0 comments/ 44964 views/ 8 favorites To Beyond By: Cat5 The year was 2084. The earth had been at peace for over 50 years; the last radicals dying out with a whimper as the new World Congress replaced the enfeebled and disgraced United Nations. A new power source had been found—anti eon particles—and so energy scarcity disappeared, as did pollution. Medical science leaped forward with the help of massive computers who worked at speeds that embarrassed predictions of those in the industry 80 years earlier. Life expectancy increased. Anti eon power’s by-product was intense heat which solved the clean water difficulties—the oceans were distilled in ever growing amounts—and provided world wide irrigation, so food at first was plentiful. Population studies were revised significantly. The good on the earth, however, was too good. Scientists, decades earlier, had extrapolated correctly—even with the advances, the earth was becoming too small to sustain the population. The fish were long ago extinct from over-fishing; the ocean now receding was thirty miles from Miami because of massive distillation. Birth rates had gone up, not down. Then another extraordinary medical event occurred—medical redux, when perfected, would add many more years to human life; it was a death notice to earth. So ships were built and launched into space. It was always a one-way trip; the first explorers accepted their fate. The early years were dangerous. Anti eon particles accelerated the ship at increasing speeds every minute, every day. The early ships hyper radar could spot the larger asteroids, but not the smaller ones. When ships collided with an undetected asteroid or debris, they were destroyed by their own speed and mass. Finally the eon shield was perfected after many ships had been destroyed. Some ships got through. Only one sent back a message that held hope. The last message from the companion team—Yuri and Anna—said they had found an earth-like world. It was twice the size of the earth, but had almost identical living conditions as earth. There were no inhabitants; only some trace elements of what used to be called radioactive material. Yuri and Anna’s last message said they were taking the shuttle down for the final time. Their lives were coming to an end—they had traveled for twenty-one years to reach their find. They hoped visitors would come to their last home. The message ended… o o o o o o o The room was softly lit; the chairs comfortable. Droids were spinning up and down the aisles providing soft drinks and snacks. There were about 250 people in the room. At the front of the room was a wall with ten doors numbered appropriately one through ten. The soft background music was often interrupted by a synthesized female voice who would announce a name and a door number. I could not detect any apparent pattern to the names being called. I held my breath momentarily as I heard the voice say, “Mr. Andrews, Mr. George W. Andrews, please go to room eight. I stood up and walked to the center isle. I walked as quickly as my fifty-nine year old body would allow towards door number eight—my knee was giving me a problem again from my ultra-ball days of glory at school many years ago. The door flashed, “Please state your name.” I said, “George Andrews.” The door slid open and I entered; the door quietly closed behind me. There was a single chair similar to the chairs in the main hall facing a table where a man and a woman sat; a standard plasma computer console was embedded in the table slanted slightly so they could read it easily while I could see nothing. They both stood up and came around the table to shake my hand. The man was about thirty as was the woman. He smiled at me and said, “Thank you for coming to see us George. My name is Bob and this is my wife Sharon.” Sharon gave me a friendly grin and nodded. They both wore the ship’s uniform—Bob wearing slacks and a uniform blouse in the ship’s royal blue color; Sharon’s blouse was the same color but cut deeper—only starting where the mounds of her breasts began. Her skirt stopped at mid thigh giving me a good picture of beautiful muscle-toned legs. We all sat down as Bob continued, “I know we have put you through extensive testing over the last few months and at last count we had the equivalent of one hundred pages of questionnaires that potential volunteers have completed, but it is the curse of our profession that we want to ask even more. “Sharon and I are part of the staff of the ship. The entire ship has a crew of 1000 people—500 couples who are married. Two hundred of us are counselors to the ship. Our background is psychology, psychiatry, neo-psych and neuro-psych. We, along with the ship’s computer, have been tasked to select the passengers for our trip. We will be going with you of course. “George, why do you want to leave the earth? You will never again see your son and daughter and your eventual grandchildren. And you know the computers project that the expected chance of survival is only forty-nine percent.” The question was not a surprise. It was the same question that I asked myself many times since I volunteered to be one of the 5000 passengers on the trip ‘To Beyond,’ as it had been named. I answered Bob as I had answered myself, “My wife is gone. My children are starting their life with their spouses. My business life was successful, but now it is over. My health is only fair. Why not try for second life? It will be a challenge, and if I die, I have lost little.” Bob and Sharon glanced at their screen. Sharon finally spoke, “George, both we and the computer think that you would be an excellent addition to the ship. You have been told to be ready to go at a moments notice. Are you ready to start now?” I was surprised and thought, “So quick?” However, my estate papers were in order, my good-byes spoken. I answered, “Yes.” Bob grinned and said, “Wonderful. Please go out the door to your right and you will be met.” I glanced at the door to my left and my eyes questioned Bob. He said quietly, “For those not going.” The door to my right opened as I approached it. I stepped through the doorway and walked into a much larger room. There was a circular table in the center with the plasma screens blinking ‘STAFF.’ I walked to the table and gave my name. A female about thirty years old who wore the same uniform as Sharon repeated my name into her console. She looked up at me and said, “You’re just in time for an orientation. Please follow the yellow blinking lights to Theatre A.” A man in the ship’s uniform stood at the podium. He said, “Computer, dim lights,” and then continued, “I am Third Lieutenant Blakely—navigation section; but please call me Sam. It’s my turn for the preliminary orientation, so please relax and I will try to get through it quickly. After I am through I will be here to answer any questions. That pretty little blond-haired third lieutenant sitting in the first row is my wife Gini; she is also here to answer your questions. “Your schedule is very simple. In the next five days each of you has to complete three objectives: “First, and most important, you have to find your spouse—the one who will be with you during the trip and who together with you, will raise your children. Your schedule is set so there will be two socials per day—the lunch mess lounge will be one and it will last for two hours. The second is immediately after dinner and it will last for as long as you want. The evening social will be in the night club