As you enter the walkway, you hear a deep voice through the ship “Skipper, we have power again. It will take a bit to fire the engines and get in Atmos.” Navs is still using the voice modulator. Skipper taps a small vidi on the bulkhead. “We’re on our way up. I have a gift for you.”
A minute later Navs hugs you tightly. Her warm, soft lips hungrily press against yours. Your hand feels the long braid at the back of her head. “You naughty man, what have you been up to?” She says looking at your homespun shirt and pants.
You explain again the situation on Najran, and mention how Dani wants to get pregnant.
“Hopefully she gives birth to twins. I hope you fertilized her as much as she wanted.” She says with an almost evil tone to her voice. “Because you’re back here now and I’m the only one getting your ‘seed’.”
Before you can explain that it didn’t happen, Skipper pulls up the scans of the planet. “Can you find Najran?”
You nod and tap the screen switching to Comms links. The Najran Comms center beacon appears on the screen. “Najran Comms, this is Libereco conducting a comms check.”
Deliliah responds “Greetings Libereco, Najran Comms reading you loud and clear.”
You quickly ask Skipper if she wants to visit the colony. Maybe other members of the crew can help them out? She nods.
“Najran Comms, Libereco requesting to visit. Will land at the meadow by the solar collector, unless you have an alternate site in mind?”
“Libereco, wait.” Deliliah answers
Skipper taps for the intraship comms. “Pack everything up, we’re blasting off ASAP.” She then nods to Navs.
Using the voice modulator again, she links to Ciono comms. “Ciono Comms, this is the Libereco requesting to leave. Our business has been completed and Doktoro sends his thanks and prayers.”
“Libereco, you are cleared. You may leave when you are able. Creator be with you. Out.”
“Thank you. Libereco Out.” She then turns to you. “Unless that is your new look, I recommend you get cleaned up and back into a pair of coveralls.”
You kiss her, “Dani still has my grey ones. She was cleaning them.”
“You didn’t have sex with her but she’s doing your laundry. I don’t do your laundry.” She says in a sarcastic tone.
Skipper looks at both of you. “Do you need me to fly this, while you two work this out?”
“No, Ma’am.” You both respond almost reflexively. Navs takes the main seat.
Skipper moves to the other one. “I agree with her. Go change. It won’t take long to get there.”
You hear Deliliah’s voice as you head to your cabin. “Land at the meadow by the river. Here’s the marker.”
While you change, you feel the ship lift off, travel for a bit, and then start to descend. You just finish pulling on your boots back as you feel the ship touchdown. You see your minividi on the charger by the bed. You put it in your pocket, grab the folded homespun clothes, and head for the cargo bay.
By the time you get there, the rest of the crew is on the ramp and meeting some of the colonists. “Deliliah.” You call out as you see her.
“Joannas and Susanna are still riding back. They linked when they were able.”
You make quick introductions and almost immediately Meko and Cookie are asked if they could help with a few items of Tech. Meko immediately follows but Cookie talks to Skipper first, who nods and points to her minividi. “Keep in contact.”
Kurgio asks to see if there are any medical needs.
Soon Joannas arrives. You introduce Skipper to her and the two of them talk about the needs of the colony.
You see Dani leading a cevalo to the stable. She soon comes to the ship as you and Navs are sitting next to each other on the ramp. You stand up. “Dani, come on up. I want you to meet my wife, Navs.”
She takes off her hat, “Matthew, that’s not a name from the Book.” She turns to Navs and extends her hand. “Hi. I’m Dani. Your husband Matthew is a good man. What’s your name?”
Navs gets up and shakes her hand. “I’m Nancy. Yes, I like him.” She says with a smile and a wink.
Dani sees the folded clothing. “Oh, I forgot to bring your clothes. Want me to fetch them?”
Navs hands you the shirt and pants. “My loving husband, why don’t you go and get your clothes. Dani and I will have a nice chat. Would you like to come up to the Galley for a cup of tea?”
As you walk to Dani’s shelter you notice that the colony is a buzz of activity. As you return, the sky is darkening. Your minividi goes off. “Helm, we have been invited to vespermango. The ladies tell me you know where to go. Meet us there.”
You drop your coveralls off at the ship, then head for the large cavern. The tables are arranged like last time, except for there are more lights now. Members of the crew are at different tables. Dani motions for you to sit between her and Navs.
The food is a mixture of colony grown and ship’s stores. Both Joannas and Skipper stand up. Joannas offers a prayer, and then Skipper announces that the colony of Najran will now be one of our regular trading partners. There is a cheer of celebration, and food is passed around. Meko is sandwiched between two young women, about his age, as Kurgio is sitting between two older women. The table with Cookie is the only one where same sexes are sitting next to each other instead of alternating. As you fill your plate and eat, Navs whispers into your ear. “I think Dani and I have come to an agreement.”
“Don’t I get a say?” You ask.
“After we eat, we are going to her place. She wants me to see it.”
Dani leans in, “I want’s you both to relax an’ get comfy. We three’ll talk.”
At the end of the meal, Skipper stands up again. “Thank you, the members of Najran for inviting us and sharing food with us. I believe that for the evening, there are a few of you who have private engagements?” You look around and see Meko, Kurgio, and Navs all smiling and nodding. “I’ll monitor comms from the ship, if you need anything.”
“I’ll be with you, Skipper.” Cookie calls out, and you notice a couple of disappointed faces at her table.
Navs grabs your hand. “Let’s go.” You pick up your dirty plate and utensils, but a young girl takes them from you. “It’s okay sinjaro, I’ll clean up.”
Dani smiles at her. “I’ll let you ride my cevalo tomorrow when we check on the brutaro an’ bovinoj.”
