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Marla was called to the wardroom. She wasn't sure why but when she entered the room and spotted several officers going over paperwork she knew it couldn't be good. The Captain indicated a chair. "Sit, please. We've been going over the charts. We have a list of given places to stop for studying plus some your group had suggested. In order to meet the 2-year deadline we have to end this visit early. I'm sorry, but either we skip a few places or cut this visit short. I think it is more important to get the core samples from each area, wouldn't you agree?" The older woman sighed. "You know they stressed us getting those core samples Captain Harrison. Couldn't we just use the engines more and speed up the trip?" The officers inside the room chuckled. The scientist felt herself turning red. She didn't know why they were amused but suddenly felt ignorant. "Ms. Fletcher, the engines were made for traveling when the winds were against us or to escape from treacherous waters. Unfortunately, they weren't made for speed. Using them would slow us down. Besides, we have a limited supply of fuel and I'd rather keep it for emergencies." "I understand now. How much longer do we have to finish our projects here?" "We intend to set sail in thirty-eight hours. I'll send the boats over and we can begin bringing back some of the equipment now to save time. You can go with them and pass the word." "Yes, Captain." Marla stood up and went to her cabin to fetch her rain gear. She knew the others would be disappointed but at least everyone had a little down time during the last ten days. The others grumbled and whined as she predicted but began packing up what they could. They helped loading the boats then made their plans for the next day, going over what needed to be completed. Jeren joined the Captain in her stateroom, as was their custom for a game of chess. On occasion one of the senior officers brought requested reports although they didn't remain for long. Jeren and Janice enjoyed the other's companionship, only indulging in the physical side once in a while. The fear of being interrupted made them cautious. They usually spent their time chatting while playing chess and then later kissing and cuddling. It was during those times the conversations became more intimate rather than casual. "My father watched me graduate from OCS just before he died. I had just gotten my assignment when my mother wrote to me, telling me of his death. I had joined up to make him proud of me but suddenly lost the reason for staying." "But you didn't resign, you stayed in," Jeren commented. Janice shrugged. "By then I had so much effort invested in my Coast Guard career that I hated to give it up. I had focused on learning to become a naval officer and had ignored any other field. I'm a good Captain but I'm woefully ignorant about anything else. I spent my life trying to please my father." "So you replaced him with the Coast Guard. Instead of a stern and uncompromising parent you submitted yourself to a rigid military life with rules and regulations." Janice looked surprised but not angry. "I suppose I did. I never thought about it that way but that's exactly what I had done. I was accustomed to being given boundaries and suddenly being able to make my own choices was unsettling." The geologist chuckled softly, brushing aside a strand of hair from her lover's brow. "It's not a bad thing. You could have become one of those kids whom turns into a rebel and flouts authority instead. For some strange reason some kids growing up with strong authority figures can go one way or another," she said with a wink. Janice giggled huskily. "Like the good Catholic girls turning wild? Hmm, I'm trying to picture me in spikes and leather." "Leather? I could enjoy seeing that. You certainly have the carriage and the attitude to wear it. I'd love to see you in old tight jeans, a white T-shirt, and a biker jacket." Jeren shivered as arousal from the fantasy and crawled over her lover. She began nipping and kissing along Janice's neck until the older woman growled and took control, flipping her onto her back. Jeren moaned as Janice took possession of her lips, not quite hard enough to bruise but strong enough to show she wanted to be in charge tonight. The geologist was more than happy to allow it. She moaned as a hand slipped beneath her cotton shirt and began kneading her full breast and teasing the stiff nipple with brief touches. She arched up, urging Janice for more. The touch changed as strong fingers took hold of her hard nipple and squeezed it firmly causing her to gasp in pleasure-pain. Janice broke the kiss. "You liked that, love?" Jeren nodded and arched as the fingers tugged on the peak. Her lover scooted down and nearly popped the buttons off in her hurry to spread the material. The shirt had no sooner parted that the older woman latched onto the tender breast and began devouring the soft flesh, taking turns suckling and nipping it with her teeth. "Oh God, Janice!" she arched and told her lover that she wanted her breasts to be tender the next day. Janice obliged, treating each breast a bit roughly for long minutes. Jeren could feel and hear her lover's excitement, which fueled her own. Then Janice gave one of nipples a squeeze before sliding a hand down her torso until it reached her cotton shorts. Janice yanked on them as Jeren lifted her hips from the mattress. Warm fingers began searching her intimately before plunging inside with a sudden movement. Jeren gasped as her fingers tightened on Janice's shoulder and upper arm. Her pelvis lifted in response and she wasn't aware of anything but the way her lover brought her to a shattering climax faster than she had wanted. She whimpered in frustration even as her body shook with the force of her orgasm. "More!" Janice nuzzled