Eden Valley
- 2 years ago
- 22
- 0
Eden turned the faucet knob, and the water from the showerhead came to an abrupt stop. The last splash drizzled down the creamy skin of her neck, gliding between ample breasts, and snaking down long taut legs to the drain where it gurgled away into the pipes below. The last of the sweat and cum lingering on her body went along with it.
She sighed as large hands slid around her tiny waist from behind and pinched her supple flesh, warm fingers digging into her skin seething with burning lust. She put on a smile.
‘Professor Edwards, you know your wife could be coming home any minute now,’ she purred.
The hands gripped her tighter. ‘Don’t worry, she’s getting her nails done. It’ll be at least another hour before she gets back. Plenty of time to have some more fun…’ he whispered into her ear, his breath heavy and his voice gruff. He pulled her closer to him. Coarse hairs on his paunch belly tickled the damp skin of her back as he slowly gyrated his hips against the creamy skin of her ass.
She exhaled in amusement before nimbly slipping out of his hands and stepping onto the plush shower mat. She reached for a nearby towel and began drying herself.
‘Wait, where are you going?’ he asked in surprise, his hands now gripping air and hips gyrating against water vapor.
Ignoring him, she walked over to the bathroom mirror, the warm undersides of her feet feeling cool against the marble tiles. She wiped the condensation away with her palm to reveal a beautiful, nineteen-year-old woman, wet dirty blonde hair stuck to the tops of full, round breasts. Soft lips curled at their corners and big ocean-blue eyes stared back at her.
The sight of such a gorgeous female sent a surge of heat across her cheeks and halted her breath. It tickled her mind to think that this innocent face and sexy body had charmed so many men since she was fifteen. From tough teachers to policemen pulling her over to give her a ticket, she could always rely on her physical assets to turn things in her favor.
Indeed, assets such as those luscious breasts sitting high on her chest. She stared satisfyingly into the mirror at her breasts, slowly swirling droplets of water around the edges of her pink areola with her finger, teasing her reflection. The woman in the mirror played with her pert nipples so openly, so confidently that it began to make her wet. She bit her lower lip feeling a throbbing heat growing between her thighs. Mmm, that looks nice, she thought, as her other hand dropped the towel and slid down the damp skin of her belly to her moist folds.
Professor Edwards stepped awkwardly out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his naked waist. He sauntered over to his nubile lover with as much grace as an overweight man in his late forties could muster. It wasn’t long before the sexy woman in the mirror was joined by a large man with a gray mustache and a scraggly head of hair balding at the crown. The pairing was incongruous, to say the least.
Eden couldn’t help but be distracted by the unsightly presence that entered her view ruining her arousal. She had nearly forgotten about him until he disturbed her personal moment of self-pleasure. Before she could react, he resumed his position behind her with his hands around her waist.
‘Now there’s a sight for sore eyes,’ he growled, gazing at her through the mirror. He marveled at that luscious body, his beady eyes filled with dark lust. She was far more attractive than Mrs. Edwards, there was no question about that. In fact, she was more attractive than any female student he’s ever had in his sixteen years of teaching, and he’s seen some pretty fine ones. Blondes, brunettes, small girls, curvy girls — none of them oozed sex as effortlessly as she did.
But best of all, she was a wild fuck. Coaxing his wife into giving him a blowjob was like pulling teeth. Nevermind anal. He knew better than to even broach the topic with the Mrs. But Eden was eager and willing. God was she willing. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined getting the chance to stick his prick between those soft pouty lips or into that tight little cunt, let alone into that deliciously round ass of hers. If possible, he would stick it in her ass and never take it out.
Unfortunately, when he did stick it in a few minutes ago, he instantly ejaculated. The tight grip of her sphincter wrapping his cock was more than he could bear, more than any man his age could bear. Then, to pull out and see his seed dripping from her gaping hole, the pink insides throbbing and pulsating from his quick pull out — it was enough for him to shoot another burst of hot white fluid, this time landing on the bed sheets.
He silently thanked the stars for the past half hour of his life. All those years of toiling in the highly politicized world of academia were worth it if only for these moments alone. Were it not for his position, how else would he be able to taste the sweet flesh of such an exquisite young girl?
