Angels of Andromeda

Chapter Three: The Rescue

Kelly entered the galley of his ship and took inventory of all fresh food and packaged rations. It was the seventh day of travel and they were about to reach Juno 4 within the hour. Tawny prepared for their arrival the night before by packing two scouting bags and inspected all weapons closely. They took no chances in uncharted territories and set all blasters to maximum damage. Securing a perimeter around the ship was their first priority. They would need to determine whether or not they could set up camp at the landing site, or seek shelter in the mountains. Environmental factors and wildlife played important roles in her decision to remain on board the ship or not. As a special precaution, The Wolf was always stocked with at least six months' worth of meals should they be adrift in space and unable to reach a habitable planet. Today, it was Kelly's turn to cook. From the pantry he selected several packets and distributed the contents into medium sized crockery. Each pot was placed on a panel which heated to a desired temperature. As it cooked instantly the powdered and dehydrated vegetables appeared fresh and appetizing. There were creamy mashed potatoes, green beans and a shank of Kevlarian stag complete with hot buttered rolls. It was a passable dinner; however Kelly looked forward to the fresh food options Juno 4 might offer. The bottom of the ship's pantry housed several spices, bottled wines, juices, coffee, tea, ale and water. All beverages were securely fastened to survive in the thick of battle. After cleaning up gallons of ale after his first Draxis encounter, Kelly learned quickly the value of having proper storage compartments. From his large hoard he selected a jug of ice water taken from the frozen streams of Titan III. The waters of their prison planet were chipped into large cubes where they were later defrosted and supplied the colony with clean water for both drinking and bathing, heated of course by base generators. A hot shower was a prized luxury at the end of a cold day and the closest thing to a tropical vacation you could get. He poured the water into a metal kettle and began to steep Tawny's favorite red blossom tea; a gentle herbal blend that her doctors permitted during her pregnancy. With the considerably large adjustment in her diet, it was no wonder she would become hot headed and emotional. Kelly learned early on that the best way to manage his wife's mood swings was to always have her favorite things on hand at all times and lately that included him as well. He reached for a final packet, this one much smaller than the others. It contained a single seed that when placed in the warm water, sprouted into a beautiful white lily. He placed the flower on a tray he prepared for the tea and made his way back to their shared quarters where Tawny was preparing to shower. She carefully undressed and stepped into the bathing unit, adjusting the dials to her preferred temperature. The showerhead released a generous downpour, immediately quenching the thirst of her dry and supple skin. As the cool refreshing water cascaded down her tired, aching back, she closed her eyes and pictured the waterfalls of Delta 6, where she and Kelly spent most of their courtship. She pined terribly for her favourite holiday destination more than ever before. It was there, the two made love for the very first time on a warm spring evening in May. They bathed together beneath the falls after a long day basking in the glorious light of two small orbiting suns. Tawny rinsed her long black hair with deliciously scented oils, then ran her right hand playfully along the surface of the water, splashing Kelly's face. The droplets hung on his chest like a string of delicate beads until descending down his thigh and lower leg. 

