Brave New World Ch. 05

"Yes, you will." He looked at Kyo. "In the meantime I'll make some arrangements for you. And if you need anyone to keep you warm during the night..." Again he leered at her, very deliberately.

Kyo chuckled. "You haven't changed at all, old friend. Good night."

Burt sat back down behind his desk. He suddenly looked tired. "Good night, all of you. I'll see you tomorrow."

They left the office and stepped out into the main tunnel. The hubbub from the people there was a barely discernible yet constant background noise. The strange smell in the air was less strong here, but still present. A woman walked past, nude. It was the first person Roy had seen in the shelter who didn't wear clothing, which was understandable given the chill in the air. The woman's nipples stood out hard and proud in the cool.

"Do you two feel like walking?" Kyo asked.

Tami shook her head. "Not really." She looked around. "I'd almost forgotten what it was like..." she said softly.

"It was much busier thirty years ago," Kyo said. She sighed. "Between the low birth rates and the attrition we're not really getting anywhere."

"Attrition?" Roy asked.

"Too much exposure to too much crap", she said, sadly. She sighed. "The shelters are very well shielded, but still the levels of trace toxins and background radiation are higher than they should be. When people live in that sort of thing for decades on end, something's got to give. Lately it has."

Roy looked at her thoughtfully. Thirty years ago? How old was Kyo exactly? If Reesh was sixty-seven... He looked around. While most of the people appeared in their prime, sporting the good looks, fitness and posture that reminded him of the people he'd seen up in the hab, there was a sprinkling of naturals as well. Their unaugmented bodies stood out just enough to make them easy to spot, but by and large they carried themselves well, seeming quite at ease and happy with themselves. However, when he looked closely, he could not find one single person appearing over sixty-five or so. Living dirtside obviously had its drawbacks these days, and those who chose to remain naturals might be the ones who paid the highest price.

They started walking to the center of the tunnel, where a large red rectangle was painted on the floor. It took them a few minutes to get there. Before long, an open cart identical to the one Roy had seen when they entered the tunnel came into view. When it approached the red rectangle in which they stood, it slowed down and stopped. Roy followed Kyo and Tami as they stepped onto the cart's low bed and sat down on one of the simple benches. As soon as they sat, the cart began to accelerate gently. Its ride was smooth, and from the feel of it Roy guessed that it was suspended on some kind of repulsor field, or maybe there was a gravity planer involved somehow. Once again he resolved to spend some serious time on study in the near future to brush up on modern engineering.

They passed several more of the red rectangles. Whenever there was someone standing in it, the cart would stop. Then a woman, dressed in gray coveralls, stood up from the bench on which she was sitting, and the cart immediately slowed to a halt in the middle of the tunnel. The woman stepped off, and the cart continued on its way. At the next stop a boy and a girl got onto the cart. They were both nude, and their bodies were decorated with an elaborate composition of colored spray paint. The boy had a bright lightning bolt across his chest, running from his bright blue hair down to his groin, where it exploded in a flash of yellow, blue and white. The girl was covered in shades of pink and orange, with dark accents to make her sweet young breasts seem larger, her hips wider, her buttocks fuller. Her hair was a fluorescent shade of green. They both rode the cart for only two stops. Roy watched them as they walked down the center of the tunnel. The boy's back was painted to resemble some sort of electric blue fur. The girl had a pattern of yellow and brown tiger stripes running down from her shoulder blades, apparently designed to draw the eye to her round, firm butt.

They got off the cart in front of a large side tunnel with a number 4 painted over the arch in bright red. The entrance was identical to the one Roy had seen earlier, but this one was almost dark. As they walked on and got closer, he saw that the inside of the side tunnel was dimly lit. As soon as they stepped through the arch, the noise and hubbub from the main tunnel abruptly vanished. He looked at Kyo.

"Sonic dampening field," she said softly. "Sleeping area."

The entrance to the tunnel was a portal, about twenty yards long. Where the portal ended, the tunnel was divided lengthwise into a number of smaller corridors, like drinking straws stacked in a box. Stairways on either side led to a platform halfway up, where a second floor of corridors could be seen. The first three corridors had red lights glowing at their entrances.

