Chapter 7

The following night I was introduced to Margaret Watson, a twenty-four-year-old blue-eyed, strawberry blonde, watch officer. Maggie, as she referred to herself, was a former cheerleader who had joined the merchant marine immediately after graduating from high school on some habitable planet within the Alpha Centauri system.

She had no desire to wed any local farm boy from her hometown. Rather she moved to a space port and signed-up for on-the-job crew training on some freighter who call that planet its home-port. Four years later she had accepted a position on Naomi’s crew and never looked back.

Maggie was comfortable, While not as energetic as Maureen or as athletic as Flo, Maggie was sensuous and pliant. Actually, in both forms of the term, meaning she was supple and flexible while maintaining an air of docility and adaptability. I could bend her legs and fold them behind her head while pounding her cunt with my cock. And she would scream out her orgasm, when I brought her to fulfilment. Like I said, a comfortable, welcome fuck.

Finally, I was introduced to Connie King, perhaps the shyest woman I have ever met. I have no doubt, that without Maureen’s involvement I would have never met the woman. Her figure was rather normal for a twenty-year old woman, B-cup average breasts, a cute heart shaped ass, brown eyes, long brown hair, braided into a long pony tail.

Other than her hair style, nothing that would draw any undue attention to her presence. As the final watch officer, she preferred the midnight shift, with the least chance of interaction with strangers. She was sociable enough with her peers, but anyone outside her crew mates, she would disappear at her first opportunity.

Maureen literally held her hand throughout our introduction and wouldn’t let go. When the mention of sex was made, Connie blushed clear to the tops of her breasts. I know the extent because Maureen removed her halter top and exposed the shy woman’s chest to me. Despite making the appropriate notice and caressing her breasts lovingly, Connie remained board stiff. It was only those eraser-shaped, hardened nipples that indicated that the poor gal was becoming seriously aroused.

I took her gently in my arms and motioned for Maureen to undress her the rest of the way.

When fully disrobed, I carefully laid Connie on my bed and began kissing and teasing her body looking for any response to show that she was reciprocating my affection. None. Even with Maureen getting in on the act and working below the shy woman’s waist, there was no obvious arousal being displayed. I had just about given up on the girl when I felt a strange handling of my cock.

That couldn’t be Maureen. She was never that timid. No, it was a start. Connie was breaking out of her shell.

I encouraged the youngster to feel me, to touch each part of my penis head and shaft, trace the veins supplying blood to the engorged member and touch the tube that delivered my sperm to the small slit on its head. I could feel Connie examine each feature as I described them to her. Then I asked to describe what she felt when holding each part. It took some time to coax a description from her.

At the same time, I detailed my feeling for her breasts and nipples as a reward for her efforts down below. Maureen then got into the act by describing how Connie’s cunt felt to her fingers. That got the shy gal to really respond. Before I knew it, Connie had wiped the head of my cock through her vulva lips and had shoved my soldier into her cunnie as she called it.

Lying directly over her, I casually slid the entire length of my cock into her juicy cunt. It fit perfectly. Connie shuddered and actually encouraged me to screw her, trying to speed up my process. I resisted, choosing a leisurely fuck over an enthusiastic one. Connie, bless her soul, followed right along, savouring each stroke and breathing in a laboured fascination until I began a series of long strokes aimed at setting her off.

And she exploded, along with me. I realized that Connie’s ankles were wrapped around my waist and she was actively humping me, right along with my hip movements. The climax didn’t last long, but Connie had lost her shyness, too. The rest of the night Connie was a full participant in all our sexual activities.

Naomi gave Maureen some crew duties the next night. I have no doubt that these duties were intended to keep Maureen otherwise occupied. Naomi carefully knocked on my cabin door, waiting for my permission to enter.

When I called for her to enter, she strode in and got right to the point. “My crew tells me that I need to get screwed and you are just the man to do it.”

“I don’t know if Maureen hasn’t over-worked me for the past week, bringing herself and another crewman to my bed each night.”

“That nymphomaniac cunt, if you had a brig, I’d lock her in there for a few days to get my crew to pay attention to their duties more thoroughly. She really is a ball-buster. She can bring any of them to a screaming climax in almost no time. Speaking of screaming, there has been no shortage of screams coming from this room recently.