of the ship’s mockup. “I know that finding a spouse always causes the most questions and anxiety, so let me answer the most asked question. We want you to find your spouse before your medical redux. Both computer studies and our own counselors agree that the chance for a successful relationship is much better if the physical attraction follows the emotional attraction. Most of our dropouts did not agree with this concept and couldn’t find a spouse. At the end of five days you must have a spouse. When you and your companion agree to marry, you still will have to pass muster with your counselor, but usually that is a formality. However, those who find their spouse on the fifth day usually have a much harder time passing—companionship based on desperation has little chance of success. “Second, you will all be going through your medical redux. Our physicians have compiled extensive records on each of you, so the procedure is ready for each individual. The medical technicians who you will meet just before redux will also describe what to expect. Gini and I went through it about a month ago, and it was extraordinary. “Third, you must become somewhat familiar with the ship’s layout and how to operate those machines and computers necessary for your day to day living. You also have to learn not to get lost. The ship’s mockup is very exact, and we will use it extensively to train you. Remember the ship waiting for us in space is almost three kilometers long and two kilometers in diameter. It is huge, but with six thousand of us starting and who knows how many ending, we need something that size. So ship orientation is very important. “There are 500 of you here for the next five days. You are the last 500 that will complete the passenger list. When the shuttles take you up the ship, our selection process is over and our journey ‘To Beyond’ will begin. “The counselors who met you in the numbered rooms are your counselors for life. You can find them by going to any screen and say their names. The male counselors are there for the men and the female counselors for the women. Again our computer studies show that same sex counselors bond best. “That’s it folks. Gini and I are here to answer questions. For those who don’t have any questions, ask any screen and it will give you your room number and a detailed map how to get there. Your room is quite large since it is identical to the apartment layout you will have on board with your wife. Your schedule for the next five days will be on your per-screen and all the ship’s uniforms assigned to you are in your closest—obviously after redux, you will be given new uniforms. Good luck all.” I went to the nearest screen and spoke my name; there were two men named Andrews, but voice recognition knew which one was me. A small map printed out and I went to find my room. I said my name and the door quietly slid open. I walked into a fairly large living room. A smaller kitchen area was on my right with a table that could sit four. The right side wall of the room was plasma glass; the stars were visible. I guessed it was a picture of where the ship waited for the last 500 passengers. The left wall of the family room had media screens and an entertainment device with new holi-effect software. I walked to the bedroom. On my right was a doorway that led to a small office. A working table and per-screen were visible. Ahead of me was the master bedroom. The king-size bed dominated the room. There were two small closets for uniforms. The bathroom was large by any standard. The shower was walk-in with four shower heads; there was no door on the shower. In fact, there was no bathroom door. I thought to myself that privacy in the bedroom area was not meant to be. My per-screen sounded an informational tone; its screen flashing. Lunch was to begin in twenty minutes and the computer knew I had not left the room. The computer said in a low modulated male voice, “George, please change into your ship utilities quickly and then you must go to the main mess room. Discard all your clothes in the recyc hamper. If you go with us, you will never see them again; if you stay on earth, they will be given back to you. Please hurry.” I felt silly. The uniform had satin quality shorts over which I pulled my pants; it adjusted to my waist size with its live-elastic material. There was no undershirt. The outer shirt was a comfortable material, but my stomach protruded. I thought of the old beer belly joke, “I don’t know how big it is, I can’t see it. The ultra light shoes fit perfectly—the marvels of computers I thought. I punched in my meal selection on the food droid’s menu board, and sat at a table with six people. I was the last to arrive and introductions had already been made. People were nervous. Two of the men spoke with loud voices as if to dominate the table. The average age was probably about fifty-eight or so. One of the women, a busty, yellow-white blond, kept laughing at the jokes of the two loud men. The other two women remained quiet, staring at their plates and eating. The droid brought my meal; I ate quickly, wished everybody a good day and left. The mess hall led into the lounge where the social get together was to be held shortly. I stood at the doorway looking into the mostly empty room when she said, “There is something sad in trying to pretend you are twenty again.” I looked around and saw a slim woman about sixty with white hair and gray-green eyes leaning on a cane. Standing upright she might have been about five feet six inches tall. The eyes seemed intelligent, but her body language was nervous. I said, “My name is George Andrews and the silly thing is for my body to try to fit into a uniform designed for a thirty year old. Every pound of my stomach is showing; I feel like an idiot.” She laughed and said, “Don’t be silly. There are more men with bulging stomachs than not here. Age has caught up with all of you; as it has with me. By the way, my name is Nancy Winters.” The lunch crowd began to come into the lounge and one of Nancy’s lunch companions came over and took her away to show her the new holi-software video the lounge had. I was mildly irritated, but my knee was hurting. I stayed around another twenty minutes and went to my room. The next two days went by quickly. The crew knew they couldn’t push us old farts that hard, but they did the best they could under the circumstances. Bob, my counselor, sent me a message on my per-screen and asked how things were going and to feel free to call or see him if I needed any help. The third night I was sitting on a couch in the ship’s night club taking stock. I had met three or four women who seemed nice, and three or four others that were so aggressive I thought I might have to call for rape intervention. I was tired from the three active days I had just gone through and thought, “Two more days of the same, and I still have a major problem—no wife.” My eyes must have closed since I jumped when a voice behind me asked, “Can I join you?” It was Nancy. I had seen her on and off during the last two days, but we had only spoken that one time. I replied, “I would like that,” and started to get up. “Don’t get up George; just relax which is what I am going to try to do. My cane is a poor substitute for a leg.” We talked. I talked more than her. It was questions. Every time I slowed down she asked another question about me and my dominant side took over; I had to answer the question in every detail. Then it dawned