The Problem With Immortality Ch. 08

And then it was done.

Somehow, after only two hours, the crew was deemed "trained". Trained, in starship operations in half an afternoon, where normally it would take two years in the Survey Service.

None of this seemed real. But what exactly was "this"? That was something Anson had yet to discover.

That night at dinner, Mr. Sammock was the focus of attention. He seemed to attract women like flies. Janet King and Marsha Moore hung on to his every word.

"So you have no emotions, Mr. Sammock?" said Janet, fluttering her eyes at him.

"Valtrexians have emotions, but they are... suppressed," said Sammock. "We prefer the discipline of seriousness."

"That must be so difficult for you," said Marsha Moore. "To be a man torn apart like that."

Mr. Sammock raised an eyebrow. "It is a fact of life. To resent it would not be rational."

The women swooned over him. They seemed so aroused by a man who was calm and strong but had suppressed emotions, deep down. It was if they viewed him as a challenge, as if they wanted to dig deep within him, and see if they could bring those emotions to the surface by the sheer power of the femininity. Janet King in particular was half-fantasizing about making love to Mr. Sammock, about grinding on top of him, in an effort to draw out emotions from him. In her mind, as she rode his Valtrexian penis, up and down, up and down, he would make the first gasp, the first "ah!", the first crack in his serious facade, and it would immediately drive her to wild orgasm.

Janet smiled at him. "But what about women, Mr. Sammock?" Marsha asked.

He raised an eyebrow. He did that a lot, Anson noticed. "What about them?"

"Do you ever... take a mate?"

"Every six years," said Sammock.

"Every six years?"

"Every six years, we feel the blood lust."

"Oooh, tell us about the blood lust, Mr. Sammock!" Janet cried, excited now.

"Yes, do tell us more," said Marsha eagerly.

Leonard King, Janet's husband, seemed a little uncomfortable with his wife's rather pointed interest in Mr. Sammock. But Walter Moore, the science fiction fan, didn't seem to mind Marsha's interest at all. In fact, he was listening avidly, totally oblivious to the looks of love that Mr. Zulu was giving him.

"It is not something we often talk of with off-worlders," said Mr. Sammock.

"Oh, but you can tell us, Mr. Sammock," said Janet. "Can't you?" She put a hand on his. "Please?"

Sammock raised his eyebrow again. That seemed to be his standard response to most sorts of stimuli. "Very well. During the bloodlust, we must return to Valtrex, to fight."

"To fight? For what?"

"For our mate," said Sammock.

"Oh! That is so romantic!" said Janet, swooning over him. "Tell us more, Mr. Sammock! We want to hear it all!"

"Janet, isn't it time we got back to our quarters for the evening?" her husband Leonard interrupted.

"Later, Len," she said.

"But I'm tired," said Leonard.

"Then you go and rest, dear. I want to hear more about Mr. Sammock's exciting mating rituals!" said Janet, she said, patting Mr. Sammock's hand.

Mr. Sammock didn't command all the womens' attention, however. At the moment, Jennifer only had eyes for Captain Tiberius, sitting at his right hand side at dinner.

"...so we were thralls."

"Thralls?" Jennifer said.

"Slaves," said Tiberius, giving her a knowing look as he put his fork into a blue food cube.

"Enslaved! You, Captain?" Jennifer was excited by the mere concept of it.

"Yes, even me," said Tiberius. "They trained us, and forced us to fight."

"However did you escape?" Jennifer asked.

"I made them a wager that I could beat three of their best in a no holds barred contest in the arena," said Tiberius, putting another food cube in his mouth. He chewed dramatically.

"You beat three of their best fighters?" Jennifer asked.

"I had no choice. I killed the first two. But the third was the woman who had trained me. She had been... kind to me, during my training. I taught her about the stars."

Oh, that was so romantic! Jennifer felt like she was going to swoon. "Did you kill her, Captain?" Jennifer asked.

"No," said Tiberius, giving a small smile. "I couldn't."

"You must have women throwing themselves at you all the time," said Jennifer. "How come a handsome man like you isn't married?"

"I already have a lady," said Tiberius.

"You do?" said Jennifer, sounding disappointed.

"This ship," said Tiberius, stretching his arms theatrically. "This is my lady."

"But surely, you must notice other women," said Jennifer.

Tiberius paused, and smiled at her. "If they're pretty enough," he said, cockily.