I have had to listen to all the stories down in the crew quarters for too long. I’d like to feel some of what the others have described JD. I don’t think that I am as limber as Maggie, nor as adventurous as Flo. I doubt I’d enjoy anal. But I guarantee I can outperform Lois or Daisy in raw fucking. Maureen is in a class all by herself along with Katie at the other end of the spectrum. Watch out for that girl, or she will be fucking you rather than the other way around. How about it, Boss? Can you give this old gal a ride?”

“You are neither old, nor ordinary, Naomi. At twenty-four you have got many of your best years to look forward to. It is not becoming of you to put yourself down. You command the Meteor, having a lot of responsibilities, that the others don’t face.

You have to do more and have less free time than any of them. I have no doubt that you can swing that ass as good as the rest of them, maybe better. And as for your chest, the others should be so blessed.”

“Aren’t you the silver-tongued devil. Look, you’ve talked me right out of my clothes.” Naomi shrugged her shoulders and wiggled her ass. Her peasant blouse flew over her head and her gym shorts dropped right to the floor. Underneath her minimal covering, she was gloriously naked. Her thighs were sculpted with a pronounced gap at her hips, her mound was shaved bare, a trim waist with just a hint of musculature showing in her abs. But it was her C-cup breasts, wonderfully supported and tear-drop shaped with firm, hardened nipples pointing slightly upward.

She was a dream girl brought to life right before my eyes.

Our coupling was more an exploration than a quick fuck. Sure, we both got the sex part covered, but it was the discovery of our bodies and their relationship that was the most satisfying Long after the sweat and exertion of sex had cooled, the cuddling and sweet nothings that were whispered between souls led to the real benefit of our coupling. The next morning, the mutual ablutions and breakfast shared between confidants capped off the most beneficial aspects of their union.

Throughout the day guarded touches, an occasional hip chuck, and quiet murmurings were shared until Katie said, “Get a room, Captain. You two are so mushy that I think it is leaking out on the seats here in the bridge.”

“You should be so lucky, first. Don’t begrudge either of us our satisfaction.” Naomi replied.

‘I couldn’t have spoken anything better.’ I thought as Naomi spoke.

Naomi hustled Katie to a secured office off the bridge before returning alone a few minutes later.

“JD. I know that she doesn’t deserve it. But would you treat Katie to something like you showed me last night. It won’t be easy, and she will probably fight you for control the whole way. But Katie is a good officer, in her own way. She tries too hard to live up to her expectations, never being satisfied with good enough. She needs to experience sex as a joint effort, not something she controls from the outset. Will you try with her? See if she can’t feel a little of what I have experienced with you.”

“Really Naomi, just how do you expect me to relate to her? Certainly not with the same sharing we developed. I would probably be better off to tie her to the bedframe, before I even get started loving her. Take her initiative away and see where it goes.”

“JD. Do what you think is best. I trust you to find a way to reach her soul. She is worth it. She really is.” Naomi responded.

The rest of the shift I struggled with my conscience. How could I reach Katie? Whatever worked with the other gals, would certainly fail on Katie. But would utterly dominating her be a breakthrough. I doubted it.

In my reflections, I grew frustrated. The only constant factor was earning her trust. Could she trust anyone? Or better yet, could she trust any man? Why had she chosen the Meteor for her crew? How did Naomi gain her trust? Could I ever approach her similarly?

I left the con in Alara’s confident hands. I was no closer to coming up with a strategy than I was hours earlier. My evening meal was hot, nourishing, and full of flavour. Everything that I wasn’t. Instead of anticipating this evening’s visitor, I dreaded meeting her.

Or maybe I dreaded my own failure in seducing her. ‘Six of one versus a half a dozen of the other.’ I thought glumly. In the midst of my reflections, I heard a knocking on my cabin door.

“Enter” I authorized.

Katie opened the door and stood in the opening at attention. She made no effort to enter or even to speak.

After waiting for a few moments, I decided to speak. “Maybe it would be best for us to try another evening, Katie. I doubt that I could live up to your expectations tonight.”

