Alone on the Edge (The Chronicles of Anna Foster)

by Patrick Stutzman

  Anna’s smile grew a little wider while the two of them gazed at each other for several seconds. Finally, he broke the silence, “Our food’s getting cold.”

  “Right, we should eat.”

  A couple of minutes passed while they enjoyed their lunch together.

  Before taking a bite of her potato salad, Anna stated, “Ryan, you have simply outdone yourself. Thank you.”

  He nodded, “My pleasure.

  “You know, I was wondering. The station does not seem to have any kind of holographic interface installed.”

  “It sucks,” added Anna.

  “I’m sure. Just out of curiosity, if it did have a holographic interface and you could choose an avatar, who would it be?”

  Leaning back slightly, Anna paused and mused aloud, “Wow! I don’t know if I’ve ever thought about it.”

  Ryan waited patiently for several seconds while she pondered.

  Finally, she answered, “If I could choose an avatar, it would have to be Peter Brady.”

  Cocking an eyebrow, he repeated, “Peter Brady? Really?!”

  “Yep!”

  “The middle child from ‘The Brady Bunch’?”

  A look of confusion crossed Anna’s face, and she returned, “The middle ch . . . no! Not him! No! I meant the lead singer of The Swinging Blades. You know, the rock band?”

  “Oh,” paused Ryan as he searched his memories, until it hit him. “Oh! That Peter Brady!”

  Anna smiled, “Yeah! That Peter Brady!”

  “Right! So . . . why?”

  “Why what?”

  “Why him?”

  She replied, “Well, he seems like a pretty cool guy, talented, smart, and because he’s got that super sexy voice.”

  She laughed when she finished, “. . . and he’s fucking hot.”

  Ryan nodded knowingly, “I suppose that would work.”

  “What about you?” Anna prodded. “Who would you choose?”

  Without missing a beat, he answered, “Queen Victoria the First of England.”

  “Qu . . . Queen Victoria?!”

  His confident nod nudged her to ask, “Why her?!”

  “Well,” he stated. “I’m a bit of a history buff, so I am naturally drawn to prominent historical figures. Right now, I’m studying ancient Sumerian cultures on my ship; interesting stuff. Anyway, I’m also drawn to strong, confident women, and Victoria’s hard to top.”

  “I suppose . . .” Anna slowly said.

  Ryan dropped his head slightly and queried, “What? Is there something wrong with my choice?”

  “No, not at all,” defended Anna. “I just don’t see it.”

  Straightening his posture, Ryan shot back, feigning offense, “And, why is that?”

  Shrugging, she answered, “Considering all of those pictures you have on your ship, I would think that you would pick some scantily-clad centerfold.”

  “So,” he interrogated while crossing his arms. “I’m shallow. Is that it?”

  “No. I mean, of course not! It’s just that . . .”

  Anna stopped floundering mid-sentence, noticing Ryan laughing to himself. Immediately realizing that he had been teasing her, she felt slightly humiliated that she had fallen for it and vowed to get back at him.

  “Oh, you suck!” she accused as she flicked a spoonful of potato salad across at him, which splattered on his cheek. Ryan’s expression changed from humor to shock, while Anna snickered back at him. Grabbing a handful of the side dish from his plate, he lightly flung the potato salad at her and hit her on her neck and chest. The food fight escalated from there, ending with both of them covered in potato salad, ketchup, and mustard in addition to giggling over their antics.

  “You know!” gasped Anna between laughs. “I haven’t had a good food fight in years!”

  Ryan wiped the last of the mess from his face, circled around to her, and helped her to her feet. Standing upright, she looked at him to give her thanks, when their eyes met. They gazed into each other’s eyes for a long moment, not caring what happened beyond their own universe on the command deck. Anna felt overwhelmed by his presence. His eyes seemed to penetrate into the depths of her soul, and she could not resist. Before she knew what was happening, Ryan leaned his head toward her slightly, and she closed the gap, touching her lips to his. They embraced each other, as the passion behind their kiss grew. With her arms wrapped around his shoulders, she held him close not wanting to let him go. She relaxed in his arms, forgetting everything around her except for the kiss they shared, the strength of his embrace, and the taste of ketchup on his lips.

