Appeasement

Pamela Sheldon felt her phone buzzing in her pocket as she walked back to her room. She’d brushed her teeth in the shower room but still couldn’t get the taste of Han’s cum out of her mouth. She didn’t hate it; she wasn’t lying about enjoying being on her knees, but time to get some rest and the exhaustion was kicking back in.

Joe: What the fuck is going on out there?

“Fuck sake Joe, give me two minutes of peace,” she muttered.

PS: What do you mean?

The station was quiet and empty. The ever-present Greenland wind whistled outside. She stopped to grab a cup of tea from the kitchen.

Joe: Do you have any idea how close you are from fucking this up?

Her cheeks flushed with anger.

PS: I. Was. Sick.

She was tired of this conversation, but she couldn’t get away from it. A cough caught in her throat. She burned with frustration.

Joe: You said my name Pamala! Do you know what I had to do to defend you?

Of course she didn’t know, the fact that she knew nothing about this contact of hers was thing that rattled her the most about the whole operation.

PS: Yes. I had a fever. I’ve taken care of things on my end. It’s fine. I’m better.

She typed something implying what she had to do but deleted it. She didn’t know why, but she always felt the urge to hide things from Joe. Was it the constant paranoia? Or was it the time they spent in that hotel in Newfoundland that made her reticent to share the details of her sex life? She didn’t know, and with the exception of this latest escapade, she didn’t have a sex life to share.

Joe: Good. Too many people here know your name for the wrong reasons. I’m trying to look out for you as best I can, but I need you to get a handle on things there. We can’t have any more suspicions leak out.

She felt a creeping sense of dread in the pit of her stomach.

PS: I said I took care of it. I’m tired. Going to bed.

She was sick of this. She wanted to be left alone. The company wants her to spy, fine, but let her do it her way. She was sure that Hermann was taken care of. Surely that was enough.

Joe: The board was under the impression there were no spies, that it was all rumor. Now, they think it’s true. How did you silence the rumors? This is important.

“Jesus Christ, just drop it,” she cursed at her phone while she did bedtime rituals. She picked up her phone again.

PC: I know it’s important, it’s my life. I made sure Hermann doesn’t suspect me. We got intimate, OK? Can we drop this?

Sheldon took off her jumpsuit, thinking ideally that she should put it in the laundry. Gear oil stains never seemed to want to come out. She laid down on her bed, reclining and enjoying the blissful relaxation of a much-needed sleep approaching.

Joe: How intimate?

“Seriously,” she said aloud, her cheeks flushing.

PS: What’s it to you? Trust my work. It’s my ass.

Why, she thought, would they send her to this frozen hell hole if they wouldn’t trust her and her methods. She needed patience from Joe, not insistent demands. She wanted to appease him, just to keep her house in order or at least calm the situation. Her chest still hurt a little, knowing that feeling could doom this trip at any time. She felt way too exposed.

Joe: I trust you, and it’s a nice ass ;)

That wasn’t the answer she expected at all. Is he jealous? She was more awake now.

PS: Jealousy is an ugly look on you Joe.

She chuckled to herself at her response, hoping it would make his cheeks flush with embarrassment. She started wondering if she miscalculated by sleeping with him. Men, they get possessive then say it’s the woman’s fault she thought bitterly. Two messages came in on the heels of one another.

Joe: I’m not jealous

Joe: Just curious

“Oh,” she said aloud, surprised.

PS: Fine. I went down on him in the sauna.

She felt a tingling through her body. She started thinking about the hot flesh of Hermann’s cock filling her mouth, and his groans while she took him in her throat.

Joe: Tell me more

She felt excited as she typed her response, and her heart quickened in her chest.

PS: I sucked him, took him deep in my throat, put a finger in his ass, and let him cum down my throat and on my face ;-0

Sheldon felt under her panties and found her pussy soaking wet. She hadn’t cum when she was sucking Hermann off, and she already wanted to get off before she’d told Joe about him. She leaned over and pulled a green silicone dildo from her nightstand. Thinking about Hermann’s warm cum in her mouth was soaking her, and the dildo slid right in when she laid back and started to fuck herself with it. The phone buzzed and she checked it with one hand, the other slowly working the toy.

