Forrest felt himself jerk awake. He did not feel like he had slept at all.
It could not have been later than midday, but it was obvious his mind would not let him sleep despite his fatigue. He slid out of the bed, careful not to wake Linwolse, and put on his clothes.
He went to the desk, activated the terminal, and logged on to the Network. The only way they could take the Forever was for him to get aboard and gain control of the computers. And that meant he had to get to the Forever somehow. There would be supply ships, tech ships, crew ships--he knew not what all--departing for the great ship on a regular schedule. If he could get himself assigned to one of those ships under an alias . . .
The Network logo came on screen, and a message appeared at the bottom of the screen informing him that he had electronic mail.
He stared at the screen, startled. He should not have mail. No one knew he was here. His Network name and I.D. was a fake, an alias, and untraceable. The message might be a tracer--an electronic bullet sent out to search for illegal taps into the Network. If he received the mail then at best the location of his node would be found and disabled. At worst the physical location of his terminal might be determined, and WG agents would arrive within minutes.
Then again, it might be Serp.
This last thought made the decision. If it was Serp, then he was trying to locate him. And he might have important information.
Forrest hit the Receive button, and this message was drawn on the screen:
Check the Late Breaking News.
--Serp
He backed out of the mail service and hit the key that would bring up the news service. Thirty-seven entries were listed, most having to do with the early launching of the Forever. Forrest would read them all, but first he would read the one titled: "Melinda Hauser Arrested."
An attractive, blonde-haired, female reporter appeared on the screen. She spoke:
"After the failed attempt to capture intruders at Worldly Machines last night, World Government agents went to the home of Melinda Hauser, the wife of the missing Forrest Hauser of Worldly Machines, and took her into custody. Agents at the scene said that Mrs. Hauser was believed to be involved in a conspiracy against the government, and that she was being taken in for questioning. The agents would not say what conspiracy or why Mrs. Hauser was a suspect.
"As you know, Forrest Hauser is wanted for the murder of Marsha Hendly. Hendly was a nurse who was attending him at his home while he was reportedly ill. An anonymous source within the WG says it is believed that Hauser killed the nurse when she discovered his involvement in a plot against the government, and then tried to make it look like an act of sexual violence to throw investigators off balance. The source reports it is believed that Mrs. Hauser is a co-conspirator. It was not said what the plot is supposed to be.
"However, it is widely believed that a plot to skyjack the spaceship Forever is underway. Could it be that the Hausers are part of such a plot? Would Forrest Hauser, who possesses confidential knowledge of the Forever, want to skyjack the spaceship? And if so, why?"
The image of the reporter dissolved and was replaced with the selection list. The time given next to the report he had just viewed was 6:00 A.M. That was six hours ago.
Forrest stood and paced the room. They had no right to involve his wife. She knew nothing. She was innocent of any wrong doing. She was a victim. And yet the government treated her as a criminal, and the news services were having a field day. If they hurt her in any way he would . . . he didn't know what he would do. But he could not just do nothing.
He returned to the terminal and entered the stolen code that would give him administrative access. This was a dangerous activity. Given the current situation, Network security would be extraordinarily tight. But he must find out what was happening to his wife.
He put the machine into search mode and entered his wife's Network I.D. The Network could not possibly keep up with the location of all persons at all times, but since his wife had just been arrested her location and status would be readily known. Despite this, it took nearly ten seconds before the terminal reported success. She had been taken to the WG Bureau of Investigation office in the Government Buildings Complex.
Forrest requested access to the WGBI node structure.
"PRIVILEGED ACCESS VIOLATION!" the Network reported.
He immediately killed the terminal. This was just the sort of action the Network Guardians would be looking for. Administrative privilege did not give him access to sensitive government nodes. He would have to find another way in.
In his college days, he and his friends took great delight in hacking the Network. They would have contests to see who could break into the deepest levels of Network security. They were both surprised and dismayed at how easy it was. No harm was intended; it was just for fun. But the fun and the hacking ended when Forrest's best friend was caught breaking into a node structure just a bit too sensitive. His friend went to prison, but not before telling Forrest the procedures he had learned. It was these methods he was using now.
There were many ways to break into a node structure, but the one that most often worked was to enter the node under the guise of automated diagnostics, and once there switch to administrative access using a backdoor left in the system by a slipshod programmer long ago. And it was this technique that Forrest used to break into the WGBI node structure.
Once that he was in, Forrest purloined the Network I.D. of a high-ranking government agent. He now had free access to the node structure, and to anyone monitoring the system it would seem like normal, periodic diagnostics.
By law, all government activities must be recorded on video and audio and these recordings stored in the local node computers. Forrest entered the records subsystem and studied the list displayed on the screen. He narrowed the list down by selecting "Interrogations." There was only one item on the resulting list and it was tagged as being in progress. He selected View.
The screen shifted to the view of a small room containing a table and uncomfortable looking chairs. His wife sat on one side of the table, and two men on the other. The table held a pitcher of water, a few glasses, and an ashtray full of cigarettes. To one side of the table was a small white box of unknown purpose. The men were the typical government types, goons in suits. Forrest could not see their faces, but his wife's was clearly visible. Her eyes were red from crying. The man on the right was speaking.
". . . we have been here for several hours. And we will be here for many more until you give us the answers we need. I am growing weary of this. Do not force us to use more extreme measures. Where is your husband?"
His wife looked at the man as if he was dimwitted. "How many times do I have to tell you? I don't know where he is. I wish I did! I want to know where he is more than you do! But I don't."
The second man spoke. "We don't believe you. We know your husband is involved with a terrorist organization, possibly genoclonic, and we believe you are also involved. If you cooperate with us, things will go much better for you." He took a hit on his cigarette.
Melinda shook her head angrily. "Do you guys take stupid pills everyday? You can't get information out of me that I do not have! And I will tell you one more time, my husband is not a terrorist. I don't know who has him, but whoever they are, they are using him. You should be trying to rescue him. But no, you have decided that he is one of them."
The first man poured water into a glass and placed it in front of her. She took a sip, and looked a him.
"That glass holds water, but your story does not," he said. "Your husband has brutally murdered an innocent woman. The evidence to support this fact is overwhelming. The crime scene analysis also shows that you were there at the time, at least briefly. Your pheromones were found at the scene."
"My God, man," Melinda retorted. "I live there. It is my home! My pheromones will permeate the whole place."
"That is not the only evidence we have against you," the man continued. "But that does not matter now--"
"My husband did not kill her!"
"Mrs. Hauser," the second man injected, "our best forensic experts have confirmed that your husband is the only one who could have killed her."
"Your experts are wrong!"
"Your loyalty to your husband is admirable. But we base our conclusions on fact, not emotion."
She cried softly. "I know my husband. He could not kill anyone."
The first man spoke. "Let's start again. Where is your husband?"
Melinda stared at him through her tears. "Do you want the truth, or would you prefer I make something up that fits your theory?" The sarcasm in her voice was more than evident.
"We want the truth."
"Well then, I've already given you that. I don't know where he is."
A silence came over the room for several moments, then the first man continued.
"We are prepared to use drugs to extract the information from you if you make it necessary."
"You cannot extract what is not there!" she said.
"Well, I guess we will find out."
The interrogator opened the white box and took out a syringe and a vial. He plunged the needle into the soft cap of the vial and drew a clear liquid into the syringe. Holding the instrument in front of Melinda, he held it needle up and forced the air bubbles out.
