Peter Prellwitz - Shards Book One

"Please finish your thought. Exactly as you were going to.? I closed my eyes to listen.

"Ummm… well, all right. I was going to say, I'll bet you grow out of these clothes in no time. You look like a girl who's going to turn men's heads before long.? She stopped and waited.

I played the words through my head, tasting them and letting them play their way through me, tickling my ego and psyche. They settled in and made me blush with pride. With pride! I felt the weight of the world fall off my shoulders. I opened my eyes and smiled.

"Thank you, Kerry. I mean it.? She appeared surprised and pleased with my sincerity.? Thank you for finishing the compliment. It really sounds and feels like one."

She peered closely at me for a moment, measuring me. I think she liked what she saw, for she smiled and said,? You should be labeled 'dangerous', young lady. You're going to be a heart breaker!? She laughed and left. I heard the door lock again at her passing. I started undressing.

Susie was sizing me up also.? You're also going to be a handful."

I laughed.? Bet on it! And all thanks to you, Susie. Suddenly, I feel so alive!? I pulled off my top and slung it away, laughing and twirling, the loose bra straps slipping off my shoulders. But I didn't care. Susie looked at me sharply.

"Are you okay?? She sounded concerned.

"I dunno. Probably not.? I unhooked the bra and dropped it, feeling lightheaded and excited and daring.

? I'll probably be bawling my eyes out in another ten minutes. But let's enjoy it while we can, okay?

Please?"

She hesitated, then shrugged and began undressing.? All right. But if it gets too wild, we stop, okay?"

"Oh, don't be a poop! The roller coaster's starting and it's my ticket,? I said with giddy delight. I pulled off my pants and threw them at her.? Here! These are yours!"

She laughed and relaxed. Before long, we were in the showers, using them this time instead of fighting in them. I felt the warm water pulsing over my body, enjoying the moment. My giddiness was fading, but I felt a comfortable, content feeling replacing it.

We finished rinsing and toweled off. I'd been tempted to sneak a look at Susie as we showered, but refrained. Not because I was uncomfortable, but because she was. I did look at her though as she toweled off, her back to me. Her legs were indeed lithe and lean, a match for the rest of her petite figure.

And her silky, ebony skin was just as smooth and perfect on her body as it was on her face. Though she was in her twenties, she had about her an ageless quality that would keep her youthful even when she had great-grandchildren.

"Shoe's on the other foot, huh, Susie?? I looked at my bare feet.? Poor analogy, we don't have any shoes on.? She turned her head.

"How do you mean?"

"You warned me that I was more female than I realized; that I'd compare my physique to yours eventually. But when I try to, you're the one with her back turned and a towel around her middle,? I giggled.

She blushed and grinned sheepishly.? You're right! I am nervous. This is crazy! I've done this a dozen times, with a dozen Cues."

"But not quite like this."

"Not quite like this,? she agreed. She dropped the towel and walked to me and her clothing.? But not all that different, either. I'm sorry.? She relaxed even further, and for at least a little while, we really were just two friends.

We dressed. More accurately, Susie dressed herself, then me. My last project at NATech had me solving the near impossible feat of creating viable underwater cities, with humans capable of breathing air and water, yet I could not figure out how to put a stupid bra on. I had put myself into a second contorted position when Susie noticed. She was already dressed.

"I can't believe you! You glance at solar simulation panels that you've never seen before in your life and nail their theory, workings, and energy source, all in one breath. But then you get caught up in your own bra!? Nothing like hearing an echo of my myopic brilliance.? Here. No, no. It closes in the front. After you put it on! Just put it on like a jacket.? She fiddled with the adjustments and when she at last let go, I was amazed at the difference. It was like a second skin.

"Wow! It's like I'm not wearing one! Now this I can get used to!"

We finished up. I still had on pants and a shirt-blouse, I mean-but they fit very comfortably. I looked at myself in front of the full-length mirror beside the counter. My figure showed a good bit more in this much less baggy uniform. I liked that. For now. I turned to Susie, who was finishing combing her hair with a brush Kerry had thoughtfully included. I turned from the mirror, taking in one last look of my profile.

"Let's finish that tour. I promise I'll behave."

She stepped over and began running the brush through my thick hair. I didn't really have a hair style. Just pretty much as it lay, with shorter bangs in front.

"No more tantrums?"

"No more tantrums."

"Good. Next time I may just belt you one.? My eyes widened with surprise and just a twinge, the smallest twinge, of fear. Susie saw it reflected in the mirror. She twirled me around.? Hey, I'm just kidding!"

I stared down at the floor.? I-I know. I'm sorry.? I couldn't believe I even thought that she was serious.

But…

"Don't be! I'm the one who's sorry. Poor joke and poor timing. Now let's see that smile.? I lifted my face and smiled. Tentative, but honest.

"I suppose that's the best I deserve. I'll behave myself, too."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Well, I think we've seen enough of the ladies room for awhile. Let's check out the rest.? We left our wet things where they were. I had a hunch they would be clean and dry and sitting on our beds before we even got back to our room.

We exited the bathroom, leaving it unlocked this time. I half expected to see a dozen women in the hall, dancing the Kansas City two-step. We'd had that bathroom to ourselves for more than an hour. But no, the hallway was deserted. I knew why now. From Susie's comments, a lot of Cues came into their own in that room. Certainly not a function I would normally have associated with a shower.

We continued down the hall to our right. It, in turn, curved to our left about thirty meters further. On our immediate left was a large, translucent opening.

"The men's barracks. Completely off limits to all female personnel.? That pretty much precluded exploration in there. We passed the men's showers on the right. I'd already been as close to them as I wanted. Further on the left, just as the hall curved, was another large opening into the men's barracks. By now, the hallway had magically come to life, with people again moving up and down. Some waved at us, a few greeted us, and most just walked by, leaving us our privacy. Everyone smiled.

The hall finished a gentle ninety degree turn and headed, Susie told me, south. There were four doors on the left and five on the right. These were quarters for married couples, the male noncoms, and Lt.

Sanchez, whose room was the last one before the hall went up a ramp and opened into the hanger. Susie walked by them without bothering to knock. Just as well. I didn't really want to deal with too much at one time. We walked up the ramp and into the hanger.

My perceptions of space were right on. It looked the same size as last night, about eighty meters wide and fifty deep from the mouth. I saw now that there was also a large square area extending to our right. It had the same-what did Susie call them?-solar simulation panels, as the mess. Several tables dotted the area. But this was clearly the exercise and recreation facility. There were several people working out on exercise machines, gym bars and wrestling mats. I thought of my wrestling workouts with Chris-to me, the last one was only three days ago-and wondered what he'd say now. I thought of some of the moves he had used on me in the past and blushed. It was probably just as well he was dust. From what Janet had never implied but nonetheless communicated, I'd need to kill him anyway after one or two sessions. I pointed at the equipment.