on me; I was being stupid. I said, “Nancy, you made me do all the talking and like an idiot I didn’t give you a chance to say anything. I promise to shut up for at least five minutes; tell me about you.” “George,” she said, “My story is simple and short. In my younger days I was a bit wild—the new songs, the fad dances, even the neo-drugs—but I finally got married at thirty to a very nice, quiet man. We had five beautiful years together, but then he caught one of those new, unprotected virus diseases; he died quickly before the computers could determine how to combat it. “I was a widow at thirty-five with no children and my young world had past me by. I went back to teaching young children—the early grades—and have been teaching for the last twenty-five years. I live by myself in a quiet apartment in the City Center Tower. When I heard of ‘To Beyond’ I asked myself, “What have I got to lose? They need people; they need children; and they need teachers for those children.” We both stopped talking and sat in comfortable silence. Finally, I said the obvious, “Nancy, I can be a jerk sometimes when I get stubborn, but I think I’m usually a good person. We don’t have months to see if we are compatible. I think I like you and I will try to make it work. Will you join me?” She looked into my eyes and stared. Finally she said, “My impression of you is that you are a very nice man. There is no time. Before I say yes I want to tell you that I have had no sex for twenty-five years; I’m afraid of it. I won’t say I can’t change but any sexual drive in me died when my husband died. If you still want me after that, my answer is yes.” I paused for a while. I had not expected that statement, but then, I hadn’t had sex—other than masturbation--with a woman since my wife died five years previously. Why not take a chance that Nancy and I could work it out. I looked at her and said, “Please be my friend, my companion, and my wife.” I wiped a tear from her eye and helped her up. Tomorrow was a big day. That night I left a message for Bob that I had found my companion and said her name. When I woke to the tone alarm, the message screen was blinking. I said, “Computer, read my messages.” The computer voice said, “George, this is Bob. Congratulations. Ignore your schedule and please come to my office at nine o’clock. Sharon will be here and so will your Nancy. We will talk together for a while and then separate—you and I together and Sharon and Nancy. If nothing bad comes up, you and Nancy will be accepted.” We met at nine o’clock. After some general conversation, Sharon asked us, “A three day courtship is an accelerated event; you barely know each other. So to ask you if you have any doubts would be silly. However, if you had any one main fear this relationship won’t work, what would it be? George?” I ignored the question and said, “I am confident things will work out.” There was a silence and then Nancy spoke softly, “Sex may be a serious problem. I will try very hard, but it has been so long.” Bob quickly broke up the meeting. Nancy and Sharon went to Sharon’s office. Bob looked at me and said, “Nancy gave a more truthful answer than you did George. Why did you hold back?” I was embarrassed to have been caught in my deception. I answered, “I just thought that we could work it out together.” Bob was quiet for a moment and replied, “George, what we are trying to do is monumental and the risks are enormous. One of our biggest risks is that the society on our ship fails to develop properly. There are 200 of us counselors on board to help society form. You must give up some of your personal privacy to us if things are going to work out. If Nancy and you have problems, you must ask for help. Will you do that?” I knew the question was not asked lightly and I knew my dominate personality had caused me problems in the past. This time I thought I better face reality. I answered, “If I need help, I will ask you for it.” Bob stared at me and then nodded. He said, “Good for you. Now I think you had better get ready for your medical redux. Do you know what that means?” I answered, “I read that we now have the ability to rebuild internal body parts so that they are as good as now. My knee will no longer hurt and I guess my eyesight will be corrected. I assume that it will extend our life cycle a few more years. Bob laughed and answered, “George, it is much, much more than that. Redux gives you your younger body back. Haven’t you wondered why Sharon and I look about thirty years old, as did Sam and Gini—in fact all the crew members look thirty years old. Physically we are thirty years old, but in real years Sharon and I are in our early sixty’s. The same is about to happen to Nancy and you. “Unfortunately, we have had to mislead the earth’s general population about redux. The arithmetic is easy and terrible. If everyone on earth has redux, every couple will be able to produce. The number of people to feed would overwhelm the earth in a matter of years—less than ten. If we banned children, we would become an Orwellian state. Our best scientists and the computers both projected anarchy if the earth went to that alternative. The unfortunate fact is that redux is only for those leaving earth.” To Beyond I barely comprehended what Bob had told me; things were moving too quickly. We went to Sharon’s office where Nancy waited for me. Bob said to Sharon, “We should have both of them in redux this morning. Would you please set it up?” Thirty minutes later I entered a small room. A female technician was there who appeared to be about thirty. She smiled and asked, “George?” I nodded yes. She said, “This is very simple. First I want you to swallow this liquid. You will love it. It is very similar to the old narcotic Demerol, but much more powerful. In about ten minutes you will feel like you are floating on a cloud. You will be semi-conscious during the procedure and the computer will be telling you what it is doing. Depending on your problems, the procedure will take two to four hours, but believe me; you will not feel the time passing.” I swallowed and waited. The technician said, “Now go into the next room. Take off all your clothes and put them into the recyc bin. Lie on the cushioned cot face up and wait for the narcotic to take you flying. You can move around if you want, but the procedure is faster if you remain still. By the time your procedure is over, the computer will have ordered your permanent uniforms and they will be in your room when you wake up tomorrow morning. We will transport you to your room after the redux and you will be dosed so that you will sleep until morning. I went into the next room, stripped myself and lay down on my back. Just as I was wondering what I had gotten myself into, the drug hit. It was magic. I had taken drugs before, but this one topped anything I had in the past. My body was floating; there was no fear. My eyes were open, but I could only see a pink haze. Time stopped…I had absolute confidence that I could lie here forever and never miss the real world. I heard in some distant background a voice that said, “Procedure starting.” Nothing seemed to happen for a while and then I felt a slight tingling on my toenails. The background voice said, “Toe fungus…correcting.” The voice continued at some point, “Toes normal.” The next feeling was a tingling in my leg. The background voice said, “Reset broken tibia…correcting. “Reset broken kneecap…correcting. Ligaments strained…correcting. Muscle