CLOSED CIRCUIT
By Amanda Russell
It would be a surprise, of that he was certain. Simply being able to see one another for more than ten minutes at a time would be surprise enough, but to actually have some time together would be an added bonus.
John Koenig sighed silently as he sat back against the seat of the travel tube. For some unknown reason, he and Helena Russell had been on opposite shifts much longer than either would have liked. She would be coming off the night shift – exhausted – just as he was going on duty for the day shift. They would see one another in passing, maybe exchange a brief kiss or caress, then he would be gone and she would go to sleep. Inevitably, his shift would last longer than scheduled or Helena would be called back to Medical Center before she was officially on duty, and they would be unable to spend what should have been their off duty and recreational time together.
As he thought about it, John had to admit it had really only been about two weeks, but it seemed much longer and he'd had enough. He told his Command Center staff he was going to take the rest of the day off and he was not to be disturbed except for an extreme emergency. He then called the Medical Center and told them the same thing in regards to Helena. Ben Vincent, who had taken the call, nodded and smiled sagely, confessing he himself was on the verge of ordering Helena to take some time off. He would add his medical authorization to Koenig's command order, and together, she just might comply. Koenig thanked the doctor, musing to himself he planned to keep Helena so pre-occupied she wouldn't have time to think about the Medical Center, her duties, or anything else.
The travel tube came to a stop and Koenig glanced up, stood, and left the car. He headed down the hall, his stride determined and purposeful so that no one he passed thought to detain him.
Rounding a corner into the corridor leading to the quarters he and Helena Russell shared, he smiled and paused a moment. He'd arranged for some flowers to be delivered, and the hydroponics tech was just now completing that task. He could hear Helena's surprised exclamation. The tech nodded and smiled, handing the small flowering plant over to her. Helena thanked him and stepped back, closing the door behind her. John continued on to his quarters, stopping long enough to smile at the botanist as they met in the hall.
"All done, Commander."
"Thank you, Clive. I owe you."
"Sure thing, Commander."
Clive was about to say more but thought better of it. Instead he just gave his commander a smile and went on his way. John continued on to his quarters, opening the door and stepping inside. He made certain to lock the door and engage the privacy setting – which would keep them from being disturbed by the casual caller. At the same time John Koenig put his comlock on privacy as well.
Helena glanced up from her place on the couch, a wide smile coming to her face when she saw John standing there. She'd been admiring the multi-colored blooms on the plant she was certain John had sent.
"John, it's beautiful... Thank you."
He smiled and came over to sit beside her on the couch, taking the hand she held out to him.
"So are you. It's good to actually see you again."
"I've missed you, John."
She leaned forward to kiss him gently, willingly going into his embrace for a longer, more intense kiss. When they parted, Helena laid her head on his shoulder, sighing contentedly but sadly.
"What's wrong?"
"I have to be on duty soon."
"Not tonight."
Helena raised her head to look at John, curiosity in her gaze.
"What do you mean?"
"You are officially ordered – by your physician and backed up by your commanding officer – to take the next twenty four hours off."
"John..."
"Don't argue, Helena, it will spoil the mood."
She smiled slowly, her hand gently rubbing across his chest, fingers caressing his neck.
"What mood is that?"
"This one."
He took her hands and gently pulled her to him, their mouths meeting in an increasingly intense kiss. Slowly freeing her hands from John's grip, Helena reached up to put her arm around his neck, pulling him closer. With her other hand she gently caressed his chest and stomach, fingers deftly releasing the catch on his uniform belt so it fell away. She next turned her attention to freeing him from his jacket while he concentrated on smoothing the bathrobe she still wore against her skin, allowing his fingers to trace the 'V' opening at her neck.
Their eyes met and Helena smiled.
"I like this mood."
Helena stood and pulled John to his feet, allowing the length of her body to press against his. He pulled in a deep breath – almost a gasp – and undid the knotted belt at her waist. She responded to his hands on her hips, his massage of her inner thigh with a series of quick, enticing kisses along his jaw line, her tongue finding the contours of his ears. Helena giggled lightly when John groaned in response, leaning closer and raising one leg so her foot rested on the couch, giving his fingers free and easy access to her most intimate spot.
