The Gathering Storm Read online

  After tipping the serving staff handsomely, they left the establishment, waving at the Admiral as he was coordinating something with his staff. Outside they jumped on a Conch trolley, the local efficient transportation system. Aboard was the recent addition was two armed guards, one Base personnel, one Conch Republican. They were the result of the Eater threat.

  Unfortunately, the Director’s Security Forces had been unable to locate any of the other Eaters that had been transported into the mangroves. There, thanks to their voracious appetite, they had begun to eat the local fauna, and were soon reproducing like rabbits. At least a couple of the aliens, close to giving birth, had apparently been released. Within a day, there were four young. Then, within a week, four more, with four more on the way. There were few gators where they had been dropped, so there were no large predators to compete. The local manatee population, having made a big comeback because of few humans in boats to run over them, began to suffer. More food, more births. Sightings began in the mangroves, and a few were shot and killed. Then, a couple of the creatures arrived during the night in downtown Key West, eating a dog and its owner. All hell broke loose. The two were quickly tracked down and shot, but the damage had been done. No outside security presence meant that few people ventured out. Soon most of the population had a gun, leading to some shooting at shadows and one death from gunshot. The next day, armed trained personnel appeared on the trolleys, as well as on walking patrols and on a couple of jeeps running around.

  Joseph and Sarah found a seat toward the back of the trolley in order to be alone. There they kissed deeply, fumbling with each other’s clothing and bodies like teenagers. The fifteen minute trip to their quarters seemed to pass in a few moments. The trolley driver rang the bell when they reached their quarters, as the trolleys allowed on the base with no restrictions. Joseph slipped a tip to him as they exited, the two guards having purposefully ignored he two lovers in the back.

  The professors had first floor quarters in what was basically a two bedroom duplex. After some six years living either in a cabin or modified offices on a college campus, this was like a palace. Joseph did not let Sarah reach their bedroom. He unzipped her dress, pulling it over her head. With practiced ease, he unclipped the back bra clasp, and let her bra slip off. She giggled. “You always were good with clasps and hooks.”

  “It must be my engineering background,” her husband deadpanned. He scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the marital bed.

  An hour later, Joseph was spooned up against his wife’s warm body. Already, the contact was causing warmness in his loins and he began to have another reaction. Damn. It must have been the years of sexual drought that was causing his horniness. Sarah made a nice humming sound of satisfaction as she stirred, touching his body.

  “I love you, Sarah. I always have, I always will,” he whispered into her ear.

  “I love you, Joseph, my husband,” she whispered back. “I thought you should know that after tonight, I might be pregnant.” Joseph had thought that might be the case when she refused him the time to put on a condom. Suddenly, he wanted a child by her.

  “While I have your complete attention, you gorgeous creature, come here one more time...”

  Joseph was glad today was Saturday, a day off. He had literally screwed himself silly, and his lower regions ached a bit from an unknown number of orgasms. He heard the toilet flush. A moment later a nude Sarah walked from the bathroom, heading back to the bed.

  “Hungry?” She asked. Joseph looked at her. Her body was almost back to its firm, sensual form that had been his wife during their college and early marriage days. His tall, lanky frame seemed to offer a unique challenge to her, and it seemed she was always trying to climb him like a tree.

  He gently smiled.

  “Well, are you? A smile is not an answer. I’m famished. Want to join me in the kitchen?”

  He stood up silently and walked to her. Bending over, he took her face in his hands. “Sarah Ann Broadmore Fassbinder, I love you. Would you marry me?”

  She gently removed his right hand and kissed it. “Silly, we are already married. I think I have a copy in the stuff we saved after the rocks hit.”

  He looked into her eyes. “No, I want to marry you again. I want to take the vows again. I almost lost you. I want you to know how much I love and need you, especially as we are about to start a family. Please, it can be a small service if you want, just...”

