by Darrell Bain
While they were still exploring, Kristi returned, bouncing lightly under the pull of less than a tenth gravity. The other two occupants bounded forward to give her the hugs and kisses delayed since leaving the Houston Enclave. Both of them forgot to compensate and had to push back off the ceiling.
“Where's Troy?” Jamie asked as soon as he could free his mouth.
’”He's with Terrili."
“Terry Lee?"
“Terrili Perkins. Female. She's the Vice-captain. Seems like a pretty nice person. She's still showing him around the ship. He won't rest until he knows every passageway and compartment in it."
“Where's he going to be staying?” Jeannie asked. She was still touching Kristi in various places as if to make sure she was really there.
Kristi grinned impishly. “He's got the stateroom next to ours. This is officer country we're in."
“All right,” Jamie said, looking about. “How does the other half live?"
“About the same. Is anyone hungry?"
Jamie's salivation would have done justice to Woggly confronted with roast rabbit after a two day fast. “Lead on. Can the pets come? They must be hungry, too."
Kristi smiled mysteriously at the eager pets. “Of course. Maybe they'll meet some new friends there."
Jamie assumed she was referring to the four dogs belonging to the other rangers, forgetting that they must have already met in the cargo compartment. He hadn't seen them, as they had left with Masters and Kristi as soon as they had docked.
* * * *
All the ship's personnel would eat in the same room, but there was a small space sectioned off for VIP's, such as the Captain, his deputy, astrogator and chief engineer. Jamie assumed they would belong there as well after Kristi's reference to their quarters as “officer's country", but he really couldn't have cared less. He was nonchalant about such structuring, and would associate as quickly with a common laborer as an Enclave governor, or spaceship captain, for that matter.
Just to the right of the long rectangular room was a small area reserved for feeding the few enhanced pets aboard, since their culinary requirements and table manners differed somewhat from their humans. There, he saw the “new friends” their pets were to meet: Sean Johnson's raccoon and the two white rats. At first glance and sniff, both dogs and cats went into fighting stance.
“Stop!” Jamie commanded just as quickly, recognizing that the animals must be pets or they would certainly not be there. “Can't you see their collars?” The owner of the new animals had quickly emulated the earth fashion of requiring all Enclave pets to wear distinctive collars to distinguish them from the occasional feral animal that managed entrance to the Enclave.
“Pet mice?” Fuzzy britches asked unbelieving, looking up at Jamie as if he had lost his mind.
“Rats,” Woggly corrected. “Pet rats.” His fur had already reassumed its unruffled state, as much as that was possible for his shaggy hide.
“All the same. Varmints.” Fuzzy Britches said disgustedly.
“Calm down, Fuzz,” Kristi said. “They're nice. Randy and Pandy, and the raccoon is named Bandit.” As if human, Bandit reached up to shake each of the humans hands, then the dogs', and finally patted the cats condescendingly on the head. Fuzzy Britches hardly noticed. He kept his eye on the two rats clinging to the raccoon's back until Kristi took some food bars out of a cabinet, then he immediately lost interest in them, at least for the time being.
“Be good,” Jamie emphasized, directing his voice more at Fuzzy Britches than the others. Kristi led them on to the people area where they obtained food trays and squeeze beverage containers, although they really weren't needed now that some spin had been placed on the ship. The food was about half-and-half synthetic and natural, about the same fare they were used to in the Enclave. They had the area to themselves at the moment and were so hungry that conversation lagged, punctuated occasionally by a laugh when someone forgot the low gravity and spattered himself or herself.
Later, back in their quarters, the pull of gravity became less and less. Just before it ceased completely, Jeannie displayed a message for Jamie from the computer terminal. She had already been at work personalizing the interfaces from the ship's computer to their own body computers, not even giving Jamie a chance for input. A holo appeared, that of a soft haired pretty female with exaggerated bare breasts. “Message for Jamie,” the projection smiled enticingly, as if she would love to whisper it in his ear rather than announce it publicly.
