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CHAPTER 11 I Am
The team stared at us from around the table. It was too much information in too short a time. They were on sensory overload. I wanted to say, "Welcome to my world!" but decided against it considering their already battered sanity.
Bransen's eyes glanced around the table taking stock of our team. He stood and introduced the team to the computer indicating each with his hand as he spoke.
"TK, This is Doc, Chris, Sweed, Raven, Rift, Twist, Neek and Dusty. I think you're all familiar with the ship's smart ass computer."
"Bite Me!" TK interrupted.
Bransen breathed a deep sigh.
"As I was saying... we can't change the computer. It has been programmed this way. You're all going to have to deal with TK in your own way. Please acquaint yourselves with your new quarters and take the evening off. Explore the ship, relax, do whatever you like. Tomorrow is going to be a full day and I need you fresh."
TK spoke. "Everyone has been assigned separate compartments. If the groping and foot play under the table are an indicator, I will be expecting room assignment updates. If you're going to be bumping uglies and sleeping together, please occupy only one room. There is sufficient space for two people. My power supply may be endless, but you don't need to piss it away by keeping separate quarters." There was a slight pause. "Incidentally, I'm not a smart ass.... I'm fucking witty." Finishing; the next sound heard was a computer generated raspberry.
I know that the computer didn't have a mouth or lips, but the sound was duplicated expertly. I could almost hear the barrage of spittle. Watching the muscles ripple in the angle of Bransen's jaw I could see the raspberry had been effective. My laugh broke the tense silence.
Sweed's cheeks burned as he brought his hands up from beneath the table. The look on his face made me laugh even louder. Sweed's gentleness of spirit is one of many endearing qualities. His blue eyes were focusing on anything but the others seated around the table.
Raven looked guilty too, but did not divert his eyes. His cheeks were now only slightly less flushed than Sweed's. He peered though black wisps of hair daring anyone to comment. I envy the way he can appear so menacing while shorter than your average man. Images of an innocent black furred puppy came to mind. This puppy however, stared back defiantly after shitting on the floor bearing sharp teeth behind raised quivering lips.
Twist and Rift were grinning at Sweed's embarrassment. I had been referring to them as the twins in my mind. Except for Twist's slightly more pointed chin and auburn hair they could have been brothers. They are the erotic thoughts that speed you to climax with night's handy work.
Doc and Chris sat smiling at each other with knowing eyes. I noticed Dusty give Neek a slight elbow and quick nod in Sweed's direction.
"Ahhhh isn't the big guy just adorable!" came the smart ass remark from the ships computer.
"That's it!" yelled Raven, slamming his fist into the table. Jumping up he pulled the gun from his side holster aiming it at the source of the voice.
"Holster your weapon spaz." TK commanded.
"One more fucking word and I'll shoot your ass!" His black eyes were slits as the cords of his neck strained.
"Wrong answer." Spouted TK.
A white flash of light replaced Raven only seconds before another flash returned him. He no longer had his gun. What was most noticeable was a wet brown liquid soaking him from head to toe. It was difficult at first to identify what he had been submerged in. That question was answered as the rancid stench of sewage quickly filled the room. Raven best resembled a freshly submerged cat at bath time. Pissed off!
"TK, transport Raven to his quarters immediately!"
A flash of white light replaced Raven once more as the room exploded into laughter. Oh my GOD the stench was awful. I walked over to a very sober looking Sweed.
"He'll be okay hon." I gave his shoulder a little squeeze. "Do you want to go to him?"
Sweed nodded.
"TK, transport Sweed to Raven's quarters." I ordered and Sweed was flashed away.
Upon his departure I stifled a couple of giggles before regaining control of myself and returned to Bransen's side. His laughter had been instant and quickly subdued as he trained the smile from his face. I worried for Sweed. The image of wet cat and paralyzed mouse came to mind.
"You have to do something about this." I sent the thought to Bransen.
"I'm about to." He thought back to me.
"Okay people... Let's calm down for a second. In light of recent events, I expect 'all' of you, 'especially' you Twist, to never mention what just happened here. Don't talk about it outside of your quarters. No rude comments or statements that even remotely allude to it. If you are afraid you may slip, do not speak to him. If by some strange twist of fate he brings up the incident; listen, and then let the topic die." Bransen paused.
"You all know Raven and what kind of man he is. This is the first public display of affection Raven has shown in over fifty years. It didn't end well and I'm worried about Sweed. Any harassment... ", Bransen centered his eyes on Twist, "could do serious damage to their relationship. If you fuck with me on this, your new home will be where Raven has just been."
"One last thing..." his voice had softened and a smile crept across his face, "I would strongly recommend against any attempts to shoot the ship."
Sporadic giggles and laughter echoed from the shadowed walls of the bay.
"Alright then, have a good evening. TK, transport all but Khore and me to their quarters please."
The rest of the team was blinked out of the room simultaneously leaving us alone.