Eden was tempted to drop her gaze, not wanting to subject her eyes to the unpleasant sight of the man embracing her, but she eyed him curiously. His desperation to fuck her was so clear that it was almost cute. Sex with Mrs. Edwards must have been dull. But who could blame him, Mrs. Edwards was a cow.
She remained still, breathing calmly, allowing him to savor a few more moments before she would slip away again. The charade would continue until she left the house in the same innocent schoolgirl outfit she arrived in. It was all part of the deal. He would get to stick it in her hot, young pussy, and in return, she would get an ‘A’ in his history class. It seemed like a fair enough deal considering how boring the subject was to her.
And with good grades, her mother, Trish, would stop getting on her case about studying. She was never strict with Eden until she married Chuck, Eden’s stepfather, a year ago. Eden blamed him for influencing her mother.
Professor Edwards began to move his lips toward her ear to suckle her earlobe, but she casually slipped away again and headed into the master bedroom next door to find her clothes. Not wanting to appear needy, he took his time in following her. By the time he caught up, she already had her panties on and was in the middle of pulling up her skirt, her perky breasts swaying as she shimmied her hips. He leaned against the doorway watching her curiously.
‘Leaving so soon?’
‘Yes, I have to be back home in time for dinner,’ she replied coolly without turning to face him.
The coldness of her response slipped a sliver of doubt into his mind about their earlier fucking. She couldn’t have been faking those orgasms. He had thrust with all his might, ravaged her thoroughly, causing her to squeal in ecstasy. That’s right. She definitely enjoyed it, but now she was merely playing it cool, not wanting to reveal her passion for him. After all, a woman needs to maintain her feminine mystique. But he wanted more. He wanted a few more minutes of that tight little pussy gripping his fat cock until he came all over her again, and he was sure she wanted it as well.
She approached him.
‘Would you hook me up?’ she asked, turning around to present the unhooked clasps of her bra to him.
He took them in his hands, but instead of uniting them, he pulled them further apart, removing her bra, and began groping her juicy breasts, expecting her small frame to melt into his strong arms.
Thoroughly irritated, she ripped his hands off of her, showing surprising strength for such a small woman.
‘What do you think you’re doing?’ she said sternly.
He was startled. ‘Come on, I know you want it.’
‘I’ve already fulfilled my end of the deal. Sorry to disappoint you, but you’re not my type.’
Her words pierced him to the spot. But he was so aroused, it didn’t matter. He would get another taste of her goods one way or another.
‘Come to think of it, you haven’t fulfill
ed your end of the deal. The deal was that I would get to fuck you. And as of now, I’m still not done fucking you,’ he grinned. His body blocked the doorway so she couldn’t leave unless he allowed it.
Eden had had enough. This idiot was pushing his luck.
‘Let me be clear. You are going to let me through, or I’ll tell your wife and the entire faculty that you took advantage of me. I will describe every part of your body in detail including the J-shape of your four-inch cock right down to that ugly mole on your ass. I will say you raped me and who do you think people will believe huh? It wouldn’t really matter who they believed because your reputation will be ruined regardless. You’ll lose your wife and your tenure. Now let me through.’
His jaw dropped in shock.
On her way out to her car, Eden waved shamelessly to the next door neighbor watering his plants outside. Her visit to Professor Edwards didn’t go as smoothly as expected, but she was confident he would comply. He had too much too lose if he didn’t.
Edwards was the last professor she had to strike a deal with. Now she wouldn’t have to be concerned about her mother getting on her case about school work. The grades would speak for themselves.
She started the car and headed back to her parents’ house. She would move into a place of her own if she had a job, but working seemed like a worse alternative to putting up with her mother and stepfather at home. Besides, they were paying for her tuition and her car, and if she got a job, she might have to pitch in for those as well. Her current situation wasn’t bad. It had just been too stifling ever since Chuck came into the picture.
She pulled up to her parents’ house and parked in front. That was unusual. There was a car parked in front that she didn’t recognize. She opened the front door to the house, took off her shoes, and noticed the lights on in the living room. As she approached, her instincts told her something was wrong.
She entered the living room. Professor Davis, his wife Lucy, and Eden’s parents, Trish and Chuck, were all seated with grave looks on their faces.
Eden was caught off guard.