"We prefer not to use this. When the drug wears off you will have a splitting headache and feel sick for several days afterward. But the drug will make you talk freely, and you will tell the truth."
"I've already done that!" she said.
"I do not think so. But I'll give you one more chance. Where is your husband?"
Melinda stared at the man and said nothing.
"Very well." He grabbed her arm and pulled it across the table.
"I have allergies. The wrong drug could kill me!" she insisted.
The man ignored her and searched for a suitable vein in her arm. When he found it, he pushed the needle in and forced the clear liquid into her body. He then removed the syringe and placed it back into its container.
The two men sat and watched her. Almost immediately her face sagged and her mouth fell open. She seemed to have difficulty holding her head up.
"Now then," the first man said, "I'm going to ask you some questions and you must answer all of them truthfully."
"Okey dokey," she responded, a lopsided grin on her face.
"What is your name?"
"Thaaat's eeeasy. It'sss Melinder Susan Hauser." She moved her head to one side and then the other as she spoke each word.
"Okay. What is your WG I.D.?"
"Oh dear, a hardy one. Let's see, it's F2038-WC-SE-23845-67. God, I can't believes I remembers that."
"Good. Now, when was the first time you had sex?"
She pursed her lips and tried to lean back in her chair. "That's kinda personal, ain't it?"
"Just answer the question."
"Well, it wass with my first cousin. We's only thirteen, and God was it so goood!"
This was news to Forrest. But it did not matter.
"Mrs. Hauser, where is your husband, Forrest Hauser?"
She looked at him, her eyes half closed. "I dunno. Do you?"
After she spoke these words, her eyes closed and her head fell forward and hit the table with a solid thunk.
The second man looked at the first. "You gave her too much! She's out cold."
"How was I to know how much to give her? Different people require different dosages."
"You gave her twenty cc's. That would put a gorilla to sleep!"
"Well, whatever the case, we'll have to wait until she comes around." He stood and faced the camera. "Interrogation paused. Case 2063-1305. Subject Melinda Hauser. Camera off."
Forrest's terminal screen went blank. He quickly entered the sequence that would reactivate the camera and the local node recorder. The room reappeared. The men would not know that the camera was active, and their actions recorded.
The two men stood around Melinda's slumped form. One of them shook her, but she did not awaken.
"A pretty little thing, don't you think, Jack?" the first man said.
"Yeah. Too bad she's such a bitch. If not for the camera, I would have beat the truth out of her. Sometimes a fist in the face works better than any drug."
"That's true. But we can have some fun with her. She owes us that--for all our trouble, I mean."
"Ian, are you suggesting what I think you are?" Jack asked.
"Yep." Ian grinned, and Jack returned the grin.
Forrest felt alarm. If they touched her he would, he swore to himself, find them and kill them. Even if it was the last thing he ever did on this planet, he would destroy them--slowly and painfully.
The two men picked up Melinda's sleeping form and laid her on the table face up, her legs hanging off one end. The man called Ian then pulled her skirt up over her waist and removed her panties.
Forrest watched in helpless anger.
"My, such a nice pussy for a bitch," he said, laughing. He reached and ran his fingers through her pubic hair, and then poked a finger into her vagina.
"Wait," Jack said. "It's my turn to go first!"
"Oh, Okay. Guess I'll take sloppy seconds." Both men laughed.
Jack went around the table and faced Melinda's naked bottom. He pushed his pants to his knees and massaged his penis to full erection. He then thrust it into her.
"No!" Forrest screamed. "Leave her alone, you fucking asshole!"
They, of course, could not hear him. But Linwolse did. She sat up in bed.
"Forrest? What is it?"
He ignored her, and continued to watch the screen in disbelief as the man named Jack raped his wife. Linwolse got out of bed, wrapped a blanket around herself, and came to his side.
"What is this?" she asked.
"WG agents are raping my wife," Forrest answered.
"Your wife? Where is this coming from?"
"The government complex downtown. I broke into the Network node there. They don't know the camera is running." He looked at her. "Lin, this is realtime. It's happening right now. Can you do something?"
"I am so sorry, Forrest. It is too far away for me to reach."
"I am going to kill them!" he said.
"I will see that you get your chance," she said, and she meant it.
They watched the screen in silence as the rape continued. The man named Ian watched with exuberance as his friend thrust into Melinda's body. Her body began to tremble convulsively, but she remained unconscious.
"Look at that," Jack said. "She's enjoying it! Look at her shake. Damn, I'm I good or what?"
"Don't go big-headed on me. She's fucking unconscious, man," Ian said.
"Well, I still think she likes it, whether she knows it or not."
He continued to rape her.
"Have you ever tried ass-fucking?" Ian asked.
"Naw. Too nasty for me," Jack answered, his voice breathless.
"Me neither. But since we have such a willing lady here, I thought I might give it a try."
Jack started to laugh, but then he ejaculated. He removed his penis from Melinda's body and tried to wipe it clean with the material of her skirt. She was deadly still. He pulled his pants up and buckled his belt.
"Thanks ma'am. That was very nice of you."
The room was filled with laughter, and Forrest thought he would explode from frustrated anger.
The men traded places, and just as Ian was about to lower his pants, Jack stopped him.
"Wait!" he shouted.
"What?" Ian demanded.
"Look at her eyes. Something is wrong."
They all studied Melinda's eyes. They were open and staring blankly. Forrest was reminded of the way the nurse's eyes had looked after she died, and his chest tightened in morbid fear.
Jack placed a hand to her neck, feeling for a pulse. "Oh shit! She's dead!"
Ian gaped at him. "You mean I was about to fuck a dead woman?"
"It's not funny, Ian. She's dead, and we killed her!"
And it was not funny. Tears of anger and loss came to Forrest's eyes. Linwolse put an arm around him and held him close.
"So, she overdosed on the truth drug. That happens sometimes. We'll be reprimanded and that will be the end of it."
"No, Ian, that will not be the end of it. They will find my semen inside of her. And that will be difficult to explain."
"Oh shit! We're dead meat," the other said, fear in his voice.
"As it should be," Linwolse said as she killed the terminal.
Forrest wept. "Why, Linwolse? She was a good woman, a loving wife and mother. She did nothing to deserve this. She was innocent and any wrong doing, and they killed her!"
"I know," Linwolse said, her voice soothing.
"Why?" he shrieked. "Why does she have to be dead?" The kinetic energies created by his distraught mind caused the lights in the room to waver and objects in the room to shake.
Linwolse held his face in her blistered hands, ignoring the pain.
"Forrest, you must control yourself! You are putting out too much energy."
He looked into her eyes, and felt himself calm somewhat.
"What do I do now?" he asked.
"You adjust--you simply adjust. But I promise you this, Forrest. You will have your revenge against these men and the government they represent. This is a vow I make to you. You will have your revenge."
And Forrest knew that he would. The WG, and maybe the whole fucking planet, would pay for his wife's death. One way or another, they would pay. And they would forever regret the day that they made Forrest Hauser their enemy.
Forrest felt her tremble. "You are not well, Lin."
"I'm still weak, but I'm okay."
"Go back to bed. You must rest and recover. We have much to do."
"Okay, my love. Will you join me?"
"Not now. I've still got more research to do. Besides I couldn't sleep anyway."
