Scouts (35 page)
“I can’t stay on my back too long,” she said. “It gets uncomfortable.”
“Then let’s make sure you’re comfortable.”
I rolled her onto her side and stroked her body, one hand roving over breasts and abdomen, the other concentrating on her pussy. Her skin seemed stretched, like it was under pressure, about to burst. She lifted one leg and pulled it up under her belly. I bent down to put my mouth to her pussy, and at first, I could only reach the lower part of her lips.
“Tease,” she said and pulled her thigh up as high as she could.
That exposed more of her, which I eagerly took advantage of. As I licked and prodded, her leg relaxed a bit, pushing my face away from her vulva. She was in a little bit of a frustrating spot, never quite able to get beyond a certain plateau.
She whimpered in frustration and rolled onto her hands and knees. “Vack, Challers, just do me already! I’m ready, and I’ve been waiting for this too long!”
“Whatever you desire, my love.”
I positioned myself behind her. This was it. This was the moment I had been waiting for all those painful days at the academy, the day I thought would never come. I pushed in. The sensation was exquisite.
We were doing it, we were really doing it! Yes, it felt wonderful to have my cock inside her. Yes, it was marvelous to be there with the woman I loved. Valka rolled her hips against me, engulfing me in slow, rhythmic pulses. She was so wet I could feel her fluids dripping down my thigh.
“Do it, Challers. Go ahead. Show me—vack! Fuck me across the stars!”
I chuckled. “Gladly, my love.”
I started a gentle rhythm and she moaned slightly with each thrust. There were no more impediments. No more barriers. We were there.
Except—we weren’t. I wanted more.
“I want to see your face,” I said. “I want to look into your eyes as you come.”
“All right.”
She pushed up onto her knees, pulling away from me briefly. Then she guided me onto on my back, she straddled me, and slid my cock into her channel.
“There,” she said, looking down at me. “Is that better?”
Our eyes met and the energy of the moment climbed another notch.
“Much better.” I reached up for her lower set of breasts and gave them a gentle squeeze.
She rode me for a few turns, rising up on her strong legs, and then took my hand in hers. “Touch me down here,” she said, and moved my hand downwards.
It was a bit awkward, but I was able to work my hand in underneath to touch her pussy lips. If she was wet before we switched positions, she was soaked after. My fingers were instantly covered with her fluids.
“Yes,” she breathed, “like that.”
I could feel little spasms starting to run through her. Pushing down with my legs, I met her from below, adding my thrusts to her movements. We were coming closer, circling our goal like satellites in decaying orbits.
And it happened again. I was falling into her eyes, falling in love all over again—only this time, instead of a long, slow, comfortable descent, it was a screaming, flaming, comet-like approach that made me glow with incandescence. A supernova went off inside me and I felt my body boil with desire. She was mine now, if only for this one moment, and that would be enough.
I could see it in her eyes, as well. Even though a sweat was breaking out on her forehead, even with orgasm just moments away, she kept her gaze fixed on me, on my eyes. The connection was there, stronger than with Grecca, stronger than with Shirley, so complete it terrified me. As much as I feared it, though, there was nothing I could do but let go and give myself to it.
Total acceptance. Total surrender. Total love.
We ceased to be Valka and Challers, went beyond being a fusion of the two, and found a state that transcended mere union. We weren’t just one.
We were all.
The ship roared to life as she spasmed and gasped above me. I surrendered my body to the sensations, as well, and the noise and vibration suddenly carried an undertone I had never heard before—a throbbing harmonic in synchrony with the pounding of my heart. The transcendence of our union had been transformed into transcendence of the universe itself.
And then we were done. Valka collapsed beside me, breathing like she had just finished a round of calisthenics. The jump engines ground to a halt and I wondered whether we damaged them with our intensity. I turned my head and kissed her as the last of the vibrations died away.
Grecca’s voice came over the intercom. “Congratulations. We’re here.”
Valka and I took turns getting quick rinses in the shower while Grecca spoke with the station’s docking officer over the radio. She was still talking when we came out again and pulled on clothes that would fit our roles in the charade we were about to perform—a white Scout uniform for me, and colorful civilian dress for Valka.
“I know we’re not a scheduled visit. I have authorization from Director Mozzarat. The project has hit a snag and you need to see what we’ve found. Just let us drop off our passenger, and we’ll be on our way.”
