Hi guys, here's chapter 4 of Worlds Collide. Enjoy, because it's a little shorter, but we'll probably have a new chapter for you tomorrow. Rated T for innuendo/swearing
As the girls lay on the island, basking in the afterglow of an amazing sexual experience, the motion chime sounded. The boys were back; and they were headed for the garden. Thinking fast, Loretta stuffed her clothes into the thermal unit, along with a bunch of other things laying around on the islet, hid the basket in a densely packed grouping of herb bushels, and dove underwater. As the wash from Loretta's dive subsided, Leo Callisto, ship's engineer and Phoebe's husband, came through the doors into the garden. Loretta hid underwater in the shadow of the artificial islet, where she could let her nose surface so she could quietly breathe without being seen. Phoebe, however, didn't hear the doors open. She was too busy enjoying the warmth of the artificial sun on her face. When the light dimmed, she opened her eyes and found her husband kneeling over her, a curious look on his face. "So uh… is this what you do when I leave?" Leo asked curiously. "Not usually. I just… I just wanted to feel some sun again. We haven't been to Allarvis in years and we haven't been back to dock in decades. I needed some sunlight." Phoebe explained. Leo shrugged his shoulders in response and helped Phoebe to her feet from the towel she was laying on, explaining that Miles was in the hangar so she could get her clothes from her room without being seen. He never asked where Loretta was, but he suspected she was just busy in her room.
Later…
Loretta crawled silently out of the water. Looking at her bracelex, she noticed that it was almost dinnertime. Creeping into the bushes, she retrieved her clothes, dried herself off with the towel her mother had so conveniently left for her. Sticking everything into the thermal unit, which had long ago run out of battery, she crept back down into her room. The ship's long, pristine corridors were silent. Not a soul walked the ship, yet she could, at the touch of a key, find the location of Merc, Miles, or her parents within the huge starship. Creeping back to her room, she passed Miles' bedroom, his door open and his duffel on the floor. She heard water running, and figured he was taking a shower. Hiding the thermal unit, she shut and locked her door, stripped, and showered for the second time that day. Unlike the first time though, she kept her shower to a tight 5-minute schedule. After she'd finished, she unpacked the thermal unit and took it back to the galley. As she entered, she found her parents seated at the table, her mother's hands in her fathers. Leo looked up as she set the thermal unit on its charging stand on a nearby shelf. "Loretta… something happened." Loretta's stomach filled itself with ice as adrenaline flooded her veins. Could he possibly have known about her and her mom? No. She'd hidden herself and the basket well. "What… What happened?" she stuttered, trying to hide her fear. "Miles…Miles lost his arm. We're back a day early so that we can make for the Redeemer and Station 7. We fixed the satellite uplink, but we didn't have time to fortify it. We would've headed straight to 7, but we need to warp to get there and the starjetter can't do that. We've already laid course for the station." Leo hung his head as he finished. He'd told no one, and probably never would tell anyone for that matter, that it was his fault Miles had lost his arm. The ship jumped to warp speed and began the long journey to station 7, a frontier medical station equipped to handle the mass casualties of an IFM (Intergalactic Federation Military) army expeditionary unit. Loretta stood, speechless. She felt like an asshole. While her brother had been busy losing his arm, she'd been busy masturbating and having sex with her mom. She silently slipped back out of the room and ran through the ship, tracing a well-known route. Stumbling through the door, she crashed into Miles' room and sank to her knees next to him, the tears streaming down her face as she cried.
"Miles, I'm so sorry. *sobs* If I had known I would have *sob* come with you. I know *sob* we're *sob* usually at each *sobs* other's throats *sobs* but I wish this had never *sob* happened. I'm *sobs* your sister *sobs twice* I'm supposed to make sure you're *sobs* OK. How could I have *sobs* let this happen?!"
Miles, who had been laying in his bunk just kind of numb, sat bolt upright as Loretta sank down and collapsed in tears next to him. He jumped down, still feeling numb, and wrapped himself around her. She sank into him, sobbing hoarsely, and just melted. His one good arm wriggles underneath his sister's head, supporting her neck and cradling her as he soothed her. Their parents, standing at the door, watched silently as the two just sat quietly, forgetting all their past fights for both their sakes. Phoebe turned and shut and locked the door, its locks engaing with a soft pneumatic hiss, leaving the two siblings alone for the time being.
So; Miles lost his arm while Loretta was busy getting laid. Find out what happens next in the next chapter of Worlds Collide, probably out tomorrow.