She kissed him on the forehead and then went back to the bed and got under the covers.
A knock came at the door.
Forrest went and opened the door. One of the unnamed male Enonians stood outside the door and gave him a concerned look. He was tall (almost a head taller than Mandoss) and muscular with black eyes and long black hair.
"My name is Jerac. I sleep in the room next to yours. I felt you call out to the Mind. Do you need assistance?"
Forrest had no idea what the Mind might be.
"No. I'm fine now. Something happened to upset me."
"What?"
"They killed my wife."
"Who?"
"WG goons."
"That is Typical. The human species elects its brightest minds to make the laws and then hires the dull ones to enforce it. Without our intervention, humans would have exterminated themselves long ago."
Forrest was in no mood to argue the point, and said nothing.
Jerac continued. "It is a great loss to lose a good wife. I have lost hundreds. And the pain is always great. But you adjust in time."
Forrest did not want to discuss the subject. He just wanted Jerac to go away.
"I thank you for your concern. But I must get back to work now."
"I understand. If you need anything, please feel free to call on me. I wish to be your friend."
"I appreciate that, Jerac. I will talk to you later."
"Of course."
Forrest closed and locked the door. He did not know what to think of Jerac. He could not read him, could not see behind those intense, dark eyes. Forrest could not trust anyone he could not read. There seemed to be something calculating about him, something hidden--working to an end Forrest could not see. If Jerac was truthful about being his friend, he would know soon enough.
Linwolse was watching him. "Jerac has offered you friendship. That is a good sign that the others are accepting you as one of their own."
"I don't know if I can trust him," Forrest said.
"You should not trust him completely, at least not yet. You must also earn his trust."
Forrest went to the bed and sat next to her. He looked into her eyes and felt love for her.
"I love you, Lin. And you, I do trust with all my heart."
Linwolse smiled. "And likewise I trust you, my love."
He was disturbed that he could so easily accept Linwolse's love after just witnessing Melinda's death. But life must go on, and there were deeds to be done, plans to be made, and revenge to be had.
"Go to sleep now," he said. "You will never heal if you stay awake all the time taking care of me."
"Yes, my love." She closed her eyes.
Forrest returned to his desk, activated the console, and logged on to the Network.
And it was with a greater sense of purpose that Forrest searched the Network nodes, looking for some way to get himself to the Forever.
And he found it.
Forrest was late. They were all there, except Linwolse who he had instructed to stay in bed. As he entered the planning room he found them gathered around the large holoviewer. An image of the Forever was projected above with an apparent length of two meters. Jerac noticed him first and gave him a quick smile. Mandoss turned to him.
"Jerac tells me that your human wife has been killed by the WG," he said softly.
"Yes."
"We did not mean for her to be hurt. I am greatly sorry for this event." Mandoss sounded as if he truly meant what he said.
Forrest had mix emotions. Mandoss was admitting that Melinda's death was in part their doing, and he felt the urge to tell Mandoss to go to hell. But he resisted the urge. His wife's death had changed the situation, giving him a greater sense of imperative, and he needed them as much as they needed him. He was one of them now, and he would use them just as they were using him.
"What has been done cannot be undone," Forrest said and Mandoss nodded. "But I shall have my revenge against the WG and the goons that killed her."
"Time is short, but we will do what we can to assist you in your revenge," Mandoss said.
"Why waste time on that?" Lasandra contended. She stood on the opposite side of the holoviewer from Forrest, and if the projection of the Forever had been lower he would not have been able to see her face. "We have too much to lose to waste time and energy on the wants of a Once Human."
Forrest glowered at her and was about to speak when Jerac spoke.
"He deserves his revenge!" Jerac said. "I felt his anger during the day, and it was the anger of an Enonian, not a Once Human. He is of the Mind, and warrants our support."
Lasandra glared at him. "I have no patience for your religion, Jerac. It is too dangerous to divide our efforts now."
Mandoss raised his hands in behest. "We all felt the outcry of our New One. And we will do what we can to see that revenge is his. But now we have more immediate concerns--"
"I still say it is foolish!" Lasandra spat.
Forrest could not contain himself. "Lasandra, you go to fucking hell!" She grinned at him, and he hated her for it.
"Stop!" Mandoss commanded. "This bickering gets us nowhere."
"May I speak?" Forrest asked.
"Yes, of course."
"I have already taken steps to get my revenge. And what I have planned will not interfere with our taking of the Forever."
Mandoss gave him an approving look. "What have you done?"
"The WG will try to cover up the death of my wife. The men responsible will be reprimanded, reduced in rank, and transferred to another post. I have altered Network records so that they will be transferred to the Forever as part of the pre-launch security force. They will be aboard when we take the ship, and they will be mine."
"Very good! I take it that you have come up with a plan to take the Forever."
"I have devised a way to get me on board so that I can gain control of the computer systems. But there is still the problem of how to get the rest of you on board. I have ideas, but I didn't want to implement anything until we discussed the matter."
"And how will you get on board?"
"I've created a false identity in the Network archives. This false person has been assigned duty to a tech ship. The crew of this ship, along with several other ships, will be combing the hull of the Forever to verify that all exterior systems are functioning properly. Once I am there, I will manufacture a false report of deflector rod failure near the ship's thrusters. No one will be suspicious when I leave the ship on a spacerider headed for the thrusters. I can gain entry to the Forever through one of the maintenance airlocks of the thruster cylinder. Once inside, I gain control of the ship's computers."
The Enonians had watched him intensely as he spoke, and he realized how extremely importantly this mission was to them, and how unimportant he was by comparison.
"You are sure you can control the computers?" It was the remaining unnamed Enonian male that asked.
Forrest looked at him, unable to read his expression.
"Who are you, if I may ask?"
"My name is Blix. Answer my question."
"Well, Blix, as you know I was project manager for the computer design and programming. I have examined the files Linwolse and I retrieved from Worldly Machines, and there are many backdoors left in the code. Some of those doors are extremely complex, and they simply have not had the time to remove them, at least not all of them. I can enter the system through most any console. If I partially disable the internal security system, I should be able to get to the main bridge undetected. The security force and external monitors will not know anything is amiss. Once I get to the bridge, I gain control of the ship."
"There will be guards on the bridge," Eletel said.
"Yes, there will be. I'll have to kill them."
"That will set off an alarm." Jerac said.
"Yes, but I will have secured the bridge before they can do anything about it."
Lasandra spoke. "So then you have the Forever. How do we get on board?"
"There are hundreds of Guardian ships protecting the Forever. And several hundred more are due to lift off in the next few days. Perhaps if you commandeered one of those ships."
All eyes went to Artemus, and Forrest followed.
"No," he said. "A Guardian ship is too small to carry the Nothingness Drive. We need a cargo ship."
"That should be no problem," Forrest said. "Hundreds of cargo ships are scheduled to arrive at the Forever in the next several days. This is a case where the decision to launch the Forever two years early works to our advantage. Even though security is high, a lot of last minute details are being handled in haste. That means a lot of chances have to be taken to get things done on time. While supplies being shipped to the Forever will be checked, they will not be as thorough as normal. I can create false identities for each of you, and a false manifest. Then it's just a matter of getting you into the liftoff queue, and the drive to the ship. The cargo ship's crew should be easy to control."
"There's a lot of loose ends here, but I think the general plan will work," Artemus said. He winked at Forrest.