"Mmmmm,... Helena..."
"Shhhh,... we have all night."
"Yeah..."
John's fingers were gently massaging her breasts, and he began to kiss down her neck, across her chest, finally centering on her breast. With one hand he teased her nipple erect while using his mouth, tongue and teeth to bring the other nipple to hardness. This time it was Helena who groaned her response, while his other hand paid attention to the female moistness between her legs.
Helena was not idle while Koenig aroused her passion. She had worked the fly of his pants down, freeing his rigid organ, delighting in the feel of it pressing hungrily against her soft flesh. Her hand rubbed gently against his groin, her fingers stroking him to an even more heated and intense need.
About to push John down to the couch, prepared to straddle him, Helena pulled in a deep, startled breath when the red alert klaxons sounded throughout the base.
"NO!!"
"Son-of-a... Damn!!"
Having lost track of his comlock, John met Helena's intense gaze, took a deep breath, and crossed the floor to call the Command Center on the room's communications screen. As he reached to activate the channel, the unit alerted him to an incoming call. John glanced at Helena, who stood behind him, robe pulled loosely about her. He took another deep breath and activated the screen.
"Koenig."
The red alert signal was abruptly cut off as Verdeschi's apologetic image appeared on the screen.
"John,..."
"What the hell is going on, Tony?"
"We were running a routine maintenance check on the system when a glitch surfaced. We've located the problem and it is being corrected now."
"Then everything is under control?"
"Yes, it is. Sorry to give you a start."
John nodded and smiled reluctantly, still annoyed at being interrupted but relieved nothing serious was going on.
"Thanks, Tony."
"Sure, John. Enjoy your day off."
"... I'll try. Koenig out."
Koenig thumbed off the switch as he turned to face Helena, seeing the screen go blank from the corner of his eye. When it flickered on again, his attention was already back on Helena, as was hers on him. He stepped close to Helena, slipping his hands beneath her robe to rest on her hips. He moved even closer and met her gaze.
"Where were we?"
"Ohhh, about here I think."
Helena brought one of his hands up to caress her breast then slipped the robe from her shoulders, allowing it to fall to the floor. John stepped back long enough to admire her completely nude body, appreciating the slight bob of her breasts as she breathed, unable to keep his fingers from her erect nipples.
"Mmmmm,... yes..."
Helena reached up to pull down the zipper of his uniform tunic, then helped him ease it off, her fingers tracing light, enticing patterns across John's chest, her mouth finding his nipples and teasing them erect as the hardness pressing against her thighs intensified. She circled his penis with her fingers and began to stroke back and forth gently.
"Oh,... Helena, don't... ohhhhh."
She smiled as he released an ecstatic sigh, not yet ready to bring him to climax. They had all night. She was not going to rush it.
The sound of Koenig's voice caught his attention and the security guard looked up at his monitor, ready to reply, but felt his mouth go dry when instead of John Koenig's face, he saw Helena Russell drop her robe and turn slightly, revealing firm, excited breasts. He heard her reply to Koenig's question and watched in stunned fascination as Koenig stepped back to admire her. He was doing the same thing himself, unaware his gasp had alerted his fellow security guard to the erotic activities of Koenig and Russell.
"Holy... look at that!"
"Gods... they're going at each other!"
"I'll say. They have no idea they're on screen. We'd better tell them."
"Are you kidding? Jeez. I don't want to be the one to tell them. Do you?"
"And have Koenig all over me like... No way. But..."
"Hey, we're not senior level command."
"We can at least let Verdeschi know. This is security related – kind of."
"... Yeah, okay."
He reached for his comlock, reluctant to take his eyes off the screen. It sounded like Koenig was about to burst.
Verdeschi reached for his comlock just as Sandra Benes' startled voice called his name.
"Tony! Look..."
She nodded toward the main screen in the Command Center where larger than life images of John Koenig and Helena Russell were displayed. He stared open-mouthed, absently lifting his comlock to answer it.
"Yeah..."
"Mr. Verdeschi, have you looked at the inter-base network..."