tone poor…correcting.” The procedure progressed slowly through my body. The voice saying what part needed help or not. I had no sense of time. My midsection came up and I heard, “Testicles…normal. Penis size…correcting.” I grinned in my haze, “Correcting?” A tone started in the background. I refused to open my eyes as the tone slowly increased in intensity. My mind was searching for the background voice; what was it correcting now? The tone became louder. I opened my eyes and found myself in my own bed in my temporary room. It was the beginning of day four. I closed my eyes again and said, “Computer, what time is it?” My assigned computer voice answered, “Seven o’clock in the morning.” “Any messages?” My computer answered me, “Bob would like you to come to his office at nine o’clock this morning. Nancy will be there. For now you are to get up and spend some time becoming used to your new body.” My eyes opened again; “New body?” I pulled the bed sheet off me and sat up. What I could see of myself was astonishing. Where once there had been mottled skin with liver spots of old age, there was now bright white skin with muscle tone. I quickly went to the bathroom and stood naked in front of the reflection wall; my fifty-nine year old mind was looking at a thirty year old body. The resemblance was close to what I remembered of pictures of me when I was thirty. The resemblance was not perfect; in some areas I looked better than the original. I stood in shock for minutes. I went into a self physical—deep knee bend; no pain. Ten pushups; no effort. Twenty sit ups; I could do fifty. The shock of redux was overwhelming. When Bob had told me that he was sixty-two, I had heard the words, but had not understood the implications. An hour later my mind was still sorting through my physical transformation miracle. The computer voice said, “George, you have fifty minutes before your meeting with Bob. Please dress yourself.” I finished dressing as the live-elastic pulled my uniform into place. I was now dressed similar to the crew with the exception of a single color slash to signify that I was a passenger. I started to think about the upcoming meeting and the thought finally crossed my mind—Nancy had gone through redux also; I was about to see the new, physical Nancy. I said my name at Bob’s door and it slid quietly open. Two women had their backs to me facing Bob’s desk. Both women turned to face me. One was Sharon, and one was someone I had never seen before…or only partly seen. Her facial bone structure was similar to Nancy, but nothing else was the same. Her hair was a deep chestnut red. The face was a clear complexion, whiter than Sharon, but enormously pretty. Her eyebrows were chestnut and they accentuated two large gray-green eyes that stared at me. She was wearing a uniform blouse with the passenger slash, but it was cut low so that the blouse only started as the mounds of her breast began. My eyes saw her breasts move as she breathed. Her breasts were to the large size, but not unpleasantly so. I saw no signs of a bra. My eyes dropped down to her skirt and the firm thighs and legs that showed perfect muscle tone. I couldn’t help it. My eyes went back to her breasts and she blushed. I stammered, “Nancy?” She nodded her head nervously, and said quietly, “Yes.” I didn’t know what to say, and then knew I had to say, “You are beautiful!” She blushed even more now; her face trying to match the color of her hair. Anticipating the embarrassment as they probably had seen this many times before, Sharon said quickly, “Both of you sit down while we go over some items. Unfortunately, this has to be a quick meeting. We have a record number of redux procedures to do today, and then tomorrow morning we start shuttles to the ship as we complete the final redux to our last companions. So we will be busy. “Our policy is that once you redux you cannot meet potential passengers who have not gone through the procedure. Your per-screen will give you your schedule for today after this meeting. If for any reason you are prohibited from an area, it is not your fault. It only means there are people within who cannot be permitted to see you. “You both had a perfect redux and your body ages are closer to twenty-nine than thirty; that is not unusual. Use today to get used to your new bodies, but remember, your body may be twenty-nine, but your memories and experiences are of a fifty-nine and sixty year old person. It will take a few days before that anomaly sinks into you. Your mind will play tricks with you; if you look in a reflection wall the mind expects to see age, and instead it will see youth. Don’t be alarmed if there is confusion at first; Bob and I both had a difficult two days before our minds accepted our bodies. “You should meet on shuttle deck four tomorrow at eight o’clock. Your shuttle will leave promptly. When you arrive at the ship present yourself to a staff person. They will enter you into the ships log which allows you access to the computer. Explore the ship as much as you want; there are very few off-limit areas. Ask the computer for your apartment number. The computer will help you change the color tones and furniture of your room so that it is customized to your liking. “We strongly suggest you sleep in your own rooms tonight. Your first night together should be in your new home and not in a mock up. “We expect all passengers will be aboard by five o’clock tomorrow. The captain will address the entire ship’s population at six o’clock. Our voyage will start and you will be married immediately afterward. “Do you have questions?” I had a thousand questions and shook my head no. Nancy said, “No questions now, but I hope I can talk to you once on board.” Sharon answered, “Nancy, I am available to you for the rest of your life—that is my job.” Bob interrupted, “Sorry to hurry you two, but our next couple is due in two minutes.” We quickly left. I stepped back to let Nancy walk through the door first. I smelled her light fragrance and stared at her breasts as she walked by. I thought, “I am nervous; she must be terrified.” We went to the nearest screen and said our names. Our schedule printed out. We were to tour some areas of the ship that we had not seen before. The map indicated the areas, but there was no time schedule; we were on our own. I asked Nancy if she wanted a drink or snack before we explored and she agreed. The screen told us that the aft mess was open to redux personnel. I sat across from Nancy sipping a C-cooler while she drank a herbal tea. I asked, “Are you nervous?” She answered, “About what?”