"I agree," Mandoss said. "We can work out the details. But the important thing is that the cargo ship arrives at the Forever soon after Forrest gains control of the ship."
"And the security force on board will be our initial blood supply," Lasandra said.
"True. Now, let us get to work--"
"One more thing," Forrest said. "The tech ship I'm assigned to lifts off tonight at midnight."
"Well then, you best get prepared. Eletel will see to your needs. I will fill you in on the timetable later."
"And Linwolse?"
"She will be attended to. Do not worry about her. Just do your job."
Forrest rose to leave the room, and Eletel followed.
"Forrest," Lasandra called.
He turned and looked at her. "What?"
"You cannot fail us, for I shall drink your blood, if you do."
Forrest stared at her for a moment and then said nothing. He turned and exited the room with Eletel close behind.
The next few hours, as he created the false records in the Network and Eletel prepared his disguise, would be the last hours he would spend in this house--and on Earth for many thousands of years.
The small tech ship Newton 6 was launched from the Earth orbiting midway station without the benefit of inertial inhibiters. It would take six hours for the craft to each the Earth-Moon L-2 point, where the Forever and its support ships were waiting. And Forrest would be sick the whole time. The acceleration of the shuttle that brought the crew to the station was bad enough; but to be accelerated again and then plunged into weightlessness was more than his system could take. He seemed to spend more time in the head regurgitating (or at least trying to) than he did in his quarters or the commons.
The captain would not activate the gravity generators until they reached the L-2 point where the gravity field would be needed to prevent the tools and instruments of their trade from roaming aimlessly about the ship. Until then, it was considered a waste of energy.
Forrest returned from one of his frequent trips to the head, and strapped himself into his seat in the commons. Most of the crew thought his predicament to be rather amusing, but not the girl who sat across from him. He had chosen his starboard position partly because of the view of the stars it afforded, but mostly because the seat was a single unit, allowing for the passageway through the commons. But this did not stop the girl from taking the single seat across and facing him.
She had introduced herself as Lisa Hill. She was young, tall, athletically slender, and feminine. Her hair was a straight, shoulder-length, deep red-brown, held down by the tiny and almost invisible magnets attached to the ends and attracted to the magnets hidden in the collar of her jumpsuit. Her complexion was clear and pleasantly tanned. She had large dark brown eyes that must have stolen many a man's soul. She spoke with a pleasant and slightly British accent. She wore a technician's white jumpsuit as did the rest of the crew, but this did not hide the curves of her body. Forrest found her to be uncommonly attractive.
"Landlubber?" she asked, smiling.
"Yes, I'm afraid so. I'm not used to space travel," Forrest responded.
"How did you get this assignment? They usually only hire experienced spacers."
"I'm a specialist in deflector field design. I'm on loan from my company."
"You're an engineer then? Not just a lowly technician like the rest of us."
Forrest smiled at her. "I wouldn't call technicians lowly. Sometimes techs have to fix the goof-ups we engineers design."
She laughed and he joined in with her.
"Is there a problem with the deflectors on the Forever?" she asked.
"No. Not that we know of, anyway. The WG is just being cautious. From what I understand, all kinds of specialists are being called in to make sure the Forever is ready for its early launch."
"Yeah, I heard that was so. It seems strange. I mean I understand the reasons for the early launch, with the terrorist threat and all. But I was expecting to spend the next two years on this assignment, and now this will be my last trip out."
"The decision to launch the Forever early took most of us by surprise," Forrest said. "But still, I find it hard to believe that anyone could actually skyjack the Forever. With all the security in place, it would seem impossible. Why even try?"
She studied him for several seconds, and Forrest found it discomforting. "Who knows?" she finally said. "If they are genoclones, I imagine they want to populate the galaxy with their own kind rather than us lowly humans."
"Yes, I suppose that is true. There has been a lot of talk about the genoclonic threat."
There was a lull in the conversation, and Forrest watched the silent stars through the protective metacrystal. He knew that if all went as planned, he would soon be out there amongst the stars and the mysteries they would bring. A part of him looked forward to the experience, but another part felt an indeterminate dread.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" she said.
"What?"
"The stars."
"Oh, yes they are," Forrest said.
"I have this silly dream about being a deep space explorer. But I'll most likely be a decrepid old lady before we have the drive technology that would even get us to Alpha Centauri in a reasonable time."
Forrest looked at her. "Don't give up on that dream. There are some promising technologies under development that just may work. Perhaps sooner that you think."
She returned his looked and smiled. "I'll remember that."
Forrest did not return the smile, though. At that moment he felt his stomach trying to move up into his throat.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"Just my space sickness."
"Oh! I'm being stupid! We've got a spinner in the exercise room. Come with me."
She took him by the hand and led him to the rear of the ship. The magnets in their boots kept them from flying off the metal floor. They went down a narrow hallway past the crew quarters to a part of the ship Forrest had not seen. The room they entered was large for a tech ship, but then it had to be to hold the ten-meter diameter spinner. They maneuvered around the various exercise machines until they reached the far side. Lisa unsnapped a pad from the floor and placed it on the inside of the spinner, trying to convince it to stay put. She then pulled him into the spinner, set it for one-gee, and flipped the switch.
Forrest felt himself fall to the inside surface of the spinner against the pad, with Lisa beside him. To his senses it did not seem that the spinner was turning, but rather that the ship was turning about the spinner. He laid his head on the pad and closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of weight. The spinner was precisely balanced and tuned, the only obvious evidence that he was in a rotating contraption being the purring of its drive motors.
"Is that better?" Lisa asked.
"Yes, much better. At least as long as I keep my eyes closed. I don't know if I can handle the universe spinning about us like that."
"Oh, the vertigo. I'm sorry. I'm so used to it that I didn't think to pull the blinders down."
He heard her work the controls and felt the spinner adjust itself slightly as its distribution of mass changed.
"Okay, you can open your eyes now," she said.
He did, and it looked like they were inside of a giant, hollow torus.
"Amazing. I can't even tell I'm moving."
This was not entirely true. His enhanced perception could detect the minor adjustments of the spinner's servo loop, and a breeze could be felt circulating through the torus. But the illusion was quite satisfactory, and his stomach returned to its normal position.
Lisa propped her head up on her hand and gazed at him.
"Tell me about yourself," she said.
Forrest felt a tinge of concern. She was getting too close, and he could not afford it.
"There's not much to tell."
"Well, you could start with your name."
"I'm sorry. Derek Wiley."
"Derek? I like that. And?"
"And what?"
She grinned. "There's more to you than just a name."
"Well, I'm American, born and raised in Tampa Florida. After graduating from high school I attended the University of Florida where I got my degree in physics with a specialty in torsion field theory. After that I worked for various firms, and finally ended up working with an engineering consulting firm in Orlando. And here I am. I told you there wasn't much to tell. Pretty dull stuff, huh?"
"Are you married?" she asked without hesitation.
"Never been married."
"Why not?"
"Never met the right girl, I guess. What about you?"
"I've never married either. I've always been too busy pursuing a career in space to settle down and be a wife or mother."
"What got you interested in space?"