She smiles, “Thank you Fraulino Dani. See you after matenmango.”
As you walk to Dani’s house you ask, “Who’s that?”
“That’s Kiran. She’s been leaning from Joannas. She wants to learn herding bovinoj.” You nod as if that explains everything. She then continues. “She’s like me. She arrived a few weeks ago. So we gots to keep her under watch. Her husband might come lookin’ for her.”
Navs stops. “Wait. What?” You quickly explain how some in Ciono still practice “child marriage”.
Dani continues, “Joannas an’ the rest o’ us don’t allow it. It’s against the Creator an’ not allowed in the Book. When we find a runner or shunned, we take ’em in an’ protect ‘em.”
“Oh.” Navs responds quietly, looking like she’s thinking about something.
At Dani’s shelter, Navs looks around at the small plasteel dwelling, with its wooden table, chairs, power cooker, and small bunks on each side.
“So when you slept here...” She asks
“I slept on that one,” pointing to one side, “while Dani slept on the other one.” Pointing to the bunk on the other wall of the shack.
“I didn’t mess around with your husband, like I said earlier. Marriage is special.” Dani explains.
“You could have. Helm and I have had sex with others. Sometimes at the same time.”
“Ya, but you’re not of the Faith. In the Core, there’s lots of folks who do things like that. I heard o’ tales about couples who has sex just cause they can. No love, no promise, not even know their names.” Dani says in an almost defensive tone. “That ain’t right for a married couple.”
“I thought you wanted us to come here so you could have sex with Helm, with my blessing?” Navs says.
“I would’ve liked to be included in that conversation.” You comment.
Navs takes your hand and kisses you. “I love you more than anyone, but I know that if you had sex with Dani, it would be so she could have a baby.”
“Why don’t we just have Kurgio do insemination?” You ask.
“What’s that?” Dani asks
You quickly explain artificial insemination, mentioning that Kurgio probably has the tools to do it on the ship.
“So he’d plant your seed in me without us havin’ sex?”
“Isn’t something like that against your beliefs?” Navs asks.
“Matthew, can you use your Tech to link Joannas? I gots to ask her.” Dani replies.
Using your minividi, Joannas picks up. You mention to her the option of artificial insemination.
“There’s nothing in the Book against that. And we have a number of women who could benefit from it.” Joannas says. “Can you set that up for tomorrow morning?”
“I’ll try. Helm Out.”
You then quickly call Kurgio, and apologize for interrupting his evening with what appears to be two women. You explain the request for artificial insemination. “I thought it was against their beliefs or I would have recommended it.”
“Can we set things up for tomorrow morning?”
“Let me finish what I’m about to do here, and I’ll set up the Med Bay. Kurgio Out” You hear the giggling of a couple of women before his link closes.
Dani makes some tea, and the three of you talk and share stories. Dani learns about your lives in the Academy and on the Libereco. You and Navs hear about Dani’s life in both Ciono and Najran. She mentions that during mating season for the brutaroj she has to restrain the virbovoj from having sex from the bovinoj until they are ready. It’s hard to imagine such a small woman holding back such a large animal. Navs jokes about wishing you were endowed like a virbovo, but the joke is lost on Dani. Dani also tell a little about her marriage, and what she’s done her since she joined. “But I see now, you have what’s to be. A man an’ woman. Equal an’ loving. Maybe the Creator will bless me like that someday.”
You kiss Navs. “I hope you are so blessed.” You check the time on your minividi. “We should help Kurgio set things up.”
Dani stands up and yawns. “It’s been a long day. Thank ya for talkin’ to me. Matthew, you has a wonderful wife. That’s the truth of it. See ya’ in the morning. Creator be with ya’.”
Navs and you both hug Dani and wish her a good night.
On your way to the ship, Navs says “I understand why you want to help these people. They seem pretty honest and true.”
“They seem to be folks just trying to live and follow their beliefs.” You say as you put your arm around her waist.
“So why didn’t you sleep with Dani? Or do you just prefer blondes over brunettes?”
“Tell you the truth, when she told me she’d been a ‘child bride’, I was afraid to do more than comfort her.” You say. “I really didn’t know what all she has endured. She told me she ran away after a couple of jaros, but…”
Navs gives you a side hug, “A lot of damage can be done in that time.” She puts her head on your shoulder. “We knew a lot of guys who would have just fucked her.”
“Yeah, and we were trained to glass colonies and relocate the survivors, we never had to do it for real, but many of our classmates did.” You shiver for a moment as you imagine a Krozsipo or a Detruanto in orbit, raining fire on the Temple and farms.
She kisses you. “You convinced me that Independent life was the way to go.”
Inside the ship you find Kurgio laying out various sizes of syringes and speculums. “Doc, I didn’t know you had all of that.” You say.
“I had to take some of it from medical cargo. Some will have to be replaced at the next supplypoint, but I can sterilize and reuse others.” He says as he nods towards a machine attached to the hull.
“What do you need?” You ask.
He looks at you and Navs. “Get some sleep and come back in the morning. No sex tonight. I want you to be able to produce as much as possible.”
Navs rubs your crotch, “Kurgio, with my help, I think we can give you as much as you need.”
You playfully swat away her hand. “You heard the Doc. Nothing until tomorrow.” You head for your cabin. “We’ll see you in the morning.”
Inside, both you and Navs get ready to sleep. Normally you’d cuddle behind her, but tonight she has you face the other way and she lies behind you. You feel her breasts against your back and her pelvis against your ass.
“Try not to think about me, and just sleep.” She quietly says.
To distract yourself, you try to think of star charts and space routes. Anything that will keep you from remembering that your lovely wife is right next to you.
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