Joe: That’s really hot.

She typed fast.

PS: You think me blowing someone else is hot?

Her pace quickened.

Joe: Yes. Especially with more details…

She started to moan softly. She pushed the panties she had already pushed aside down and off, then took a picture of the dildo, shining with her juices.

PS: Sent Photo

PS: Want to see why it’s so wet?

She slid it back in as deep as she could and took a picture.

Joe: Show me.

She’d never liked sexting much before, but something about this was making her wild with anticipation. Her moans were loud and ragged.

PS: Sent Photo

PS: Im gonna cum

She squealed with pleasure and squeezed her legs together around her hand and the toy, still working in her fingers. She collapsed in the bed, letting the dildo slide out of herself. Still gasping, she picked up the wet toy and took a selfie of herself as she licked her juices off of it. She felt so slutty, and she loved it.

PS: Sent Photo

PS: I did

The afterglow mixed with her exhaustion, and she slid under the covers, rolling over to the side of the bed without a wet spot.

Joe: That’s so fucking hot

“You’re goddamn right,” she said smiling.

PS: Going to sleep now

When Sheldon switched off the light, she laid her head down on the pillow, and sleep took her as if she too had been switched off. The alarm exploded in her mind, and she winced. Had it hadn’t been long enough, yet it was there, blaring. Her body screamed for more sleep, but she wrenched herself out of bed and smacked the alarm. It was how she always did it; beat the desire to snooze and get right up. She dressed slowly, shaking the sleep out of her eyes. Ilsa Kellerman was also leaving her room, the one that shared the bed-side wall with Sheldon’s. Sheldon winced and said hi, hoping Ilsa didn’t hear her through the far-too-thin walls. If she did, she made no indication. Hermann was awake and making breakfast already, she saw. Poor man must be exhausted, she thought, especially after last night.

Joe: The board met. They seem less concerned today. Keep yourself healthy at all costs K?

She closed the phone. It was good to know that her name wasn’t coming up much at the top. For this to work she needed to blend in.

“Go-oood morning! I made some breakfast specially for you,” exclaimed Hermann in the empty hallway. The steaming hot food was a collection of the favorites she’d told him about over dinner some nights earlier, with pan fried potatoes with spicy peppers as the piece de resistance.

“This is amazing Hans, thank you soooo much,” she said as he handed it to her. “What a gentleman.” She smiled as he walked off, a spring in his step that she knew she had put there the night before. It made her happy and appreciated. And it made her feel safe. Safer anyway. The closer she was with the person she thought was most suspicious, the better. She had to be careful, very careful, but it could be the best thing for this situation. They were in too close quarters to try to avoid him, so if she can’t do that, she figured she should get close.

“Shit Hans, these are the best spuds you’ve ever made,” she told him when he walked by next.

“Thank you, Pamala, I really appreciate that,” he said, smiling warmly.

PS: I’m safe. He made me breakfast

He enjoyed Hermann’s food for what might have been the first time. Maybe he was just bad at cooking because he was frustrated? She’d have to give him some hints. Or maybe motivation in the same form as last night…

Joe: You must be as good as I remember

She typed quickly

PS: Goddamn right

She sipped her cup of coffee. Such supplies as coffee were used sparingly and she savored it slowly. Lyndon Carson arrived with his plate and coffee and sat across the table from her.

“G’morning,” he growled, staring into his breakfast. He downed the coffee as quickly as he could stand the heat.

“Hi.”

“We have four supply runs going out today. Push for the Pole is on this next 48 hours,” he said curtly, and left, heading to his workstation.

“I’ll be there in a bit,” she said as he walked off, seeming to ignore her. She didn’t like Carson, but she didn’t hate working for him. She found it a strange paradox, but she appreciated his professionalism when he was working, just so long as his personality didn’t show too often. Like the other days, the two worked mostly in an air of professional silence. The radio crackled occasionally with Li or Alain or the rover checking in. They gave each other mission updates and discussed progress. The pilots were getting tired, but they weren’t over their duty allowances yet.