I turned and wrapped my arms around Bransen squeezing him tightly to me. I felt his strong arms wrap around me pulling me closer.
I tilted my head upward and whispered in his ear, "You're a good man Bransen."
"Yeah I know." He chuckled as we separated.
I pressed against him for a swift kiss. His lips were so soft I was tempted to linger.
"Would you mind if I spent the next few hours alone? I kind of need some time to myself. With all of this I haven't really had the chance, you know?" I was afraid of his reaction and had spewed the words out in a quick jumble.
"I don't see why that should be a problem." He said looking into my eyes. "But with two conditions. One... you have to be back by 23:00 hours... And two, I get a goodbye kiss!" he said as he gripped my ass pulling me into him.
"My pleasure."
Our lips met gently in a slow but passionate kiss before reluctantly pulling away.
"Thank you." I said running my fingers through his soft golden hair and down his strong square jaw.
"TK, Random level, Hydroponics, Green Sector."
The scenery changed in a flash of light. I was standing on a white sandy beach looking out to an ocean that appeared to have no end. I knew much of it was simulated and illusion, but it looked real enough to me. I sat down in the white sand resting my elbows against my knees and my chin in the cup of my palms.
The crash of waves brought the smell of the sea to me as I gazed out at the purple and pink hue of impending sunset. The soft breeze caressed my skin as I sat thinking about nothing at all. This was the perfect place I had only imagined before in my mind. I watched as a seagull plunged into the water in pursuit of its evening meal.
I closed my eyes to better savor the world around me. I wanted this moment. I wanted every smell and sound of this perfect place etched into my mind forever. I sat completely still opening my eyes on occasion to see a new and spectacular panorama of color.
I didn't so much feel the passage of time as I knew it existed. The simulated sun sank into the horizon with an almost audible hiss.
Thoughts were rolling around in the back of my mind like so many distractions. I shifted my weight as I struggled to my feet. I felt the weakness in my legs from their lack of movement.
"TK, Mirror, one meter wide by three meters tall."
I watched as an upright mirror grew from the sand showing me myself.
I marveled at my reflection in the soft red and purple light of sunset. I pulled my skin tight shirt over my head and tossed it to the side. I then pulled off my pants and sent them away with a weak kicking motion from my right leg.
I stared at the person in the mirror. It's strange. I can peer into someone's eyes, but I have never been able to look past my own. I tried yet again focusing my attention on the grey flecks within the icy blue of the iris that shown back at me. With all that I am, I still could not focus on the soul behind my eyes. Had it been someone else I would be able to see, but my focus still flickered from eye to eye catching on remnants of grey. It was distracting.
A feathered movement caught my attention. The wind had bent a curl of my mid length dark brown hair as it spilled down my neck and past my shoulders. The thick white streak seemed to take on the hues of sunset framing my face as if by design.
My dark long thick eyelashes winked at me as I followed their curve to my thin but average nose. It was nestled between the non-descript soft ridges of my cheek bones and the fleshy pink peaks of my upper lip. My lower lip pouted into the curve of my tapered chin and jaw line which wrapped squarely to my ears.
I glanced further down to the hollow in the base of my neck. I had missed too many meals, but work in the gardens had kept my neck strong as it merged into my shoulders. I also noticed that my lack of sunlight over the last two weeks had faded the bronze color of my skin making it a softer brown.
The transformation had left me with cut lines of muscle at my shoulders that creased like crows feat at my armpits. Young unblemished skin stretched across my developed chest and abdomen leaving sharp furrows that baby fat had hidden for the past 1600 years.
The flesh continued to undulate across the bone and muscle of my ribs as it tapered to my waist. My eyes followed the gradual thickening trail of dark fuzz from my naval to my ample cock. The hair branched out only slightly framing my egg sized balls that rested against two hearty cut thighs. They were an athlete's legs. The weight played across my thighs and calves as I shifted from one leg to another watching each flex from hip to toe.
For the very first time in my life, I saw myself as beautiful. It was a difficult perception to accept when I had viewed myself so differently over the millennia. It is a rare thing to see ourselves as others might. We tend to linger on the miniscule flaws that draw our fleeting attention.
Taking one last glance at the purple and grey hued sunset I turned away from the mirror. I looked out to the ocean as the water rushed against the beach smelling the sea soaked moisture as it passed my nose.
"I'll be damned." I thought. "I was here the whole time."
"TK, remove the mirror." I watched as it melted into the white sand disappearing completely.
Darkness surrounded me as the stars emerged by the millions. They were tiny pin pricks of light that seemed to wink at you if you looked hard enough. A sliver of a moon was slashed by shadow as it crept from behind the canopy of the jungle. My eyes had never seen a sky without Thoren ships interrupting the view. It felt like a promise of things to come.
I reached out with my mind to find Bransen. I HAD to show him this! He was in our quarters at a black desk that sat against the far wall behind the couch and chairs. It was nestled into the right hand corner beneath the windows. Both Bransen and the desk faced the bathroom showing their silhouette to whoever might walk through the door.
