Hannah and Anthony floated above Bells, lost in each other's pleasure.
Slowly, Hannah kissed and nibbled on the tip of his cock. It still smelled and tasted of its recent visit inside her, and with eyes closed she reveled in the pure sensuality of the moment. That taste meant he had sent his seed up into her while she was her most fertile. She was smelling the possible creation of their child. The thought made her quiver... his lips, gently sucking the folds of her pussy while his mustache rubbed around her magically, doubled, then redoubled that reaction. No longer content with just licking, she took all of him into her mouth. Anthony moaned into her sex.
She hadn't been like this, before. Been this... free, sensual. Was it him, or was it...
Opening her eyes, she pulled back, just the head remaining in her mouth, and looked between his legs. There, beyond, was the blackness of space. There were no stars, or galaxies. Only streaks of color, coming, going. Exactly how they were traveling she wasn't sure, none of them were, but the universe was flowing past as they went where no human had ever been. And... she wanted to bring new life into this. Life from him. The feeling was primal, instinctual. She wanted once again to feel life growing inside her.
She groaned again around his cock. She could feel her orgasm building. Somewhere she had heard that every release of pleasure helped egg and sperm complete their own mating dance. Hannah had no idea if it was true, but shuddering she relished in the thought. She began mentally chanting to the racing sperm inside her.
"Do it... do it..."
Releasing him from her mouth, it quickly turned into a scream of pleasure, echoing throughout the universe.
****
The two rested, Anthony spooned against her back. He was back to half hardness, resting between her soft, ample ass cheeks. One arm around her waist, his other hand playing with a breast. Hannah half sighed, half hummed. She was happy. Looking up into space, she wanted to be here forever.
"This," he said lightly, kissing her neck, "has been one of the best dates I've ever been on."
She laughed. Her right hand went up to cover his hand on her left breast, guiding it in its movements.
"I'm surprised the sign worked."
They had taped a "do not disturb" sign on the door leading from the bridge to the dome. Grabbing one of the floating droids Daium had finally programmed to understand English commands, the two lovers had proceeded to enjoy an afternoon outing. Once they were ready to go in, they'd call R2 over and have him drag them back down to some handholds.
She was still in no hurry for that.
Hannah felt him shift. He was going to ask something, she thought. They now knew each other well enough that such knowledge was coming easier. Gently rocking her hips against his hardness, she waited.
"Hannah... is it... well, is it too soon for this to be something more than what we've been pretending it is?" His free hand captured her left, thumb rubbing her wedding ring.
She shuddered. Part of her still loved Mark. She would always love Mark. He had given her little Mary, after all. Her beautiful little Mary...
Anthony let go of her hand and hugged her against him.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."
"No... no... you should. You... I'm going to have your baby, sometime. I WANT your babies. And..."
"I love you."
He whispered it into her ear. Tears, unbidden, began to fill her eyes. She couldn't help it. It was stupid. She loved him. Why couldn't she just say it, just... She felt herself being turned. His face came into view, lit by the faint light coming from the store under them. His eyes... they confirmed everything his mouth and body had been telling her. He was hers, if she was his.
"We both know the truth," she whispered. "How I feel. Will... will you wait, until I can say it?"
"Forever."
Pulling her against his body, his lips drew the answer her voice couldn't give.
****
Chuck looked down at the mass of shapes, and their corresponding holes in the alien machinery behind him.
"I sense great frustration in the near future.
The sound of flipping pages coming to his ears, with a chuckle he looked up at Rinda. The Orang was settled five feet away, three spiral notebooks scattered in the air around her. Expression showing great concentration, she attempted to translate his words. Smiling, Chuck decided to save her the trouble. Reaching over, he lightly touched her arm. The warm soft fur, as it always did, surprised him. The color made him think of an old stuffed animal, not a living, thinking creature. With a start, she looked up from her work, one page floating half flipped.
"It's not worth it, Rinda." She looked at him, puzzled.
"No?"
"No. Do not bother." Grabbing one of the books, he quickly flipped through to the passage he wanted, turning it back to her and pointing. "Joke."
A moment's pause, then she laughed. It was a throaty laugh, deeper than Daium's. Looking at him, she smiled.
