June, 2003
Jack

We all heard Jack's voice as he bellowed at Max, Bud, Terry and Hando in the wake of them throwing Cort overboard. Not a one of us said a word for a while. Just kind of shuffled around; embarrassed and ill at ease. Perhaps we were all just a bit shocked at the genuine anger we heard as Jack's roar carried most clearly from his cabin to where we still huddled on the deck.

By the time the four bad boys made their way back to where we were, we women had edged into a conversation that was safer: wet, totally pervable Cort. But when I saw the looks on Maximus and Bud as they returned ... they had really seemed shaken by Jack yelling at them.

I snuck down the corridor and entered our cabin, all ready to coo Jack back to a good mood. He was standing at the stern window, his hands behind his back. Before I could even get near him, and without even so much as a glance at me, he said, "If you have come to discuss this matter, know that it is closed. There will be no further episodes to cast such a poor reflection on any ship that I command."

Perhaps it was the excitement of the evening, all the fun we'd had. Perhaps it was left over from the mess I'd gotten into on Anegada. Or perhaps it was something else that I just read into his words and attitude.

But, for whatever reason, it was that one remark and the tone of voice that did it. I am still not sure I believe I said what I did to him. But I was launched in almost without thinking. "Quit being such a tight ass, Jack. This is not the navy. It's just our family and friends. Last thing any of us need is you thinking you're our master."

He rounded on me so fast. This almost haughty look on his face. A cold voice: "You will not question my authority in such matters. I am responsible for this ship and all the fools upon it."

"Just lighten it up a bit, Captain Aubrey, okay? Next thing we know, you'll rig the capstan and start flogging us on Sunday for our infractions."

His eyes narrowed. He walked toward me. I took a step back but he was there. Glaring down at me. "Did you know? Tell me now. Did you know what those men were planning?"

"No. Well, not really. But I came to get you when I saw it happen, didn't I?"

"You thought it was amusing? Is it lingering amusement I see in your eyes? Of all, I would have thought you would have seen the danger of their actions. It meant not even a farthing to you to have placed the life of one of your lovers at risk?"

"Not fair, Captain. And not the point. The point is ..."

"The point, my dear, is that good discipline is vital to protect the safety of the ship and all upon her. You will not undermine my ability to enforce that discipline."

"Bullshit. You just like being the master and commander. Yeah, that's what I said. The master. Yeah, I'm talking back to you, the master of all he surveys. Big whoop. You don't like me talking back to you? Tough. And what are you going to do about it, Jack? Get out the cat and flog me? Tie me to the mast for the night?"

His eyes flashed. I saw his hands grip into fists and his face was red. And just then the thought came to me that we'd never, ever yelled at each other like this before and I wasn't sure anymore that this was such a good idea ... perhaps I'd misread the situation, perhaps I'd misread Jack's intentions ... I opened my mouth to apologize and ramp it down where it belonged, just in case. In fact, I was in the midst of reaching out for him, to stroke his chest, when ...

He reached for me first. Tossed me easily over his shoulder, smacked me on the ass and started marching into the bedroom. I let out this startled shriek and he told me to keep my mouth shut if I knew what was good for me.

Okay, well, I mean ... come on, you don't blame me, do you? I was bitching at him even as he was tossing me into the bed ... no way was I keeping my mouth shut!

He did it for me. He just walked to the chest where his clothes were, grabbed a handkerchief, rolled me roughly on my belly and gagged me with it.

I rolled back and started pounding on his chest. He grabbed my hands; told me to stop. I pulled a hand free and slapped his face. Neither of us moved for a moment. Just looking at each other. I was so stunned by what I'd done, but the look in his eyes ... just sat there watching him as he rose from me.

Cold, dangerous voice: "I should have disciplined you after the disgraceful way you acted on Anegada. I thought it best to give you another chance. But you leave me no choice now."

I went to take the gag off, to tell him I knew I'd gone too far ... but, that cold voice told me not to dare touch it. I swallowed hard and wondered what he would do. Watched him walk back to his chest ... saw him take two ties out. I gasped when he yanked me off the mattress and marched me to the foot of the bed.

"I do not need to rig the capstan for you, my little dear. Do you smoke my meaning? You seem determined to test the limits of what I find acceptable behavior aboard this ship. Now you shall see what happens when you cross the line and must be disciplined. Give me your hands. Lose not a moment."

He tied me so I was facing the bed, and almost suspended between the two tall posts of the bed frame. I felt him test the strength of his knots and then he walked out of the bedroom. I struggled and squirmed. Moaned angrily behind the gag. Kicked the bed but that hurt. So then I just stood there. Waiting. Getting myself really worked up.

By the time I heard him come back in the bedroom, I was in quite a state. He reclined on the bed in front of me, like he had not a care in the world. Watching me as I mumbled behind the gag. Sipping brandy from a crystal snifter. I was shooting real sharp daggers at him from my eyes and it seemed to amuse him. That ramped me up even worse.

"I was never one for flogging on my ships," he said quietly. The only real tension I could read in him was in his eyes; all his temper seemed concentrated in the look he gave me. But his voice ... it was riveting. "I always believed a good officer should employ such means of discipline only as a last resort. And that, in many ways, an officer has failed his crewman if he can only be obeyed at the threat of such harsh and demeaning forms of discipline."

