Out of Bight, Out of Mind

Chapter Three

On day five of their orbit, all four of them gathered on the Tamora Bight’s bridge, where the vid screen displayed the drone’s point of view. As it descended to the planet’s surface, Emi felt nervous energy wash through her, both her own and that of her three men.

The tip of Caph’s tongue stuck out the left corner of his mouth as he carefully worked the drone’s controls, guiding it toward the beach they’d selected for its landing point. Wide open and on the water, they could get samples of the ocean and see if there were any beach predators they’d have to worry about when they sent a larger lander down.

Several nervous minutes later as the drone touched down onto the pure white sand, a round of cheers erupted through their com link with the K-2. Aaron had patched them in to the video feed so they could follow along.

“Great flying, Caph,” Rob Elloy said over the com link.

Caph sat back, wearing a pleased grin. “Thanks. You wouldn’t know it was my first time, huh?”

Emi and Ford both patted him on the back as Aaron walked over from the command station. “You did good, big guy,” Aaron said. “Ford, now it’s your turn. He did the hard part.”

Ford blew a raspberry at Aaron, but he slid into his own chair at the console and started guiding the drone through taking air, sand, and water samples.

As he did that, Emi stretched. “If this is the kind of stuff the DSMC will have us doing for the next five years, I’m happy to do it.”

“I know, right?” Aaron commented. “I really do enjoy this kind of stuff, even if I don’t understand all the finer details.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders and snugged her close. “That’s your department, babe.” He planted a kiss on the top of her head. “I got us here.”

The rest of the day’s activities were filled with more drone reconnaissance missions, taking samples, and filing reports. From the extensive list of requirements jointly issued by the DSMC and the ISTC—Interstellar Treaty Coalition—so far this planet looked like a good settlement choice. Very little terraforming would be required to make it habitable as a settlement outpost, which would grow first into an official base, and possibly a new pilgrim planet.

It was late in the night when Emi finally left the bridge, and even then only after Aaron ordered Caph to physically remove her.

He grinned. “With pleasure.”

She let out a yelp as he tossed her over his shoulder and headed toward their quarters. She glared at Aaron, who followed close behind. “What’s the big idea?”

“You’re tired, you’re being stubborn, you’ve already ignored three suggestions from me to go to bed, and me and Caph are fucking horny. So you can either help and get some yourself, or lie there and watch us, but either way you’re going to bed.”

“Hmph!”

She read his amusement. He knew she wasn’t really mad at him.

Back in their quarters, he gently set her on her feet before he turned and started undressing.

Aaron pulled her in for a kiss. “If you work yourself to death, who’s going to take care of us?” He started undressing as well.

She followed suit. “I can’t help it. I’m excited about what we’re doing.”

“And the planet will still be there tomorrow, babe,” he assured her. “And for the next couple of weeks.” He disappeared into the head.

Caph, now naked, dropped onto the bed with a playful smile. “So, are you in the mood?”

“If I’m not, I’m sure you can get me there.” She joined him, straddling him and kissing him.

When Aaron emerged from the head a few minutes later, Caph was on top of her sixty-nine, his face buried in her pussy while she sucked his cock.

“Mmm. That’s a nice sight, although you started without me.”

Emi felt the mattress dip behind her head. A moment later, Caph froze, letting out a deep moan of pleasure as Aaron worked his cock up the big man’s ass.

She reached back and stroked Aaron’s sack, cradling the soft weight in her palm and making Aaron let out another moan.

“Jeez, baby, don’t stop. That’s fantastic.”

Caph’s tongue burrowed deeper inside her pussy, making her squirm. Every time she let out a moan, his cock grew harder and thicker against her tongue.

Before long, Aaron and Caph had settled on a rhythm, and Emi curled her fingers around the base of Caph’s shaft as he started fucking her mouth in time with Aaron’s strokes. Right above her, she watched their thighs slapping together as the heady scent of their arousal and her own filled her senses. Their emotions, a rich purple and green swirling together as they made love to her and each other, helped push her closer to the edge of her own release.

In a strained tone, Aaron said, “I’m close. I can’t hold back much longer.”

Caph’s body on top of her rubbed against her nipples, pebbling them and adding to the pleasant jolts shooting straight for her clit. Then Caph pressed two thick fingers inside her, hooking them perfectly against her G-spot.

