Generations of Teelan Box Set

by G. E. Stills

  Lacing his fingers in hers, he led the way to the nearest cafeteria.

  ***

  La’lani’s eyes fluttered open and she gazed lovingly at the man beside her. She still found the wonders surrounding her hard to grasp. Everything was so radically different from her previous primitive lifestyle. The things I have seen and what has been done to me physically leave me in speechless astonishment, overwhelmed. Aaron is the one thing that remains the same in my new world. I love my new family and things here on Teelan are amazing, but at the same time I need to get away from here and be alone with him.

  Aaron propped himself up on one arm and his gaze shifted downward. “I notice you’re not wearing your computer anymore. Why?”

  “But I am. Mark is just fine.”

  “Mark?”

  “That’s what I’ve named my computer. He’s right here,” She touched an area just above her right breast where the small, but powerful chip was implanted. Not so much as a tiny scar remained. “The computer has been upgraded. Mark is now an AI just like Shelly.”

  “When did this happen?”

  “Kat installed him just yesterday.”

  “That’s not the only thing she did.”

  “I see. Well it’s nice to meet you, Mark.”

  “He says it’s nice to meet you too, Aaron.” She giggled. “You’re not the only one that has voices in their head now. He says he would like to talk to Shelly, but can wait until things are calmer.”

  “Shelly says she would like that.”

  They came together, exchanging another kiss and soon the AI’s were left to their own thoughts. Their owners had far more pressing matters to take care of.

  ***

  “That’s our ship?” La’lani asked as she gazed out the view port. The blackness of space was dispelled by bright floodlights that illuminated the ship.

  “That’s her,” he replied proudly.

  “The Emma II is huge compared to the one you crashed on Youkana.”

  “There will be two people living on her. I remind you the Emma II will be our home for the foreseeable future. We might as well be comfortable.”

  La’lani was just as thrilled about the ship as he was. That was evident by the excitement of her voice. “What’s she look like on the inside?”

  I have no idea, well that isn’t strictly the truth because I’ve seen drawings and blueprints, but I’ve kept my promise. I haven’t stepped foot inside. I’ve been waiting to do that with you.”

  Her grip on his hand tightened. “Thanks. So should we go see our new home?”

  He led her to an air lock where a small four seat craft was waiting. “This is called an ALC. It’s ours. It’s for landing on planets while the Emma remains in orbit.”

  “ALC?” she asked.

  “That is an acronym, it stands for Atmosphere Landing Craft. He flew the craft to the underside of the Emma and pressed a button on his control panel. A large door in Emma’s belly opened and he guided the ALC through it. The door closed. Lights came on and clamps secured the craft to the deck.

  “It is safe to exit at this time,” a robotic voice announced.

  Pressing a button on the instrument panel, he opened the ALC’s door and extended the ramp. There were two hatches leading from the landing bay. Pointing to the one at the rear he explained. “That hatch leads to the engine room. Unless you’d rather, we’ll check that out later.”

  “Later sounds fine to me, honey.”

  They walked through the other hatch in front and entered another room. Two space suits hung on one wall. Hand tools and a rack filled with hand weapons were positioned on one of the other walls. At the front of the room wide stairs spiraled upward. Climbing them, they entered a control room. It had two comfortable looking seats that faced a large instrument panel covered with gauges, dials, switches and buttons. In front of the control panel was a huge view port running the full width of the Emma affording a panoramic view of space beyond.

  “I trust you’re going to teach me what all these buttons and switches do,” she indicated the controls.

  “Of course, babe. You don’t think I’m going to do all the flying do you?”

  Guiding her with him, he crossed to the back of the room and pressed a button on the wall. The hatch in front of them slid open. Even though sparsely furnished with rugged and yet comfortable looking furniture, it was obvious this was a living room. Seven hatches in addition to the one they entered, led from the room. In one corner a shiny new robot stood silent and motionless.

  “Ah, Aunt Kat said she was sending one up. That will make our life much easier.”

  “What does it do?” she asked.

  “Most anything we wish, but mainly manual things.”

  Starting with the hatch on their right they entered each. The first was an eating area with a booth seat large enough to accommodate four.

  “I guess we’ll have to order out all the time,” La’lani teased, “I don’t see any appliances for cooking or a refrigerator for storage.”

  He chuckled and went to a wall with several small sliding doors and multiple buttons beside them. “You only have to press a number sequence in one of these and the ship will prepare what you order and deliver it to one of these receptacles. When you’re done eating or drinking,” he pointed out one of the openings, “you put your dishes and any other discards in here for disposal.”

  “Nice, that means I won’t be doing a lot of cooking after all, or dishes.”

  “Nope that will free up your time for other things.”

  She cocked her head and grinned.

  The next hatch opened into a large room that was empty although shelves covered all the walls. “Storage room,” he said, then led on.

  Moving to the back wall, he pressed a button, the hatch slid open and they saw the room beyond was a well appointed gym. A large box looking item occupied one wall. Strolling across the deck, they saw it was set up with several different molded forms that would allow a person to sit or recline.