‘What is this?’ she asked innocently, already suspecting why they were there.
‘Eden, you know Professor Davis and his wife Lucy,’ said Trish, visibly distressed.
Lucy could barely contain herself. ‘You seduced my husband you bitch!’
‘What are you talking about?’ Eden asked, putting on a surprised look.
‘Don’t pretend like you don’t know!’
Her husband, Martin, put a gentle hand on her shoulder trying to calm her down, but she quickly brushed it off. Lucy couldn’t be placated.
‘Last week, I left to do my Sunday shopping, but found out I had forgotten my purse. I came back and heard weird noises upstairs. It sounded like moaning and grunting. So I went up and was shocked to see YOU in my bedroom with Martin…’ She pointed an accusing finger at Eden. She struggled to find the words to describe what she saw as tears streamed down her face.
‘…Y-Your lips were wrapped around his penis! I was so distraught, I couldn’t even move or scream. I was frozen…all I could do was watch as you had your way with my husband. Eagerly slopping him up with your tongue like some kind of dog, rubbing your breasts shamelessly in front of him, and moaning like a little whore. Then you pushed him onto the bed and pressed those swollen melons of yours against his penis, rubbing him up and down. You smiled at him and said, ‘I’m such a naughty girl Professor Davis, I should be punished.’ ‘
It was odd how detailed Lucy was describing what she witnessed, but she was now reliving the experience in her mind as she sat in the living room and couldn’t help but relay what she was feeling and seeing.
‘And then Martin grabbed you and put you face down on the bed. You lifted your filthy butt in the air and wiggled it around to tease him all the while giggling and smiling. Then he…he…stuck himself in your butt! And you moaned in delight. God, did you moan loudly. You were so loud, I wouldn’t be surprised if the neighbors heard it. Then you…,’ she poked her finger hard into her husband’s chest.
‘You said, ‘Oh fuck, your asshole is so tight’ as you watched your penis get swallowed up by her filthy hole. You had such a sick look of lust in your eyes Martin, I almost gagged. Just thinking about it now makes me want to vomit. But it didn’t stop there. Oh no. You began spanking her. Teeth clenched, hands running wild, sweat dripping from your body. And she enjoyed every second of it, egging you on with dirty talk like, ‘Go on, spank me professor. Teach me my lesson.’ ‘
Trish listened with her hand cupped over her gaping mouth, appalled by what she was hearing about her daughter. Professor Davis gazed at the floor, his face red with guilt and shame, but Eden noticed he had an erection through his pants. He was probably recalling how much fun he had. She also noticed her stepfather, Chuck, had an erection as well. That pervert. She always suspected there was something sexual behind his insistence on punishing her.
Lucy continued. ‘I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and hearing. I had almost wished I’d never gone back to the house to get my purse. My hands and legs were shaking uncontrollably. It was like my whole world was falling apart. But none of that made a difference because your bodies kept slapping furiously against one another. Wet, squelching noises filled the whole house. And then you…’
Lucy stared at Eden with a look of disbelief.
‘…You pulled off from him and put his penis back in your mouth! Right after it was in your butt. It was so disgusting.’ Lucy gagged.
Eden recalled her little tryst with Professor Davis. Unlike with Professor Edwards, she actually enjoyed herself with him. Martin was not only handsome but turned out to have a rather nice cock as well. She had cleaned up thoroughly before their meetup so it really wasn’t a big deal to take his cock into her mouth after it had been in her ass. It secretly entertained her to see Lucy so worked up over it.
‘You took his penis all the way into your throat without even flinching. Your head bobbed up and down while Martin held your hair back with his hands. You two weren’t even using a condom! I watched as you swirled your tongue around the exposed tip of his penis, teasing him with light licks, pulling deep growls from Martin’s throat. I thought I was living a nightmare that would never end. But just then, Martin cried out, ‘Oh I’m coming! I’m coming!’ and you opened your mouth wide to accept his sperm in your mouth.’
Lucy gagged again.