“No sir. The problem is with me. I watched Naomi and you love one another, with your every movement on the bridge, all day today. It was the most beautiful relationship that I could ever have imagined. And now that I am standing at your door, I am petrified, and too scared to move. Too scared that I will fail. Too scared to even try. I don’t want to be like this. But how can I move forward?”

“Trust is the answer, Katie. Do you trust anyone that much? To turn over that much control to any other human being. To allow any man to know your most trusted secrets, to know who you really are?” I answered.

I continued, saying. “It’s really no different for me. Do I trust you to really enjoy what I do with you? If I give you trust, will it be returned in kind? If I express love, will your love be reflected back? Impossible without trust. Impossible without caring for one another, just as much.”

“But I want to feel like Naomi did today. I wouldn’t be standing here right now if I didn’t think you could work that miracle within me too.”

“Do you trust me enough to let go of your will? To open your heart and mind to someone else’s emotions and desires. If you cannot, we shouldn’t even try. I would rather continue a non-sexual companionship with you, than take the chance of ruining our future over something as volatile as a sexual relationship. Am I wrong?”

“No, JD. Naomi has felt it. All the others gush eloquently about their experiences; just without the love component. I want to feel both. Whatever it takes. I will give myself totally, if you give me the chance.”

Without waiting for a response, Katie slipped her skirt from her hips. Even as it dropped to the floor, she was drawing her arms inside her blouse and pushing it over her head. In moments, she was standing in my doorway, completely naked. “This is who I am. Like clay in the hands of a sculptor, giving herself unto you, to shape and share as you please.”

Without answering, I held my hands out, and she rushed into my arms. She didn’t even stop to press the door close pad. Tears were flowing down her cheeks as she sniffled. “They are tears of happiness, JD. Tears of relief. I am willing to risk it all, to feel what Naomi felt, even for just a day.”

Ours became a journey of discovery. Discovering what felt good, then better, then the best of all. A journey of starts and stops, changing course, and moving ahead again.

Until we felt that we trusted one another. Then our journey was helping one another climb the farthest, become more excited and preparing one another for sharing the bliss of our goal. Sharing we did. And as with Naomi’s night of passion, Katie discovered the cuddling that followed was just as beneficial as the sweet nothings we murmured to each other, as we fell into an exhausted, yet peaceful sleep.

Chap Commander” Alara reported. “The precious metals recovered from the vault within the wreckage of Avenger, have been separated from their alloys and now rest as ten-kilogram plates within our stores. If you remember, that vessel was designated hostile one, a captured destroyer that the Hawthorn pirates were operating in their attempt to attack Meteor, Naomi’s transport ship.

Once in pure form, it amounts to twelve hundred and thirty-two kilograms of gold, eighty-eight kilograms of platinum, seven hundred and seventeen kilograms of silver, and over a metric ton of copper, chromium, tungsten, and nickel. That doesn’t include the components for steel recovered from the debris field of Condor, the smaller Gamboid pirate vessel. Small amounts of precious metals from that debris were included in the previous totals.”

“Any idea how much the mineral jewels and currency is worth?” I asked.

“According to Naomi, the jewels in their unmounted state are subject to floating values on the open market, but should be worth more than three hundred kilograms of our gold, in trade. The currency could purchase another two hundred and twenty-eight kilograms of gold.”

“I could be off by a few kilograms, but that is well over a metric ton of gold, or its equivalent in currency. I think that is more than enough to finance our sovereignty.” I mused aloud. “What is the state of repairs on the two ships we are now docked with.”

“Both are sub-light capable. The Avenger’s Warp drive has been replaced but requires tuning before it can be classed as operational. Weapons need to be upgraded and a cold fusion powerplant would have to be installed before she could be much of a benefit to us. Thor’s small industrial replicator would take over six months to produce the required assemblies and powerplant.

And our assault shuttles would take over three months to recover sufficient debris locally to supply the replicator with necessary feedstock metals. Meteor’s repairs will take only a month but she needs some kind of self defence lasers in the future.

Such would require more than a month of dedicated replicator use and several weeks for our android technicians to install and test a minimal capability. Such would be better accomplished at an orbital docking facility near some industrial capable planet.”