Kyo led them into the fourth corridor. It was about fifteen feet wide and its length was lined with beds, dormitory-style. Most were narrow, apparently intended to accommodate a single person. Every third bed was about twice as wide. There were white curtains between the beds, some open, some drawn. Most of the beds were occupied. Some of the sleepers were naked, others wore a kind of white robe. Each bed had a small numbered sign at the foot end. Most signs were red, but occasionally there was a single green one. The air in the corridor was still and pleasantly warm, not unlike the climate-controlled atmosphere of the hab. The ceiling and walls appeared to be coated with a soft, blue-gray material. The floor was covered with a thick, springy dark blue carpet that muffled the sounds of their footsteps as they walked past the foot ends of the beds. The light was soft, dim and directionless. The overall result was a calm, relaxing atmosphere.

As they continued, Roy heard the soft moans of pleasure and the rhythmic creaking before he saw the couple making love on one of the wider beds. The woman was on all fours, her face pressed down into the bed, her eyes closed, a deep blush on her face. Her hand moved between her legs, and she let out a soft "Unh...unh... unh..." as the man kneeling behind her pumped in and out of her pussy, his hands grasping her hips. The lovers totally ignored the three newcomers as they walked past.

Tami leaned over to Roy. "It's considered bad form to pay attention," she whispered in his ear. "Just ignore it. Pretend you didn't see anything." He nodded.

They passed two more couples having sex, one of them a pair of teenagers. The boy grinned happily as he looked over his shoulder when they passed. The girl under him giggled softly. She put her arms around his neck, pulled him back down against her, whispered something in his ear, then kissed him soundly. She wrapped her legs around the small of his back, grinding her pelvis against him as he thrust his cock deeply into her young pussy. As they walked on, the girl's muffled orgasmic cries followed by the boy's long, low "Oooohhhh..." drifted through the corridor behind them.

"There's no such thing as privacy or personal space here at all, is there?" Roy whispered.

Tami shook her head. "No, not really. Does that bother you?"

"I guess I'm getting used to it." Roy smiled wryly. "In the army training camps I remember things weren't that much better. Dorms, communal showers, and then there were the toilets..." He made a face.

As they walked on, the red numbered signs at the foot ends of the bed ended and a row of green signs stretched before them. Kyo touched the side of the sign at the first wide bed they came to. Its color changed to red.

"There, that's us," Kyo said softly. She touched the sign by the next bed as well.

Roy looked at her, eyebrows raised.

"Beds with red signs are claimed, green ones are available," she explained. "So these are now ours for the moment." She stepped between the beds and pushed back the curtain that separated them. She indicated a small door in the wall above the head of the bed. "This is the laundry chute, Roy. I'm not sure how you guys feel, but I need to get out of these coveralls. They're starting to get a little sweaty."

With that, she ran her finger across the front of her suit, from the neck down. It parted and she stepped out of it as it fell to the floor. She bent down to gather it up, giving Roy a good look at her gorgeous ass in the process before she opened the chute and put the crumpled-up suit into it.

"You might want to do the same," she said to Roy. "The laundry system is automatic, so our suits will be back here by morning."

He nodded. "Not a bad idea. I'm feeling a little sticky myself."

Tami had already started to undress. He followed her example, and they both put their suits into the laundry chute. When he looked at her, he once again noticed the subtle changes in her figure. Her breasts weren't really larger, but somehow fuller and firmer, the nipples just a bit more accentuated, begging to be touched. Her buttocks were ever so slightly higher and tighter. The skin around her waist was a just a little firmer, the line of her cheekbone a little bit more flowing... It was difficult to decide exactly what had changed where, but the overall effect was unmistakable. And, he decided, damn sexy. It was then that he realized how good it felt to be naked again.

"The baths should be this way," Tami said, pointing down the corridor where a side entrance was set into the wall.

Kyo nodded. "They were, the last time I checked." She sighed. "This sure brings back memories."

"Good ones?" Roy asked, keeping his voice down as far as possible.

She shrugged. "Some good, some not so good. The way it usually goes."

They walked down to the side entrance. Halfway into the passage the dim dark blue interior changed, giving way to a gleaming light blue floor, ceiling and walls, and brighter lighting. The sliding doors at the end opened as they approached.

