Founders Ch. 70

Colby and Zach met Aanya's family, who were a happy bunch, but sad to see their daughter leave. They were now satisfied that Aanya's public service announcement had been a good and worthy thing. They asked about Aarav, but both he and Colby pleaded ignorance. Anything shared about that matter should be done by Aanya herself.

They went to speak with Becky. Anming was with her. "I hope my brother didn't give you any trouble," said Colby.

"Oh no, he's delightful," said Becky. Zach guessed the interaction had been somewhat confrontational. Becky looked like she would find the matter enjoyable either way. Ah, lawyers. The four of them hugged tightly.

"We must all send baby pictures," Anming insisted.

"Videos!" said Becky.

"Agreed," said Colby.

"Thank you so much for the place in Colorado," said Becky. "I haven't had a chance to visit yet, but soon."

"Say hi to the place from me," said Colby.

It was time for a final wave goodbye and for the crew to put on their helmets.

The twelve astronauts rode the elevator up to the hatch on the excursion vehicle. This was the same excursion vehicle that had taken them to orbit for the dry run. NASA liked to use vehicles that were new but had been proven in space. This vehicle had been up to space twice before. Once, Colleen and Mateo had taken it up to orbit and back. All systems had worked perfectly. The second mission had been their dry run mission with all twelve crew. This was the third flight to orbit for this excursion vehicle. This time, it would be flying a lot farther than Earth orbit.

They climbed up a ladder at the center of the cabin floor to reach their seats. Seating was as it had been for the dry run mission. Colleen sat in front with her co-pilot Colby. The second pair of seats went to Khushi and Berte at the engineering stations. The third pair of seats were Zach, and sitting next to him, Ayana. They sat uncomfortably on their back for fifteen minutes while everybody checked everything. The main engines started and they were underway.

At two gees for ten minutes, the launch vehicle pushed them into Earth orbit before separating and returning. Once they were floating in zero-gee, Khushi remarked, "They warn you about needing to pee, but that rocket ride pushed out all my milk. I'm afraid my upper body is completely wet."

"Me too," said Berte.

"Yep," said Colby.

"It's natural," said Charisse. "We'll all dry out."

Colleen and Colby couldn't see Mateo's excursion vehicle ahead of them. It was on nearly the same course. They had them on radar. They waited in zero-gee for forty five minutes to reach the correct spot in their orbit around the Earth. There was another ten minute burn at one gee to put them into the path of the Interplanetary Vehicle.

They waited five hours for the Interplanetary Vehicle to come up behind them very slowly, relatively speaking. Relative to the sun, they were traveling at forty-two kilometers per second, which was twenty-six miles per second.

During this five hour stretch, the crew read and slept. The other excursion vehicle with Mateo and his crew slowly became visible to the naked eye ahead of them. "Out-of-state license plate," called Alexis.

"You're a child, Alexis," said Colleen.

"I'm so bored," said Alexis. "Can't we have sex with Zach, or each other, or anything?"

"Let's eat now, instead," said Colby. And they did.

After cleaning up from the meal, it was time to pee. Alexis said, "Whoever puts the most pee into the bag, as judged by Zach, will get him first after we dock, okay?"

"You will beat us," said Michaela. "Or you will cheat." There was agreement from some others.

"You girls are being no fun," said Alexis. "Style, then. What about style?"

"What is good zero-gee peeing style versus bad?" asked Zach. Alexis smiled cryptically.

"One space suit off at a time," insisted Colleen.

"Don't worry, mama," said Alexis. She set herself to spinning.

"Please, please don't," said Zach, trying to keep up with the gyrations of her vulva. "It will go everywhere."

Alexis stopped herself. "Well, that's what I meant by style. It would be fun if I could do that while peeing straight into the bag."

"It would be a unique talent," Zach agreed.

With an evil grin, Alexis squirted her last few drops wide. Zach had to chase them.

"There's nothing more fun than watching Zach chase some zero-gee pee-pee," said Alexis.

The other women were thankfully not nearly as creative in their styles of peeing. Zach held the bag for Anming. He could see that she was fighting embarrassment, humiliation, and disgust by showing him her bodily function so starkly. He looked her in the eyes calmly. He glanced briefly to check that everything was on target.

Anming was done. She said, "I'm sorry, my husband."

"Everything about you is beautiful," Zach replied. "I like watching you fight through your feelings to make yourself comfortable. I don't know why. I find it very attractive."