  Ketchup!

  Anna reluctantly broke away from the kiss and leaned her head back to regard him. Ryan looked back with a questioning look on his face.

  “I’m sorry,” she apologized softly. “But, I should clean up before returning to work again. I still have a lot to do today.”

  He sighed with a disappointed expression on his face, “Of course. I don’t want to keep you from your job.”

  Before she could respond, Ryan kissed her again. Unable to resist, Anna succumbed to his touch once more, returning the kiss with the same fervor. She wanted nothing more than to forget everything else and stay in his arms, but her sense of responsibility intervened.

  Forcing herself away, she squirmed out of his arms and teasingly scolded as she backed toward the elevator, “Stop it! You’re getting ketchup all over me!”

  With a playful expression, he replied, “Sorry to break it to you, Anna, but you are already covered.”

  “See?” she laughed.

  She backed into the elevator, not taking her eyes off of him, and stated, “I’d offer to help clean up the picnic, but . . .”

  “It’s okay,” Ryan interrupted while waving his hand toward her. “Go get cleaned up.”

  “Are you sure?”

  As he nodded, Anna smiled as the doors shut and the elevator car descended. She leaned back against the wall, elated from the picnic and her romantic moment with Ryan. Grabbing her wrist, her mind started to drift, when she suddenly remembered that she lacked her wristcomp.

  Glancing at her wrist where it would normally be, she winced and exclaimed, “Damn it! I meant to ask him if he’d seen it.”

  Anna looked up at the elevator car’s ceiling, wondering what Ryan was thinking while he cleaned up their picnic. She pouted as her descent slowed and returned to her quarters once the doors opened.

  A few minutes later as she stepped into the shower, Anna said, “Computer, talk to me while I’m in the shower.”

  “As you wish, Anna.”

  “Do you know where my wristcomp is?”

  A few seconds later, the computer responded, “I am not detecting your wristcomp on the station.”

  Anna paused while she lathered the shampoo in her hair, the bubbles turning an odd orange color from the mixture of ketchup and mustard.

  “Where could it be?” she wondered aloud.

  She pondered while she cleaned herself and got dressed afterward. Tried as she might, she could not pinpoint where she had misplaced the device by the time she returned to work.

  * * * * *

  The afternoon seemed to fly by as Anna finished her workload. She focused on getting her work done, hoping to spend the evening with Ryan when she finished. Though the burning question of the location of her wristcomp smoldered in the back of her mind, she was aggravated with herself to no end the she could not recall where it could be.

  Anna walked out of the infirmary after completing her physical examination to find Ryan waiting patiently for her in the hall.

  “Hey, you!” she greeted with a smile.

  “Hey, yourself.”

  “You clean up pretty well,” she jabbed.

  Ryan smirked and replied, “Funny. Ready for dinner?”

  “After that, you bet! So, more surprises?”

  Ryan smiled, took her hand in his, and led her to the mess hall. What she found waiting inside took her breath away. The lights were dim
med, creating a dusky setting. The foremost table, draped with a white cloth, displayed two place settings on either side of an artificial candle. On the next table sat several plates covered with napkins and a bucket with what appeared to be a bottle of wine. The aroma of seasoned herb chicken and vegetables filled the room.

  Guiding her by the hand, Ryan escorted Anna to her chair and pulled it out for her. After she sat down, he wordlessly served her dinner. The food he placed before her looked and smelled wonderful to her.

  “Where did you get all this?” she asked cheerfully.

  “The food came from my stores, and I prepared it on my ship,” he replied smartly. “I picked up the chicken during my last visit to Earth.”

  “It smells amazing!”

  Leaning forward on his hands, he encouraged, “Wait till you taste it.”

  Anna smiled and replied, “Okay.”

  Cutting a small piece of the chicken, she cautiously placed the bite in her mouth and instantly exclaimed her approval.