Anson, who had been listening to this exchange, felt like stepping into the Ion Drive chamber and disintegrating himself. Jennifer was openly flirting with Tiberius, who was quite obviously an experienced ladies' man. But Jennifer didn't seem to see that. All she saw was his good looks, and his charming smile. What had happened to her sense of judgment?

******

Something was wrong with this ship.

Anson said as much to Jessica that night after dinner.

"None of this feels real," said Anson.

"How should it feel?" Jessica asked, looking at herself in a holographic mirror.

"Not like this," said Anson.

"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out and ruin things," said Jessica, petting her hair.

"Ruin things?"

"You always look to find something wrong," said Jessica. "Whether it's Death Incorporated, or the Pyramids of Amadiroland, or the Monastery of Schlong Aus, you always have to find a way to ruin everything. I still don't know what was wrong with Schlong Aus."

"Bonaa entha vaag-naa," she sang to herself, unaware she was even saying it as she admired her figure in the holomirror. She turned to Anson. "How do I look?" she asked brightly.

"As beautiful as ever. Why?"

"Lieutenant Jioto promised me a tour of the arboretum at 1800," Jessica grinned, twirling around.

"Good luck," said Anson. "If his penis is anything like the size of his blaster, I predict a happy future for the two of you."

"Jealous," said Jessica, making a face. "He's really quite dashing. Do you know that security guards have a very low survival rate on this ship?"

"They do?"

"Patrick was telling me. It seems on nearly every trip a security guard dies, usually while exploring a planet."

"How do they get killed?"

"In so many ways! They get burned by lightning, turned into foam cubes and crushed, get acidified by rock creatures, have their blood drained by honey clouds, or sucked by salt monsters, or-"

"It sounds like we're on a very perilous trip. I hope I don't get my blood drained by a honey cloud or a salt monster," said Anson.

"Oh, not to worry," said Jessica, as she checked her hair in the holographic mirror. "Patrick says no guest has ever been harmed."

"How reassuring."

She turned to him and spun in a circle. "How do I look?"

"You already asked that."

"A girl always likes to hear it again," said Jessica.

"Vain girls do," said Anson

"You're just jealous because I have a date with Patrick."

"Guilty as charged," Anson smiled, and Jessica felt better.

She palmed the door switch, and the door opened with the characteristic sharp swishing sound of every door on this ship.

Jessica gave him a sly smile and raised the heel of her black booted feet from behind in a very sexy way. "Don't wait up for me."

"I won't," Anson promised.

********

Later that evening, after the guests had gone to their quarters for the night, the officers were recreating in the Officer's Lounge. Lieutenant Jioto casually entered, after entering the number combination on the doorlock.

"Well, look who's arrived with a great, big pussyeating grin!" said Chief Engineer Endinburg. He had totally lost his Irish accent.

"Did you score with her?" Ensign Gorsky asked. He, too, had totally lost his Russian accent.

"A gentleman never tells," said Jioto, flopping into a soft chair.

"Are you playing the part of one of those too?" asked Lieutenant Uahu. "I saw that girl, Jessica. I think she would lift her miniskirt for the Ion Drive if it came with a six inch attachment."

"Jessica is rather... accessible," Jioto admitted, with a grin.

"First score?" said Gorsky.

Jioto nodded. "A lovely girl, really." And then, "Pay up, everyone."

Everyone raised their datapad and spoke into it, saying the same thing. "Deposit 25 credits in Patrick Jioto's account."

"First blood is yours," said Zulu admiringly. "That's smooth operating. Usually the Captain scores first."

"No fair, you had a real slut," said Captain Tiberius.

"Carping won't help," said Lieutenant Jioto.

"I may not be first, but I'm worth the wait," Captain Tiberius declared.

"I saw the way you had Jennifer eating out of your palm," said Chief Edinburg admiringly. "She is one hot woman! I have to wonder how such a sexy babe can be single on a trip like this."

"She looks like a man-eater," Dr. McCallister declared. "I don't think any one man can satisfy her."

"I think I may know one man who can," said Captain Tiberius, quite cockily.

Edinburg made a face. "Why do you always get the prettiest ones?"

"Because I'm the Captain," said Tiberius.

"And why do I never get to be the Captain?" Dr. McCallister asked.

"There are certain... physical requirements you don't meet, Doctor," said Tiberius.

"But I've been nearly everyone else. Chief Engineer, Navigator, Security Guard-"

"You'd have to take it up with our employers."