“How are you feeling,” asked Carson out of nowhere, half way through their shift.

“W- sorry? Oh, I’m fine,” said Sheldon, surprised at the question.

“I heard you cough.”

“Oh right. Yeah, I’m doing a lot better, thank you,” she said, turning her chair to face him.

“Glad to hear it. You looked pretty rough there. Wouldn’t want to lose anyone before we even launch.” Sheldon smiled.

“Wouldn’t want that, me especially,” she said with a smile.

“Heh, yeah,” he said, trailing off. The radio crackled.

“Shuttle two to base?”

“I need to take this,” Sheldon said, turning to her radio. She saw Carson return to his duties while she coordinated a drop with Li. It wasn’t for some time before they started talking again.

“So Uranium, eh? There a lot of it on Mars or something?”

“We believe there is. We the company that its… It’s one of the few minerals we could mine that would be truly cost effective to ship home. The price per gram you see.”

“So you’ll be mining it then?”

“Looking for it first. I doubt it’s much more common than on Earth. I’ll need to figure out how much is even out there, if it’s worth it to mine, you name it.”

“That’s,” started Carson, who paused, then continued, “that’s a lot of responsibility the company has given you.”

“It is yeah. This phase and the flight, I’m pretty bored but once we land, ol’Pamala is going to be hitting the ground running,” she said enthusiastically. She could clearly see that Carson was trying to feel out why the company had kept her on after she got so sick. She turned her chair to face him again.

“Lyndon, you’ve heard the spy rumors right,” she said softly. He stopped what he was doing and turned.

“Yes,” he said slowly, looking right at her.

“Any theories?”

“Theories? Hm, no,” he said slowly. “My theory is that it’s bullshit. Someone’s covering ass. Computer program doesn’t work? Blame big bad hackers. It’s an old trick.” He never took his eyes off her as he spoke.

“So… it’s all a hoax,” she asked laying on the excitement heavily.

“Well, fuck I dunno, Tara says… it’s real so like, maybe not a hoax. I’m not the guy people tell to be honest Pam.”

“Oh I… Well if you ever hear anything, I’m always interested in a conspiracy!” He gave a sort of half cough, half snort, and returned to his duties.

He’s either lying, or an idiot she thought, glancing back at him. That or Tara doesn’t trust him which would be very interesting. All things considered, however, Sheldon was satisfied that he wasn’t suspicious of her. Still, she figured she’d have to keep a close eye on him.

“I’m going to go have a cup of tea, Lyndon, want anything,” she asked, nearing the end of her shift.

“I uh, naw, thanks,” he said and returned to his work.

“Ok, I’ll be back,” she said, and walked to the dining area. Ilsa Kellerman was sitting at a table sipping a cup of tea. Sheldon got her own and walked over.

“Mind if I join you Ilsa?”

“Not at all,” she said welcomingly, “it’s nice to see you back up and to your duties.” Sheldon sat across the table from her.

“Thanks Ilsa, for everything. That was… I’ve never been through something like that before.”

“You were very sick Pam. The fever. You were coughing up blood, hallucinating and semi-conscious. I was very worried about you.”

“Well I feel much better now thanks to you and Doc,” she said, sipping her tea.

“I’m glad,” smiled Kellerman.

“So, how have you been Ilsa,” she asked the tall blonde.

“Well, now that you’ve gone back to work, I am rather bored,” she said with a laugh. “Checking on the pilots and waiting for a call… Not exciting stuff.”

“Well I’m still going to try to stay away from being more work for ya, if you don’t mind,” said Sheldon with a laugh.

“Yes please do Pam, I like having you around and I don’t want to have to save you twice,” she said deadpan, but smiling. Sheldon giggled. She stood an

“Speaking of duties, back to work I go. She gave Kellerman a tight hug and stepped out of the dining area, taking out her intercom and typing as she walked.

PS: I’m in the clear, I think. Carson, Kellerman, Hermann, they’re all cool.

Sheldon sat back down in her chair in the impromptu control center and gave a polite greeting to Carson. She looked at her phone after feeling it buzz in her pocket.

Joe: Glad to hear it.