"Yeah, I know,... thanks. Sandra, cut that channel off."
She was already working on it, but unable to end the transmission.
"I cannot, Tony. The circuit is jammed open at the source! I cannot over ride it."
"Try their comlock codes."
"... Both are on privacy settings. I am unable to over ride those either."
"Mary, Mother of... Keep at it. I'll... do what I can!"
Tony rushed out of the Command Center, headed for John and Helena's quarters at a run. The way they were going, he doubted he would arrive in time to prevent the entire base from witnessing their climax, but he had to try.
Tired of standing, and more than ready for what was next, John gently pushed Helena backwards until her buttocks were pressed against the back of the couch. She allowed him to lift her slightly so she sat on the back of the couch, then she pulled John's head down to her chest, guiding his mouth to her nipple again. She was beginning to breathe hard, and moaned softly when John pushed her legs apart, his fingers rubbing her erectile tissue, adding moisture to her already wet and prepared recesses. Perspiration glistened on John's back as Helena lightly traced her fingernails along his backbone, stroking down his buttocks and between his thighs.
Unable to bear the exquisite agony any longer, John raised his head from Helena's breast and met her yearning, eager gaze. She smiled and opened her legs wider, licking her lips with her tongue, her arms locking around John's torso to pull him in.
"Helena..."
"Now, John... please!"
There was an urgent need in her voice and John lowered his gaze to her inviting wetness. Slowly, gently, deliberately he entered her, pausing only when he filled her completely. Helena locked her legs around his hips and rocked slowly.
"Mmmm, mmmmm, yes,... yes..."
John began to slide in and out of her, his movements restricted by the tight lock of her legs around him. Helena was rocking with him, contracting her muscles about his shaft with each new thrust. John gasped, his head thrown back as he held her by the hips and drew her even more tightly against him. Helena leaned forward to place a series of kisses on his chest, to play her tongue over his nipples, to make the fire surge through him and explode within at the right moment. It wouldn't take much now. They were both on the edge.
Verdeschi paused to catch his breath for a moment, glaring hard at a group of Alphans clustered around one of the composts in the hallway. When he could speak without gasping, he ordered them back to duty or wherever they were supposed to be, then called Sandra on his comlock.
"Anything?"
"I am still unable to break the circuit, Tony. I do not have Command or Medical authorization to over ride the privacy settings on their comlocks."
Verdeschi resumed his dash for Koenig's quarters.
"Keep trying, I'm nearly there."
"Yes, Tony."
He broke the link as he turned a corner. He would be there in only a few moments, but it was already too late. The entire base had seen more than enough of John and Helena's private life on the Alphan closed circuit system.
John's thrusts became longer, deeper, more demanding and intense. He could feel the pressure building; knew Helena was on the edge. No longer able to hold back, John pushed into her quickly, deeply, finally releasing his pent up fluid as Helena screamed her approval, her orgasm coming only a fraction of a second after his. Arms and legs still wrapped around him, Helena clung to John until the spasms eased, until she could breath normally again. He too was slowly regaining control of his breathing and their gazes met, mouths coming together in gentle kisses. Helena smiled.
"Oh, that was good... It's been too long, John."
"Mmmmm... Helena..."
Still buried within her, he felt Helena begin to contract her muscles about him, bringing a response from him which pleased and excited them both.
"So soon?"
"I'm far from finished with you, John."
Koenig was about to respond when they were both startled by a loud pounding on their quarters' door.
"Who the hell..."
"Ignore them, John. We're off duty and very much otherwise occupied."
"John! Helena!"
"Verdeschi..."
Unwilling to leave Helena, groaning when she shifted position so her toes could touch the floor, Koenig glared at the door when Verdeschi's voice sounded again.
"John! Helena! Your screen is on. The circuit is jammed open..."
Koenig was surprised by a startled gasp from Helena. He looked over his shoulder to see what she was staring at, realizing he was seeing himself in all his naked glory on the screen. Tony chose that moment to over ride the privacy setting with his security clearance and entered their quarters, ignoring the very intimate position they shared, and headed directly for the communications screen on the wall opposite them. He pressed the button that would break the link and waited, back to them; to be certain the screen did go off and stayed off this time.
