They went to dinner at an upscale family restaurant a couple of kilometers from her home. Mason noticed Victor was exceptionally well-behaved. He chose his own meal, and used the utensils properly. He was better behaved than most adults, Mason noted. They caught a taxi home, and everyone got ready for bed. Mason took a shower and lay on top of the bed, clothed, but with his door slightly opened. He fell asleep.
“Victor, come here. Leave him alone. Victor!” She whispered. Mason saw the boy sneaking up on him through his slit eyes. “Victor, don’t sneak up on him. Victor!”
Just when Victor tried to tickle Mason, he grabbed the boy and held him aloft, Victor laughing like crazy. “Never sneak up on a Prime Marine, Victor Baines!”
Dr. Baines was at Mason’s bedside, relieved her young son had not startled the Prime Marine. Mason put Victor down on his chest, and reached out his hand to her. She took his hand as he gently pulled her to him. She nestled next to him, and put her arm around him.
“Isn’t it nice that John Mason came to visit us, Victor?” She kissed Mason’s cheek again.
“Yes, Mommy. I hope he stays with us,” Victor added.
“All right, now get ready for bed, Victor,” she said. Victor got down and went to bed. “Thank you for a lovely evening, John, and especially for my beautiful earrings.”
“You’re most welcome, ma’am. It is my intent to please you," he said. She raised her hand and caressed his face. He hid nothing from her; he let her see his desire for her.
“John…” she gently kissed him, very tenderly. He did not pressure or force her. He let her remember who he was, and what she meant to him. She lay next to him, on top of the bed, and put her arm around his chest. She fell asleep, and he covered them with a blanket. Mason held her all through the night, wide awake and dreaming.
Later in the morning, Dr. Baines stirred and they awoke in each other’s arms. “Good morning,” Mason softly said, smiling at her. She quickly raised the blanket and saw they were fully clothed, and looked at him, blushing. “You’re okay, Dr. Baines,” he reassured her.
She lay down against him and put her arm around his chest. “I haven’t slept so soundly since Victor died, John.” Mason drew her a little closer into him and she held him tightly. “This is nice, having you next to me. So relaxing and so peaceful.” She sighed deeply.
Mason gently brushed her hair off her face and kissed her forehead. She slowly rose up on her elbow and touched his face, letting her fingers lightly trace his cheekbones, his eyebrows, and then his hair line. She put her hand under his chin and moved up to kiss his lips, softly at first, then with more feeling. He caressed the back of her neck and responded freely to her mouth as their kissing became deeper and more intense. They turned into one another and she opened her arms for him to be closer to her body, their kissing and touching becoming more passionate, hands exploring more of their bodies.
A thump on the bed told them they had company. “John Mason, you’re kissing my Mommy!” Victor said, hands on his hips, staring down at them.
“Yes, I am, Victor, and she’s kissing me,” Mason replied, and they both began to laugh.
“But Mommy, it’s Saturday, and we always watch cartoons and eat fruities on your bed on Saturday,” the boy countered.
“And today’s your birthday, too,” she said as she turned to her son. “Shall we go out to breakfast, Victor?”
“I’d rather have fruities and cartoons with you, Mommy,” he replied, getting next to her, and hugging her.
“I think he just pulled rank on me, ma’am,” Mason said, laughing as little Victor wedged himself between them. “Seems he wants you all to himself. Can’t blame him for that, can I?”
“All right, we’ll have fruities and cartoons on my bed. Shall we invite John to join us?”
“Mommy!” Victor pleaded.
“Guess that’s what Mommies do, ma’am,” Mason said to her, disappointed. “I’ll take a run then, and Victor can have you all to himself.”
“Now, Victor, go wash up and give me a few more minutes with John, would you? That’s a good boy,” she said as he got down. She turned to Mason and smiled, and they resumed their kisses for a few more minutes. “Rain check, John?” She asked him.
“Absolutely,” he responded, and gave her one more passionate kiss, rolling her over on her back. Mason got up from the bed first and held out his hand to her. She let him gently pull her up, and they stood closely together. She smiled her sexy smile at him, and left his room.