"Thank... you?"
"Yes! Got it!" He grinned back, her smile infectious.
Chuck was really starting to like the girl.
****
The idea, now that they had experience bridging the two cultures, was to let Rinda float from human to human, getting to know each one, and the ship, practicing her English. There'd be no translator following her around: Rinda had asked for this. She knew she wasn't going to have an easy time learning, and wanted the pressure of having to do it herself. That was what got her through the Academy, what she was used to. Nona had agreed quickly, relieved to no longer be just a translator. Freed, she began poking around the small medical lab, having always had thoughts of medical school. Melinda, Chuck's hints finally taking, was now spending some time cooking with Tammy. Thus, for the first time in ages, he was alone in Engineering.
Well, almost alone.
Rinda came over, looking over his shoulder as Chuck pulled a long slender box with prongs at the end out of the machine before him. The two considered it, looking occasionally at the schematic on the computer pad next to them.
"Any ideas?" Chuck glanced at her, amused. Smiling she shrugged.
"No."
"Me either."
The ship ran on two completely separate engines, both housed in the large sphere that made up rear of the ship. The first, which they were calling "impulse" drive, worked the way most humans assumed an engine worked. Not in a way they could yet understand, mind you, but the general idea at least made sense. With it, you could travel at a reasonable fraction of the speed of light, making travel within a solar system a matter of days, or just a couple weeks depending. As it was not being used at the moment, Chuck had run an automated diagnostic on it and was physically checking out the parts while he had the chance. The droids could, and probably mostly would, do what repairs and maintenance that were needed. Still, Chuck wasn't willing to put all his apples in that cart. Luckily, Daium had promised he couldn't actually hurt anything.
The other engine, the one now in use, was a different beast. He couldn't begin to understand what it was doing, and Daium's attempts to explain it were thwarted by the continued gaps in her vocabulary. What Chuck did know was how it affected the ship. The "warp drive" allowed them to travel amazing distances in rather short time spans. They, somehow, either phased to a slightly different plane of existence, or something similar, first accelerating for half the trip then decelerating for the second half. This had several interesting consequences. First, they were perfectly safe while traveling. No matter, or energy, could affect them once the trip started. They were seemingly isolated from the universe. Second, because of this there was no stopping or changing direction. Once a destination was set, that was it. Only once they arrived could they do anything.
Another interesting bit was that long distances were easier than short ones. While you COULD warp from one planet to another in a system almost instantly, the strain on your ship would be incredible. Chuck thought of it as jumping off a building to quickly gain speed, then hitting a cement floor to stop. Only warships, overbuilt to withstand "combat jumps", could even think of attempting it. Even trips of a lightyear or two could be tricky, making it often easier to travel to a point 5 light years away then back to the neighboring system than to jump directly. The fact that trip might only take you less than day made the delay more than reasonable.
Their current course, set by Daium, took them 480 light years from Tanah. They'd be there in another three weeks...
Chuck, making a note in his book, slid the power regulator back, where it settled into its socket next to a dozen almost identical units. The entire process, he thought, was reminding him of his old Electronics set. His parents had given it to him at around age ten, with the hope he'd get a big leg up when it came to computers. He'd loved the thing, basically just a board with lots of resisters and such attached. By plugging wires in to connect the various components, he had made doorbells, alarms, a radio, and other fun things. However... he didn't learn squat. Chuck just treated it like a model or puzzle, following the instructions to get the thing to work with no actually understanding of the underlying concepts. The same was true here: after a week and a half, he was getting a good idea of what did what, but with no idea why.
For now, he had no problem with that.
Feeling a twinge, Chuck gave a tired groan and rotated his shoulders. He needed a break. Looking over at his companion, he shook his head.
"You're tiring me out, with your constant sitting there. Have any questions?"
Understanding at least the last three words of that, she seemed to consider it. The differences he was noticing between her and Daium were many, if also subtle. Rinda was slightly more... immature. Not in a bad way, but her emotions were a bit more pure. Less tinged with shades of grey. Physically, while shorter she was more muscular. Definitely stronger than Melinda, and Chuck liked that. Even with the fur, you could see the curves of muscles, how they moved when she exerted herself. Her eyes, large and green, were... well, beautiful.