"Probably my father. He's an astrophysicist. I was born in London where my father taught and did his research. My mother was a photojournalist. They were always so busy, I was practically raised by my nanny. When I was thirteen my mother was killed in a plane crash, and soon thereafter my father and I moved to America where my father got tenure at Harvard. Anyway, I was always around people who were talking about space and the out there and I became fascinated with the subject. Everyone thought I'd grow up to become a model or actress since I'm so, so beautiful, they said. But no, I went to MIT, got my degree in astronomics, and here we are talking about it."
"You are beautiful," Forrest said, though he knew he shouldn't.
"So are you," she responded.
Forrest smiled at her. No one had ever told him that before.
They gazed at each other for several moments and Forrest started to speak, but then said nothing.
She sat upright and looked at him with concern. "I don't want you to think that I'm the type of girl that--I mean, I don't usually . . ." She looked away.
"I don't think you are that kind of girl," he said.
"It's just that I find you so very attractive, from the very first time I saw you."
"I'm attracted to you as well." Forrest didn't know why he said that. This was certainly no time to get involved with someone. There was too much at stake to risk it on what could never be more than a short-term relationship. But he could not stop himself.
She continued. "I lot of the men I've worked with have made advances to me. But they almost always have wives or girlfriends back on Earth. They just want easy sex, and I can understand that. But I'm just not that way. I want my relationships to have some meaning. I need to feel something about the person I'm with. It gets pretty lonely up here sometimes."
"I know the feeling." He sat up and looked into her eyes.
"You do?"
She studied him with ardent concern, and a look of anticipation.
Forrest leaned over and kissed her warmly. She hesitated briefly, but then kissed him back with equal feeling. They then separated and she laid back on the pad, her eyes never losing contact with his.
"Make love to me," she said, her voice almost inaudible.
Forrest contemplated her as he caressed her face. He wanted her. He wanted to share the love and joy of intimacy that she needed, to feel her next to him, a union of spirit as well as body. But he could not. It was too dangerous--not only for him, but for her as well.
"I can't," he said finally.
"There's someone else?"
"No. It's just that time is short. When this assignment is over, you'll go your way and I'll go mine. We might not ever see each other again. I don't want to hurt you."
"It doesn't have to end that way."
"But it will. Our lives are on separate paths."
"They don't have to be," she said.
"But they are. We are different."
She sat up and turned away from him. She did not speak.
Forrest continued. "Look, I can't even get on a spaceship without getting sick. And this is your whole life, your dream. You could not be happy being earthbound."
"I did not ask you to marry me!" She said, a hint anger.
"No, you asked me to make love to you. And love is the operative term here. You asked for love, not simple sex. And if I give that to you now, I may not be able to later."
"Aren't you making things a bit complicated?" She would not look at him.
"Sex can be turned on and off, but love cannot."
She turned to face him. There were tears in her eyes.
"I just want to be close, to feel love in what for me is an otherwise loveless life."
"If we open that door we might not be able to close it again."
"Why does the door have to be closed?"
"Because I know I would learn to love you, and I don't think I could bear the months or years of separation while you are on assignment."
"Separation is a way of life for spacers."
"I am not a spacer."
She turned her eyes downward. "So you are not willing share love with me, if only briefly?"
"We would only hurt each other."
"I am already hurt!"
"Perhaps that makes my point."
"Perhaps it does. You don't want me!"
"That is not--"
But before he could complete the thought, she plunged through the blinders and spun into the gravityless exercise room with the expertise of an experienced spacer. The blinder assumed its normal position and Forrest was alone. He stood and walked the circumference of the spinner several times before finally laying down on the pad Lisa had left behind. He felt remorse for having hurt her. He wished that he could tell her the truth, that the real reason he could not have a relationship with her was that he would soon be leaving the solar system, most likely never to return. And how do you tell someone who was feeling love for you that you were not even human anymore?
His watch told him that it would be four hours before they reached L-2. He resolved to pass the time by sleeping in the spinner, if his agitated mind would let him. As he lay awake he could not help wondering about Lisa's attraction to him. They had only become aware of each other a few hours ago, and already they had had a lover's quarrel. He remembered the time spent with the other Newton 6 crew members at the spaceport lounge as they awaited their boarding call. He had tried to remain by himself as much as possible, avoiding conversation. But he could not avoid contact completely, and Lisa always seemed to be nearby, watching him, trying to catch his eye. She had tried to start a conversation with him several times, but he had cut her short. She was definitely not shy--if she saw someone she wanted, she had no qualms about letting him know it. She was strong-willed and determined; but also sensitive, judging from her sudden departure from the spinner. He was not surprised when she had chosen the seat across from him in the commons for the six-hour journey to the L-2 point. She was after him--no doubt about it.
And he was amazed that such a beautiful woman as Lisa would be so obviously attracted to him. When he was in college, he was always too busy with his studies and research projects to have much inclination to seek female companionship. But when he did notice someone he wanted, it seemed that he would have to turn cartwheels, or something equally audacious, just to get them to notice him. He was simply not the type of man that women noticed. He had spent most of his college days with little love interest in his life--at least until Melinda came along during his postdoc and changed everything. But then she had been a special case. And Linwolse was most certainly a special case.
Perhaps Lisa was special, too. But he didn't think so. When he had left to embark on this journey, he sensed women noticing him left and right. It didn't matter if it was someone he passed on a street, a stranger in an elevator, a flight attendant, or whatever. Women were noticing him, their eyes following him, sizing him up. This was confusing and disconcerting for someone who was operating undercover.
It was true, he was changed. He could see things, think more clearly, and had powers that he would not have believed in before. But he was not using those powers. And his personality and manner was not so different, at least he didn't think so. His disguise was nothing more than a change in hair color and style, his eyes brown rather than their natural blue. He was basically the same Forrest, outwardly anyway.
So why was he suddenly so attractive to women?
He pondered the question, but still did not make the connection with the keepers.
He regained consciousness when he felt himself being tossed about the spinner. He grabbed a safety bar, swinging about as gravitational down changed its position, and pulled himself to the nearest control panel. He hit the stop button, and found himself hanging at the top of the spinner like a stranded carnival-goer at the top of a Ferris wheel. Forrest toggled the spinner control until he was brought to the lower side, pushed through the blinders, and made his way to the commons. He was thankful for the artificial gravity.
"Mr. Wiley," the captain called, "I was wondering when you would join us."
"Sorry. I fell asleep."
The captain just grunted and said nothing more to him. Several of the crew members turned and looked at him, amusement on their faces. Lisa gave him a hurt look, but quickly glanced away when his eyes met hers.
The crew was gathered about the captain as he discussed their duties and team assignments, but Forrest was more interested in the starboard view. Despite all the years he had worked on the Forever Project, and all the holograms he had studied, he was still overwhelmed by the sight of the Forever before him. The Newton 6 was several kilometers distant, but still the great ship covered nearly half the viewport. Perhaps ten-kilometers away the WG cruiser Peace Maker could be seen, dwarfed by the gigantic Forever. Several hundred small dots, Guardian ships, were scattered over the entire area, and three military transport ships--motherships for the Guardians--were visible, the others hidden by the Forever. Several huge freighters were docked at various positions along the Forever's hull, unloading last minute supplies. The smaller, specialized cargo ships, one which would contain the Enonian complement and the Nothingness Drive, were not due for two days.
"Okay people, odd-shift crew to the pods," the captain said. "You've got twenty minutes before drop-off."
The crew would rotate in ten-hour shifts, each referred to as odd or even depending on its ordinal position within the shift schedule, with two hours of idle time between shifts. Forrest realized he didn't know which shift he was on. He went to the electronic display behind the captain's podium and searched for his assumed name.
