======== Newsgroups: alt.fan.q Subject: New Story: Subject Lessons 1/2 (P/Q/f bdsm) From: Ruth Gifford Date: 17 May 1996 03:15:43 GMT Ah spring when the thoughts of women (and men for all I know ;-) ) turn to . . . pain and pleasure. So it goes like this: Atara and I write this short novel/long story called "His Beloved Pet" in which Q is a jerk throughout most of the story. And Jeanita, bless her heart, thinks ‘this is not a nice thing to do to a nice guy like Captain Picard." And so she writes "Object Lessons" (in which Q does a lot of things to Picard that seem on the surface to be not nice--look under the surface) and says to me "what do you think?" BTW I got OL at *work* and I’m reading it (hoping no one notices the squirming I’m doing) and I look up and the slide show on my screen saver was showing a really nice shot of the boys from "All Good Things . . ."; somewhere Q was laughing his fool head off, I just know it. Well anyway, I write back to her and say "I love it!" (only I was much more wordy about it as you can guess :-) ). Then I got to thinking (always a bad idea) and it occurred to me that I now had a framework for an idea that I entertained before falling asleep one night that I couldn’t make work in the cold light of day. More explanation: I’m working on a sequel to HBP called "At the Center of Things" and also on a story called "And She Was" that’s a post-Generations thing involving Sara McNeil (Picard’s other S/M friend, at least according to moi). Q is in "And She Was" and Sara will be in "At the Center of Things." Confused? It’s OK, so am I. Anyway neither story really allows for all three of them to end up nekkid and rolling around in the same place at the same time (although Mercutio is pushing for it in "And She Was"). But, Jeanita to the rescue! Her Q and Johnny are different than my Q and Johnny (it’s subtle, but there are differences) and for various reasons, her Q might want to bring someone else into the bedroom. And so I wrote this one. If you get this before you get "Object Lessons, stop, pay toll, do not pass Go! do not collect $200. Get a hold of "Object Lessons" and read it first, ‘cause if you don’t, this story will make less sense than this intro. did. This takes place somewhere in the Object Lessons timeline. Sara McNeil is coming aboard the Enterprise with her team of engineers for a lengthy retro-fit, but that’s not important right now. A little backstory: Sara’s first S/M lover was a woman named Claire Munro, whom Sara met while she was at the Lunar Institute of Technology. In my unfinished story "What’s a Nice Woman Like You . . .?" Sara and Jean-Luc are introduced by Jack Crusher, and *do* in fact make it back to the USS Artemis (Sara was Chief Engineer of that ship back then) and they have fun and play games. In the context of HBP/OL Picard gets called back to the Stargazer on their way out of the bar and so Q gets to be the one who introduces him to S/M at a much later date. Incidentally, the name of Sara’s "girl" is Kavern, emphasis on the second syllable. All my other McNeil stories are available on the archive. There are five of them ("The Captain’s Saddle," "Later That Same Leave . . .," "Dom-Space Communications," "Farewell by Candlelight," and "Friends") they have nothing to do with this story, but if you like it, you’ll like them. Thanks to Jeanita for letting me play in her story-line (and for not calling me a nag when she posted "Object Lessons", and to Mercutio for entering into the great P/Q S/M debate. Paramount-Viacom,Inc is the real Master, but I’m topping from below here. ;-) As always this is for Atara (my astarte), who through her service has taught me more about strength than anyone ever has. You can’t top without a bottom and I’m constantly grateful for the gift of your submission, girl. Subject Lessons (a sequel to "Object Lessons" by Jeanita Danzig) by Ruth Gifford © 1996 Sara McNeil shimmered into existence on the transporter platform, and Jean-Luc Picard stepped forward to greet her. Already at a disadvantage due to her height and the fact that she was a few steps above him, he froze for a fraction of a second as he met her eyes. In that spilt second, he instantly lowered his eyes as he had been taught, acting instinctively to the air of authority she radiated. For a terrifying moment, McNeil almost told him to drop, but then she caught herself. *I knew that he had potential, but who did he find to bring it out this much?