“Seems like that’s about all she does these days.”
“Just part of the job.”
“Right.” Jeff headed for the utility room while Susan climbed into the Genesis. He knocked on the bulkhead beside the shower. “Knock, knock. Conserve water, shower with a friend. I’ll wash your back if you’ll wash mine.”
Abby’s hand came out from between the shower curtains and waved him in. “Deal.”
CHAPTER 26
Friday, October 13, 2017
MSD 51112.802 (Sol 362)
Jeff held a fussing Ghita while Gabe took a few last bites of supper.
“Want me to take her?” said Susan.
“No thanks birthday girl, I’ve got her. Hey, another record.”
“What?”
“You were the first person to have a birthday on a planet other than Earth, and now you’re the first to have two birthday’s here.”
She shrugged. “Great. The first one was okay, but I haven’t really been looking forward to reaching thirty-five.”
He smiled. “I see. Well, look on the bright side: it beats not reaching thirty-five.”
She nodded and sighed with resignation. “True.”
Gabe set her fork down. “Okay Jeff, give her to me, she’s probably hungry.” She took Ghita, sat back in her chair, pulled up her sports bra and held Ghita to a breast. Her daughter immediately latched on and began nursing.
Jeff sighed and smiled. “Ah, thank God, peace and tranquility.”
Abby chuckled. “What did you think? That babies come with a MUTE button?”
He shook his head. “No, but perhaps they should.”
Susan rested her elbow on the table, her chin on her hand, and stared at Gabe.
After a moment, Gabe frowned at her. “What?”
Susan pursed her lips in thought for a moment. “Well, I was just wondering. When she’s weaned and you’re done with those boobs, can I have them?”
Gabe chuckled. “No!”
“Darn.”
“What’s the matter? You have a bust.”
Susan shook her head. “Not like that. Compared to those melons…” she glanced down at her chest, “… these are grapes.”
Abby laughed and shook her head. “Sue, if you had a pair like that, you’d tip over.”
Gabe frowned. “Is everyone having fun staring at my breasts?”
Jeff, Abby and Susan all nodded.
Susan got up, walked around the table, knelt beside Gabe, pulled up her bra and leaned against her. “I mean, really. Would you look at this?”
Jeff leaned in close and carefully surveyed the pair of bosoms. “Um, I dunno Sue, I don’t think they’d fit.”
Susan glanced back and forth between her breasts and Gabe’s. “Probably not.”
“Gabe,” said Jeff, “I do have a question.”
“What?”
“Um, when you calculated our departure delta-v, did you take into account the additional mass of those things?”
Gabe glared at him, grasped her other breast, pointed the nipple at Jeff, and squeezed, giving him a good squirt in the face.
While Abby and Sue laughed, Jeff slowly sat back, picked up a napkin, wiped his face, and gave Gabe a forced smile. “You’re getting pretty good at that.”
Gabe grinned. “I’ve been practicing.”
Susan stood and pulled her bra back down. “You look pretty full. Want me to get the breast pump?”
Gabe shook her head. “No. There’s plenty in the fridge and freezer. I’ll just let her maintain the reservoir level for a while. See if I can lower the production volume a little. They hurt when they get too full.”
Jeff smiled. “But they look really nice when fully inflated.”
Gabe frowned and reached for her breast again. “You want more?”
Jeff quickly scooted his chair back against the bulkhead, hoping to get out of range, and held up his hands. “No thanks, I’m good.”
“Alright then. But you better behave, because you can’t escape me.” And halfway across the room, she squirted him again.
He wiped his face again. “Oh crap! Would you stop that?”
Gabe giggled. “You have nowhere to run.”
Abby shook her head. “Wow, that’s impressive. You’ve got some range with those.”
Gabe nodded and pointed the breast at Abby. “Uh huh. Want some?”
Abby reared back. “No thanks!”
As Susan returned to her seat she said, “Which one’s more accurate? Right or left?”