“Ideally, my industrial replicators need about six months to build hydroponics, life support, and cold fusion reactors for both vessels. I

Installing such at an orbital docking facility would take another couple of months. While we are at it, we ought to explore for quasi-habitable planets that could support our own docking facility. A minimal facility without artificial gravity would take another two years to build, if we can produce an industrial replicator of sufficient size and power it. A vessel the size of Meteor could easily serve as the docking hub to start such an endeavour.

Another possibility is the purchase or salvage of orbiting launch vehicles from some undeveloped space faring planet that lacks Warp spacecraft. Gathering enough would facilitate docking efforts and allow sub-assemblies to be produced inside them with breathable atmospheres and worker housing for any human staff you could hire.”

Couldn’t we just bolt together all three craft and Warp to a better spaceport to conduct repairs and upgrades?” I asked. “Such is possible if we abandon any further debris recovery and spend about ten days attaching struts and cables connecting our three spacecraft. Once at Warp speed, it would take about two days to reach Proxima Centauri or eight days to reach Alpha Centauri, where a more robust economy might make repairs easier.”

“Let’s do it, Alara.” I ordered. “And on another topic, prepare another message torpedo so that we can provide the details of our discoveries to the Galactic Navy on Earth. I want to be able to send it before we Warp out of here to our next destination. I’d like to brag a bit about defeating some pirates, like that will count for anything with them. Oh well.”

“Commo, Con. “Advise Galactic Headquarters on Earth of our ETA at Alpha Centauri in just under eleven days. Messages that follow will depend upon what is found at destination. Captain, out.”

“Con, Commo. Message recorded and added to other mail from crew of other vessels and all log reports. Message torpedo launched.”

“Commo, Con. Roger. Break ... Helm, Con. Take us ahead at one-third thrust on fusion drive. Damage crewman monitor struts and cables for stress and advise of any failures.”

“Captain, Thor at one-third thrust and holding. Speed approaching a hundred kilometres per second and climbing slowly.”

“Con, Meteor. No problems here.” Naomi reported.

“Con, Avenger. No problems noted here either.” Katie reported.

“Helm, Con. Increase thrust by ten percent for each minute elapsed time. Report when Thor is at full thrust.”

“Con, Helm. Thrust now at forty percent and climbing. No problems indicated.”

A few minutes later, “Con, Helm. Thrust is now at seventy percent and climbing. No problems noted.”

“All stations, Con. Prepare to jump on my mark after we have reached maximum fusion drive thrust for five minutes with no problems noted.”

“Con, Helm. Jump coordinates for the Alpha Centauri system locked in and holding. Thrust now at ninety percent and climbing.”

“Con, Meteor. No problems noted.”

“Con, Avenger. No problems noted.”

“Con, Helm. Full thrust at my mark. Mark, begin five-minute countdown till jump. Speed approaching one-third C and climbing.”

At the five-minute mark, the captain asked, “Meteor and Avenger, Report.”

“Con, Meteor. All systems Go for Warp two.”

“Con, Avenger. All systems Go for Warp two.”

“All systems, Con. Counting down to Warp engagement in five, four, three, two, one, engage.”

Thor shuddered as everyone felt the nauseating sensation typical with jumping to Warp. No alarms or warning lights illuminated indicating troubles.

“Con, Meteor. Holding at near Warp two.”

“Con, Avenger. Holding at warp two indicated.”

“Affirmative, accelerating to Warp seven over the next five minutes, Mark. All stations report problems as they are noted.” “Helm, Con. Take us to Warp 7 over the next five minutes.”

“Con, Helm. Roger. Accelerate to Warp 7 over the next five minutes.”

Minutes later, the report followed. “Con, Helm. Speed now Warp 7 and holding. ETA Alpha Centauri system in just over 10.426 days and counting.”

“All Stations, Con. Standing down to normal watch rotation. Monitor for damage or failures. Will meet at noon ship’s time each day for briefing. Thor, out.”

“Well done, Alara. What should we do next?”

“That is for you to decide, Commander. But I have a consideration you may wish to explore.”

“What is it, first?”

