Brave New World Ch. 03

What he saw next filled him with horror. The gleaming blades inside the maw were powering up. Faster and faster they whirred, until the shiny steel became a blur. The howl of the electric motors was beyond imagining, and the maw towering over him amplified the sound even further.

Suddenly the machine lurched, and then it began to move forward, slowly but irresistibly. Closer and closer it crept, the maw with the silvery blades coming right at him. He screamed, but the whine of the motors totally drowned out any sound he was able to make.

Then a shadow fell over him, and he felt two hands grasp his ankles and pull. But nothing happened. The weight of the machine's robotic arm held him firmly down on the soil, the edges of the manipulators pressing painfully into his back. The hands pulled harder, but to no avail. He might have heard someone shout, but the howl of the spinning blades made it impossible to tell.

He tried to lift his head again, but he couldn't. The noise had become deafening. From the corner of his eye he saw the lip of the maw towering over him now, and he could feel the wind caused by the rotating blades. Suddenly he had a horrible vision of what would happen when the blades would reach him, only seconds from now. Panic seized him, and he fought to escape the grasp of the steel claw holding him in place, but nothing budged. The front row of the whining blades was only two feet away now. A foot and a half, one foot...

Then the machine shook and began to pull to one side. It lurched, lurched again, and... Did it slow down? Did it? Yes, it did! Suddenly Roy felt tears streaming down his face, and he dimly realized that the deafening racket of the howling blades slowly began to subside as the whirring steel began to slow down.

Only then he could hear himself scream.

* * *

After the heat of the field, the cool air of the control room felt almost chilly on Roy's skin. He was sitting on the floor, the remains of his protective suit next to him. Reesh had had to cut it off him and was now applying a spray that the autodoc had dispensed. It stung on his back for a moment, first hot, then icy cold, but it made the pain go away almost immediately.

"You were lucky," Reesh said. "These cuts and bruises aren't too bad. With this stuff they should heal in less than an hour. Broken bones or internal injuries would have taken another night in the 'doc."

"So why don't I feel lucky?" Roy muttered.

"Some people are never satisfied," Reesh tried to joke, but her voice clearly betrayed how shaken she was.

"I don't get it," the leader of the tech team said as he walked into the control room. "None of this makes any sense." He turned to Chia, who was sitting in a corner, looking like she'd been hit by a truck. "I've never seen a malfunction like this."

"Malfunction, my ass," Chia said angrily. "This was no malfunction."

"I'm beginning to feel the same way," the tech said. He began to peel off his suit, revealing a sinewy body and skin that clearly had seen a lot of sun, judging by its leathery, tanned appearance. The man looked to be a natural, but there was a grace and an economic fluidity to his movements that Roy had seen only once before, in a martial arts instructor he'd known four centuries ago.

"Did you get any diagnostics?" Chia asked.

The tech shook his head, looking frustrated. "Not even a memory dump. It's all been deep-wiped. All of it. We're going to have a job just getting the damn thing back into the shop."

"Damn." Chia looked at Roy. "We need to know how this was done. And by whom. Hell, if that breaker panel hadn't been standing open already... Or if I had still been locked in there..." She shivered.

Roy could only agree. It had taken the tech team almost half an hour to free him from underneath the machine's manipulator. The shakes had set in almost immediately after that, and it had taken a shot from the 'doc to calm him down. Only a few seconds more and those mowing blades would have ground him into hamburger meat...

"So now what?" Chia asked. "A full forensics scan?"

The tech nodded. "We probably won't get much, though," he said glumly.

The sound of running footsteps came from outside the control room. Then Tami burst through the open door.

"Roy? Roy! Are you alright?" She knelt down next to him and carefully put her arms around him. "I came as soon as I heard."

Roy hugged her back, noticing how the pain in his back and legs had almost disappeared. The spray Reesh had applied was obviously doing its work.

"I'm fine, Tami," he said. "A few scrapes and bruises is all. It could have been a lot worse." Then he began to shake again.

She held him until the shivering subsided. Then she kissed him.

"Oh Roy... I was so worried." Her arms around him tightened, and as she pressed her face into his chest, he felt her tears on his skin. Suddenly it was he who held her. After a while she looked up and gave him a teary smile. He carefully wiped the tears of her face and kissed her.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Hi kissed her again. "Thank you, Tami. Thank you for coming. Thank you for caring."