Not that it meant anything.
Smiling, Rinda broke off her contemplation.
"No. No questions."
"How are you going to learn if you don't ask questions?" He shook his head. "Well, back to work. If you'd be so kind, pull that one out there..."
****
Tammy wished Melinda had come to spend time in the kitchen long ago.
Already, after just two days, she'd completely changed things. Yesterday, for example. Out of the blue, Melinda had asked if Tammy had taken a look in the bakery freezer and cooler. Actually, it wasn't out of the blue: the last of the pre-baked bread had been used up, the rest now in the main freezer to forestall the growth of mold. This was the first Tammy had heard of that department even having freezers and coolers. She was an office girl, after all! So, that morning they'd taken a trip over to the store to check it out. Oh, the fun stuff in there! Frozen pastry dough, muffin batter, cookies... none of it secured down, naturally, so it all floated free. Where lids hadn't been on tight, the air filled with floating glop. In the cooler, the biggest surprise was the one pound bricks of moist yeast. Tammy had never heard of such a thing! They had expiration dates, which meant that if they were going to bake bread they'd have to figure out how to do it soon. They had grabbed one, as well as a fifty pound bag of flour and something called "bake crisp", and dragged them through the ship into the kitchen. All yesterday had been experiments in how to deal with flour.
It hadn't gone well.
In the end, after much cleaning up, Hannah had come by and suggested putting everything in a small sealed container to get the flour wet and sticky, then using the mixer. That worked. They ended up with enough dough for two pizzas, which after sitting overnight would be made for tonight's dinner.
Before then, however, Melinda had another insight.
****
"I wish we didn't have to lose all this," Tammy moaned, as they floated through what was left of the produce department. "It's such a waste!"
Around them, half empty bins of fruits and vegetables. They had eaten what they could, frozen what could be frozen. Still, here and in the large produce cooler, they had week's worth of food on the verge of rotting. Melinda went up to the covered tomato display, putting a hand on it.
"How much have you canned?"
Tammy looked blankly at the black haired girl.
"Canned?"
"Um, yeah. We still have canning supplies from the fall in aisle nine, and I THINK there's even a bunch of canning jars in the back from that display."
"Canned...." Tammy's eyes shot open in understanding. "Canned! Oh, God, I'm so stupid! Of course!" Her head swung around, taking inventory. "We can do the rest of the tomatoes, those peaches and pears, make pickles! Oh, you're brilliant!" Laughing, she grabbed Melinda, pulled the surprised teen against her, and placed a kiss on her lips.
As soon as she saw the expression before her, Tammy realized that might have been a mistake.
****
"So... you're, like, a Lez."
The two were floating about four feet apart, between the lettuces and cucumbers. Despite the use of that term, Tammy was thankful that Melinda's tone wasn't scornful. It was more... curious. The teen also wasn't covering herself. If anything, her bikini clad body was unconsciously on display. Not, really, that there's another way for someone in a bikini to be most of the time.
"I prefer the term phallicly challenged."
"I've had boyfriends with that condition," Melinda scoffed. There was silence for a moment. Tammy drifted a bit to her left, and a bit closer.
"Do... do you have a problem with it?"
"Wha?!" Melinda looked actually shocked. "Why would I? It's not the 20th century, after all!" Tammy saw a thought cross her face. "Wait, has someone had a problem with it?"
Tammy nodded, glumly.
"I told Nona, and... well..."
Melinda scoffed.
"Oh. Her. Well, I'm surprised, but maybe it's the Muslim thing kicking in. I know they're not big on that, but she's never really cared about that kind of thing before, so, who knows..."
Tammy hadn't known the Malay was Muslim, although now that she thought about it, it seemed obvious. She was so used to focusing on Christian bigots; this possibility had slipped past her radar.
"But, you don't care?"
"No, of course not! If anything, it solves one problem."
"Oh?"
"Yeah! I mean, with only three guys, and first five, now seven, girls, I figured I'd have to share Chuck. Now I no longer have to worry about you!"
Tammy barked out a laugh.
"Oh, you never had to worry about me there! But, if you think seven to three is bad, imagine one to zero." There was bitterness in her voice. She didn't want there to be. She liked this girl. But...