Being held immobile beneath them only amped her pleasure as her orgasm spiked through her. As her moans vibrated through Caph’s cock, combined with Aaron pounding his ass, it set him off, too. She let out another moan as his sweet juices filled her mouth and she struggled to swallow fast enough to keep up with him.

“There you go,” Aaron said. “That’s what I wanted to hear.” He took another few fast and hard strokes before she felt his sac draw tight in her hand and his cum emptied into Caph.

None of them moved for a moment, too busy trying to catch their breaths and recover. Aaron was the first to untangle himself, stepping into the head to clean up and coming back with a warm, wet washcloth for Caph, who’d flopped off Emi and onto his side.

She turned and curled up against the big man, draped across him as Aaron nestled in behind her with his arm around her waist. “Okay,” she mumbled. “I rested. Happy?”

Aaron chuckled and kissed her shoulder. “For now.”

One benefit, although some might call it a drawback, of being a secondary explore was they could venture down to the planet’s surface in a lander, if it was deemed safe enough. Ostensibly for gathering firsthand samples with small, robotic rovers.

In special cases, they could even exit the lander and set foot on the planet.

Emi was glad this was an extra-special case, and Aaron and Rob had decided to take the women down to the planet for an impromptu picnic.

With excitement, Emi sat on the edge of their seat as Aaron guided the lander through orbit toward the Kendall Kant and their hangar bay. She kept touching her trouser pocket, where Bucky created a bulge.

She knew Rob and Aaron would never think of jeopardizing any of their crew if it wasn’t absolutely safe. It didn’t hurt that she’d get to see her best friend in person again.

It definitely didn’t hurt that Aaron had teased Emi a little about maybe some afternoon adult playtime, if the situation warranted it.

It felt like ages since she’d been on a planet. Life in the Bight was good, but she’d been raised in Montana. She wouldn’t deny that the opportunity to go to a planet’s surface without worries about solving a health crisis, like on Aroykin, or fighting for her men, like on Kal’moran, greatly appealed to her.

Fun time.

Me time.

Well, correction, sexy time with Aaron.

Once Aaron had landed in the K-2’s hangar bay and the compartment had been pressurized, he opened the door. Donna immediately rushed in and hugged Emi with a happy squeal.

“I made a decadent chocolate cake for dessert,” Donna said by way of greeting.

“I made a fruit salad,” Emi said. “Fresh from our hydro lab.”

Rob Elloy stuck his head inside the lander and laughed. “Donna isn’t exactly the hydro lab kind,” he said. “But then again, I don’t need to tell you that, do I, Emi?”

Emi laughed and shook her head. “Nope. She can kill fake plants. She’s worse than Ford. At least he tries to keep things alive. He’s just cursed with a black thumb.”

Donna stuck her tongue out at them. “I’m a doctor, not a gardener.” She looked at Emi. “Gregor handles the hydro lab. I swapped out life-support maintenance duties with him.”

After quickly saying hello to the other two men of the K-2, the four of them got under way to the surface of Dee-Tee, as they’d dubbed it for the duration of their mission. Emi and Donna sat behind Rob and Aaron. Aaron manned the controls and within two hours had gently set the lander down on the same sandy beach Caph had landed the drone upon.

“Do you really think it’s safe out there?” Donna asked with trepidation as she stared out the front windows.

“Safe enough,” Rob said. “I thought you were eager to get out on the beach?”

“I am,” she shot back. “I just want to make sure I don’t trade a tan for a toe tag.”

Emi studied the sensors. “Still not showing any large wildlife in this area. Should be fine.”

Donna chewed on her bottom lip. The waves of tentative fear washing off her friend nearly made Emi dizzy. Donna was a ballsy woman, yes, but sometimes with more than her fair share of bravado.

“Yeah, but what about those spider things you were telling me about that you ran into on Kal’moran. Could there be something like that here?”

“Scans aren’t showing anything we have to worry about,” Aaron assured her. “Besides, we’ll have energy shields up. We’re having a picnic, not a long-distance marathon through the jungle.”

Donna’s smile brought out her dimples. “I brought my bikini.”

Rob laughed and turned to face her. “Who says I’m going to let you wear anything?”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“Not like Emi hasn’t seen you naked before. You were roommates, right?”

Donna let out a squeak.

Emi and Aaron both laughed. “I think he’s got your number, girlfriend,” Emi said.

