Asteroid, Mine
Asteroid, Mine [chapter 4]
I was awakened by the incessant beeping of my room's terminal, my six
A.M wake up call. I got up, washed the sleep from my face, and
dressed. I put on the long skirt I had worn my first day here and a
blue cotton shirt. I packed my bag. I thought I'd check out of the
hotel today, then, if I wasn't offered a bed tonight I would just
sleep in the ship or maybe start for home later on. Home. A barren
asteroid in the ass end of the next system. If nothing else, my time
on Crydon has reminded me of what I've been missing for the last few
years. Steady gravity, fresh clean air, great food, not the dried up
bland crap I'd gotten use to.
I went down to the front desk to check out. I left word for Mark to
meet me in the dining room where I ate a lovely breakfast of eggs, ham
and fresh grapefruit. I was just finishing when Mark and his partner
showed up. They had already eaten but sat and had some coffee with me.
Mark introduced his partner Judy to me. She was young, early
twenties, slim and not so tall. Her long blond hair that was tied in a
pony tail fell to her waist. Mark showed me the flight plan of where
we had clearance to go. Then we got up to leave. In the lobby there
was a pile of stuff, Mark and Judy's bags, and a big crate of
instruments for the survey. Mark grabbed the two bulky bags while Judy
struggled with the heavy crate. I had just my small bag so I helped
her carry one end of the crate. When I took the handle I noticed her
glance up at Mark. I followed her eyes and saw him give a little nod.
It almost was as if she was asking him if I could help her, I thought.
We walked out into the clear sunlight outside and across the field to
my ship. I keyed the lock with my card and punched in the password. I
noticed Mark eying the dents and scratches on the hull.
"It ain't pretty," I told him, "but it'll get you there and bring you
back again. Guaranteed."
We piled into the shuttle and while Mark unpacked and stowed their
gear I configured the drive for flight. I worked with Mark adapting
some of his instruments to my ship's systems. Soon we were ready and I
engaged the drive to lift us off.
While Mark settled in to take his readings Judy sat beside me up
front. She seemed a little nervous, or shy, or something. I noticed
her looking around the cabin so I explained a few of the ship's
systems to her. I kept the controls in manual mode, the nav con screen
showing other planes in the air nearby. I steered wide of a flock of
birds of some sort which had come up fast, not wanting to have one of
them splatter across the view port and upset my guests.
The trip was slow by my standards. I couldn't push through the air
like I could through space. Planet administration didn't allow it, for
one thing. Since the fiasco of old Earth, humanity had become a lot
more careful with treasures like Ceylon and the other habitable
worlds that we discovered. The greed of old gave way to good planning
and conservation to the benefit of generations to come. Under the ship
I saw the lush forests and fields turn sparser as we headed north.
Soon it was just barren rock and white patches of snow, followed
shortly after by an all white landscape, broken only by the blue of
the ocean at the coast. We continued north until I saw land again, a
vast stretch of white, a tiny smudge that was the research station.
The trip had taken just under two hours. I brought the ship around to
land beside the gray buildings that made up the station.
I wanted to jump out and run barefoot in the snow but a check of the
temperature indicated that would be rather foolhardy. It was minus
forty out there, cold enough to freeze skin in seconds. Mark and Judy
had insulated coats and boots, gloves and such in their bags which
Mark was unpacking. I had my pressure suit with it's internal
temperature regulator. I undid my skirt to let it drop to the floor so
I could put on the pants of my suit. As was usual for me I had on
nothing underneath. I happened to notice Judy glance my way, then
letting her eyes linger a little longer while I was pulling the pants
up my legs. She broke her stare only after I had hiked the pants up
over my ass and closed the front seals, turning around as I did,
trying not to be obvious yet giving her the view she seemed to want.
After we had donned our gear I opened the hatch and the three of us
trudged the short distance across the frozen wasteland to the
research station. The snow echoed squeaking noises under my boots as
I walked, my feet sinking in only an inch or so before meeting solid
hard packed snow or ice underneath. Mark pulled open the heavy door to
let us enter the building.