her shoulder. "Soft or rough?" she asked gently. Jeren ran her fingertips along Janice's strong jaw. "Soft." Jonathan sat next to Jeren at the table. He greeted her warmly as he salted his fish patty. "I haven't seen much of you lately. You seem to be spending a lot of time with the Captain." "Yup, we play chess most nights." "I would think the two of you would have little in common." Jeren laughed. "What do you think we do during our games, glare at each other silently? We chat quite a bit. She's a nice woman." "I suppose. She keeps to herself except with you and maybe Commander Hume." Jonathan leaned close and lowered his voice. "Do you think they're doing it?" The geologist coughed as her food stuck halfway down. The colorful scientist patted her back. "You okay?" Jeren wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yeah, but you need to work on your timing. You could kill someone asking mid-swallow." "Sorry. Well, do you?" "Do I what?" she asked, trying to avoid the question. "Do you think they are?" Jeren took a forkful of corn to avoid his eyes. "I doubt it. I bet it's against regulations or something so I wouldn't ask that again if I were you." "Hell, never thought of that. I bet she'd make me scrub the latrines if she heard about me asking, huh?" "Yup, better safe than sorry. Gossip is best not started or repeated on a ship. Nobody can pack up and leave if things get too out of hand." She took her last bite and stood up. "I'll see you later. I have K.P. duty this afternoon." "Oh joy. Have fun." Jeren entered the galley and put on a canvas apron. One of the cooks spotted her and waved her over. "Hey, Nunez, could you do me a favor? The Captain is in her cabin with a headache. Can you take her chow to her for me?" "Sure, no problem. I'll be back in a few minutes." She took the covered tray from his hands and headed for Janice's quarters. She hoped her lover didn't have a migraine. She reached the door and tapped it lightly. "Come in." Jeren spotted Janice sitting at her desk as she walked in. "Hey, I brought you lunch. How are you feeling?" "I'm fine except for a bit of a headache. I took some aspirin already." "Good. Where would you like this?" Jeren asked, holding the tray higher. Janice pointed to the table and stood up, placing her hand on the cabin door and shutting it quietly. "C'mere you." The older woman pulled Jeren closer as her mouth found her lips. They spent quite a bit of time at the pleasant activity before moving apart. "Just what the doctor ordered. Can you stay for a little while or are they cracking the whip?" she asked as she sat back down. "Wanna see my marks?" Jeren teased. Janice slid her palm over her bottom, searching for non-existent welts. "Not there, you imp. I gotta go but hold that thought for later." Jeren dropped a kiss on Janice's brow and hurried from the cabin before her sex drive could convince her otherwise. _______ Their next stop was in the Caribbean area, taking core samples from the islands they passed. The scientific team took hasty readings, plant clippings, took hundreds of photographs, and samples of water, air, soil, and coral. This method would be used along the entire coast of South America as well. Where the team most wanted to study was the Antarctica region but they had left the wrong time of the year. It would be winter when they reached the area. Since that was out of the question they planned on catching the South Atlantic Current between South America and Africa, studying that coastline until spring in the Southern Hemisphere then head south. Once there they would investigate areas known in the Old World to have extensive fossil beds and see what they could find. They reached Venezuela a few weeks later. The scientists wanted to take core samples where major rivers emptied into the ocean. Their first stop was the Orinoco River Delta. The delta, fairly undisturbed in the Old World, would work as a model in differences between the two locations. Because of the size of the delta they had agreed on spending five days for the study. Most of the crew had been disappointed that shore leave wouldn't be held at that time, but Captain Harrison promised to stop at nearby Quinam Beach in Trinidad for a day. She understood her crew just needed to take a breather away from the ship once in a while. As the ship approached The Serpent's Mouth, the waters between Venezuela and Trinidad, the waters became choppier. The ship's doctor was issuing motion sickness pills by the droves. Commander Hume placed his hand on the latch and lifted his other hand to rap on the Captain's door. Before he could knock the ship lurched suddenly to one side and Mason gripped the handle instinctively. The door opened and it was all the man could do to not fall into the room. The officer looked up, hoping his CO didn't see his lack of grace. Instead he spotted the Captain and her friend, Jeren, in a playful embrace on the bed. With clothing mussed and entwined limbs, he knew their position was one of their choosing. Luckily neither women looked towards the door, not hearing it open. He quickly pulled the door closed and shut it as quietly as he could. Fear of discovery had him rushing from the corridor and around the corner. Mason went to his own quarters and sat down, grateful he had the cabin to himself. He wanted to think about the ramifications of what he saw. By regulations the Captain could lose her commission and be discharged from the Coast Guard. Even though the military branches were becoming a bit more tolerant, it was a long ways from removing the article forbidding same sex intercourse and sodomy. Of course, she would still be captain until the voyage ended. The trip had just began and the long-time crew hadn't served with her that long. Mason wasn't sure if her being a lesbian would affect their behavior or respect for her. Of course, he