"You silly man," she whispered. "Of course I care."

"I know," he said, realizing that, somehow, he had known that for some time. As much as he was a nervous wreck right now, her mere presence made him feel better.

Tami stood up. "Reesh?" she said softly. "Can I take Roy out of here?"

Reesh nodded. "I don't see why not. However..." She turned to look at Chia, who was still sitting in a corner, glumly staring at the wall.

Tami looked at Roy, then at Chia. She slowly nodded. She knelt down again and put her hand on Roy's shoulder.

Roy looked up. "Hm?" He hadn't really noticed the exchange between the two women. He took Tami' s outstretched hand and stood.

"Roy, I'm sorry to ask you for this right after what you've been through, but I'd like you to take care of Chia for a few hours," she said. "She shouldn't be alone right now. And as long as she stays here she won't want to leave it to her team to deal with the job."

Roy looked to the corner, where Reesh was quietly speaking with Chia. "You're probably right," he said. "She doesn't look to be in great shape right now."

Tami's eyes followed his gaze. "Just go with her. Keep her company. Let her talk if she needs to. Are you up to that?"

He nodded. "Sure. No problem. But why me?"

Her smile was gentle. "Let's just say you've both been through a wringer. Sometimes it's easier to deal with a traumatic experience with someone who shared it with you."

Roy slowly nodded. "If you say so, Tami." He smiled wryly. "And you're not just talking about her, are you?"

"Trust me, Roy."

"I do, Tami. I do."

She smiled. "I know."

"Are you okay?" Chia asked him as she came over to stand next to him.

Roy nodded "Sure. I'm fine. Shaken, not stirred."

"Sorry?"

"Oh. Never mind, Chia. Just another archaic reference. What about you? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I guess so. A little shaky as well. Not sure about the stirring thing. Whatever that is."

"That's hardly surprising, given what happened. Listen, can I take you home?"

She nodded. "Sure. I'll get out of this suit. I need a shower."

"Yeah, me too." He turned to Reesh. "Can I shower with that stuff you put on my back?"

"Absolutely," she replied. "It's pretty much done the job already, and it should start to come off soon. Fortunately your skin seems to regenerate quickly, Roy."

"That's good news. Thanks, Reesh. Shall we go, then, Chia?"

Chia nodded, and turned to hug Reesh. "See you later, mom," she said. "And thanks again for getting my ass out of there."

Reesh hugged her back. "I'll always be there for you, honey," she said. "And thank Roy, too. Without him your ass would still have been inside that thing." She chuckled. "But then, I've seen him looking at your ass."

"Mom!"

"Just kidding, honey. Take care, okay? And remember, I want you off duty for at least two days."

Chia made a face. "We'll see. There's work to be done here."

Reesh gave her a stern look. "Two days, Chia. Don't make me pull rank on you."

"Yeah, yeah."

Tami chuckled. "Roy, you may have to tie her down when you get her home."

Chia smiled mischievously. "Hmm. Now that sounds like a plan. How about it, Roy?"

Roy chuckled. "Maybe later."

Tami hugged him. "Better get going, you two. And please be careful and watch your backs, both of you."

Roy put his arms around her and kissed her. "No worries, Tami. We will."

He followed Chia through the door. She turned left into the passage and led him to the second door down, then touched a panel. The door slid open. Behind it was a small capsule with four seats. She stepped in and sat down.

"Well, get in, Roy," she said.

"I was wondering about that," he said as the door of the capsule slid closed behind them. "I never got around to asking about it, but there would have to be some kind of transportation system in a structure like this."

She nodded. "Obviously. There's a network of capsule tubes linking all major areas. Walking from one end of the hab to the other would take a day."

There was a humming sound and a small vibration, then the capsule was quiet again. After less than a minute the door slid open.

"We're here," she said.

"Already?"

She nodded. "It's fast."

"But I didn't feel any movement," he said as he stepped out of the capsule.

"It's got an acceleration compensator," she said, stepping out after him. "This way."