Jamie smiled to himself. Jeannie was always innovative with computers. “Go ahead,” He said.
The mammalian apparition disappeared and was replaced with the visage of a large, blond-haired man. The subtle play of musculature as he moved slightly to adjust to Jamie's image identified him as a space citizen, even to Jamie's untrained eyes.
Sean Johnson's image stared with frank interest at Jamie, the first time he had seen the bugbear of the Moon City mercenaries. To Sean, he seemed to be quite ordinary: dark hair, olive complexion, a simple unpretentious mustache, and a well exercised body with just a tinge of softness beginning to show from hard mental work but almost a complete lack of exercise over the last half year.
“I'm Sean Johnson. I understand that your pets met mine in the mess hall just recently."
“Is there a problem?” Jamie asked worriedly, wondering what kind of mischief Fuzzy Britches and Woggly might have been up to while he wasn't watching.
“Not really,” Sean explained. “It's just that they want to come over and play with your gang. Would that be all right?"
“Sure. Would you like to come over with them? We'd like to meet you."
“Sorry, I'm tied up now getting the gravity generators in place. Just as soon as we're under way though, I'd like to meet you all."
Jamie acquiesced, not even thinking of how Sean might have known and be thinking of Jeannie and Kristi. When it came to interpersonal relationships, he always assumed the best of a person.
By the time Sean's pets arrived, apparently having been told how to get to their quarters, Jeannie had just completed her installation of the Big Boy, and left it with a program running to check out all the interfaces with instructions to call if there were any problems. She stretched and began removing her coveralls.
“Captain Hawkins just made an announcement. Gravity from the spin will be gone completely in another hour. If we want to get washed, we'd better do it now."
* * * *
Sex in free fall was strange and wonderful. With three people participating, it was even stranger, and even more wonderful. The lack of gravity allowed juxtaposition of bodies that would have been impossible in other circumstances.
“Whoops, I lost you,” Jeannie laughed. Jamie had trouble commenting because he was occupied with Kristi's breast filling his mouth, but it didn't matter. Seconds later, he again felt her slim fingers sliding over his buttocks and the moist warm tunnel of her mouth enclosing him.
And later, holding his hand lightly on first one, then another curved hip, he kept Jeannie and Kristi more or less oriented towards the triple bed as they explored each other in free-fall.
A rising cacophony of voices erupted from the pets’ compartment, a chorus of meows, woofs, rasping raccoon guttera1s and excited rat squeaks. Kristi raised her head from between Jeannie's thighs, but her partner, on the verge of orgasm, pressed her firmly back into position, not caring what the pets were doing.
Jamie propelled himself away from the bodies he had been holding and shot into the next compartment.
Kristi again looked up as he returned. Jamie grinned expansively. “Go back to what you were doing."
Jeannie already was, but Kristi was curious. Excited squeaking and other sounds were still erupting from the pets’ room.
“It's nothing,” he said, still grinning, “Just Fuzz and Wog telling Bandit and Randy and Pandy horror stories about the wilds."
Jeannie never heard a thing.
* * *
CHAPTER 10
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br /> Jamie awoke to complete free fall the next morning. He considered himself lucky that he was apparently not prone to motion sickness in the absence of gravity as many first time space travelers were, especially those without his genomic resistance. He was disoriented momentarily, however, since neither he nor either of the women had thought to use the restraining straps attached to the bed before falling asleep. He had drifted to one corner of the compartment, and Jeannie to another. Kristi was not present, apparently having woke early and gone off on some errand of her own.
Jamie became aware of bumping noises from the adjoining compartment, accompanied by cat and dog noises he took for laughter. Increased intelligence past a certain level always led to a sense of humor in the higher animals, although it was not always apparent to casual observers. Neither dogs nor cats expressed amusement in the vocal range of humans were able to hear; they had their own sounds used to express amusement but they were too high pitched for humans to notice, other than by instruments. What he was hearing was the vocal language sounds of their pets, already awake and playing tag again.