Anming had restored her panties and was donning her flight suit. "Perhaps I'm lucky to have a husband who is such a pervert. You can tolerate the sight." She wrinkled her nose. "And the smell."

"Your mild smell is another sign you're healthy," said Zach. "That's a good thing."

The Interplanetary Vehicle crept slowly into view, looking huge. At its center was a cylinder like a regular rocket. From there, four spokes radiated out to a wheel two hundred meters in diameter, or six hundred and fifty-six feet. This was the wheel they'd be living in for the next six months on their trip to Mars. It had a square cross-section ten feet or three meters on a side. The habitat was six hundred and twenty-eight meters in circumference, or over twenty-one hundred feet in circumference. This wheel spun, providing centripetal force to match Mars gravity, thirty-eight percent of Earth's.

Colleen played the Blue Danube Waltz by Strauss as she went in for final approach. Their excursion vehicle had to match the spin of the Interplanetary Vehicle. Over the course of a half hour, she approached from behind to dock. The ion drive was off so that they wouldn't be accidentally subjected to radiation from it.

Colleen and Colby did an initial check of the Interplanetary Vehicle's systems. Zach and most of the rest of the crew set up the bubble in the central core. This cylindrical central section of the ship was weightless. Each of the four radial arms led out into the habitat ring at four evenly spaced locations. From the weightless core of the ship, they traveled on ladders "down" to the habitat ring.

Charisse and Aanya focused on unloading the seedlings. They found that all the hydroponics bays were packed and overgrown with fresh food. This was a legacy of previous missions, and a happy thing. Many of the seedlings had to be set off to the side. There was no immediate room to plant them.

The bubble was an invention of Zach's to protect the fetuses. Most were too young to risk the harm that might be caused by radiation during the trip to Mars. Once a fetus passed eighteen weeks of gestation, it was relatively safe. Before that age, both mom and fetus would stay in the bubble.

The crew set up the bubble in the weightless central area of the ship. They pumped water they had along for the mission into the plastic structure. Berte had designed and fabricated it based on an idea of Zach's. It was a living space with outer walls filled with water to a meter of thickness, about thirty-nine inches. Water was a very effective radiation shield. This was all that was needed to keep the moms at radiation levels equivalent to Earth. For the most part, water was not used as a radiation shield out (or down?) at the habitat ring. This water, weightless at the center of the ship, would weigh tons at the rim of the ship. Water was far too heavy to provide shielding at the ring.

Once the bubble's outer walls were filled with water, the women who would be staying there climbed in. They were Ayana, Colleen, Alexis, Anming, Michaela, and Colette. Ayana was in for nine days, a short stay. Colette was in for twelve. Colleen's stay would be a month and eight days. Alexis would get out the day after Colleen. Anming would be in for a month and a half. Michaela, guaranteed the longest resident, might already be pregnant or not. She would have to live in the bubble for eighteen weeks after she conceived, whenever that was. Her fetus would be undetectable just after conception. To minimize risk, she should stay in the bubble the whole time.

Since many stays were so short, many of the effects of zero-gee were not a concern. Michaela would have to have a regular exercise regimen. Once the bubble had cleared out some, there would be room.

Gravity and recycling were only a hundred meters away in the habitat ring. Thus, most of the worst logistical pains of zero-gee would be alleviated. Meals would be cooked and brought to the women in resealable bags. Waste would be carried away and recycled for them. Their clothes would be laundered for them. They would still have to use wet wipes to bathe.

The bubble was partway set up. The mining mission crew was docked and getting situated in their quarters. After they moved in, they pitched in to help set up the bubble. They started by cooking dinner for both crews and distributing it.

Colleen had assigned both crews quarters to begin with. She had put Zach with Colby. Colleen herself was sharing her quarters with Anming. Berte and Aanya were sharing. That was Trigonometry. For the Breeding Bitches, Alexis was sharing with Colette and Charisse with Michaela. Ayana and Khushi had quarters together. Of the mining team, Mateo was sharing with Jason and Aiden with Ethan.

Many women were living in the bubble to begin with. It was a lot emptier than it would usually be in the habitat ring. Colby and Zach were both in their cabin. Charisse was alone. Berte and Aanya still shared their cabin. Khushi was alone in the cabin she would share with Ayana. The mining crew was still packed into their two cabins. For the next nine days at least, five men and five women would live in the habitat ring.