‘You grabbed his swollen penis and stroked him desperately. You were so eager to have him ejaculate in your mouth that you stuck out your tongue to lick the opening, running your tongue around it in circles, kissing it, all the while continuing to stroke him with your shameless hands. It was then that Martin let out a loud wail that sounded like he was dying and shot his semen into your waiting mouth. Some of it splashed across your face and you laughed, smiling with a mouthful of sperm, letting a few drops drip down your bottom lip to ruin the bed sheets. Then you looked up at my husband with those manipulative eyes and swallowed all of it and said, ‘Mmm yummy,’ like a little slut. But that wasn’t enough for you. Oh no, you wanted more. That’s why you wrapped your lips around his penis again and sucked him until he came two more times…’ Her voice trailed off. She didn’t mention it, but she had never seen her husband ejaculate so much in their many years together. It upset her to think that Eden could arouse Martin more than she ever could.
‘I stayed hidden until you two finished. Once Eden left, that’s when I confronted Martin.’
Eden exhaled amusingly. ‘You must have mistaken me for someone else Mrs. Davis. I’m sorry you had to walk in on your husband with another woman, but this is all just a big misunderst
anding. I was out with my friends last Sunday.’ She looked at her mother. ‘You can ask Jenny, she’ll tell you I was with her the whole day.’
‘Stop lying Eden!’ Trish shouted, her face fully flushed. ‘Lucy told us she saw the green butterfly tattoo you got on your rear. Martin also said it was you. You can’t deny it, it was you, Eden.’
Shit, she thought. Seeing that denial wasn’t working, she decided to confess. She sighed. ‘Fine, it was me…I only did it because you wanted me to get good grades, mom. I was so stressed that I didn’t do well on the last test, that I asked Professor Davis to tutor me. I suggested we meet at his house and well…I guess one thing led to the next and I couldn’t help myself. You have a very attractive husband, Mrs. Davis.’ Eden smiled at her.
Eden was taking all the blame, and that felt wrong to Martin. ‘No, it was my fault,’ he piped. ‘I was the one who initiated it.’
‘Don’t you try to protect her Martin! She was the one who started it!’ Lucy screamed.
Although Lucy was right — Eden really was the one who propositioned him with sex in exchange for a good grade in his class — Martin had to man up and take blame for his part in the deed. Eden was too young and innocent (although she propositioned him, she was still just a nineteen-year-old girl), and also too good of a fuck that he could not do otherwise. As much as his wife didn’t want to acknowledge it, he had wanted it as much as Eden did.
Just as Martin was about to say something, Trish chimed in. ‘Eden, I don’t know what to do with you…I could send you to get more counseling or…’
Chuck leaned over to his wife, ‘You have to punish her Trish. Eden needs to learn boundaries.’
‘You’re right Chuck. She needs to learn the consequences of her actions.’ Trish locked eyes with her daughter. ‘I’m taking away your car. I will drive you to campus and pick you up. From now on, you’re coming straight home after your classes. Do you understand?’
‘But mom,’ Eden said exasperated. Since her parents were not only paying for her car, they had every right to take it away. It was the one thing she had feared most, her car was the only means by which she could escape the drudgery of suburbia. ‘You can’t do that. How am I going to hang out with my friends? I need my car to get around. Please don’t do this,’ she begged desperately.
‘You have done enough ‘getting around’ already young lady. Go to your room and leave your keys on the counter.’
She peered into her mother’s eyes seeing only anger and disappointment in them. There was no persuading her. Sensing defeat, Eden balled her fists and stomped out of the room. She slammed the keys down on the counter on her way up to her bedroom.
Her parents apologized profusely to the Davises and shortly after, they left.
While in her room, Eden thought about how she could get out of this predicament. It was all Chuck’s fault. If he hadn’t been in the picture, the most her mom would do is send her to counseling, which is always what used to happen when she got into serious trouble. Lay on a couch and talk about how all your problems stemmed from the fact that you didn’t grow up with a strong father figure in your life? That sounded good to her. But not this time. This time, she had really been punished.
Chuck was to blame. It was clear he needed to get out of the picture. But how could she make that happen? An image popped into her mind of Chuck having an erection from listening to Lucy describe the sex scene. It gave her an idea. If she could prove to her mom that Chuck was a pervert who had the hots for her daughter, her mother would have no choice but to kick him out. All she would need to do would be to seduce him, and have her mother conveniently show up when they were fucking. Then she could pin the blame on him by pretending she was forced into doing it, and of course, her mother would side with her. It was the perfect plan.
