To Beyond

I said my name and the door to Bob’s office opened. He sat at his desk and indicated I should sit down.

He asked, “How are things going George.”

I answered, “As good as could be expected. I still don’t have a clue about what building specialty I want, but there is time for that. I have seen many parts of the ship that I missed in the mock up, and the physical training is fine.”

Bob looked at me and asked, “Have you and Nancy had intercourse yet?”

I answered defensively, “We’re getting there Bob. She just needs some time.”

Bob sighed and said, “The computer estimated that eighteen percent of the passengers would not have intercourse in the first two days. It looks as if the real percentage is twenty-six percent. The crew has been married for one month and two days. Five percent of the crew has not had sex yet. It is a problem that we underestimated, and it is bothersome.”

Bob asked, “Have you masturbated George?”

I was surprised at the question, but nodded yes.

“Good,” Bob replied. “Until this problem is solved we don’t want your sexual frustration to go to extremes. In effect, raping Nancy out of sexual frustration would be devastating to your relationship. Jerk off as much as you want; your body is almost demanding it.

“Our real problem is what to do about the sexual dysfunction that redux seems to have created.

“A sixty year old mind in a thirty year old body created a negative sexual chemistry that was not anticipated. In this case it is probably Nancy, but there are many males who resist intercourse.

“The staff has decided to be more aggressive in trying to correct this problem. I am going to give you some pills. If you think you and Nancy are almost there, one of these pills will lower her inhibitions just enough that minor doubts of hers will be pushed aside if she wants them to be.

“I suggest you do not tell Nancy about the pill. Put it in her drink where it will dissolve instantly. It will take at least an hour for anything to happen. Afterward, if you have an enjoyable intercourse it is up to you whether to tell her about the pill or not. My suggestion would be to tell her—there should be no secrets between you.

“Let’s meet again in three days and see where we are.”

Bob gave me three pills and I left his office.

The rest of the day went fine. The architectural design orientation was interesting. When the ship arrived we would look for any messages that Yuri and Anna had left. Two months would be spent exploring the planet, a city site selection made, and the building of the first of many cities would begin. The architects had to have the city design in place before arrival, so once the site selection was made, the construction droids would be put to work immediately.

Day went into night and my frustration grew. Just as I thought Nancy was ready for more, she pleaded with me for time. I had not given her a pill as her body language had been tense as soon as our dinner ended.

I kissed her goodnight, turned on my side and slept.

Day 4

I was at the per-screen in the morning.

There was some news that caught me by surprise:

“Distance traveled day three, 100,000 meters.

“Total distance traveled since launch: 101,001 meters.

“Time to destination: twenty years, three hundred sixty two days.

“No special activities scheduled.

“The ship has had its first two casualties. During the night there was an apparent murder and suicide in the apartment of Neal and Cynthia Knox. No notes were left and there was little indication that Neal had a violent personality. There will be a service at five o’clock which can be viewed on your plasma screens. The captain will preside.”

There was a picture of Neal and Cynthia before and after redux. I stared at the screen and then it came to me; it was the yellow-white haired, busty blond and one of the two men dominating my first lunch in the mock up.

The news disturbed me more than I thought it should. I was cordial to Nancy, but distant. I kept thinking of that poor woman trying to attract so that she could go on the adventure of her life. And it took her life.

Nancy and I were watching the plasma screen in the apartment at five o’clock. The captain appeared with Carolyn in formal uniform. He spoke for ten minutes. What I remember most was:

“Our most advanced computers can solve any mathematical equation known to man; project the most esoteric event with surprising accuracy, but when it tries to project human emotion, our computers are no older than a young teenager.

“Our counselors are the most respected people in their fields, but their minds don’t have the power of the computer.

“We had hoped the combination of computer and counselor would handle the emotional problems that this voyage created. Sadly, we were not perfect. It was not the fault of Neal and Cynthia, but rather that machines can not yet duplicate man, and man is not a machine.

“And so we say good-bye to two shipmates whose journey ended too soon.

“Computer, launch the bodies from the ship.”

The screen showed two containers side by side leave the ship. When they touched the eon shield, there was a brilliant burst of light and then nothing. The stars now owned the dust of our passengers.

Nancy and I went to bed together. I kissed her on the lips and she kissed me back. My mood was depressed and I said, “Have a good sleep Nancy.”

I turned on my side away from her and tried to sleep. I felt her hands on my hair and her fingers touching my neck. She kissed my neck. I pretended to be asleep. This was not our night.