"Are you lost, Wiley?" the captain asked.
"Just a bit confused, Sir."
"Landlubber," the captain said, a hint of disdain in his voice. "You're odd-shift, pod number seven. I hope you don't work your teammate to death."
"I learn fast, Sir."
"Let's hope so."
Forrest followed the odd-shift crew down the ladder that led to the lower level of the Newton 6. Although he had downloaded and memorized the technical specs of a Newton class ship back on Earth, he still studied his surroundings in great detail. Captains and crew were known to customize their craft with government approval, and he must note anything that was different about this one.
He located his pod and worked the controls that would open the hatch. The pod was about seven meters in diameter with small chemical thrusters for propulsion. He entered through the small airlock and noted the two esuits mounted to either side. A narrow passageway led to the crew compartment at the front of the pod. He chose the left chair, since by convention piloting was done from the right. His teammate had not arrive yet, and he studied the control console. He started the pod and watched the holoscreen as the pod went through its power-on diagnostics.
He heard someone entering the pod. She strapped herself into the remaining chair.
"I didn't arrange this," Lisa said, not looking at him.
"Arrange what?"
"Us being teammates."
"I didn't think that."
"Have you ever flown one of these?" she asked.
"Only in simulation," he lied. His only knowledge of the pod was what he got from the Network.
"Well, I'd best pilot."
"I agree."
"I see you've started her up. Anything unusual?"
"Systems report normal. It wouldn't hurt if you double checked."
"I planned to!"
"There's no reason for us to be enemies," he said.
"I've no desire to die at the hands of a landlubber," she retorted.
"Neither do I."
They were silent as she worked the controls, checking all system parameters.
"You'll be happy to know that the pod is equipped with agrav generators. But only one-half gee," she said.
"I promise not to throw-up."
"I appreciate that."
The console indicated ten minutes before drop-off. It would be a long ten minutes. Lisa continued to worked the console, checking and rechecking system status. Forrest knew she was overdoing it, but it gave her something to do and less reason to talk. Finally the communication links between the thirty pods and the Newton 6 was checked one by one, and a voice from the overhead speaker announced thirty seconds to drop-off.
The holoscreen displayed the countdown, and Forrest felt apprehensive.
The restraining arms slid back from the pod and the metal floor beneath the pod opened to expose the drop shaft. The counter hit zero, and Forrest felt himself rise as the pod plunged rapidly down the shaft. Only when Lisa activated the stabilizers did he settle back down into his chair. They were now in empty space, with the Newton 6 one-hundred meters above them, relative to the pod's local gravity field.
"Fun, huh?" she said.
"Thrilling," he responded as he tried to push his insides back to where they belonged.
The pods dispersed with repeated bursts from their thrusters, each seeking it own destination. Lisa guided their pod to their target, and Forrest admired the deftness with which she piloted the small craft. She was indeed a skillful and talented spacer.
When they reached their assigned location along side the Forever, she locked the pod into the torsion field produced by the huge ship. The hull of the Forever was divided into thirty-meter square sections. They would move from one section to the next, checking the deflector rods, antennas, sensor arrays, and other peripheral devices for proper operation, until their shift was over. The pod was thirty meters out and facing the hull. Even at this distance the three-meter thick layer of clear, metaceramic material was easily discernible. The apparatus they were checking was embedded in the metaceramic, protected from the dust and gases of space.
Forrest activated the signals that would put the devices into diagnostic mode. He studied the data stream returned to the pod, and with the help of the inboard computers, looked for anything out of order. It would take about ten minutes to analyze each section, and then they would move on to the next.
They worked for five hours, saying little to each other, except as necessary to do their job. Lisa's tone became more civil as she got used to his presence and realized that he did know what he was doing, even if he wasn't a spacer.
"You should not have left me the way you did," Forrest said, glancing at her.
"Oh, Derek. It was useless. You would not, or could not respond the way I wanted. I felt like a complete fool."
"You were not a fool. I wanted you the same way. I mean that."
She looked at him. "Then why didn't we--make love?"
"Because there's more to me than I could tell you."
"What do you mean?"
He paused to collect his thoughts. "Everything I told you about myself is true. But what I couldn't tell you was that I'm here as more than a torsion field specialist."
Lisa eyed him. "You're a spy?"
"Spy is too strong a word. I'm an observer. I just observe and look for suspicious activity."
"The crew of Newton 6 is under suspicion?"
"No one, and everyone, is under suspicion. The government is just being cautious. I have no reason to suspect anyone in your crew. But I do have to be aloof and objective."
"And that's the reason you wouldn't make love to me?"
"Yes. I can't be objective about you if we are lovers."
She laughed. "Just my luck. I finally meet someone I really like, and he's spying on me."
"I'm not spying on you!"
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah."
"So, what happens when this assignment is over?" she asked.
"I go back to Earth, make my report, and go back to my job."
"I'll be going back to Earth too, you know. Maybe we could--well, spend some time together."
"Perhaps."
"Yes, perhaps." Her tone suggested that there would be no "perhaps" about it.
A warning light flashed on the console.
"This is P-24. We have a torsion field failure. Sector 370-52. We need assistance." The voice that came through the speaker was female, and sounded desperate.
"That's just below us!" Lisa said.
She released their pod from the torsion field and turned it ninety degrees down, although what was down, now became straight ahead. Pod twenty-four could be seen spinning rapidly sixty meters away.
Lisa hit the talk button on the console. "P-24, this is P-7. We are on our way. Hang on."
She fired the thrusters with full force, which was not much, but it got them to the whirling pod in less than a minute.
"Don't get too close to the torsion field," Forrest said.
"I know. Can you kill the field?"
"I'm trying to establish a link now."
Another voice came on the radio. "This is Captain Hicks. What is happening?"
"P-24 is out of control," Lisa reported. "We're attempting to kill the field now."
"A retriever is on its way," Hicks said. "ETA in fifteen minutes. Do what you can. Hicks out."
"Aye, captain."
"Not soon enough," Forrest said. "Look!"
A stream of gas was spewing out of the pod.
"Oh shit! That's probably their air supply," Lisa said. "They won't last long at this rate. What about the field?"
"I've got a link. The system knows the field is fluctuating, but efforts to stabilize it are failing. It can't kill the field, and I can't override. It must be a hardware failure."
"What can we do?"
"I'll go get them."
"You can't go out there! You'll get caught in the torsion field."
"I know. But if we disrupt the field, maybe they'll be thrown out."
"How do we do that?"
"We throw something into the field."
"The fuel canisters," she said, almost shouting. "They're about eighty kilograms each. If we eject three, that'll leave us one for maneuvering. Will that be enough?"
"Maybe, if we eject all three simultaneously. It's worth a try."
She rotated the pod so that the ejection chambers were facing the torsion field. She then lifted the panel that hid the emergency ejection switches.
"Damn!" she cried. "I can't remember which switch is for what. Why aren't these stupid things labeled?"
"The lower four are for the fuel canisters. Throw the right three." Forrest hoped his enhanced memory was serving him correctly.
"Thank God you know that!" She threw the switches, and they felt a slight jar as the canisters were ejected.
She swung the pod around, and they saw the canisters spinning wildly in the torsion field. But P-24 was not there.