Gabe furrowed her brow. “About the same. I’m ambidextrous. And if anyone says ‘moo’ I’m gonna put her down and open fire with both barrels.”
Jeff chuckled. “Now, don’t waste it on us.”
“I can make more. Lots more.”
“I have no doubt.”
“Okay. Can we find an after-dinner conversation that doesn’t involve my boobs?”
Abby smiled and nodded. “Hey Jeff, what’s that taste like?”
Jeff licked his lips and shrugged. “Well, it’s sweet, but it’s not Château Lafite Rothschild, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Abby chuckled and glanced at Ghita. “She seems to like it. That’s a regular milking machine.”
Gabe nodded. “And it’s a good thing too.” She nudged her breast with the back of her hand and grimaced. “These fill up pretty fast.”
“Okay,” said Susan, “on a subject only tangentially related to Gabe’s boobs, I have a suggestion, or more like a request.”
“What’s that?” said Jeff as he scooted his chair back to the table while nervously eyeing Gabe.
“On this upcoming trip up into the Basin, I think Abby should go with Gabe instead of me.”
Abby looked at her, puzzled. “Why?”
“First, because it’s going to be a long arduous trip over unfamiliar terrain, and you have a lot more experience in the outback than I do. Second, I have a mountain of work still waiting for my attention in the lab. Third, Jeff and I need to get busy packing up all these samples and loading them in MAV-2. And finally, since one of you will have to stay inside the Genesis with Ghita, EVAs will be solo, and you and Gabe have a lot more suit time than I do. It’s simply a matter of sending someone with more experience.”
“Yeah, but don’t you want to make a long sightseeing trip? And besides, you’re the geologist, technically speaking. It should be a fascinating region and you might see something that Gabe or I could overlook.”
“Oh, I doubt that. And we’ll be in radio communications and can always discuss what to collect and what to discard. So far as the long trip is concerned, I’ve already put plenty of footprints on Mars and seen lots of things no one back on Earth has ever seen. So, I’m good.”
Abby and Susan looked at Jeff.
He shrugged. “Abby, you up for another road trip?”
“Sure, no problem.”
“Okay, Gabe? That alright with you?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, then I guess that’s settled. The trip is still a month off, so if anyone else feels the need to change their mind, there’s still plenty of time to talk about it.”
Friday, November 17, 2017
MSD 51146.420 (Sol 396)
Jeff, standing in the airlock, glanced at Gabe and Abby. “Alright you two, remember what I said, no heroics. Stay out of trouble and stick to the plan.”
Gabe, holding Ghita, shook her head. “You’re such a nag.”
“I’m the Mission Commander, nagging is my job. Phone home at least once a day, and when you find something of interest, go out and check it out, then get right back inside. No seven-hour solo EVAs. Understood?”
Abby rolled her eyes. “We’ve got it.”
“Good. Alright, see you in a week. Try to find something more interesting than another bucket of Martian dirt.”
“Got it.” She turned to Gabe. “Alright, let’s roll. Here, give me the squirt while you climb in.”
Gabe handed Ghita to Abby, stepp
ed into the Genesis airlock and climbed through the inner hatch. “Okay, give her to me.”
Abby stepped into the Genesis airlock and passed Ghita through the inner hatch to Gabe. She turned around. “Okay boss, we’re off. See you later.”
“Roger that.”
Abby called to Susan who was standing in the suit room. “Hey, Sue, while we’re gone don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Is there anything you wouldn’t do?” Susan replied.
“Not that I can think of at the moment.”
“Then we’re good. Close the door and go.”
“Rog. Bye.”
Jeff chuckled and shook his head, then closed the hab airlock hatch while Abby closed the outer Genesis hatch. They disconnected and trundled off across Mars’ barren surface. Jeff stepped into the suit room. “Well, seven days of peace and quiet.”
Susan shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m going to miss them, and worry about them.”
He nodded. “Yeah, me too.”