Day 5

I was at the per-screen in the morning.

“Distance traveled day four: 1,000,000 meters.

“Total distance traveled sine launch: 1,101,001 meters.

“Time to destination: twenty years, three hundred sixty one days.

“No special activities scheduled.”

I asked for our schedule and the computer said, “Physical training at nine o’clock.

“Anticipatory architectural design at one o’clock—optional.

“Introduction to uni-ball strategy at three o’clock—optional.

“Dinner at the Astro Lounge—optional, but you must confirm by three o’clock if you and Nancy are accepting.”

The last item was interesting. The Astro Lounge was the premier dinner restaurant on the ship. Only fifty couples per night were accommodated. You submitted your name at first, and then the computer randomly picked the names. Once you ate there, your name was automatically placed at the end of the list. With three thousand couples, you would eat at the Astro Lounge roughly once every two months. It was amazingly lucky that the computer had chosen Nancy and me so quickly.

The food was supposed to be extraordinary and the service had a twist—humans not droids served the meal. If you were chosen to serve, your place in the reservation cue for the Astro Lounge was advanced by twenty-five couples. There was a surplus of serving volunteers as word of the restaurant filtered out.

I called to Nancy to give her the good news. She was excited also. My funk of yesterday was gone.

We arrived at physical training at the usual time. Gwen greeted us, but quickly disappeared saying to call her if we needed anything. Nancy and I went through our exercises without difficulty. Even though the computer was increasing the exercise difficulty, my body seemed to accept the challenge easily.

My erection appeared on schedule as it had every day past. Nancy even made a joke, “Does it have a clock?”

As we showered our bodies seem to touch more. Finally I asked, “Instead of squirming around, can I wash your back and you wash mine?”

There was the briefest of hesitations and she answered, “I think that is a good idea.”

Shortly afterward—no time to advance much farther than the back—the shower ended. Nancy walked to the soak tub and turned to step into it.

I saw something and said, “Nancy, your hair,” pointing at her vulva, “You cut it.” It was now two narrow bands of chestnut colored hair paralleling her slit. Where untrimmed hair had been before, was smooth, white skin.

She entered the soak tub and looked up and said, “It was Sharon’s idea. My hair was a mess and every thong I am required to wear could not contain it. It was sticking out everywhere. Sharon said that almost all the female crew had concluded that it was better trimmed. The cosmetic droids were already programmed, and I did it yesterday while you were at your business orientation.”

Nancy’s gray-green eyes looked at me as I slipped into the soak tub. She said, “I talked to Sharon about our uniforms and the workout clothes. They are so decadent I thought they were extreme. We talked for more than an hour. I understand the purpose of these clothes, but I need time to adjust. I have always worn a bra and now I am braless—held up by the smallest piece of live-elastic. I never wore a thong, and now I never wear anything but a thong. Sharon confirmed that my uniform thong was constructed so that there is always the barest hint of friction on my…down there. Until she told me, I had not realized why I sometimes felt different.

“I really am looking forward to the Astro Lounge. I hope it is good as they say it is.”

We concluded our soak tub and quickly dressed. I told the computer to confirm the dinner and Nancy and I left to attend business orientations. We finally met back at the apartment at five o’clock. It was optional, but we decided to wear our formal uniforms to the Astro Lounge.

It turned out that everyone went formal that night. The dinner was everything that we had been told to expect. There was no menu; the choice of everything was up to us. We received a pleasant surprise; our servers were Gwen and her husband. Nancy hugged Gwen in her excitement.

The meal was perfect. Five courses served slowly with sips of wine between courses to ready the taste buds for the next serving. The giant plasma screen showed the stars and the romantic background music brought it all together. Just before the dessert, I asked Nancy to dance on the small dance floor. She came into my arms and finally linked her arms around me neck as I pulled her ass slowing into me. She looked at me and we kissed. My tongue tested her lips and they finally opened. Our tongues touched and the dance was over. Nancy went over to thank Gwen so I returned to our table alone. It was clear that if ever a pill was appropriate, tonight was it. I dropped the pill into her glass and watched it melt away into the liquid.

She returned to her table with Gwen, who served me my after dinner drink request. Dessert was served. We lingered over coffee, had a last dance and walked back to our apartment.

As had become our ritual, Nancy went in to prepare for bed. I waited the appropriate time and walked into the room. She was standing in her sleep thong waiting for me; the light from the bathroom remained on.