A man’s voice came from the loudspeaker. “We’re not equipped to handle prisoners. Clinical work is supposed to be handled at headquarters! So just turn around and . . .”
Another voice cut in. “Belay that. What’s this ‘snag?’”
Masters gasped. I looked over. He mouthed the words, “That’s her.”
“You know Director Mozzarat,” said Grecca, crossing her fingers.
“Another one of his hunches. All right, I’m giving you clearance to dock. I’ll need you to maintain custody of the prisoner, though. We really don’t have the facilities.”
“Understood.” Grecca cut the connection and looked up at us from the control couch with a smile.
“Looks like we’re in. Grab your gear and get ready to disembark.”
Masters and I took helmets and pistols from the supply rack near the main hatch while Grecca mated the ship to the station’s docking probe.
Grecca’s voice came over the intercom while we prepped. “From the look of the power readings, they can’t have more than twenty people on board, probably less.”
“That’s a good sign,” I said.
Masters shot me a no-nonsense look. “If they decide to stop us, it’ll be enough. Don’t blow it.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.”
We dropped down the ship’s hatch and through the tube leading down into the station. We came out in a small chamber with spacesuits hanging on racks, clearly their EVA prep area.
A woman in a skin-tight red jumpsuit stood by another hatch leading further down into the station. “I am Research Director Cassandra Mallins. Would you please present your ID implants?”
Masters held out his hand and she passed a reader over it.
“Masters?” She raised an eyebrow. “Is that really you?”
He nodded. “Come on. We’re here to rescue you.”
She chuckled. “Rescue me? From what?”
“From this exile. This imprisonment.”
“And go where?”
“We’ve got a contact with the Pirates.”
She laughed. “Oh, Masters, you were always such a pawn.” Her face turned to steel. “Computer, initiate full alert.”
A siren blared and the hatch behind us clanged shut. A hissing sound filled the room.
“What? No! Cassandra, please! I’m trying to help you!”
“I’m sure you are.” She smiled, but it brought no warmth to her face.
The gravity seemed like it was going funny, tilting from side to side. I blinked, trying to clear my vision.
Masters drew his pistol, but it hung from his hand. “You know what they’re doing to people back there?”
“Of course I do; it was all my idea. Now be a good little pawn and go to sleep. I have work to do.” She turned her back on him, stepped through the hatch, and closed it behind her. Her face, smiling, appeared behind the viewplate.
I sank to my knees. It was something in the air, some kind of gas. The room spun around me. Masters fumbled with his weapon, and the thought came to me that he was about to kill himself. I flung myself at the hatch behind us, desperate to get it open before I passed out entirely. The lock, of course, wouldn’t open. I felt Valka collapse next to me, similarly affected. Dark edges crept inwards on the periphery of my vision.
Bang
.
Masters stood, bracing himself against the wall with one hand, his pistol extended in the other. It must have been a supreme act of will to stand, because I was having trouble just keeping my eyes open. I turned my head to look where he was aiming and saw that the viewplate of the far door had shattered, destroyed by the armor-piercing ammunition in Masters’s weapon.
Bang
.
Bang
. He’d fired at the hatch’s hinges and they exploded in showers of sparks. The hatch fell inwards, borne down by Cassandra’s bloody body, and with it came a wave of fresh air.
Still feeling like there were weights tied to my limbs, I pulled myself back to my feet.
“Get her out of here,” he said. “Any way you can. I’ll cover.” Masters stumbled to the ruined hatch and aimed his pistol down the hall.
“You’ll hole the station,” I gasped. “You’ll die here!”
“Yes,” he said. “I know. Tell Shirley . . . tell her I’m sorry.” He disappeared down the corridor.
“Masters!” My voice echoed emptily.
Valka poked my ribs. “Pry up this access panel. We can get the hatch open.”
I grabbed a likely looking tool from a nearby rack and worked frantically at the panel. I could hear gunshots, gradually becoming more distant. They terrified me, and at the same time, I knew that while they were happening, Masters was still alive. Finally, I forced the panel free of the wall, exposing a tangle of wires.
My ears popped and I found myself taking deeper breaths to get enough air. The pressure was dropping. As I had expected, all that gunfire had riddled the station with holes.
“There,” said Valka, pointing to a junction of heavy cables. “That’s the power to the magnetic locks.”