Perhaps the outer walls of the bubble should have been made opaque for privacy, but they were all transparent. The thick wall of water distorted the view. It might turn a naked woman into an abstract painting when viewed from the outside. Just as often, the woman would be clearly visible. Just as well, the women wanted to stay dressed during their stay. But it complicated changing clothes and performing the bodily functions, especially sex. To facilitate this somewhat, the women decided to turn off the lights in the core during their nighttime. They chose to align with the day duty shift.

By midnight, the bubble was set up well enough for the time being and the lights were shut off. Zach climbed down to the habitat ring to finally put away his personal stuff and to check on Colby.

It was now pitch dark in the core, with only a few diffracted reading lights on in the bubble. Zach used his phone flashlight to squeeze around to Radial Arm A1 and climb down to the rim. He cycled the hatches of the bay in the antispinward direction. There was Exercise B, which would no doubt be a familiar haunt. It looked a little more used than on the dry run vehicle. A little more loved.

Zach passed by Head B2 into Recreation B. There, he was mildly surprised to find Colby and Jason alone together. They were involved in a deep discussion, speaking softly, their heads close together.

"Baby!" Colby noticed him immediately and leapt to her feet, almost grazing the ceiling. That Mars gravity was back. Jason looked a little uncomfortable, but smiled at Colby's infectious enthusiasm. She almost bounced off Zach, but was quick to grasp him with both arms and legs in a desperate hug.

It was fairly obvious to Zach that the two had been engaged in a conversation about possibly having sex. He didn't want to make this uncomfortable for either of them. It seemed his ill-timed appearance had already done damage. He shouldn't ignore Jason. He shouldn't offer Colby to Jason, either. Addressing Jason, Colby still clutching him with both arms and legs, Zach said, "How are you two settling in?"

"Wonderful," reported Jason. "Spectacular. I feel light-headed," he offered, referring both to Colby and the lighter gravity. He had a big smile, being friendly. He wandered over and shook hands.

"She has that effect on people," said Zach. Colby slid down him, stood on her feet, and smiled at both men. "Everyone deserves to know and love Colby." He figured this was enough encouragement for both of them without being embarrassingly overt.

Jason looked relieved, relaxed. That was good. "Well, goodnight," he said to both of them, and walked away spinward.

"You came," Colby said, dragging him gently with both hands towards their quarters.

"I did," said Zach.

"Are you all depleted?" asked Colby.

"I'm not at all depleted," said Zach.

She had already set up their room beautifully. "Welcome home, baby," said Colby, shutting the door behind them.

Zach woke up hours later. Colby had been a little wildcat, crying out orgasms constantly. They'd done it over and over again. The combination of the launch and her conversation with Jason had wound her up tighter than he'd perhaps ever seen before. Now she was snoring gently, in deep sleep. He'd fucked the hell out of her. Even he was a little sore. But he was hale enough to have a raging erection again.

Zach didn't want to wake Colby up with it. He'd probably crippled her as it was. He thought of the women along the rim. Charisse undoubtedly had at least one man in her bed at the moment. Khushi wouldn't pass up this chance away from Ayana. Aanya and Berte? He checked his phone for the time. Rats. They were on duty.

Zach took a walk around the rim. He greeted Berte in Control A. The ion engine had resumed and they were going places with increasing speed. She was preoccupied, so he left her alone. Aanya was zipping around Hydroponics Bay B1 looking very industrious. She was also clearly not to be messed with.

Zach climbed up to the weightless core. There were probably six desperately horny women floating there in the darkness. The problem was not annoying all the others. The problem was zero-gee sex.

Zach pushed his way through the door held closed by water pressure. It reminded him of a giant vaginal opening. Zach worked his way by sense of touch to Michaela's sleeping bag. She roused as he touched her. She knew why he was there and unzipped. He nestled his head between her legs. She smelled desperate, fragrant. She patted his cheek, almost a slap. It was her way of indicating enough cunnilingus, or in this case, skip it altogether.

They were able to zip up the bag most of the way with both of them in it. Her tiny legs and feet fit snugly around his waist. Gratefully, he pushed into her. She was very wet and very ready, vibrating with just the feel of him. She orgasmed almost immediately, biting the hem of the sleeping sack with a little snarl to mostly keep quiet.