Mason changed into his red Space Marine sweats, and left her house. He ran for more than an hour checking out her neighborhood, and returned to her backyard and jumped over the fence, heading for her patio. He stretched his legs for a cool-down and began his kung fu workout. The sun was getting warm, so he took off his sweatshirt and tossed it on the arm of a patio chair. He didn’t notice Dr. Baines step up to her patio door and watch him. Mason was totally in the zone, facing her backyard, doing his kung fu routine. Victor was standing beside her, enthralled with Mason’s movements.
He reached the part of his workout for his jumping kicks. When Mason jumped straight up and kicked out both legs, making a perfect split, she quickly gasped, and her hand went to her collar bone. She absentmindedly gathered the top of her blouse in her hand, rubbing the fabric against her thumb and forefinger. His chest and back were bare and his muscles pumped. She liked it. She loved it. She wanted him.
Dr. Baines went to her fridge for a bottle of cold water for him, and told Victor to bring her a clean towel. The boy ran to her and gave her a bath towel. They sat on the patio to watch him. Mason smiled at her and Victor, and did his jump kicks high in the air. Then, he leaped up, spinning, and kicked out his legs, alternating one, then the other, and landed on one knee, crouching. He stood up, faced them, and clapped his hands, pushing them out away from his body, and drew them up over his head. He put his hands together, pushing against them while his arms and chest muscles bulged, and drew his hands slowly down to his chest. Then he looked up, and relaxed, his workout completed.
Little Victor ran up to him and asked, “Will you show me how to do that, John Mason? I want to fly like you do!” Mason laughed and agreed, and Dr. Baines handed him the towel and bottle of water.
Mason noticed her eyes were sparkling, the gray and green flecks dancing as she looked at him. He stepped back a little, took a long drink, and then poured the water across his chest and shoulders. “It’s getting hot, now,” he commented. The steam rose off his chest and shoulders. He slowly bent over, and placed his hands down on the ground flat. He bent his knees and balanced them on his elbows. Then he pushed them straight up into a headstand.
Victor jumped up and down. “I can do that! Look, John Mason!” The boy stood on his head next to Mason and Dr. Baines laughed. Mason started his headstand push-ups of his entire body, then they came out of their head stands and high-fived each other.
“Thanks for the cold water and towel, Dr. Baines. I’d better head for the shower, now,” Mason said, and put the towel around his neck. He picked up his sweatshirt and started for the door, but she was blocking him.
“Do you do this same workout every day, John?” She asked.
“Most every day, ma’am. Usually I do one hundred push-ups and sit-ups too, but it’s too hot now,” he answered, standing next to her.
“Yes, it is,” she said, her voice trailing off. “Well, let’s get you into the shower now.” She led them all inside, and nervously showed him where all the towels and soaps were in the bathroom, which he already knew, having showered the first day. He quickly took her hand, pulled her closer to him, and kissed her, holding her by her shoulders, trying to not get his sweaty body touching her. She stood back nearly panting and closed the door. As he showered Mason thought, well at least she still likes me.
Victor’s birthday party was at three. “Let me help you, Dr. Baines. Just tell me what you want done.” Mason helped her with the decorations and set up the tables and chairs, w
hile the servo-bot set the plates and serving ware. She took Victor in for his bath.
When Victor was clean and ready, they drank half a glass of wine and enjoyed a few stolen minutes with each other, kissing and petting in her kitchen. She knew her best friend John had a good sense of humor, when he wasn’t working, that is. But she never knew he could be so playful. They never allowed their friendship on the Hesperia to go that far. He whispered how beautiful she was in her ear, and then brushed his lips against her neck. He kissed her, teased her, and cuddled with her. He flirted with her unmercifully, and she loved his attention. He stood behind her and put his arms around her waist, drawing her close to him, and ran his big hand down her right side. She looked over her shoulder at him, and he kissed her.
“John Mason, you’re kissing my Mommy again!” Victor said disapprovingly, putting his hands on his hips.
