Body temperature rises in careful stages from the near absolute zero of suspension.

The muscle called the heart warms enough to resume it's boring but vital beat, after the application of some voltage It only falters a couple of times before the cellular memory recalls its purpose.

Organs long inert once again recall their job, pouring chemicals through the body, triggering hormonal responses and brain activity.

Microscopic robots begin the task of repairing the inevitable cellular wall failures, ruptures, pre-cancerous lesions and muscle degeneration.

Fresh nutrients, minerals, and the minute necessities of life are pumped into the body's systems, in preparation for the rebirth.

Perception returns slowly, as the body wakes from non-sleep. Muscles flex randomly, un-managed by the sluggish brain. Eyes open, nipples become erect, legs twitch in confinement.

Air supply approaches normal, the lid lifts from the chamber, a cold draft crosses the body. Gooseflesh and shivering provoke the final part of the awakening, and Virginia puts out her hands and sits up.

"God, I need to pee!"

Ginny stumbles naked from the coffinlike chamber, wobbling about the floor toward what passes for a bathroom. As she passes the other coffin, she can see signs of movement within, and rushes on, in hopes of returning before Rob is fully awake. Stumbling through the bathroom doorway, she collapses on the clean shiny clinical toilet and forces her muscles to push the pee out faster so she can get back to Rob, and then rushes back out to him.

He's just starting to sit up now, his hands as unsteady as hers, his muscled body straining to regain control after so long. As Ginny closes in on the cryochamber, she notices that Rob is sporting an erection.

"Hey Lover," she calls out to him happily. "You alright?"

"God, I feel a bit shaky Ginny. I hate this bit."

"You're not the only one. Looks like you've some sort of mutant growth though."

"What? Where?"

"Just there, between your legs. What are we going to do about that?"

"Oh. Yeah, I do, don't I? What are you suggesting?"

"Lie back down hon, and I'll see what I can do."

"God, you're a horny thing, aren't you?"

"Excuse me? You're the one with the hard-on."

"That's a point. Well, I'm not arguing. How long has it been, anyway?"

"The Chrono says one hundred forty years. That's a long time between orgasms."

"Well, if you didn't sleep for the whole voyage, we could have done it more often."

"Lie down and stop arguing. I'm only just coming to grips with exactly how horny I am. You better be good."

"My brain's still a bit of a muddle here honey. You do whatever you want."

As Rob lies back down on the pads, Ginny leans over and gives him a small chaste kiss. "Welcome back sweetie."

Finding some coordination finally, he reaches up and pulls her face hard down on his, and returns her kiss with a more worldly version. Not resisting at all, Ginny gently parts his lips with her tongue, and explores the warm familiar cave of his mouth, meeting his tongue with a caress that sends sparks through her body. The kiss continues for some time, their tongues and lips renewing their old friendship intimately. Eventually Ginny removes her lips from his, reluctantly, but her body is demanding more involvement than just their mouths.

"I suppose you want me to to all the work, as usual?" she jokes.

"Damn right woman. You haven't been nearly attentive enough for a long time."

"And you can talk. I've never heard of anyone getting erections in a cryochamber, but I bet you did."

"I think not, at that temperature. What the hell do you think you are doing now?"

"Shh. You're interrupting." Taking his nipples in her hands, she gently kneads them both. She knows he likes this, and his small nipples stiffen under her persuasive fingers."

"Ooh, that's very nice Ginny. Have you been practising?"

"If only I had the opportunity. Must be fifty or sixty light years to the nearest man. I'll have to make do with you."

Reaching down, Rob gently runs his fingertips over her nipples in return. They respond as he expects, becoming large and hard, and he squeezes them a little harder. "I'd best do my part then. You like?"

"Ooh honey, you can keep doing that as long as you want. Only thing is, I want some attention further down as well."

"Well, climb on up here then. I can still reach."

"Now that's an idea. Your brain must be working after all. You'll have to let me go for a second though, so I can get up."

"Nope. You'll just have to cope as best you can. I'm not stopping." And he continued to massage her nipples, occasionally releasing them to caress her small but proud breasts.

"Ummph, alright then. I can cope." She put her hands on the sides of the coffin, and hoisted herself up, until she was on her knees, legs either side of his, his hands still on her nipples. "How's that then?"

"Not that good. I thought you wanted some attention between your legs?"

"Oh, I do hon. I do. I'm so wet I just might come before we get there though."

"Well, that's alright. That way I can make you come again later."

"I like the way you think Rob."

"Tell you what, how about you wriggle up here further, while I work on these breasts of yours?"

"Up there? I want to go down there, where that flagpole is."

"No yet. I want you in my mouth. You want my tongue on you. You know you do."

"Alright then, so long as you promise me that penis later."

"On my honour."

"What honour?"