"What about you, Sammock? Any desire to be Captain?" Zulu asked.

"No," said Sammock. "Slow and steady wins the race."

"I saw the way you had those women glued to you. They simply love that 'I'm a hard man, but secretly vulnerable inside' act," said Gorsky admiringly.

"I think Marsha Moore will be mine," said Sammock smugly.

"That sexy babe? She's mine, Sammock!" said Chief Edinburg.

"We'll see," said Sammock.

"You're both going to have to hurry if either of you are to have her," said Captain Tiberius. "We're coming up on Fuck Town in six days. If you haven't scored by then, you never will."

Dr. McCallister slammed his hand down on a countertop. "Why did they schedule Fuck Town so early for this trip, again?"

"It's popular with the guests," said Tiberius. "It's all those luscious blonde fuckbots. They want the guests to be happy."

"But that doesn't make me happy," said McCallister. "That means I have less than five days to work on Janet King."

"Not feeling up to the challenge, Julian?" Zulu asked.

"Not with her husband constantly in tow."

"Perhaps I can help you there," Mr. Zulu grinned.

"I don't think he goes that way," said Dr. McCallister.

"You're not the only one who enjoys a challenge," said Mr. Zulu.

********

Two days later the USS Yorktown came to Gamma Hydra IV.

It was a gas giant, with ringed layers. Many ringed layers. Each one was a brilliant color--green, gold, yellow, blue, violet, purple, peach, and more. As they intersected each other, the colors seemed to weave and twist. When the light of the sun hit them, they positively shined.

"Incredible," said Jennifer, watching the image on the viewscreen.

Captain Tiberius was looking at something incredible as well; he was eyeing Jennifer's long legs and shapely thighs. The Spacefleet standard issue miniskirt didn't leave much to the imagination. Her legs, encased in transparent pantyhose as tight as a sausage casing, and tipped with those long black boots, looked incredibly sexy. And the top half wasn't shabby either. Jennifer's bosom stuck out of the tight outfit, making Captain Tiberius indecisive about which half he liked staring at more.

The Captain casually got up from his command chair and strutted over to Jennifer, like a peacock claiming his mate. Everything about Tiberius screamed dominance; his hair, which arced perfectly over his forehead, his posture, with his chest thrust forward; and the way he swaggered as he walked, leading with his broad shoulders.

He went and stood behind Jennifer, gently putting hands her shoulders and he whispered in her ear. "Enjoying the view, Yeoman?"

Jennifer turned and smiled. "Very much."

"So am I," said Captain Tiberius. "We are the first human beings to see this amazing sight." His hand on her shoulder started to roam slightly.

At that moment, Anson, at Science Station 2, found himself restraining an incredibly anti-social impulse. He wanted to race over to the other side of the bridge and punch Captain Tiberius in the head. Then, when the Captain went down, he would pin Jennifer to a bulkhead, lift the flimsy flap of her miniskirt, and bang her furiously, in front of the crew. Anson would pump in and out of her aggressively, not knowing or caring what anyone else watching said or thought, as he thrusted wildly under her little flap of a miniskirt. Jennifer might complain at first, but in moments her protests would turn to moans and he would have her gasping and coming in front of the entire bridge crew. The way she looked in that blue miniskirt, with her shapely thighs and the hints of the bottoms of her ass cheeks peeking out from below, was pure torture for Anson. And watching Captain Tiberius enjoy himself with the delectable morsel that used to be his only poured salt into a huge, gaping wound.

Suddenly, reality intervened.

"Captain, I'm getting some unusual sensor readings from that planetary body," said Sammock, staring into his blue scanner box. "The rings... they're made of organic material."

"Sammock... they're alive?" said Tiberius dramatically, accentuating every word.

"Affirmative," said Sammock.

"We've made history," said Tiberius, thrusting his chest forward. "This may be the one of the greatest discoveries in Spacefleet history! Our names will all be recorded in the history texts."

Everyone gasped. They turned and watched the beautiful, amazing form of life on the viewscreen. They stood there for several minutes, watching the rings weave in and out of each other, as if they were sentient beings, alive. The colors mixed and shifted. It was a tremendous sight. Everyone was in awe.

Except Anson. He was believing nothing of what he was seeing. The ship had set a course to a solar system, apparently at random, and on its very first stop had encountered a spectacular new form of life. How likely was that?