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The research station was nearing completion, as The Personalia mechanoids hurried to attend to all the tasks that were required to turn the jigsaw of parts into a working building. It never occurred to The Personalia that they were conducting tasks which a human would normally attend to; they did not know, so went about their work as only they knew how. Knowing the timetable for the station to be ready for occupation, they phoned Hubert Swanson, saying "Hubert Swanson, the station is ready...
"It's the opportunity we've been waiting for!" Shaw fairly oozed excitement. "Now we can begin to truly interact, to see them in their homes, to really learn about them!" Igwanda noted dourly how the first officer, with no role in the mission other than as pilot, so eagerly used the first person plural to include himself in the ranks of the scientists. But he kept his observation to himself. And it was true that the scientific contingent, down to even the usually stolid Heisinger,...
I am NOT the author.am simply sharing Lauren takes a solo vacation and meets the sexy VP she hates from workI was beat, beat, beat. This last project had taken the wind out of my sails. Too many 11pm calls with China. Too many lunches eaten over my computer keyboard. In fact I'd spilled coffee so many times I was on my third keyboard. I told my pal in California that I was taking a vacation.“ I don't care if Mark can't make it- I'm just going to take off,” I said.“ Great,” said my pal Rob. “Go...
If anything, the pace of that progress was even faster over the next few weeks. The scientists were gathering an immense body of knowledge about both the planet and the aliens themselves. After hearing Meiersdottir's description of the mating process Heisinger and Komosaki were avid for a first-hand view; the Edenites showed no hesitation about allowing them entry to the nest to witness not only that but an actual hatching. "It's unlike anything on Earth," Heisinger reported afterwards....
Time was closing in on their departure from Eden. They'd been at the planet for nearly fourteen Earth months, on the surface for the great majority of that time, and Captain Ziang had set a deadline of only two more weeks before the journey home would have to begin. All the scientists were hurrying to cram as much additional research as possible into the remaining time. Many were already drafting the breakthrough papers they would publish after their return, papers that would forever...
Abel Langston was first and foremost a politician. He loved the trappings of power, the sense of control and most of all the limelight that his electoral successes had brought him in steadily growing measure. And he was determined that his new post on the five-member SES Board of Administrators would be neither his last nor his highest in his chosen field. Thus, almost as soon as he took his seat he followed the time-honored approach of all ambitious politicians and began casting about for...
The Gardener reached worm speed and negotiated the worm transit uneventfully. At the astronomers' request Captain Ziang left the external scanners on for a short while at the beginning of the transit, but the view was only of a featureless void and after a couple of the more agoraphobic members of the crew asked, she turned them off. On-board excitement built quickly as the ship exited its wormhole and began decelerating toward Eden. The astronomers and physicists busied themselves quickly...
The summons she'd expected, from SES Executive Director Eugene Mallet, reached her in her hotel the next morning. Would she please present herself in his office as soon as possible, preferably immediately? She was of course under no obligation to comply. It had been several decades since she was in any way beholden to SES, and they had no authority whatever to command her. But it suited her purposes perfectly to obey the peremptory directive; indeed, had it not arrived promptly she would...
Meiersdottir was true to her word; the following morning the chamber was again full. There'd been a good deal of grumbling about "unnecessary" meetings, but her prestige was such that she'd persuaded even the most recalcitrant among her scientific peers to attend. And, she noted with approval, his military ... task force, she remembered, were also present. After calling the meeting to order Shaw, as pre-arranged, immediately recognized her. "Thank you all for coming today," she began....
Cromartie's story had impressed them all so much that they were perhaps lulled into complacency. The days and weeks passed by in endless sameness and still they hadn't reached the critical worm transit that would take them to the Eden system where they could begin decelerating to make orbit and finally, via shuttle, planetfall. And time was, Meiersdottir knew, uncomfortably short. The original plans had called for arriving at Eden a full six months before the emissions of Chen's nova...
But for the next several days she had no opportunity for another visit. Heisinger and Igwanda had worked out a rough revised schedule for the rescue operation once they'd reached Eden, but they needed her input on many details as the only crew member who'd ever been on the planet. For almost every waking minute the three of them were in constant discussion, calling often on Watesi, Yuan and Paulssen for consultations. Amuri was pressed to refine estimates of the arrival of the Chen's nova...
