Lifeboat

Enod had her flight suit off before they even reached the shower. Without knowing the reason why, she already felt better as the mites flew toward the ceiling, free from the confines of her suit. As Enod slammed the plexicurtain shut, she stripped off her shorts and ripped off her bikini.

"Scrub!" he ordered her as he ripped off his own clothes, feeling a few bites himself.

She started to scrub as he quickly shirked his clothes and then grabbed handfuls of decontaminant lotion and began slathering her everywhere.

"How is it feeling?" he asked seriously.

"Better," she said. But, it burns more... other places."

'Hot spots!" he growled. "Likely some sort of critter attracted to heat or moisture."

Without hesitating, he grabbed more lotion and cupped it into her crotch. Doing likewise, she grabbed some and took care of her armpits. He made sure her mound was fully covered and even pushed some toward her backside. The bots within the lotion were on search and destroy. They quickly identified the most foreign 'invaders' and made quick work of them.

"Shuttle, full rinse, water."

The two of them stood back from each other as a series of jets washed over their naked bodies.

"Shuttle, report." said Enod.

"I detect negligible loss of life," said the shuttle's calm voice."

"Well, of course I'm not dead," said L'Gia. "Do you mean other colonists?"

"I do not mean your life," said the shuttle's computer. "I mean the organisms which had nested on your skin. Our mission is to incur negligible loss of indigenous life until we have determined their viability and sustainability throughout our terraforming efforts. The majority of the organisms escaped your skin when you removed your clothing. I have vented them out of the shuttle.The numbers eradicated by the disinfectant were negligible and statistics indicate we have not posed any threat to their ongoing population.

"Nature of the organisms?" asked Enod.

"Microbial mites living in dust and soil," said the ship. "Detected in the soil report this morning." "Relatively few mites were detected in Enod Stigsen's suit. Conjecture indicates they do not live near the ocean where you were working. L'Gia Onwald's suit was not submitted for inspection last night. I suspect that there were additional numbers nesting in her suit because of that."

"Computer, notify the others."

"Communication in process," said the shuttle. "Three other outbreaks reported. No significant injuries or casualties to report."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Stigsen," said L'Gia. "I failed to follow protocol."

"You heard that," said Enod softly. "Three others. We weren't the only careless ones. We all need to be on our guard. This is a new planet, we're lucky to get off so lightly. All is forgiven."

Forgetting their current situation, she threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely.

"I'm so sorry, Dr. Stigsen, I really am. I don't know how I could be so careless."

"No worries, L'Gia. No worries," he said, hugging her back.

She stayed there, enjoying the warmth of his skin and the strength of his embrace. After the panic, after the news of the CME, she needed this human touch.

Then, once the comfort was established, she became aware of the need for another type of human touch. She lifted her face to his and almost sighed when his firm lips met hers. After what felt an eternity, he pulled back.

"L'Gia, we can't."

She looked into his eyes and whispered one word.

"Please."

The look in her eyes, the beauty of her face, he knew he could no longer resist.

They kissed desperately, fiercely. In spite of their slick, wet bodies, he lifted her easily and she wrapped her legs around his waist. She reached down and guided him in and with a subtle drop, she fell those few inches, impaled and speared upon his thick cock.

"Oh!" she gasped with almost pained pleasure. "Oh!" she moaned again. "So wonderful!"

"Is medical attention required?" asked the shuttle. "I am sensing blood in the shower unit."

"No attention is needed," said L'Gia loudly to the ceiling. "Everything's fine."

Enod looked down to see trickle of blood had run down his leg and was pooling in the remaining water on the floor.

"L'Gia," he said, "are you..."

He trailed off, shocked.

"Not any more," she said almost triumphantly. "And please don't stop, this is too perfect, too delicious. Shuttle, light mist please to wash things away."

As the warm, comforting droplets began to wash over them, Enod's hips began moving again.

"Oh, this is what it's like?" she purred into his ear. "Chron, why did I wait so long? Fuck me, Dr. Stigsen, fuck me!"

He proceeded to do just that. In the shower, they were soon on the floor, him seated with her riding him, then she stood and he took her from behind. With a passion borne of desperation, fear, and the need for comfort, they made love for a full fifteen minutes in the shower. L'Gia climaxed two times, that she could count, and when Enod finally filled her with his voluminous seed, she wasn't certain, but she was pretty sure she came with him a third time.

