'Oooohhh yeah baby. Ooohhhh right … there. So goooooood.'
Beka groaned quietly to herself as she balled up her jacket and tried to muffle out the sound of the two love birds in a nearby alcove. Although she knew they were being quiet, in the near silence of the tunnel, the sounds seemed quite loud. She had been trying to get away from the noisy, energy filled atmosphere of the main cavern by seeking refuge in her own little alcove. She had been laying quietly in the dark thinking about how things were going just six weeks into the confinement in the cavern system.
The main cavern was the place everyone hung out during their waking hours. This winter there was a second smaller cavern which Harper had been able to connect to their chimney system. Many of the settlers slept there on makeshift mats made up of various vegetation gathered from the nearby area. The large number of bodies kept them warm in the coolness of the cavern. It also gave those who wanted a more quiet a place to go to rest and sleep while those who wished to be active could without disturbing others. Being locked up in the cavern with no real light made the day/night cycle run together so no one really knew what time of day it was on the surface.
Adult activity was prohibited in the common areas of the larger caverns. A set of tunnels off cavern number two was where people could be housed in small alcoves like the one Beka had set up for herself. The tunnel down which her alcove was located seemed to have evolved into the 'couples' tunnel' last winter. It was the place where adults could have their private places. Beka had chiseled out an alcove for herself the first winter of their stranding. Over time, several couples had made their homes further down the tunnel from her and around her. Their sexual escapades were not lost on Beka at all. She wondered if, in the throes of passion, any of them even cared who heard them anymore. Or after all this time, most were immune to hearing the sounds of sex as they passed by darkened alcoves.
Beka sat up and swung her feet off her 'bed'. She turned on her lantern and grabbed her boots and pulled them on. She pulled on her coat as she got to her feet. The moans and groans and pants spurred her to action as she turned off her lantern, grabbed a flashlight and struggled to get her makeshift door opened.
The hot sounds of sex were more apparent as she struggled to close the door. She was fairly certain it was Charlie and Selene. The woman had been visiting Charlie every night for a little romp.
'Faster Charlie. Faster.'
The moaned words of encouragement were followed by a grunt and some groans and what Beka believed was a slap on a bare ass.
Beka knew Selene wanted to get pregnant this winter. It seemed she was taking every opportunity to try to impregnate herself with Charlie's seed. Several times a day the woman made her way to Charlie's alcove for some hanky panky.
Beka shoved her hands in her pockets and hurried up the tunnel towards the main cavern area. Along the way, she was certain she heard the sounds of some others getting busy as well.
As she passed through the main cavern, she found the place alive with activity. Adults were talking and playing various games that had been created over the years.
Trance, Harper, Dylan, Cassiopeia and several others were playing cards. Beka wondered if they would ever learn to not play games with Trance. They had voted that everyone was given a certain amount of nuts and seeds and dried fruit to do with as they pleased. It was used in trade. Many items were community items such as food, hides and furs. Other items, handmade items which many might see as luxuries were not. People would trade for those things. So far, it worked. Everyone still worked hard for the common good. Some worked even harder for their own good. While others used their 'extra currency' for games of chance and cards just as Trance and the others were doing tonight. Beka could see the pile of seeds on the table before Trance. One of the nice things about Trance was she didn't want or need the seeds. She often returned them to the loser at the end of the game.
Beka continued through the main cavern and up the main tunnel toward the surface. After a few feet, she veered off to a side tunnel which ended a decent sized cavern where she found the Nietzscheans and a few other men. They were working out on various pieces of equipment Tyr, the Nietzscheans and Harper had designed and constructed. One nice thing about several of the pieces of equipment were Harper had rigged them to generate energy which could be used to charge a number of items including personal, individual lanterns, batteries for the community and even Rommie.
"Hey!" Beka said as she walked over to where Tyr was doing bicep curls. His weights were thick sticks with rocks secured to the ends. From what Beka had observed in the last few years, Tyr and the Nietzscheans appeared to get smaller in the winter seasons. She could only assume it was because they were limited to lifting lighter weights due to the lack of heavy equipment in the cavern. During the spring, summer and autumn, the heavy physical labor seemed to increase their muscle mass.
"I thought you were napping," Tyr looked up at her before focusing back on his lifting. Beka took a moment to enjoy the sight of the taut musculature.
"I tried," Beka ran her hand over the back of her neck as she looked around at the other males in the room. In addition to the Nietzscheans, Roberts, Rapp, Johns, Veers and Macintire were all present. Occasionally, Beka would come in and work out as would most of the others in the winter season. If they didn't, the hard work of the rest of the year really kicked them in the ass when the snow and ice thawed and they had to get back to work. She also felt it was her duty as a leader of the community to be seen using the energy generating equipment so others would follow suit. "Charlie and Selene were at it again. She is quite demanding. And I swear that woman is insatiable."
"She has a purpose which Charlie has failed to fulfill yet," Tyr shrugged as he put the weight to the side and looked back up at Beka. "Until he does, I expect she will continue to be demanding."
"Is that how Nietzschean females are?" Beka asked without thinking as she continued to look around the room.