By the time the planning revisions were complete the Ark had, at last, entered worm space for its faster-than-light transit to the Eden system. As MacPherson had noted in his greatly abbreviated pre-launch briefing, the transit was in objective terms instantaneous; from the moment they entered the wormhole to the moment they emerged no time whatever would elapse in the physical universe; the two events would occur simultaneously. Subjectively, though, it would seem aboard the Ark to last...
"I won't be here tomorrow," she warned MacPherson. "And today must be a short one. I need my rest; I'm going down to Eden tomorrow." "Ye gae yersel'?" he said in surprise. "Why?" "Long story," she told him. "But I need to be there, on the first landing. Does it frighten you, knowing we're here now?" He gave her a long, speculative look. "Nae, Missus," he said at last. "Wha' I did, I did forr rreasons I ha'e tol' ye, an' I do no' know still if they werre guid...
"I know you said this could happen, Amanda, but I still can't believe they'd actually refuse us!" said Heisinger. The humans were gathered in the pavilion watching as the Edenites industriously helped assemble the first load to be ferried back to the Ark. This would be, as they'd long planned, mostly soil along with a few basic horticultural specimens. The massive bays of the mothership would have to be conditioned into a reasonable approximation of Eden's surface before they'd be...
The work went on virtually non-stop, with periodic slow-downs when one or another of the humans was too exhausted to go on. Heisinger and Igwanda rested in relays, one of them always awake to guide the operation and ensure that it hewed to the plan; the others snatched such sleep as they were able when they were able. They were in constant communication with Cromartie aboard the Ark to ensure that the on-board arrangements likewise followed the plan, and twice Igwanda made quick visits to...
"Married?" said Meiersdottir in surprise. She was on the communicator with Igwanda, who with Heisinger had alone remained on the surface. The others, together with both landers, had repaired to the Ark as soon as what had been intended as the final loading was finished for a much-needed night's sleep. It was now early afternoon planetside in what was their first day of inactivity since they'd arrived at Eden. "Al and I originally planned it when we started," Igwanda told her. "We...
"You say that name of this ship, Ark, has much meaning to you," Gagugakhing remarked to Heisinger. "Would you tell us this meaning?" The younger woman had quickly adopted the practice of alternating with Meiersdottir in interacting with the Edenites on their voyage. Actually the brunt of the effort fell on Heisinger; the old woman was increasingly feeling the ravages of her advanced age and the efforts she'd put forth in their visit to Eden itself, and as little as an hour was enough...
At long last, after five grueling weeks of crushing on-board gravitational excess and unremitting tension, the crucial day had arrived. There remained but hours before the nova's killing burst of radiation would reach the Eden system, and before the Ark would at last attain the minimum speed that would allow it to pass into worm space and escape. And Meiersdottir was still in a coma. Even the optimistic O'Bannion now referred to her condition as "critical," and was increasingly guarded...
What developed, as Igwanda had predicted, was a second day of virtually no predatory activity. Two flying creatures stooped on small ground animals, one successfully and one not, but other than that and a brief territorial display between two of the hexapods the day was a bucolic repetition of the previous one. The scientists spent most of it again collecting specimens. Observing closely, both Komosaki and Heisinger were able to collect ground plants onto which some of the grazers and...
"I see. Go ahead, then." "Piotr tells me that his pal's Dad – the name of the man is Hubert Swanson, by the way – it seems that he currently is a labourer on the rail track. He is a frustrated man, and takes out his aggression on everyone who has a better-paid job. He tells them that he is just as good as them, but they get better jobs because of their paper qualifications, not because they are better at their jobs. That doesn't endear him to his colleagues at work." John nodded....
I was beat, beat, beat. This last project had taken the wind out of my sails. Too many 11pm calls with China. Too many lunches eaten over my computer keyboard. In fact I’d spilled coffee so many times I was on my third keyboard. I told my pal in California that I was taking a vacation. “ I don’t care if Mark can’t make it- I’m just going to take off,” I said. “ Great,” said my pal Rob. “Go for it. Where to?” “ I’ve got a great spa picked out. Actually, it’s down your way. Santa Barbara. Eden...
