The Cassini Mission Read online

  Finished with breakfast, Kenji stood and picked up his tray. “Well, I’m gonna find some antacid to help me keep this crap down.”

  I could only laugh at poor Kenji. “See you later, Kenji.”

  Since I had some time before we were to report to cryosleep, I went up to the observation lounge. I was grateful that the room was empty because I really needed to relax and get my head together. A last look at the stars was exactly what I needed before being put into a six week coma.

  The room was located at the front of the ship, and the entirety of the front-facing walls was lined with windows, giving an exceptional natural view.

  I stared out the window, searching for the tiny ball of light that was Earth’s sun when the door opened behind me.

  “Sorry. Didn’t know anyone was in here.”

  I turned to see Robertson trying to back out of the door.

  “No. It’s okay.”

  He paused for a second and then walked into the room. The door shut behind him and he moved to stand next to me. He clasped his hands behind his back as he stood at ease by my side. Close enough that he was practically invading my personal space. The room was huge. There was no reason for him to stand that close. Unless…

  We stood in silence as we watched the stars.

  It felt like his eyes were on me, but I didn’t want to look.

  I was supposed to be relaxed, but I was anything but. My blood raced. My pulse pounded in my ears. I tried to be casual. I didn’t want him to know how he affected me, but with his genetic enhancements, I’m sure he could see and hear it all. Hell, he could probably read my mind.

  I cleared my throat, but my voice still quivered slightly when I finally got the nerve to look at him and ask, “Do you know anything about the mission?”

  He stared straight ahead. “Only what Cap told us.”

  I nodded and turned back to the window. The Captain was vague about the details. I figured the Marines might know more, but apparently they were in the dark as much as we were. Of course, being soldiers, they were also the type to do as ordered and not ask questions.

  “You don’t have to worry,” he said after a moment of silence. “It’s our job to make sure you’re safe.”

  “I’m not worried,” I lied.

  I gazed back at Robertson and he slowly nodded his head while still staring out the window. “Regardless,” he added quietly. “I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

  Completely floored by his statement, I stared at him in astonishment. He finally looked down at me. His voice was naturally deep and rough, but when he spoke those words, he sounded gentle and maybe even a little concerned. I still couldn’t read his expression as he stared into my eyes.

  “God, you’re tall,” I said with wonder as I looked over his six-foot-six frame. He had wide shoulders and a narrow waist and an ass that you could eat breakfast off of. In his tight uniform, he looked like a superhero straight from the pages of a comic book.

  “Just now noticing that?”

  We made eye contact again and held it. I smiled at him and the corner of his mouth turned up into the tiniest imitation of a smile. For the first time I saw desire reflected back in his eyes.

  He turned and stepped closer to me. I turned my head back to the window, suddenly feeling awkward. I held my breath as he reached out and gently lifted my chin in his hand.

  “Christ, you’re fucking beautiful,” he whispered. “Can’t help myself….”

  Before I could respond, he bent down and pressed his lips against mine. His kiss was startlingly tender and gentle. I closed my eyes, returning the kiss.

  His huge arms surrounded me and I brought my hands up to his massive biceps. When his tongue slid across my lips, I opened eagerly and flicked at his tongue with the tip of mine. With a grunt, he pushed his tongue into my mouth. The kiss quickly escalated. It was deep and hungry and I pressed myself into his body, trying to get as much contact as I could. His hands moved to my ass and he tugged me closer, until I was plastered against his massive body. He squeezed and kneaded my cheeks as I rubbed against his hard muscles, touching and squeezing anywhere I could reach.

  I let out a squeak as he unexpectedly lifted me up and then dropped me on my ass onto the conference table. His hands gripped me tight by the waist as he ground his crotch into me, letting me feel how big and hard his cock was.

  Jesus, he was going to fuck me right here, right now. And I was going to let him.