I walked up to her and looked into her eyes. She smiled and stood on her toes to be kissed. Our lips touched and she opened her mouth; her tongue probed my lips looking for them to open. Then our tongues met. I stepped back and held each of her hands in mine; my eyes staring deeply into her eyes. Nancy stood before me naked from the waist up. I reached for her breasts and cupped them; gently lifting them. Her eyes never left mine.

I kissed the mounds of her breasts. My tongue circled her nipples and then I gently sucked each nipple. I could hear her breathing louder. She lifted my head from her breasts and we deeply kissed again. Her hands went to my uniform blouse. It dropped to the ground. My pants were released and also fell.

She knelt in front of me and slipped her fingers into my shorts. She pulled them down to me ankles. My penis sprung from its trap and lay before her mouth. She cupped my balls and then took me into her mouth. As she sucked my penis, her eyes never stopped looking at me. Her gray-green eyes were staring into mine watching my love and my lust. My arousal was overtaking me, but I knew that this was not the way to end the night.

I reached under her arms and pulled her to a standing position. I knelt before her and pulled her thong from her body. Her smell enveloped my senses; I could see her moisture sticking like beads in her silky hair. I stood up and led her to our bed. We kissed and then she lay down, her legs spread wide, her eyes watching me.

I lay next to her and kissed her mouth; we clutched at each other. Her breasts pushed into mine as she sought to feel my skin against her skin. My mouth began the assault. Her nipples were under my attack. She was moaning; crying my name. She arched her back and I released her from my assault for the moment. Then my hands covered her breasts as my mouth played down her stomach. She was gasping with pleasure; moans of sexual rapture filled the room. Those wonderful inner thighs that I had seen the first day in the gym were my next target. I licked her inner legs without mercy. Her hands were grasping my shoulders now; squeezing as if to show me her rhythm.

Finally I reached her vulva. My first touch and her legs widened even farther. By now she was begging for release; but it was too soon. My fingers gently spread her outer lips and my tongue explored her wet insides. Copious amounts of her moisture filled her. My tongue penetrated her vagina, and then searched below approaching her asshole. She arched her back in pleasure, but my tongue was on its final mission. Her swollen clitoris was easily found by my tongue.

She was pleading desperately with me now to give her release. Words had turned to guttural moans and whimpers. I knelt before her, put her legs above my arms so that she was open to me and entered her. Her passage was smooth and wet. Fully penetrating her, our bodies started the rhythm of lust and sex and love.

I thought I had teased myself too long and I would come too soon, but then I felt her vagina pulsate and squeeze me as she started to come. She screamed my name and the scream was the switch that ended my delay. My sperm shot into her; spurt after spurt invaded her insides and still I could not stop trying to get deeper into her. Her body would not stop its violent attempts to take more of me. It was like we could go forever; finally it was over. I lay across her; half of my body covering hers. We kissed and then kissed again. I could not get enough of this woman who was now mine, and it seems she could not get enough of me. Time stopped as we touched and groped and kissed; nothing was untouched; nothing we could do to each other was wrong.

I had cleaned her as my sperm started seeping from her body. She lay there; legs spread open as I gently washed her. Finally we lay quiet in each others arms. I said, “I love you Nancy…with my whole being, I love you.”

She gently kissed me in acknowledgement. Her eyes looked at me and she said, “The pill did it; what an experience.”

I asked, “Did Bob tell you?”

I saw the confusion in her eyes. She said, “It wasn’t Bob, it was Sharon. She told me that after I gave you the pill, if things went well, I should confess that I ‘helped’ you over the edge.”

Then I knew. I said, “That is what Bob told me when he gave me the pill to give to you.”

I saw the look of understanding in her eyes. Her smile turned into a giggle which turned in a stomach twisting laugh. We had drugged each other—our first wild insane sexual romp was explained.

When we stopped laughing she looked at me and said, “There seems to be a secondary, residual effect to the pill. I think it would be a shame to waste it.”

My arms reached for her again.

Day 6

The wake up tone had started. The per-screen had the news of the day:

“Distance traveled day five: 10,000,000 meters.

“Total distance traveled since launch: 10,101,001 meters.

“Time to destination: twenty years, three hundred sixty days.

“No special activities scheduled.”

The tone was becoming louder now. Two utterly exhausted, naked people--their bodies intimately entwined around each other--lay asleep on the bed. They did not hear the tone.