Jamie pushed off from the wall, aiming in the general direction of Jeannie. He caught a foot, and drew her up to him. She opened her eyes and clutched him in momentary panic at the absence of support, then relaxed in his arms.
“How did we get over here?"
“You zigged when you should have zagged,” Jamie said.
“That's not what you said last night,” she accused.
“That was then. You zagged perfectly before we went to sleep. After that you zigged."
“Oh. Do you want to zag again?” She nuzzled his ear.
Jamie considered. His lA genome included the gene complex associated with a strong sex drive. Jeannie's did also, though she lacked some other attributes. Her ancestors had been one generation behind Jamie's in the opportunity to select for some factors deemed desirable. Her sex drive was certainly not among those. Jamie sometimes thought her gene complex had combined with some other factor in her personality to drive it to heights beyond what was considered theoretically feasible. Reluctantly, he detached himself from her embrace.
“I guess we better see what's going on. Kristi has already left, and the pets are trying to make a new air lock next door."
As if on cue, Fuzzy Britches shot through the entrance and thudded solidly against Jamie's chest.
“Oof! Fuzz, don't do that!"
“Lazy humans,” the cat said, ignoring the admonition. He knew that Jamie didn't really mind.
Jamie plucked Fuzzy Britches from his chest and tossed him gently back through the open entrance. He began to dress, and Jeannie followed suit. Just as they were finishing, an apparition materialized in mid air: an oversize, hugely muscled male with wavy blond hair long enough to brush his shoulders spoke to them.
“Good morning, Jeannie. Good morning, Jamie,” he said in a deep bass voice.
“Oh!” Jeannie exclaimed. “Big Boy! Are you on line now?"
“I have completed interfacing, and am ready to begin testing the gravity generators,” the computer apparition said.
“Go ahead, whenever Captain Hawkins is ready,” Jeannie told it. She grinned impishly at Jamie. The image vanished.
“Is that the computer image we'll be talking to?” Jamie asked, bemused as usual at how Jeannie always managed to personify computers with just the right touch of appropriateness salted with humor.
“That's him. Big Boy in person."
“He makes me look like a wimp."
Jeannie patted his cheek. “Any time he does, just think of that lovely I created to answer to you. She makes me feel under-developed."
As if she had been listening, the lovely appeared, smiling brightly. “Hello, Jamie. Captain Hawkins would like to see you on the bridge. He suggests that you bring your pets."
“Can Jeannie come, too?"
Large bare breasts swayed provocatively as she shrugged. “As you wish."
“See what I mean?” Jeannie said. “You go ahead. I want to talk to Big Boy a little more. Call me when you're ready for breakfast."
* * * *
Jamie sensed an animosity as soon as he gingerly propelled himself into the bridge area. Captain Hawkins was floating with arms behind his back, one hand attached to a retainer ring. He retained no trace of the amiable expression Jamie had noted in their previous meeting. Facing him was a tall, half-bald man with a hawk nose whom Jamie immediately classified as a spacer. The tall, spare body and relaxed, ready-to-fall stance was unmistakable. He raised his brows slightly in the direction of the captain, still wondering why he had been summoned.
“Hello, Jamie. Thanks for coming. I'd like you to meet Rob Passing, the Security Chief of Moon City.” He indicated the tall man with a gesture.
“Jamie recognized the name, if not the face. This was the man who bore much of the responsibility for the deaths and fighting over the Altair technology. Though they were at peace now, Jamie doubted that he would ever feel much liking for the man. He shook hands perfunctorily, then turned to introduce his pets. That endeavor was about as successful as trying to introduce Fuzzy Britches to a feral dog in the act of stealing his food.
Fuzzy Britches, ordinarily at least mildly curious in the presence of a strange human, had retreated as far from Passing as he could get (which happened to be the lap of a female assistant astrogator he had met in the mess hall), and was ignoring the proceedings entirely, much preferring to have his ears scratched to having to talk to a human he had taken an immediate disliking to.
