After cleaning up, Reece and Angel got dressed. Donning some clean black undershirts, grey maintenance cargo pants, and black boots, they headed to the mess hall with three bottles full of smuggled tequila. Angel had managed to dig them out from a rucksack at the bottom of his locker. All cleaned up, the two men left the barracks with Angel leading the way.
About halfway to the mess, Angel suddenly paused and looked over his shoulder.
“Reece, take care of her,” said Angel solemnly.
“Who, Naeva?” asked Reece.
Angel chuckled softly.
“The station, buddy,” he said with amusement before getting wistful. “It’s strange, but I’m gonna miss her. You know what I mean?”
“Yeah, I think so…or, I will. And yeah, I’ll take good care of her,” replied Reece. “Maybe Naeva too.”
“Hah! Thanks, bud,” replied Angel, slapping him on the back.
As the two men got closer, they began hearing music coming from up ahead. Once they reached the mess hall, the music was booming. It filled the room, joined with the sounds of laughing and conversation. Most of the crew were already there. Zia and Stephanie Becker were both holding plastic water cups. They were laughing at something Pasha had just said while he poured each a shot of vodka. Solomon was also a member of the small circle and looked slightly embarrassed as he took a long drink from his water bottle.
Seated at her table, Thomas, Jared, and Taylor were all competing for Aika’s attention. Aika politely laughed at their half-drunken jokes in a supreme test of patience. Behind them, at another table, Sora and Naeva were relaxing and making small talk. Thato sat with them, sipping on a strange juice concoction, and looked peaceful as he took the scene in.
Everyone was dressed about the same. Most wore black undershirts with maintenance pants or grey flight suits, except Stephanie. She was wearing a white doctor’s coat and black slacks. Aldo was nowhere to be seen. Reece thought that was odd since he was one of the astronauts leaving the station soon.
“No big loss there,” thought Reece. “He wasn’t much of a people person anyhow, probably happier checking on his experiments.”
Pasha was the first to notice the newcomers.
“Whoa, is that tequila?” he exclaimed.
“Sure is,” smiled Angel.
“Excellent!” Pasha exclaimed.
Pasha handed his half-full bottle of vodka to Solomon. Quickly crossing over to the kitchenette, he grabbed several more cups. Placing the cups on the nearest empty table, Pasha beckoned Angel over. “Hand me one of those bottles, please.”
Angel approached the table and set all the bottles down. Pasha quickly popped the top on one and filled all the cups half-full. As Pasha finished with the last cup, he looked closer at the tequila bottle. “Hah, it’s even got the worm.”
Angel picked up a cup and handed it to Reece. “Of course. It’s not tequila without the worm.”
Angel picked up another cup as Pasha handed out the other cups, keeping one for himself. Now, everyone in the module had a cup.
“I want to give a toast,” said Angel as he raised his.
Everyone quickly paused their conversations to see what Angel had to say. It was a testament to the respect the crew had for each other.
“I just wanted to thank everyone here for helping to make the past year the most amazing one of my life. I consider each of you lifelong friends. And to the new people, even though I haven’t had much time to get to know you, we are all a family. Few people get this opportunity, an exclusive experience that we all share. And lastly, to my home for the past year. She kept us safe and secure. May she continue to do that for as long as we need her. Reece promises to take good care of her so that she takes care of you all. Cheers!” toasted Angel.
“Cheers!” came the cry from everyone in attendance as they raised their cups and drank.
Everyone downed the fiery drink in one long gulp. Reece wasn’t a big drinker. The tequila burned down his throat warmed his belly and made his eyes water. At least he had downed it quickly and didn’t taste it too much. Angel noticed the trouble Reece was having with the drink.
“Looks like we have ourselves a lightweight here,” said Angel, slapping him on the back and laughing.
“Nah, that’s the best gasoline I’ve ever tasted,” joked Reece.
The rest of the crew joined in and chuckled pleasantly.
Reece continued, “And I’m pretty sure we’re all light-weights. There’s not exactly a whole lot of alcohol available.”
