Chapter 1

Kaz quit pounding her feet on the steps, but the hammering in her head continued just the same.

Two hours today. She'd have to keep this up for the next month if she was to qualify. This was the time of day when she most doubted her chances, and her resolve wavered briefly. Dragging herself to the weights room, she collapsed on the machine.

"Kas, you want to try to better yesterday's effort?" the weight machine asked through her link. The question sounded directly in Kaz's inner ear, with a clear baritone voice, hovering somewhere between obnoxious and sexy. Kaz thought nothing of it. She had been fitted with her CommLink before puberty, and all the machines communicated this way, except for a few ancient security modules.

"No thanks. It's all I can do to keep up. Just load it the same, alright?"

"Okay Kaz, but don't you want to qualify?"

"Oh, shut up, and load the bar."

"As you wish."

"Fucking machines."

Angry with herself now, she grabbed the bar, and lifted it off the rack, grunting and struggling, but determined to continue, knowing that the machine would log her efforts, and the panel might check. Once she started, her years of training took over, and she completed the required lifts, and then headed for the showers.

Leks was just arriving from the running track, and she walked into the changing rooms with him, grumbling pleasantly about how tired she was. As was polite, they spoke aloud, despite them both being fitted with Links. Kaz turned into the female section, and Linked Leks now that he was out of site.

"You seeing anyone just now Leks?"

"Nope. I got dumped. You?"

"Locker, open." The locker clicked reliably, and the door swung open slowly. "Nah. Not for a while now. The last one wanted to contract me. I'm not up for that. I want to go to Earth."

"Yeah, we know you do. It's all you ever talk about."

Kaz grabbed her towel from her bag, threw off her shorts and shirt, and threw them in the bag. "Yeah, I know. Sorry. Locker, close." The Links could determine who the message was intended for, and forward it only to the correct destination, but without sufficient pause between sentences, it could get confused. That last comment went to Leks instead. "Fuck it locker, shut, will you?" The door closed quietly. "Sorry again Leks. I hate it when it does that."

"It's alright Kaz. It happens to me all the time. And I don't mind hearing about Earth. Honest." He was naked and walking towards the shower, and the two met again.

Kaz could never understand this particular hangup. Showering together was okay, but getting out of your clothes was done in private. Leks was quite a guy, big shoulders, well toned, nice face. Well provided down below, too. "Listen Leks" she said, speaking aloud again. "I don't know how to say this subtlely, but I need some sex. Today. I don't want a relationship, just an orgasm or two. You interested?"

He stopped suddenly, and looked, no, investigated Kaz. She was about 1.8 metres tall, with a tomboyish look about her, but in a feminine way, if that's possible. Short, practical hair. Smallish, pointed breasts. Sexy as hell, though rather detached about it. This was no place for this discussion though. There were plenty of other people showering and walking about, and he wanted to keep this between the two of them. "Yeah, I'm interested, and I don't want any commitment either. Come on. We can organise this while we get clean. "Shower. Water on. Pulse. 41."

They both moved towards the jet of water. The communal showers had huge shower heads, and plenty of hot water. They busied themselves for a few minutes under the water, getting rid of the sweat, and quietly sneaking peeks.

"You ready for some shampoo Kaz?"

"Yep. Go for it."

"Shower. Shampoo. Kaz to the right. Me to the left."

"You know Leks, we could go straight after the shower."

He looked her in the eye and smiled. "You that desperate?" he asked quietly.

"God yes! I need it now!" Kaz linked, so that no one else could hear. She didn't know why, but she seemed to be horny all the time since she started training for the games.

"Shower. Shampoo stop."

"How about we meet at my place. I have to finish an errand first, but I'll let the door know to let you in."

"Sounds great. I'm out of here. See you soon. Don't take too long."

"Shower. Water stop." "Okay. You've got a deal." Grabbing his towel, Leks quickly wrapped it around his waist, before any evidence of his interest started to show. That wasn't acceptable in public, either.

They walked quickly back to the lockers, split up and got quickly dressed. Leks took the tube to the retail district, and Kaz took the walkway to Leks' apartment.

As she strolled along the walkway, adding to the moderate speed of the path, Kaz was thinking about Leks' naked body, and was pleased that women didn't show such obvious signs of arousal. She'd wanted to spend some time with Leks since they first met, and this arrangement was ideal. Arriving at his apartment, she walked up to the door. "Door. Authorised access."

"I'm sorry Kaz, but you are not on the authorised list for this apartment. Please make application at the official..." Leks had an impressive security system, but she had no patience for all of this.

"Leks? Kaz. Hey, what about this door?"

"You there already?" "Door. Add Kaz to auth list. No app needed. She's standing at the door now."

"Do you realise that non app authorisations are exempt on your insurance Leks? Please provide confirmation of intent."

"Oh, shut up, stupid machine."

"Confirmation not received."

"Oh shit, confirmed, alright?"

"Confirmation received. Kaz 39186 added. Thank you Leks."

"Try again now Kaz."

"Door. Authorised access."

"Authority confirmed." The door slid quietly to the side.

"That's it Leks. Thanks. How long will you be?"

"About five Kaz. Help yourself to a drink." "Apartment. Unlock cabinets."

"Thanks Leks, but I think I'll skip that. I'll just get some water. I'm in training, remember?"

"Okay. Be there soon."

"Cool. God I want you Leks. Hurry up."

"Me too honey. I'm hurrying."

Kaz knew that Leks had a bath in his apartment. She'd seen it once before, though she'd never used it. Despite having a shower a few minutes ago, she decided to wait for Leks in the water. "Bathroom. Run bath. Three quarters. 42. Notify when ready. Confirm."

"Bath confirmed."

"Food prep. Iced water. Glass."

"Confirmed."

She wandered through the apartment to the food prep cubicle, admiring the artworks on the walls, and the stylish furniture. Just as she got to the bench and picked up the glass, the bathroom announced its readiness. Taking the glass with her, she strolled into the bathroom, looked at the steaming old-fashioned bath, put the glass down on the wide ledge on one side. Kaz had always had a bit of an obsession with baths, and there weren't many of them on the habitat. Quickly removing her clothes again, she slid slowly into the water, the slippery water sliding up her body, and stopping just where her nipples were, leaving them floating on the surface, as though they were some sort of inbuilt flotation aid.

"Ah, this is just right," she sighed to herself. Only one more thing could be done. "Bathroom. Do you have any sort of oils you can add to the water?"