"Colonel, are they gone?" asked Chavez over the communicator. "Yes, Sergeant, you may speak now. Have you—" "Are you insane, Colonel?" the sergeant burst out. "The lander is ready to go right now, we can have you safe on board in—" "Sergeant, shut up," said Igwanda sharply. He still wasn't quite certain of Meiersdottir's intentions, but he'd had more than enough of Chavez' interference. "But to spend the night camping out in the middle of thousands of—" "Sergeant, do I...
"And it's still daylight, sort of," she smiled. He laughed easily. "I gather that you feel pleased about the proposed course of action." "Very pleased," she said. "But you know, I don't like the idea of dealing with this over the communicator. I really think I need to get back to the Gardener and get it talked out with everybody in the same place." He nodded slowly. "That should not be difficult to arrange," he said. "We can have a lander sent down to retrieve us at our...
For true students of learning—and the scientists aboard the Gardener were nothing if not that, for there had been no other reason to volunteer for the voyage—the ensuing few weeks were almost an idyll. To be sure, little in the field of human endeavor is ever universally idyllic. Some balked initially at Igwanda's requirement that they camp out at night sheltered only by the pavilion, as he and Meiersdottir had done, but he remained adamant about not presenting technological artifacts that...
Meiersdottir was adamant about having her baby on Eden itself rather than the Gardener. "It's not really about what I promised Gagugakhing, although I do think of that," she told Igwanda privately. "It's just that we have a perfectly good planet right here and I want our son"—routine prenatal care had revealed the sex—"to have a birthplace he can point to, at least on a star map, rather than just having to say he was born 'somewhere in space.'" Predictably, both ship's doctors...
No wars had been waged on Earth in four generations. The nationalistic fervor of the 20th century, the religious and racial zealotry of the 21st, the urban insurrections of the 22nd had long since been overcome by either sheer force or calming moderation. Advances in weaponry had rendered total warfare an idea of the past; with biological, chemical and nuclear "weapons of mass destruction" within the reach of all, few could fail to recognize that an all-out attack on any rival, no matter...
"Well, madam?" Due courtesies had been extended; he'd answered her knock quickly, had politely taken her coat and hung it up, had ushered her to a chair that was ostentatiously positioned on the opposite side of the hotel room's sole table from the only other, which he took. She accepted the pleasantries with evident appreciation, but no other words had been spoken by either. For a time they simply studied each other. He found her unusually attractive, only a few centimeters shorter...
There seemed to be no doorbell, and it was difficult for the old man to find a place to knock on the bamboo door. He tried a hard rap on the frame, but the result was a mere muted thud that he knew wouldn't carry within. It was all of a piece, he supposed. People who were looking for visitors didn't seclude themselves on remote islands in the middle of a vast ocean. It had been tough enough to even find the place; then he'd had to take three different aircraft of steadily diminishing size...
Not just fear and hatred then, she thought as she went back over the discussion in her mind. Fear, hatred and ignorance. And I suppose the greatest of these, and the most dangerous, is the ignorance. The most difficult to overcome, too, I expect. Because so dreadfully many people simply don't want to know, they resist knowing, they cling as tightly to their ignorance as they would to a rock at the edge of a cliff, a liferaft in the ocean. Was it so for the ones who visited Angus? she...
"Ge' th'lan'err in wherre ye can, bu' do i' fas', Arrlen," came MacPherson's voice over the lander's communicator. "Then leave yer lock close' until I say. We'rre gaein' firrs' as soon as ye'rre on, closin' up la'err." It was now evident why the lander departures from Eden had been sequenced as they had. Nassir, as much the more experienced pilot, would have to slip his vehicle into the uncomfortably narrow slot left by Yuan, who'd taken up more than her share of the...
It was only about three days later that MacPherson came into the bridge after a short night's sleep to find Igwanda, Heisinger, Meiersdottir and Cromartie all waiting for him. "G'mornin'," he said, slightly surprised. They simply glared in his direction, none of them responding. He rolled his eyes. "All rrigh', ye've summa' in yer crraw," he acknowledged. "Who woul' carre t'tell me wha'?" "Where are you taking us, MacPherson?" challenged Igwanda in a rough voice. "Weel,...