"Now that was quite a first time," she giggled, playing with his hair. "I never thought it would be in a shower, but I'll never forget it now. How about we try it in a bed, now?"

"I could do that," said Enod, shyly.

They toweled off and walked hand in hand to the cabin. They were just getting ready to slide the bunks together again when a message lit up the screen. Of all the times to ignore a message because of passion, this wasn't one.

***

With the almost unbearable heat bringing on drowsiness and the ordeal they had been through, Brond and T'Laine slept for well over eight hours. When the signal chirped to indicate an incoming message, they awoke with their hands still clasped.

The message regarding the CME poured over the speaker. They knew almost immediately what the implications were.

There was an additional message, meant only for them.

"For those of you in the pods, we find ourselves at a difficult point. The hostiles are still confirmed to be out there and are quick to track down any sleds we have sent out as bait. As soon as those sleds have utilized the subspace bands, they have been neutralized. As much as we would like to advise you to turn on your subspace broadcast beacons, we fear the enemy would find you quickly. You would be endangering your own lives, as well as the rest of the corps. We continue to analyze the situation, but we have no answers. We're sorry."

The mood in the pod was somber. Neither Brond or T'Laine spoke for some time. Finally, T'Laine broke the silence by pushing off gently and floating over to Brond. Her naked, glistening breasts pressed into his chest and the rest of her body met his as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Hi,' she whispered.

"Hi?" he answered, bemused.

Her lips found his and it was such a kiss that Brond could have swore they had just been through a 10 G burn, the way it cleared the blood from his brain.

"Brond, you're a virgin, aren't you?" she said.

He could only nod 'yes'.

"Well, that would be a shame to go out that way. Nobody should die a virgin, not if they don't want to. Do you want to?"

"Are...are you sure?" asked Brond timidly.

"Please let me do this for you, handsome," she said. "It's just as much for me. If I'm going to go out, I want it to be intimate."

"Okay," said Brond. "I'm afraid I won't be very good."

"Hush," she said, kissing him to silence him. "I'll guide you. First, Zero G can be tricky. Here's how we'll do it. You hook your toes in, down there. Good. Now, I'll grab the handholds above us. You get a good grip on my hips, girls like that anyway, and that will help you guide me. Ready?"

"Yes," said Brond.

She reached down with one hand and guided Brond in. With little resistance, she sighed at the wonderful feeling of a man first entering her. It was different, too, the first cock she'd had other than Mikhael's in seven years.

Brond slid all the way in.

"Don't. Move." he panted.

"Oh... are you already coming... because that's okay." she said, tenderly.

"No, it's not that," said Brond. "I just want to remember this. Whether I live another hour, or two hundred more years, I want to fix this moment in my mind. Me, inside the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"Chron, you're so sweet, you wonderful boy."

She let him savor the moment a little more, then kissed his cheek.

"Are you ready?" she whispered.

"Mm hmm," he said.

"Good. First thing, this isn't complicated. Our bodies know what to do, so don't overthink it. Now, move out slowly, take my hips, and guide me back in."

He did as she ordered and she moaned with pleasure.

"Ooh, well done, Brond," she said.

It was truly lovely for her. This was her first new cock in seven years. Part of the pleasant sensation was the new shape now filling her. Brond's member was a bit longer and a bit less wide than her previous partner. After seven years of sex, her body was enjoying the warm 'hello' of welcoming a new friend.

"You're doing great, lover," she said encouragingly into his ear. "Just keep doing that slowly and figure it out. Don't go faster until you feel you must."

***

A side note, Brond was about to be treated to a truly rare experience because T'Laine held a secret. While Brond's father was an acknowledged tantric master, T'Laine was also an expert at pleasure, although nobody knew the reason why.

At the age of sixty, T'Laine had finished a rather significant chapter of her life. Her second child had come of age and shipped out to another part of the galaxy.

Free of encumbrances, her first decision had been to sign up for a stint on the mining planet, Halcyon. She had served three years as a hydrologist being sure caves were dry and safe. The hazard pay was extraordinary and her team discovered several deposits that resulted in astronomical bonuses.

Her friends and family were under the impression that it was a five year work stint.

However, at the end of three years, she left the planet with her money.

Her first stop was on a spa planet for rejuve treatments and much needed rest and relaxation.