We stamped the snow off our boots, then went through another door
which led to a changing room. We took off our coats and hung them on
pegs lining the walls. As we undressed a man came in to greet us and
Mark introduced him to me as Sammi, an old friend who now ran this
station. I was given the two dollar tour as Mark chatted with Sammi.
We were shown around the labs and in the various buildings which were
connected by tunnels. The air was warm and fresh although tinged with
the smells of machinery and chemicals, smells I was all too familiar
with back home. We settled in the cafeteria for coffees where after a
while, Mark left Judy and I to go off and exchange research data with
Sammi. Judy and I made small talk for a while but I was really curious
to know what her relationship with Mark was, if any. I talked a bit
about my life as an asteroid miner, not much to say really. Uncover
some metal, dig it out, back to base at end of shift. Wake up next
day, same thing.
I told Judy how nice a change this vacation was for me, and that I had
met some interesting people last night, Tim and Ceylon. Judy perked up
a bit at the mention of their names. I saw a smile pull the corners of
her mouth.
"Have you met them?" I asked.
Judy paused for a moment. "I interned under Tim just before he
retired, four years ago." she said. "We were working at a site in what
was Asia, Thailand the country had been called." Judy's face
brightened at the memories. "The things we found. Amazing. Sculptures
so intricate and stunning, crafted from metals and stone, like nothing
I had ever seen. It was while working with Tim that I knew I wanted to
help recover and preserve as much of mankind's heritage as we could.
Tim hooked me up with Mark; actually I think it was Ceylon's doing.
She realised where my interests lay and thought that Mark, and the work
he did, the restoration of Earth's biosphere, would be right for me."
When Judy mentioned Mark I sensed something else there. I asked her,
"Are you and Mark, uh, married or uh, together?"
"We're not married, exactly." she said. "I, uh. . . ."
Judy saw my face, noted the concerned look on it, and understood. I
had hoped that I'd not crossed some line between her and Mark last
night. What Judy said next didn't so much shock me as send me for a
little loop.
"Mark told me about the fun you all had at Ceylon's. I'm kind of sorry
I missed it. Mark and I," she began, "have a relationship which is a
little unique, although not all that uncommon. Shortly after I met him
I signed a contract with him, a contract with a five year term. This
is not a contract for the work we do, although I very much enjoy
working with him. It is more of a personal commitment to him." Judy
took a deep breath. "Mark owns me, body and soul, for the duration of
the contract. I willingly allowed him to make me his property, to do
with as he sees fit. I am committed to him, and I will do anything he
asks of me."
Judy took my hand in hers, saying, "Tim and Ceylon have a lovely open
marriage. They are deeply in love with each other yet they are quite
liberal when it comes to sexual matters. I expected something would
happen when Mark said he would visit, but it's all right. I trust
Master, trust Mark I mean, in that he would know best as to what is
right for us." I'm happy for you that Mark let you meet them and
share in the true joy of their lives.
"I was a little surprised," I said, "to find myself together with them
on their bed. And I really did have a nice time. Ceylon is quite the
lady."
Judy laughed. "They have been together for thirty six years now. Tim
started out as Ceylon's slave, yes that's right, Tim was her sex slave
for several years, but their relationship deepened and they eventually
got married. I guess they decided to take their relationship to a more
equal level."
"When I was sitting in their house," I told her, "I had a most
wonderful sense of peace and tranquility. I sensed their love for
each other spilling over and enveloping me. And later," I fingered the
bracelet on my wrist, remembering. "Later, in their bedroom, Ceylon,
she took me to heights I had only dreamt were possible."
Judy stared into my eyes. "She has power, that one." she softly said.
Mark returned to the cafeteria then, seeing us sitting there holding
hands. He came over to sit at our table. Judy and I both looked up at
him, smiling.
"Sammi had to get back to work," he said. "We can go now."
"Yes, Master." said Judy, standing up.
As Mark's eyes went from Judy to me and back again I stood and went to
him, giving him a little kiss on his cheek.
"I never thanked you last night." I said. "For letting me meet Tim and
Ceylon."
Judy came to his other side and held his arm, smiling. Mark's
momentary confusion passed.
"I see you had a nice chat while I was gone." he said. "Shall we,"
as he steered Judy and I to the door.
