement; auctioning captives; gifted Titflesh to Rusty; intensifying hunt for Kendra.

Caleb Miles - Alive, free, Magnus’s second; leading doubled hunt teams east.

Victor Crane - Alive, free, at water-camp; discovered responsive black goo; used it to auto-form massive ball gag + seamless collar on Riley; ordering full mining op.

Nathan Malik - Alive, free, Victor’s second; overseeing water/condenser; summoned to see goo restraints.

Jeremy Reed - Alive, free, nomadic with his men; turned Grace (Lotus) + Ashley (Bubblegum) into ponygirls hitched to sled; whipping them to pull cargo.

Riley Thorn - Alive, captive at Victor’s camp; naked, briefly ungagged/restraint-free to eat/drink; punished with massive living-black-goo ball gag + seamless collar; panicked.