Comprehension shown on Melinda's face.
"Are you sure? Have you asked?"
"Asked who? Nobody has set off my 'Lez-dar', if that's what you mean, and it's not like my physical and emotional needs come up in conversation often." Again, bitterness came through. She crossed her arms over her chest, hugging herself. Part of her didn't want to be having this conversation. She was a private person, out of both general personality and social reality. But... she hadn't talked to any of them, really. And, she did want to talk to someone...
Looking up, she saw Melinda was only three feet away. Her eyes, behind those glasses, were sad.
"Hey, I'm sorry..."
"Look, don't be..."
Melinda's hand reached out and, after a moment's hesitation, her fingers gently slid over Tammy's bare forearm. Tammy shuddered, closing her eyes.
"Don't..."
"When I was in middle school, my girlfriend and I... well, we practiced." Tammy's eyes shot open, taking in Melinda in a new light. She whispered, hopefully.
"...and?"
"And, I liked it." Her hand slid up Tammy's arm. "If you need someone, as a friend..."
"Chuck?"
"Maybe he'll be relieved to be rid of me some of the time." Tammy absorbed that, about to speak when Melinda explained. "I love him. Or, what I call love, anyway. I can't give you that. But..."
"But you'll sleep with me. Pity sex." The bitterness came back.
"I'll be your friend and hold you. Please you. That's all Chuck is doing for me, if you want to know the ugly truth..."
Reaching up and taking Melinda's hand from her shoulder, Tammy brought it down and held it between them. Taking a deep breath, she let herself relax.
"Thank you. I... I'll think about it."
"I'm not going anywhere."
That brought a chuckle out of her.
"Too true. So, let's see what canning supplies we can scrounge up..."
****
Daium sat on the bridge, alone.
She had the bridge screens turned off. Hyperspace, at least to her, lacked the beauty of reality, and tended to be distracting. Not in the way she liked to be distracted, caught up in the incredible mystery of the universe. No, it just seemed weird, and she couldn't afford to have her mind taken away from her task. This was important.
In her hand, she held a small circular piece of wood. It was a dark brown, the color of the Sacred Trees. Remembering that her father hadn't finished all the carvings he intended for the ship, some hunting had found his supply of wood. This piece, originally cut from one of the boards used in a bedroom, had been perfect. Cut in two, she'd spent the past two days whittling this half down. First the rough shape and size, then she'd carve out the middle, smooth it, cover it with words of love...
Holding it up, she imagined the ring on her love's finger. Maybe they'd have a ceremony. Two ceremonies, one Human, one Orang. Or... well, maybe she should actually ask Justin what he wanted to do. That was only right.
Bringing the knife back down to the ring, she began whistling.
****
"That's a nice tune."
The knife didn't slip. That was good. The rest of her body had jumped at the voice, but both hands stayed as solid as a rock. Growling, she leaned in even closer to her hands.
"What do you want, Bitch?"
There was a moment's silence. Daium instantly regretted her words. Her English sometimes came out the wrong way, harsher than she intended. She was about to turn when Alicia's voice came again, closer.
"Justin hasn't talked to you yet, has he?"
The voice was... sad. Alicia was never sad. Angry, yes. Sarcastic, often. But not sad. Spinning her chair around, seatbelt keeping Daium firmly in it, she saw that Alicia had used the railing to pull herself down to a floating seated position level with her. Her breasts, despite the braided straps, set up a rhythmic bounce.
"We always talk," Daium replied, not understanding. She wanted to understand. What was Alicia talking about?
"I asked him to talk to you. He obviously hasn't found a good time yet. Don't blame him. I don't know how to say it either."
"Say what, Bitch?"
Alicia winced.
"Don't call me that."
Now Daium WAS confused.
"What? But..."
"Yes, I know, it's a joke, and I don't mind, much, but... not now. Please."
Daium nodded, slowly. So, this was serious talk. She could do that. Looking to her left, she saw the sheath for the knife and grabbed it, putting the blade away. Alicia's eyes widened on seeing what she had been doing. Releasing the knife to float with the various bits of whittled wood, Daium put the future ring in a small pocket on her skirt. She then leaned forward, all attention on the human before her.