  Sarah began to cry. She threw a her arms around him and squeezed so hard he wondered if perhaps he had done something wrong. She kept crying, and he just held on to her, gently stroking her hair. Finally, she stopped. She tried to wipe his eyes with her hands, then turned and found some napkins they had appropriated from the chow hall. She blew her nose, wiped her eyes. “Sorry, those damned waterworks again.” She turned her face up to his, and made direct eye contact. “Joseph Fassbinder, I will marry you again–any place, any time. I almost lost you. Before, I didn’t know what I had. Now I do. I’m alive today because of you.

  “Just before the invasion, I was thinking divorce. I was a goddamned snob, and I thought you were a dolt holding me back. The rocks hit, and I went numb. Then I turned bitter. I believed the whole invasion was the universe’s way of screwing up my life, and my career. Next the Chief showed up, we came here, I made an ass of myself to the Director, and you left.” A tear ran down her cheek. “I still need to apologize to the Chief. Right now, I need to apologize to you, my dearest. Can you forgive me?”

  Joseph thought how lucky he was to get a second chance. “Sarah, if you want me to formally accept your apology, then consider it accepted. But it isn’t necessary. We have been through hell. I love you more than life itself. When I heard about the Eater, I realized how close I had come to losing you forever. There is a part of me that only you can fill. So, are you going to marry me, again, or not?”

  “Yes, my love. I will marry you nude in the town square if you want me to.”

  Joseph laughed, “As interesting as that might be, I want to keep this gorgeous body to myself.” Then they were quiet. Sarah whispered in his ear, “Please make love to me, Joseph. I know I’ve probably worn you out last night. But, please.”

  He made slow love to her there on the carpet in front of the bed. If asked, they could not answer as to why they did not go back to the marital bed. It just seemed right to do it on the floor, to satisfy their more primal urges. After they were both finally satisfied, they gently kissed again. “Still want some food, Sarah?” Joseph finally asked.

  “Yes, I’ll fix it.”

  “No, you won’t. You will take a nice warm shower, or bath, which ever you want. I will then wait on you. I think I may have just given you a child. You need to rest and relax.” He gently untangled himself from her and went to the kitchen. Sarah laid there for a few moments.

  Her face broke into a broad grin, as she murmured to herself, “Twins. I will have twins.”

  CHAPTER 20

  THE CAPE, FLORIDA

  “Space, the final frontier...”

  - Star Trek, the Series. Gene Roddenberry. Footnote, Chapter Five, The Great Compromise by Royal Princess Akiko, Free Japan Royal Family.

  The space shot had been postponed for a couple of weeks following the first Eater death. Now the launch time was rapidly approaching. Joseph was at the Cape, reviewing last minute details. Andrew had taken on the job of zipping him back and forth on his Falcon. Joseph had asked him why, when the Director had dedicated aircraft.

  “My independent evaluation is that it is safer and faster,” answered Andrew. “The Director is hard-headed about his autonomy, his independence. He does not like to depend on anyone more than absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, his idea as to what is necessary is not always in congruence with the facts of the situation. I have been directed to let him do what he wants, unless he is about to get himself killed. With you, I have complete autonomy. Thus, you travel with me.”

  Joseph had to admit that he was getting
spoiled flying in the Falcon. He sat in the co-pilot’s seat and watched Andrew fly. The cyborg had a direct interface, so he did not need to touch the controls, which had a hand shaped recess where a joystick would have been. A normal humanoid would put its hand into the recess. Sensors interfaced with the hand and enabled the pilot to operate the craft based on finger and arm movements. By watching Andrew, he believed he could figure out how to use the hand recess to fly the craft, as long as the craft would interface with his hand.

  Andrew landed within walking distance of the launch control building. Joseph walked down the small entrance ramp and was met by the Olson twins. Their genius had been indispensable in getting the spaceplane ready for launch. Now, it was just seven days until launch. Seven Days. Just seven months ago, Joseph was worried about where Sarah and he would find their next meal. Now, he had finally begun to fill out with lots of good food and exercise. And he was about to take the next small step for a man, but a giant leap for humankind.