I nodded, and aimed my weapon at the junction. I could feel the orgone collectors in the handle vibrating in response to the chaotic emotions surging through me. There would be more than enough power to do what was necessary. Two shots blew the cables apart, sending more air screaming out the holes. The hatch clanked open.
As we climbed back up the tube, my head cleared. A strong breeze of fresh air came from the Scout ship, sucked down through the station and out into the void. Grecca helped us up and I slammed my hand on the control to seal the ship.
“What about Masters and Cassandra?” she asked.
“They’re not coming,” I said. “She’s dead, and he will be soon if he isn’t already. We have to get out of here.”
“Right. You two are in no state for the chamber. I’ll handle that myself. Go up to the bridge and get us away.”
Shaking with adrenaline, we staggered to the control couches and strapped ourselves in. I released the docking clamps and triggered the thrusters to put some distance between us and the station. The astronavigation computer already had the coordinates of Robert’s rendezvous point. All that remained was to wait for Grecca, and we would be gone.
I arrived at my newly assigned “pod” with nothing but the uniform on my back. According to Robert, my share of the profits from bringing two Scout ships back to the Pirate headquarters was a hefty sum, though by no means did it make me a wealthy man. Still, I would have plenty of money for little luxuries.
Looking around at my pod, I decided it was a good thing. I would need some little luxuries. The room was tiny, with most of its space taken up by a reclining chair bolted to the center of the room, facing a large holographic viewscreen. Sanitary facilities were built into the wall on one side and there was a small food preparation area on the other. I stopped the door before it closed behind me.
I shuddered. “It looks like a prison.”
Valka put her hand over mine. “It’ll be okay, Challers. We haven’t gone wrong trusting Robert yet. Go on, sit down. That’s what that man said would get everything started up.”
I sat down on the edge of the chair.
A pale, translucent holographic head appeared in the air in front of the screen. “Ward Challers Dizen, welcome to Port. This pod has now been keyed to your biosignature. What is your desire?”
“Food, I think.”
I shifted in the chair, sliding against the backrest. It was comfortable, conforming to my shape. I felt around and found some controls on one side to make it change configuration.
“The kitchens are currently serving breakfast. Your choices are hot cereal, cold cereal, cheese omelet, and fruit and cheese plate. Side dish choices are fruit slices, toast with jam, fruit muffin, and honey muffin. Beverage choices are fruit juice, tea, water, and coffee.”
“Cheese omelet, fruit muffin, and fruit juice, please.”
“Your order has been placed, Ward Dizen. It will arrive in a few minutes at the delivery panel to your left.”
“Can I order something for Valka?”
“Breakfast for a guest would cost five credits, Ward Dizen. I should advise you, however, that as she is a ward, she may receive her meal for free in her own pod.”
“I’ll splurge.”
The head nodded. “Five credits deducted. Your remaining credit is forty-six thousand, five hundred, eighty-three.”
I looked over my shoulder. “What would you like?”
“I should probably concentrate on the protein.” She rubbed one hand over her swollen belly. “Omelet, fruit muffin, and tea, please.”
“Your order has been placed, Ward Parl.”
“Looks like they want us to stay in our pods,” said Valka, moving to sit on the edge of my chair. I tried to scoot over, but there wasn’t room. Valka shifted onto my lap.
I nuzzled her neck and laid a tender kiss just behind her ear. “Vacuum take ’em. I like you right here.”
She giggled. “Do you think there’ll be a place to keep my eggs? As far as I can tell, they’re about ready to come.”
“Let’s find out.” I turned to face the screen. “Um, computer?”
The face reappeared. “You may address me as ‘Portcon,’ Ward Challers Dizen.”
“Right. Portcon. Is there a place on board for Valka to take care of her eggs? She’s an Ovor, and she’s going to be delivering soon.”
“Matters of a medical nature are held under a privacy seal. I can tell you that our leaders make every effort to ensure that all wards are kept safe and healthy.”
Valka shrugged. “I’ll ask Portcon about it when I get into my own pod. I guess they’ll want to do some kind of medical exam.”
“That makes sense.” I stroked her belly, running my hand up under her shirt.
“Looks like someone wants to make his own examination.”
I chuckled. “Just want to make sure everything’s where it belongs. We’ve been through a lot, after all.”
She leaned in and nuzzled my neck. “And do I meet all the requirements?”
“I don’t know.” My hand drifted along the curve of her belly to stroke one round breast. Her nipple tightened under my touch. “I haven’t made the examination yet.”