"We'll have to name them, you know," said Tiberius, whispering in Jennifer's ear as he put a hand experimentally around her waist.

"What?"

"The living rings," said Tiberius, letting his hand creep, just a bit. "We'll have to name them. As the people who discovered them, we have the right to name them." He paused and looked into her eyes. "I think we should call the gold ones Jennifer."

Jennifer turned and blushed, and then blushed an even deeper shade when she saw how Tiberius was smiling at her.

"Aye," said Chief Edinburg. "And I think we should name the silver rings after Marsha."

"Oh, you wouldn't!" said Marsha Moore, an embarrassed smile on her face.

"Why not?" said Dr. McCallister. "And we can call the violet ones the Janet Rings."

And now it was Janet King's turn to blush.

Anson saw what was going on here. This was not exploration. This was seduction. The girls were tittering. Their husbands looked a little annoyed, as if they were being cuckolded, and only now started to realize it.

And as for Jennifer... he saw how Captain Tiberius was already getting his hooks into her. And there was nothing he could do about it. She hated him so much she wouldn't even talk to him.

But he had left her.

He had left her, and that had been a mistake. The biggest mistake of his entire life.

Anson finally admitted it to himself now. The feelings he had had the day he had left her, the feelings of weariness after 311 years of marriage, had, over the past nine months, gradually dissipated and been replaced with something else.

Need.

And not just a need for any woman.

A need for Jennifer. He realized at that moment that he had thrown away the only thing that he had ever loved.

Anson looked at her, and saw her smiling as Captain Tiberius wrapped his arm tighter around her waist. It broke his heart.

********

They celebrated their intrepid discovery of a new form of life over dinner.

Captain Tiberius decided this called for something special: a musical performance!

Mr. Sammock was the center of attention, in the mess hall, playing some kind of instrument, like a guitar, only it was rectangular shaped, and when he plucked the strings, it sounded like an organ. Meanwhile Lieutenant Uahu played something that looked like a bicycle wheel, with strings for spokes. When she plucked the strings it sounded much like an electrical guitar, though no power connection could be seen.

Sammock played dispassionately, but the melody of his instrument was soft and dreamy. Uahu's instrument was more brash and plucky. Chief Edinburg had his arm around Marsha Moore, and Anson saw his hands working towards her breasts. Every time he touched them she smiled and shifted away to avoid his touch, but each time he tried again, Marsha let him do it a little longer before resisting, and soon she was openly smiling as he fondled her breasts through her skimpy excuse of a uniform that seemed to have been designed more for titillating and fucking than exploring and surveying.

Dr. McCallister was having equally good luck with Janet King. He was sitting next to her and whispering things in her ears that made her laugh. Gradually whispering turned to fondling, and soon he was making a trail of kisses around her neck that made her gasp.

And where were their husbands while this was going on? Coincidentally, they were performing "special duty" on the bridge, under the command of Mr. Zulu. Leonard King and Walter Moore considered it an honor to handle a shift of bridge duty. Perhaps they would have felt a little less honored if they saw what the bridge crew was doing to their wives.

Anson saw Jessica flirting with Jioto, the redshirted security guard. When he had asked her how their first date had gone, Jessica had rolled her eyes and given an orgasmic growl. If things worked out between them, the two of them could build a relationship that could last days, perhaps even a week.

But mostly Anson had eyes for Jennifer. Jennifer was laughing hysterically to something that Captain Tiberius was saying. And then he smiled and whispered something in her ear, and she nodded vigorously, and they both left, hand in hand.

Anson had no business following them, but his body felt like it was under someone else's control. He stayed some distance behind them, and then saw them go into the ship's arboretum. Anson strayed outside the door for a long while, wondering what to do. Then he heard the sounds of Jennifer's girlish laughter, and he couldn't resist. He entered the room.

The arboretum was filled with all sorts of exotic plants. It gave Anson some cover, and at first they didn't see him. But he saw them.

Jennifer was in the Captain's arms.

"And then I got bitten by a Jugatu," said Tiberius.

"A Jugatu?"

"It looks like a giant white ape, with a horn on top. Five inch fangs. Very poisonous."

"Jason, what happened?" Jennifer asked.

Jason. They were on a first name basis now.

"I was taken to a local priestess, and she mixed a potion which neutralized the poison," said Tiberius. "But unfortunately she also cried into my wound. And it was well known that the tears of a priestess were a strong potion of love."

Something odd was stimulated in Anson's memories.