  “What’s that?” Lalani asked.

  “It’s called a hot tub. When you sit in it, the tub fills with very warm water. It’s for soaking and relaxing in.”

  “I’m finding that I like our new home better all the time.”

  The hatch on the back wall next to the gym, opened into a small room that had to be a medical facility, judging from the bed and all the equipment surrounding it.

  Her grip on his hand tightened. “Now this room I don’t care to see. It makes me think they plan on one or both of us getting injured.”

  “It can take care of those things, but it also is designed to treat normal everyday things that happen. Remember we’ll be far away from any type of medical help.”

  “You’re right. I still don’t like seeing it though. It reminds me that what we’ll be doing is dangerous.”

  He shrugged his shoulder. “Are you having a change of heart about marrying me?”

  La’lani surprised him completely. She wrapped her arm around him loosely, swung her waist and bumped her hip against his. “Honey, you call it marriage, on Youkana we term it lifemate. That’s just what it means. You asked me to marry you and I said ‘yes’, you’re stuck with me for life.” She kissed his cheek.

  “Where did you learn about the hip bump thing…oh I don’t even need to ask.”

  “Do you know that Rayne has a tattoo of a devil on her butt? Your mom doesn’t know it yet. I’m thinking about getting one. Maybe a little dragon or scorpion down in my nether region.”

  “I have definitely got to get you away from my sister and her bad influence,” he chuckled, then cleared his throat. “Let’s check out another room.”

  The hatch opened into a room with a bed and storage dressers.

  “This is our bedroom?” she asked.

  “No, this is for guests that spen
d the night with us. Our bedroom I’ve saved to show you last.”

  The next hatch on the left wall slid back to reveal their bedroom. A large bed occupied the center with dressers lining three of the walls. Two additional hatches were arranged along the remaining wall. The first was a large walk-in closet.

  “Gee, my things will fit nicely in here, but where are you going to put your stuff?” she teased.

  “Sweetie, we have to share this room.”

  “Well, maybe I can let you have a small corner.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Whatever happened to my little savage girl?”

  “I’ve become civilized and citified and... Rayne happened,” she laughed.

  He shook his head and led her into the last room. It was a bathroom. A hatch on their left put them back in the central living room. “So that concludes the tour.”

  “I really like our new home. I can hardly wait to try out that comfy looking bed. This is changing the subject, but how soon do we leave?”

  “The workers are finished. The ship needs to be stocked, but I plan on leaving in a couple days. Right after the ceremony.”

  “Ceremony?”

  “Our marriage ceremony. Didn’t my mother and sister tell you?”

  “They mentioned it. I had Mark research it and I don’t want to take time for that type of elaborate function. I just want to start our lives together. I told them that.”

  “We do things different here on Teelan than the way weddings are performed on Earth. There isn’t a lot of preparation involved.”

  “I’m a savage remember. Just conk me on the head and drag me to your cave.” She grinned. “Or in this case spaceship.”

  “Cave woman? Conk you on the head? Rayne?”

  “Yep.” Her grin widened.

  “My mother would be crushed if we didn’t have a wedding. It won’t be a fancy one. That I insisted on. Unless you want it to be?”

  “I don’t need one at all. I just want to be gone so I have alone time with you. At the same time I don’t want to disappoint your mother.”

  “Those are my feelings too.”

  ***

  The huge auditorium was packed. Glancing around, La’lani could only pick out a few faces she recognized. As she started her stroll down the center aisle, she felt totally underdressed. Everyone around her was dressed to the max in a rainbow of colored outfits. Her sheet-like gown was shapeless and covered her otherwise naked body from neck to ankles. Her feet were bare. The gown was made of some soft shiny and feather light material. Her hair was stacked on her head and held there by a multitude of colorful ribbons. Large silver hoop earrings dangled from her ears. The gown had no sleeves leaving her arms bare. La’lani smoothed her palms over her bare thighs to remove the nervous perspiration.

  A light shade of plum-red makeup colored her upper eyelids. All around her eyes and across the bridge of her nose was shadowed in deep black. The black makeup tapered to points at her temples. She knew Aaron loved her black lips and had been insistent they not be covered. Compromising, Rayne had instead accented them with gloss so that they appeared perpetually wet.

  Aaron, wearing a similar white gown, stood waiting. She halted, standing beside him. Both of them facing Kat. She smiled.

  “You are beautiful, La’lani. You are handsome, Aaron,” Kat whispered. “Face each other and repeat your vows after me.”

  She repeated the vows Suki had schooled her on so many times over the past day they were second nature. She did not even have to think of them. Instead she was free to gaze at the handsome man facing her. A man that would soon be her husband for the rest of her life, she reminded herself. They pledged their undying love for each other in front of the crowd.

  Reaching out, Kat ran one finger down the length of the gown. The material parted behind her finger like being zippered open. At the same time, Kat was doing the same to Aaron with her other hand. “Open your gowns. Reveal each to each,” Kat recited.