…and continued, “Yes, I am scared to death. I keep reaching for my cane, and it is not there. I look down and see my skin and my body and I blush. No one has seen me like this since my husband died. I feel like I’m naked.” I reassured her, “But don’t you realize that you are beautiful, not just pretty, but beautiful? When I saw you this morning I was overwhelmed with your physical body. I know I am staring at you; or at parts of you, and I apologize, but I’m having trouble putting this all together. Help me.” She reached her hand across the table and touched my hand. She was warm and soft. My other hand covered hers and she pulled back. I said, “I’m sorry.” She blushed and answered, “I am the one who is sorry. Please give me some time.” We continued our leisurely schedule for the rest of the day. We had dinner together and we admitted that we were both tired and we should probably call it a night. I looked in her eyes and brought my lips to her face. She turned her face slightly and I kissed her good night on her cheek. I returned to my room and took off my clothes and put on the regulation sleep shorts. I always slept naked, but I now knew I might have to change my normal ways for a while until Nancy was ready. The sleep shorts were similar to a male thong. It was cut high in the legs for maximum skin exposure. The overlapped slit in the front for pissing was the only double strength material. I was tired, but too anxious to sleep. The day had been exciting, tiring, and frustrating. I went into the living room and sat on the couch facing the entertainment area. I finally said, “Computer, turn on the holi-effect and present the menu. The computer asked, “What subject?” I answered on impulse, “Do you have erotic features?” “Of course, “the computer answered. “Films, plays, comic, or educational?” “Educational,” I answered. The computer continued, “How to arouse a female, How to have intercourse with female, pictures of female parts, sexology of a female, How to…” I interrupted, “How to arouse a female. Begin” The picture started with a man and a woman both nude; perfect bodies. The background voice pointed out the sensitive parts of the female body, and the actors then showed various positions to take advantage of the sensitivity. He licked circles around her nipples and she moaned. He touched her nipples and then kissed them. As her nipples hardened to a point, she moaned again and arched her back. The instruction continued as the man went to her vulva. The holi-effect was amazing. When he licked her nipples, my eyes were inches from breasts; her moans came to my ears as if I were there. I could almost feel her breasts the holi-effect was that good. The actor approached her vulva. After explanations from the background monitor he displayed her clitoris for the upcoming teasing. Her legs were spread wide. The holi-effect had my face inches from her pubic hair, I could hear her moans; the holi effect released her smells of sweat and sex. It was too much; my erection was enormous as my penis broke from my shorts. I lost all discipline—I masturbated. Sperm shot from me landing ten feet away, then another and another; five in all. I was in awe. Even in my prime sexual days I had never ejaculated with the force and volume that had just occurred. I was amazed and somewhat shamed; jerking off the day before I was to be married—like a teenager. I ordered the cleaner droid to clean up my mess and went to sleep. I was by then very tired; I slept. The next morning Nancy and I met at shuttle deck four. We said our names at the entry door and received a green light; we entered and sat next to each other. Nancy was in the same uniform as the day before as was I. My eyes, similar to yesterday, used any opportunity to look at her breasts and her legs. Ten minutes later the shuttle was full and it slowly lifted and left the mock hanger. It quickly picked up speed and an hour later we slid into hanger four, but the real hanger four of our ship. We went to the staff greeting table and gave our names. The computer matched our names and voice recognition, issued us permanent computer entry, gave us our apartment number, and printed out a map of the ship. Our schedule for the day was similar to the day before—explore. We found our room and said our names. The door opened. The droids were in formation for probably the first and only time. The service droid said hello, as did the cleaner droid, and the food droid. On command the cleaner and food droid wheeled quickly to their resting places. Nancy asked the service droid what our choices were to change the color and furniture of the room. The service droid said, “Please start in the bedroom. I will explain.” We went into the bedroom and the droid began its monologue of decoration. Nancy seemed actually interested and asked the droid questions; sometimes she even asked me what color I liked. At one point Nancy stopped talking and looked at me. She finally said, “George, I have to go to the bathroom.” I pointed and said, “Sure, its right over there through the opening.” I stopped talking and looked at her. Her face was in anguish. Then I knew. There was no door going into the bathroom. I might see her; I might hear her. Her face was red and she wouldn’t look at me. I said, “Maybe I’d better check the holi-effect schedule for the movies tonight.” I left the room quickly. We stumbled through the day; at six o’clock we stood in the Grand Hall of the ship dressed in our formal uniforms. It was impressive. The seats had all been withdrawn into the floor. The passengers were in groups designated by their counselors. Bob and Sharon stood in front while their assigned twenty-five couples stood behind them; one hundred groups of counselors and passengers. These groups were flanked by the crew—also in formal uniform. The captain entered the room and strode to the podium. He paused and in a voice that carried the room through voice enhancement said, “Computer, have all the guests departed?” The computer answered, “Yes captain.” The captain continued, “Computer, are we prepared to make way?” “Yes captain.” The captain spoke again, “Computer, do we have all green?” “Yes captain.” Finally, the captain issued his command, “Computer, make way as charted.” The computer said its final words, “Under way; as charted.” And fell silent. A historical musical ballad known to all of our generation played in the hall for two minutes as we stood in more or less attention. Even my cynical self was captured in this moment. The captain surveyed the people before him and said, “Take the hand of your companion and prepare to be joined. Ship’s crew; take the hand of your wife and prepare to renew your companion vows.” I held Nancy’s hand as the captain spoke for a few moments pointing out the symmetry of a vessel starting a voyage that would last for decades, and our marriages that must last for decades. He concluded, “With the power so vested to me, you are husband and wife.” I turned to Nancy and looked at her. I leaned down and looking into her eyes, we kissed on the lips for the first time. Moments later the captain said, “Computer, raise the seats. Crew and passengers, please be seated.” The people moved to the designated area and the seats rose slowly from the floor as if called to attention. There were six thousand people in the room, but the room could easily hold more. I knew from orientation that as the synthetic raw material supplies were used up, the storage areas next to this room would give way to a much bigger Grand Hall. Six thousand people were here now, but it was expected that nineteen thousand or more people would complete the journey. The new numbers were the children. As the room became quiet he said, “I am your captain. In those areas that are involved with the ship’s mission or its safety, I remain your captain. Otherwise, my name is Tom. I would like to introduce you to your first officer, Carolyn.” A tall, blond woman walked up to the captain. Even from my distance I could see she was beautiful. The captain reached for her hand and said, “Carolyn is also my wife.” He continued, “Redux was completely successful for this voyage. There were no failures. As you know, our scientists have not yet been able to master how to make redux be repeated on the same person. It only works once. “Twenty-one years from now we will reach