Chapter 15

Xi Pegasi
Survey Team One
August 28, 2057
Roger and Yamina sat together in their cabin and watched the satellite feed. Shanna was reading the weather report, and Devin’s meeting had just aired before the news. “So much for having kids,” Roger muttered.

“Oh, Lenna will figure it out.” Yamina curled up next to her husband on the padded locker that served at their couch. The night was comfortably warm, and they had left the screened overhead vents open. She wore a silk kimono that her sister had given her. The front gaped open, and she leaned her bare torso against Roger’s. He had stripped to his gym shorts, and her skin felt wonderful against his.

“I hope so, or we will be the late colony.” He hugged her close and kissed her softly on the forehead, and then he looked back at the satellite display. “What if she doesn’t figure it out?”

Yamina hugged him more tightly. “I don’t really want to think about that just now. Maybe later, but not now.”

Roger nodded, accepting the change in subject. “Looks like we can move tomorrow. I’d like for us to scout ahead before we move the whole camp, though.”

“Mmm,” Yamina purred. She ran her hand over his chest.

He grinned. “You’re distracting yourself again.”

“I heard you.” She swung her leg over his and sat up in his lap with a feral gleam in her eye. She shrugged off her kimono and it flowed down her body and draped itself across his legs. She leaned forward and kissed him sensuously.

The following morning, Roger’s comm signal awakened him. He eased Yamina’s arm off his chest, and turned to pick it up. “This is Roger.”

“We’re ready for you at the landing strip,” Rita Johanovich told him. “It’s three hours after sunrise,” she added diplomatically.

“Uh, okay.” Roger struggled to sit up. “We’ll be there in twenty minutes.” He ended the call and turned to Yamina. Her cinnamon skin contrasted with his paleness, and he simply looked at her for a moment. “Yamina, honey.” He caressed her cheek and she stirred sleepily. “It’s late, and they’re waiting on us.”

“Huh?” She sat up and looked at him, then down at herself. “Ooh, god. What time is it?”

“Three hours after sunrise.”

She started. “We gotta get moving!” Her nose wrinkled. “We need to clean up. It smells bad in here.” She stood, and Roger looked at her naked form in frank admiration. She was a former soldier, and firm muscles rippled under her supple skin. She noticed his preoccupation and slapped him on his thigh. “C’mon, we have to go. There’s time for what you’re thinking about later.”

Fifteen minutes later, Roger and Yamina walked in to the clearing toward the helicopter. Rita waved at them and spoke into her headset. The turbines began to whine, and the couple trotted to the side door, handed their duffel bags to Rita, and clambered aboard. Rita waited with a pair of headsets in hand as Yamina and Roger fastened their harnesses. Roger slipped on his headset and looked to Rita. “Ready.”

Rotor wash flattened the grass under them as the pilot opened the throttle and lifted the collective. They lifted off, and turned to the southeast. They crossed a line of trees, and then they turned to follow the coast. The white sand beach outlined the coast, and Roger could see the line of whitecaps offshore where the sea broke over the coral reef. Beyond the reefs, blue water stretched to the horizon.

“If we could have tourists, we’d make a fortune here,” Yamina commented.

“I know. As soon as we can have scuba gear made, we’re coming back.”

They passed the time on the two-hour flight pointing out sights on the ground and discussing their upcoming survey. Roger had decided to scout ahead of the main group. There were several promising mineral deposit sites he had identified from the satellite scans, but they were too scattered to justify moving the entire team. He and Yamina would examine the finds while the main group completed the biological and horticultural surveys.

“Landing area in sight,” the pilot called. He circled the clearing once, checking for obstacles and gauging the wind. The helicopter settled down into waist-high grass, and Rita jumped to the ground. She swept the area with her rifle at the ready, and then she keyed her mike. “Clear.”

Roger jumped down next, and Yamina handed down their equipment. He stacked everything neatly, and then he watched as Yamina alighted with catlike grace. “We’re done,” he announced.

“Copy.” Rita waded through the grass and patted Roger on the shoulder in passing. “We’ll be back in two days. Have fun, and stay out of trouble.”