As we dressed in the change room I couldn't help notice the station
here was not unlike ones in space. Although there was air outside you
would not survive long in the frigid temperature without some kind of
protection. Outside the building, although it was still before noon,
the sun was low in the south west casting long shadows as we trudged
back to my ship. Inside I was happy to shuck the stiff pants of my
pressure suit in favour of my soft, loose, cotton skirt.
After lifting off in a swirl of snow I headed west, low over the open
sea, along the coast. The ice began to be piled high along the waters
edge not too far from the station. Mark sat beside me, Judy on his
lap. This was a glacier, Mark told me. Ice slowly flowed between
mountains in the distance and ended up in the sea here. Mark asked me
to hover for a few minutes, not too close to the ice field. As we
watched, a huge chunk of ice broke free and crashed down into the
water. I saw it bob up on the surface to begin it's travels wherever
the current would take it. After a while Mark said let's go.
I saw the tender way Mark cradled Judy in his lap. I had read about
their kind of relationship but I couldn't see myself giving total
control over my life to another person. I was just not like that.
Still, I wondered, what must it be like not having to worry or, I
suppose, even think about things so much. To just have someone else
make the decisions and to let whatever happens happen. Mark and Judy
were going over some of the data from the research station. I could
see that Judy was pretty and she was also intelligent. She pointed out
something on the data that Mark found quite interesting, something to
do with the ice flow we had seen. Mark got up to check his instruments
leaving Judy in front with me.
I asked her where she was from. Judy told me she was born here on
Crydon. "A city in the southern continent called Tulsa," she said. "My
family moved to Landon when I was a child. Tim was a professor at the
university there. I was working towards my history major when he left
to work on the Earth project and I went with him."
"You and Mark seem very happy." I ventured.
Judy paused a moment before answering. "I am so pleased we found
each other." she said. "Tim was so nice to me both when he was my
teacher and later when we worked together. Before we left he would sit
and talk with me for hours. Then later, when I met Ceylon, I began to
understand what had been missing in my life, what I had been longing
for, but never knew what it was. Tim told me what it was, how, when he
was young and he met Ceylon, that she filled the gap in him, made him
whole. He worshiped her, still does. How there was nothing he wouldn't
do for her.
Judy lowered her voice a little. I could see tears begin to form.
"They have had so many years of happiness together. I try to take
things as they come but I pray that Mark and I can be together that
long. There is less than a year left in the contract. If he allows it
I would gladly sign again, for ever if he wants it."
I took her hand in mine. I saw that Mark had come up behind Judy and
he now softly placed his hands on her shoulders. As she looked up at
his touch he bent to kiss her forehead, letting his hands slide down
to cup her breasts tenderly, possessively. Judy sighed at the touch.
Mark looked up, at the view outside the craft.
We were travelling along the west coast of the continent, passing
villages and fishing boats out on the water. The autopilot beeped,
signaling to me that we were approaching our destination. I slowed the
ship, dropping lower until Mark pointed out the fisheries research
buildings and a paved area nearby where we could land. I turned the
shuttle inland to set down on the edge of the landing area. When Judy
stood up Mark hugged her closely to him, kissing her passionately
before dabbing the remnants of her tears away with a tissue.
"Fish for lunch, ladies?" he said. "I know a nice restaurant nearby
where they serve it really fresh."
When we stepped out of the ship Mark phoned the fisheries building and
spoke to the man he was to meet, George, inviting him to join us for
lunch. We met him outside the office and then walked the block and a
half to the restaurant. Mark introduced me as the pilot and I saw
George look at me standing there in my long skirt and bare feet. I
noticed that his eyes seemed to linger a little long staring at my
feet. Another one, I thought.
The fish restaurant was perched on pilings overlooking the ocean. The
food was superb. I had the scallops, deep fried in a light batter, the
almost sweet taste and tender texture was divine. Mark and George
chatted about the ocean, fish and boats. The sea water was very
similar to that on earth, without all the pollution that is, and the
species that were introduced, as well as the native organisms found
here were thriving. Even some sea mammals, brought as frozen embryos,
were starting to breed and multiply in the open ocean.