Portcon’s voice interrupted us. “Ward Dizen, your food is ready.”
A small door opened in the food preparation area, revealing a tray stacked with covered bowls and utensils. A robotic arm appeared from under the chair, took hold of the tray, and brought it alongside the chair.
“How convenient,” I said.
“I don’t know about you,” said Valka, “but I’m hungry. We had sex a little while ago, but all I’ve had to eat all day were those ration bars.”
The food was good, if not up to the quality of what we had at headquarters. Without the extensive gardens and farm space, it would be hard to make that kind of variety available. While we ate, I couldn’t stop thinking about our time onboard the Scout ship. The sex had been hurried and stressful, and I wanted to be able to take my time.
“Portcon, is there a place where Valka and I can have some quiet time with a little more space than these pods?”
“There are many activities on the boulevard level. What sort of amenities are you looking for?”
“Nothing unusual. A bed, maybe some food and drink?”
“Variable gravity,” said Valka around a mouthful of egg. “I want variable gravity.” She patted her belly.
I chuckled. “Yes, and variable gravity.”
“The Warplight Hourly Hotel would be a good choice. Be advised, if you leave your pod, there will be an hourly life support charge to your account. In addition, the Warplight is one of the more expensive hotels.”
“What’s the rate?”
“The hourly life support charge is fifty credits per hour for each of you. The Warplight charges two hundred credits per hour.”
“I think we can afford that.”
Portcon displayed a route, and assured me that if we got lost, it would be available at any terminal to put us back on course.
The walk was quite an education. The narrow corridor that serviced the dozens of pods on our level led to an elevator that took us up to the boulevard, which evidently ran the entire kilometer’s length of the topmost deck. It was at least thirty meters wide with trees and shrubs growing in two strips down the middle and illuminated by dim globes atop three-meter poles. Thirty meters above us, a transparent ceiling revealed a dark expanse of sky pricked here and there by stars. I knew it was real, rather than a projection, because the stars had the prismatic distortion of a warp field.
“We’re under way,” I said.
Valka followed my eyes upward. “It makes sense. They’d have to keep moving to stay ahead of the Fleet.” She tugged my arm. “Come on. I want to get in some low gravity. My back is bothering me.”
The boulevard was full of activity. Most folks wore fairly ordinary coveralls of the same sort you’d see on any station. But here and there, I saw men, women, and newgens wearing loose shirts and baggy trousers or skirts, along with shiny black boots and gloves. Each one had a nasty-looking pistol hanging from a heavy black belt. Everyone else was giving them plenty of room, so we made sure to stay out of their way, as well.
The Warplight Hourly Hotel wasn’t far down the boulevard, which was a good thing. By the time we got there, Valka was getting sore. We stopped in the nicely decorated but small lobby only long enough to get registered at the desk and went immediately to our room.
The bed could have been taken from a Scout ship. The surface and controls were identical. The walls had a programmable holographic interface set to display a starscape complete with dazzling galaxies and nebulae. The bed looked like it was floating in the void.
Valka whistled. “They’d never get away with this back on the station.”
The vista was more than a little unsettling. “No doubt. Mind if I pick something less disturbing?”
“Please. I already feel like I’ve given myself to the void just by coming here and joining the Pirates.”
I picked a simple pattern of red curtains. It made the room look smaller, but after the endless void, it was welcome.
We stripped off our clothes and Valka laid down on her side in the center of the bed, letting out a relaxed sigh. I snuggled up behind her, folding one arm under my head and draping the other over her body.
“Can I take a little nap first?”
“Of course.”
She yawned. “And maybe a shower afterward?”
“Absolutely. Portcon?”
The face didn’t appear anywhere, but the computer’s voice came softly from the console by the door. “Yes, Ward Dizen?”
“I’d like some soft music please. And wake us in a half an hour.”
Music began playing, a simple, ethereal tune with a simple rhythm in the background. After a moment, I recognized the clicking beat as the sound a rotating neutron star makes when the radio signal is converted into sound waves. We had studied them in Astronavigation. How long had it been since I was in that class? It seemed like a lifetime ago.
Valka’s breathing turned soft and regular. I lay next to her for a few minutes, just enjoying the fact that we were safe, fed, warm, and together. Nobody had us on their schedule, nobody had us on their watch list, and nobody had us in their sights.
We could just be us.