  With a hand on my chest, he pressed me so that I lay flat on my back, my legs dangling over the edge of the table. He pinned my arms to the flat surface as he moved on top of me and kissed the hell out of me while grinding and gyrating his hips against mine. He rolled his hips, pushing his hard cock against mine. My entire body shuddered. I let out a long moan, which was stifled by his mouth and tongue.

  If he kept this up, I was going to come before we even got started.

  Robertson grunted and spoke against my lips. “Keep making those noises and I’m going to fucking come.” He kissed his way to my neck. His beard scraped against the carotid pulse point on the side of my neck, sending bursts of pleasure down my spine. A tingling sensation travelled straight to down my balls, which tightened up in their sac.

  I drew in a sharp breath before letting out a desperate whimper. I wrapped a leg around him and gripped his back, urging him to keep doing what he was doing. “Don’t stop. I’m close.”

  Our private moment was interrupted by the computer’s ship-wide announcement: “All personnel report to their designated cryo-chamber on Deck 3. Repeat…”

  “I fucking want you,” he growled as he broke the kiss.

  I wanted him, too, but I knew we didn’t really have time. “We should go.”

  With a muttered curse, he pulled back and pushed himself to his feet. He adjusted his cock in his tented pants, then took my hand and placed it over the swell, pressing my palm onto the heated, covered flesh. “This is what you do to me.”

  “Jesus,” I whispered as my fingers rhythmically squeezed the huge slab of meat. Apparently he was not as unaffected as he appeared to be.

  Maybe we had time for a quickie… or even just a blow job….

  Like a splash of ice-cold water, the computer repeated its call. We reluctantly moved apart.

  “We’ll continue this later,” he vowed.

  I reached between my legs and tugged at my throbbing dick, trying to get it into a more comfortable position. “God, I hope so.”

  As we left the observation lounge, Robertson’s all-business demeanor returned. We walked in silence to the turbolift as crew members raced around us. We stepped into the lift alone and Robertson hit the “3” button. I moved a little closer to him and flirtingly ran my index finger along the back of his hand.

  Robertson took my hand in his and laced our fingers together. I looked up at him with surprise. I expected the man to be alpha to the extreme. Judging from the all-too-brief episode in the observation lounge, he was the kind of man who took what he wanted. It was one of the things I found attractive about him. I did not expect him to be so romantic as to hold my hand.

  He snickered and leaned down over me and gave me a quick peck on the lips. “You don’t need to be nervous,” he said. “It’s just like taking a nap.”

  I knew that I was grinning like an idiot. It was just so unexpectedly gentle and caring. My lust for him increased as my feelings deepened.

  As the doors opened, his smile disappeared and he let go of my hand. He walked down the corridor looking like a complete badass. I walked with him, while attempting to look like I was not walking with him. Walking a single step behind him, I had an excellent view of his ass. I wanted to send a special thank you to whoever engineered the genes that created that perfect bubble butt.

  We easily found the cryo-chamber on Deck 3. The large room was filled with beds, more than enough for the ship’s crew and the rescue party. The beds reminded me of coffins with clear lids, which didn’t make me any less nervous. They had co
ntrol panels with lighted computer displays. Cables and tubing connected them to the main cryo-system. Individual glass panels over each bed displayed diagnostics and monitored the status of each person in the bed.

  The room was bustling with activity as crew members in various stages of undress were preparing for sleep.

  A cryo-tech engineer directed me to one of the beds. “You may use the locker to stow your uniform and personal items.” He pointed to the foot locker embedded into the foot of the cryo-bed. “The bed has been specifically calibrated to your bio-scan. It’s perfectly safe.”

  Right.

  His voice was void of emotion, as if he was repeating the words by rote memory for the millionth time. It wasn’t very comforting.

  He pressed a series of controls on the bed’s illuminated panel. When the coffin lid rose with a hum and its interior lights activated, he moved on to the next bed, where he repeated his spiel for Ensign Yates.

  The crew had us strip down to our underwear and stow our uniforms in the provided locker. After I locked my boots and clothes away, I stood up and looked across the room. I gave Robertson one final look as I climbed into the cryo-bed.