“Oh, she’s a handful, all right,” Rob agreed as he reached for Donna and pulled her into his lap, “but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Rob didn’t really make Donna go in the buff. Aaron and Rob set up a robotic rover and programmed it to run along the beach and collect samples and video. While they did that, the women laid out a blanket in the shade of the lander and stretched out on it to await their men. Nearby, stands of what resembled palm trees housed groups of singing birds, light blue in color with long, graceful tails.

Emi closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. “This reminds me of spring break our junior year,” she said. A pleasantly cool salty breeze took the edge off of what would otherwise be a hot afternoon.

Donna giggled. “Ah, yes. Sarasota. Damn, that bartender was fucking hot.”

“Yeah.”

She felt Donna’s energy shift and knew what was coming when her friend lowered her voice. “You okay?”

Emi thought about it. “Yeah. It’s over and done. I’m pissed at myself for not keeping the guys closer to me while we were on the planet. I should have grown a set and realized ‘diplomatic’ doesn’t equate with doormat. I also feel badly that they feel guilty for me having to fight.”

“Eh. They love you. Anything that causes you pain, physically or emotionally, is going to stir their dander.” She shrugged. “It’s what we crazy humans do when we’re in love.”

“Like switching out hydro lab duties?”

A sly grin spread across Donna’s face. “Seriously?” She held up a hand. Her finely manicured nails were a deep pink with prismatic holotones. “I can wear gloves for swapping out scrubber filters. I’m not about to spend my days with my hands stuck in planting media.” She stared out over the ocean. “You always were better at that stuff than me. You have the special touch. More importantly, you enjoy it.”

Emi glanced to where the men were fussing over the rover’s controls a few yards away. They’d dropped the energy shield in lieu of the high-powered sensors, which could raise the shield with the touch of a button on the remote Aaron wore around his neck.

“Boys and their toys,” Emi joked.

“So, seriously,” Donna pressed. “You okay?”

Emi’s hand automatically touched the bulge in her pocket where Bucky securely lay. “Yeah. I think so.”

Donna tipped her head back, letting the sun shine on her neck. “You always did like to keep stuff close to the vest. Not always good for you.” She let out a content sigh as the sun warmed her flesh. “I really need to go through empath training. You’re a tough nut to crack.”

What Emi really wanted to do was change the subject. “DSMC said we can name some of the larger features, like the ocean and continents, if we want. Any ideas?”

Donna snorted as a grin filled her face. She pointed out at the water in front of them, where gentle rollers broke upon the white sand. “How about the Amazon Ocean.”

“Huh?”

She giggled. “In honor of you, for kicking that woman’s fucking ass.” She paused, thinking about it. “And for kicking Eckhart’s ass, too.”

Emi steered the topic of conversation back to less deeply contemplative things. They spread out lunch for the men once they’d been satisfied that the rover was performing as required. But after lunch, with a full tummy and the warm sun, Emi found herself drifting off to sleep.

Aaron gently shook her awake. The first thing she noticed was how much cooler it felt than it had. “Hey, sleepyhead. How was that full-tummy coma?”

She sat up. Donna and Rob were nowhere to be seen, and the star at the center of the Dee-Tee’s solar system looked lower in the sky than it had following the picnic. “How long did I sleep?”

“Three hours. It’s getting late.”

She glanced around. The rover had returned and was parked next to the cargo ramp, ready to load. “Where’s Donna and Rob?”

He hooked a finger over his shoulder at the lander. “Inside. From the sound of it, they’re finished.”

A wave of disappointment, her own, flooded her. “I’m sorry. I’d kind of had that in mind for us, too.”

He smiled. “It’s okay, babe. I’d rather you get the rest. You looked more peaceful sleeping there than I’ve seen you look in a while.”

She stood and helped him shake the sand out of the blanket before folding it. “This has been a beautiful afternoon,” she admitted. “I’m sorry I fell asleep on you, though. And I wish the twins could have been here to enjoy it with us.”

He hugged her to him. “It’s okay. We’ll have lots of opportunities for these kinds of days.”

She inhaled his scent and let the feeling of his love for her wash through her soul. “I don’t ever want to forget days like this.”

He snickered. “I know Donna and Rob won’t.”

“Why?”

He looked down at her with an evilly playful grin. “He forgot the vid recorders were running inside the lander. Their sex tape is now part of the official exploration record.”