One? Ione unwrapped her legs from his waist and sat back on his legs. She stretched provocatively, hands going behind her neck.
Joshua groaned, staring at her voraciously.
Tell me another, she said.
He sat up, bringing his face twenty centimetres from hers. Watching you, he said in a throaty voice.
Does that turn you on?
Yes.
Solo, or with another girl? She felt his muscles tighten in reflex. Well, thats my answer, she thought. But then shed always known how much he enjoyed threesomes. It wasnt Joshuas cock which was hard to satisfy, just his ego.
He grinned; the Joshua rogueish-charm grin. I bet this conversation is going to turn to Dominique.
Ione gave his nose a butterfly kiss. They just couldnt fool each other; it was a togetherness similar to the one she enjoyed with the habitat personality. Comforting and eerie at the same time. You mentioned her name first.
Are you upset about her coming to Lalonde with me?
No. It makes sound business sense.
You do disapprove. He stroked the side of her breasts tenderly. Theres no need to be jealous. I have been to bed with Dominique, you know.
I know. I watched you on that big bed of hers, remember?
He cupped her breasts and kissed each nipple in turn. Lets bring her to this bed.
She looked down on the top of his head. Not possible, sorry. The Saldanas eradicated the gay gene from their DNA three hundred years ago. Couldnt risk the scandal, they are supposed to uphold the ten commandments throughout the kingdom, after all.
Joshua didnt believe a word of it. They missed erasing the adultery gene, then.
She smiled. Whats your hurry to hit the mattress with her? The two of you are going to spend a week locked up in that zero-gee sex cage of yours.
You are jealous.
No. I never claimed to have an exclusive right to you. After all, I didnt complain about Norfolk.
He pulled his head back from her breasts. Ione! he complained.
You reeked of guilt. Was she very beautiful?
She was ... sweet.
Sweet? Why, Joshua Calvert, I do believe youre getting romantic in your old age.
Joshua sighed and dropped back on the mattress again. He wished shed make up her mind whether she was jealous or not. Do I ask about your lovers?
Ione couldnt help the slight flush that crept up her cheeks. Hans had been fun while it lasted, but shed never felt as free with him as she did with Joshua. No, she admitted.
Ah hah, Im not the only one whos guilty, by the looks of it.
She traced a forefinger down his sternum and abdomen until she was stroking his thighs. Quits?
Yes. His hands found her hips. I brought you another present.
Joshua! What?
A gigantea seed. Thats an aboriginal Lalonde tree. I saw a couple on the edge of Durringham, they were eighty metres tall, but Marie said they were just babies, the really big ones are further inland from the coast.
Marie said that, did she?
Yes. He refused to be put off. It should grow all right in Tranquillitys parkland. But youll have to plant it where the soil is deep and theres plenty of moisture.
Ill remember.
Itll grow up to the light-tube eventually.
She pulled a disbelieving face.
I will have to run environmental compatibility tests first,tranquillity said. Our biosphere is delicately balanced.
So cynical.thank you, joshua, she said out loud.
Joshua realized he had regained his erection. Why dont you just ease forward a bit?
I could give you a treat instead, Ione said seductively. A real male fantasy come true.
Yes?
Yes. Theres a girlfriend of mine Id like you to meet. We go swimming together every morning. Youd like that, watching us get all wet and slippery. Shes younger than me. And she never, ever wears a swimming costume.
Jesus. Joshuas face went from greed to caution. This isnt on the level, he decided.
Yes, it is. Shes also very keen to meet you. She likes it a lot when people wash her. I do it all the time, sliding my hands all over her. Dont you want to join me?
He looked up at Iones mock-innocent expression, and wondered what the hell he was letting himself in for. Gay gene, like bollocks. Lead on.
They had walked fifty metres down the narrow sandy path towards the cove, Iones escort of three serjeants an unobtrusive ten paces behind, when Joshua stopped and looked round. This is the southern endcap.
Thats right, she said slyly.
He caught up with her as she reached the top of the bluff. The long, gently curving cove below looked tremendously enticing, with a border of shaggy palm trees and a tiny island offshore. Away in the distance he could see the elaborate buildings of the Laymil project campus.
Its all right, she said. I wont have you arrested for coming here.
He shrugged and followed her down the bluff. Ione was running on ahead as he reached the sand. Her towelling robe was flung away. Come on, Joshua! Spray frothed up as her feet reached the water.
A naked girl, a tropical beach. Irresistible. He dropped his own robe and jogged down the slope. Something was moving behind him, something making dull thudding sounds as it moved, something heavy. He turned. Jesus!
A Kiint was running straight at him. It was smaller than any hed seen before, about three metres long, only just taller than him. Eight fat legs were flipping about in a rhythm which was impossible to follow.
His feet refused to budge. Ione!
She was laughing hysterically. Morning, Haile, she called at the top of her voice.
The Kiint lumbered to a halt in front of him. He was looking into a pair of soft violet eyes half as wide as his own face. A stream of warm damp breath poured from the breathing vents.
Er ...
One of the tractamorphic arms curved up, the tip formshifting into the shape of a human handslightly too large.
Well, say hello, then, Ione said; she had walked up to stand behind him.
Ill get you for this, Saldana.
She giggled. Joshua, this is my girlfriend, Haile. Haile, this is Joshua.
Why has he so much stiffness?haile asked.
Ione cracked up, nearly doubling over as she laughed. Joshua gave her a furious glare.
Not want to shake hands? Not want to initiate human greetings ritual? Not want to be friends?the kiint sounded mournfully disappointed.
Joshua, shake hands. Hailes upset you dont want to be friends with her.
How do you know? he asked out of the corner of his mouth.
Affinity. The Kiint can use it.
He put his hand up. Hailes arm reached out, and he felt a dry, slightly scaly, bud of flesh flow softly around his fingers. It tickled. His neural nanonics were executing a priority search through the xenoc files he had stored in a memory cell. The Kiint could hear.
May your thoughts always fly high, Haile, he said, and gave a slight formal bow.
I have much likening for him!
Ione gave him a calculating stare. I might have known that charm of his would work on xenocs too, she thought.
Joshua felt the Kiints flesh deliver a warm squeeze to his hand, then the pseudo-hand peeled back. The itchy sensation it left in his palm seemed to spread up along his spine and into his skull.
Your new girlfriend, he said heavily.
Ione smiled. Haile was born a few weeks ago. And boy, does she grow fast.
Haile started to push Ione towards the water, flat triangular head butting the girl spiritedly, beak flapping. One of her tractamorphic arms beckoned avidly at Joshua.