1/6
Chief Science Officer Fathima bobbed leisurely in the Recreation Hall of the Zero-G Space Vessel, a window to the infinite starry galaxy to her back. The inky, fathomless darkness as familiar and comforting as the home she'd left a decade ago; though vastly more dangerous and untouchable - no swimming allowed outside without a protective-suit.
Currently, her attention was fixed on the thin, floating holo-screen before her.
#tootfic #microfiction #writing #scifi #terylstales #mermay #lgbt
2/6
Displayed was a classical series about a group of friends who mysteriously could afford spacious homes in Old New York with middling careers in the 90s. The singer was her favorite but she was clearly biased.
Fathima's personal intercom beeped, interrupting her viewing.
"Screen pause. Acknowledge."
"Greetings Lieutenant, would you permit me to join you..?"
"It's a communal space," Fathima stated with a small smile, recognizing the voice of the ship's VIP passenger, "Please do come by."
3/6
Almost immediately the doors slid open, and Martian Princess Shaun of New Canada paddled awkwardly up to Fathima, who bowed her head politely.
"You and... the rest of the crew... make this look... easy..." the princess gasped, bumping gently to a stop on the wall, briefly upside down and red faced.
"Years of practice... and of course I have a physical advantage, as you may have noticed, your majesty."
Shaun bit her lip, unable to take her large eyes off the mermaid's long, supple tail.
4/6
The Merfolk of Earth had thrived as the oceans deepened, expanding into the sunken landmasses humans could no longer inhabit. Though now known to humanity, they remained reclusive - so encountering a Mer in person was rare.
A Martian colonist had an even lesser chance of encountering a Mer.
Shaun had been enamored by the Merfolk her entire life. She had requested repeatedly to be assigned to travel to Earth - but her family and government were overprotective, rejecting every application.
5/6
Fathima didn't mind the Martian Princess's unabashed staring; after all, she was staring right back. She'd never met a Martian before and savored the chance to observe one in the flesh. The Martian atmosphere and minerals in the soil did quite a number on the human physiology. Though ultimately superficial, Earth humans tended to find it unsettling.
Fathima found Shaun's appearance - tall, fine boned, disproportionately slim, long limbed, green & blue tinted skin - quite lovely, herself.
@Teryl_Pacieco I would buy this book.
6/6
The two women regarded each other for quite some time, making several physical speculations, unwilling to break the infatuated silence.
How DOES one hold a conversation with one's fetish, when you're perfectly aware they're an actual person?
"Oh, for crying-- just bang it out & worry about it in the morning," grumbled the ship's morale officer, a human empath who'd spent the last 15 minutes in the corner unable to concentrate on reading, and sweating uncomfortably from the sexual tension.