“Oh, don’t be a sook. This is some sweet-ass liquor,” laughed Thomas.
“I’ll take your word for it,” shot back Reece.
They weren’t exactly wrong in their collective sentiment. Reece had never been much of a drinker, not even during his college years. Sure, he’d gotten drunk at parties a few times, but nothing regular. He just didn’t like the taste of alcohol in general. He could already feel the drink having an effect. That tequila must be some strong stuff. Without asking, Pasha walked over and refilled Reece’s cup from his bottle of vodka. He had reacquired it from Solomon at some point and felt that Reece needed some.
“Here, try this. It’s much smoother and easier to swallow than Angel’s tequila,” offered Pasha with a wicked gleam in his eye.
Reece didn’t necessarily believe him. But not wanting to be rude, he quickly threw back the vodka. It was most definitely not smoother or easier to swallow. It was also stronger than the tequila. His head started to swim as the spirits rapidly took hold.
“Wow, okay… um, yeah, I’m gonna sit down now,” Reece said under his breath to no one in particular while he stumbled to a table. He plopped himself down and decided to stay there for a minute. He knew better than to drink strong alcohol this quickly. It was a trick he learned in high school. Drink fast, and you could get drunk fast. Although once you stopped, it would wear off fast as well. It seemed fate wasn’t going to allow for that, however. Angel sat next to him before giving Reece’s shoulder a quick squeeze. Then he refilled Reece’s cup with more tequila.
“Oh, thanks,” stated Reece sarcastically. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“Nah, just loosen you up a bit. You get to know someone much better when their inhibitions are repressed just a bit.”
“A bit…hah…Well, here’s to getting to know the crew,” replied Reece.
He raised his cup in a mock toast and took a long drink. Now that he was drunk, the alcohol’s taste no longer bothered him as much, and he took his time. Angel sat next to him and took a pull from his cup as he looked around the room.
“This is generally a good bunch of people,” observed Angel. “Keep your eye on the ball, and I think you’ll do just fine here.”
“Yeah, you got it,” agreed Reece. “Which ball? I used to play Battleball in college, you know. Was pretty good too.”
Angel laughed at Reece’s drunken antics. Soon, both men relaxed from the alcohol. They continued to talk while they slowly finished their cups. Naeva and Sora approached their table and proceeded to sit down with them.
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“Mind if we sit?” asked Naeva after they had already made themselves comfortable.
“Not at all,” replied Reece playfully. “Please, sit.”
Noticing it almost empty, Angel refilled Sora’s cup.
“I haven’t had a chance to truly meet you… Sora, right?” he asked.
“Yes, thank you,” she replied shyly, glancing at Reece.
The four soon got to talking about all manner of things about the station, each other, their work aboard the station, and their plans once they got back. Aika approached them with Thomas and Commander Taylor in tow. They pulled up chairs around the now too-small table. Jared had left early, giving up the chase. Reece made room for Aika. There wasn’t any more room for the two men. So, they headed over to the Beckers, Solomon, and Pasha. Thato had joined them as well. Naeva glared across the table at Aika.
“Why, welcome to our table,” greeted Naeva in a way that sounded more like a threat than a greeting.
Aika blew her off and looked over at Angel. “You weren’t going to leave without saying goodbye to all of us, were you?”
“Of course not, chica. We’ve been through way too much for that. For that matter, I want all of you to look me up when you return to earth. Like in the toast earlier… we’re a family. How many people will understand what we’ve experienced and sacrificed here? I mean… how many people get to look down at the earth from the heavens? No, I won’t forget to say goodbye. But only goodbye for now, assuming you all survive now that I won’t be here to keep this station in one piece.”
“I’ll drink to that,” said Aika, drinking from her cup.
Everyone else at the table followed suit. Aika put her hand on Reece’s forearm and leaned into him.
“Don’t worry, Reece,” she said loud enough for everyone to hear. “Angel’s a big talker, but he has always kept the station purring like a kitten. And despite his supposed misgivings, he’s told me that the station is in good hands with you taking care of her now. That should make all of us feel better.”
