Chapter 3

As soon as Samantha heard the elevator door ding closed, her shoulders slumped and she let out a groan. Stopping at a large stack of boxes, she rested her forehead on them and moaned, "I am so fired" She continued to lean against the boxes for a few moments, then with a sigh and a heavy heart, she continued back to her home to put her groceries away.

During the rest of the week she continued to worry about being fired, going even so far to start packing up some of her more prized processions. She was also getting a little angry. 'After all' Samantha reasoned to herself, 'He did give me permission to test the living facilities, and what was he doing here so late at night anyway? With a guest even!'

Those thoughts filled her mind over the weekend as she waited for the pink slip she knew was coming. She still hadn't realized their visit came during mid-morning, not mid-evening as she thought.

Monday morning, evening her time, she was adding in some new files to the system. She was working with the lamp on, the coffee maker having been moved to the kitchen. When Hank called out, "Yo girl! You awake?" she about jumped out of her skin.

With a hand pressed over her racing heart she took a moment to steady herself as the main lights flicked. Then she called out, "I'm here, Hank!" and began to power down her computer. With tears in her eyes she turned and began to box up the things on her desk. She felt awful. She knew it would come but she thought she'd at least have a couple weeks to leave. She hadn't expected Hank to show up to escort her out.

"Hey girl, how ya doin?" Hank asked

Samantha sniffed and wiped a tear from her face. "Hi Hank, I'll need some more time to pack up"

"Pack up? Watcha talkin bout girl?"

Startled Samantha looked up at the grizzled janitor. "Aren't you here to make me leave?"

Hank gave her a surprised look and said, "What are you talking about? I'm here about the elevator repairs."

"You ... you mean I'm not fired?"

"Fired!?" Hank exclaimed. "Who fired you? What are you talking about?"

"Bu ... but I thought... "she trailed off blushing. "Never mind!" she said, shaking her head. "Are the elevators really going to be fixed?"

"Yep! Rob was pissed to hear that they hadn't fixed them. Course I been tellin him that, but..." he trailed off with a shrug.

A few minutes later they were drinking hot chocolate when Rob came by with a couple of men in blue overalls carrying toolboxes. He gave Samantha and Hank a smile, "Good morning."

Samantha blinked in surprise. She had been about ready to call it a night and start dinner. Now it was morning? "Where did the night go?" she thought.

Robert introduced the repairmen who were looking around in awe. The older of the two shook himself and said, "Sorry about not repairing these earlier, miss. We got the repair order, but when we couldn't find them, we thought there'd been a mistake. I guess we should of double checked the order. We'll get them working again for you right away."

Samantha gave him a smile and nodded.

"Hank would you mind showing them around and telling them about the different problems?"

"Sure thing," he said to Robert. He turned to the repairmen, "Well you can see fur yorselves this one's stuck tween floors," indicating the elevator across from Samantha's cubicle.

As Hank led the men off in search of more broken elevators, Robert turned to Samantha and gave her a sheepish grin. "Sorry about it taking so long getting the elevators fixed. When they said they were done, I just signed off on it. I should have double checked with you"

Samantha blushed. "It's ok," she said quietly.

"Um, Sam about the other day?" Robert said running his fingers through his hair.

Samantha tensed waiting for the axe to fall.

"Liz and I are both sorry about just popping in unannounced. I really should have called ahead first. I hope you can forgive us."

Samantha stared at him in surprise, then blinked and said, ""It's ok" again softly, her cheeks coloring,

Robert gave her a grin. "Thanks, Liz was impressed, by the way. You were all she'd talk about on the way home."

Samantha's blush deepened and she looked down bashfully.

"I can't say I blame her though," Robert continued, as Samantha looked up at him in surprise. "I don't think I could live down here by myself."

Samantha squirmed under his gaze and looked away.

"Sam, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" Robert asked, his voice softening.

Samantha shrugged, "I guess."

"Don't you get lonely down here all by yourself?"

Samantha shrugged again. "It's not so bad." To herself though she thought 'Of course I get lonely down here, but it wasn't like I wasn't lonely before. Besides it's easier to be lonely when you're by yourself than it is to be lonely and surrounded by people. '

Robert could clearly see he'd made her feel uncomfortable. He gave her a smile and changed the subject. "Liz was wondering if you'd like to help her with her project."

Samantha stared at him blankly then asked, "Does she need help finding a book?"