The space behind the doors was large. The domed ceiling was decorated in a white and blue pattern that vaguely suggested clouds, and the light was soft and pleasant. A large rectangular pool took up most of the space to the left. The area to the right was covered with non-slip tiles, and a series of black disks dominated the floor.

"I need a shower," Kyo said curtly. She turned right, walked up to one of the black disks and stood in the center of it. There was a soft whooshing sound, and a cloud of tiny water droplets dropped from the ceiling. Rather than fall to the floor, the cloud of droplets began to spin and quickly formed a vortex that completely surrounded her. The shower system was clearly a close relative of the ones he'd seen in the hab, Roy decided. Somehow the water disappeared when it hit the floor, but he couldn't see where it went.

He stepped forward and stood on the disk next to Kyo's. It was a strange sensation, the way the water dropped down on him, then split right before it hit the top of his head to form a curtain around him. Water droplets played gently over his skin, warm, fragrant and cleansing, somehow avoiding his face so he could still breathe without effort. The water appeared to be slightly soapy, forming a thin layer of suds where the droplets hit. After a few minutes the suds disappeared, the spray became more intense and slightly cooler. A rinse cycle? Suddenly the vortex disappeared from around him and the clouds of droplets dissipated. Kyo was standing across from him, running her hand through her hair, which was only slightly damp. His own skin was as dry as hers.

"Much better," Tami sighed, stepping of the disk next to him. "I could do this all day."

Kyo smiled faintly. "Be glad you got as much time as you did, Tams. Last time I was here the cut-off time was half of what it is now."

"So why don't you just step back on and have another one?" Roy asked.

Tami shook her head. "That won't work," she said. "Try it. Nothing will happen."

He did. Nothing did.

"The system recognizes you the second time around," Kyo told him. "Water isn't rationed nearly as strictly as it used to be, but it's still a precious commodity. Up in the hab we've got lots more energy for recycling, but down here solar is pretty much useless, with all the crap in the atmosphere. So nuclear power plants are pretty much the only alternative. But that's not a very popular option."

Roy nodded. "I can understand that," he said. Once again he felt a pang of guilt. Even though he had not even been around when Nuke Day hit, he still felt some sort of responsibility.

Tami gave Kyo a long, thoughtful look. "I could do with a soak in that pool," she said. "It should help me to sleep."

Kyo shrugged. "Worth a try," she said. "I wish Jaru was here."

Tami took her hand and squeezed it. "You've been apart before," she said.

Kyo nodded. "Of course. But not like this. Not like him being up there and me down here." She looked around. "Not with me being back in this..." Instead of finishing the sentence, she sighed.

Tami put an arm around her and the two of them walked across to the pool. Roy followed. The pool area was not as brightly lit as the shower area. The tiles on the floor and walls were darker, and there was something peculiar about the pool itself, although Roy could not exactly work out how. The water was clear as could be, but about a foot under the surface the light just...stopped, somehow. Clear as it was, he couldn't really look into it.

There were about a dozen people in the pool, single and in pairs. They swam lazily, drifted and soaked, or just lounged at the edge of the pool. In the far corner one couple was locked in a tight embrace. The woman's hands caressed the man's back, and their lips were locked in a long, deep kiss. The strange trick of the light hid what was going on underneath the water, but the rhythmic way they moved together and the expression on their faces left little to the imagination. Roy politely ignored them. So did everyone else.

He followed Tami into the pool. The water was pleasantly warm, and he felt himself begin to relax. Then a strange current came up from the bottom of the pool, and he felt himself being lifted gently. It was almost like being weightless, and within seconds he felt all tension flow out of his limbs, tension he hadn't realized was there.

"Aren't you coming in?" Tami asked. Kyo had sat down on the floor at edge of the pool, dangling her legs into the water.

"Just now," Kyo said, a bit listlessly.

Tami shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said, smiling. "Your loss."

Then a young looking woman walked up to the edge of the pool. Her skin was a deep black, and on the left side of her face she sported a wide streak of the glittery golden make-up Roy had seen Reesh and Kyo wear before, indicating that this woman would welcome a pass from the right person. He also noticed that the woman was starting at Kyo.

"Pardon the intrusion," the woman said formally, looking at Tami and Roy. She stepped closer. "Kyo? Is that you? Why the hell didn't you let me know you were here?" Her voice sounded a little hurt, but not angry.