He rose from the bed and I watched him as he strode to me; lost sight of him as he went behind me but I felt him stroke the knuckles of one hand lightly along my cheek and then down my spine.

"Have I failed you, amorata?" he whispered, his voice a latent threat. "Is this why you require me to take you in hand in such a manner? To exact a more ... physical form of discipline? Would you have me punish you in this night?"

I leaned my head back and knew I would feel his shoulder behind me. I moaned softly as he stepped into me and his hands cupped my breasts. If he'd touched me below, he would have found me so wet.

"Look what you have made me do," he muttered against my neck. "You have called this upon yourself, amorata. I am only giving you what you have asked for."

He massaged me over the bikini I was still wearing from the earlier karaoke sketch. Whispered that he would need to rid me of the interference of clothing before proceeding with the flogging. I whimpered when I felt the coolness of metal and then his knife cut my clothing away. All that was left were those fishnet hose held up by a garter belt. I closed my eyes and got a mental picture of what I looked like to Jack in that moment.

"Prepare yourself, amorata. Many people find the flogging to be more of a devastation to their spirit than to their body." He stroked me between my legs and kissed my neck. I hunched against his hand and he sucked in at my neck until it almost hurt. But he pulled his hand away before I could get any relief.

Pure, unadulterated torture.

I nearly bawled. It did no good. Jack's strong voice from behind me: "You deserve to know clearly what your punishment will be. I shall give you only four lashes because your skin is much too tender to take a harsher beating. Know, though, that if you cross me again on this voyage, I shall show no such mercy."

His warm hand on my buttocks, stroking, kneading.

"Are you ready?"

I nodded once. And steeled myself. I had no idea what it would feel like; I was pretty sure I didn't want to know. And then ... I felt it.

The worst thing he could have used at that moment. An instrument of torture designed to make every nerve ending sing and beg for relief. Something that made me cry out for mercy and nearly thrash around in response to its touch.

I didn't know what it was at first. It tickled like a whisper. He ran it down my back, going so slow, talking to me the entire time, telling me how red my skin was turning. When he reached my cheek, he repeated the delicate and horrible stroking down the other side of my back. Then he came to kneel before me on the bed.

Through tears in my eyes, I saw what it was.

A feather.

One of the ones I'd been wearing in my hair during the karaoke number. He held it up and then stroked it across my jaw ... down my chest ... around my breasts, down my tummy ... ending just at my nether hairline.

He reached in and kissed at the tears staining my face. Murmured to me, soothing me.

"One more lashing, my little dear, and your punishment will soon be near an end," he said firmly.

I felt the feather on my thigh. It moved up ... then lightly ... almost painfully lightly ... across my wetness ... then down the other thigh. Then back up again. Stopping ... then he twirled it there ... concentrating all my attention to my needs.

My eyes looked up to find him. I could see tears lingering on my lashes. Something so strong passed between us. He dropped the feather and pulled my gag down. Leaned forward to take my mouth with his; carefully, gently. Shushing me as he pulled away. Talking to me, bringing me back to earth ... as he got up and moved behind me again.

Whispering against my neck. Touching me below, opening me, fingering me, making me moan. I turned my head to find his lips; felt his tongue come deep into me even as he gently entered me with his hardness below. And then he rocked his hips ... going so much slower than I thought he might ... caught up with me in how it felt to simply give in to the power he held over me. Not the physical power - the power of the hold he had on my heart.

His hand on my clit made me cry into his mouth and he kissed me harder. I returned the kiss with a ferocity that was unleashed by what he was making me feel below. We both lost control of the kiss at the same time ... when I came like he'd set off an explosion inside me and then he came trembling and shuddering against me, his arms locked tight around me in the end.

It was like we shocked each other with what we'd done. Suspended in that place between coming and the return to your senses. And then I felt his lips on my cheek, kissing his way tenderly down my neck, asking me if I was back with him yet.

Turned my head and our eyes met. We both started laughing. "Oh, Jack. God. Thank you for this. It was so great. God, you have no idea how divinely sexy you looked when you started getting into it."

I felt his hearty chuckle ripple through his chest as he tried to find his voice. "I must say, amorata, fulfilling this particular wish of yours was ... perhaps the most satisfactory ruse I have engaged in. I would not have thought to have enjoyed it so much."

"I told you it would be amazing. And what a night for it! What a way to get you back in a good mood. I just love the way I sacrifice myself for the happiness of shipmates." I smirked at him. "So ... feel all better now, Captain Aubrey? Got all that aggression out?"

He growled low and dangerous in my ear and I felt him wrap an arm around my waist to lift me up off my toes. His free hand worked the bindings loose as he muttered to me, "Give me but a little rest, my dear, and I shall be ready to bring more aggression to bear. However, I believe this will be the last of such discipline that will be required for you."

"Maybe I should be the aggressor next time. Give you a taste of some discipline of my own," I teased as he carried me to the bed.

"Ah, but amorata, I would never stand a chance. I would tremble before you and beg most ardently for your mercy."

"Oh, my," I whispered as he came to lie by me.