After lunch George took us by boat to a group of islands just off
shore where big holding pens teeming with fish were set up. Fish were
kept here, he explained, until they grew and had a good chance of
surviving in the wild. Then some were released while others were
harvested for food, or sent off to other worlds to be introduced in
oceans found there. George told us that there were five other planets
where the sea was able to support Earth type fish and another seven
where attempts were being made to transfer some species there.
We took the boat back to the office building and toured the labs where
George worked. Mark and George settled in to go over their research
while Judy and I walked around a bit, then, when I got restless, we
went down to the cafeteria for some tea. Judy seemed happier now so I
didn't want to break her mood. I told her that in a year or two I
thought I might quit I SAM to settle down somewhere.
"Possibly here, on Crydon." I said. "This planet just seems to get
more and more inviting each time I visit."
I told her of the mud bath I visited my first day and what a wild rush
that had been. She said she had heard about that particular pool and
wanted to try it herself some day. Mark and George came in with
coffees and sat with us for a while, then it was time to go. We went
to my ship and settled in for the trip across the desert. As I sat
down, I saw the comm light blinking, a message waiting for me.
Humanity had learned how to push our machines past the light speed
barrier, but data transmissions had to be carried aboard a ship going
in the desired direction. They would then be handed off to planet
communications for delivery. This message had been sent early
yesterday from my boss at I SAM. I smiled when I opened the file and
read that the last blast pattern I'd set up before leaving had
uncovered a huge vein of almost pure nickel, enough to keep the
smelter busy with overtime for weeks. A nice bonus had been
transferred to my account along with an extra two days vacation,
effective now if I wanted.
I let Mark read the message and told him that I wouldn't have to rush
back tomorrow. He said that would be good and that there was a friend
who lived on the south edge of the desert that he really wanted to
visit, if it was O.K. with me. I said sure, so Mark used the comm to
register the change of flight plan with air traffic control. He and
Judy went off to a store to get some extra supplies, some food and
water, some fresh fish and fruit for his friend. Then we lifted off to
continue south, along the coast.
As on our flight north the lush green forests and fields gave way to
more browns and reds as we approached the desert region. Only this time
the landscape turned to an endless expanse of sand, the wind shifting
it into high dunes. I turned east at zero latitude, flying low over
the desert. For the longest time there were no signs of life at all
down there, just hundreds of kilometers of sand. Through the heat haze
I began to make out a shape in the distance. I pulled up as we came to
a vast mountainous area, the reddish coloured stone blasted by the
windswept sand, the near peaks rounded. Farther along the mountains
peaked at a height of 6,200 meters before giving way to a valley
below, a deep blue river cutting down the middle.
I dropped down into the valley and we followed the river south. Over
the desert the outside temperature was in the high fifty's but in the
valley it was an almost bearable forty three. Mark pointed out a flat
area and asked me to land. When I opened the hatch the heat hit me
like a brick. I stepped down to the sand but had to retreat and find a
pair of sandals for my feet. I also exchanged my long skirt for a
short, thin one, and the thick shirt for a skimpy top. Mark and Judy
had umbrellas to shade them from the fierce sunlight so I stayed close
to Judy while Mark took some samples of the soil and the river water.
I dipped a toe in the river but the water was too hot for anything
more. The river was still, not flowing in either direction. There was
no wind, no sound at all. Eerie. Like space, except you could breathe.
Mark finished his study and we took off again, following the valley
south, southeast. In a little while I started to see sighs of
greenery along the river banks. Mark asked to land again and I touched
down on a spot near some tree like plants. On closer examination the
tall plants were cactus with a soft yellow fur covering the fibrous
trunk and arms reaching for the sky. The temperature was more pleasant
here, hot still but I could walk barefoot across the sand. The river
water was a little warm and after Mark ran some tests on it to make
sure it was safe the three of us stripped to have a swim. The water
was fine, slightly alkaline from the limestone mountains surrounding
us. Mark and Judy frolicked in the water while I swam along side. When
Judy turned her back to me I thought I saw some kind of marks on her
skin, on her shoulders and on her upper back. Mark boosted her up and
over his head, letting her dive into the water. I saw she seemed to
have marks on her bum and upper thighs too. Marks made by a whip,
possibly.