our world. We will be the elders—still functional—but maybe with less energy and enthusiasm required for a new world. Our young will be the providers and the builders. The young must be raised in a family unit. Our early experiments with ‘group raising’ ultimately failed as did other pseudo-family experiments over the decades. Children must be born to parents, and the parents must raise them. It is the crux of this vessel and it is the only possible salvation for humans. “One year from now a similar size vessel will follow. Then in another year two vessels twice as big as ours will follow. Year after year larger and larger vessels will make way to our new world long before we arrive. If we fail, those vessels will arrive with no foundation to survive. “The orientation of this vessel is sexual. Your bodies, your uniforms, and some of your activities are intended to create a sexual yearning and bonding. We want you to have intercourse with your spouses often. Our counselors will promote that objective. We need your children that are yet unborn. “The ship’s crew was formed and married one month ago. I am happy to announce the latest report indicates that approximately fourteen percent of our female crew members are now pregnant. The percentage increases daily. I am personally happy to announce that my Carolyn is in that percentage. Our child is coming.” Carolyn grinned and raised her hands over her head in a victory signal as we laughed. “Use your counselors. We are attempting many things to create a society for the new world. Our counselors are our experts if we let them be. “If we assume our average age is sixty, then the wisdom of sixty and seventy year old parents in younger bodies provide a solid starting point for our new born. Our young will be highly educated and highly motivated by you parents. At sixteen the children will assume responsibilities and be called ‘sub adults.’ Sexual responsibility and freedom will be given as well career choice. At sixteen we expect our children to have the maturity of a twenty-five year old. At eighteen, the children will be designated adults. They will leave you and live in their own home; they will be able to choose their own wife and marry. There will be grandparents among you when we arrive. “So the mission begins. For the first year your schedule is to organize; to choose your occupation, your hobbies, and make friends. At our first year anniversary you will remove your passenger slash from your uniform. Passengers and crew will become one on that day. Six months later our government will be formed with our first elections. To Beyond “Later more responsibilities will be demanded. In the near term the one activity that is mandatory is physical training. Our new bodies are in perfect order. We must keep them in that condition over the years so that our mission will succeed. Your daily physical program is the only obligation you have at the present, but we expect you to honor that obligation. “Good luck and congratulations on your marriage. “The meeting is concluded.” Nancy and I left the room in silence. The captain’s message had affected most of those in the room. Many couples left hand in hand. I asked Nancy if she wanted dinner, but she said the last few days had caught up with her. I agreed. We walked most of the way to the room, talking about the speech, the ship, and our future jobs. As we got closer to our apartment I could tell that Nancy was becoming more and more nervous. We entered and I said, “Nancy, we are both are very tired, I’m going to have a drink. If you want, you get ready for sleep first, and I will be in shortly.” She gave me a look of gratitude, kissed me lightly on the lips and hurried into the bedroom. One drink later I walked into the bedroom. She was on the bed and under a sheet. I took my shower, put on my sleep shorts and walked to the bed. I thought she was still awake, but she lay on her side with her back to me. I leaned on my elbow and brushed my hand through her hair and said as I lightly kissed her neck, “Sleep well my wife.” She didn’t move. Day 2 The wake up tone was sounding; until we got up it would continue to increase in volume. I got out of bed and went into the bathroom. Business done and shower completed, I walked to my closet and selected the utility uniform—my day to day clothing. I left the bedroom and went to the office. Nancy had not moved; I suspected she was waiting for me to leave the room. As I asked the per-screen to display messages, news and my personal schedule, I heard the shower start. The news was very brief: “Distance traveled day one, one meter. “Total distance traveled since launch: one meter. “Time to destination: twenty years, three hundred sixty four days. “No special activities scheduled.” I had no messages. My schedule indicated that physical conditioning was to be at nine o’clock in gymnasium number twenty-one. My first job orientation was at one o’clock in the afternoon. I wasn’t sure if I would stay in heavy construction which was my business background, or switch to architectural engineering or some other facet of business. There was no pressure; I had a year to decide. I accessed Nancy’s schedule. She would be with me for physical conditioning. Her occupational orientation was also scheduled for one o’clock. From talking with her I knew that this meeting would be for teachers of children ages four through eight. As opposed to me, she was pretty sure that was what she wanted for her occupation. I could not access Nancy’s personal sector on the per-screen. We both had a confidential sector that could only be accessed by the unique individual person—voice recognition software assured no unauthorized snooping could take place. Nancy came dressed into the office and looked over my shoulder at the per-screen. Her hand rested lightly on my shoulder as she said, “Good morning George. I hope you had a good sleep. I did.” I touched her hand and said, “I think my body is finally catching up with me. I feel much better than yesterday. “Since we have physical training at nine, should we just have light breakfast here?” Nancy agreed. As I stood up from the chair I said, “Computer, what do we bring to physical training?” The computer answered, “Exercise uniforms that fit your body measurements will be supplied at the gymnasium. There is nothing to bring. Each day your exercise uniform will be recyc and ready for the next day.” Nancy and I made small talk until just before nine, and then walked—not counting the high speed elevator through ten floors—to gymnasium twenty-one. We said our names outside the gym door and it quietly opened. We entered the gym. It was a small private room. The exercise equipment was in the center. A door leading to another room was to our right. A woman faced us just inside the door. She grinned and said, “You must be George and Nancy. My name is Gwen and for the first year, and maybe longer if I stay in this field, I will be your personal trainer.” I stared at Gwen. She was wearing a sports bra that, while it appeared to hold her breasts in place, was extremely revealing. The sides of her breasts protruded slightly from the material, and her nipples were clearly outlined through the soft, absorbent material. Her bare shoulders were only hidden by two thin straps that connected to the back and held the bra up. Her shorts were not shorts. Rather it was a thong made of the same absorbent material. A small triangle of material connected to a waist band of less than an inch; another strip of material went under her and disappeared into the crack of her cheeks until it appeared again and connected to the waist band. She was very exposed with the material hiding only her most private parts. She grinned again and said, “For the first lesson, let’s sit down and talk for a moment so that you understand the procedures. Once you get into the routine I will be spending less and less time with you unless we face a special physical problem.” She indicated that we should sit in two seats that were against the wall. She sat in a third chair facing us. Her legs were slightly spread in a comfortable way. I dared not look at Nancy who I was sure was very uncomfortable over our trainer’s daring ‘uniform.’ Gwen waited until we sat and said, “For the first year the computer has programmed your schedule so that you have physical training together. After the first year your jobs might interfere and you will not be able to always have your training together. During the first year you can change the time of your session if you wish, but for now, we will always meet at nine o’clock in the morning. “We have the most advanced physical training known to earth. Obviously, the computer will keep track of your sessions and record your physical statistics once a week—weight, fat content, muscle density and so on. The computer also controls your exercise equipment. It knows, for example, that if your resistance level for a certain exercise was 3.4 kilograms yesterday, it will start you off at the same level today. The program will move you to higher levels when its program indicates your body is ready. “My job today is to introduce you to each set of exercises and show you the proper technique so that your bodies get the most out of your workout. Studies have shown that improper technique reduces the intended benefit of the exercise by more than fifty percent. The computer can and will correct your technique, but we think having a person show you the techniques accomplishes more initially. “Do you have any questions?” We both side no, and Gwen pointed to the door to our right and said, “There is the change, shower and relax room. Hang up your uniforms on the hooks provided and put on your work outclothes. I’ll be waiting for you.” We walked to the door and it slid open. We stepped inside and stopped. It was a single, small room that appeared bigger because of a plasma wall showing landscapes; constantly changing. On the left wall were two wide hooks for our clothes and a small drawer built into the wall labeled “Clothes.’ In the right corner was a single shower stall with four sprays—two high and two at waist level. The walls of the room made up two sides of the shower; the third side was a clear glass material. There was no door. In the center of the room was a soak tub that was familiar to me. Nozzles could be directed to massage various parts of the body, and there was a pillow at each end so that you could relax. Permanent pulsating jets were also at each end of the tub so the back would always be massaged. The seats were designed so that the two people would face each other. The soak tub was not very wide. Nancy did not say a word. We stood there; each unwilling to make the first move. A computer voice broke the silence, “Please undress quickly and put on your workout clothes. Gwen is waiting for your.” I touched the open indicator on the wall for my workout clothes. The drawer slid out and I took the piece of clothing. It was the same material that Gwen wore. I was somewhat nonplussed; it was a male thong similar to Gwen’s. There was a lightweight mesh inside to give my testicles minimum support but that was it. Except for my frontal triangle that extended through my legs, and the two inches of material going around my waist, there was very little else. I would be more naked than clothed. I looked at Nancy who had also opened her drawer. She took her workout clothes from the drawer; it was obvious that they were identical to Gwen’s. I heard Nancy take a quick breath, and she said with embarrassment in her voice, “I just can’t do this.” I responded, “Nancy, we really don’t have a choice. Let’s just put on our clothes and try our best to do what Gwen wants.” I turned my back to Nancy and quickly took off my clothes and slipped my exercise thong on. I was right; it hid very little. I talked over my shoulder, avoiding any glimpse of Nancy and said, “I’ll be waiting outside for you.” There was no answer. I went outside and saw Gwen still sitting in the chair. She indicated that I should sit and said, “The first time can be tough. We all have wonderful bodies now and we shouldn’t be ashamed of them. I have to admit though when my sixty year old mind saw me in this uniform, I was dumbfounded…but I got over it. The dressing room door opened and Nancy walked out. I knew that if I wasn’t careful, my thong would not hide the fact that I was having an erection. Nancy walked up to us. Her breasts were larger than Gwen’s and the sides of her breasts were more visible. Her long legs came into her hips and the effect was extremely sensual. Wisps of chestnut pubic hair peaked from the sides of her thong. Nancy refused to look at me. Rather she turned to Gwen and said, “Maybe we better start.” Our exercise period began. Gwen was very good and knew the equipment. The computer had pre-set the equipment based on our redux records. The first few exercises were quite easy and then they gradually increased. At one point I watched Nancy reach for a bar over her head and slowly lower it to her neck—the computer created resistance. As she reached up, her breasts moved up, and as she pulled the bar down, they jutted out. I couldn’t take my eyes off her breasts. Gwen gradually moved us into more difficult exercises. Either the room was getting warmer or the computer was testing me as I felt the start of sweat on my forehead. Nancy and I were both getting tired as Gwen encouraged us to finish each exercise. Some of the exercises required either the shoulders or feet to be held down as the other part of the body created isometric tension. Gwen showed us the restraints that could be used if our partner was not there. When the partner was there, they were to be the restraints. Gwen finally said, “One more exercise and you are finished. Nancy, sit on the mat, your back on the incline with your knees up and spread; your feet are to be flat on the floor. Reach behind you for the bar and try to sit all the way up. The bar will give you resistance and you should feel your stomach muscles start to burn. Keep trying to sit up until the computer signals the exercise is over. “George, Nancy’s feet will come off the ground if not restrained. Kneel in front of her feet and hold her feet to the floor.” Nancy began the exercise. I looked at her as she strained. She was sweating freely now and the sweat had soaked her bra. The wet material had rubbed against her nipples and they had hardened. The points of her nipples were clearly visible. I lowered my eyes and looked at her pelvis. Her inner thighs were showing tendons slightly concaving the skin surface. The sweat had soaked her thong and I saw her mound pushing against the material. Her labia outer lips were outlined through the material and the sweat stain traced the length of her slit. It was an almost overwhelming sexual picture. I felt the beginning of an erection. The computer sounded the end of the exercise. Gwen said, “Your