  He seemed to be purposefully putting on a show for me as he stripped all the way down to his boxer briefs. Robertson had a magnificent chest and stomach, strong and ripped, covered in curls of dark hair. He raised his arms over his head to stretch and then flexed his chest and arms, making the muscles contract and bulge. He shot me a discreet wink and I laid back and closed my eyes with a little grin on my face.

  I wondered if a hard-on would affect one’s sleep state as the cryo-tech came and attached bio-monitor leads to my chest and temple, then closed my bed’s lid. If he saw my arousal, he didn’t say anything.

  As the bed’s lights dimmed, I immediately started to feel groggy, and then there was nothing.

  Chapter 6

  A hissing sound and a change in air pressure caused me to open my eyes.

  The cryo-bed door rose up and the overhead room lights flickered as they activated. I squinted as my eyes constricted under the sudden brightness.

  My head was spinning, so I lay there with my eyes closed for a few moments longer, trying to adjust until the dizziness passed.

  With a grunt, I sat up in my bed. It took a few seconds before I could focus. The cryosleep had left my head a bit groggy. I looked down at my hands and flipped them over, then looked down at my toes. I wiggled them and let out a deep breath of relief. My extremities were nice and pink. Everything looked like it was where it was supposed to be.

  I swung my legs over the side of the bed and yawned. I pulled the bio-monitor leads off and scratched my chest where the adhesive had irritated my skin. I blinked my eyes and focused around the room. Several people were already wandering about in various states of undress. I needed to get in gear. I didn’t want to be late.

  The bed next to me was already empty, so Ensign Yates must have risen quickly and already dressed.

  Corporal Green was in the bed on the other side. He was sitting with his legs hanging over the bed, scrubbing his hands down his scruffy face. He jumped up out of bed and did a series of stretches, then tilted what little neck he had back and forth until the bones popped. Like all of the other Marines, he was wearing only a pair of skintight gray boxer briefs that left little to the imagination. Green reached into his shorts and scratched his balls. “Get up, Robby,” he shouted as he thumped his fist on one of the beds.

  Robertson sat up with an abrupt jerk. He gave Green a shove with his foot. “Fuck off,” he muttered.

  Green just laughed and walked away to get dressed. He caught up with Bradley and gave him a rough smack on the ass. Bradley jumped as the sound of the slap echoed throughout the room. Green laughed again despite the fact that Bradley was pissed off.

  I did not understand how someone could have that much energy after waking up from a six-week coma.

  Robertson pulled his leads off, pushed out of bed and stood up. Keeping my head down, I discreetly watched him as he ran through a circuit of stretches and flexed his muscles. He was simply magnificent, a perfect specimen of manhood. In my head I knew he was genetically altered to put on muscle weight easily, but that did not detract from the beauty of his form.

  His arms were amazing, bulging biceps and well-defined triceps. His muscled chest was covered in dark hair. It thickened in the middle, trailing down to his stomach. The hair flared out over his washboard abs, then disappeared into his amply packed boxer briefs.

  He had a really nasty looking burn scar on his right side under his rib cage, the only visible imperfection on his body. He had been hit by a phase pistol or a particle weapon of some kind. As he stood up, the snug gray underwear did nothing to hide his semi-aroused state. A hand scratched at his chest, then tugged at his balls. Before pulling his hand away, he gave his cock a couple of tugs and rearranged it into a more comfortable position inside his underwear.

  Damn, I wanted some of that.

  I was practically drooling all over my chin just from watching him. My dick was rock hard and drooling as well. I swallowed nervously and lifted my eyes to find him staring at me. He showed off with a final series of stretches, then shot me a little wink before turning to get dressed.

  I pushed off the bed and quickly opened the footlocker to pull on my uniform, hoping that no one saw my state of arousal.

  We didn’t have much time after waking up before the entire team had to be in the mess hall for the full mission briefing. I was eager to finally get some details regarding our mission.