  He had asked Andrew why it was so important that humans used their outdated technology to launch into space once again. Why not use a Delta or a Falcon?

  “Humans must prove to the other Lords that they can be more than just meat. They must do it on their own, with only limited support from Tschaaa or the other species’ technology. Some Tschaaa think you are the equivalent of a fairly smart parrot. Able to copy what others say and do, but with limited problem solving capabilities.”

  Joseph had been surprised. “Where did they think we got our aircraft and other machines from? I realize they may seem crude compared to your Falcons, but they still function.”

  Andrew replied, “They do not care where your technology came from. Someone else could have left the items. As the Tschaaa discovered on a few ruined planets not long after traveling outside their solar system. Everyone is automatically assumed to be inferior to the Tschaaa. Your worth must be proven positively, rather than demonstrated by existing products. Once the Tschaaa get an idea in their heads, it is difficult, if not impossible, to remove it.”

  Soon Joseph was in the launch control room, looking over the final plans and details.

  “Well, Sam and Sandy, it looks like everything is ready to go. Let’s go up the gantry and check our transportation.”

  The twins formed one part of his crew, with one additional former astronaut rounding it out. Former lieutenant Colonel Bettie Bardun had trained in the old shuttle program, and when it was cancelled, managed to finagle a trip on a Russian capsule to the International Space Station, to begin training on the commercial spaceplane project. The Tschaaa came, and everything went to hell in a handbasket.

  Bardun had actually survived at the Cape, where she visiting when the rocks fell. Along with some technicians and security personnel, she had barricaded herself in the administrative offices, living off hurricane supplies. They made a few forays into the surrounding communities and managed to stay alive and in control of most of the launch area, until Director Lloyd showed up some four years ago. Cape Canaveral was one of the first places he and the Chief had established control after the Florida Keys and Miami. A nearby Tschaaa breeding area had been established along the shallows, but they had ignored the launch area after a short penetration by a bunch of young warriors. They harvested a couple of humans, and then took the meat back to the newborns. They never returned. Cattle Country had been established by that time.

  Colonel Bardun could have been a sister to the tall female lead in series of sci-fi movies involving a nasty species of aliens with acid for blood. She had been nicknamed “Rip” after the name of the protagonist, but she had never gotten angry over it. A good sense of humor helped keep her alive and relatively sane. And now, she was going back into space.

  “Ready for a final interior check before we seal her up?” the Colonel asked Joseph.

  “Might as well do it. In seven days we make history.”

  “Alright, then let’s give her a close look. Get up in every nook and cranny and made sure we don’t miss a thing. I want her to go off without a hitch.”

  “You can say that again.” Sandy chimed in. She had been giving the Colonel some once overs lately, almost like she was imagining what was underneath her flight suit, and not bothering Joseph. He wished she would calm her lust. He knew she already had a string of “conquests” among the young males at the Cape. He was a bit surprised that she now had suddenly started paying close attention to Colonel Bardun.

  They took the elevator up to the spaceplane perched on top of the equivalent of a giant roman candle. A conventional-looking delta winged large aircraft; two engines perched on top of one another would boost them into orbit after the original large rocket booster kicked them up to the edge of the atmosphere. The new engines made use of a very dense organic fuel the Tschaaa had literally grown in some of their vats. The energy available was immense compared to human fuel types. This enabled the spaceplane to make do with less on board fuel and thus more room for cargo, in a smaller craft than the shuttle. Two hours later, after going over the craft with a fine toothed comb, Colonel Bardun had the launch technicians seal the spaceplane.

  “Well, lady and gentlemen, seven days from now we launch. What are your plans, Professor?” the Colonel asked.

  “Andrew offered to give me a ride back to Key West for tonight and tomorrow. Anybody else need a lift? I can probably convince Andrew to find room aboard his Falcon.”

  Bettie Bardun smiled. “Thanks, Professor, but I have no people there, so it would be a wasted trip. I think I’ll stay here and relax, review a few procedures for launch.”