"Sorry, John, Helena. I didn't know how else to..."
Tony's voice trailed off as he stood there, still facing the monitor, looking at his boots, knowing it was safe to keep his gaze there. He heard movement behind him and waited to move until John spoke. Slowly Tony turned around. Helena was in her robe again, John in his uniform pants. Koenig swallowed hard, clearing his throat.
"How... how much?"
"From just after I called about the Red Alert problem. The circuit was jammed open here. Sandra couldn't over ride it or cut it off."
"The entire base..."
Verdeschi glanced at Helena and kept his gaze on her face. Her eyes were wide and astonished.
"... Yes, as far as we can tell. I'm sorry."
John released a sigh of denial and muttered something under his breath. Helena moved to stand beside him, her fingers gently entwining with his. He glanced at her and smiled with resignation. She returned it and slipped her other arm around his waist.
"It's not your fault, Tony. Thank you for... intervening when you did."
"Yeah, well, I'll get out of here and leave you two to..."
Verdeschi let his voice trail off as he grinned in spite of himself, then turned and checked the monitor again to be sure it was off, and headed for the door.
"Goodnight John, Helena."
"Goodnight, Tony. Thank you."
He gave them a wave as he disappeared out the door. John and Helena stood facing one another, then she slowly began to smile as she shook her head. John frowned, puzzled by her reaction.
"Helena, this is hardly funny."
"No, John, it isn't, but... at least no one has any need to speculate about our relationship any longer, or circulate rumors behind our backs. It's all out in the open now."
"This is not what I had in mind for tonight, Helena. I never wanted our love making to be part of public domain!"
"I know, John, but... at least we gave them one hell of a show."
In spite of the circumstances, he had to smile, reaching out to pull Helena close to him, their gazes meeting; fire igniting.
"Yes, we did that. And we have nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about."
"We certainly do not. We're very good at this... I wouldn't be surprised if we are the envy of the base and everyone tries to copy our style."
Koenig chuckled as he held Helena close. There was little else to do but see the humor in the situation.
"I don't know about that. I'm not sure I'd enjoy being imitated and copied. And how are we going to face everyone?"
"With heads high and pride in our eyes. I'm not going to try and ignore what happened, and I don't care if all of Alpha knows you're the best lover on the base. It won't do them any good."
"Why's that?"
"Because I'm selfish and I'm certainly not going to let anyone else have any first hand experience with you."
John chuckled again, his hands resting on Helena's hips, drawing her even closer to him, so she could feel his growing interest.
"You are a very determined, self assured woman, Helena Russell."
"Yes, I am. I also know what you like."
She took his hands from her hips and led him over toward the bed, away from the sofa and the communications screen. As they neared the bed, Helena allowed her robe to gap open again, then fall to the floor as she shrugged it from her shoulders. John's eyes grew wide.
"I told you I wasn't done with you yet tonight."
"I remember."
He reached to remove his pants and they sank down onto the bed, far away form the communications screen. The rest of the evening was going to be an exclusive, very private affair.
Two mornings later, as they entered the cafeteria for breakfast, John and Helena could feel almost everyone in the room looking at them, the conversations dropping to hushed whispers. There were knowing smiles on several faces, giggles from others and one or two lewd comments that were quickly silenced by glares from Alan Carter and Tony Verdeschi.
John and Helena seemed to take it all in stride. Knowing they were being carefully watched, John glanced at Helena, then pulled her into his embrace and kissed her deeply. When they parted, their gazes met. Helena smiled happily and John answered with an equally happy smile. In a far corner of the room, someone began to applaud. Several others joined in and soon most everyone in the room was expressing their approval. Their relationship had been a secret everyone knew for far too long. It was time for public acknowledgement. John and Helena barely noticed. Their attention was focused on one another, the circuitry that connected them closed to everyone but each other.
**Many thanks to Philippa Sidle for the inspiration
October 14, 1996
Revised: June 22, 2006
By Amanda Russell
Copyright 1996 and 2006, Lunatic productions, Inc.