Her next stop was to enroll in the Lygarus Academy for Courtesans and Estrechos. There, for eighteen months, she was tutored in the ways of pleasure. Her instructors and fellow students all agreed that she would thrive in the profession if she so chose. However, in the end, she chose to reserve her gifts for partners she chose, not for those who paid.

And so, Brond was a very fortunate young man to be stranded in space with a certain T'Laine Onwald.

***

To Brond's credit, he lasted fairly well. She'd half expected him to pop off within a few strokes on his first time, but with her guidance, she was able to subtly adjust his pace whenever she felt his body tensing. Within a few minutes, he had worked up to a deep, strong tempo that had him plunging deep into her and bringing out a moan from each of them with each meeting of their hips.

Although their situation was dire, she couldn't help but smile. If they were to perish, this moment of intense, intimate sweetness was exactly how she would wish to leave the universe.

"Oh, Mrs. O." moaned Brond.

"Call me, T'Laine, sweetie," she groaned.

"Oh, T'Laine," he gasped.

"Are you close, Baby? Are you almost there?"

He could only breathe in ragged breaths in response.

"That's it. That's it, Brond. Let go, let go, let go! Oh!!!"

To her surprise, she was also close and when she felt his heat surging into her, she succumbed to the throes of her own wonderful orgasm. Releasing her grip on the wall, Brond, too, lost his anchor point and the two of them drifted in each other's arms as their lovemaking subsided. Just near the end of their pleasure, it sounded like a wind had hit the exterior of the pod. In actuality, it was the wave of radiation oversaturating the protective coating..

"The pod has experienced significant damage," said the computer. "Thirty-eight percent of the protective shielding has been compromised."

Brond stared fixedly at the wall, deep in thought.

"I want to do that again," he said.

"Well, given your youth and stamina, I'd guess we can fit it in at least one more time," said T'Laine, caressing his cheek.

"No, I want to do it a lot more times. Hundreds, thousands! I'm not going to let the universe get rid of me before I've had the chance. There's got be a way. Oh!"

He surprised her by pulling his cock out of her and scrambling for the vis-lenses in the storage pouch.

"Brond, what is it?" asked T'Laine.

"I think... I think I have a way."

He donned the lenses and did some quick calculations, his fingers tapping out symbols in the air that T'Laine couldn't see.

"Yes, yes, yes!" he said, punching the air in enthusiasm.

"What is it Brond?"

"The umbra! If we can get into the umbra, the shadow of the planet, we'll be shielded from the majority of radiation."

"But, it's too far, the planet is still days away."

"Right, but the umbra isn't. If we aim for the tail, the narrow part the umbra, we can reach there in... four hours and 23 minutes,and we'll be shielded. It will take longer to arrive on the planet, but I'm fine living without food an extra day or so. We've got the water."

"Let's go then!" said T'Laine.

"No, no, we have to tell the others." insisted Brond.

"But, we can't, or we'll be found." said T'Laine, concerned.

"I know," said Brond, sadly. "But, we could still tell the others. If only there was a way we could tell them and survive."

"No, wait!" said T'Laine, her mind now racing as fast as Brond's. "A dish, all we need is a dish. Computer, scan the nearest moon of Hanshin's for symmetrical impact craters with large debris inside them, target width, 50 to 100 meters.."

"Scanning," said the computer. "Located, three. One symmetrical with scattered debris, one asymmetrical, and one apparently volcanic crater with a large cone near the center."

"That's the one!" said T'Laine. "Don't you see Brond? When we broadcast on subspace, we send out wide, for all to hear. But, if we send it..."

"On a tight beam!" cried Brond, excitedly. "If we send it on a tight beam, the cone will spread it wide!"

"Exactly," she said. "Now, type this in.

T'Laine thought for a moment, then started dictating.

"Coffins. Divert. Planet Shadow/Umbra. Immediately. Prepare for reduced rations."

She thought a moment more.

"Also," - "Onwald and Stigsen safe, one pod."

"It's ready," said Brond.

"System," said T'Laine. "Aim a tight beam at the volcanic crater you identified. Send the message in five short bursts. Wait for my mark."

"Protocol dictates no communication," said the computer voice.

"Overriding protocol, authority, Master Hydrologist T'Laine Onwald, code Alpha Tango, niner niner, one, Whiskey."

"Override accepted," said the computer. Awaiting your mark."

"System," said Brond. "Target the umbra of planet Hanshin's, adjust course accordingly to stay in the umbra for remainder of the journey. Maximum burn with survivable acceleration.