After our swim Judy and I lay on a blanket in the shade of some cacti
while Mark fetched some snacks from their supplies. None of us had
bothered to get dressed. Judy lay beside me on the blanket. I moved
closer to her. I put my hands on her and rolled her onto her stomach.
Keeping one hand at the middle of her back I traced my fingers across
the welts on her bum. Judy was surprised at first and struggled a bit
to hide her back from me but I held her down. As my fingers moved
gently across her skin she seemed to resign to the fact her secret was
out.
"Answer me truthfully," I told her, "did Mark do this?"
"Yes."
More gently, "Does he whip you often?" The feel of Judy's soft skin
under my hands, the tiny raised lines, healing but still tender,
slightly more pinkish in colour than the rest of her skin.
"No." She paused. "Mark whipped me two weeks ago. A brothel ship
visited the Mars colony. We booked some time in the dungeon. He doesn't
do it very often, only when I. . ." Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"ask him to do it."
I saw Mark leave the ship carrying some food and drinks, heading our
way. I understood.
I asked, "You like it, don't you?" I felt her shudder.
"Yes."
Mark approached the blanket and sat down beside Judy handing me a
bottle of juice, eying me carefully. He twisted the cap on one, then
gave it to Judy. She rolled over to face me, her back pressing against
Mark. She took a drink, paused, and then began to speak. Her eyes
stared at a spot on the blanket near me.
"When Master whips me I like him to tie me down tightly. Whether I'm
standing or lying down, or bent over something. I like the feelings of
being helpless, of not being able to move hardly at all.
"He usually starts slow, gentle. He'll use his hand, or maybe caress
my flesh with the whip. Gently, a few soft strokes. I get so hot. I
try to push back against it, to feel it more strongly. Sometimes he
stops until the anticipation is more than I can bear. He will laugh
and my face burns with shame at my wanton lust. Then he will begin.
"The first blow is the hardest, or so it seems. Stinging fire burns
across my back, or my ass. The flames erupt within me. Master pauses,
letting me settle. Then again. His choice of weapon manifests itself.
The flogger, it's strands, an overall burn. The whip, sweet pinpoints
of flame. A springy switch, soaked in water, or oil. Intense. Master
starts in earnest now, the lashings evening out. Each blow driving me
on, higher. I feel the rush building, building, each stroke flooding
me with that sweet sweet pain.
"I pull and twist now. Trying to escape. But there is no getting away
from it. Again. Again. I cry out "Harder. Harder!" Master knows not to
listen. I would die now. I crave to be driven over the top, beyond the
point of no return. Master will change the tempo now, perhaps not as
hard but to caress me in a more sensitive place. A slash to a breast,
or the inside of a thigh. My pussy. Sending the sweet flames to lick
my core.
"Then fast. Wham wham wham wham. I no longer feel where the blows
land, only the overall intensification. My mind is spinning. Out of
control. I am soaring away, up, up, stretched to the limit. I am
there. Master sees this and pauses a moment. Time stands still.
"Then I am falling, being pulled back at incredible speeds. I slam
hard, back into myself, as wave after wave pounds into me. Gravity
increases ten fold, a hundred. I'm crushed into a dense ball. The tiny
spark at my center flickers, then flares bright, consuming my soul. I
explode. Superfucking nova. Particles fly out in all directions,
twinkling in space. Then gone. I'm gone. I exist, no more.
"Master unties me. Sometimes I'm aware of him, his hands on me.
Gentle. Soothing words.
"Some time later I'm aware again. I move. Pain. Hurt. Stiffness all
over. I open my eyes to see him, my Master, with me, comforting me. He
has taken me once more to that special place and he has brought me
back safe and sound."
I watched a tear roll down Judy's cheek and fall to the blanket. I had
tears in my eyes also, as did Mark. Save for Judy's breathing there
was no sound. I reached to take her hand. Judy squeezed mine hard, a
small sob escaping her lips. I looked up at Mark.
"You two have something very special." I said.
Mark placed his hand over mine and Judy's. He whispered something
softly in her ear, kissing her neck. She turned her head to kiss him,
full on the lips. She saw the moisture in his eyes and smiled.
"I love you too." She softly said.
[end part 2/4]