"When one wishes to breed," Tyr replied as he got to his feet. "It is her single minded pursuit."
"Wow," Beka glanced back at Tyr. "Must be torture for the guys."
"Did you want something?" Tyr avoided comment as he picked up the weights and walked over to put them away.
"Yeah," Beka looked around at the other males in the room. Beka moved a step closer to Tyr and lowered her voice. "I need to … talk to you … about a few things."
"Talk," Tyr offered as he moved away from her to pick up his vest. He slipped it on before picking up his jacket.
Beka looked around them again before gesturing with her head for them to leave the room. Tyr gave her a quizzical look as he looked around the room. Beka's entrance into the room while the men were working out had caught the attention of several of the single men who had more than a passing interest in Beka Valentine. Although they try to hide it, the men appeared interested in Beka being in the area and Beka speaking with Tyr.
"If you are done," Beka gestured slightly with her head. "Can we go somewhere … private … to talk?"
"I do not know if you will be able to find anywhere … private … in which to speak," Tyr nodded as he gestured toward the opening to leave the cavern. "You may try."
"I know just the place," Beka replied as she turned to leave the area with Tyr following closely behind her.
Tyr followed Beka as she walked through the tunnels back toward the opening to the outside. The closer they got to the cavern exit the colder it became. Although their underground cavern home was cool throughout the year, it never became frigidly cold like the weather outside. Rarely did anyone venture to the exit unless it was to check on the protective gates or to retrieve more fuel for the fire.
"How is this?" Beka gestured to the widening mouth of the cavern.
"Fine," Tyr replied as he walked over to the large gates that protected the cavern opening from anything that might try to wander into the cave for protection from the elements. He slowly inspected the structure as he did every few days when he would come to check on the security of their community. The gates were made from limbs that had been whittled and carved over the years. The spaces between were filled with vegetation to keep the elements out of the mouth of the cave. Large rocks were spaced along the length of the bottom to keep the heavy snows from pushing the gates inward. The gates were nearly ten feet tall and flat across the top so they did not meet the curve of the opening. Along the top, one could see out into the world beyond.
"It's snowing," Beka gestured to the top of the gate where she could see snow falling in the gloomy grayness which was the sky all winter. During the winter months, they estimated daylight only lasted for about three hours a day. The rest of the time, it was black outside because the nearly constant cloud cover kept out the moon and the stars. Beka watched as Tyr climbed up some carefully placed rocks along the gates. He looked over the top of the gate before heading back down.
"It has been snowing nearly every day," Tyr replied as he came to stand before her once more. "It appears the accumulation is about 5 feet already this winter."
"More than we expected to get in the first six weeks," Beka frowned slightly as she looked back at the gate. It had protected them from the outside during the winter. Last spring, they found gouges in the wood they could only assume were from some animal trying to get in. Beka shuddered as she always did when she wondered if it were some desperate animal seeking refuge from a storm or some hungry carnivore looking for a meal.
"It is," Tyr nodded as he looked around the area which was lit by a light Beka had pulled from her pocket. After looking around the area once more, Beka turned down the light to conserve the charge. It had taken her an hour of pedaling a pulley and gear contraption Harper had created to charge the light.
"You wanted to talk," Tyr offered as he moved over and leaned back against a larger boulder just inside the entrance.
"Yeah," Beka nodded as she walked over and leaned back against the rock beside him. She looked around the area before sighing deeply.
"I could guess as to what you wished to discuss," Tyr offered after a few long moments of silence stretched between them.
"Dylan and I have been talking," Beka began as she glanced over at Tyr.
"I am aware that you, Dylan, Harper, Trance and Rommie, when she is functioning, have spent time talking," Tyr nodded as he crossed his arms over his chest. Often he would find them all together in the common area deep in discussions. Rarely did Tyr join in on the conversations because he was not there when they began or he was not invited to take part in them.
"You should join us," Beka glanced up at Tyr again. Often she would catch him looking at the group when he was in the common area or passing through. Many times she had thought about asking him to join but she was never certain if he would want to take part in their more light hearted discussion or reminiscing about the past.
"If it were an important topic, I would think I would be asked to join," Tyr reminded Beka lightly. He was asked to join in the conversations when it concerned the well being of the community.
"After crewing together for nearly four years, rebuilding the Commonwealth together, and fighting any and every known threat to defend it," Beka pushed herself up from the boulder and paced a few steps away. She turned to look at Tyr for a long moment. "After being stranded here … on this rock … for the last three years … you should know you are always welcome to join us … without an explicit invitation. After all … we are … the only real family … any of us has at the moment."
"Is this what you wished to discuss? My social interactions with the crew?" Tyr shook his head ever so slowly as he looked around the area. There really was nothing to discuss. Tyr interacted with those of the crew he wished to interact with when he wished to interact with them. Other than Beka, the only others who routinely sought him out for conversation were Harper and Dylan. All of which was fine with Tyr.
"Ummmm," Beka walked back over to him as she rubbed her hands over her arms before shoving her hands into her pockets. "No. Dylan was talking about the last hunt before winter set in. He was saying that you all went further away … down the river valley … than normal."