"Path calculated," said the computer. "It will require a sustained burn now, followed by a sustained burn for deceleration and course correction."

"Understood," said Brond.

"Send the message, then immediately begin the burn," said T'Laine.

"Inflating shock padding," said the computer.

Brond stowed away the vis-lenses and quickly took T'Laine in his arms as the padding began to expand around them.

"What? You're not hard again yet?" said T'Laine as she felt his body press into hers."

"Oh, no, I'm sorry," said Brond, apologetically. "I was preoccupied. I can try though."

"Shh!" she said, kissing him softly. "You're fun to tease. Computer, initiate."

"Initiating."

The lifepod began its rapid acceleration almost immediately and as they hit their strongest acceleration, T'Laine fell blissfully into unconsciousness, wrapped in Brond's arms. Brond followed closely after.

***

Still naked and drying from their shower, L'Gia and Enod watched the message come in.

"Diverting coffins to umbra, planet will shield them. Now predicting 90% survival rate."

More messages came in, filling in the blanks of where the message had come from.

Interestingly, they learned about the use of the crater on the moon to spread and distribute the signal. Within six minutes of the signal, a charged piece of ordinance hit the crater, sending up a plume of dust and debris visible from Hanshin's.

Lastly, they received the news that Brond and T'Laine were alive.

After a brief moment of celebration, and a few tears, the two of them realized some of the implications.

"Clever them," said L'Gia. "Coming up with the solution and figuring out how to send the signal."

"Yes, clever indeed."

"So..." said L'Gia, slowly. "They're alive after all, and they're going to be here in a couple days."

"Yes," said Enod.

"And we just um... you know," said L'Gia, giving a nod toward the shower."

"Uh huh," said Enod.

The two of them sat there, contemplating if they would share this information. If so, how they would share this information.

"I occurs to me..." started L'Gia.

"Yeah?" said Enod expectantly.

"It occurs to me, that Brond and my mother are locked in a piping hot coffin with nothing to do."

"True," agreed Enod. "They've certainly been warm, especially with the system working to cool two bodies."

"Yes," agreed L'Gia. "And if I remember my emergency protocols, they dictate removing most, if not all clothing, to maximize evaporative epidermal surfaces."

"You do know your emergency protocols," said Enod. "I'm impressed."

"I study hard," said L'Gia.

"So, Brond is up there with your mother, with hardly any clothes on," mused Enod.

"Probably none," chimed L'Gia.

"Lucky boy," said Enod with a grin.

"Oh! Dr. Stigsen! Naughty!" said L'Gia, punching his arm.

"Well, as much as I respect her as a scientist, it's not like I don't appreciate her...defining characteristics," said Enod with a shrug.

"I'm sure," she said, rolling her eyes.

"You don't think..." said Enod, leaving the thought hanging.

"Oh Dr. Stigsen, my mother is as randy as a Korindian. I can't tell you how many times she and Mikhael sent me to the library to study because they had 'adult things' to discuss. Discuss, my hind end! Add onto that no clothes, a desperate situation, needing comfort. People do the oddest things when they need comfort, don't you think? The shower could attest to that."

"True, very true," agreed Enod.

They thought on this for a while before Enod chuckled.

"What's funny?" asked L'Gia.

"Just, if it happened, your mother would be Brond's first, too."

"Really?' asked L'Gia.

"Oh yes, a parent doesn't always know the details, but they generally know these things. Brond's always been too awkward and shy around girls to reach that point. He'd been coming along over the past couple of years. I'd sort of hoped that, well, I'd hoped that you and he might figure those things out."

"Dr. Stigsen, look at you," giggled L'Gia. "Playing matchmaker for your boy."

"Guilty, I suppose," said Enod. "A father can hope, can't he, that his boy ends up with a bright, beautiful girl, if not for his first contract, at least for his first."

"That is the sweetest thing!" said L'Gia, kissing him on the cheek.

"Of course, now I sort of ruined it," he said, accepting the kiss reluctantly.

"How so?" asked L'Gia.

"Well, you could have been each other's firsts. Taking each other's virginity and all that."

"What?" exclaimed L'Gia. "You'd have me bed your boy unproven, inexperienced? That wouldn't be doing him a favor. No, I'd like to know a few things before then."

She said this last into his ear, nuzzling his cheek.