  Sandy piped up. “I’ll second that. Care to join me for dinner, Colonel? A girl’s night out?”

  The tall woman paused, and then answered. “Sure. I haven’t been able to do that in years.”

  Sam frowned at his sister. “I guess I’ll find my own entertainment for tonight. Don’t keep the Colonel out too late, Sis.”

  “Don’t worry, brother, we’ll be back in quarters at a reasonable time.” She gave Bettie a wink and a smile that was a bit confusing, but Bettie shrugged it off. A little bit of relaxation would do her good.

  “Okay,” said the Professor. “I’ll see you all day after tomorrow.” He headed out to meet Andrew.

  “Well, Colonel, I’m going to change into something a bit more comfortable and frilly. How about you?”

  Bettie had to think for a moment. She had a black cocktail dress she had picked up in the last few months, with a few other odds and ends. She wore flight suits or a former USAF uniform most of the time. Social time was not something she experienced very often these days.

  “I have a basic black number that will suffice, I think. We can eat at the All Ranks Club, if that’s okay.”

  “Fine by me.” Sandy flashed a big grin. “Meet you at the Club in an hour.”

  An hour later, Bettie was just getting the hang of her high heels after near six years of non-use. She had felt an unusual desire to be as feminine as possible, so that even though she normally towered over most men, she wore her black four inch heels. Her smooth, fit and long legs were further emphasized. A sheer black bra and matching underwear, items she had forgotten she owned, completed her ensemble. Bettie saw Sandy approach, wearing a dark blue cocktail dress and matching high heels, her long auburn hair shone with golden highlights. Even by her standards, Bettie classify her companion as ‘hot’.

  Sandy seemed to read her mind. “Well, look at you, Colonel. Aren’t you the hot one?” Sandy smiled, and Bettie blushed a bit in reply.

  “This is the first time that I’ve dressed up in ages. I guess I still clean up pretty well.”

  Sandy giggled. “That is an understatement, Colonel. Since it is girls’ night out, can I call you Bettie?”

  “Of course. You’re a civilian, so rank doesn’t apply. Just remember who’s boss when we are underway.”

  “Aye aye, Sir.” Sandy giggled again and gave a sharp salute, which surprised Bettie. “Come on, let’s hit the bar
for a quick drink.”

  As they passed through the cocktail lounge to find a table, men’s heads turned. Bettie felt a little thrill at being admired for her body as well as her mind. She had been so busy with her scientific work, any idea of sex had been suppressed. Now she knew she was still desirable. At the table, a waitress came over and took their drink order, giving the two women a once over as well. As she walked away, Bettie noticed that Sandy was admiring the waitress’ backside.

  Sandy seemed to know that Bettie had caught her looking. “I like women, although I usually prefer men.”

  Bettie shrugged. “Sexual identification didn’t matter in the Air Force after they did away with ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’. Regardless of your preference, just don’t get caught screwing a subordinate.”

  The drinks arrived and they relaxed. They chatted about the Cape, Key West, and recent history. Most people tended steer away from in-depth conversation of pre-invasion days, as most had lost family and friends. Sandy and slid her chair out to the near side of the table. Before Bettie could respond, Sandy reached out and caressed her thigh. An electric shock went through Bettie. Then she surprised herself by reaching her hand out to Sandy’s bare knee.

  The younger women smiled at her. “What say we get dinner to go and head to my place?”

  “Yes,” was all that Bettie could answer.

  The two women wrestled on the queen-sized bed of the suite. Sandy let out squeals of frustration as Bettie Bardun kept overpowering her nude body. Finally, Bettie was straddling the redhead, pinning her hands near her head. Sandy, breathing hard, glared up at the tall, lean woman. “You have to be so goddamned strong. It’s not fair.”

  Bettie laughed, then bent down and kissed Sandy. Sandy did nothing to resist. Instead, she was soon making little noises of pleasure at the back of her throat.