The corridor they were standing in was much like the one they'd just left. She started walking and he followed her, his eyes on her slender back and firm, tight buttocks moving under the clinging fabric of her suit. He felt something stir in his groin.

"Gravity planers. Acceleration compensators." He sighed and shook his head. "I feel so obsolete."

She turned to look at him. "So learn," she said. "Mom said you used to be some kind of tech, right?"

He nodded. "Electronics."

"Then modern physics shouldn't be too hard for you to catch up on. Just continue where you left off. The laws of nature and the principles of technology haven't changed. It's just new stuff, that's all."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that," he said as they stepped out of the corridor. "I'll need something useful to do with my life. Learn a new trade, earn a living somehow..."

She smiled. "A good tech is always useful."

"I don't know about being a good one, Chia. But if I can get to a point where I can just change the modern equivalent of a light bulb, that would be a start, I guess."

"What's a light bulb?"

They had reached the end of the corridor. She opened the sliding doors and turned left, walking along the wall that rimmed this cell of the hab. While the cells seemed to be rather uniform, the vegetation was not. The growth in this cell looked subtly different. It was denser and looked vaguely alpine, and the air was cool and crisp, suggesting a higher altitude. The star-filled dome and the directionless sunlight were the same, though.

"Roy," she said, turning to him, "Will you stay with me?"

He smiled and nodded. "If you like. Sure."

"Good. You shouldn't be alone right now."

He stopped walking. "Hang on. Did Reesh tell you that?"

She stopped as well and turned to look at him. "Yes, she did. Why?"

"Because Tami told me the same thing about you. Chia, I'm think we've been neatly thrown at each other by a pair of master manipulators. Or is that mistress manipulators?"

She frowned. "Mom does that sometimes." She sighed, looking irritated. "Damn that woman and her matchmaking! If I didn't love her so much, I'd strangle her."

Roy nodded. "I can guess how you feel. But I think she means well."

"That doesn't make it any less annoying, Roy. Especially not when she's doing it to me." She looked at him, then laughed. "That didn't come out very well, did it?"

He chuckled. "No problem. I know what you mean." He looked at her thoughtfully. "So now what?"

The thought for a moment. "Well... If you're open to a suggestion?"

"Shoot."

"Much as I resent my mom's pushing, it might actually not be a bad idea if we went somewhere and had a really good fuck together."

Her forward way of putting it surprised him a little.

"Ehm... Are you sure this is the right time, Chia? Don't get me wrong, I like you a lot, but..."

"I know you do. And I also know I make you uncomfortable because of my age. But honestly, Roy, I'm not a child anymore. And what I need right now is a few good orgasms. And so do you, probably. There's nothing better to help you let go of all the bad vibes. Besides, there are few things as life-affirming as a man ejaculating inside a woman, whether they've had their fertility suspended or not."

"Reesh said something like that," he said. "You guys use sex as a solution for just about everything, don't you?"

"And what's wrong with that?" She raised her arms and stretched, the tight suit accentuating the divine curves of her body. The swell of her firm buttocks, the curve of her high breasts, and the outlines of her hardening nipples were clearly visible through the thin fabric. He felt the first stirrings of his awakening lust.

She hesitated a moment. "Roy, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Yesterday morning I met this old geezer who came up from dirtside... What was his name again?"

"Gan?"

"Yes, that was it. He's a historian or something. He said that in your time it was a crime to have sex with someone who was too young. Is that really true?"

He nodded. "Yes, it was. The age of consent, as it was called, was mostly 18, but it could be anything between 16 and 21 depending on where you were. A guy could end up in jail for getting it wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"It was known as statutory rape. To have sex with someone below the age of consent was a crime, even if you didn't know the other person was underage. Technically it was illegal for both partners, but it was usually just the man who ended up being prosecuted. The punishment could be quite harsh."

She looked at him, a horrified look in her eyes. "But that's awful!"

He shrugged. "It's the way things were. The law stated that someone under the age of consent could not legally agree to have sex with anyone, so by law it was considered rape. Underage teenage couples usually got away with it. When the girl was underage and the guy wasn't, it was usually taken more seriously. Sometimes he could be convicted as an actual rapist. I remember a case where the girl was just under eighteen, the guy just over. He was arrested and taken away in handcuffs."