turn George. Nancy, hold his feet to the floor.” The exercise began and I could feel the resistance increasing as I tried to sit. Sweat was running down my forehead. I had been staring at my knees, concentrating on pulling when I looked up at Nancy kneeling in front of me. She had leaned over my feet to get better leverage to hold me in place. Her bra hung down as I looked and I could see the upper half of her breasts hanging freely. I thought, “Her mouth is less than eighteen inches from my penis. It was impossible; I had an enormous erection, the shorts hiding nothing. I stopped pulling and Nancy looked up…and saw my erection. She turned red and looked away. Gwen had been watching. She said, “George, you should have completed your exercise.” I answered, “But Gwen, in case you didn’t notice, I was having a problem.” Gwen replied, “George, you were having an erection. Use the right word. I have been doing this exercise with my husband for thirty days. Twenty-nine of those days he got an erection looking at me. There is nothing wrong with the erection; it is a natural event. You are through for the day, but tomorrow exercise through the erection. “Ok, you have time for a shower and then a soak. We have pushed your muscles; the soak is to relax them. The soak is as important as the exercise. Nancy and I walked into the change room. When the door closed the computer voice said, “Quickly discard your work out clothes into the recyc bin and take a shower. You have only three minutes for the shower, so you must shower together.” I quickly discarded my thong and walked into the shower. The water began. I heard or sensed Nancy undressing and then she was in the shower. We faced away from each other, but it was impossible not to feel the other person. My ass touched hers and we pulled away. We touched again and I knew it was hopeless; this time we stayed together—ass to ass. The water stopped suddenly and the computer said, “Please step into the soak tub. You have ten minutes. Nancy left the shower first and walked to the edge of the soak tub. Her sensual back was naked to my looks; her perfect ass showing her to the fullest. As she turned to step into the tub, I saw her vulva; untrimmed chestnut hair covering her parts as she sank into the water. The jets came on and her body was hidden. I walked to the soak tub and carefully stepped into the warm water. My erection had come back, but I had not looked at Nancy, so I didn’t know if she was watching me or not. The soak tub was as narrow as it looked. As I sat down it was clear that we would be touching. My left thigh was pressed against her thigh. Her skin was soft to the touch. There was nothing we could do. I finally looked at her and said, “How do you feel.” She raised her eyes to me and answered, “I am tired. My new body may be perfect, but the computer was acting as it was trying to go beyond perfect. The soak tub is wonderful.” She leaned her head back against her pillow and closed her eyes; relaxing as the water jets relaxed her muscles. Only her neck and head were visible. I stared at her face knowing that she was special. At some point I realized that my arms were directly parallel to my legs. It was becoming awkward. I finally moved my left arm and gently rested it on Nancy’s leg. A minute later I felt Nancy rest her arm on my leg. The erection came back; I ignored it. We soaked in silence. At some point I noticed that Nancy’s nipples were now visible; then her breasts were starting to show—the soak tub was draining. The air alerted Nancy to the fact that warm water was no longer covering part of her. She looked startled; then scared. The computer voice said, “Soak time is over. Please get dressed. Your session for the day is over.” We stepped out of the soak tub and stood side my side as the air jets dried us. We dressed quickly; not avoiding looking at each other, but not trying to look either. The rest of the day went quickly. I sat through the construction orientation, but it did little to tell me whether this should be my occupation or not. I thought, “You have a year to decide.” I met Nancy late in the afternoon. She was excited about the educational orientation. It was everything she thought it would be. An infinite number of edu-droids would be assisting, and the latest philosophy of young children education was being emphasized. She talked throughout dinner about the opportunities the children would have with the program that had been outlined. We wandered through the ship after dinner, went to the lounge for one drink as we listened to the music and watched the more adventuresome dance. And then it was time to go back to the room. We walked into our apartment and I suggested that she might want to go first. She nodded and walked into the bedroom. I thought I had given her enough time so I walked into the bedroom as she was coming out of the bathroom; I had surprised her as she stopped, frozen in place. She was in her sleep clothes. Her thong was a wisp; her chestnut hair spilling outside the material that hid almost nothing. There was no top. She blushed and quickly got into bed. I came out of the bathroom in my sleep shorts and she was awake; staring at the ceiling. I lay down next to her and said, “Not a bad first day, was it?” She answered, “No, it was a start.” I turned on my side to look at her. She looked at me and I moved my lips to hers. We kissed, and then kissed again. I reached for her and my hand touched her naked stomach and moved to cup her breast. I touched her nipple; and then I felt her hand hold me wrist. I looked at her. Her eyes misted over and she said in anguish, “George, I know I’m an idiot and I will get over this, but I need time. Can you bear to give me more time?” Disappointed, but maybe not surprised I replied, “Of course I will. I am pushing too fast and I’m sorry. Go to sleep.” She smiled at me, her head came up and we kissed. She whispered, “Thank you.” In minutes her breathing slowed; she was asleep. Sleep would not come to me. The frustration level had risen to a new high today, and there was nothing I could do about it. But there was… The holi-effect showed the couple extremely aroused. The foreplay had been long and extensive. He put her legs over his arms and lifted her slightly; her sex smell filled the room. His penis started to enter her; and I masturbated. I was ready this time. The mess was kept to a minimum, but the orgasm if anything was stronger. I cleaned myself and went to the bedroom. Maybe I could go to sleep now. Day 3 The morning was a repeat of the day before. I got up and went to the per-screen. The news was skimpy: “Distance traveled day two, 1,000 meters. “Total distance traveled since launch: 1,001 meters. “Time to destination: twenty years, three hundred sixty three days. “No special activities scheduled.” My personal schedule showed that Nancy and I had physical training at nine o’clock. At eleven o’clock I was to meet Bob in his office for a check point meeting. And at 1 o’clock the building architectural orientation would take place. Nancy’s schedule was similar—physical training, meet with Sharon, and continue the educational orientation of the previous day. Physical training went better. Nancy seemed to hide her body less, and further, did not seem as embarrassed as I stared at her body parts whenever given the opportunity. Not surprising, my erection appeared again, but I finished the exercise. 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.