“No doubt who he learned that mannerism from, Dr. Baines,” Mason said as they both laughed. “You gave me that look more than once on the Hesperia, ma’am. He’s got your movement down to a T.”
“And you deserved it every time, John Mason,” she said, trying to sound stern. But Victor and Mason both hugged her and made her smile with them.
The party was fun for the kiddies and adults, as well. Mason got to meet the Baines, Dr. Eric Baines, the astrophysicist, and Dr. Amanda Baines, the neurosurgeon, both fully tenured Harvard professors, and Victor’s grandparents. They hit it off well. There was fun for the children, and games to play. Mason climbed up the big oak tree and hung upside down to make the little kids laugh. They climbed all over him when he put them on his shoulders, arms and legs, and walked around with half a dozen kids holding onto him, carrying them all around.
Victor received lots of presents, of course, and played with everything. He was great at sharing, Mason noticed. Most only children had a problem sharing their toys and games. Dr. Baines did a great job raising her son, he decided.
When all the guests except the Baines went home, Victor excitedly showed them his black platinum rock from Mason, and told them its story. Mason sat on the couch and watched the boy. Then he got his Mommy and showed them her new earrings. The Baines looked over at Mason, and smiled at him. They offered to take Victor for the night, but Dr. Baines declined. Mason understood she was letting her in-laws know they were not having an affair.
Dr. Baines offered him the rest of the bottle of wine they’d started before the party, and they took it to her couch. “You were really a big help today, John. I appreciate it so much,” she said, handing him a glass of wine; full, this time.
“My pleasure, ma’am. I’m here to help you.” He sat and put his arm on the back of the couch. “Come here,” he said, and she sat next to him, snuggling into his body. Victor came over and Mason said, “You come here, too, Victor,” and the boy sat on Mason’s lap, facing his Mother. He put his head on Mason’s chest and was soon fast asleep. She fell asleep shortly thereafter, and Mason sipped his wine with his free hand and took stock of the situation.
Mason wanted her to be his woman. The big question was: did she want him? She was a Space Forces Medical Corps Captain, a senior command officer. He was at the top of his rank but was still an enlisted man. He would have to successfully complete Officer Candidate School come hell or high water to have any chance with her. She worked herself up to the head of DNA Research at Earth Command in just three years; quite a feat.
He would be the oldest Second Lieutenant Prime Marine when he graduated. A Prime Marine officer, Colonel Tyrone, told him they’d put him on special operations, to take advantage of his experience and fast-track him to a Captain in a couple of years.
But a Space Marines Captain was not equal to a Space Forces Captain, like Dr. Baines. Her officer rank equivalent in the Space Marines was full Colonel. Her next promotion would be to Admiral. He could never catch up to her rank; she had a twenty-year head start on him. She came in as an ensign and worked her way up. He came in a buck private, and made it to the top of his rank, a Master Gunnery Sergeant. Would she accept him as her mate? Would it hurt her chances for further advancement?
The clock on the big vid screen showed 8:30. Mason carefully got up with Victor, sliding off the couch as Dr. Baines awoke. He carried Victor to bed, and she tucked him in.
“I guess I fell asleep, John. What did you do for an hour and a half?” She asked, smiling at him. She sat down on the couch.
“I thought about you, ma’am,” he answered honestly. He poured the last of the wine into their glasses. “And I thought about me.”
She took a long sip of her wine. “What about me, John? And what about you?” She knew what he’d been thinking about; her thoughts were on the same subject for days.
“Why can’t life be simple? Why does it have to be so complicated?” He asked, sitting down his glass. She put down her wine and settled in next to him again, and put her arm around his waist.
“What is it you want to do, John?” She looked up at him. He returned her gaze, took her face in his hand, and kissed her. She put her arm around his neck, and laid one hell of a fiery kiss on him. She rose up on her knees, kissed him and unbuttoned his shirt, caressed him and kissed his neck. She ran her hand down his stomach over his rock-hard abs, and he stopped her.