* She went through the routine greetings and the introductions of her aides and his officers, in an automatic daze, all of her attention on Picard. How she made it through the briefing and the first quick tour of engineering, she was never sure. She saw things and made sense when she talked to people, but it seemed that her whole self was focused on Picard. *He belongs to someone else, someone who’s damn good, and you know better than to mess with someone else’s property.* But she wanted to, wanted to terribly; everything about him, from his contained grace, to his certainty (born, she was sure, of knowing he had a place) to the way he kept dropping his eyes when he looked toward her, called to the top in her. There was a moment when LaForge and Riker were dealing with one of LaForge’s assistants, and she and Picard were alone. Sara knew she shouldn’t ask, but she couldn’t help herself. "Is your owner aboard the Enterprise?" She almost said Mistress, but caught herself. Jack had once said that Picard was very het, but you never really knew. Picard didn’t really want to talk about it, but seeing her reminded him of that night so long ago when he’d actually been on his way back to the Artemis with her before an urgent rescue mission had sent both the Artemis and the Stargazer out again. He had had the feeling that he was about to take the first step on a new and difficult path, that this woman would introduce him to a part of himself he’d never met. Out of an odd sense of obligation and because of his instinctive reaction to her power, he answered. "In a way, Captain," his tone making it clear that he would answer no more questions on the subject. That night, Sara paced the guest quarters restlessly. For some reason she had placed her case on the bed, and every once in a while she would pause and look at the contents. All the "toys" that were essential to her rituals were packed neatly; her girl was nothing if not thorough. There was also the smaller black case, the one Kavern never opened. Now Sara opened it, looking for the first time in quite a while, at her own collar and cuffs. They were works of art, oxblood red with Claire Munro’s initials worked into the Celtic knotwork that graced the collar. Sara moved to pace again. This was stupid, she thought, but there was something going on here that was far outside the ordinary. On a sudden impulse, she stripped out of her uniform, and with great reverence pulled the collar and cuffs out of their case. Kneeling beside the bed, she set them down between her spread knees and waited for the person (*male or female?* she wondered) who owned Jean-Luc Picard, knowing without a doubt that her question would be passed on. *I will wait, because that is what a slave does,* she thought, her mind going over lessons learned long ago, but never forgotten. *I have no need for clocks or schedules; I have no need to know anything; I have no volition beyond that of the owner. I will wait.* *** "What happened, Johnny?" Jean-Luc kept his gaze down while raising his head. "Master," he said. "Captain McNeil asked if my owner was aboard the Enterprise. I told her ‘in a way, Captain.’" He was careful to relate the conversation exactly, knowing that Q had undoubtedly seen the whole thing. "Are you wishing that you hadn’t been called away from her all those years ago?" Jean-Luc’s answer was instant and there was no doubt that he meant it. "No, Master." "I’ll be back. And Johnny" "Yes Master?" "You belong to *me* alone." And then Q was gone. *I don’t need to know what this is about. I will wait patiently.* When Q reappeared a short time later, Jean-Luc caught his breath. Sara was with him; she was naked, and wore a dark red collar and four dark red cuffs. Q snapped his fingers at her. "Down!" As she fell gracefully to her knees Jean-Luc was overwhelmed with pride. It was an odd sensation and he struggled to understand it. He had sensed intense power in this woman, and now she knelt at Q’s command. That was it; he was pleased to know that Q could master anyone. "Look at her collar Johnny." Sara snapped her hands behind her back, leaning forward so that Jean-Luc could see the initials CM on the collar. Understanding that Q was reassuring him that Sara did not belong to him, Johnny gratefully bent to kiss Q’s boot. Sara sighed softly; he was *so* good. This was almost torture, being this close to perfection. "You want him?" Q asked. "Please, Sir." Q had insisted on this. She was not to call him Master; he was not her Master, he was Picard’s. She would call him Sir, and was not touch his property without his express permission. Guessing that he was terribly jealous but needed to show