They started to move, at first gently. As Zach's force increased, the velcro holding the bag to the wall started to fail: rip, rip, rip. He held as still as possible and forced the tiny woman onto his penis with both arms. She orgasmed again with a shudder. This time, she couldn't help a soft moan.

They started to get some kind of resonance with the bubble wall where again the velcro started to give way. Zach was close, though, so with a final r-r-r-r-iip! He locked his hips into Michaela and splashed her well-stretched vagina with a good dollop of hot semen. Another soft moan from the Bulgarian. In the pitch dark, she could feel her strong and thoroughly stretched vaginal muscles clip him once per second, hard. Now softer. Now quieting as her long orgasm ended. That was Michaela. She liked a hot batch in her.

Their first bout of zero-gee sex had been reasonably successful. But now they were hanging off the wall of the bubble by only a thread of velcro. Zach gingerly unzipped the bag and climbed out. He pressed the bag's velcro back onto its mating velcro on the wall as best he could.

The conditions were crowded and difficult. He could already hear from the women's breathing that some were waiting for their visit. So, he decided to feel his way around in the pitch dark. He would at least provide a hug and a kiss to all concerned, or more if they wanted.

He felt a leg in a sleeping bag and it tensed. Even Ayana would not do that. Navigating gently, without touching, he knew by the sweet smell of her face it was Anming. "Am I disturbing your sleep?" he whispered.

"Never, my husband," Anming whispered in response.

"Why are you tense?" asked Zach.

"It's my turn to... hmm... serve," she whimpered very softly. "My crewmates will hear."

Zach never knew if he was torturing the poor woman. It seemed the more embarrassed and humiliated Anming was, the harder she'd orgasm. Yet, it seemed to Zach to be real humiliation and embarrassment, cruel perhaps.

"I'll save you to last," Zach said.

"No, no..." Anming whispered quickly. "No." Her bag unzipped.

Anming was nice and fragrant. By the smell of her hands gripping Zach's head tightly, she'd been playing with herself, too. She tasted wonderful. She jerked with excitement until her hips gave in and rocked rhythmically in orgasm. "Please enjoy yourself," she breathed almost inaudibly, "please enjoy yourself." This was Anming's current method of telling him to cut out the vulva licking and get to the vagina stretching.

She was delicately built, but taller than Michaela. Her legs didn't really fit around him with the bag zipped up. He got into her with the bag zipped up partway, one of her legs dangling out. They had to use all four arms and one of Anming's legs to keep them reasonably together.

It was quite a sedate bit of lovemaking for Zach. He didn't want to rip her bag off the wall. Even so, she was squeezing him to herself and orgasming hard in rolling choked-off whimpers.

Zach couldn't hold back. Rip. Rip. Rip. R-r-r-r-iip! The lack of purchase was maddening, but the semen was delivered. Anming seemed profoundly moved. It was more of a mental game for women. This was a special event. He was moved that she was moved. It was so frustrating for him to not have a surface to really push against.

They ended up mostly out of the bag, swinging through space. Except for Anming's heel having a death grip on his buttock, they would be spraying semen all over the inside of the bubble. Zach was an idiot who hadn't thought of towels. Anming produced one she had used earlier to wash her hair. They got it sopping up between her legs. They zipped her back into her bag. He fastened her bag more-or-less securely back to the velcro on the wall.

He went back to feeling around. "Hi, Zach," Ayana whispered. "I'm afraid you're going to strike out with me." Coming up to face her, he could smell her wetness. "Keep going through those hens," she encouraged. As he passed her, he heard very faintly a vibrator start buzzing again and then muffle.

She was entertained by this. That was hot. He was still all confused by his crush for her. He'd actually knocked her up, which had been insane. That's how he knew her scent, was from those times. Now she was getting off on the other women's noises and so forth as he took them. In a way, he was making love to her again by proxy, it felt like. At any rate, it felt like a nasty little secret between them, for the bubble only.

Colleen was unzipped and waiting for him. As he went to hug her, she whirled him around. She had his penis in her mouth and his face right at her crotch. He dove in. That's right, he thought. She had probably done zero-gee sex more than a few times before. She had it all worked out as she put him through his paces. She had this strap thing he could hold her hips in. He could use all the power of his arms and hips to push into her. But he still had nothing to push against. As he moved desperately in her, she tightened an elastic strap around them both. It required more and more strength for him to pull out of her. The same force made his thrusts into her more and more forceful and satisfying.