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
MSD 51150.868 (Sol 400)
“Yeah,” said Gabe over the radio, “we’ve certainly found geologic evidence of ponding there, but I really think the major evidence is the topography. That had to have been a lake at one time.”
“Oh, I agree,” said Jeff. “On a THEMIS image you can see the shoreline. I mean, it’s obvious. Alright, well you guys get some rest and we’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Night.”
“Good night, Gabe.” Jeff looked at his watch, ten minutes to ten. He switched the radio into PA mode in the event of a late night call and, having tucked Abby, Gabe and Ghita in for the night, decided to head for bed. It was late and, though he wasn’t particularly tired, the habitat’s calm might make for a decent night’s sleep. As he arose from the comm suite he caught a whiff of a vaguely familiar scent. He followed the scent into the kitchen and, glancing in the direction of Susan’s room, noticed the hatch ajar and her light still on. He pushed the hatch open a bit further and stuck his head in. “Knock, knock. You still up?”
Susan was seated on the floor in the classic lotus position, apparently meditating. Her eyes were closed and she was barely clad in a short scant jade-colored silk kimono that clung to her shoulders by a thread and displayed a substantial amount of cleavage. A tray containing her teapot and two cups sat before her. Jeff immediately backed out. “Oops, sorry. Didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“That’s quite alright,” she responded. “Please, come in.”
“No, I don’t want to bother you, I just smelled something and was looking around.”
“Incense. And please, do come in. Join me.”
“Alright. It does smell quite pleasant.”
“Opium.”
“Huh?”
“Opium; the perfume, not the narcotic.” Her eyes still closed, Susan motioned to the floor in front of her, “Please, sit.”
Jeff, having some difficulty keeping his eyes off her, sat as instructed. “I’m afraid I’m not much into meditation.”
She smiled softly, “That’s alright, I can meditate for both of us. Would you care for tea?”
Jeff knew that Susan regularly meditated, but he hadn’t observed it up close and personal before. She was – he searched for the right words – exotic... and alluring. “Yes, thank you. Sounds nice.”
“I’m afraid we haven’t the facilities here for a proper Gōngfu Chá Dào so this will have to do.”
“That’s quite alright. I remember well the tea ceremonies you put on at Wrentham House. They were beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She offered him the small cup, “Your tea,” and returned to her former state.
“Thank you.”
“Gabe, Abby and Ghita are well?”
“Yes, they’re fine. All tucked in. Should be back day after tomorrow, just in time for Thanksgiving.”
“Will we be having a turkey this year?”
Jeff laughed, “Well, if there are any out there at least we should be able to see them this year.”
“Oh, that was awful. There were times when I didn’t think we’d make it.”
“You weren’t the only one.”
“This one is sure to be better.”
“Yes. And if we can find a turkey we’ll let Gabe cook it. Her homemaker skills need the practice.”
Susan grinned, “That’s a fact. Ah, she’s doing great. And Ghita is a gem.”
“She is a wonder, though a bit on the noisy side.”
“It has been eerily quiet around here these past few days.”
“You noticed.”
She nodded, “Yes.”
They sat quietly for a while, Susan apparently entranced, and Jeff entranced with her.
“Do you know the meaning of the word Tao, as in Taoism?” Susan said.
“No, I don’t.”
“Literally it means ‘path’ or ‘way.’ In a more figurative sense, ‘destiny.’”
“Huh. Do you believe in destiny?”
“Yes. That’s why I’m here.”
“Really?”
“Of course. It was my destiny, my Tao, that you should find me and that I would follow you here.”
“So, I suppose it was my destiny to win the lottery?”
Susan grinned, “Of course.”
Jeff shook his head, “Sure wish I’d known that a long time ago, would’ve saved me a lot of work.”
“Sorry, we can only see the path, not the destination.”
“Ah, how inconvenient.”
“But I know how you like surprises.”
“I do, don’t I?”
Susan nodded.