"What do you want to say?"
Alicia's eyes seemed to be looking for something in Daium's face. Not being able to see herself, she didn't know what might be there. Maybe something left from lunch. So, she looked back. Alicia floated there, sitting, legs crossed, looking like some mystic who actually got the whole levitation thing working. Daium had never believed in that kind of thing, but always WISHED it was true. It would just be fun. Just like Alicia was fun. Oh, Daium would never tell her that. That was part of the game. But, the Orang had come to like the girl. Liked to look at the girl. That, she knew, was strange. Females didn't do that. There was just something about her. That skin, for example. It was so... smooth! She just wanted to reach over and touch it. Run her fingers over it. And those breasts... what did they feel like? What did they...
With a start, Daium felt warm soft skin against her knees.
While her mind had been elsewhere, Alicia had pushed her body forward, knees now pressed against Daium's. Daium shuddered at the contact. Eyes meeting hers, she saw Alicia give a knowing smile.
"You feel it too, don't you," she whispered. "I can see it."
"F-feel..."
"When you touch me, Daium. When you gently touch my hand, or brush against me, I... I feel like that. You're teasing me, Daium."
Teasing... had she been? Not in that way! She liked teasing the human, but not in that way! Or... yes, she had been. By the Tree, she had been. And, Alicia had never told her to stop. Never pulled away...
"I..."
Grabbing the chair arms, Alicia pulled herself closer. Her upper body came up, floating parallel to Daium's own. Alicia's face came a few inches from hers, those breasts, barely contained, so close. Daium's eyes just took them in, then went back to that face. She had looked at that face often, when she thought Alicia wasn't looking. Something about it just fascinated her. She took it in now, closer than she'd ever been.
Something was different. Her eyes, narrowed confused. Something...
"Your scar!"
Alicia's eyes widened in surprise, head jerking back a fraction.
"What?"
"Your scar! You have covered it!" That was it. The angry red line, running from her jaw to her right ear, was now barely visible. If you knew it was there, you could see it, but otherwise it was gone! "Why?!"
She started to reach a hand up, stopping when Alicia's head moved back even further. The human's eyes were confused, maybe even a bit hurt.
"I, well, I always do, when I want to be beautiful. Don't... don't you like it?"
Daium just stared at her. How could she think something like that? Slowly, her left hand came up again. This time, Alicia stayed still, eyes wide, as Daium's finger touched the hidden scar and traced its length.
"Your scar makes you beautiful, Alicia. It makes you, you." The raised line of the scar tissue felt hard, compared to the soft skin around it. She also could feel the makeup, the powder that concealed. "It is your history, Alicia, your story." Bringing her index finger back to her mouth, Daium wet the tip, then brought it back to the girl's face and began rubbing it along the red line. Slowly, the beauty mark began to reveal itself behind the offending makeup.
Alicia's heart was in her eyes. Her red tongue came out, wetting lips that Daium now saw were redder than usual.
"You're making me love you, Daium," she whispered. "Damn it, you're making me love you. I told Justin. Told him, that, if you wanted both of us, I'd do that. All three of us, together. But damn it, if you don't want me, you beautiful thing, then please, please stop..."
Three. The three of them. Together. Alicia was a woman. Did human women love each other? Mate with each other? Is that what Alicia wanted to do with her? Is that what SHE wanted to do? Is that why Daium couldn't keep her eyes off the human, the same way she had kept looking at her Justin...
"Is... is three possible? Three people?"
Alicia reached a hand up to cover Daium's on her cheek, smiling.
"Yes. Three is possible. And more. I never have, never wanted to. But..."
"...but all of us are someplace new."
Daium knew her answer. It was an easy one, one her heart had made quickly. Her mind had needed some convincing, but Alicia had done a fine job there, too. She wanted to kiss the human. Kiss her, touch her. Explore her. But...
"Come to our cabin tonight, Alicia. If we are Three, we must be Three."
Eyes shining, Alicia pushed herself away from Daium. Her smile lit up the room like a nova.
"Tonight, then, Daium." She then laughed, putting a hand to her face. "That will give me time to take off the makeup."