  “This is amazing!” she cried. “Oh! Where did you learn to cook like this?!”

  Flatly, he answered, “My father was a chef, the head chef at Grainger’s in London, in fact, before he retired very well-respected in the culinary field. When I was younger, he passed some of his trade secrets to me.”

  With a wide grin, Anna complimented, “You must have been a promising student. Have you thought of becoming a chef yourself?”

  “No,” he declared as he shook his head and sighed heavily. “During the prime of his career, I hardly saw my father. If I ever have a family, I don’t want to do that to my kids.”

  Anna smiled her approval and continued to eat her dinner. They enjoyed the rest of the meal with light conversation.

  After they finished eating, the pair held hands while they walked back to her quarters, chuckling while they continued their conversation. When they arrived, Anna turned and looked at Ryan again. Seeing him with her now evoked emotions she knew had been growing since his arrival. Without saying another word, she leaned forward and kissed him. Ryan returned the kiss and pulled her close. While breaking their kiss, Anna cautiously groped for the switch to open the door and pressed it after several attempts. As the door slid open, she pulled away from him, grabbed the lapel of his jacket, and led him inside with a smile on her face.

  Once the door closed behind them, she led him further into the room, keeping her eyes locked on his, until she tripped on the edge of the bed and sent the two of them down on the mattress. The stumble sparked laughter from them, and they lay on the bed enjoying the break in the tension. As their merriment died down, Ryan moved over her, looking deep into her eyes.

  Several seconds later, Anna lifted her hands and slid them inside his jacket, gently tracing the lines of his chest. He broke away after a few seconds and sat up, his eyes never leaving her face. Hastily, he removed his jacket and tossed it on the floor next to the bed. Seeing his well-toned arms and chest without the jacket brought a lustful smile to Anna’s face. Ryan pulled his shirt off and dropped it on top of his jacket. Anna slowly sat up and gently ran her fingers over his chest, enjoying the warmth of his body on her fingertips. He lifted her chin up with his hand and engaged her in another kiss. She slowed her caress, concentrating more on his kiss. Ryan raised his other hand to her breast and cupped it, sliding his thumb over her nipple through her tank top. Anna inhaled and moaned slightly from his touch but made no move to stop him. Encouraged by her reaction, he gripped her breast a little more and grazed his thumb over her nipple a little harder.

  Anna broke away from their passionate kiss, looked into his eyes, and removed her stretched shirt, exposing her breasts. He leaned toward her and kissed her again on the mouth before moving down to her neck. Anna leaned her head back and closed her eyes, focusing on the attention he was giving her. She combed her fingers through the hair on the back of his head, moaning while she did. Ryan wrapped an arm around her and carefully lowered her to her bed, kissing his way down to her breast. His tongue drew circles around her areola and teased her stiff nipple, inciting a moan of pleasure. She spread her legs, allowing him to move his legs in with hers during their foreplay.

  Ryan slowly kissed his way down her belly until he reached the waistband of her pants. He slowly unfastened the garment and, kissing her belly as he removed her pants and panties. Casting the clothing aside on the floor, he continued his journey down and stopped between her thighs. Ryan hesitated with a quick glance to obtain her permission. Unable to grasp a hold of any actual words, Anna nodded her approval. With a sly grin, he returned his attention to his initial destination, tracing the soft folds of her clitoris with his tongue.

  Gasping from the sudden attention to her most private area, Anna leaned her head back and spread her legs further apart, granting him better access. She planted both of her hands on top of his head and moaned aloud, unable to withstand the pleasure he created for her.

  “Computer,” she cried as her breathing became heavier. “Decrease ... lights ... to 5%!

  “Oh, god!” she moaned as the lights dimmed.

  Chapter 24

  Anna awoke the next morning feeling euphoric from her tryst the night before. She opened her eyes, stretched her arms and legs while still lying under the covers, and rolled over to face the other side of the bed to find it empty. Frowning slightly from disappointment, she quickly dismissed it, figuring that the computer would alert her if there was an issue.