Kyo looked up at her and sighed softly, a faintly sad smile on her face. "Yes, Rahn, it's me. We just got in an hour or so ago." She paused, an obscure look of pain in her eyes. "How've you been?"

Rahn returned Kyo's look, and something seemed to pass between them, something very significant and very private.

"I'm good," Rahn said finally. "At first it was pretty hard, but it got easier."

Kyo nodded. "Yeah. Me too," she said. Her eyes remained locked with Rahn's.

"So..." Rahn said. She broke her gaze and sat down next to Kyo at the edge of the pool. Then, apparently having changed her mind, she let herself slide into the water. She kicked up her legs and floated on her back in front of Kyo. The way her breasts appeared above the waterline accentuated their fullness and showed off her large, dark nipples. The whole display was rather deliberate, Roy thought.

Rahn looked up at where Kyo sat at the edge of the pool, then let her gaze deliberately drift down across Kyo's petite body, taking in the perfectly shaped breasts, the slender waist, the curve of her hips, the lovely pussy that was just visible between her thighs.

Kyo met Rahn's gaze, a challenge in her eyes. "So?" was all she said.

Rahn smiled lazily. "So... Do you still like it with girls?"

Kyo nodded. "Yes, I do, Rahn. You didn't think that had changed, did you?"

Roy suddenly noticed that Kyo's nipples had become much darker. Trying not to stare, he could almost see them swell in the corner of his eye. Turning away, he caught a glimpse of her perfect clit, which had began to protrude from underneath its protective sheath, and he realized that Kyo was far more aroused then she let on.

"Well, I don't know," Rahn said. "Last thing I heard you were with a guy."

Kyo gave Rahn a hard look. "Yes, Rahn. I am. His name is Jaru, and he's great. He's an awesome lover and a wonderful partner. I met him when I went up and we've been together pretty much since then. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Rahn sighed. "Well... Yes and no. No, because... You know why. But yes, because what really matters to me is if you're happy with him, Ki." She looked Kyo in the eyes.. " Are you?"

Kyo nodded slowly. "Yes, Rahn. I am. I really am. Jaru and I are good for each other. I thought about it long and hard, and... I honestly think he's the one."

Rahn looked at her, then gave her a sad smile. "That's good enough for me." She began to make her way to the edge of the pool. "Time for a shower," she said softly. As she got out of the pool, water ran off her body which, while not exactly slender, was well-toned and tight, offsetting her large, full breasts and her round buttocks in a way that perfectly explained Kyo's arousal. He felt his own cock stir at the sight of her, and once again he was glad for the control that the nanotech gave him as he willed his budding erection to subside again.

"So how long are you here for?" Rahn asked, looking down at Kyo.

"We're moving on tomorrow. Why?"

Rahn smiled. "I thought, maybe we could, you know... For old times' sake..."

Kyo sighed, a sad look in her eyes. "I'm not sure that would be a good idea, Rahn."

"Well..." Rahn put her hands behind her head and stretched in exactly the same way Roy had seen Kyo do. "I guess you won't know until you try, will you?" She turned and slowly walked across to the shower area. If her butt would have been capable of winking, Roy thought, it would have. As it was, the way she moved it left no doubt about her intentions.

Kyo sighed. "Sorry, guys," she said. "I supposed I should have introduced you and all that, but..."

"No problem, Kyo," Roy said. "We understand."

Tami nodded. 'Of course." She looked at Rahn, who had just reached the shower area. "Bad breakup?"

Kyo followed her gaze, a clear sense of longing in her eyes. "No... No, not really. It just hurt a lot, that's all." She sighed.

Tami looked at her thoughtfully. "So why don't you go to her, Ki?"

Kyo slowly shook her head. "I don't know, Tams. I just don't know..."

"You still have feelings for her," Roy said.

She looked at him and slowly shook her head. "To be honest, I'm not really sure."

Roy smiled. "That was a statement, Kyo, not a question."

"I believe Roy is right, Kyo," Tami said calmly. "Let me put it to you this way. You've been up for, what, thirty-odd years now? During that time, how long have you gone without thinking of her?"

Kyo looked down and sighed. "When you put it that way... I guess you're right," she said softly. "Still..."

"Does Jaru know about her?" Roy asked.