off Picard *and* give Picard a new experience, Sara had agreed. She in turn was jealous of Picard and Q almost equally. Q because he owned a slave who was so exquisite and Picard because he had found a Master who inspired such service. "You know his rules," Q said offhandedly. "Feel free. Johnny, Sara is one more tool in my hand, just like the cane. Do you understand?" Jean-Luc nodded. "Obey her unless it contradicts any of *my* commands." Jean-Luc nodded yet again. It would be so hard to obey anyone but Q, and a small part of his mind screamed at him that this woman was an equal, a fellow officer and captain, that he couldn’t do this with anyone but Q. *She’s a tool in my hand, like the cane.* The words echoed in his memory and he felt a wave of reassurance wash over him. This space had nothing to do with Starfleet, or rank, or anything in the outside world. He had no fears that Q loved him any less, in fact, this session seemed in some way to prove that Q loved him more. *He’s showing me off,* Picard thought, feeling the familiar heat of arousal shiver across his body. With it came a silent promise to make Q proud of him. Sara rose to her feet. Except for the people (or whatever) involved, this was a familiar situation, although it had been a long time since she had been in the middle like this. Neither a true top, nor a true bottom, it was a difficult role to assume. Her professional respect for Picard and her fear of Q would make this interesting. "Up!" she snapped, admiring Picard’s grace as he rose, keeping his eyes down. "Hands behind your neck." She crossed her arms and looked him up and down slowly. *Nice,* she thought. *More than nice, really, I’m going to enjoy this.* *Glad you think so, girl.* She managed not to start as Q’s voice echoed in her head. *Remember your place.* *Yes Sir,* she thought back, knowing he heard her. She leaned forward and ran a hand very lightly along the underside of one of Picard’s arm. He remained still, but she could feel the faint shiver roll across his skin. Moving the hand swiftly, she suddenly pinched him hard along his ribs. Once more, he remained still, although a faint sigh escaped. She turned to Q, dipping her head slightly. "May I have the use of my case, Sir?" "Of course." Q snapped his fingers and the black case appeared. Picard tried to hide his curiosity as he looked at it. A short time later, Jean-Luc had a good idea of what at least one compartment of that case contained. Clamps, quite a few of them-- small biting clamps that bit and pinched at his skin, and hurt like hell. Once she finished placing them with a precision worthy of an engineer, she began to twist them at random, pulling gasps and cries of pain from him. Q stalked around them both, watching Sara with interest and viewing Jean-Luc’s suffering with seeming detachment. At one point he casually pushed Sara aside, and toyed with the clamps himself, raising his eyebrows at Jean-Luc’s moans. "Well placed," he said to Sara, his voice light. "Thank you, Sir." She watched as he placed a few more clamps. "You like this Johnny?" Forbidden speech, Jean-Luc nodded, blushing slightly. Q backed off gesturing to Sara, who moved in. Carefully, methodically, she placed the last clamps along his cock. Jean-Luc gasped and shivered, but managed, somehow, to remain silent and still. "Good," Sara said softly. She stepped up to him and pressed her mouth against his. Although she brushed against some of the clamps, he responded easily to her kiss, parting his lips when she slid her tongue lightly across them. It was odd to kiss anyone but Q, he thought, but it was all right because Q was here. Suddenly she pulled away, scraping his lower lip with her teeth. He shivered and closed his eyes. They flew open as she swiftly removed a clamp from the underside of his arm. The pain was sudden and sharp, and totally unlike anything Q had ever done. Q wanted to remind his Johnny of his place, but Sara just seemed to want to hurt him. He would accept the pain, however, even enjoy the pain, because Q wanted him to. He had to cling to that thought as more of the clamps came off. Before Sara got to the last of them, Q once more shoved her aside. Sara watched as Q removed the last of the clamps. Tears had come to Jean-Luc’s eyes, and she battled down a surge of jealousy as Q leaned forward and delicately licked them off Johnny’s face. "Johnny’s a good boy," Q said when it was over. He ran a finger down Jean-Luc’s chest and then further down watching as Johnny shivered. As if reading Sara’s thoughts (and he probably