  She reached over to where she normally placed her wristcomp and remembered that it was still missing. Sitting up and looking around her quarters again, she could not see the device anywhere. Finally, she had a revelation and remembered that she had left her wristcomp on Ryan’s ship. Figuring that it was probably still there, she returned to the ship to retrieve it, hoping at the same time that he was on board to pay him a visit.

  Pulling herself out of bed, Anna completed her typical morning constitutional to brush her teeth and shower, dressed in a simple T-shirt and pants, and walked to the airlock to Ryan’s vessel.

  “Permission to come aboard, captain?” she called playfully as she descended to the vessel.

  All she heard was silence as she continued onto the bridge.

  Anna looked around her curiously before adding, “Ryan?”

  Again, no response came.

  She pondered aloud as she stepped toward the pilot’s station, “I wonder where he is?”

  Out of the corner of her eye, Anna spotted her wristcomp still lying on the floor against the wall. Snatching it up with a sweep of her hand, she noticed that it was signaling an incoming message. She toggled on the screen and found four messages waiting.

  “How was your trip, Anna?”

  “Anna?”

  “Anna, are you there? Please respond.”

  “You need to check the files on Ryan’s ship ASAP.”

  Noting to herself that the last message posted about an hour after the first two, she commented to herself, “Probably about those hull scans I’m after.”

  After replacing the wristcomp to her wrist, she stepped over to the pilot’s seat and waved her hands over the lenses to activate the control panels. She searched over the displays as she settled into the chair until she found the ship’s library. Pushing her finger through the holographic switch to activate the keyboard, she smiled when she saw the full-size keyboard appear in mid-air at the same level as her lap. She entered her search parameters and located the scan results. Not bothering to pore over them at the moment, she contacted the station’s computer through her wristcomp and alerted him that she wanted to upload the scan results to him.

  “No, Anna. Not that file.”

  Anna was taken aback by the statement for a second but replied, “Which one?”

  “File 001A needs your immediate attention.”

  Concern furrowed Anna’s brow, as she knew from experience that File 001A was typically nothing more than an identification file.

  “Why?”

  �
�Just read the file, Anna.”

  “That’s kind of private information,” she responded through text. “I should ask first.”

  “Read the file, Anna. Please?”

  With a sigh, she searched for and opened the file. The file contained the type of information that she expected to see.

  Name: Ryan Allen McIlheny

  Birthplace: London, United Kingdom, Earth

  Age: 34 years

  Height: 1.85m

  Mass: 78.8kg

  Hair: Brown

  Eyes: Blue

  Employer: NR Suppliers, New York City, United States of America, Earth

  Position: Corporate Enforcer

  Anna stopped reading at that point, her eyes widened as she reread the last two lines. NR Suppliers? That was the company that owned the station and had hired her. Yet, his ship had no corporate logos or insignias, and Ryan hadn’t worn standard issue clothing.

  She pondered why he would hide the fact that he worked for the same company. His listed position as a corporate enforcer caused her to worry. Corporate enforcers typically performed the company’s dirty work, things that had to be done behind closed doors to keep from tarnishing an organization’s clean image. Was his arrival at the station just an accident? If not, did his presence mean that something bad was going to happen?

  If he is telling the truth and Ryan did come to the station due to a navigational error, then she had nothing to worry about. Besides, he cared about her, maybe even loved her. He was so kind to her. He had helped her when she needed it, helped her when she was hurt. As she stood and walked to the airlock, she thought about his kind words, his gentle touch, and his passion from the night before.

  “He couldn’t have faked that!” she muttered, expressing her thoughts aloud.

  Anna queried via her wristcomp as she returned to the station through the airlock, “Where is Ryan now?”

  The computer responded, “He is now arriving at the mess hall.”

  Without closing the holographic screen, she sped up the ladder and into the corridor of Gray level. Barely allowing time for the airlock hatch to shut and seal, she sprinted to the mess hall and skidded to a halt just inside the door. Standing on the far side of the room next to the culinary system was Ryan pulling a bowl of hot soup from the slot. He looked up at her as she arrived and smiled, instantly putting Anna at ease.