Jeff took a sip of tea. “I didn’t know you were a Buddhist.”
“I’m not.”
“No?”
“No. Were I a strict adherent, I would in fact be a Taoist, but I’m not that either. Technically speaking, I’m Catholic.”
“Really? That must require a bit of philosophical juggling.”
She laughed softly, “Honestly, I don’t pay much attention to the street signs, I just follow the path.”
“Ah. So, your parents are Catholic?”
“Yes, that’s why they fled China.”
“To avoid religious persecution?”
“Yes.”
“So what draws you to Taoism?”
“I’m still Chinese. You can take the girl out of the country, but...”
Jeff chuckled, “I’ll buy that.”
Susan took a deep breath and bowed her head in thought. “Do you know the words qi and jing?”
“Sorry.”
“For the Taoist, qi is the essential life force that exists in all living things and is related to jing, the energetic essence contained within the human body. Indeed, the belief is that one possesses a finite amount of jing, which can be lost in various ways. And when it’s all gone, you die.”
“So, losing one’s jing would seem to be something to avoid.”
“You might say so.”
“No refills, huh?”
Susan smiled softly, “There is one.”
“Oh? What’s that? Sounds like something good to stock up on.”
“Jing is created through the joining of essences.”
“Huh? You lost me.”
“The physical union of man and woman.”
Jeff swallowed hard at the sudden impact of Susan’s philosophical smack up the side of his head. “Uh, did we just arrive at the point of this tea party?”
Susan slowly opened her eyes and smiled at him. “You know, sometimes you’re a little slow.”
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
MSD 51151.332 (Sol 401)
“Jeff? Sue? Somebody answer the damn phone.”
Jeff was startled by Abby’s voice on the comm PA. He untangled himself from Susan. “I’ll be back.” Rolled out of bed, trotted into the commons, and sat at the comm console. “Yeah, hi, good morning. What’s up?”
“We have a problem.”
“We’re stuck.”
“Okay. Define ‘stuck’.”
“Andy won’t start.”
He wiped his face with his hand. “Oh great. Does the engine turn over?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, so you’ve got battery power and the starter’s working. Fuel?”
“Tanks are full, we just refueled him from the Genesis.”
“Hmmm. Alright. Sounds like fuel injection or ignition.”
“I pulled the spark plugs, they look fine. I can pull the fuel injectors, but if there’s something wrong with one of them there’s nothing I can do about it. And the fuel injection and ignition are black boxes – a mystery to everyone except SRT.”
“Right. Okay, we’ve got spares here. Hang on a second, let me see where you are.” He brought up the navigational screen on the main computer. “Jeez, you’re clear up near that fossa? What the hell are you doing up there? That wasn’t on the itinerary.”
“Uh, yeah. Well, Gabe wanted to see it. Thought maybe we could get some samples and figure out what created it.”
“What did I tell you two?”
“That doesn’t much matter now, does it?”
He sighed and shook his head. “No, I suppose not.”
Susan came into the commons and placed her hands on Jeff’s shoulders. “What’s up?”
“They’re stuck. Andy won’t start. We’re gonna have to go get them. They’re about 60 klicks from here.” He turned around and looked at her. She was naked, fidgeting a bit, and squeezing her thighs together. He looked her up and down. “Oh lord. Go get dressed.”
“Okay, but first I have to use the bathroom. I have, um… jing running down my legs,” and she took off toward the utility room.
He grinned and called after her. “Would you characterize that as jing overflow?”
“You think?!” She slammed the hatch behind her.
Jeff started laughing, then quickly looked at the mic to make sure they weren’t on VOX.
Abby’s voice came over the speaker again. “Jeff? Are you there?”
He took a moment to get his laughter under control. “Um, yeah Abby, I’m here. Sorry, um, Sue and I were just discussing a logistical matter. Are all of you alright?”
Margaritifer Basin (Margaritifer Trilogy Book 1) Page 94
