RoustWriter: Blog

This week with Arlene and Jeff:

...Later, Kei put the last of the boiled eggs in a big bowl. All, save two, had peeled perfectly. When she had set those two aside, Dave, who had been sitting at the small table with Jeff, must have been watching because he motioned to her. "Bring those over here and we'll 'dispose' of them for you." Laughing at the grinning men, she did. They salted and peppered the eggs, and a couple of seconds later, the two Alphas made them disappear. Proudly, she took her bowl of perfectly peeled hard-boiled eggs to the breakfast bar, and was immediately drafted to help Jennie fill and put carafes of hot coffee on the tables.

In the rush, she had forgotten about the blouse or her braless breasts, but when she was again told to sit to Jeff's left, she thought about how her top seemed to mold to her body. As the thought materialized, her nipples reacted. By the time the blessing had been said and they were eating, her nipples seemed to have decided to push holes in her top.

Covertly glancing around her, she realized that she was far from alone in her nipple display. Jeff didn't say anything specifically, but smiled and reached over to squeeze her hand. His eyes dipped down for a second before, "Well done, and that is, indeed, a beautiful top you're wearing this morning."...

Have a goodun;

Roust

This week with Arlene and Jeff:

...The primary bridge crew was on duty as the Captain walked onto the bridge. The First Officer moved from the command seat to his own.

"We need to talk," the First Officer said as soon as the Captain was seated and had a cup of stim in hand. The Captain glared at the First and grunted.

"I know what is wrong with the warp engines. If you will hold your temper and listen for a few sub-cycles, I will explain what I have found."

The Captain glared at him while making a derisive sound. "Why should I believe anything you say? Despite your constant insistence that you do not, I know that you want my position. The only problem for you is that you will be executed by the High Command if you kill me to obtain it."

The First Officer sighed. "All right. Have it your way, but the fact remains that I have found what is preventing the warp coils from operating properly. Are you willing to listen, or have you decided to sit out here in the middle of nowhere and rot for the rest of our lives?"

"Words. Nothing but words, but the warp engine is not operating."

"And it will never be operating unless - for one time - you listen to me."...

Have a goodun;

Roust

This week with Arlene and Jeff:

...While she had been lecturing, Arlene had brought Ship up to 35,000 feet in a matter of ten seconds, which allowed her passengers to get a feel for the speed, though in reality, it was only a small percentage of what Ship was capable of. Nevertheless, for those who had not had the experience, and also knowing, approximately, how long it takes for an airliner to reach cruising altitude - generally around 35,000 feet depending on direction or other variables - there were several people who were quite impressed.

Arlene went on, "Now, we just dawdled up to 35,000 - or flight level 350 in pilot speak - but we want to get a good view of the Earth, so we're going on up to stay slightly lower than the lowest satellite. Oh, I'm not worried about running into any of them - Ship can maneuver around them with ease, and will remain invisible and undetectable, but I want us to remain low enough to give a really good view of the planet." While she spoke those few sentences, the view on the holo screen changed, and within seconds, they were in space.

"That was rather quick, wasn't it?" she asked. "But really, Ship could have done it many, many times faster. Ann and I frequently ascend to synchronous orbit, twenty-two thousand miles and change, in just a few seconds in our interceptor. Without the inertialess drive, such acceleration would smear our bodies across the bulkhead, of course."

As she lectured, day turned into night, the cities appearing as sparkles of light below them. As they continued, Arlene told everyone to watch the horizon. Moments later, there was a hint of light that soon changed into a crescent before they were quickly in daylight again.

A little later, the screen showed the blackness of space with billions of pinpoints of light as Arlene ordered Ship away from the planet. "Navigator?"

"Course verified and laid in, Commander."

"Stand by for warp," Arlene said over the intercom.

Have a goodun;

Roust