As she continued to bathe, remnants of the cleansing solution caused Tawny's breasts to glisten in the moonlight. She rubbed her left hand down her waist and between her water immersed thighs until her entire body shimmered like a golden goddess. The erotic allure proved impossible for the lustful captain to resist. His lips kissed every inch of her body, until he finally seized her out of the water and brought her to rest atop a bed of multi-coloured Pixieblooms. The densely forested world offered its visitors adequate privacy, with abundant plant life and vegetation. The realm was home to the Deltarians; a peaceful and advanced race of reptilian humanoids that occupied its shores and deepest depths. Delta 6 was one of few planet's in the universe that remained undisturbed and undisputed by the Draxis empire, allowing any who chanced upon its beauty a pure, decadent heaven. On the last night of their holiday Kelly proposed. He found it suitable to purchase a large Deltarian diamond ring which he proudly slid onto her eager and excited finger. This was her most treasured memory she returned to on the coldest of nights on Titan III. As the shower's warmth began to fade from the pipes, Tawny reluctantly shut down her tiny oasis and slipped a red silk gown around her ample frame. Kelly waited patiently in the next room, lying sprawled across the foot of the bed. The lily was now between his teeth, impairing his speech. "You can have your way with me after dinner" he said, catching a look under her gown. Tawny's face lit up with pure delight. "I think I'll have my way with you now, Captain" she replied as she pushed the tray aside, pulling him closer. The pleasant recollection during her shower sparked a passionate outburst. She planned on making the most out of their setback as her duties on Titan Base 10 kept her from indulging in intimacy as often as both she and Kelly would have liked. She kissed him deeply, stealing the lily from his lips. The tender moment of affection was cut short by a large impact followed by the ship's emergency siren sounding off. Kelly leaped from the bed and ran down the corridor. Tawny followed slowly behind, fatigued from the week of inactivity. It took several seconds before she reached the cockpit. "What the hell was that? She asked. Kelly turned to his wife, all the color drained from his face. "Strap in sweets, we're going down!" He was calm and collected, but despite his effort to appear composed, his voice trembled in fear. The Wolf began it's descent into Juno 4's atmosphere; shaking and rattling to the ship's core. Kelly clung tightly to the controls trying desperately to prevent the vessel from rolling into a dive. As velocity increased, his efforts proved useless. He reached for Tawny's hand and held her tightly in his arms. "I've done all I can, it's up to her now to get us through re-entry" Gazing down through the view screen they saw clouds turn into blue sky, followed by green fields, mountain and lakeside. It was indeed paradise. One they hoped to live to enjoy. "This is it!" he said positioning himself in front of Tawny. As the landscape appeared larger, they braced for impact. The Wolf maneuvered clumsily, hitting lush treetops, breaking apart a segment of the left wing. It continued sliding across the foothills for several moments, pushing up earth, until coming to a complete halt. The pair lay gently on the floor with only a few bumps and bruises to their exposed arms and legs. Miraculously, much of The Wolf remained intact, though suffered several dents and scratches upon contact with the planet's surface. One thing was certain, she could no longer fly and that could be a death sentence should they find no resources on their new home world. Kelly helped his wife to her feet and inspected her closely for any serious injury. "Looks like we made it after all" Tawny said with excitement. "Yeah, but dinner is ruined" Kelly replied, wiping mashed potato off his pant suit. "I'm going to check the rest of the ship and see how bad the landing was. Stay here" he said, fastening a blaster to his holster. As Kelly attempted to venture out into the unknown world of Juno 4, he quickly realized the ship's doors had warped from the heat of the violent re-entry to the planet's atmosphere. "Well my dear, it looks as though we're staying in for a while. We'll have to cut our way out, those doors won't budge." He then reached for a large tool box under the cockpit controls. From the box he selected protective goggles and a laser cutter and tried once more to create an opening. "Dammit!" Kelly yelled, tossing the laser cutters across the room. "Maybe we can send out a coded signal to passing ships." Tawny suggested. "Someone out there should get it." Kelly let out a big laugh. "Yeah and you can bet The Draxis will be the first ones to crack it. It's too dangerous. Best thing is to be silent for now and hope someone friendly locked on to our automatic distress beacon. Besides, it's already getting dark. I'll run diagnostics to get a full damage report by morning. We can try the doors again, break a window if we have to. For now we're alive and we're safe. Let's leave it at that for today." Tawny felt nauseous at the thought of being trapped inside the ship for the remainder of her pregnancy. She longed to feel a warm summer breeze or taste the gentle downpour of a cleansing spring rain. Such simple sensations were impossible to experience for the last three years of her life and now that they were so close to a private oasis, her patience was running out. "What about the demo chargers? We can blast our way out." "And leave a gaping hole in the side of the ship? No thanks! We might've found a private oasis, but we still need this rust bucket up and firing if we get unwanted guests. I'll get the scan started now, some results will show up pretty quick, if there's anyone else on the surface, The Wolf will find them too."