  Captain Yoruba had already dressed and was walking around with his usual confident swagger, making sure everyone was getting situated. He was joined by Ensign Yates and another officer. I recognized him as the dickhead doctor from my visit to sickbay.

  Once everyone was dressed and ready, we followed the Captain to the mess hall.

  “You okay?” I asked Kenji as we sat down together at one of the tables. He looked dead tired, his eyes barely open.

  He nodded slowly. “Yeah. It wasn’t so bad. You’d think after all that sleep, I wouldn’t feel so tired. I’m pretty hungry actually.”

  “I think that’s normal.”

  Captain Yoruba cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention, then introduced Dr. Nikhil, his chief medical officer. “Dr. Nikhil will be accompanying you on your mission.”

  Oh, great. My number one fan.

  Dr. Nikhil stepped forward. “My team is passing out a special milk formula. Drink it immediately. It will help your body adjust and minimize any symptoms of sleep sickness.”

  The medical staff gave each of us a liter bottle of milk. The bottle, labeled Cryo-Milk™ Supplement #429, was a clear plastic and allowed us to see the milk inside. It had a slightly gray tint, making it very unappealing. I opened the bottle and sniffed it. It didn’t really have a smell, but the bottle felt room temperature. Typically, I only drank milk when it was ice cold. Like everything else about this mission, this was going to be very unpleasant experience. Holding my breath, I downed as much of the stuff as quickly as I could.

  “Oh god,” Kenji groaned, wiping the milky mustache from his upper lip. “This is disgusting. It’s so… thick.” Kenji coughed and sputtered.

  Not wanting to think about it, I tipped my head back and chugged it down, trying to get it over with as quickly as possible.

  Once Dr. Nikhil was satisfied everyone was drinking their supplements, Captain Yoruba began the briefing. “We will reach Research Colony RC-8460 in two days. Building structures and topographical layouts are being loaded to your comPads, along with some high-level data on the research staff. Before we left home, it had been three weeks since hearing from the colony. Since entering comm range, they still have not responded to any of our hails. HQ suspects foul play. We will go in hot. The priority is to retrieve any relevant data or specimens. That is where the three of you come in.”

  Yoruba glanced at me and Kenji, then glanced around the room for Bradle
y, who was sitting near the Marines with Green.

  “Once we have the research data, the station is to be nuked if it has been compromised. This research is top priority. However, this is a military operation and Sergeant Willis will be in command. All research considerations will fall to Commander Brimley. All aspects of this mission are to remain classified, even on completion.”

  I looked over at Bradley, and he nodded to the Captain.

  When the Captain indicated to the doctor that he was finished, Dr. Nikhil stepped forward. “Planet XP-8460 is located at the edge of the system’s habitable zone. The weather will be colder and the sky darker than you may be accustomed to. Oxygen concentration is lower than typical habitats, so you may notice an increase in your breathing rate. If you feel dizzy or like you are about to hyperventilate, try to breathe deeply and slowly. Use your breather if necessary. The colony’s region is going through a dry season, so expect high winds and dust. Appropriate eye-gear and breathing units will be assigned to each member of the rescue team.”

  The Captain stopped the doctor before he could continue. “Right. Thank you, Doctor. The information is now available in your mission briefs on your pads. Any questions?”

  “If I may sir?” Kenji interjected. “What kind of research are we talking about? And why is a Union research colony operating outside of the Union borders?”

  “I don’t know the answers to those questions, nor is it my place to ask. I suggest you start worrying about the job that needs to be done. Right then. Everybody get some lunch, then continue with your drills. I expect this mission to go by the book. Dismissed.”

  During lunch, Kenji and I sat together quietly discussing the mission.

  “What I don’t get is why they sent a decades old space cruiser like the Cassini,” I said. “If this mission is so important, why wouldn’t they send a ship like the Avenger or the Orion?”

  Kenji shook his head. “I don’t know, but I don’t like it. I don’t like it one bit. They could have sent the Avenger and we could have been here so much faster—and without the cryosleep. But it’s not like they told me what’s going on, or if I even had a choice in coming.”