Woggly was even less polite. He crouched down and tucked his tail over his privates when Passing turned his glance toward him. Conan raised, in the wilds, respected humans only on an individual basis, and very few at that. His manners weren't that great, either. He began a low, rumbling growl to show his displeasure. Jamie quickly touched his head to quiet him and gave up all thoughts of introductions.
“Do these animals have the run of your ship, Captain?” Passing asked, clearly annoyed at their presence.
“These are not ‘animals', Mr. Passing. They are pets, and friends and companions. They are also quite intelligent. In fact, had it not been for them, it is very likely that we would not be together here on this ship."
Damn right we wouldn't be, Passing thought. Moon City would have the prize and you earth bastards and your fucking animals would go on to hell without us.
Conan gave another low growl, almost as if he was reading Passing's thoughts, and perhaps he could, a little. There was no doubt that intelligence-enhanced animals retained an evolved respect for the prowess of the human species, and with increased intelligence, were usually able to sort out almost immediately the attitudes of humans toward them, either pro, con or neutral. Jamie had long since learned to trust the instincts of his own pets. He knew they were better at it than he would ever be, and in his usual fashion, he acknowledged the fact, recognizing his own limitations. One of the few things that ever irritated him was the knowledge that most humans seemed to have a constitutional inhibition against recognizing their own faults. He was ready to leave now, having deduced the reason Captain Hawking had called for him. The Captain obviously had extensive experience with enhanced pets and had simply wanted to have Jamie's pets give him an unvoiced opinion on Mr. Rob Passing.
“Is there anything else you need me for, Captain?” Jamie asked.
Captain Hawkins smiled enigmatically. “I had intended for you and your friends to come along with us while Mr. Passing inspected the rest of the ship, but perhaps you have other duties more pressing?"
It was both a perfunctory question and a dismissal. Jamie quickly took the hint. Fuzzy Britches reluctantly vacated the lap where he had been having his ears scratched. He levitated his forequarters up to the woman's shoulders and licked her chin in thanks. Then he hopped down and followed Jamie and the dogs from the bridge, skirting Rob Passing by the widest possible margin.
As Jamie's entourage left, Passing engaged Captain Hawkins with ques
tions concerning the operations of the huge, untested ship they were on. He hated the fact that every critical position was filled by an earthman, but there was nothing he could do about it. After all, the Houston Enclave had defeated his forces in the fight for the Altair technology. He was already familiar with the general structure of the ship, its complement, and the general organization of the personnel who would be manning it, simply as a result of the compromise of Moon City providing the construction in return for eventual access to the Altair technology. As it was, though, neither he nor any other spacer knew the basics of the FTL technology yet, and until the Houston Enclave directors were certain of absolute control of numerous ships in case out-emigration proved necessary, they were not even considering releasing critical information.
Captain Hawkins had little more liking or trust for Passing than did Jamie, but as Captain of the ship, he was obligated to be diplomatic. He resolved this dilemma by accessing Big Boy, the main frame AI which Jeannie had just checked, interfaced, conversed with, and finally pressed the last key which gave the AI free reign.
Big Boy came up and ready, like a puberty driven male with his first erection.
“Big Boy on line, sir.” The holographic image burst into being, that of a stern-visaged military officer in the uniform of the previous century. It resembled Captain Hawkins’ father more than a little, though he was unaware of the fact.
Captain Hawkins addressed the image. “Big Boy, this gentleman is from Moon City. He is in charge of all security for the city and satellites. He is also inspecting the ship and has some questions for you."
“Moon City” was a code word. Spoken by the captain, or any other of the officers having access to Big Boy, it told the AI that it should answer generally, rather than specifically.
Cultures differ. Moon City and the satellites seldom personified their AI's, while on earth the practice was pervasive. Passing tried to assume a proprietary air with Big Boy, but he was put off by having to speak to the perfectly realized image of the military officer. “Big Boy. Is that your recognition code?"