Mason took her hand in his, and kissed it. He told her, “I want you more than anyone. But I want you for more than this weekend. More than just a brief affair. Can we finally be together? Can you be mine, and not risk everything you’ve worked for?”
She put her head on his chest and he felt her tears. “Not yet. Until you’re an officer, I would not be able to be seen with you on a date or as a couple. We’d have to hide, John, and have a clandestine affair. We could not be found out.”
“I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize what you’ve accomplished, and all you’ve worked so hard to achieve. I didn’t want to hurt your career on the Hesperia, and I sure don’t now, Dr. Baines. And I don’t want you to be ashamed of me, for any reason.”
“I could never feel that way about you!” She said adamantly.
“You haven’t seen what I’ve seen, ma’am. I’ve seen terrible things happen with enlisted friends of mine who dated or married officers. If we were discovered, you’d be ostracized. Then your performance evals would be re-evaluated, and knocked down. They’d stick you at an old desk in a remote location until you either sent me away, or retired. I’ve seen it happen, ma’am. I couldn’t let that happen to you.” He looked in her eyes.
She knew he was right. She needed to think about Victor, too. “Unless we’re prepared to walk away, we’d better wait until I graduate OCS. You know it’s true. That’s why you didn’t let the Baines take Victor tonight.” He spoke very softly to her, the pain showing in his voice.
“Why do you have to be right, John? Why can’t life—and love—be simple? It’s unfair! So unfair.” She got off his chest and held him, crying softly. “We’ve waited so long for each other.”
“When I get out of OCS, I’m going to take a vacation. And I’m taking you with me. We’ll be together every day, in paradise, and it will be just you and me. All right?” He asked her, holding her tightly. “Will you wait for me, Dr. Baines?”
She looked up at his sincere, handsome face, and knew it was their only chance; she nodded. “All right, John. I’ll wait. I’ll wait for you to graduate OCS. But not one minute more!” She kissed him again.
“You’re the only woman I want. You’re the one,” he said breathlessly in her ear. They kissed very passionately once more and then separated.
“Will you lie with me tonight and hold me, like you did last night, John?” She asked.
“I’d love to, Dr. Baines,” he said, and took her into his guest bedroom. She got into bed as he lay on top of the covers, both of them fully dressed. They held each other and slowly fell asleep.
VII
The six Joint Chiefs of Staff were the military leaders of the URE. Each branch of service had one member, and they
were led by the Chief of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Worthington. It was before the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mason and Captain Hanson were called to testify on Monday. “Dr. Baines, may I ride to work with you tomorrow morning? I haven’t been to Earth Command Central and don’t know my way around yet,” Mason asked her Sunday evening.
“Of course, John. But I have to drop Victor off first, so we’ll have to leave at 0-seven hundred,” she answered.
“Fine by me, ma’am. I’ll be ready.” They’d spent a leisurely Sunday, took Victor to Mass, and then went to a champagne brunch in town. He got his class A uniform and tall boots ready.
Dr. Baines brought out her com tablet for him. “Here, John. This is your only chance to read your file. I brought it home with me to show you. Tomorrow morning, it will be designated “Eyes Only,” and you’ll not have access to the information,” she offered. “Please read it now.”
He thanked her and took her com tablet, sat on the floor next to her couch and began to read his medical file, covering his DNA re-engineering sessions supervised by her. When they started to re-engineer his DNA, he tested as less than 67% human DNA. The file described the treatments and trajectory of recovery over the four months the process took.
His DNA was re-engineered at the sub atomic level, by rearranging his cellular structure. Mason sort of understood, but not all the medical and scientific mumbo jumbo made sense to him. “Dr. Baines, Colonel Green said we drank in their DNA on board the Esmeralda. Is that even possible?”
She sat on the couch next to him. “Not with human DNA, John. But this alien DNA was specifically designed to adhere or bind to any DNA it came in contact with, to break it down, and re-sequence the genes. Most of the section you’ve come to now is pretty boring, John, unless you’re a genetics researcher. You might want to skip over to page 361,” she suggested.
Vengeance of Sukesh: John Mason (Legend of John Mason) Page 8