"Yes," Tyr nodded. "I believe I told you that when we returned."
"You did," Beka nodded as she leaned back against the rock once again. "Dylan said he thought … that next spring … we should … recon the area further downstream."
"If the decision is made to do so, it would be best to do it earlier in the season," Tyr agreed as he looked over at Beka.
"Dylan said he thought that the area you were last hunting in might be … more conducive for a more … permanent settlement," Beka offered hesitantly.
"Permanent settlement?" Tyr's brow furrowed deeply as he considered her words.
"We have been living in this cave system for nearly three years," Beka offered as she gestured around them. "It has been a great place for survival. However, now that some of the crew have started families. We were talking about … trying to create a settlement … a settlement of homes … individual homes … for those who … wished to live in a community … but with some privacy."
"Harper says, based on some limited data Andromeda downloaded to Rommie and which Harper has been able to retrieve, there is a chance that some geological and typographical data in her memory might point to the existence of some ancient dwellings several valleys from here," Tyr nodded slowly. Harper had discussed his hypothesis with Tyr and Dylan separately. However, Tyr had little trust in the reliability of the androids recall given her current state of functionality and the simple fact that the data could not easily be retrieved for all to see but instead, they would have to rely on crude maps and drawing created by the android. To Tyr is was a string of if and maybes and mights. To Dylan is was potential and hope of a better life. Tyr had pointed out if it was overgrown and abandoned, it had not worked out for the previous occupants. "Dylan believes if the community moves to a different location, it might be possible to uncover that community and possible use it as the basis for a potential community of our own."
"What do you think about his idea?" Beka chewed lightly on her bottom lip.
"I think there is a great deal of unknown. I believe Rommie is barely functioning and there is a high likelihood that her data could be wrong. Even if it is correct, Harper's believe that we can just uncover a ready made village and move in is far fetched. Dylan believes it might be possible that the valleys in that direction may be more suitable because the snow had yet to begin gathering on the mountaintops while we were in that general directio," Tyr seemed to consider it for a long moment. "Dylan believes that might indicated that the weather patterns in those valleys may differ from the ones here. It might be true. It might not. We may spend the time journeying there and find nothing. We could spend a season uncovering a community that is worthless to us. We could waste the season on such pursuits then die in the winter because we are not prepared for survival here."
"We know what to expect here. We have survived here for three years," Beka glanced over at Tyr.
"We know we will survive if we stay here," Tyr replied in a firm tone. "If we move … we do not know what lies in store for us."
"There is more to living … then just surviving," Beka sighed deeply.
"A great deal more," Tyr agreed as he glanced over at Beka once more. "We have several months before the spring thaw. We have time to contemplate and evaluate plans for undertaking an exploratory mission and a potential move of this magnitude. It is something that can be considered and tentatively planned. Once spring arrives, if it is decided that we make a move … we need to do it early enough … that we have time to do all that is necessary to ensure our survival. For one cannot live … if one does not survive."
"So you are … open … to the idea of moving?" Beka raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"Before we left Andromeda, the ship plotted a course to an area where we were most likely to survive. The ship sent us here," Tyr leaned over and nudged her lightly with his shoulder. "We know precious little about this planet other than what we have learned through experience. If moving makes our lives … easier for survival … I am all for it. So long as … if it becomes apparent … that a new community cannot be erected in time … we winter here."
"Agreed," Beka replied as she pushed herself up from the rock once more.
"Is that all?" Tyr asked when it appeared she was done.
"No," Beka frowned again. "It has been reported that … the Nietzscheans … are hoarding food stuffs. I told the others … you wouldn't be doing that …"
"The four of us do have … private … food stocks," Tyr replied with a slight nod.
Beka's eyes widened in surprise when she heard his words.
"It was agreed …" Beka began. She was surprised that the Nietzscheans were hoarding food all this time. She was shocked that Tyr willingly admitted it.
"It was agreed that with certain exceptions … all food stores would be for the community," Tyr cut her off before she could finish. "If you wish to verify what I am about to tell you, feel free to discuss it with Trance. There are three species of nuts that are plentiful in the nearby forests. They are a good source of protein. We can eat them. Humans cannot. It was agreed that … if needed … we would forgo meat and eat the nuts. Each of us have the nuts stored in our sleeping areas to keep them separated from the common food stores. Trance did not want someone mistakenly eating them."
"The only food you are … stashing … are nuts that the rest of us cannot eat?" Beka asked just for clarification.
"I can speak only for myself," Tyr replied after a moment of thought. He was nearly certain none of the other three Nietzschean males had contraband food stuff. However, he knew better than to state it for a fact.
"Can you … look into it for me?" Beka asked slowly. When necessary to approach the Nietzschean males, Beka often had Tyr do it for her.
"I will," Tyr nodded as he pushed himself up from his seated position. The coolness from the air and rock were beginning to chill him. He knew Beka was cold just by looking at her. "Anything further you would like to discuss?"
"Just one thing," Beka got to her feet and picked up her light.
"What is it Beka?" Tyr asked as she gestured for them to head back into the tunnel.
"Think you can help me fix my 'door'?" Beka asked as they walked along beside one another.