  Following Kat’s request, she spread her arms opening the gown wide. Though she knew that only Aaron and Kat could see her naked and both of them had seen her before, she still felt her cheeks heat. She fixed her gaze on Aaron’s face and tried not to think of her condition and the audience watching them. The fragrance she had been anointed with drifted out from her open gown and mixed with the pleasant one he wore. The two scents combined to form a new one. Equally pleasant and extremely arousing.

  “You are so beautiful, sweetie,” he mouthed.

  “And you are so handsome,” she mouthed back and felt her gaze drift down. Not a stitch of clothing hid him from her view.

  “Embrace,” Kat ordered.

  A moment of panic consumed her. If I let go of this material the garment is sure to fall from my shoulders. Even so she complied with Kat’s request and removed her hands from the material. To her shock the gown remained in place open wide as if held in that position by some mystical force.

  She took a step forward while Aaron did the same. Their arms circled each other. Their open gowns allowing their skin to touch. Kat nodded and from the corner of her eye she saw Suki approach.

  Suki smiled. “Again I bid you welcome to the family. Aaron you better always be good to her or you will have you mother to deal with.”

  “And your aunts,” Kat added.

  Suki waved her hands. Their gowns melded and drew them together tightly, cocoon like. So tight that their naked bodies were clearly outlined for all to see. Her breasts were flattened against his chest. Her bare sex pressed tight to his. It was as if their very flesh had become one.

  “Two people entered this hall separately,” Kat recited. “They have pledged their lives to each other. One magnificent combination, husband and wife, will leave.”

  A capsule floated in from the side. Suki waved her hands again. A shower of glittering bits of paper drifted down on their heads. Her feet left the ground. Bound together in embrace, they settled into the capsule and the lid closed shutting out everything around. It was as if they were suspended together on a cushion of air. There was no pressure exerted from any direction. Only Aaron was there with her. Only Aaron mattered to her.

  “I love you, Wife.”

  “I love you, Husband.”

  His hands moved down over her back and cupped her butt.

  “Apparently this cocoon does not completely preclude movement.” She giggled.

  “Do you mind?”

  “Ha!” Her hands slipped down cupping his butt. “Does that answer your stupid question?”

  He chuckled. “Yes it does.”

  She knew the cocoon material would melt away and completely vanish, but only after they had consummated their marriage.

  “We will be in this position for hours. Normally, it would only be a very few hours at most, however our marriage bed is on the Emma out at the space dock. We won’t be there for many hours. The pill we took earlier should kick in any time though and put us to sleep. Rest well, my love, because I intend to keep you up all night when we wake.”

  “I’m counting on it.” She yawned in his ear. “I think maybe that pill is starting to take effect.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  The capsule lid opened and bright light streamed in. La’lani blinked in the harsh brilliance, her eyes squinted open just enough to watch the robot lift their cocoon and place it in their bed.

  “Is everything ready for departure Forty-five?” Aaron asked the robot.

  “Yes,” Forty-five answered.

  “Then set course for Youkana and don’t disturb us unless absolutely necessary.”

  “Very good, Aaron, sir.”

  The machine left. “Now where were we?” he whispered in her ear.

  “You were about to make mad, passionate love to me,” she whispered back.

  “Gee, how could I possibly have forgotten that?” he chuckl
ed.

  “As if you forgot for one second. La’lani is so beautiful and she is ours forever. Now do as she suggested. Make passionate love to her,” Shelly said.

  “Shut-up, Shelly.”

  ***

  Hours later when they parted La’lani was hot, covered with perspiration and thoroughly satisfied. From his hard breathing and the wonderful words he had poured into her ear, she was certain he felt the same. The cocoon material had melted away without leaving a trace.

  “I love the way your makeup looks, although I’m sorry to say I’ve smeared it a little. I’m so glad you didn’t color your lips though. You know how much I like them their natural color. Of course there are other black things of yours I like to sample. ”

  She swatted his arm. “Go fix us something to drink. I’ve worked up a terrible thirst. I’ll be there shortly. I need to do something with my hair. I’m certain it’s a fright.”

  Still laughing, he rolled from bed, slipped on some shorts and padded from the room. She climbed out, went to one of her dressers and removed a loose pair of shorts. For a moment she stood there in indecision, then with a shrug of her shoulders, headed for the bath.

  He likes looking at my black nipples so much I’ll let him gawk at them over a cold drink. She laughed.

  When she joined him, sans top, she had combed out her hair and removed her makeup. She sat and he slid a glass of ice water toward her. “Well, wife, how does it feel being a married woman?”

  “Well, husband, it feels great. By the way, hon, my eyes are up here, unless you were talking to them and not me.”

  He chuckled. “As if you didn’t know damn well how distracting it would be for me, seeing you without a top.”

  She didn’t answer, just smiled. “So how long will it be before we get to Youkana?”

  “Normally it’s about a three week trip. I have however, set a leisurely pace so it will take us about three months. We’re on our honeymoon. We can always speed up so we’ll get there faster if you wish.”

  “Three months sounds great. Do you realize that other than the two days after I rescued you from your crashed ship, we’ve never been alone?”