Destined From the Start - Part Two
Chapter Four - Routine
July, 2288
Everything had fallen back into normal routines. The Florence Nightingale sailed through the blackness of space on her normal route, stopping every few days at a colony world, or one new to the Federation, to deliver needed medical supplies, give instructions in their usage, and give other instructions as requested by the government of that particular world, as well as vaccinating the world's population against the most current communicable diseases. They spent anywhere from a day to a week doing those things, before packing up and heading back out on their circuit. And every few months they stopped at a StarBase and restocked. The entire circuit might take them a year to complete, depending on how long they spent on each world, and what other emergencies they were required to handle.
The crew was used to this routine, and made good use of the days they spent in quiet flight. The first day away from a planet, they drew supplies from the cargo bays, and restocked all the pods in sick bay. All the pods which had been used, all the surgical units that had been used, were thoroughly cleaned and sterilized. The hazard suits, if they had been used, were also cleaned and sterilized, ready for the next use. By the end of that day, everything on the ship was clean, stocked, and ready to go. They were alert and ready at all times for any emergency which might occur.
The remainder of the days until the next planetfall were spent in training, study, and research. There were always new species joining the Federation, and it was necessary to learn about their biology. And there were new medical techniques as well. The Florence Nightingale had an advanced imaging system that replayed delicate surgeries, letting the watchers mimic the movements of the surgeon who had recorded the event, until they had mastered the technique. Grayson found this system intriguing, and was always eager to have a turn at it.
The food on the Florence Nightingale was always good, and when the ship was running between planets, unhurried, with no emergencies to handle, some of the crew members joined the regular kitchen crew, and cooked specialities from their childhoods. On those nights, everyone ate off the serving line, leaving the replicators standing unused. On one such night, Grayson cooked some of the foods that he remembered so well from the many visits to Africa that his family had taken while he was growing up. He was pleased when the dishes disappeared quickly, and by the number of compliments that he received.
Evenings on the Florence Nightingale, when the crew was not exhausted from working long shifts in hazard suits, were spent mostly in the rec rooms. There were the usual card games, and the games which required the computer interface, chess and other board games, and of course, the music provided by the various crewmen. Instrumental music of various sorts, and a number of vocal artists as well, kept the crew well entertained. And some of them eagerly encouraged the crew to participate. One evening there was a boisterous group singing music from over two hundred years previously, commonly called 'folk music'. Jilly was entranced. Grayson went to get his ka'athyra, and joined in, much to her delight.
There were also classes in the evenings, taught by various members of the crew, sharing talents they had, everything from the creating of special party treats to the care of bonsai plants, which a number of the crew kept in their quarters. Grayson was sure that his mother would have started a knitting class if she had been there. And the gym was well used in the evening hours, as well. It was surprisingly large for such a small ship, and extremely well equipped. Grayson worked out three evenings a week, and insisted that Jilly do so as well, much to her dismay.
But it was what happened after all these events, when they had retired to their quarters, and shut the door, that Grayson and Jilly looked forward to the most. When the comlink had been set to alerts only, and the lights dimmed down to twenty-five percent, and the door set to privacy lock, then was the time that only they shared. Some nights they were tired, and slipped into the bed, curling about each other in their Academy tee-shirts, speaking softly for a time before sinking quietly into sleep. But other nights, they spent their time exploring each other, learning all the ways to pleasure the other, where to touch, and how, and what to expect when they did. And their bond grew ever brighter, stronger, shining all around them. When he touched her as she lay upon the bed, her bright curls spread upon the pillow, he could feel what she felt, and it filled him up, and left him gasping, control ever more difficult to maintain.
He was adamant that they would not fully consummate their bond until they had a place that was secure, and private, when they would not be interrupted. He did not want the first time that they fully joined to be jarred by an alert siren before they could finish what they had started. Jilly understood this, and agreed with him, but found it difficult at times to remember this. When he hovered above her, his hands and mouth upon her, and her blood pounded in her ears, her hands pulled at him, wanting to feel his weight upon her, his skin close to hers.
"Now, Grayson, oh now!" She writhed upon the sheets, her body bucking up against his face, his hands pressing her back down while his tongue laved and lapped and drove her crazy. Sensing that she was at the edge of her endurance, he moved one hand and curved his fingers, sliding two of them into her wet entrance, seeking the spot he had found. And he found it quickly, unerringly, stroked it lightly, making her shriek at him, while he shook above her, his blood boiling in his veins, his lok hard and hot, straining for her, drops of lubricant seeping from its head. When he felt the muscles of her inner walls clench about his fingers, felt her buck hard repeatedly against his tongue as her body convulsed, he bit down hard on his control, shaking. And when she gasped and shook, and grabbed his hair, pulling his head up to hers, he moved readily enough, sliding up her body, feeling the warmth of her all against his eager body. Her hands moved over him, caressing, teasing, leaving him shaking, and then she had him trapped, her hands closed about his lok, while he growled and shook. He rolled over onto his back and she was over him, hands and mouth busy, creating flames everywhere she touched him. He was lost in her, and never wished this wonderful agony to cease. Her tongue swirled over his lok, and he pushed his hips up, trying to intensify the experience, and she did not fail him, but closed her mouth over him and began to suck, while he shook and growled and came apart.
They lay sprawled upon the tangled sheets, bodies damp with sweat, chests heaving as they sought to calm their breathing, hearts pounding. She nestled up against him, using his shoulder for a pillow, and he curved one arm around her, holding her close. With the other hand, he lightly traced the shape of her face, lingering over her cheekbones, until she sighed and turned her face into his hand, putting the points he wished to touch under his fingertips. And then he opened up the bond and shared everything he felt about her with her, while she filled him up with joy and love and wonder.
As she slipped gradually into slumber, he pulled the covers they had thrust aside earlier back over the both of them, and she nuzzled against the sensitive skin on the side of his neck, making small happy sounds. And he lay there, and wondered how he would ever last, until he could find them a place where they would be undisturbed for as long as they needed to complete their bond. It was growing more and more difficult every day.