Tales From The Triple Suns (Chapter Twelve)

It seemed that one-day the planet was a quiet oasis, harboring normal activities associated with a small community and the next it was a bustling metropolis with busy streets.  The first crop yielded more than anyone could have foreseen, and larger growing areas were added throughout the coastline within a month.  Almost overnight the shipping tarmac was enlarged to accommodate the multitude of crafts that would soon be arriving with more frequency then was already happening.  The agro-community, although not enlarged in size, seemed to grow rapidly due to the constant visitors.  Ships that landed to load the crops had crewmembers that looked forward to some real air, real land time, and various officials from the nearly one hundred Alliance Of Planets signatories always seemed to be wandering somewhere.  As promising as this was for the future of the community, it also brought with it some problems better suited for a large city.1

The transport crews sometimes got carried away with their free time, resulting in the need for a Community Law Office to be set up months ahead of schedule.  Usually one or two people would spend the night for drunken antics, but it seemed to get worse as time went by.  The Courtesan area was always packed with people and the local law was summoned at least twice a night.  Weapons were forbidden unless accompanied by a strict license, the penalty being immediate banning from the planet for five year. Few people, if any, wanted to break that law.2

Requests for more accommodations were made but always refused on the grounds that it would upset the basic harmony and delicate eco-system…at least that was how it was worded.  In reality, no one wanted their ‘home’ to turn into a city.  More areas taken by construction meant less area used for agriculture.  Soon, there would undoubtedly be an area specifically mapped out and designed for city living, but until then, crews slept on their transports, while dignitaries remained in the guest quarters for the short time they visited.3

The various dignitaries provided their own difficulty with constant demands that things be done in accordance to their regulations, since they were purchasing food goods for their people.  After much haggling, demanding, and basic threatening, a main set of rules was developed and distributed throughout the system, and posted at various points in the landing area and guest quarters.4

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I fell back onto the bed, tired beyond belief, but unable to sleep due the noise filtering through the walls from the dining area.  It had been another night of near boring dinner talk, until I was summarily excused because the visitors refused to discuss business in front of women.  Had I not known about this earlier, I might have been thoroughly pissed off, instead of just mildly annoyed.  I was aware that certain planets held certain rules that had to be observed, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.  I had spent an hour of two after the meal, with all the other outcasts, talking and subtly bitching at the attitude of so-called intelligent men.  Tara and Yancy, the two women on the team, were especially annoyed at being excluded from something they had worked equally hard on.  We understood that our personal feelings had to be set aside for the betterment of the project, and that we couldn’t change over three hundred years of bias of another people just because we didn’t like it.  At least they also excluded anyone who wasn’t directly involved in the planning, so there were a few men there, bitching right along with us.  We also took refuge in the fact that not all dignitaries were like this, and most were rather pleasant individuals who sometimes brought their families along with them.6

I rolled over in bed, gave up all pretense of trying to sleep, and threw off the covers.  I was extremely glad that the dining room was not in my personal home area, or else I would have been extremely pissed at being kicked out.7

The bedroom door opened slightly, and a head peeked in.  “You awake?” Craig asked.8

“Like I could sleep?”9

He walked in and sat on the corner of the bed. “Sorry about the noise.”10

“Doesn’t sound like the meeting is over yet.” I motioned to the walls, and the noise coming through. “You get banished, too?”11

Craig leaned forward and kissed me.  “Told them I had to find some file.”  He pulled out the top of my nightshirt and looked down.  “Nope…not there.”12

I laughed and batted his hand away.  “You go back to those charming gentlemen,” I said, trying to hide the sarcasm on the last two words. “Wrap the meeting up, and get your sexy bod back here.”13

“Yes, ma’am.”  Craig kissed me again then got up, tossed me a salute, and walked out of the bedroom.14

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I think I remember Craig coming to bed that night, but I have no idea of the time.  All I know was that I could feel him slide under the sheets, put his arm around me, and whisper “Goodnight, love,” in my ear.  Then I fell back to sleep for awhile.16

Sometime later, I rolled over in bed, and opened my eyes when I heard a small scratching sound.  I tried to concentrate on it, and realized it was coming from near the window.  I rolled over slowly and looked, hoping it wasn’t some small rodent scratching at the walls. 17

Craig was sitting in the chair by the window, sketchbook in hand, drawing.  He glanced up at me, paused, then went back to putting art pencils to paper.18

“Craig?”19

He didn’t look at me. “Yeah, hon?”20

“You okay?”21

He looked, flashed me a brief smile, and then added a few lines to the book.  “Fine.”  He studied his drawing, added one more thing, and then smiled.  He got up, walked to the bed and sat beside me.  He hesitated, then turned the book around for me to see.22

I stared at the soft lines and textures.  It was a rather good picture of me sleeping.  I glanced up at him.  “It’s beautiful.”23

“Beautiful model.”24

“But…I thought…”25

His smile faded slightly.  “I am capable of drawing things other than nightmares, ya know.”  He looked away.  “Sorry.”  26

I put the sketchbook on the night table and wrapped my arms around him.  “I love it…no one’s ever drawn me before.”  I put my lips close to his ears and breathed, “it’s a definite turn on.” 27

I could feel him shiver slightly.  “Really?” he whispered. 28

“Oh, yes.”  My tongue lightly flicked his earlobe.29

“What…” he coughed and continued in a slightly choked voice, “What…would happen if I told you I have a whole notepad of you?”30

I pulled back and looked at him, a small smile on my lips.  “You do?”  He nodded.  “Can I see?”31

He hesitated, then hurried to the closet, pulled a book out of his private case, and hurried back to the bed.  He handed me the sketchbook, resumed his position in front of me, and pointed at his ear.  “Please…continue.”32

I laughed, then leaned forward and blew in his ear.  He shivered slightly.  “If I knew drawings got you hot, I woulda showed you a long time ago.”33

“Come up to my place and see my etchings?” I asked and raised an eyebrow.  I slowly opened the book, gasping at the images before me.  Pictures ranging from me sleeping to reading to standing on the patio were there…but the one that caught my attention was sketched on the inside of the front cover.  It was of me, sitting in the beach chair the first time we ever met.  Below it, Craig had written path three, seat twelve…what a babe. along with the  date from nearly three years ago.  I glanced up at him and he looked to see which picture I was looking at.34

“Uhhh…I…the book was used for something else, and I drew that on the cover after I first saw you…… then tore the other pictures out…and…umm…” He laughed lightly.  “Okay…loved ya since the first time I saw you.”  He smiled at the unbelievable look I gave him.  “Oh, come on…the restaurant that night…making that lame ass excuse to talk to you.”35

His eyes widened as I put my hands on his shoulder, pushed him back on the bed and landed on top of him.  “So,” I asked casually as I pushed my body against his.  “Love at first sight?”  He swallowed and nodded.  I put one leg on either side of him, then took his hands in mine and moved them above his head.  I had him pinned, but he made no move to release himself.36

“Not…lust?” I whispered as I leaned over and buried my face in his neck.  I could feel his head shake a ‘no’ as I started to nuzzle. “Let you in on a little secret,” I whispered against his skin. “I thought you were damn sexy.”  He tried to move his hands, but I held them against the bed.37