“And I’ll drink to that,” said Reece with a smile, copying Aika while swigging the alcohol in his cup.
“Now, Aika, you’re going to let it all go to his head,” Angel complained.
“Nah, the alcohol beat her to it,” slurred Reece.
Everyone laughed except for Naeva, who had quietly fumed since Aika’s arrival. Reece considered that Naeva might be jealous even though he and Aika were only just starting to become friends. That made him wonder if there may be more to it than that, though the alcohol made thinking difficult. He decided not to worry about it. After all, they’d both been on the station for six months together. Who knows what may have happened in that amount of time?
Slowly, the rest of the alcohol disappeared. Everyone became very relaxed and friendly as time wore on. Angel left for a bit to say his goodbyes to the other group. After a while, Sora followed. Stephanie and Zia joined Reece, Aika, and Naeva at their table. Reece had begun to sober up and suddenly felt out of place with four women around him, but they didn’t seem to mind. He considered getting up but wasn’t sure if he could walk and didn’t want to make a fool out of himself. Luckily, Zia and Stephanie did their best to make him feel welcome.
Reece felt camaraderie building as the party went on. After a while, Zia and Stephanie said goodnight to everyone and left for bed. Commander Taylor and Solomon took their seats before they got cold, and Reece got to know them better too. It was true that Taylor was a great storyteller, and he had them all laughing at his wild tales. Solomon was quiet for the most part, so Reece didn’t learn much about him. Thato had left early to meditate. It was something he did nightly.
“You know,” mentioned Naeva. “Thato teaches yoga if you’re interested. He’s a great teacher.”
“Huh, yeah… maybe,” replied Reece noncommittally, noticing everyone not at the table had left already, including Angel.
Aika excused herself as well. “I need to go powder my nose,” she joked as she stood and left.
A minute later, Taylor loudly stated, “Well, off to bed. Good to know you all. I hope to see all of you on the flip side. Gonna make sure Aika gets to bed alright. Goodnight!”
He stumbled a bit as he walked out of the module, turning the same way that Aika had.
“Are those two an item?” he asked Naeva and Solomon.
“Nah, I think he’d like it to be that way, but she’s never given him the time of day,” said Solomon.
For some reason, this worried Reece.
“You don’t think the commander would try anything in his state, do you?” asked Naeva directly to Solomon.
Solomon seemed to ponder this for a moment. He seemed indecisive, but his shoulder slumped as he resigned to check on them. Reece felt he was a good man who just wanted to ensure everything was okay.
“I’ll go and make sure he gets to his bed,” sighed Solomon. “Hey, it was good to meet you, Reece. Naeva, thanks for everything. Please, look me up when you get back. Good night, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
After stringing more words together than Reece had ever heard the man say, Solomon got up and left. That left Naeva and Reece all alone.
“Finally,” sighed Naeva in relief. “I never thought I’d get you all to myself.”
She stood up and walked over to Reece’s side of the table. Once there, she sat down in the chair Aika had previously occupied. Like Aika, she placed her hand on his arm and leaned into him. Unlike Aika, she whispered seductively into his ear.
“I’d like to get to know you better,” she breathed.
Naeva was stunning, a dark beauty. And she seemed nice enough, even if she was very forward. She put her head on his shoulder and rested herself against him. She felt soft, warm, and wonderful to Reece’s alcohol-addled brain. They sat like that for a few minutes, enjoying the closeness of their bodies.
“Well,” she purred. “It doesn’t look like anyone is coming back. You stay right here while I clean everything up.”
Naeva patted him on the shoulder while she stood up and walked around the tables, putting the few cups and bottles into their appropriate containers in the kitchenette. She put all the chairs away besides Reece’s and the one she had appropriated.
Reece marveled at her figure and concluded that she must work out constantly to maintain a body like that. He also admired her professionalism while she cleaned up after everyone else because it needed to be done. That made him think of Aika. He wondered what had happened between her, the outgoing commander Taylor, and Solomon. The thought was forgotten as she resumed her seat and leaned back into him.