could just keep his mouth shut and hope the women never got caught. After all, he didn't care what they did in the privacy of the Captain's cabin. He rather liked both women and was warming up to the Captain's dry wit and quirky habits. A grin formed on the Commander's face. They could use a friend to head off rumors. He had already heard a few whispers about he and the Captain. A veiled hint and a bit of acting could keep the waters muddied as long as he spoke with Captain Harrison first. After all, he felt he needed to confess that he knew about them. Once the couple realized one person had discovered their relationship it was possible others would too and be more careful. The door, for example, should have been locked. Satisfied with his decision, he returned to navigation room to continue his calculations. Chapter 6 "I know about you and Ms. Nunez," Mason whispered softly to his captain. Janice spun on her heel and faced her first officer, seeing embarrassment on his face. Janice clenched her teeth. "And?" "And nothing. I just wanted you to know. I could care less about your love life. But I do have one piece of advice for the two of you. Keep your cabin door locked." Janice grunted. "I take it that was how you found out?" The man nodded and leaned against the railing. Captain Harrison joined him, resting her forearms on the rails. "I love the Coast Guard, Mason. It's my family and salvation yet I knew I could lose it all if anyone found out my little secret. I've avoided relationships for a long time but I couldn't resist Jeren. It was those big blue eyes that got to me," Janice chuckled. Mason smiled back. "I can't say I blame you. She's a nice woman." Commander Hume rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment. "You know, there's a few rumors about the two of us seeing one another. Perhaps we can feed those rumors once in a while. Sometimes the best defense is misdirection." "I don't want you getting into trouble by covering up for me, Commander. Besides, I'll probably be retiring after we return." "No biggie. What's important is that the here and now. I think most of the Cadets and younger crew would be amused if they found out but you might get flack from some of the older men. I doubt I'd get into trouble Stateside. After all, the woman who rules Mother Earth is lesbian and no one is going to risk pissing her off. The worst they may do to me is a verbal reprimand and a delay in my next promotion. I'd rather have harmony on this ship than trouble. Some mild flirting between us will keep the gossip hounds on the wrong trail." "I think you like the idea of pulling the wool over everyone's eyes," Janice accused him, grinning crookedly. "Well, I am an amateur magician. You gotta keep the audience's attention in one place while your other hand does the trick. A lingering glance, standing a bit close to one another, a wink once in a while. They'll be so busy taking bets that they'll never see you and Jeren together." "It just might work. But can you at least look at me like you find me attractive? Watch me walking away or something." "No problem," he said, wishing this could have been for real. They took core samples from the Amazon River delta then sent out anyone who knew anything about edible plants in South America. The fresh produce was just about gone and the captain didn't want to rely on just canned goods. Teams of scientists and guards foraged for several days, bringing back heart of palm, tubers, fruits, ferns, wild fruits, and bamboo shoots. "I was hoping for sugarcane too," one of the Cadets mentioned. Pete dashed his hopes. "Not native here. Humans transported a lot of plants that many think of as native to an area. Like the breadfruit. It was native to Asia but the Polynesian people took them along with them when they wanted to settle new places. Without humans on Mother Earth we only see plants that truly belong here. Categorizing plants gives us a good idea on human expansion on the Old World." Seaman Bailey cleared his throat. "Doc, I thought I mentioned not trying to turn me into a scientist." "Oh, you did but we're evil that way. We have to convert people any way we can and since we now have a captive audience..." Pete grinned and performed a wicked laugh, miming holding up a cloak like a vampire. "Quick, someone fetch the holy water and stakes." Pete dropped his arm and put on a serious expression. "I'll take mine medium rare, thanks." Several people groaned at the lame pun. Marla stepped up behind Oceanographer slapped a note pad against his chest. "Show them the glamorous side of being a scientist and take inventory, Count." _______ Rachel walked into the cabin she shared with her girlfriend, glad to finally be off duty for the day. "Hey, there's my girl." Erica said with pleasure. It was getting harder to find time together with the overlapping shifts. She put aside the journal she was writing in and stood up to give Rachel a warm, lingering kiss. "Mmmm, I think someone missed me." "Always." Erica pushed aside a few escaped wisps of hair away from Rachel's tanned cheeks. The light brown hair was turning lighter from being in the sun all day. She nuzzled the soft cheek of her shorter lover then buried her face into the crook of her neck. Rachel ran her hands over Erica's back and mentioned she was hungry. "Let's get something to eat then do some serious down time in our bunk." "Sounds good to me. I don't have to be on duty for another eight hours." "You're not sleeping enough. And don't tell me you're getting plenty of rest because I see the dark circles under your eyes." Rachel knew her lover spent a lot of time writing in her journal when not on duty or sleeping. She wrote as though she was writing a letter to Jimmy, her younger brother. The young man had been struck by a car a few years earlier, resulting in his losing one leg. Jimmy