"It work!" she shrieked. "But where are they?"
"That way," Forrest said.
P-24 had been thrown at a forty-five degree angle from the normal of the Forever's hull. Its stabilizers were beginning to slow its spin, but there was no sign that the crew on board had any control.
"Here we go," Lisa said as she hit the thruster controls.
"P-24, are you all right?" Forrest spoke into his headpiece.
No response.
"P-24, can you respond?" He tried again.
Still no response.
"God, I hope they're okay," Lisa said.
It took three minutes for them to catch up to P-24. By this time it had almost stopped its rotation.
"Here I go."
"Be careful," she pleaded.
Forrest went to the small airlock and sealed the door behind him. He selected an esuit and pulled it on as fast as he could--which wasn't very fast considering the intricate nature of the thing. Once he was suited up in what he hoped was the correct fashion, he activated the environment system. The esuit ran its diagnostics and gave him an OK signal. He then attached a tether to the esuit ring, and opened the outer airlock door.
Forrest looked into the empty space before him and at the distant Earth, and wondered why he had to be a hero. But, as Linwolse had once said to him, this was no time to be phobic. He jumped as hard as he could in the direction of P-24.
It was like jumping into nothingness. With the sudden loss of gravity and no sound, save his own heavy breathing, there was no sense of motion. It would have been just as accurate to describe P-24 as flying toward him, as the other way around.
He slammed into the hull of P-24 and grabbed hold of the nearest protrusion. It took a moment for him to gain some sense of orientation.
"Are you okay, Derek?" Lisa asked, her voice coming from within his helmet.
"Yeah, I think so."
"Turn your radio on."
He pushed a button on his belt.
"Yeah, I think so," he repeated. "Would you believe this is my first spacewalk?"
Forrest engaged the electromagnets in the esuit's gloves and boots, and crawled around the spherical pod like a four-legged spider on a basketball. When he reached the outer airlock door, he looked in to verify that the inner door was sealed before pulling back the lever that would open the outer door. He attached the tether to an external anchor and entered the pod. The pod's agrav generators were still working and he found himself upside down. He righted himself with some difficulty in the tight space, and sealed the outer door. He waited for the airlock to pressurize, and then opened the inner door. The esuit was not meant to traverse the narrow passage to the control room, but he found that if he walked sideways he could just get through. He checked the oxygen gage as he went and it read fifty percent of normal. The crew had passed out from oxygen deprivation.
The male had a large gash on his forehead. The blood had congealed, but a trickle of blood ran down his face. His breathing was labored. The woman seemed uninjured, but like her companion, she was taking deep and rapid gulps of air. He undid her straps and shook her. She opened her eyes weakly and looked at him.
"You've got to get out of here," he said.
She frowned and he realized she couldn't hear him through the esuit. He pointed at her and then to his esuit, followed by the same motions regarding her partner. She understood and slowly got up. They dragged the unconscious male to the airlock and got him into an esuit. Forrest then helped her into the remaining esuit. She activated the esuit and breathed deeply. He pushed her radio button.
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Sleepy and weak as hell," she said. "But I'm okay. I don't think Roy is doing too well, though. We've got to get him to Newton 6 as soon as possible."
"We're on our way."
Forrest opened the outer door, grabbed the tether and laced it through the rings on their esuits in such a way that it would not slip. He then pulled them out into the space between the two pods. When they arrived at his pod, he squeezed them into the small airlock and sealed the door. He waited for pressurization and then opened the inner door. Lisa was waiting and helped them remove the esuit helmets.
"How are you doing, Sharon?" she asked.
"Just fine now, thanks to your friend here."
Lisa smiled at Forrest, but he was too weary to return the sentiment.
"We've got to get back as soon as possible. Roy may have a serious injury," he said.
"Of course."
She help him out of his esuit, since there was no way he could fit into his chair with it on. They then strapped Sharon to one side of the airlock, and put Roy in her arms.
"Hang on tight," Lisa said.
"I will," she answered.
Lisa and Forrest took their positions, and she fired the thrusters. The trip back to Newton 6 would take twenty minutes.
"I'm proud of you, Derek," she said.
"For what?"
"For being brave, for saving their lives. For a landlubber, you did pretty damn good."
"It had to be done."
She looked at him. "Are you sure you've had no experience in space? I mean, are there any more secrets you haven't told me?"
"Just simulations. This is my first time out, really."
She studied him for a moment longer, and then returned her attention to the controls.
Forrest wondered if she was seeing through him, and that gave him pause.
They were exiting the pod when Captain Hicks and two crew members arrived.
"Get Hughes to the infirmary, now," the captain said.
The two crew members picked up the unconscious man, and carried him away.
"Are you doing okay, Sharon?" he asked.
"Yes. We got knocked about pretty bad, and our oxygen line sprung a leak. But aside from a few minor bruises, I'm in good shape."
"Why didn't you back away from the torsion field? Didn't your computers give warning?"
"It happened too fast for--"
"It was a hardware failure," Forrest interrupted. "There was no time for advance warning."
The captain stared at him. "I guess we owe you a debt of gratitude."
"I didn't do it alone. Lisa was there."
"That will be noted on her record." He returned his attention to Sharon. "You best get some rest. You may skip your next shift, if you feel it's needed."
"I don't think I'll need it. But thanks anyway."
"As you wish. In any event, this shift is over for all of you, with full pay."
At this he turned and climbed the ladder to the upper deck.
Sharon sat on a nearby storage box and looked at them "I don't know about the two of you," she said, "but I feel like a shower."
"Me too," Lisa concurred. She looked at Forrest. "Will you join us?"
"Together?" Forrest asked.
"Of course," the two girls said in unison. They grinned at each other knowingly.
Reluctantly, he followed them up the ladder and to the communal shower.
The economics of space travel had long since abolished the traditional segregation of the sexes, and the false modesty concerning nudity went out with it. But Forrest had spent his life on Earth where the old traditions still held some sway. Nevertheless, he did not wish to appear prudish, and was right behind them when they entered the dressing room.
The two girls immediately began removing their jumpsuits. Forrest just stood and watched them.
Lisa laughed. "This is not a peep show, Derek. Get undressed."
"Of course."
He did as he was told, trying not to look at them. When they were naked, they threw their jumpsuits and undergarments down the laundry chute. Forrest was acutely aware of the nudity of the two girls, especially Lisa. He hoped that he would not develop an embarrassing erection.
They entered the shower. The room was small with twenty water nozzles lining the perimeter. Twenty people could fit into the room if they didn't mind bumping into one another. The floor of the shower sloped slightly to the center where a drain led to the water recycler. The girls chose positions against one wall, and Forrest went to the opposite wall. He turned the cold water valve, ignoring the hot water, in a futile attempt to control his increasing lust. When the cool water hit him it almost worked, but he quickly adjusted. The girls chatted amongst themselves and for the most part ignored Forrest, but he did notice Lisa glance his way occasionally.
Forrest was facing the nozzle, letting the water hit his face, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned, expecting to find Lisa.
But it was Sharon who stood naked before him.
She was the voluptuous type, but her was body firm and athletic. She had long blonde hair, now darkened by the water, and deep blue eyes.
"I just wanted to say thank you," she started. "I feel a little awkward. Some of us were making jokes about the landlubber and his space sickness. But you saved our lives. We would have died if you hadn't come and got us out of the pod. Anyway, thank you!"