It wasn’t long before Naeva whispered into his ear again, “Now, where were we?”
He felt her start to nibble on his ear and kiss up and down his neck. Reece felt her pull away slightly. He turned his head to look directly at her. Her dark brown eyes stared back at him with a yearning hunger and something else. She casually ran her fingers through her hair, pushing the long straight locks away from her face as she leaned in to kiss him. Her kiss was filled with passion and eagerness. All that was left of Reece’s resolve melted away as her tongue snaked into his mouth. They continued like that for some time before she moved her lips back to his ear and whispered again.
“Follow me,” she purred.
Reece rose on shaky legs, but his equilibrium was better than he thought. He leaned against the table while Naeva secured the remaining two chairs. She led him out of the dining module and down to the gym module. There, she took him into the showers. Once inside, she locked the door and began to disrobe. Her body was chiseled with muscle, and her breasts were firm and perfectly symmetrical. Reece felt flushed as his eyes gazed upon her dark brown nipples, both pierced with silver hoops. His gaze dropped, and he saw that she was shaved everywhere below her head.
Once nude, she took her time disrobing him as well. She was obviously finding pleasure in it. Reece felt like he was a gift being unwrapped, but he didn’t try to stop her. They enjoyed each other’s bodies, and Reece found that the woman was much kinkier than he was expecting, and their foreplay was something he wouldn’t soon forget. They spent an exquisite eternity teasing and playing with each other. Finally, she opened her legs fully for him. Her eyes looked down at his manhood, her intent clear. A panicked thought made its way through the fog of his mind to his consciousness.
“Aren’t you worried about getting pregnant?” he asked her.
She giggled and gave him a strange look. “You do know that all of our food has been treated with Rdhx, right?”
“Yeah,” replied Reece bemused, “But I didn’t have time to read up on it. Humor me. What does it do?”
“It suppressed the release of eggs, keeping us from getting pregnant and also keeping us from getting periods,” explained Naeva.
“Ah, shit…Plan X,” laughed Reece, slapping himself on the forehead at his oversight. “I had no idea that Rdhx was the clinical term for Plan X. It all makes sense now. Forgive my stupidity.”
“I’ll forgive you on one condition,” Naeva growled.
“What’s that?” asked Reece through narrowed eyes.
“Stop wasting time and get over here,” she said as a wicked grin spread across her face.
Not wanting to keep the lady waiting any longer, he slid over the woman and entered her silky channel. She moaned loudly, closing her eyes to focus on the sensations Reece was giving her. After she recovered, she opened her eyes and smiled, seeming quite satisfied with him. Reece couldn’t help but grin back at her. He was enjoying her body as well. Over the next hour and a half, they got to know each other fully.
Sometime later, they passed out together in each other’s arms. Her head was lying on his chest while her arm was draped over his body. They had both worked up a sweat, and the module had warmed with their coupling. That allowed them to sleep comfortably despite not having a bed or blankets. Instead, they slept on just a bathmat and several towels. Reece wondered what kind of a relationship this would become as he enjoyed the skin-on-skin contact with the beautiful vixen. As his mind wandered, sleep finally took him.
As the hours slipped by, Reece’s dreams came fast and numerous, changing from sex dreams to nightmares to just straight-up bizarre dreams and then more bizarre nightmares. Images of Naeva, Aldo, Angel, Sora, Pasha, Rogers, and Aika flashed through his mind. Flashes of the horrible zombie-rat thing followed those images. They all began to blur until Reece saw zombie versions of everyone on the space station chasing him around while missing limbs, eyes, ears… He was drowning in a sea of blood. A slender white arm reached down and lifted him from the gory mess with inhuman strength. He sat up and looked into large red glowing eyes…and… the teeth…the teeth were sharpened fangs!
His two previous dreams were merely harbingers of this one. Each dream he had aboard the station had been more powerful than the last. He wondered in his dream if it would end. Its intensity was unlike any dream or nightmare he had ever had, and it shook him to the center of his being. Finally, the dream ended, and he was able to get some much-needed sleep.