She slowly nodded. "I can see why I make you uncomfortable, then."

"Oh, it was worse than that. It was even illegal to publish a erotic story in which one of the characters was only seventeen, even if it could be considered justifiable within the social setting of the story. It could really cramp an author's creativity." He slowly shook his head. "It was a weird time. But it's not just the legal restrictions that I grew up with, Chia. It's also the difference in age between you and me. For a guy over thirty to be involved with someone as young as you was usually considered unacceptable. You've got to understand, Chia, I was born and raised in the old times and I've lived with the old morals for decades. I've been trying to get used to the modern ones for only a few weeks. I just need some more time, that's all."

She stood close and put her arms around him. "I do understand, Roy. But maybe a little more practice might help." She smiled mischievously. "I'm sure I can make you forget your worries."

"I don't know, Chia. Old habits die hard, I've noticed."

She took his hand. "Come with me. I know the most amazing place. It's not far, but it's private. Very private."

She started walking, gently pulling him along with her, along a faint trail that led into the vegetation. She pushed aside a branch with large, dark green leaves as he followed her into the shady coolness. Somewhere from the other side of the dense foliage ahead of them came the sound of a stream, and the air held the cool moisture of running water. The trail lost itself in the undergrowth, but she walked on and he followed her. The soil felt soft and damp underfoot as she found her way between trees and shrubs, and after a few minutes the ground began to slope up and their walk became an easy climb. The sound of running water was louder now, and before long the foliage parted and they came across a small brook that merrily gurgled its way across the rocks. From somewhere downstream came the noise of rapids. It was lovely, Roy thought, as they followed the brook downstream, but there was something about the rocks that didn't look quite right. While there was no artificial quality to them whatsoever, it was almost as if they were trying too hard to look natural, too entirely rock-like. When he looked closer he saw a smooth, silvery sheen just under the surface of the stone, and when he bent and touched it, it didn't feel quite right.

"Yes, they're artificial," Chia said. "But then, all of this is. This stream is part of the irrigation system, and the waterfall is here mainly for air humidification." She smiled. "And it's beautiful, of course. Speaking of which..."

The noise of rushing water had been getting stronger as they walked, and suddenly the stream ended in a small waterfall that splashed down into a pool from a height of perhaps ten or twelve feet. A cloud of mist hung over it, but there was no rainbow effect in the directionless sunlight. He stopped and simply took in the view. It was a thing of pure beauty, and the moist, crisp coolness mixing with the smell of damp earth and growing vegetation lifted his spirits enormously. He decided that questions about falling water in an artificial environment where everything should be at the same level could wait. It would probably have something to do with gravity planers or whatever, but he wasn't really in the mood right now to pursue it.

Chia ran the tip of her finger across the front of her protective suit, and it parted as if she had loosened a zipper. It felt down, revealing her young, tight body, and as she stepped out it he felt his lust stir once again. Her high breasts, while having the firmness of youth, were full, lush, and just the right size. As he watched he saw her nipples swell and grow hard in the cool air. She turned, quite deliberately, and bent from the waist to push the suit down along her legs, giving him an eyeful of her smooth, tight buns. Under her lovely, heart-shaped ass he plump, pink, hairless lips of her pussy peeked out at him from between her thighs. She pulled one shapely, beautifully toned leg out of the suit, then the other. Then she stood, the suit in a heap on the ground, and all he could do was stare as he drank in her the classic beauty of her slender, firm, young body. Her eyes were deep, moist pools full of promise, and his lust grew stronger within him.

She smiled at him. Then, suddenly, she turned again, and ran to the edge from which the water was falling.

"Come on, Roy! The last one in the water is a groundhog!"

And with that, she jumped down into the pool. She hit the water below with a splash, and went under. After a moment she surfaced again and looked up at him.

"Come on, Roy! What are you waiting for?"

Roy shrugged, took two quick steps and jumped. His fall down into the water felt strange, as if gravity was playing tricks on him. Which it probably was. When he hit the water and went under, it was all he could do to hold his breath. Ye gods! It was ice cold! He wanted to scream, but he managed to control himself. The pool was crystal clear and quite deep, and when he looked up he saw the dappling of sunlight on the water. He kicked his legs until his head broke the surface.