"You're welcome," he said. Forrest was feeling uncomfortable. He was not supposed to be the center of attention.
She put her arms around him and pressed her body against his. He suddenly remembered what Lasandra had said about experience being magnified tenfold, and his mind exploded with desire. He felt his organ harden, and Sharon felt it too. She started kissing and stroking his body, moving downward until she was on her knees. Forrest looked at Lisa, but she had turned and faced the other way. Sharon was about to take his organ into her mouth when he put his hands to the sides of her head and stopped her.
"I belong to another," he said.
She looked up at him, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry. I just got carried away by the moment."
"It's okay."
She stood and avoided his eyes. "I really feel silly. I better go to my quarters." She quickly left the room.
Forrest and Lisa finished their shower and went into the dressing room, selecting fresh clothes from the wardrobe.
"Did you stop her because of your objectivity?" she asked as they dressed.
"No, I stopped her because of you."
She smiled at him. "You really do like me, don't you?"
"Yes, Lisa, I do."
She stood in front of the blower and combed her hair as it dried.
"We have a few extra hours before mess and sleep time. Will you join me in my quarters?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered, against his better judgment.
Her room was identical to all the crew quarters. A single-person bunk hung against one wall, with cabinets above and drawers below. The opposite wall held a small wash basin with very little counter top space, and a lighted mirror above it. To the left, near the narrow door, a computer console extruded from the wall, its screen tiny and not holographic. The floor space was just wide enough for one person to traverse. A claustrophobic's nightmare. But then space was at a premium on a tech ship, and private quarters, however tiny, was considered a luxury.
They managed to get on the bunk, with her practically on top of him out of necessity. They were not naked, nor did they intend to make love. It was companionship--togetherness--they sought. She lay with her head on his chest, and he stroked her hair. Forrest knew he was falling for her, but he couldn't help himself.
"There's more to you than you're letting on," she said.
"What do you mean?"
"You're not just an engineer and a government spy. I can feel it. There's something about you that goes far beyond the mundane life you claim. Tell me, will you?"
"There's nothing to tell. You're reading things into me that are not there. I'm just plain ol' me, really."
She snuggled closer to him (as if that were possible) and sighed. "I'll find out eventually, you know."
"If you're looking for a prince, I'm afraid you've just found a lowly inn-keeper."
"I don't think so."
They were silent for several minutes, and then she spoke.
"I plan to go with you, you know."
"Okay." He assumed she was referring to his return to Earth and his fictitious life.
They didn't speak further, and soon he could feel her sleeping. He thought of the future, and wished he could bring her along with him on the Forever. That was, of course, out of the question. She would only be killed by one of the others, or worse, become a source of blood. And then there was Linwolse, who seemed to have staked a claim on him. He would have to content himself with the brief time he would have with Lisa, and hope that she would not be too hurt when he disappeared. Despite his immortality and the new powers that came with it, his life was not his own, at least not yet.
As he had these thoughts, something crept into his mind just below the surface of consciousness. There it hesitated, as if waiting for the right moment to strike. And then he felt it.
It was the thirst.
Not now! he screamed silently inside his head. He had hoped the thirst would not come again until he had the two goons who had raped and killed Melinda. He wanted to watch them slowly die as they realized what was happening to them. But the thirst was here now, and it had to be satisfied. He had to get away from Lisa as quickly as possible. If he drank her blood he would never be able to forgive himself. He thought of Sharon, who had offered herself to him in the shower.
He slowly untangled himself from Lisa, feeling himself tremble. He placed his feet on the floor and studied her. She had not awakened. Pulling the narrow door open, he peered into the passageway. He could see no one. The only sound was the distant rumble of the ship's generators. He moved along the passageway and searched for the nameplate that would identify Sharon's quarters. It was not far, and he knocked on the door.
She came to the door and opened it.
"Derek?"
"Yes. May I come in?"
She hesitated, but then let him in and shut the door. She studied him.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm feeling rather tense," he said, truthfully.
"You poor man," she said. "This has all been a bit much for you, hasn't it? Look at you. You're trembling."
She seemed confused by his presence.
"I wanted to apologize for what happened in the shower," he said, his voice shaking. "I just didn't want to do that in front of Lisa." It would not be long before his eyes turned red, and he must subdue her before then.
"I should be the one apologizing. I was acting rather impulsively. I think of myself as a free spirit, but not that free. Can I do something to help you? You're so tense."
"I want to make love to you."
She could not restrain a laugh. "I--I don't think so. What about Lisa?"
"She's just a friend."
"Look, Derek. What I did in the shower was just impulse. I don't usually--"
"Please, Sharon. Make love to me," Forrest insisted.
"Derek, we hardly know each other. I'm grateful to you, but--"
She stopped suddenly, and looked into his eyes. She leaned back against the bunk and was befuddled. She shook her head, almost indiscernibly, unable to understand why she was so willing to do as he asked.
"I wasn't expecting this . . ." she muttered.
Forrest unsnapped the buttons holding the top of her jumpsuit together and pulled it down to her waist. She reached behind her back, unsnapped her bra, and let it fall to the floor. At that moment her breasts were the most beautiful Forrest had ever seen. He cupped her breasts with his hands and kissed her mouth profusely. He could feel her pushing her jumpsuit down to her feet.
"Let's get you undressed," she said, when he finally gave her a chance.
He threw the jumpsuit off as quickly as possible. His organ was hard and throbbing for her. Picking up her naked body, he put her on the bunk, and crawled on top of her.
"So much for the slow approach," she giggled.
Forrest pushed his organ into her warm, willing flesh.
"Oh that's nice," she said.
He stroked her carefully, tuning his mind to her responses, and bringing her gradually to the point of climax, and submissiveness. He then slowed, his organ still within her, and their eyes met.
"I must be hallucinating," she said, out of breath. "Your eyes look like they're glowing."
"I'm going to ask you something, and you must say yes," he said.
"Oh? Are we gonna get kinky now?"
"I must drink from you, and you must say yes."
She must have thought he was referring to cunnilingus, for she said, "Yes, my thirsty tiger, drink and eat all you want."
But he did not go for that place between her legs. Instead he put his hand over her mouth, to muffle her screams, and bit into her jugular vein with his extruded fangs. The blood flowed into his mouth and down his throat. She fought with the strength of a healthy spacer, their bodies bouncing about the bunk. But she could not overcome him. He felt himself ejaculate into her as he drank, and the ecstasy sent him spiraling through the universes.
And then it was over.
He moved back from her, his hand still on her mouth. She stared at him in terror.
"You will not remember what has happened here. Do you understand?"
She just looked at him.
"I was never here. We did not have sex. I did not drink from you. Do you understand?"
She nodded her understanding.
"Do not speak."
He removed his hand from her mouth. She said nothing, her mind in the grip of his own. He lifted her off the bunk and stood her on the floor. He took a wash cloth and cleaned the sweat from her body. He then toweled her dry and helped her dress. Grabbing her by the waist, he lifted her to the bunk and laid her down in a sleeping position.
"You will now go to sleep. And you will remember nothing when you awake."
She closed her eyes, and was soundly asleep.
Forrest cleaned himself as best he could and got dressed. He then checked the passageway, and walked silently to his own quarters. Once there, he laid down on his bunk and fell asleep. And the keepers were busy with the fresh human blood he had provided them.