had been a gifted athlete, belonging to several school teams. It had been hoped that he'd win an athletic scholarship before the accident. Erica had been reluctant to make the journey because of her brother. She didn't want to leave him for so long but he convinced her to go. Just before she left home he handed Erica the thick journal and told her to write down every detail so he could relive it when she came back. She tearfully promised and kissed his cheek before leaving. She had written in the journal religiously, only omitting the few facts that brothers shouldn't know about their sisters. Rachel tugged her girlfriend from the room, silently vowing she'd spend the next few hours giving Erica a sensual massage and cuddle with her until she had to get ready for her shift. _________ In the Wardroom, the Captain delicately dabbed her linen napkin to her lips and addressed her first officer. "Commander, my chess partner has to work the late shift tonight, so guess who has the privilege of getting tromped tonight?" Mason's eyes twinkled. "Always a pleasure, Captain Harrison." He stood up and escorted Janice from the room. A few of the people took note of the exchange for future discussions, noticing that Mason's smile hadn't been a polite expression but one of delight. Maybe there was something to the rumors after all. The next morning the Captain walked next to the first officer, hands clasped behind her back and a devilish smile on her lips. She already knew the answer but enjoyed asking anyway. "What does the grapevine have to say this morning?" Mason cleared his throat nervously although his eyes twinkled. "They are suggesting that I am a very lucky man." "Is that so? Tsk, and here I am an older woman and a captain no less, allegedly having an affair with her first officer. I ought to be ashamed." "I don't consider a matter of four months difference in age enough to label you 'the older woman'," Mason said gallantly. "I just hope your Ms. Nunez isn't the jealous type." "She understands the situation, Commander. She isn't happy with all the cloak and dagger but she accepted early on that I can't be open about our relationship no matter how much I want to." She looked at the ocean but her mind was elsewhere. "To be able to hold her all night long and to able to spend more time with her. To be able to introduce her as the woman I love. But I can't do any of those things. We only get snatches of happiness then have to hide once more, pretending we mean less to one another." Compassion brought Mason's hand to rest on Janice's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Captain. I never realized how hard this could be on you until this moment. You know, I never thought about the interaction between gay couples before. I always focused on the sex part." Mason chuckled softly. "I ought to hang around lesbian couples more. I might learn something about what women want. You know us men, clueless." Janice tried to hide her smile but failed. "Yeah, I know about men and their failings." She patted his forearm. "C'mon, let's go sail into some rocks." ________ The senior officers and about ten of the scientist sat around the wardroom tables with charts and mugs strewn over the large surface. "I don't know why we can't visit both. We have two years to circle around the world," one of the microbiologists brought up. "Because this isn't a powered cruise ship. We can only travel at about 18 knots at best and the Earth is a pretty big place. Your suggestion would add another seven months to the trip." "So? It isn't like we're on a strict timetable. If we're a few months late Cierra White isn't going to refuse to fetch us." The Captain spoke to the young woman. "While that is certainly true, you have to remember something. People will be anxious to go home. A few of my officers are married and want to see their families. Mother Earth will still be here and it's possible Queen Cierra might allow another voyage in the future." Janice saw the scientist squirm and knew her point was understood. "Right now we have two possible routes to take." She demonstrated the routes on the largest map. "We can follow this current here--and make good time by the way, and visit southern Africa then later the Antarctic once summer hits or...." She shifted the map slightly, "take this route, go along the western coast of Africa and visit the Mediterranean region. That stretch would add several months as well. We'd still have to backtrack and go around Africa to head east. There isn't any canals built by humans as short cuts here. We can't even be sure that the Strait of Gibraltar is still there." Marla nodded in agreement. "What route do you think would be best?" Janice traced her finger along the route, giving basic instructions at the same time. "I suggest heading east here, along the Tropic of Capricorn. From there we can follow the coast around Africa until we reach the Indian Ocean. We could sail northeast along the coast until we reach Somalia then head for the southern tip of India. Not including stopovers that route will take about three months. Realistically, it'll probably be closer to four months. By then it'll be spring again in the Southern Hemisphere and we could hit a lot of tropical storms. We'll try to avoid them when possible but without satellite updates and just radar it'll be difficult. Any questions?" "Do you still plan on visiting Australia and Japan?" "Yes. We'll sail around the southern Coast of Australia then make a quick trip to Antarctica. Then back north to Japan. From there the ship would head to the Hawaiian Islands then to California. The Bay Otter Clan will send a messenger to Napa Valley and let Cierra know we're back." "Sounds like a plan to me," Marla commented. No one argued against the suggested route so the Captain ordered that the trip be calculated. Next Page |