"What you doing hon?" I sent him the question.
"I'm reviewing Blade schematics. There are hangers and hangers of Blade fighter ships here. I'm reviewing the schematics!" I could hear his excitement in my mind.
"Do you have a moment?" I asked.
"Sure, this can wait... what do..."
"TK, Transport Bransen to my location" I commanded after hearing 'sure'.
The white flashed that brought him blinded me. Hearing a thud I realized a better idea would have been him standing first.
"I'm sorry Bransen." I giggled as I sat.
"I thought you might want to see this." I reached out to the sound of his voice while my sight returned to normal.
I found Bransen's hand and wrapped it around my chest as I scooted between his legs with my back to his chest. Resting my head against his muscled shoulder we sat staring out at the blanket of stars. I felt a small shudder escape Bransen.
"Are you okay?" Maybe this had been a bad idea.
Bransen cleared his throat. He was trying to disguise the emotion that was causing the ache in his chest. "Tough guy to the end." I thought to myself. I felt his chest expand taking in a deep breath before exhaling slowly.
"I never thought I'd see it." Bransen's rich deep voice cracked.
Clearing his throat I felt Bransen's strong arms pull me tighter. "Thank you Khore."
Bransen hadn't ever seen the sky without Thoren ships. I had memories of it, but had never really 'seen' it either. We sat dazzled as the breeze feathered against our bodies. The view was hypnotic as stars combined with the soft roar of waves rushing against the sand.
I don't know how long we stared at this perfect world, before a hollow pang from my stomach pulled me back to reality. I hadn't eaten yet today. This had been my diet for too long. Life always seemed to need so much work that eating became a low priority for me. I usually snuck in quick meals with food in one hand and work in the other. I couldn't put it off any longer.
"Bransen," I whispered in his ear. "I need to eat. I'm going head back to our quarters okay?"
My tenor voice roused him from his daze as I pulled my head from his shoulder. "I'll be there in a bit."
I couldn't blame him for wanting more time with this perfection. I let loose his hand and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"Close your eyes." I told him.
"Huh?! Oh... okay"
"TK, Quarters." As quickly as I spoke the words, I was transported to our new home.
The dim lighting gave the white walls a grey pallor. I stood and walked over to the food dispenser and requested broiled cod with lemon on a bed of wild rice, a small plain bowl of shredded lettuce, and green tea. Kelay had loved this dish and I hoped I wouldn't be disappointed. A red flash lit the framed edges of the panel before it opened. The sweet smell of butter and the sea mingled in the air.
I balanced my tray precariously as I stepped slowly to the couch. I gave the fish a moment to cool as I broke a chunk off with my fork. I pushed the lemon-buttery fish into my mouth and savored it. I ceremoniously devoured my meal. It was the quick meal we have when we love what we put in our mouths so much we barely take the time to taste it. The crisp of lettuce and soft texture of fish raced across my tongue. Five minutes later I washed down the last of my meal with the earthy green tea.
I sat the tray on the knee high table in front of me and leaned back draping my arms along the length of the couch. As I glanced down I could see the slight pooch of my well fed belly. I tilted my head back and closed my eyes resting my mind. I soon drifed in that place between waking and dreams.
A burst of color from the backs of my eyelids brought me back as they popped open to see Bransen had returned. He was sitting on the floor facing me on the opposite side of the small table. His curved lips showed me his after sex grin.
"I love you" he said pausing before he stood..
"I love you too Bransen."
"Could you send Chris and Doc back to the complex conference room?" He asked me. "They've been away from the infirmary for too long and we need a Team member in the complex."
"Of course." I worked myself upright. "Standard communications protocol TK?" I asked.
"No... aboard the Cystos, you must press your ass cheeks firmly together and fart out your message in Morse code." TK paused... "DUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhh! Yes, standard communications protocol Khore.
"Whatever" I snapped back as I sat upright.
"Doc" I paused to establish the com link.
"Are you ready for transport?" I asked.
An unsure voice answered me. It was Doc. "Uhhhh hello? Yeah I think so" was the reply.
I unfurled my mind through the levels crawling out like smoke along the floor. Finding the Doc and Chris I folded them to the conference room within the complex.
"We need to get everyone aboard the ship as soon as possible." My eyes still had the slight glow from my recent work.
"Please announce that testing will be tomorrow. I will search their minds to see who they are. We cannot take the chance than a Thoren spy might board this ship."
A late night announcement from Doc crept across the speakers throughout the complex. "There has been a schedule change. Khore will be testing you tomorrow. Please get as much rest as possible. You'll need it."
Thank you all for your many suggestions and emails. It motivates me to write more and more! We've got some interesting developments coming up and I hope you enjoy the ride! As always, please email criticisms and suggestions to gaywriter72@yahoo.com It's greatly appreciated! A very special thanks to Pearsall.