Robert laughed. "No, no, she wants you to talk to her people and help make a recommendation about who should go to Mars."

Samantha's mouth dropped open in surprise. "I can't do that!" she exclaimed when she'd recovered. "I don't know the least thing about NSAA, other than they send people to space. I certainly don't know anything about selecting someone for the job."

Robert smiled. "You wouldn't do the actual selecting. Just advising them on what qualities their candidates should have."

Samantha stared at him incredulously. "How am I supposed to know what qualities they should have?"

Robert shrugged. "Just tell them how you do it."

"Do what?"

"Handle being down here all the time"

"It's my job" Samantha gave him a look that said, "D'uh"

Robert grinned again, "True but you don't have to stay here."

"I can't afford to commute."

"Still, you could go out more"

Samantha shrugged, "I enjoy reading"

Robert grinned again, "I noticed, still you could go out see a movie or something."

"Pay twenty dollars to see a matinee in a crummy multiplex? No, thank you. Why go through all that expense and hassle when I can check out any movie for free from the library?"

Robert did have to admit she had a point, although there were other things one could do in a dark movie theatre. However he didn't think Samantha would appreciate him pointing that out. Especially since said activities required a date and she had none.

"Would you be willing to talk to them, though?"

"I guess," Samantha said hesitantly. She didn't want to lose her job after all. "If she were here, I guess we could talk but I don't know what we'd talk about. I really don't know anything."

Robert gave her a smile. "You know more than your think, Sam. I'll let Liz know. Thanks." He turned to go and said, "What's with the boxes?"

"Oh!" Samantha moved quickly to move the box on her chair. "Just doing some spring cleaning." If he wasn't going to tell her she was fired for her appearance on his last visit, she wasn't to encourage him to change his mind.

Robert's lips curved up again, "It's October."

Samantha stared at him blankly. "Uh ... I'm getting an early start."

Robert tried unsuccessfully to keep from smiling. "I'll let you get back to it then, have a nice night, Sam."

"Good night Sir."

When he was out of site Robert shook his head in amusement. "I can't believe she actually thought I was going to fire her." He said to himself and pushed the elevator button.

"So did you ask Samantha if she'd help us?" Elizabeth asked Robert. They were laying together in his bed, relaxing in the glow of good sweaty sex, when Elizabeth opened the subject.

"Yeah, I asked her but she didn't seem to keen on the idea."

"Oh?" Elizabeth asked lazily, drawing circles on his chest with a fingernail.

"She's certain she doesn't know anything that can help you, but said if you wanted to visit, she'd let you."

Elizabeth frowned. "That isn't going to work, we really need her to come down to Houston."

"Good luck with that," Robert said.

Elizabeth continued ignoring his comment, "What would be really great is if she could take the test, prove that it can be done, and inspire other candidates to pass it"

"I really don't think that's going to happen, love"

"Doesn't she have any vacation time she can use, or something?"

"Sure, but she's not going to go out. She'd spend the time down there."

Elizabeth tilted her head up to look at him. "We need her Rob. If we can't find someone soon the mission will be scrubbed and NSAA will be history."

"Is it really that bad?"

Elizabeth nodded. "If we can get her there in a week, there's time for two more tests. One for Sam to show it can be done, and the other to select a candidate."

"Maybe we can talk to her again and talk her into it. I'll even let her take sick time if she doesn't have enough vacation time."

Elizabeth kissed his chest. "Thanks Rob." Then she licked his nipple and reached for his cock. Gently stroking it back to hardness, she said, "Let me show you how much I appreciate it"

"Mmm," Robert replied, his cock stiffening to attention. "If you want to thank me, why don't you get your bunny slippers"

"Pervert!" Elizabeth laughed, and then swung her leg over his hips.

Robert grinned up at her as she positioned him for entry. "You know it, babe"

They both moaned as she sank down onto his length.

"Samantha, please we need you," Elizabeth pleaded.

"I'm not going to go to Houston," she looked at Robert. "Besides, I can't go on vacation with men working down here."

"Sam, they won't take anything. We'll have Hank keep an eye on the place for you."

"Hank has his own job to do"

"Then I'll reschedule the repair work"

"You can't do that."

"Sure, I can. I'm the boss, remember?"

Samantha rolled her eyes and placed some more books on the cart, and pushed it to the newly working elevator.