was) he turned and looked at her. "Nice, isn’t it?" "Yes it is Sir," Sara replied. It *was* nice too, she thought with a faint smile. "You want it?" Jean-Luc had to school himself to stillness, it was surprisingly hard to listen to the two talk about him (or more precisely a portion of his anatomy) as if he were . . . Q’s voice echoed in his memory. "You're an it, an object, a thing." And he *was* just that--Q’s thing. Unconsciously he straightened slightly, standing more proudly. "Yes, Sir, I do." Q snapped his fingers. "Bed, Johnny." As Picard turned, Sara caught her breath with a sharp gasp. "Oh, my God," she breathed. "Hold still," Q ordered. He gestured toward Picard and Sara walked up behind him. On his left buttock was a mark, a Q branded into his skin. She reached out almost reverently to touch it, feeling the slightly rough scarring with careful fingertips. "It’s beautiful," she murmured. She glanced at Q and mouthed the words, "May I ask . . .?" "Answer Sara’s questions, Johnny." "This," she touched the brand again, "did it hurt?" Picard felt the pride he always felt when thinking about his brand. "Yes ma’am." "Did you ask for it? How was it done?" "No ma’am. My Master just put it on me one night. I had no idea what was happening to me." Sara moved closer, reaching for the illusion of privacy. With Q involved there could be no privacy, but she had to ask this question. "It changed you, didn’t it? That’s what I saw when I first came on board." He didn’t answer right away, turning his head slightly toward Q. Sara smiled slightly, amazed again at just how good he was. *Well of course he is, he’s still Jean-Luc Picard for God’s sake. The best of the best.* He had received whatever permission he had sought, for now he turned to her and raised his eyes. "Of course it changed me, ma’am. I . . . feel like I’m more myself now, if that makes sense." He smiled and shook his head slightly. "It’s hard to explain, but when it happened, I felt like . . . like I finally grasped something that I could see before but couldn’t reach or understand." His focus shifted inward and Sara hung, breathless, on his words. She didn’t notice that behind her Q was listening with even greater concentration. He had never heard Jean-Luc try to explain what the brand meant to him, and it made Q think about the night it had happened, and the overwhelming need to mark his Johnny that had literally compelled him into Picard’s bedroom in the middle of the night. He paid attention; Jean-Luc was speaking again, seemingly unaware of how intensely they were focused on him. "And then when I did grasp that something . . . it was a part of me, it fit into this empty space I never knew I had. The whole experience was . . . unbelievable." He seemed to come back into the present and he dropped his eyes again. Sara was glad he had because her eyes were misting up slightly. She had wanted this once, but had been afraid to ask, and had later learned (only when it was too late) that Claire had been afraid to ask that much of her. *I’m going to mark Kavern,* she thought. It was not a new thought but she hadn’t been sure until now. She smiled and looked at Q. "Thank you." As if understanding why she was thanking him, the entity smiled slightly in return, before snapping his fingers again. Picard instantly turned and moved swiftly but gracefully into the bedroom. Q flicked his fingers at Sara, who tried for equal grace as she followed Picard. Watching her, Q was surprised to feel an interest in her as a possible partner instead of just someone to use to keep Johnny in line and amused. Although it was odd to want someone other than Jean-Luc, he was rather relieved. It would be still be hard watching her take Johnny however; Q’s jealousy continued to surprise him. A thought occurred and he began to smile. When they reached the bedroom, he said casually to Sara, "help yourself." Sara stood at the side of the bed. Jean-Luc was lying face up, legs spread wide. She fought down a smile, this was how Kavern waited for her. Picard blushed faintly as she looked at him silently. The blush reminded her once more of her girl, who was blond and blushed at the drop of a hat. "Nice, but I want those legs closed," she snapped, needing to reassert her control. It was only the distressed look on Picard’s face as his head turned toward Q, that reminded her of what Q had said. *Damn!* *********************************** "the smell the taste the touch is all brand new the thrill of the eyes that capture this forbidden view" "an unusual kiss" Melissa Etheridge