“The surveys of the Alpha Centauri system show a few planets in the habitable zone and they already have colonies established on them. What if we discovered some other planetoid and chose to colonize it? Maybe a large rocky asteroid in the midst of all that debris just outside the habitable zone.

I have analysed one such planetoid that appears to be far larger than the rest. With no atmosphere, it would make a satisfactory spaceport. If a lava tube or other such tunnel far beneath the surface was located, it could provide shelter from cosmic radiation on the surface and an atmosphere could be generated within it. Hydroponics and life support from this ship could be replicated below ground. Raw materials from the surrounding asteroid field could be mined and small comets passing by could serve as a fuel, carbon dioxide, ice source. Nearby gas giants would be available for refuelling and fusion power would be available for industrial production.”

“Instead of an agricultural world, ours could be the first industrial world with the maximum use of robotics for outside work. A space port would bring contracts from throughout the galaxy with our ability to build and launch large, trans-Warp spacecraft.” Alara concluded.

“You don’t think small, do you? Being far away from other colonies means fewer nosy neighbours. Less restrictive commerce. Easier to defend from bandits. Our claim wouldn’t likely be contested for centuries, and by then we could defend ourselves from anyone. I like it.

But let’s conduct a better survey. Maybe land on it using our Assault Shuttles to explore possible building sites. Then, develop more detailed plans.” Plan to change course when we drop Warp, and lay in a heading for this planetoid. What do you say? We could call it Thor Base.”

“Aye, Aye, Sir.” Alara replied.

The gals weren’t too excited about the prospects of living on an airless world. But when reminded of all the comforts of life on Thor, their grumbling was reduced to whispers. Conversation drifted to wondering mostly about leisure time activities that could be conducted. With Meteor available, visits to populated worlds would be ‘just around the corner’, so to speak. “No decisions had been finalized, so why get all flustered?” Maureen offered one day.

Regardless, I kept all the crews busy with drills and maintenance activities, android and human alike.

Tony Zinc became concerned that his progress to Alpha Centauri had been significantly delayed. I promised to detach Meteor immediately after we arrived near the planetoid we were going to survey.

Meteor would proceed to the planet destination of their contract with Naomi and her crew, to drop him off. I would have him record a message to his government back in the Menkent system advising them of his delay and the reasons for it and his new ETA at their original destination. I would send the message torpedo back on its way after we had dropped Warp in Alpha Centauri. Done deal, Yeah!

Sean Zinc, the ambassador’s son had different plans, though. He wanted to conduct the survey of a new world. The first of its kind. To be able to lead this exploration and document his findings was sure to be an authentic thesis and perhaps would guarantee his doctorate in exo-planetary studies. His would be a unique opportunity, certainly worthy of gambling his future upon.

All too soon, it seemed, I was about to order, “General quarters. Prepare to drop Warp in the Alpha Centauri system.”

After a moment of waiting, I spoke. “Helm, Con. Drop us out of Warp.”

That nauseous feeling was back as strong as ever, but at least this time there was no panic and terror associated with a normal departure from jump space.

“Sensors, Con. Establish a sweep of nearby space and announce any unknown contacts.”

A few minutes later sensors related that their screen was clear of any unknowns to a distance of two light minutes.

“Helm, Con. Reduce thrust to minimal and slow so Sensors can check our baffles.”

“Con, Helm. Fusion drive thrust at minimum. Attitude thrusters engaged. Coming up on full reverse heading. Mark.”

Several minutes later Sensors reported. “Con, Sensors. Full sweep of baffles is clear. Returning to conduct an in-depth forward scan in the direction of our new heading for Thor Base.”

“Roger Sensors, Helm, make it so”

“Roger Con.”

“All stations Stand Down from General Quarters and resume crew duties.”

“Con, Helm. Engaging full thrust of fusion drive with course to Thor Base locked in. Halfway ETA in about twenty-eight hours to execute thrust reversal so we can begin slowing down. ETA Thor Base in fifty-six hours.”

“Roger Helm. First, alert your crews to prepare for disconnect of Meteor on my command.”

It was sad to see Naomi and her crew embark on the final leg of her journey to her home planet in this system. Having no use for the currency or jewels confiscated from the Hawthorn pirates, I had them loaded upon Meteor along with a hundred kilograms of gold and an equal amount of platinum to be deposited in the name of Thor Base on the colony of Thor in the Alpha Centauri System.

Once the details of the deposit were available and a set of secure authentication protocols had been agreed to, I would begin conducting business through Naomi for anything that I needed. She planned to return with more crew and perhaps a few colonists who were not deterred by the austere conditions that were expected in our new colony.

She was to purchase a hundred metric tons of bagged cement, as cargo on her return flight. Calcium carbonate rock, limestone, was a very limited resource on rocky planetoids. Silicon, Iron and nickel were abundant minerals. Although concrete could be made from ferrous soils, limestone concrete was a sure thing for the time being. Concrete would be a necessary material to cap any underground lava tubes to create habitable living spaces containing a breathable atmosphere.

There was plenty to do back on Thor Base in the meantime. I let Sean dictate the survey and priorities. I would step in and change things if a more pressing need arose.

Sean decided an atlas, or mapping of the planetoid would be a great start. First however, the axis of rotation had to be determined and the equator established. Once a suitable lava tube was discovered and named Thor Base, a prime meridian would be designated and latitude / longitude grid established.

Once surface mapping by remote sensing from polar orbiting satellites could begin. Sean decided that topography wasn’t as important as surface mineral and magnetic anomalies detection. Alara had archive schematics for the old LANDSAT imaging satellites and installing a narrow beam magnetometer was conducted. In days we launched the first LANDSAT from a shuttle flying a polar orbit of the planetoid.

We had to drastically upscale the solar array on the satellite to capture enough power to relay telemetry to a ground station about once every fifteen days when a set of flights made the total coverage of the planetoid possible.

While the LANDSAT Satellite collected its data, Sean started a celestial map of the night skies. With its navigation, to and from Thor Base, would become infinitely simpler. I was chomping at the bit to begin ground surveys and collect regolith samples for analysis as possible aggregates for concrete mixes.

Alara made a set of radio beacons in her spare time when replicator minutes were available.

These transponders would mark landing or exploration sites until a detailed surface map was available in digital form. Sean was already working on a constellation of Global Positioning Satellites. The concept of precise surface location upon a spherical body was first developed nearly a millennia ago on Earth. With a reduced gravity and the abundance of rocky debris nearby, the speed and orbits of the GPS constellation had to be adjusted. With the availability of archived templates, modified GPS satellites were soon on hand and receivers could be retrofitted to Attack Shuttles and hand-held instruments.

All these instruments and their necessary modifications kept Sean very busy indeed.

On day sixteen a preliminary LANDSAT map of the first pass over virtually all the planetoid was available. Without clouds it was almost the entirely covered. A few glitches caused small data outages but future passes would certainly fix those minor irregularities.

The biggest problem was the resolution of the images being in dozens of meters. Yes, spectral analysis made the location of many large-scale features clear, but the images were far from detailed. Yet it was a start and pointed us in the right direction for finding lava tube openings.

Now it was my turn to start visiting the ground for real exploration. Without atmosphere, aircraft were impossible to use. EVA suits used in deep space were all that we had.

While jet packs were available, no one had ever flown them and certainly not in the six percent gravity of the planetoid’s surface. Gravity on Earth was 9.8 meters per second squared. On Earth’s Moon it was about one-sixth or about 1.6 meters per second squared. On planetoid Thor, it was less than half of that, only about 0.6 meters per second squared. A hundred-pound woman on Earth would weigh about six-pounds on Planetoid Thor.

Conversely, a little more than six pounds of thrust would lift a hundred-pound woman. A man in a back-pack jet suit might weigh-in at four hundred pounds, twenty-five pounds of thrust would lift that man of the surface of Planetoid Thor.

The same twenty-five pounds of thrust in micro-gravity of deep space would rocket him through space totally out of control. That is saying that Sean had his job cut out for him. How could he adapt space flight jet back-packs for Planetoid Thor use? If he couldn’t come up with a fix, then JD would be left with rock climbing 101 with ropes and tackle. Getting in and out of those lava tubes was much harder that landing on the surface of the planetoid.